Portable solar power supply

A portable solar power supply includes a solar-powered charger including a solar cell; a circuit board including a power management unit, a buck-boost converter unit, a charging control unit, a data management unit, an on/off switch, a set of indicators, a power inlet, a power outlet, a first connector, a wireless communications member, a line transmission member, a data storage member, an RFID member, an SD card member, a USB port, a Micro USB port, and a solar charging member; and holes; and a rechargeable battery including at least one electrochemical cell each shaped to partially contain the solar-powered charger and including a second connector, a third connector, snapping members, and slots. The second connector is capable of connecting to the first connector or the third connector, and the snapping members are capable of being retained in the holes or the slots.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The subject matter of this application is related to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/344,857 filed Jan. 6, 2012, the teachings of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The invention relates to power supplies and more particularly to a portable solar power supply having a solar-powered charger and a rechargeable battery with one or more electrochemical cells.

2. Description of Related Art

Currently, a rechargeable battery is a common power source for various portable consumer electronic products, such as mobile phones, laptops, digital cameras, music players, etc. For charging the rechargeable battery, a specific charger is required to convert AC power from an outlet into DC and supply same thereto. When external power is inaccessible, charging is impossible. And in turn, the electronic device employing the rechargeable battery as a power source is inoperative when the battery is low.

For solving this problem, many types of portable solar power supply (so called “power pack”) have been developed. By using a portable solar power supply, a user can charge his/her electronic device anywhere he/she goes when such need arises.

Conventionally, a portable solar power supply is comprised of a rechargeable battery and a control circuit that are disposed in a housing. The commercial portable solar power supplies are provided with different battery capacities. While a portable solar power supply having a small capacity is usually compact and light in weight, its operating time is limited. To the contrary, a portable solar power supply having a large capacity can serve for a relatively long period of time but it is bulky and less portable. In addition, life time of the conventional rechargeable batteries is subject to frequency of use. Further, once the typical battery becomes poor in performance or is broken, the whole power supply is no longer usable.

Thus, the need for improvement still exists.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is therefore one object of the invention to provide a portable solar power supply comprising a solar-powered charger comprising a solar cell; a circuit board including a power management unit, a buck-boost converter unit, a charging control unit, a data management unit, an on/off switch, a set of indicators, a power inlet, a power outlet, a first connector, a wireless communications member, a line transmission member, a data storage member, an RFID member, an SD card member, a USB port, a Micro USB port, and a solar charging member; and a plurality of holes; and a rechargeable battery comprising at least one electrochemical cell each shaped to partially contain the solar-powered charger and including a second connector, a third connector, a plurality of snapping members, and a plurality of slots; wherein the second connector is capable of connecting to either the first connector or the third connector, and the snapping members are capable of being retained in either the holes or the slots.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring toFIGS. 1 to 5, a portable solar power supply having one or more cells connected in series in accordance with the invention comprises a solar-powered charger1and a rechargeable battery2. Each component is discussed in detail below.

The solar-powered charger1comprises a housing11and a circuit board12in the housing11. On the circuit board12, there are provided a power management unit12A, a buck-boost converter unit12B, a charging control unit12C, and a data management unit12D.

On the circuit board12, there are further provided an on/off switch121, a set of indicators122, a power inlet123, a power outlet124, a power inlet jack125, a power outlet jack126, a solar cell127, and a first connector128all of which being disposed on the housing11.

On the circuit board12, there are further provided a wireless communications member12-A, a line transmission member12-B, a data storage member12-C, a radio frequency identification (RFID) member12-D, a Secure Digital (SD) card member12-E, a Universal Serial Bus (USB) port12-F, a Micro USB port12-G, a solar charging member12-H, and a wireless charging member12-I.

The SD card member12-E, the USB port12-F, and the USB port12-G are disposed on the housing11. The solar cell127is provided on a top surface of the housing11and electrically connected to the solar charging member12-H. The first connector128is disposed on a bottom surface of the housing11. A plurality of holes13are provided on four corners of the bottom of the rectangular housing11.

Direct current (DC) power can be supplied to the solar-powered charger1by connecting an adapter (or a USB connector) to the power inlet123(or the power inlet jack125). DC power can be supplied from the solar-powered charger1to a portable electronic device by electrically interconnecting the power outlet124(or the power outlet jack126) and a power port of the portable electronic device. The SD card member12-E is for insert of an SD card. The USB port12-F and the Micro USB port12-G are adapted to insert of a USB connector and a Micro USB connector respectively. The line transmission member12-B is adapted to insert of an RJ-45 physical connector.

The power inlet123and the power inlet jack125are electrically connected to one end of the charging control unit12C which has the other end electrically connected to one end of the power management unit12A, one end of the solar charging member12-H, and the wireless charging member12-I respectively. The other end of the solar charging member12-H is electrically connected to the solar cell127. The other end of the power management unit12A is electrically connected to the on/off switch121, the set of indicators122, the first connector128and one end of the buck-boost converter unit12B respectively.

The other end of the buck-boost converter unit12B is electrically connected to the data storage member12-C, the RFID member12-D, the SD card member12-E, and the USB port12-F respectively. The other end of the Micro USB port12-G is electrically connected to the data management unit12D. The wireless communications member12-A and the line transmission member12-B are electrically connected to the data management unit12D.

The rechargeable battery2comprises a plurality of rectangular electrochemical cells3,4and5. For example, the cell3comprises a housing31with a rectangular cavity32formed on a top surface. On the cavity32there are provided with a control member33, an electricity accumulator34, a second connector35, two projections37, and two tabs38. On the bottom surface of the cell3, there are provided a third connector36below the second connector35and a plurality of slots39(e.g., four on four corners of the bottom of the cell3respectively). Each of the cells3,4and5is shaped to be complementary to the solar-powered charger1and the cells3,4and5are complementary each other so that they can be assembled as detailed later.

In an assembly, the projections37and the tabs38are adapted to insert into the holes13respectively so as to fasten the cell3and the solar-powered charger1together in a sliding and snapping manner. Likewise, the cells3and4can be fastened together by inserting the projections37and the tabs38of the cell3into the slots39of the cell4respectively in a sliding and snapping manner. The cells4and5can also be fastened together in such a manner. Moreover, the second connector35of the cell3is electrically connected to the second connector128of the solar-powered charger1, the third connector36of the cell3is electrically connected to the second connector35of the cell4, and the third connector36of the cell4is electrically connected to the second connector35of the cell5respectively. As a result, the solar-powered charger1and the cells3,4and5are electrically connected in series. Further, the solar-powered charger1(i.e., the solar cell127) can convert the energy of light directly into electricity to be stored in each of the cells3,4and5.