Abstract:
The present invention provides a dynamo battery charger adapted to provide amusement during the recharging process. The charger housing is shaped or constructed to represent an amusing apparatus that includes optional features that simulate actual components whereby the amusing optional features are operable when the battery charger is being actuated.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     The present invention relates to apparatus used for recharging batteries and more particularly to a hand-operated dynamo battery charger adapted to provide amusement while charging batteries to be used with portable electronic devices.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     Dynamos are known as devices used to convert kinetic energy into electrical current. In some cases dynamos are used in conjunction with other components for providing a recharging apparatus for batteries. The dynamos are typically incorporated into the design of a system that has kinetic energy as an input, such as a motor vehicle or bicycle, wherein the dynamo is sometimes used to power electrical circuits as well as to provide charging power to a storage device such as a battery or conventional capacitor.  
         [0003]     In other cases dynamos are used as portable recharging devices for small electronics such as radios, cell phones or the like. In these cases, a dynamo charging apparatus is provided in communication with a hand crank for allowing input of kinetic energy through rotating of the crank whereby the dynamo is driven to output electrical current. These types of portable dynamo chargers are typically designed for specific applications for recharging specific devices, and/or batteries disposed therein, rather than being adapted to recharge conventional batteries that are usable with a plurality of portable electronic devices. Additionally, it is appreciated that the kinetic energy needed to drive the dynamo charger is provided by the user cranking the handle. This can prove to be a tedious and undesirable task.  
         [0004]     Accordingly, the present invention seeks to provide a dynamo charger that can be used for recharging batteries usable as a power source for a plurality of electronic devices in addition to providing an apparatus adapted to provide amusement to the user while providing the kinetic energy needed to drive the device.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0005]     The present invention provides a dynamo battery charger adapted to recharge external batteries as well as to provide amusement to the user during the recharging process.  
         [0006]     The battery charger according to the invention includes a housing adapted to provide amusement while charging the battery. The housing is provided in a particular shape and/or disposed with amusing features that operate to reduce the tedium associated with the charging process.  
         [0007]     A battery receptacle is disposed within the housing and is adapted to removably receive a battery. The battery for recharging via the present invention is of the conventional type adapted to be used with a plurality of electronic devices rather than for a specific application.  
         [0008]     A grip is disposed on the housing that allows a user to input the kinetic energy necessary for driving the battery charger.  
         [0009]     A dynamo is disposed within the housing and placed in mechanical communication with the grip. The dynamo operates to produce an electrical output to the battery receptacle in response to imparting kinetic energy for battery recharge. The output from the dynamo is also used to power ancillary amusement features to induce a user to manually recharge a battery and in the process obtain a level of physical exercise and curb line power consumption.  
         [0010]     The battery charger includes an electronic circuit in electrical communication with the dynamo output and the battery receptacle. The electronic circuit is operative to condition the electrical output from the dynamo for charging the battery and driving electronic units placed in communication with the electronic circuit. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0011]     A better understanding of the present invention will be had upon reference to the following detailed description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which like parts are given like reference numerals and wherein:  
         [0012]      FIGS. 1A and 1B  illustrate perspective views of the dynamo battery charger as according to the invention;  
         [0013]      FIG. 2  illustrates a perspective view of the dynamo battery charger with the top portion of the housing removed to depict the internal components of the inventive battery charger; and  
         [0014]      FIG. 3  is a partial cutaway view of an inventive battery charger fashioned with a simulative feature providing amusement herein depicted as a merry-go-round.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0015]     The dynamo battery charger of the present invention is adapted to provide amusement for a user of the apparatus as well as being operative to recharge an external battery for use with electronic devices. It is appreciated that dynamo chargers require kinetic energy as an input such that electrical current may be generated and output to external devices and/or batteries. A grip is provided for imparting manual energy to the dynamo. The grip is appreciated to allow for the input of kinetic energy through a crank, or a squeeze trigger geared to translate the trigger contraction into dynamo rotation. The grip is provided in communication with the dynamo to impart kinetic energy into the device. By making the operation of the dynamo entertaining, a device user does not find the task of grip operation tedious to achieve power generation.  
         [0016]     Referring now to  FIGS. 1A, 1B  and  2 , an exemplary embodiment of the dynamo battery charger  10  as according to the invention is illustrated with common shared features between the figures being identified with like numerals. The battery charger  10  includes a housing  12  with a simulative feature such as  30 ,  32 ,  34  or  36  provides amusement while charging a battery B. The housing  12  is provided in the form of a motorcycle fuel tank as a feature for providing amusement during the battery recharging process. A battery receptacle  14  is disposed within the housing  12  that is adapted to removably receive the battery B to be recharged. Preferably, the battery receptacle  14  is removable from the housing  12  and includes an electrical connection that allows it to be removed from the charging portion of the battery charger  10 . In this manner a second interchangeable battery receptacle is inserted in place of receptacle  14  within the housing  12  to accommodate the charging of a battery having a dimension different than the battery B. A grip  16 , depicted here as a rotatable crank, is disposed on the housing  12  for allowing a user to input kinetic energy into the battery charger  10  that in turn produces electrical energy. In the preferred embodiment, the grip  16  is operative to be selectively disposed in a working position W or a storage position S between uses. It is appreciated that a grip  16  also operative herein includes a spring-loaded trigger having a toothed surface that enmeshes with a gear in mechanical communication with the battery charger  10 ; such a trigger is detailed with greater specificity at  57  in the embodiment depicted in  FIG. 3 . Such a trigger mechanism operative herein includes that common to a sparking wheel or gun toys.  
         [0017]     The housing  12  has a dynamo  18  disposed therein that is in mechanical communication with the grip  16 . The dynamo  18  generates electrical energy in response to the grip  16  being manipulated by the user. The electrical energy is directed to the battery receptacle  14  to charge a battery B and optionally via an electrical power takeoff to the simulative feature  30 ,  32 ,  34  or  36 . As shown, a gear train  20  provides the mechanical linkage between the grip  16  and the dynamo  18 . It is appreciated that other forms of mechanical linkages may be provided, illustratively including belt and pulley systems.  
         [0018]     An electrical/electronic circuit  22  is provided in communication with the dynamo  18  and the battery receptacle  14 . The circuit  22  is operative to condition the electrical energy from the dynamo  18  to yield a conditioned electrical output better suited to efficiently charge a battery and optionally to also power a simulative feature  30 ,  32 ,  34  or  36  via an electrical power takeoff. In instances when the simulative feature is not powered with the electrical energy generated by the dynamo  18 , a mechanical power takeoff is provided to transfer kinetic energy from the grip  16  to drive the simulative feature. The circuit  22  optionally includes subcircuits such as a rectification portion; a power takeoff portion, to drive a simulative feature; a regulation portion; a filtering portion; a threshold detection portion, to prevent overcharging; and a logic portion that determines a proper charging current to be output to the battery receptacle for charging the battery.  
         [0019]     The battery charger  10  is optionally provided having top  11  and bottom  13  portions wherein the top portion  11  is selectably removable from the bottom portion  13  such that access to the interior components of the battery charger  10  is conveniently permitted. Further, the top portion  11  of the housing  12  is optionally provided with an access door  38  that is selectively manipulated to allow access to the battery receptacle  14  for inserting and removing batteries as needed. A simulated speedometer  30  is disposed on the housing  12  and provided in electrical communication with the electronic circuit  22 . The simulated speedometer  30  is operative to produce a simulated speed value in response to receiving an electrical output from the electronic circuit  22 .  
         [0020]     Optionally, a tachometer  32  is provided operative to produce a revolutions per minute (rpm) value indication in response to receiving an electrical output from the electronic circuit  22  relating to the revolutions per minute of the dynamo  18  during charging. It is appreciated that the tachometer  32  can be in the form of a needle moving relative to a fixed dial, or includes a number of lights that illuminate selectively in response to the rpm value. Preferably, the light is a light emitting diode (LED). The lights are optionally a sequential string of lights, or a particular light that is illuminated based on the rpm range. For instance, excess rpm value illuminates a red light, proper range values illuminate a yellow light, and a deficient rpm value illuminates a green light. Optionally, an inventive charger  10  also incorporates a lamp  34  that is illuminated in response to receiving an electrical output from the circuit  22 . Optionally, a watt meter  36  provides a power value indicative of output from the dynamo  18  and/or the charge level on the battery B. Additionally, ornamental features and indicia are optionally provided to enhance the aesthetic entertainment aspects of the charger  10 . These features and indicia illustratively include exhaust pipes  40 , air intake filters  42 , and a sound synthesizing circuit (not shown) for producing an audio output similar to the sound of an operating motorcycle.  
         [0021]      FIG. 3  depicts generally at  50  an inventive charger with a kinetic entertainment feature  52  coupled to a housing  54  where like numerals correspond to those components previously detailed with respect to  FIGS. 1A, 1B  and  2 . The feature  52  has a rotating central spindle  56  in electrical and/or mechanical communication with gearing located with the housing  54 . Preferably, a gear train has a power take-off relative to a dynamo to rotate the spindle  56 . While not depicted in  FIG. 3 , the housing  54  contains an electrical circuit  22  described with respect to  FIGS. 1A, 1B  and  2 . It is appreciated that the orientation and relative position of these components are readily adjusted to accommodate the size and geometry of the housing  54 . A grip  57 , depicted here as trigger, is provided to power a dynamo located with the housing  54 . The grip  57  has a spring-loaded trigger having a toothed surface  59  that enmeshes with a gear  61  in mechanical communication with the gear train  20  and in turn drives the dynamo  18 . A door  58  within the housing  54  affords access to a battery receptacle  60  suitable for receiving a battery B for charging. In  FIG. 3 , the feature  52  is depicted as a “merry-go-round” rotating in response to kinetic energy being input into the battery charger  50  via the grip  57 . Preferably, the gear train  20  acts as a kinetic energy power takeoff to provide rotational energy to the feature  52 . Alternative simulative features disposable on the housing  54  for providing amusement illustratively include a miniature train circumscribing a track, a Ferris wheel, or a music box that plays a musical tune.  
         [0022]     A method for using an inventive dynamo battery charger includes the steps of disposing a battery within the battery receptacle and manipulating the grip continuously for a predetermined period of time at a predetermined rate such that the output from the dynamo is adequate to provide a charging current to the battery. After the predetermined time period for charging has expired, the battery is removed from the battery receptacle for use as desired.  
         [0023]     From the foregoing, a dynamo battery charger adapted to provide amusement to the user during the battery recharging process is provided. Having described the invention, however, it is appreciated that many modifications thereto may become apparent to one of skill in the art without deviation from the spirit of the invention as defined by the scope of the appended claims.