Abstract:
A portable, cellular phone battery charger using solar energy as the primary source of power and including two separate solar panels and a battery/switch containing unit. The two panels are hingedly connected together, and the battery/switch containing unit is hingedly connected to the back side of one of the panels. The assembly is pivotable between a retracted configuration in which the three component parts lie in parallel planes, and a deployed configuration in which the two solar panels lie in one plane and the battery/switch unit lies in another plane angularly intersecting the solar panel plane. The device is selectively operable in three different modes; namely, a first mode in which the solar panels are connected to charge or power a cell phone; a second node in which the solar panels are connected to charge the device&#39;s internal battery, and a third mode in which the internal battery is used to charge or power a phone coupled to the device.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This patent application claims the benefit of the filing date of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/347,232, filed Jan. 8, 2002 and entitled “CELLULAR TELEPHONE BATTERY CHARGER”, the entire contents of which is hereby expressly incorporated by reference. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates generally to solar energy powered battery charging devices and more particular to a compact, portable cellular telephone battery charger using solar energy as the primary source of power. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Most cellular phones are equipped with rechargeable batteries which can be recharged through a power conversion adapter used in conjunction with household alternating current (AC) power or through a power conversion adapter used in conjunction with a 12-volt cigarette lighter socket provided in an automobile. However, depending on the frequency or duration of use of the cellular phone, leaving the phone in the “ON” mode or engaging in air time talking to another person, the battery may only last for a few hours. 
     It would be desirable to have a portable battery charging device that is capable of using solar power to charge batteries in a cellular phone. 
     It would also be desirable to have a battery charging device that is alternatively capable of charging the battery in a cellular phone using the power of regular non-rechargeable batteries. 
     It would further be desirable to have a cellular phone battery charging device that uses solar power to charge one or more self contained rechargeable batteries for use as backup batteries and that permits use of such backup batteries to charge the battery in the cellular phone or to power the cellular phone directly. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a convenient portable device for charging cellular phone batteries so that the phone is always available for communications usage. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide a cellular phone battery-charging device that utilizes solar power as its energy source. 
     It is yet another object of the invention to provide a device to charge cellular phone batteries from a set of rechargeable batteries not originally included with the cellular phone. 
     Briefly, a presently preferred embodiment of the present invention is an assembly comprised of three basic component parts including two separate solar panels and a battery and switch containing unit disposed in a separate housing. The two solar panels are hingedly connected together, and the internal battery and switch containing housing is hingedly connected to the back side of one of the panels. The solar panels are rotatable relative to each other. The assembly is pivotable between a contracted or retracted configuration in which the three component parts lie in parallel planes, and a deployed configuration in which the two solar panels lie in one plane and the battery/switch unit lies in another plane angularly intersecting the deployed, solar panel plane. The device is selectively operable in three different modes; namely, a first mode in which the solar panels are connected to directly charge or power a phone coupled to the device, a second mode in which the solar panels are connected to directly charge only the internal rechargeable battery, and a third mode in which only the internal battery is used to directly charge or power a phone coupled to the device. 
     An important advantage of the present invention is that it provides a portable means for charging the battery of a cellular phone or other battery powered device without requiring connection to residential or commercial power source. 
     Another advantage of the present invention is that it provides a device of the type described that can be used to charge or power a phone with or without ambient sunlight. 
     Still another advantage of the present invention is that it provides a device of the type described that in the presence of sunlight can recharge its own internal batteries. 
     These and other object sand advantages of the present invention will no doubt become apparent to those skilled in the art after having read the following detailed description of the embodiment illustrated in the several figure of the drawing. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a generalized block diagram schematically illustrating the principal components of an exemplary cellular phone battery charging device in accordance with the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a generalized diagram schematically illustrating the battery charger of FIG.  1  and its various operational modes; 
         FIGS. 3A-3C  are schematic diagrams depicting the three operational modes alluded to with respect to  FIG. 2 ; 
         FIGS. 4A-4D  are diagrams illustrating various types of adapter cables that may be used to interface the battery charging device of the present invention to common types of cellular phone devices; 
         FIG. 5  is a frontal perspective view illustrating an embodiment of the present invention in its retracted configuration; 
         FIG. 6  is a perspective view illustrating the embodiment of  FIG. 5  with one of its solar panels deployed; and 
         FIG. 7  is a perspective view illustrating the embodiment of  FIG. 5  in its fully deployed configuration with its battery and switch containing component pivoted outwardly relative to the plane of the deployed solar panels. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring now to the drawing,  FIG. 1  is a block diagram schematically illustrating an exemplary cellular phone battery charging device in accordance with the present invention. The device  10  includes a solar energy collecting component  12  including two solar enemy collecting panels, a battery charger and switching component disposed in a separate housing  14 , and an adapter cable  16  for providing power to and/or charging the battery  18  in a cellular phone  20  connected thereto. 
     The battery charger and switching component within housing  14  is suitably electrically connected as suggested by the line  13  to the solar panel component  12  for receiving electrical power converted from solar energy by the solar panels. The technology of converting solar energy to electrical power is well known to those skilled in the art. 
     The adapter cable  16  has on one end a first plug (not shown) for connection to a receptacle  22  in the battery charger and switching component housing  14 , and a second plug (not shown) on the other end for connection to a connector  25  on the cellular phone  20 . The second plug of the adapter cable  16  can be of any of many interface configurations suitable for connection to cellular phones manufactured by different companies. For instance, it could be made to adapt to cellular phones manufactured by vendors, such as Qualcomm, Nokia, Motorola, Samsung, Toshiba, Ericsson, etc. The cellular phone user may select, from several provided configurations, the adapter cable suitable for his particular cellular phone interface. The adapter cable  16  is normally attached to the cellular phone  20  during the time of charging the cellular phone battery, but may be disconnected upon completion of the charging process. However, one may also talk on the cellular phone during the charging operation. 
       FIG. 2  is a block diagram schematically illustrating the component  14  and its three position mode selection switch  26  shown positioned in front of the solar panel component suggested by the dashed lines  12 . As illustrated, the component  14  includes a compartment  28  adapted to receive four AA-sized batteries arranged so that they are connected in series. These batteries can be either non-rechargeable AA-sized batteries or may be rechargeable batteries of similar capacity. However, rechargeable type batteries must be used if they are to be recharged. Either non-rechargeable batteries or rechargeable batteries can be used to charge the battery  18  in the cellular phone  20 . 
     The switch  26  is used to select the operational mode, that is, the source and destination of the charging current during a charging operation to be performed. In the illustrated embodiment, and as indicated by a dashed arrow  30 , a sliding armature of the switch can be manually positioned to select one of three modal positions. Placing the switch armature in a fist position  32  connects the output of the solar panel component  12  directly to an output connector  16  ( FIG. 1 ) via a jack  22  so that the converted solar power energy can be used to charge the cellular phone battery. Placing the switch armature in a second position  34  directs the power from the batteries in the component  14  to the output connector connected to the cellular phone, either to be directly consumed by the cellular phone or to be used to charge the battery in the cellular phone. Positioning the switch armature in a third position  36  connects the output of the solar panels directly to the internal batteries installed in the component  14  to charge them. 
     The component  14  further includes a pair of light emitting diodes (LEDs) indicating the operational mode or charging operation selected by the switch armature position. A first LED  38  relates to the first armature position  32 , and is turned on when it is placed in this position to charge the cellular phone directly using the converted solar power. A second LED  40  relates to the second armature position  34 , and is additionally turned on when the storage batteries installed in the component  12  are used to charge the cellular phone. Neither of the LEDs is lit when the armature isin the internal battery charging position  36 . 
       FIGS. 3A-3C  are schematic circuit diagrams depicting circuit connections, i.e., electrical signal connecting circuitry, in the three switch selectable modes alluded to in the discussion of FIG.  2 . In these FIGs, an elliptical symbol  12  is used to collectively indicate the two solar panels that will be described in more detail below, the operative circuits in the respective modes are signified by bold lines, and the switch contacts connected to the terminals L 1 -L 4  ad R 1 -R 4  are labeled  50 - 64 . The switch and its inverted L-shaped contact bridging member  25  is denoted in each figure by dashed boxes labeled  27   a - 27   c  in the respective  FIGS. 3A-3C . It will of course be understood that dashed boxes  27   a ,  27   b  and  27   c  respectively correspond to switch positions  32 ,  36  and  34  of FIG.  2 . 
     Note that the energy developed by the solar cells of the component  12  is used in the switched modes of  FIGS. 3A and 3B , but not in that of  FIG. 3C  wherein the internal battery  66  is used as the source of power communicated to receptacle  22  for use in charging or operationally powering a cell phone connected thereto. 
     The positive terminal  44  of solar panel component  12  is coupled through a first diode  48  to an external terminal L 2  of the switch  26 . An external terminal L 1  is connected to one side of the jack or connector  22 , and an external terminal R 1  is connected to a circuit common node  49  and the negative terminal  46  of thesolar panel component  12  via a first LED  38  and it associated load resistor. Terminal R 1  is also shorted to a terminal R 3 , with R 2  and R 4  being left open. Terminal L 3  is connected to the positive terminal of an internal battery  66 , the negative side of which is connected to common node  49 . Terminal L 4  is connected via a diode  39  to the top side of jack  22 , and via a second LED  40  and its associated load resister to the common node  49 . 
     In the first switch position  32  (FIG.  2 ), as illustrated by the dashed box  27   a  in  FIG. 3A , the L-shaped contacting element of the contact bridging armature electrically connects terminals L 1 , I 2  and R 1  in common so that solar energy received by the panel  12  (as suggested by the rays  42 ) and converted into electrical power having a positive polarity at a terminal  44  and a negative polarity at a terminal  46 , is connected through a diode  48  and switch  26  to jack  22 . This is to say that with the switch  26  in the first position  27   a  as described above, the converted solar power is sent to the output jack, connector or receptacle  22  to feed through an adapter cable  16  to a battery in a cellular phone or the like. In this switch position, the first LED  38  is connected across the jack  22  and is thus turned ON to confirm the connection. 
     When the contact bridging armature is placed in the mid-position  36 , as described above with respect to  FIG. 2  (and  27   b  as shown in FIG.  3 B), L 2  is connected to R 2  and L 4 . In this position, no LED is turned on because the contact bridging member does not contact R 1 , R 3  or L 4 , their terminals leading to the LEDs. In this position, solar panel  12  is connected directly across the internal battery  66  and, as a result, the solar power flows into and charges the batteries if they are rechargeable. 
     When the contact bridging armature is moved to the position  34  (FIG.  2 ), as described above, and as indicated in  FIG. 3C  by the dashed box  27   c , the terminals L 3  and L 4  are connected to terminal R 3 . With the switch in this configuration, battery  66  is connected directly across the jack  22  as well as both LEDs  38  and  40 . Accordingly both LEDs are lit to indicate that a phone connected to jack  22  is being powered, or is having its batteries charged, by the internal battery or batteries  66  of the component  14 . 
     In the exemplary embodiment, four rechargeable AA, 1.5 volt batteries contained within the component  14  are coupled together in series to deliver as much as 6 volts in potential across the terminals of jack  22 . Since most cellular phone are powered by 4.8 volts or 3.6 volts, or even as law as 2.4 volts, to charge the battery in the cellular phone through the set of batteries installed in the charger, the potential must be reduced to the appropriate potential before the device is connected to the battery in the cellular phone. This can be accomplished by a selection circuit (not shown) provided in the device  14 , or by a suitable voltage dropping circuit included within one of the connectors associated with he adaptor cables  16 . 
     One advantage of this configuration is that non-rechargeable batteries can be installed in the device and used to charge a cellular phone battery. For example, in case of emergency where no other chargers are available and where the environment has insufficient light to actuate the solar panel  12 , non-rechargeable batteries may be used to power the cellular phone through this arrangement. Similarly by using one or more re-chargeable batteries in the device, and taking care to see that the batteries are periodically charged using the solar panels, one can always be assured of having battery backup power. 
       FIGS. 4A-4D  are diagrams showing various configurations  16 A- 16 D of adapter cables used to interface the battery charging device of the present invention to various types of cellular phones.  FIG. 4A  depicts an adapter cable for interfacing the battery charging device of the present invention to batteries in Nokia cellular phones.  FIG. 4B  depicts an adapter cable suitable for interfacing the charging device to batteries in cellular phone having a SIM interface.  FIG. 4C  illustrates an adapter cable for interfacing the device to batteries in Ericsson cellular phones. 
     Turning now to  FIGS. 5-7 , an actual embodiment of the present invention is illustrated and includes a two piece solar panel component  12  pivotally affixed to a battery and switch housing component  14  by a suitable hinge mechanism  15 . As more clearly shown in  FIG. 6 , the housing of component  14  carries the switch  26  internally and includes a rectangular opening through which a manually engageable slider button or tab  29  affixed to the contact bridging member  27  extends. In addition, circular openings are provided through which the LEDs  38  and  40  are visible. Molded, embossed or otherwise applied above the LEDs and switch labels identifying the three switch positions/operational modes may be provided. 
       FIG. 6  also reveals the two part solar panel component and the hinge structure  70  used to hingedly attach the two panels  12 A and  12 B that make up the panel assembly. Although not shown in detail, the hinge structure  70  is comprised of elongated front and back plates that capture top and bottom pivot pins that are positioned within notched portions of the panels and extend towards each other. The plates are secured to each other by three bolts  72 . The hinge structure thus allows the two panels to rotate between a retracted position, as shown in  FIG. 5 , aligned with and facing each other while lying in parallel adjacent planes, and a deployed position lying in side-by-side adjacent relationship and sharing a common plane, as depicted in FIG.  6 . 
       FIG. 6  also shows the slideable cover labeled “OPEN” behind which four AA size re-chargeable batteries are to be contained. In addition, a small opening  74  is shown on the right side of housing  14 . Beneath this opening is this jack  22  ( FIGS. 3A-3C ) for receiving the adapter cable used to connect the device to a cell phone or other electrically powered device. 
       FIG. 7  shows the device in its solar energy collecting configuration with the panels  12 A and  12 B in their deployed configuration, and also illustrates how the housing  14  can be rotated from a retracted configuration with one side thereof adjacent to and facing one of thee solar panels, as depicted in  FIGS. 5 and 6 , and a deployed or extended configuration rotated approximately 90 degrees outwardly relative to the panels to provide a means for supporting the panels so that they lie in a plane intersecting at about 45 degrees a surface upon which they are intended to rest. Note that in this disposition the solar energy responsive faces of the panels face generally upwardly and if faced in a southerly direction will gather maximum sunlight during the most of the day. 
     In the foregoing specification, the invention has been described with reference to a specific embodiment thereof. It will, however, be evident that various changes and substitutions of parts may be made thereto without departing from the broader spirit and scope of the invention. The specification and drawings are accordingly to be regarded in an illustrative rather than a restrictive sense. 
     Furthermore, although the present invention has been described in terms of an embodiment having particular design features, it is anticipated that other alterations and modifications may become apparent to those skilled in the art after having read the above disclosure. It is therefore intended that such disclosure be considered illustrative and not limiting, and that the appended claims be interpreted to include all such alterations, designs, modifications and embodiments as fall with the true spirit and scope of the invention.