Abstract:
An all-in-one lithium battery charger, and more particularly, to a charging seat specifically designed for the Kodak KLIC series lithium batteries. The charging seat includes a first charging terminal set in the lateral direction and a second charging terminal set in the longitudinal direction such that they are arranged in an L-shaped manner. Moreover, the bottom plate of the charging seat includes different bottom portions positioned at different height for defining different sized charging grooves. In this way, at least six types of lithium batteries can be charged therein without increasing the volume of the chargers, thereby achieving the all-in-one charging purpose. Moreover, the convenient storage and carrying is ensured.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    The invention relates to an all-in-one lithium battery charger, and more particularly to a charger that is suitable for charging six types of Kodak KLIC series lithium batteries. 
         [0003]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0004]    The 3C-products (computer/communication/consumer electronics) continue to introduce new designs, styles, and functions. Accordingly, the lithium batteries needed for the operation thereof were brought into the market unceasingly. The lithium batteries for Kodak 3C products alone have different models such as KLIC-7000, KLIC-7001, KLIC-7003, KLIC-7004, KLIC-7005 and KLIC-7006. 
         [0005]    Previously, different chargers have to be designed for different models of the conventional nickel batteries. As a result, the user needs to prepare for corresponding chargers. This causes inconvenience in use. Moreover, much trouble tends to arise when so many different chargers are stored and carried, thereby increasing invisible cost. 
         [0006]    Therefore, a Kodak type all-in-one charger  10 , shown in  FIGS. 1A and 1B , was developed for avoiding the above-mentioned disadvantages. The charger  10  includes a base  11  with a recess  111  at the top thereof for mechanically and electrically connecting an adjustable charging seat  12 . A slide cover  121  is positioned at the top of the adjustable charging seat  12 . A charging groove  122  for accommodating a certain battery B is created by adjusting the position of the slide cover  121 . In this way, a single charger is suitable for different lithium batteries having different models and dimensions. 
         [0007]    The above-mentioned all-in-one charger  10  has the function to adjust the size of the charging groove. However, it is impractical to carry it due to its large volume. Moreover, the use is not convenient since the position of the slide cover  121  has to be adjusted when different batteries are charged. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0008]    An object of the invention is to eliminate the above-mentioned drawbacks of the conventional all-in-one charger and to provide a multipurpose charger, based on the conventional charger&#39;s structure, for charging at least six types of Kodak KLIC series lithium batteries without increasing the volume thereof, thereby achieving the six-in-one charging effect. 
         [0009]    In order to achieve the above-mentioned objects, the invention includes: 
         [0010]    a) a bottom casing having a through hole at the tail thereof; 
         [0011]    b) a circuit board positioned within the bottom casing with a USB port facing to the through hole such that an electric connection to an external power source may be established via the USB port and the external power source may serve as the charging power source, the circuit board being provided with a first charging terminal set in the lateral direction and a second charging terminal set in the longitudinal direction such that the first and second charging terminal sets are arranged in an L-shaped manner; 
         [0012]    c) a charging seat having a bottom plate, a lateral upright plate at the tail of the bottom plate, and an upright side plate adjacent to the lateral upright plate, the lateral upright plate and the upright side plate having a plurality of slots facing to the first and second charging terminal sets such that the first and second charging terminal sets may jut out of the slots, respectively; and 
         [0013]    d) a top casing having an opening corresponding to the charging seat such that the charging seat may fit into the opening, the front side of the top casing having a first bottom portion and a second bottom portion positioned closely to the bottom plate of the charging seat, the second bottom portion being disposed higher than the first bottom portion, the top casing sitting on the bottom casing to permit a practical insertion of different kinds of lithium batteries into a charging groove (positioned at the top of the top casing) for conducting a charging process. 
         [0014]    According to the invention, at least four charging grooves are created by different bottom portions formed at different heights such that six types of Kodak KLIC series lithium batteries may be placed and charged within the corresponding charging grooves. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0015]    The accomplishment of this and other objects of the invention will become apparent from the following descriptions and its accompanying figures of which: 
           [0016]      FIG. 1A  is an exploded perspective view of a conventional lithium battery charger; 
           [0017]      FIG. 1B  is a perspective view showing the use of the conventional lithium battery charger; 
           [0018]      FIG. 2  is an exploded perspective view of the charger in accordance with the invention; 
           [0019]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the invention with a swivel cover in an opened position; 
           [0020]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the invention with the swivel cover in a closed position; 
           [0021]      FIG. 5  is a top view of the charger in accordance with the invention; 
           [0022]      FIG. 6  is a cutaway view taken along the line  6 - 6  in  FIG. 5 ; 
           [0023]      FIG. 7A  is a perspective view of the invention for charging KLIC-7000 lithium battery; 
           [0024]      FIG. 7B  is a top view of the invention for charging KLIC-7000 lithium battery; 
           [0025]      FIG. 8A  is a perspective view of the invention for charging KLIC-7001 lithium battery; 
           [0026]      FIG. 8B  is a top view of the invention for charging KLIC-7001 lithium battery; 
           [0027]      FIG. 9A  is a perspective view of the invention for charging KLIC-7004 lithium battery; 
           [0028]      FIG. 9B  is a top view of the invention for charging KLIC-7004 lithium battery; 
           [0029]      FIG. 10A  is a perspective view of the invention for charging KLIC-7005 lithium battery; 
           [0030]      FIG. 10B  is a top view of the invention for charging KLIC-7005 lithium battery; 
           [0031]      FIG. 11A  is a perspective view of the invention for charging KLIC-7003 lithium battery; 
           [0032]      FIG. 11B  is a top view of the invention for charging KLIC-7003 lithium battery; 
           [0033]      FIG. 12A  is a perspective view of the invention for charging KLIC-7006 lithium battery; and 
           [0034]      FIG. 12B  is a top view of the invention for charging KLIC-7006 lithium battery. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0035]    First of all, referring to  FIGS. 2 through 6 , an all-in-one charger  80  in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention includes a bottom casing  20 , a circuit board  30 , a charging seat  40 , and a top casing  50 . 
         [0036]    The bottom casing  20  includes a through hole  21  at the tail thereof. The position of the through hole  21  is not limited to thereto. That is, it may be formed at the side of the bottom casing  20 , too. 
         [0037]    The circuit board  30  is positioned within the bottom casing  20  with a USB port  31  facing to the through hole  21 . In this way, an electric connection to an external power source may be established via the USB port  31  such that the external power source may serve as the charging power source. The circuit board  30  is provided with a first charging terminal set  32  in the lateral direction and a second charging terminal set  33  in the longitudinal direction such that the first and second charging terminal sets  32 ,  33  are arranged in an L-shaped manner. 
         [0038]    The charging seat  40  includes a bottom plate  41 , a lateral upright plate  42  at the tail of the bottom plate  41 , and an upright side plate  43  adjacent to the lateral upright plate  42 . The lateral upright plate  42  and the upright side plate  43  include a plurality of slots  421 ,  431  facing to the first and second charging terminal sets  32 ,  33  such that the first and second charging terminal sets  32 ,  33  may jut out of the slots  421 ,  431 , respectively. 
         [0039]    The top casing  50  includes an opening  51  corresponding to the charging seat  40  such that the charging seat  40  may fit into the opening  51 . The front side of the top casing  50  includes a first bottom portion  52  and a second bottom portion  53  positioned closely to the bottom plate  41  of the charging seat  40 . The second bottom portion  53  is disposed higher than the first bottom portion  52 . The top casing  50  sits on the bottom casing  20 . In this way, different kinds of lithium batteries may be placed into a charging groove  70  (positioned at the top of the top casing  50 ) for conducting a charging process. 
         [0040]    Moreover, a light-emitting diode  35  is disposed on the circuit board  30  while the top casing  50  includes a round hole  55  from which the top the light-emitting diode  35  projects. In addition, the top casing  50  includes a pivot seat  54  at the rear side thereof for pivotally connecting a swivel cover  60 . According to the embodiment, the swivel cover  60  includes pivot pins  61  fitting into the corresponding pivot holes in the pivot seat  54  such that the swivel cover  60  may be moved upwards in an opened position or moved downward to the surface of the top casing  50  in a closed position. The swivel cover  60  is mounted when required, and it is not a necessary component for the structure of the invention. 
         [0041]    Another feature of the invention lies in that the circuit board  30  includes a temperature sensor  34  (see  FIGS. 2 and 3 ). The bottom plate  41  of the charging seat  40  is provided with a recess  44  corresponding to the temperature sensor  34  such that the temperature sensor  34  is exposed on the surface of the bottom plate  41  of the charging seat  40 . In this way, temperature detection on the lithium battery charged within the charging groove  70  can be performed. In addition to the control over the charging temperature of the circuit board  30 , the temperature sensor  34  is positioned on the surface of the bottom plate  41  such that the bottom of the lithium battery in the charging process tends to be in contact with the temperature sensor  34 . Therefore, the charging power from the circuit board  30  will be disconnected when an extraordinary temperature is detected. In this way, a double protection of the battery in the charging process is ensured. 
         [0042]    In order to build up an all-in-one charging groove, the first bottom portion  52  of the top casing  50  is flushed with the bottom plate  41  of the charging seat  40 . Meanwhile, the higher U-shaped member  531  of the second bottom portion  53  is adjacent to the front side wall of the top casing  50 . In this way, a first charging groove  71  is formed in the area between the first charging terminal set  32  and the surface of the second bottom portion  53  (see  FIG. 7B ). A second charging groove  72  is formed in the area between the first charging terminal set  32  and the surface of the first bottom portion  52  (see  FIG. 8B ). A third charging groove  73  is formed in the area between the first charging terminal set  32  and the inner side of the U-shaped member  531  of the second bottom portion  53  (see  FIG. 11B ). In addition, a fourth charging groove  74  is formed in the area of the bottom plate  41  and between the second charging terminal set  33  and the side wall  56  of the top casing  50  (see  FIG. 12B ). 
         [0043]    As shown in  FIGS. 7A and 7B , the first charging groove  71  is adapted to receive a Kodak KLIC-7000 lithium battery  91  for performing the charging process. 
         [0044]    As shown in  FIGS. 8A and 8B , the second charging groove  72  is adapted to receive a Kodak KLIC-7001 lithium battery  92  for performing the charging process. As shown in  FIGS. 9A ,  9 B,  10 A, and  10 B, the Kodak KLIC-7004 lithium battery  94  and the Kodak KLIC-7005 lithium battery  95  are similar in contour to the Kodak KLIC-7001 lithium battery  92 . As a result, they may be charged in the second charging groove  72  as well. However, the charging contacts  941 ,  951  of the Kodak KLIC-7004 lithium battery  94  and the Kodak KLIC-7005 lithium battery  95  are opposite in polarity to the charging contacts  921  of the Kodak KLIC-7001 lithium battery  92 . Thus, the circuit board  30  has to be provided with a circuit for detecting the positive and negative terminals to permit an automatic adjustment of the charging loop. This technique is filed for another patent application so that no further descriptions thereto are given hereinafter. Accordingly, the second charging groove  72  can be applied to charge the above-mentioned three different types of lithium batteries. 
         [0045]    As shown in  FIGS. 11A and 11B , the third charging groove  73  is adapted to receive a Kodak KLIC-7003 lithium battery  93  for performing the charging process. Both inner sides of the U-shaped member  531  are specially provided for a smooth insertion of the lithium battery  93 . 
         [0046]    As shown in  FIGS. 12A and 12B , the fourth charging groove  74  is adapted to receive a Kodak KLIC-7006 lithium battery  96  in a lateral direction for performing the charging process. 
         [0047]    It is apparent from the above-mentioned that the charging groove  70  does its best to fulfill the all-in-one purpose such that different charging grooves  71 - 76  are created within a small space for charging six types of lithium batteries. Thus, a full utilization of space is achieved. Besides, the structure of the invention is sufficiently small and light-weight to allow convenient carry and use. Moreover, the cost can be minimized. 
         [0048]    Many changes and modifications in the above-described embodiments of the invention can, of course, be carried out without departing from the scope thereof. Accordingly, to promote the progress in science and the useful arts, the invention is disclosed and is intended to be limited only by the scope of the appended claims.