Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02794931 2012-11-13
PORTABLE ELECTRONIC DEVICE CHARGER
Field of the Invention
This invention relates to portable electronic device chargers.
Background of the Invention
Portable electronic devices, such as a "portable digital assistant" (PDA),
cellular
telephone and other types of portable electronic devices, are in widespread
use. Such
devices, by virtue of their portability, utilize a rechargeable battery as a
power source.
After a certain interval of use, the battery must be recharged or the device
will shut down
automatically, to avoid excessive battery drainage and potential loss of data.
Such devices are particularly handy for use by businesspeople and consumers
alike when
commuting, travelling, or just generally away from a stationary computing
device such as
a desktop computer. In order to maximize portability the battery used in such
devices is
often designed to be small, and therefore capable of maintaining a limited
charge.
However, PDAs are so useful and versatile that they are often subject to
frequent or even
continuous use, which means that the battery drains fairly quickly. This can
be an
inconvenience at best, and in more extreme cases can interrupt important
business
activities or disrupt the ability to deal with an emergency.
Various types of battery chargers are known for use in association with such
devices.
However, a power source such a mains power supply is not always available for
charging
the device. It would accordingly be advantageous to provide an alternative
power supply
which does not rely upon a mains power supply for recharging of the portable
device.
Brief Description of the Drawings
In drawings which illustrate by way of example only a preferred embodiment of
the
invention,
Figure 1 is a front view of a portable electronic device charger according to
the invention.
Figure 2 is a side cross-section of the device taken along the line 2-2 in
Figure 1.
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CA 02794931 2012-11-13
Figure 3 is an end view of the device of Figure 1.
Figure 4 is a rear view of the device of Figure 1.
Figure 5 is a side view of the device taken from the left of Figure 1.
Figure 6 is an end view taken opposite Figure 3.
Figure 7 is a front view of the device showing a cellular telephone in
position for
charging.
Detailed Description of the Invention
A charger 10 according to the invention comprises a preferably flexible casing
12,
preferably composed of an elastomeric material such as rubber, silicone or the
like. The
casing 12 provides a generally open front face 14 for insertion of an
electronic device 2,
in the embodiment shown a cellular telephone, flexible sides 16 each
preferably having a
small retaining flanges 16a for wrapping around the front surface of the
electronic device
2 (as shown in Figure 7), and a rear face 18 with a window 20. A pocket 22
disposed at
one end of the case contains the electronics module 4 for connecting to and
charging the
electronic device 2, separated from the device compartment 6 by a web of
casing material
forming a divider 24. A panel 26 of casing material preferably separates the
device
compartment from the window 20, as best seen in Figure 2.
Frame edges 28 overlapping the panel 26 accommodate a thin-film photovoltaic
cell 30,
which may for example be a commercially available thin-film photovoltaic cell.
The
photovoltaic cell 30 preferably comprises a multi-junction, multi-layer, high
performance
amorphous-based silicon cell material of four blended infrared range spectral
bands. This
blended, multi-layered silicon based liquid material provides the ability of
the vapour
deposited plasma fused cells to convert the different infrared and visible
wavelengths to
combine with optimal efficiency to the multi-layered thin film semiconductor
material.
During this process this material is laminated to a stainless mesh backing
that provides
long life structural durability to the primary cell. The final surface
laminate is flexible and
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UV stable, thus allowing the final product to be unbreakable and totally
flexible. The use
of bypass diodes on each cell layer further increases the efficiency by
allowing the cell to
operate in shaded low light level areas.
The photovoltaic cell 30 is formed slightly larger than the window 20, as
shown in Figure
4, so that the edges of the photovoltaic cell 30 are tucked in between the
frame edges 28
and the panel 26, retaining the photovoltaic cell 30 in position in the casing
12.
Conductors (not shown) from the photovoltaic cell 30 are fed into the
electronics pocket
22 through the divider 24, to be attached to the main circuit board (not
shown). In the
preferred embodiment the photovoltaic cell is excited by infrared wavelengths,
near
infrared being the most common, however photovoltaic cells excited by multiple
infrared
wavelengths are available and preferred for optimal efficiency.
The casing 12 is provided with such openings in such positions as are required
for access
to the functional buttons and switches on the particular electronic device 2
for which the
charger 10 is designed. For example, in the cellphone embodiment shown the
rear face 18
has an opening 32 exposing a camera lens; the end containing the electronics
provides a
window 34 (shown in Figure 3) for inserting the electronics module 4 and
permitting
access to the on-off switch 36 and a series of charge-indicating LEDs 38,
which
illuminate to indicate the extent of charge of the device 2 battery and,
optionally, backup
batteries (not shown) contained within the electronics module 4. Preferably
the optional
backup batteries are lithium ion storage cells provided as a power back-up, so
that power
first drains from the internal battery in the electronic device before the
back-up batteries
are activated. In the embodiment shown the charge indicators 38 are activated
in sequence
as the battery charge reaches increments of 25%, so for example two LEDs will
be
illuminated when the battery charge is 50% and all four LEDs will be
illuminated when
the battery is fully charged.
In addition, position indicators 44 may be formed on the surface of the casing
12, for
example bumps or projections as shown in Figure 5, providing a visual and
tactile
indication of the position of pushbuttons on the electronic device 2. The
position
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indicators 44 are aligned with respective pushbuttons when the device 2 is
mounted into
the device compartment, allowing the user to operate functions of the device 2
through
the casing 12. The components on the front of the device 2, typically a
keyboard and/or
display, are surrounded by the retaining flanges 16a but unobstructed,
allowing the full
use of the device 2 functions by the user when the device 2 is mounted in the
charger 10.
The main circuit board and other electronic components are preferably housed
in a
plastic-encased module 4, best seen in Figures 1 and 3, providing an opening
with a
connector 40 suitable for connection to the particular electronic device 2 for
which the
charger 10 is intended. The connector 40 is coupled to a circuit board (not
shown)
containing the electronics for the charger 10, and extends from the module 4
into the
device compartment in a position such that the connector 40 couples to the
device when
the device 2 is mounted in the device compartment. As noted above, optionally
one or
more back-up batteries may be provided in the electronics module 4, which may
be
charged either simultaneously with the internal battery of the electronic
device 2 or in
sequence therewith (for example after the internal battery is charged one
backup battery
starts to charge, and after it reaches full charge, the next backup battery
begins to
recharge).
An auxiliary port 42, for example a mini-USB port as shown in Figure 5, may be
provided for connection to an external power source (not shown) for faster
charging when
an external power supply, for example a mains power supply, automobile charger
etc., is
available. This also serves as an adapter, allowing an external charger having
a connector
that is unsuitable for direct connection to the device 2 to be connected to
the device 2,
through the charger's built-in electronics.
In use, an electronic device such as a cellular telephone is inserted into the
front of the
casing 12 with the connector 40 properly connected to the device's primary
input port.
The device 2 may then be left in any lit area, sunlight being preferred for
its more intense
illumination, but artificial light will suffice to activate the photovoltaic
cell 30 and charge
the device 2. The photovoltaic cell 30 sends a charge to the electronics
contained within
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the electronics module 4, which in turn delivers the charge to the electronic
device's
internal battery (and to auxiliary batteries, if provided). When the device is
charging one
or more of the indicator lights illuminates to indicate the extent to which
the internal
device battery has been charged. The normal functions of the device 2 remain
operative,
via the various openings through the casing 12, and via the position
indicators 44 on the
casing 12 which transfer a depressing action to a corresponding pushbutton on
the
electronic device 2.
Detailed directions for attachment and use
1. Before inserting the device 2 into the infrared solar charger 10, plug a
USB cable into
to the device charger interface 42 and turn the case power switch 36 to the
"on" position and
fully charge the battery inside the charger 10 through an AC/DC supply adaptor
or the
USB port on a computer. The internal rechargeable lithium-ion battery has a 4
volume
light power display indicators 38 on the case bottom which will illuminate
such that: 1
light = 25% charge; 2 lights = 50% charge; 3 lights = 75% charge; 4 lights =
100%
charge. To fully charge the internal battery from an external power supply,
allow up to 3
hours. After the infrared solar charger 10 is fully charged, slide the
infrared solar charger
10 power switch 36 to the "off" position to keep the power stored.
2. Insert the fully charged device into the infrared solar charger 10. When
the device
internal battery becomes "low", turn on the power switch 36 to charge the
device 2. After
the device 2 is fully charged, turn the power switch 36 off. As the device
needs power,
turn the infrared solar charger power switch 36 back "on" as required.
3. In order to charge the infrared solar charger 10 through the built-in
infrared solar cell
30, place the case 12 so that the infrared solar cell 30 is in sufficient
sunshine or artificial
light and turn power switch 36 to the "on" position. This will add additional
power to the
infrared solar charger 10 internal battery as well as the device battery.
4. When the light power display indicators 38 are not illuminated and the
power switch
36 is in the "on" position, the power supply of the lithium-ion backup battery
in the
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infrared solar charger 10 has depleted. The backup battery can be charged by
placing the
charger 10 such that the infrared solar cell 30 is in a light source, and/or
by inserting a
USB charging cable to from a suitable supply adaptor or a USB computer charge
interface port.
Infrared solar charger 10 specifications:
Lithium-ion battery capacity: 3.7v. dc, 1500 mah
Output voltage: 5.4v (max)\
Output current: 600ma (max) + infrared solar panel 100ma (max)
Charge voltage: infrared solar battery 6v usb/dc 5.0v
Charge current: 100ma (max) + 500ma (max)
Charging time: 3 hours
Peak power supplied by photocell: 0.96w
Weight: 100g
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