GB2260040A

GB2260040A - Battery charger

Info

Publication number: GB2260040A
Application number: GB9120614A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Fu Ching Wang
Original assignee: Jen Jong Chen
Current assignee: Jen Jong Chen
Priority date: 1991-09-28
Filing date: 1991-09-28
Publication date: 1993-03-31
Also published as: GB9120614D0

Abstract

A battery charger comprises an indicator unit 1 which has polarity and voltage selector switches 11, 12 and lamps 12 indicating the condition of three charging slots 2, 3, 4 each of which can be used for charging a variety of batteries of different size and specification. Charging slots 2, 3 have plate springs 21, 31 and a wire spring 22, 32 for holding different sizes of battery in a charging position. The front slot 2 has a bottom wall carrying a plurality of positive charging pins and a plurality of negative charging pins to suit batteries with contacts at various locations (Figs 2, 3). The middle slot 3 has charging spring strip terminals (33), (Fig 4), on a rear wall. The rear slot 4 has pairs of battery guiding and holding rails 41, charging pins (42), (Fig 5), on a front wall, and charging terminals (43) on a rear wall. <IMAGE>

Description

BATTERY CHARGER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a battery charger and relates more particularly to such a battery charger having a plurality of charging slots for charging batteries of different size and specification.

From desk top computers to notebook computers and from the fixed type of desk telephones to mobile telephones, office machines as well as some other electric and electronic appliances and instruments have been commonly made portable for convenient use. For a portable electric or electronic device, a DC power supply is generally required. Therefore a battery has become a requisite part of a portable electric or electronic device which provides a portable electric or electronic device with the necessary voltage. Because waste batteries may cause a severe environmental pollution problem, rechargeable batteries such as nickel-cadmium batteries have become more popular. However, a rechargeable battery must be recharged regularly so as to provide sufficient power supply.

An electric or electronic device which consumes much power is generally equipped with a cartridge type of rechargeable battery. Since there is a variety of cartridge types of rechargeable batteries from different factories, a different battery charger may be required for charging each different size or specification of the cartridge type of rechargeable battery. The present invention has been accomplished to eliminate this problem. It is therefore the main object of the present invention to provide a battery charger which is practical for charging any of a variety of cartridge type of batteries of different size and specification.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Figure 1 is a perspective view of a battery charger embodying the present invention; Figure 2 illustrates the internal structure of the front charging slot; Figure 3 is an exploded perspective view of the charging PC board, the holder plate, the charging pins and the guide plate; Figure 4 illustrates the internal structure of the intermediate charging slot; and Figure 5 illustrates the internal structure of the rear charging slot.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to the annexed drawings in greater detail, therein illustrated is the preferred embodiment of the battery charger of the present invention which is generally comprised of an indicator unit 1, a front charging slot 2, an intermediate charging slot 3, and a rear charging slot 4. The battery charger further comprises a power socket for connecting to a power supply.

The indicator unit 1 is comprised of a positive/negative selector switch 11, three indicator lamps 12 for indicating the condition of the front charging slot 2, the intermediate charging slot 3 and the rear charging slot 4 respectively, and a voltage selector switch 13. Each part of the indicator unit 1 has a circuit through which working voltage is connected (this is of the known art and not within the scope of the present invention).

The front charging slot 2 comprises two retaining plate springs 21 bilaterally obliquely extending inwards, and a wire spring 22 on the front wall thereof. Because of the arrangement of the plate springs 21 and the wire spring 22, any battery cartridge of different size which can be inserted into the front charging slot 2 can be firmly retained in place. The front charging slot 2 further comprises a plurality of charging pins 23 vertically disposed at the bottom, each of which is comprised of a bottom rod 232 at the bottom, a top rod 231 longitudinally aligned with said bottom rod 232 at the top and made in diameter relatively larger than said bottom rod 232, and a collar 233 at the middle. The bottom structure of the front charging slot 2 is as shown in Figures 2 and 3.A charging PC (printed circuit) board 24 which has a plurality of spring coils 241 on the top edge thereof is set at the bottom, a holder plate 26 which has a plurality of pin holes 25 corresponding to the spring coils 241 on the charging PC board 24 is mounted on the charging PC board 24 at the top permitting the spring coils 241 to be respectively received inside the pin holes 231. The charging pins 23 are mounted on the holder plate 26 with the bottom rods 232 thereof respectively inserted into the pin holes 25 and disposed in contact with the spring coils 241. A guide plate 28 which has a plurality of holes 27 thereon is mounted on the holder plate 26 at the top permitting the top rods 231 of the charging pins 23 to be movably held in the holes 27 thereon.Because each charging pin 23 has a collar 233 at the middle between the top rod 231 and the bottom rod 232, once the guide plate 28 and the holder plate 26 are fastened in the base plate (not shown) inside the battery charger, the collar 233 of each charging pin 23 will be stopped at the bottom edge of the guide plate 28 when the battery charger is turned upside-down. Therefore, the charging pins 23 will not drop from the battery charger.

When a battery is inserted in the front charging slot 2, each charging contact of the battery is automatically disposed in contact with either charging pin 23 while the other charging pins 23 are forced downwards by the casing of the battery so as not to interfere with charging operation.

Therefore, the front charging slot is suitable for charging batteries of different size or having charging contacts at different locations. The charging pins provide both positive and negative charging terminals.

The internal structure of the intermediate charging slot 3 is shown in Figures 1 and 4. The intermediate charging slot 3 comprises two retaining plate springs 31 bilaterally obliquely extending inwards and a wire spring 32 on the front wall thereof for holding the battery to be charged, and a plurality of curved charging strip springs 33 on the back wall thereof. These strips provide between them positive and negative charging terminals. This intermediate charging slot 3 is suitable for charging batteries which have charging contacts located at the peripheral side wall thereof.

Referring to Figure 5, the rear charging slot 4 has two pairs of guide rails 41 vertically disposed on the two opposite side walls thereof for guiding and holding the battery inserted therein, and positive and negative charging pins 42 and positive and negative charging terminals 43 respectively mounted on the front and rear walls thereof for charging any battery which has two pin holes for charging purposes, between any pair of pins or terminals, or a pin or terminal, of opposite polarity.

As indicated, the present invention provides a battery charger having three different charging slots for charging any of a variety of batteries of different size and specification, which completely eliminates matching problems.

However, it is to be understood that the drawings are designed for purposes of illustration only, and are not intended as a definition of the limits and scope of the invention disclosed. Various modifications could be made to the present invention without departing from the basic teachings thereof.

Claims

1. A battery charger comprising an indicator unit which has a control switch and indicator lamps, and a plurality of charging slots for charging a variety of batteries of different size and specification, wherein one of the slots has vertical guide rails for holding the battery inserted therein and positive and negative charging pins and charging terminals, each of the other charging slots has plate springs and a wire spring for holding different sizes of battery in a charging position therein, and charging pins or charging strip springs for charging the battery inserted therein.

2. A battery charger comprising: an indicator unit comprising at least one positive/negative selector switch, three indicator lamps, a voltage selector switch and a power socket respectively electrically connected together; a first charging slot being a recessed hole defined within four vertical side walls, said first charging slot comprising two retaining plate springs bilaterally obliquely extending inwards and a wire spring on the front wall thereof for holding the battery inserted therein, a charging printed circuit (PC) board at the bottom electrically connected to said indicator unit, said charging PC board having a plurality of spring coils mounted thereon, a holder plate mounted on said charging PC board at the top, said holder plate having a plurality of pin holes for the insertion therein of said spring coils respectively, a guide plate mounted on said holder plate at the top, said guide plate having a plurality of guide holes thereon, and a plurality of charging pins inserted in said pin holes on said holder plate and guided by said guide holes on said guide plate; a second charging slot being a recessed hole defined within four vertical side walls, said second charging slot comprising two retaining plate springs bilaterally obliquely extending inwards and a wire spring on the front wall thereof for holding the battery inserted therein, and a plurality of charging strip springs on the back wall thereof electrically connected to said indicator unit for charging the battery inserted therein; and a third charging slot being a recessed hole defined within four vertical side walls, said third charging slot comprising two pairs of guide rails vertically disposed on the two opposite side walls thereof for guiding and holding the battery inserted therein, and positive and negative charging pins and charging terminals respectively mounted on the front and rear walls thereof and connected to said indicator unit for charging any battery inserted therein.

3. A battery charger according to Claim 2, wherein the locations of said first, second and third charging holes can be alternatively arranged on the housing of the battery charger.

4. A battery charger according to Claims 2 or 3, wherein each charging pin comprises a bottom rod inserted in a pin hole on said holder plate and disposed in contact with the spring coil therein, a top rod inserted in a guide hole on said guide plate, and a collar in the middle stopped between the top most edge on said holder plate and the bottom edge on said guide plate.

5. A battery charger, substantially as described with reference to, or as shown in, the drawings.