Patent Publication Number: US-10326231-B2

Title: Modular power supply for engagement with a power cord

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a continuation of and claims the benefit of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/703,919, filed Sep. 13, 2017, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/394,121, filed Sep. 13, 2016, all of which are hereby incorporated by reference. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates generally to electronics, and more particularly to consumer electronic charging devices. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Electronic devices such as cell phones, laptops, or tablets contain batteries that must be re-charged periodically. Although battery technology is continuously improving, consumers use these devices constantly and demand an increasing amount of capability from them, which quickly drains the batteries. Charging of such devices is thus an important and necessary part of their operation. Such devices are usually purchased together with an included charger, sometimes referred to as a power supply or adapter. Conventional chargers are AC adapters with prongs that plug into a wall outlet to access the alternating current (“AC”) power supply of a building. They typically have internal circuitry that converts the AC power to direct current (“DC”) power and lowers the voltage so that it is useable by the device. A cord connected to the adapter plugs into the device and delivers power to it. The cords, especially those of cell phone chargers, are generally short, such as around three feet or less in length. Short cords are generally preferred: since the devices are highly portable, it is desirable for the chargers to be highly portable as well, and longer cords make the charger cumbersome and difficult to carry. However, whether the cords are long or short, keeping track of them can sometimes be difficult: because chargers are designed to be portable like the devices they charge, users often travel with them, plug them into different locations, and eventually lose them. It can be incredibly frustrating to be unable to find a charger when one&#39;s mobile device is low on power. 
     The availability of outlets ultimately determines where a user can charge his or her device. Whatever the length of the charger cord, charging of the device is limited to locations within that distance of an outlet. The user must plug the device into the charger and leave it in that location for some time as the battery charges. A user might also want to connect the device to external power not just for charging, but to avoid running on battery power. For example, running on external power is desirable while using a device for a demanding task like streaming a movie or video chatting, and, as a result, some people prefer to operate their mobile devices while plugged in to avoid draining the battery. Buildings, however, are constructed with a limited number of outlets and are generally not designed to make charging a mobile device easier. This limits the options for locations in which a device may be connected to power. Outlets may be occupied by other devices or appliances, or may be too far from a desired location for the user. A user streaming video on a couch may not be able to watch while connected to power if the closest outlet is more than three feet from the couch. 
     Installing more outlets in a building is possible but requires small-scale demolition, reconstruction, and labor and skill. Running power to a location that is beyond the cord length of an outlet requires the use of an extension cord, but those are not desirable in many environments, especially home or office, because they are not aesthetically pleasing and can be an obstacle such as a trip hazard. An improved system for supplying power to mobile electronic devices is needed. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     A modular power supply for connecting to a power cord includes a housing defining an interior, a cover releasably engaged to the housing to enclose the interior, and a carrier plate within the interior including opposed primary channels configured to receive the power cord. A control assembly is within the interior and includes a logic controller electrically coupled to spikes extending outside of the control assembly and through the primary channels, as well as a charging port electrically coupled to the spikes via the logic controller. The cover is applicable to the carrier plate so as to define a hold that captures the power cord on the spikes in the primary channels when the power cord is applied to the primary channels. 
     The above provides the reader with a very brief summary of some embodiments discussed below. Simplifications and omissions are made, and the summary is not intended to limit or define in any way the scope of the invention or key aspects thereof. Rather, this brief summary merely introduces the reader to some aspects of the invention in preparation for the detailed description that follows. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Referring to the drawings: 
         FIG. 1  illustrates a modular power supply for engagement with a power cord, the power supply connected to a power cord and to a charging cord which is in turn coupled to a mobile device; 
         FIGS. 2 and 3  are bottom and top exploded views of the modular power supply of  FIG. 1 , respectively; 
         FIG. 4  is a bottom perspective view of the modular power supply with a cover of the modular power supply removed; 
         FIGS. 5A and 5B  are section views taken along the line  5 - 5  in  FIG. 4  illustrating the modular power supply without and with the power cord applied, respectively; and 
         FIGS. 6A and 6B  are section views taken along the line  6 - 6  in  FIG. 4  illustrating the modular power supply without and with the power cord applied, respectively. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Reference now is made to the drawings, in which the same reference characters are used throughout the different figures to designate the same elements.  FIG. 1  is a top perspective view illustrating a modular power supply (hereinafter, “power supply  10 ”) applied to a power cord  11  such that the power supply  10  draws power from the cord  11  rather than directly from an outlet. The cord  11  is exemplary of a power cord for an electric appliance  12  that is typically already present and plugged into an outlet without an adapter. In other words, the cord  11  generally carries full 110-120 VAC power before it has been stepped down by the circuitry of the electric appliance  12  to which it belongs. For example, the cord  11  could be the power cord for a lamp in the user&#39;s home; such a cord  11  carries power to the lamp for use in lighting a part of a room. The cord  11  provides 110-120 VAC power to internal circuitry within the lamp, and the internal circuitry transforms the power, but only for the lamp. The power supply  10  draws power before it is transformed by the lamp. A charging cable  13  extends from the power supply  10  to an electronic device  14 . 
     It should be noted that a DC-DC version of the power supply  10  is within the scope of this disclosure and would require only minor modification of the electronic components described below. Briefly, the term “user” refers to a person using power supply  10  to charge an electronic device  14  such as a cell phone, tablet, laptop, or other similar mobile device or other electronic device in need of charging. The power supply  10  includes a housing, a cover, and internal structural elements which cooperate with each other to clamp onto the cord  11  and provide power to the electronic device  14  from a semi-permanent location remote from an outlet. 
     Turning to  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the power supply  10  is shown in exploded detail. The power supply  10  includes a main outer housing  20 , a control assembly  21  nested inside the housing  20  and providing electronic control and charging capabilities, a carrier plate  22  secured to the housing  20  which separates and captures the cord  11 , and a cover  23  secured over the cord  11  and against the carrier plate  22 , thereby holding the cord  11  within the power supply  10 . 
     The housing  20  is a non-conductive cover, preferably constructed from a material or combination of materials having durable, rigid, and electrically-insulative material characteristics. The housing  20  is a continuous sidewall with an upper portion  30  and a lower portion  31  formed monolithically to each other from the sidewall. The upper portion  30  is roughly cube-shaped, and the lower portion  31  is roughly rectangular prismatic, with the housing  20  having an interior  32  which is also roughly cube-shaped to receive the control assembly  21 . Within the interior  32 , between the upper and lower portions  30  and  31 , is a shoulder  33  that extends slightly into the interior  32  around the inner surface of the housing  20 . The shoulder  33  is formed with four threaded holes  34  for securing the carrier plate  22 . Additionally, two opposed notches  35  are formed in the sidewall of the housing  20  in the lower portion  31 , so that the cord  11  may be received therethrough. 
     The interior  32  of the housing  20  receives the control assembly  21 . The control assembly  21  includes a printed circuit board (“PCB”)  40  carrying a set of spikes  41 . There are preferably two rows of spikes  41 , and the spikes  41  in one row are offset with respect to the spikes  41  in the other row. In the embodiment shown in  FIG. 2 , there are four spikes  41  in one row and six spikes  41  in the other row. The spikes  41  are carried on a spike plate  42  fixed to the PCB  40 . While the spikes  41  are electrically conductive, the PCB  40  and spike plate  42  are made of non-conductive materials. The spikes  41  are each sharp on the outer ends, but their inner ends, extending just through the spike plate  42  (as seen in the section view of  FIG. 5A ) are dull. The inner ends of the spikes  41  are electrically coupled to the PCB  40  to provide power to the power supply  10 . 
     The PCB  40  carries circuitry functionally equivalent to or structurally similar to conventional power supply circuitry for transforming AC power to stepped-down DC power, which uses components such as flyback converters, capacitors, inductors, and transformers to adapt, convert, transform, and smooth input power to be compatible with charging the electronic device  14 . For example, cell-phone batteries typically use DC power provided at 5 volts, so power supplies for cell phones typically convert standard 120 VAC power from a standard wall outlet to DC power with a 5 volt potential. The PCB  40  and its associated circuitry converts AC power from the spikes  41  to DC voltage, steps down the voltage, and provides power usable by the electronic device  14 . Via a ribbon cable  45  (shown only in  FIG. 5A ), the PCB  40  is electrically coupled to another PCB  43  carrying a charging Universal Serial Bus (“USB”) port  44  for delivery of power to the electronic device  14 . The PCB  43  carries circuitry, such as a logic controller  46 , programmed to operate the USB port  44  and charge the electronic device  14  when a charging cable  13  is coupled thereto. The spikes  41  are coupled electrically to the PCB  43  and the logic controller  46  on it, and the logic controller  46  is thus in turn electrically coupled to the USB port  44 , so that the logic controller  46  controls powering of the USB port  44  and charging of the electronic device  14  with a charging cable  13  plugged into the USB port  44 . A slot  36  through the housing  20  provides external access to the USB port  44 . 
     The control assembly  21  is carried within the housing  20 . The control assembly  21  is snugly received therein, limited from lateral movement by the sidewall. The control assembly  21  is secured by fasteners through the PCBs  40  and  43  which are threadably engaged to the housing  20 . To further secure the control assembly  21  in the housing  20 , the carrier plate  22  is applied over it. 
     The carrier plate  22  includes a flat body  50  having a flat top  51  and an opposed flat bottom  52 . On the top  51 , four posts project upwardly and four holes  53  are formed entirely through them. These holes register with the holes  34  in the housing  20  so that the carrier plate  22  may be fastened to the housing  20  with fasteners  54 . The fasteners  54  threadably engage the holes  53  and  34  to secure the carrier plate  21  into the housing  20 , and to hold the control assembly  21  in the interior  32 . In this way, the control assembly  21  is limited from downward movement by the carrier plate  21  and is further immobilized and stabilized. 
     A depression  55  is formed into the top  51  of the carrier plate  22  centrally thereon. The depression  55  is roughly rectangular has a plurality of small through-holes  56  formed therein. The depression  55  is sized to receive the spike plate  42 ; when the carrier plate  22  is fastened to the housing  20 , the top  51  of the carrier plate  22  is brought into direct and flush contact with the PCB  40 , and the spike plate  42  is received and seated within the depression  55 . The spikes  41  pass through the holes  56 , and the tips of the spikes  41  extend beyond the bottom  52  of the carrier plate  22 . 
     A hold plate  60  is secured to the bottom  52  of the carrier plate  22 . The hold plate  60  separates, locates, and captures the cord  11 . The hold plate  60  is an elongate body having opposed outer sides  61  and  62  and opposed ends  63  and  64 . The sides  61  and  62  are upstanding and ridged: each is formed with a plurality of longitudinal ridges  65  directed laterally outward. The ridges  65  extend entirely between the ends  63  and  64 . Between the sides  61  and  62  are two primary channels  66  and  67  defined in the hold plate  60 . The channels  66  and  67  are slightly more than semi-circular concave formations in the hold plate  60 . The channels  66  and  67  are parallel, extend between the ends  63  and  64 , are open at the ends  63  and  64 , lie in adjacent juxtaposition proximate to the ends  63  and  64 , but are separated slightly in an intermediate region between the ends  63  and  64 . There, the channels  66  and  67  flank a blade  70  fixed between the channels  66  and  67 . The blade  70  has a sharp serrated edge and is preferably constructed from a non-conductive material such as plastic, carbon fiber, or ceramic. The blade  70  is fixed in a crown  71  rising between the channels  66  and  67  and defining the channels  66  and  67  as separate channels. The blade  70  extends between the ends  63  and  64  but not entirely to the ends  63  and  64 , stopping just short thereof. The crown  71 , however, does extend fully between the ends  63  and  64  to separate the channels  66  and  67  along the full length of the hold plate  60 . 
     The holes  53  in the carrier plate  22  extend through the channels  66  and  67 . When the carrier plate  22  is applied to the housing  20  and the spikes  41  of the control assembly  21  pass through the holes  53 , the spikes  41  extend not only through the body  50  of the carrier plate  22 , but also through the channels  66  and  67 . The tips of the spikes  41  are disposed just beyond the inner curved surface of the channels  66  and  67 . 
     The blade  70  and crown  71  separate the cord  11 . As seen in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the cord  11  is a conventional power cord having two parallel cables  76 , each having an internal wire  75  insulated in a non-conductive rubber or plastic jacket and joined along the middle of the cord  11 .  FIGS. 2 and 3  show a portion of the cord  11  in which the cables  76  are separated from each other, defining a longitudinal gap  77  therebetween. This gap  77  is formed when the cord  11  is placed into the carrier plate  22 , not beforehand. As will be described in detail below, the blade  70  cuts the joining rubber between the two cables  76  and, with the crown  71 , separates the two cables  76  from each other. The channels  66  and  67  then move the cables  76  apart from each other. 
     The position of the cord  11  within the channels  66  and  67  is maintained by the cover  23 . The cover  23  includes a generally flat, planar body  80  having an inner surface  81  and an opposed bottom  82 , as well as opposed sides  91  and  92  and opposed ends  93  and  94 . A short, upstanding sidewall  83  extends continuously around the cover  23 , bounding the inner surface  81 . Notches  84  in the sidewall  83  at the ends  84  and  85  correspond to the notches  35  in the housing  20 . 
     Two flexible panels  85  and  86  are integrally formed to the body  80 . U-shaped slots  95  and  96  through the body  80  define the panels  85  and  86 . The U-shaped slots  95  and  96  have ends directed toward the sides  91  and  92 , respectively, and the slots  95  and  96  themselves extend generally between the ends  93  and  94 . The panels  85  and  86  are thus integral to the body  80  only along living hinges  97 , respectively, about which free ends  98  of the panels  85  and  86  can flex into and out of planar alignment with the body  80 . Though the panels  85  and  86  are capable of flexing, the cover  23  is constructed from a fairly resilient, rigid, and durable material, and as such, the panels  85  and  86  flex only slightly under force. 
     Between the living hinges  97  and the free ends  98  of each of the panels  85  and  86  are holes  100  through which fasteners  101  threadably engage to secure the cover  23  to the carrier plate  22  at threaded holes  72  formed through the carrier plate  22 . The holes  100  are in the panels  85  and  86 , thereby allowing the cover  23  to be tightly engaged and secured to the carrier plate  22 . 
     The cover  23  secures and holds the cord  11 , in cooperation with the carrier plate  22 . Referring just to  FIG. 3  now, opposed upstanding lips  103  and  104  are fixed to the inner surface  81  of the cover  23 . The upstanding lips  103  and  104  have inner faces which are ridged, or formed with a plurality of longitudinal ridges  110  directed laterally inward. The ridges  110  extend entirely along the lengths of the upstanding lips  103  and  104 . 
     Just inside of the lips  103  and  104  are longitudinal gaps  111 , and then, between the gaps  111 , are two secondary channels  112  and  113 . The channels  112  and  113  are slightly less than semi-circular concave formations. The channels  112  and  113  are parallel, extend along the full lengths of the lips  103  and  104 , are open at their ends, and lie in adjacent juxtaposition proximate to each other, separated only by a split ridge  114 . The split ridge  114  rises between the channels  112  and  113  to define them, but includes two ridges so that a very slight V-shaped, elongate channel or depression  115  is formed between the two ridges, or directly down the middle of the split ridge  114 . The split ridge  114  extends fully along the lengths of the channels  112  and  113 , and it receives the blade  70  when the cover  23  is secured to the carrier plate  22 . 
     The channels  112  and  113  are formed directly to the inner surface  81  of the body  80  of the cover  23  at a non-moving location thereof. The upstanding lips  103  and  104 , however, are carried on the inner surface  81  on the flexible panels  85  and  86 , respectively. As such, the upstanding lips  103  and  104  are capable of moving slightly to ensure a tight fit on and good meshing engagement with the ridges  65  and  66 , respectively, on the hold plate  60  of the carrier plate  22 . 
       FIGS. 5A and 6A  illustrate the power supply  10  in an assembled condition without the cord  11  applied thereto. Referring to those FIGS., the cover  23  is applied and secured to the housing  20  by the fasteners  101 . When so arranged, the channels  112  and  113  of the cover  23  are opposite the channels  66  and  67  of the hold plate  60 , and so the channels  112  and  113  define, in cooperation with the channels  66  and  67  on the carrier plate  22 , parallel holds  112  and  113 , which are a hold capturing the cord  11 . The holds  112  and  113  are generally cylindrical, and are separated by the blade  70 . The spikes  41  extend just slightly more than halfway through the holds  112  and  113 , so that they will pierce a cord  11  applied to the holds  112  and  113 . 
     As seen in  FIGS. 5A and 6A , the PCB  40  is carried just behind the carrier plate  22 , and the spikes  41  are electrically coupled thereto via a short set of wires. On the other side of the interior  32  of the housing  20 , the PCB  43  is fixed to the housing  20 . The USB port  44  is electrically coupled to the PCB  43  and extends through the slot  36  in the housing  20 , so that a user may access the UDB port  44 . 
       FIGS. 5A and 6A  show the power supply  10  without the cord  11  applied, and  FIGS. 5B and 6B  illustrate the cord  11  applied.  FIGS. 5A and 6A  thus show the power supply  10  as it might be arranged during shipping, or prior to use. To change the power supply from the arrangement shown in  FIGS. 5A and 6A  to that shown in  FIGS. 5B and 6B , the user must assemble the power supply  10  on the cord  11 . 
     Referring still to  FIGS. 5A and 6A , the user first removes the cover  23  by threadably disengaging the fasteners  101  which extend from and bind the cover  23  to the carrier plate  22 . The carrier plate  22  is fastened to the housing  20  with the fasteners  54 . Thus, removing the cover  23  does not remove the carrier plate  22 . 
     The cord  11  is taken up by hand and laid into the housing  10 , with the cord  11  aligned through the notches  35  and over the blade  70 . The cover  23  is then brought over the carrier plate  22  in the housing  20 . The cover  23  is registered with the carrier plate  22 , aligning the holes  100  with the holes  72 , the split ridge  114  with the blade  70 , the channels  112  and  113  with the channels  66  and  67 , and the lips  103  and  104  with the sides  61  and  62 . With the cord  11  gently placed over the blade  70 , the cover  23  is pressed into the carrier plate  22 . The ridges  110  of the upstanding lips  103  and  104  move over the ridges  65  of the carrier plate  22 , snappingly and meshingly engage the ridges  65  as they so move. The cover  23  thus clicks into place, enclosing the interior  32  of the housing  20 . 
     As the cover  23  is moved toward the carrier plate  22 , the two cables  76  are separated by the blade  70  and the crown  71  just below it, allowing the two cables  76  of the cord  11  to separate and move into centered positions in the holds  120  and  121 . The two cables  76  are moved into and captured by the holds  120  and  121 . The concave shape of the channels  66 ,  67 ,  112 , and  113  causes the two cables  76  to move into low points at the centers of the channels  66 ,  67 ,  112 , and  113 . This ensures that the conducting wires  75  are separated from each other and also that the wires  75  are located so as to be reliably pierced by the spikes  41 . 
     As the user continues to press the cover  23  into the carrier plate  22 , the spikes  41  pierce the insulated cables  76  and the wires  75 . Thus, conductive contact is made between the spikes  41  and the wires  75 . At this point, power is provided from the cord  11  through the spikes  41  to the PCB  40 , and from the PCB  40  through the ribbon cable  45  to the PCB  43  and USB port  44 . The power supply  10  is thus powered. However, because of the snap-fit between the ridges  66  and  112  and between the ridges  67  and  113 , the cover  23  cannot be easily removed, so the risk of electrical shock is mitigated. The fasteners  101  are applied through the holes  100  in the cover  23  and are threadably engaged with the holes  53  in the carrier plate  22 . The flexibility of the panels  85  and  86  allows the cover  23  to be tightly fastened to the housing  20  without comprising the engagement of the cables  76  of the cord  11  within the holds  120  and  121 . In this way, assembly onto the cord  11  is complete, and the power supply  10  is ready for use. A user need only pick up a charging cable  13  and plug the male USB end of it into the USB port  44 . 
     Once so installed, the power supply  10  is used until the user desires to remove it. To remove the power supply  10  from the cord  11 , the user backs the fasteners  101  out of the cover  23  and the carrier plate  22 , then pulls the cord  11  out from the channels  66  and  67 . This disengages the cord  11  from the power supply  10 . The pins  41  are the only element that pierces the cord  11 , and the pins  41  are quite small. As such, the holes formed through the jackets of the cables  76  of the cord  11  are also quite small, and the risk of electric shock therefrom is correspondingly small. The user may, if desired, wrap the affected portion of the cord  11  with electrical tape to further protect the cord  11 . 
     A preferred embodiment is fully and clearly described above so as to enable one having skill in the art to understand, make, and use the same. Those skilled in the art will recognize that modifications may be made to the description above without departing from the spirit of the invention, and that some embodiments include only those elements and features described, or a subset thereof. To the extent that such modifications do not depart from the spirit of the invention, they are intended to be included within the scope thereof.