Patent ID: 12199655

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

A need exists for a non-cumbersome, portable charging device that can recharge portable personal electronic devices, while maintaining a hands-free user experience. As detailed herein, one or more embodiments provide a device that can perform recharging of a personal electronic device and mounting of the personal electronic device so that a user can charge and view the personal electronic device in multiple positions without holding the personal electronic device.

FIGS.1-3illustrate a device100, which comprises an upper body portion101and a base portion103. A male connector105extends from the base portion103and is integrated with the base portion103. The male connector105comprises, for example, a male micro-universal serial bus (USB) connector, a male USB-mini connector, a male USB-C connector, a male lightning (Apple®) connector or other type of portable device connector.

A rechargeable battery is disposed in the upper body portion101, and is electrically connected to the male connector105. The male connector105is configured for being inserted into a female connector of a second electronic device, including but not necessarily limited to, a mobile phone, smartphone or a tablet. The second electronic device is pictured inFIGS.4-11Bas a smart phone150, but is not necessarily limited thereto. For example, the second electronic device can be a tablet, miniature tablet or other portable device. When connected to the device100via the male connector105, the battery in the upper body portion101can charge a battery of the second electronic device. Alternatively, the battery can be disposed in the base portion103.

As can be seen in, for example,FIGS.2and5, the base portion103is formed in stepped configuration having a landing portion110and a riser portion111, such that the second electronic device (e.g., smartphone150) can rest on the landing and riser portions110and111for support when mounted to the device100. Additional support can be provided via the connector105, which is mounted on a pedestal portion112to reinforce the physical connection of the connector105to the base portion103.

In one or more embodiments, the connector105and the pedestal portion112are recessed in an opening in the base portion103and protrude from the base portion103when a button107on the base portion103is activated (e.g., slid in the left or right direction) to cause a spring loaded mechanism to have the base portion and pedestal spring out through the hole to a resting position shown inFIGS.1and2. When not charging a second electronic device, the connector105and pedestal portion112can be pushed back into the recessed position in the hole in the base portion103, and released again at some future time by activating the spring loaded button107.

The upper body portion101comprises a female connector104electrically connected to the battery in the upper body portion101via, for example, a printed circuit board assembly (PCBA) (not shown) and one or more wires (not shown). The female connector104is configured for receiving, for example, a male micro-USB connector, a male USB-mini connector, a male USB-C connector, a male lightning connector, or other type of connector that is connected to a power source, such as, for example, a standard household outlet providing 15 amperes (amps) of current and 120 volts. For example, referring toFIG.12, the female connector104is connected to an outlet170via a power cord160having the male connector inserted into the female connector104at one end and connected at the other end to a plug165inserted into the outlet170. The power cord160is connected to the plug165via, for example, a USB connector that is inserted into the plug165, which is plugged into the outlet170. The battery of the device100is able to be charged via the female connector104when connected to the power source.

Referring to, for example,FIGS.3,7and8, the upper body portion101is connected to the base portion103by a hinge mechanism108. As can be seen inFIGS.8-10and11A-11B, the hinge mechanism108rotates with respect to the base portion103so that the upper body portion101can pivot from about 0 degrees to about 90 degrees with respect to the axis A extending perpendicular to a top surface of the base portion103. As can be seen inFIG.10, the angle of the upper body portion101with respect to the axis A may be greater than 90 degrees. As can be seen inFIGS.6,8-10and12, the base portion103includes a button109, which can be used to lock the hinge mechanism108, and consequently the upper body portion101coupled to the hinge mechanism108, at a particular angle with respect to the axis A. For example, according to one or more embodiments, the hinge mechanism108can be locked at any angle in the range of motion of the hinge mechanism108by setting the button109to a first position (e.g., up or down). The hinge mechanism108can be unlocked by the setting the button to a second position opposite the first position to enable the hinge mechanism108and the connected upper body portion101to freely rotate. Once the hinge mechanism108and the connected upper body portion101reach a desired angle, the button109can be switched back to the first position to again lock the hinge mechanism108at a desired angle.

Referring toFIGS.8-10and11A and11B, the upper body portion101can be used as a support to stabilize the device100for viewing of the second electronic device (e.g., smartphone150) at a variety of angles (e.g., between 0 and 90 degrees with respect to axis A), and in a variety of orientations. For example, as shown inFIGS.11A and11B, the device can be oriented so that the second electronic device (e.g., smartphone150) is in a vertical viewing position (FIG.11A) or a horizontal (FIG.11B) viewing position, where the upper body portion is on a wider side (vertical position) or narrower side (horizontal position).

Referring toFIG.7, the device100further includes a plurality of light emitting diodes (LEDs)106on the rear surface of the upper body portion101. The LEDs106are electrically connected to the PCBA and are connected to circuitry in the PCBA to enable the LEDs106to indicate a charge status of the battery in the upper body portion101. For example, the charge status of the battery can be indicated by a number of the LEDs106that are lit at a given time and/or by the color of the LEDs106. The number of LEDs106that are lit is proportional to the amount of charge of the battery (e.g., less lit LEDs106=less charge, and more lit LEDs106=more charge). In addition or as an alternative to indicating charge status with the number of lit LEDs106, a color of the LEDs106may indicate an amount of charge for the battery (e.g., green/blue—75-100% charged, yellow—25-50% charged, red—0-25% charged). Other indicators besides LEDs may be used.

In operation, when the second electronic device (e.g., smartphone150, tablet or other rechargeable portable personal electronic device) is mounted on the base portion103, the male connector105is connected to the second electronic device. In this case, the device100via the PCBA, is configured for having the battery charge the connected second electronic device.

In addition, as described above, a power source can be connected to the device via the female connector104. The power source (e.g., from a wall outlet170or other charging device) can be connected to the device100while the second electronic device is connected to the device100via the male connector105and charging. The device is configured via the PCBA to have pass through technology, such that using the power source, the battery in the device100can be recharging while a connected second device is also being charged.

According to an embodiment, the PCBA includes load balancing circuitry and power regulating circuits to transfer power from the power source to the battery in the device100and to the connected second device. As can be understood, the device100is a portable charging device that can be used to charge other devices while not connected to (e.g., plugged into) a power source, or while connected to (plugged into) a power source.

In an embodiment, the portable recharging device maintains portability features such that, in a non-limiting example, the portable recharging device100is small enough to fit in one's pocket for storage.

Although one male connector105and one female connector104are shown, the embodiments are not necessarily limited thereto. The device100may include more than one male and/or female connectors for different types of connections. For example, the device100can include male and female connectors for both Android® and Apple® portable devices.

In accordance with one or more embodiments, the battery in the device100is configured to be recharged with suitable power requirements, such as, by non-limiting example, recharging with at least 5V and 1.3 A, which would recharge the battery in approximately 75 minutes. Such a capability allows the portable recharging device100to be reused multiple times, such as, for example, over 1,000 times.

According to one or more embodiments, the battery in the device100has a capacity to fully recharge the battery of a connected electronic device. By non-limiting example, the battery of the portable recharging device100can be 1800 mAh-3600 mAh. The battery is configured to recharge an electronic device with suitable power requirements, such as, by non-limiting example, with the portable recharging device100outputting at least 5V and 1.7 A.

Although exemplary embodiments of the present invention have been described hereinabove, it should be understood that the present invention is not limited to these embodiments, but may be modified by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.