Multiple device battery charger

Not Applicable

Not Applicable

Not Applicable

This invention relates to the simultaneous charging of multiple batteries of small electronic devices.

People today use numerous small electronic devices which run on battery power, such as cell phones, personal music players, headsets, etc. These devices constantly need to be recharged to remain functional. Each device generally comes with its own power cord that can charge the product via a standard wall electrical outlet. However, this requires a person to keep track of a power cord for each device and limits the number of devices that one can recharge at a time to the number of conveniently available wall outlets. Therefore, it is beneficial to have a method or device to charge multiple devices from a single wall outlet while minimizing the number of power cords needed.

The prior methods to achieve these goals are inadequate. The basic, rudimentary method was to use a power strip to increase the number of plugs available. However, this was unsightly and did nothing to minimize the number of cords necessary.

Another example of the prior art is U.S. Pat. No. 6,828,759 (Xiong, Ramsden, and Riley, issued Dec. 7, 2004), a circuit for regulating current to multiple batteries in a battery charger. This method relied on resistors to scale the current to each individual battery. The logic for charging the battery is contained in the charger. Additionally, this method will only work for one type of battery. It does not benefit a user who has multiple battery types to charge at once. Furthermore, other prior art, such as U.S. Pat. No. 7,151,358 (Yang, et al, issued Dec. 19, 2006), is not an efficient answer to the problem. It limits the types of batteries or devices that can be charged in a pre-determined manner. This method does not enable the user to charge all of her devices. The method is too limited.

Similar methods have been developed to charge multiple batteries of the same type. However, these methods look at the problem too narrowly and do not allow the user to charge multiple device by using a single charger. The prior art chargers fail to be truly universal.

An example of the device will be contained in a base unit. A power cord will supply the device with current from a standard wall outlet or other source. Inside the base unit, the device is a circuit designed to direct the flow of electricity to a plurality of outputs in such a way as to allow various types of batteries used by electronic devices to be charged. For example, the current to one pin on the output will be the unmodified input power. Current flow through the resistors will result in providing required voltage at the output pin, using a different pin. Another, different, output pin provides regulated voltage sourced from the main input through the regulator circuitry. The end result is that each output port has the ability to charge to an electronic device, regardless of which pin carries the correct charge. This allows the user to charge a greater variety of devices with a single unit.

It is also possible to place indicators, such as LEDs or other things known to one of skill in the art, to illustrate that the device is working properly. By placing the indicator at various parts of the circuit, a user may know that the input power is reaching the device and/or leaving the device properly.

In accordance with one embodiment, a multiple battery charger comprises a power source cord, a circuit to route the power to a plurality of outputs in multiple ways, and a plurality of outputs designed to accept power converters as known in the art.

FIG. 1 shows a fully functioning unit from the outside.

FIG. 2 shows a block diagram of the circuit.

100 —Power Cord

102 —Power Input Port

110 A-F—Power Output Ports

120 A-F—Converter Cords

130 A-F—Electronic Devices

140 —Base Unit

212 —Power input

222 —DC to DC Switching Regulator

232 A-F—Power Outputs

242 A-F—Resistors

One embodiment of the device is illustrated in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 . As seen in FIG. 1 , a power cord 100 connects a power source to the base unit 140 via power input port 102 . The base unit can be made of any material that allows it to supply a structure capable of containing the required parts. Small electronic devices 130 A-F are then connected to the base unit 140 via output power ports 110 A-F utilizing converter cords 120 A-F as known in the art. This embodiment reveals six output power ports; however, one skilled in the art will be able to create a base unit and circuit for any plurality of output power ports.

An embodiment of the device, in circuit form, contained within the base unit 140 is shown in FIG. 2 . Power comes in a female 5pin mini-USB connector 212 powered by an AC/DC adapter. The output is on the range of approximately 5.7 VDC to 6.0 VDC. This voltage is inputted to a down conversion switching regulator 222 . Other methods may be used to reach similar results. The regulator down converts the inputted voltage to 5.0 VDC. This output is routed to Pin 1 of power outputs 232 A-F.

The inputted power from connector 212 is also routed through two 3Ω power resistors 242 A-F. This results in 1.5Ω of resistance. This is routed to Pin 2 of power outputs 232 A-F. The inputted power from connector 212 is also routed directly to Pin 6 of outputs 232 A-F.

By routing the inputted power three different ways, this embodiment does not limit itself to one type of battery. This method allows one device to charge devices such as cellular mobile phones made by Motorola, Nokia, Samsung, Sony-Ericsson, LG, Kyocra, Ipods, Bluetooth headsets of various manufacturers, standard USB based devices, and other similar products.

This embodiment is merely one way to practice the claimed invention. None of the specifics contained in this description should be construed to limit the scope of the embodiment, but as merely providing an illustration of an embodiment. The scope of the embodiment should be determined by the claims and their legal equivalents.