Abstract:
A battery charger assembly includes an outer casing with a sleeve assembled therein having a cavity profiled to receive a battery alone, or a battery and its associated appliance. A cam-operated assembly includes a cam member which moves a gripper assembly into the cavity to grip the battery. In this manner, a battery and/or its appliance may be inserted into the charger, and used in automotive use without the battery and/or the appliance becoming discharged from the charger assembly.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     The present invention relates to a battery charger assembly for use in automotive applications, and more particularly, to a charger assembly having a cam-operated gripper assembly for retaining the battery in a charging position.  
         [0002]     Many different hand-held, battery-operated electronic devices exist in today&#39;s marketplace, for example, cell phones and hand-held radios, such as police band radios. When such batteries become discharged, it is commonplace to position the battery in a charger to recharge the battery. In some charging units, the battery alone can be positioned in a charging unit, and in other charging units, the battery and/or its appliance may be charged.  
         [0003]     However, most of these charging units rely on gravity for the battery to be in its proper position within the charger such that the weight of the battery alone moves the battery into a charging registration with charging contacts on the charger assembly. It is also possible to have a latch member on a charging assembly to hold the appliance and battery in a charging registration. However, these types of charging units are not adequate for vehicular use, given the motion which is incumbent upon the battery during normal usage. The object of the invention, therefore, is to overcome these marketplace shortcomings.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0004]     The objects of the invention have been accomplished by providing a battery charger assembly, comprising a housing having a battery receiving cavity, the cavity being profiled to receive at least a battery therein. The housing further comprises an opening though the housing and into the cavity. Electrodes are provided for contacting contacts on the battery for charging the battery. A gripping member is movable transversely into and out of the housing opening, between a locked and unlocked position, for gripping a battery placed within the cavity.  
         [0005]     The gripping member is moved by a cam assembly, and the gripping member is comprised of a gripper portion attached to an insert. The cam assembly is comprised of a rotatable cam which operates within a follower groove in the insert. The gripper member is a rubber-like material molded to a plastic insert. The gripper member is substantially U-shaped, with leg portions of the U flanking the insert, and the closed end of the U providing the gripping function. The leg portions of the gripper member are fixed to the housing portion, and the movement of the cam stretches the remainder of the gripper member.  
         [0006]     The rotatable cam and the follower groove are contoured for a nested position when in the unlocked position. The rotatable cam and the follower groove are contoured for a detented position when in the locked position.  
         [0007]     The battery receiving cavity is profiled to receive a battery alone, or a battery connected to its hand-held appliance. The cavity includes guides along the insertion axis of the cavity for holding the battery alone. The guides are comprised of guide grooves along the insertion axis of the cavity, and are profiled to receive ribs along an exterior of a battery.  
         [0008]     In another aspect of the invention, a battery charger assembly comprises a housing having a battery receiving cavity, the cavity being profiled to receive a battery therein alone, or a battery and its appliance therein. The housing further comprises an opening though the housing and into the cavity. Electrodes are provided for contacting contacts on the battery for charging the battery. A cam operated gripping member is movable transversely into and out of the housing opening, between a locked and unlocked position, for gripping a battery placed within the cavity.  
         [0009]     The cam operated gripping member is comprised of a gripper portion attached to an insert. The cam operated gripping assembly is comprised of a rotatable cam which operates within a follower groove in the insert. The gripper member is a rubber-like material molded to a plastic insert. The gripper member is substantially U-shaped, with leg portions of the U flanking the insert, and the closed end of the U providing the gripping function. The leg portions of the gripper member are fixed to the housing portion, and the movement of the cam stretches the remainder of the gripper member.  
         [0010]     The rotatable cam and the follower groove are contoured for a nested position when in the unlocked position. The rotatable cam and the follower groove are contoured for a detented position when in the locked position. The cam member is operated by a shaft which is connected to the cam member, and extends through to an exterior of the housing.  
         [0011]     The cavity includes guides along the insertion axis of the cavity for holding the battery alone. The guides are comprised of guide grooves along the insertion axis of the cavity, and are profiled to receive ribs along an exterior of a battery. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0012]      FIG. 1  is a front perspective view of the battery charging unit of the present invention;  
         [0013]      FIG. 2  shows a front perspective view of the inner sleeve portion;  
         [0014]      FIG. 3  shows an upper perspective view, partially broken away, looking downwardly into the cavity of the sleeve shown in  FIG. 2 ;  
         [0015]      FIG. 4  shows a rear sleeve portion and a portion of the camming assembly in an exploded manner;  
         [0016]      FIG. 5  shows an enlarged view of the camming assembly of  FIG. 4 ;  
         [0017]      FIG. 6  shows an exploded view of the installed camming assembly similar to that shown in  FIG. 2 ;  
         [0018]      FIG. 7  shows an enlarged view of the cam member positioned against the gripper assembly;  
         [0019]      FIG. 8  shows a similar view from the opposite side;  
         [0020]      FIG. 9  shows a view similar to that of  FIG. 7  with the insert cover in place;  
         [0021]      FIG. 10  shows the cam member in the engaged position with the gripper fully inserted into the respective cavity; and  
         [0022]      FIG. 11  shows an upper plan view of the housing of  FIG. 3 , showing the gripper in the fully locked position. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0023]     With reference first to  FIG. 1 , a charging unit is shown generally at  2 , which is profiled and designed for installation in a vehicle, for charging a single battery alone, or for charging the battery which is attached to its appliance, for example, a short-wave radio. As shown in  FIG. 1 , charger assembly  2  includes an outer casing housing  4 , an inner sleeve at  6 , which provides a cavity entry at  8  for receiving a battery to be charged. A locking assembly is shown at  10 , which locks the battery and/or battery and appliance in cavity  8  during use in the vehicle. Finally, a battery status indicator is shown at  12  to show that the battery is charging, or is fully charged and ready for use.  
         [0024]     As shown in  FIG. 2 , sleeve  6  is comprised of sleeve halves  14 ,  16  having a parting line at  18 . Each of the sleeve portions  14 ,  16  includes an outer ridge portion  20 ,  22  funneling inwardly towards cavity  8 . With respect still to  FIG. 2 , sleeve portion  16  further includes side walls  24  and  26 , where side wall  26  includes mounting bosses  28  attached thereto. With respect now to  FIGS. 3 and 4 , sleeve portion  14  will be described in greater detail.  
         [0025]     As shown best in  FIG. 3 , the inner contour includes a curved wall at  30 , with an axially extending guide groove at  32  extending along the wall. Opening  34  perforates the wall  30  to access cavity  8  from an outside thereof, as will be described in further detail herein. With reference still to  FIG. 3 , sleeve portion  14  includes a back wall  36  having openings  38  for receiving charging electrodes (not shown), and further comprises pedestal  40  having an upper surface  42 , which forms a platform for receiving an end of the battery to be charged in a resting position.  
         [0026]     With reference now to  FIG. 4 , sleeve portion  14  will be described in further detail. As shown in  FIG. 4 , sleeve portion  14  includes a side wall portion  46 , which forms the parting line  18 , and includes a mounting surface  48  on one side thereof and a mounting portion  50  for the gripper member. Mounting portion  50  includes a mounting pedestal  52  having a recessed portion at  54 , with an aperture  56  extending therethrough. Mounting posts  58  flank the recessed portion  54  and bosses  60  flank posts  58 .  
         [0027]     With reference now to  FIGS. 4 and 5 , cam actuation mechanism  64  will be described in greater detail. Cam actuation assembly  64  is comprised of a splined shaft  66 , gripper member  68 , cam  70 , gripper cover  72 , screws  74 , and snap rings  78 ,  80 .  
         [0028]     As shown best in  FIG. 5 , splined shaft  66  includes a first splined end  82  and a second splined end  84 . First splined end  82  includes grooves  86  profiled to receive snap ring  78 . A center portion of shaft  66  includes grooves  88  profiled to receive snap ring  80 .  
         [0029]     Gripper member  68  includes a slider member  90  having opening  92 , where an insert member  94  is integrally molded with slider  90 . Insert member  94  is contoured with a cam follower surface at  96  and includes a detent at  98  and a stop surface at  100 . With reference still to  FIG. 5 , gripper member  68  further includes a friction member  102  provided by a rubber-like structure, where the gripper member  102  is integrally molded to insert member  94 . Friction member  102  is substantially U-shaped in construction having leg portions  104  and closed end  106 . Friction member  102  is connected to insert member along an interdigitated interface  108 , but not along inner side surfaces, for example, at  110 , as will be described herein. Finally, apertures  112  extend through leg portions, as will also be described herein. In an embodiment of the invention, friction member  102  is molded from Santoprene®.  
         [0030]     As shown in  FIG. 5 , cam member  70  includes a camming surface at  120 , a splined bore at  122 , and a scalloped inner surface at  124 , which will also be described in further detail. In an embodiment of the invention, cam member  70  is molded from Torlon®.  
         [0031]     Gripper cover  72  includes a planar base portion  130  having a central aperture  132  therethrough and locating apertures  134 . Gripper cover  72  also includes wing members  136  having mounting apertures at  138 . With the above components described, the assembly will now be described in further detail.  
         [0032]     With reference first to  FIGS. 7 and 8 , the first portion of the assembly is shown where slider member  90  is positioned on recessed surface  54  with apertures  112  placed over bosses  58 . This positions U-shaped opening  92  in a flanking relation with aperture  56  ( FIG. 4 ). Splined shaft  66  can now be positioned through aperture  56  ( FIG. 4 ) and through cam member  70 , with splined end  82  positioned in splined bore  122 . As shown in  FIG. 7 , this positions friction member  102  adjacent to window  34 . It should be noted from  FIG. 7  the manner in which scalloped portion  124  of cam member  70  resides on stop surface  100  such that, when in this position, a good detented “feel” is provided. It should also be noted from  FIG. 7  that a portion of post  58  extends upwardly from the top of gripper legs  104 .  
         [0033]     With respect now to  FIG. 9 , gripper cover  72  is now positioned over gripper member  68  with aperture  132  ( FIG. 5 ) over splined end  82  of shaft  66 , and with apertures  134  overlying the extended portion of post  58 . This also aligns apertures  138  ( FIG. 5 ) with posts  60  and screws  74  can be positioned in place to hold the gripper cover  72  in place, which in turn holds the gripper member  68 . When in this position, snap ring  78  can be positioned over splined end  82  to hold the spline shaft  66  in place. Also as shown in  FIG. 6 , in the assembled position, shaft end  84  extends from the front side of the surface  48  with snap ring  80  holding the shaft  66  in housing portion  50 .  
         [0034]     With the above-described assembly, the sleeve  6  is now configured substantially as shown in  FIG. 2  and can now be slidably received in the outer casing  4  ( FIG. 1 ). This positions shaft end  84  adjacent to an aperture  140 . As shown in  FIG. 2 , wing nut handle  142  includes a splined shank portion  144 , which projects through opening  140  and engages with shaft end  84 . The charger assembly  2  is now configured as shown in  FIG. 1 , whereby rotation of wing nut handle  142  through a 90° rotation turns shaft  66  and resultantly operates cam  70 . It should be appreciated that the unlocked position of the cam is shown, for example, in  FIG. 7  and turning the handle  142  to the position shown in  FIG. 1 , moves the cam member 90° to the position shown in  FIG. 10 .  
         [0035]     As shown in  FIG. 10 , cam  70  is rotated to the position where it pushes gripper member  68  into the cavity  8  to grip a battery. This is best shown in  FIG. 11 . Thus, when a battery requires charging, the battery is slidably received into cavity  8  with ribs on the battery aligned with grooves  32 , as shown in  FIG. 11 . The battery is slidably received axially into the cavity  8  until it resides against shoulder  42 . Wing nut handle  142  is thereafter rotated by 90°, whereby cam  90  is moved to the position shown in  FIG. 10 , and gripper assembly  68  projects into cavity  8 , also as shown in  FIG. 11 , which grips the battery and holds it in place.  
         [0036]     Advantageously, the design of the cam actuator operates to provide a good tactile feel for the charger assembly. As shown in  FIG. 10 , when the cam is in the locked position, the cam resides within a detent  98 , providing a sure locked position. Also, as the leg portions  104  of the gripper portion  102  are fixed on posts  58 , when moved to the locked position of  FIG. 10 , the legs stretch, and therefore provide a spring action for the retraction of the gripper member  68  when the handle is moved to the unlocked position. Said differently, and as viewed in  FIG. 10 , as the cam rotates in the clockwise direction, past the detent  98 , the legs  104 , being in tension, assist the movement of the gripper member to the left, to the retracted position, assisting in the rotation of the cam clockwise. When the cam rotates to a position  900  from the position shown in  FIG. 10 , the cam is nested due to the contour of the cam  70  cam follower member  96  such that the scalloped portion  124  of the cam resides in the nested position against stop surface  100 .  
         [0037]     Thus, the battery charger assembly  2  as shown in  FIG. 1  can be mounted within a vehicle and used to adequately retain either a battery or the battery attached to its appliance without coming loose from the charger. As mentioned above, cavity  8  is profiled to receive the battery and its appliance or receive the battery alone, where ribs on the battery are received in alignment grooves  32  to position the battery and its contacts in charging registration with charging contacts which project through apertures  38 .