EP1711984B1 - Charging cradle, power supply component for providing said charging cradle with power, connector for said power supply component for connection of said charging cradle and charging system constituted of the aforementioned components - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a charging cradle (1), a power supply component (11) for providing said charging cradle (1) with power, a connector (9) for said power supply component (11) for connection to said charging cradle (1), and to a charging system (1; 9; 11) which is constituted of the aforementioned components. The aim of the invention is to create an inexpensive and constructively adaptable charging possibility for mobile communication terminals. The charging cradle (1) used according to the invention comprises only a housing (2; 3) in which contact springs (5) are located. All other components are shifted into the power supply component (11), using a large surface connector (9) which is provided with large-surface contact areas (15) for contact with the charging cradle (1).

Description

The invention relates to a charging tray for mobile communication terminals, a power supply component for the power supply of such a charging tray, a connector of such a power supply component for connection to such a charging tray and a charging system for charging mobile communication terminals.

Systems for loading mobile communication terminals are well known. Such systems consist of a charging shell and a power supply component, which is connected via a flexible electrical line either directly or with a detachable connector electromechanically connected to the charging shell. In this context, charging cradles for charging mobile communication terminals are thus known per se. Furthermore, power supply components for operating such charging cradles are known per se in this context. In addition, in this context, the direct line connection and a detachable line connection between the charging shell and the power supply component is known per se.

The disadvantage here is that the production of said parts and the charging system formed from these parts is still too expensive. In addition, it requires an increased effort to adapt design changes to mobile communication terminals in the parts of the charging system with.

From the document EP 1 296 421 A a connector is disclosed, which is arranged as a separate component formed within a charging tray. The connector has a plug formation toward its one free end and a socket formation toward its other free end. Both trainings are part of an overall housing of the connector, so that thereby the connector is just formed into a completely independent component. The connector is thus a very complicated part, which is complicated and expensive to manufacture. With the installation of such a connector in an associated charging the charging tray is complicated and expensive to manufacture. In addition, adapting to structural changes on a device associated with the charging cradle with respect to the contact distances of the electrical connection contacts is expensive and expensive due to this connector, because a completely newly designed connector must be produced each time.

From the document GB 2 376 354 A is a power supply for charging rechargeable batteries or accumulators known. However, this is merely a device that provides the necessary voltage for charging and has the corresponding electronics. The power supply has no electronics for controlling the processes of charging a mobile communication terminal. As such a power supply, the power supply has a connector whose electrical contacts are formed only small area.

From the document US Pat. No. 6,224,412 B1 For example, a connector is known that has extended contact surfaces in the surface in such a manner that they do not go beyond a conventional measure used heretofore.

The object of the present invention is a charging system for charging mobile communication terminals, a charging cradle and for operating the charging cradle a power supply component in each case for use in such a charging system and a Specify connector for the detachable connection between the said charger and the said power supply component, which make it possible for themselves and all together to realize a more cost-effective production of the respective parts and the associated charging system and in a simplified manner to adapt to design changes in associated mobile communication terminals while maintaining easy handling during installation of the parts and further on of the charging system.

With respect to the charging tray, this object is achieved by a charging tray having the features of claim 1. With regard to the power supply component for the power supply of such a charging cradle, this object is achieved by a power supply component having the features of patent claim 3. With respect to the connector, this object is achieved by a connector having the features of claim 5. With respect to the charging system, this object is achieved by a charging system that has the features of claim 9.

The charging tray according to the invention comprises only a housing in which contact springs are arranged. The assembly of the housing is done by two molded parts, which are simply snapped together. Before snapping the contact springs are inserted into one of the moldings.

For the electrical connection of the charging tray, one of the molded parts has an insertion shaft, into which a connecting plug can be inserted and positioned there.

The connector is the electrical connector that supplies power to the charging cradle. This is achieved in that in the surface extended contact surfaces of the connector plug during insertion of the connector into the insertion of a molded part of the housing with attached to one end of the contact springs spring tongues to contact. At the other end of the contact springs contact points are attached, which are contactable through openings in the housing by counter points on a mobile communication terminal, which is placed in the charging socket for the purpose of charging.

The fact that the charging tray consists of these few simple components and has no fixed electrical line connection, it can be inexpensively manufactured and assembled with simple methods. In addition, it can be easily set up first without cables and then connected to an electrical connection cable. The electrical connection to the electrical connection cable can also be done simply because the connection cable without the firmly connected charging tray is small and light, so that it can be easily passed behind cabinets and through small openings.

An adaptation of the charging tray to constructive changes to the charging cup associated mobile communication terminal in particular with respect to the spacing of the mating contacts of the mobile communication terminal from each other can be accomplished in a simple manner that the contact springs of the charging tray are arranged correspondingly far apart. This can be done easily, since within the charging cradle on any special complex components must be considered. Such complex components are, as otherwise any other components, not present in the charging cradle. It only requires a new molding for the relevant half of the charging shell, the insertion for the connector can remain unchanged because the change in distance of the contact points of the contact springs, thus the change in distance of the contact springs and thus the change in distance of the contact blades for contacting with the contact surfaces of the connector by the areal extent of the contact surfaces of the connector can be collected without changing the connector.

With regard to the power supply component according to the invention for the power supply of such a charging shell, this object is achieved by a power supply component, which has summarized in a single housing, the entire electronics and the entire controller for this electronics for the purpose of charging a mobile communication terminal and a connection cable with a in the surface extended connector is connected with extended in the surface contact surfaces for contacting with a charging cradle.

Such a power supply component is hardly more expensive than a power supply component, which does not include all the electronics and the entire control for charging a mobile communication terminal, because this electronics and this control equal in the electronics for the current and voltage transformation, in the power supply component is present anyway, can be integrated. It is therefore, if at all, only a few additional assembly steps necessary to integrate this electronics and this control in the power supply component. Also, the cost of materials increase only slightly, because the required electronic components can be set equal to the already existing base plate for the already existing electronics.

On the other hand, assembly steps and more cost in manufacturing a charging tray for which the power supply component is provided are saved because there is no board to be provided with electronics for charging and controlling the charging of a mobile communication terminal. Further, an in-plane extended connector connected to the power supply component has the advantage that it is not much more expensive, if any, than a conventional connector. But he has the particular advantage that it can be provided with extended in the area contact surfaces, which in turn have the advantage, without being able to intercept changes in the distance between the contact springs of a charging cradle without their own change. Although this might make the PSU component a bit more expensive overall, this PSU component can save a lot more cost relative to an associated charger. But it can also be saved in terms of the power supply component ultimately more costs, because the power supply component can be used much more universal by the extended in the area connector.

The connector according to the invention comprises a base body extended in the surface, on the surface of which extended contact surfaces for contacting with a charging shell are provided in the surface. Due to the planar extent of the contact surfaces on the surface of the connector for contacting with a charging tray, it is not so important from the point of view of a charging tray, which distance exactly the contact springs of the charging tray, which contact the contact surfaces of the connector have. This can therefore also be varied without the connector also has to be changed.

The charging system for charging mobile communication terminals according to the invention consists of a charging tray as described above, a power supply component as described above and a connector as described above. The advantages of such a charging system result from the advantages of the individual components, which can be found in the description of the individual components.

Advantageous embodiments of the invention are the subject of dependent claims.

Thereafter, position holders are formed in at least one of the molded parts of the housing of the charging tray, which help to position and fix the contact springs to be mounted in the charging tray during assembly and also thereafter.

Next, the housing of the power supply component is then directly connected to a power plug. Thus, the power supply component can simultaneously take on another function, namely that of a power plug. At the same time, the power supply component is cleaned up in one application and is not in the room as a single part.

By a flat design of the connector plug of the connector does not wear. Run-up bevels of its area formed contact surfaces allow in a mating operation, a sliding engagement of contact springs, as they are present for example in an aforementioned charging cradle.

Guides on the surface of the connector, for example on the opposite surface side of the connector relative to the contact surfaces of the connector help to find the connector in a mating operation in its final position.

Figur 1

eine Ladeschale gemäß der Erfindung in einer Explosionsdarstellung,

Figur 2

eine Netzteilkomponente gemäß der Erfindung,

Figur 3A

einen Verbindungsstecker gemäß der Erfindung entsprechend der Figur 2 in einer dreidimensionalen Draufsicht,

Figur 3B

einen Verbindungsstecker gemäß der Erfindung entsprechend der Figur 2 in einer dreidimensionalen Unteransicht,

Figur 3C

einen Verbindungsstecker gemäß der Erfindung in einer Explosionsdarstellung,

Figur 4A

eine Bodenansicht einer Ladeschale gemäß der Figur 1 in einer dreidimensionalen Darstellung,

Figur 4B

eine Innenansicht eines die Bodenwanne der Ladeschale gemäß der Figur 1 bildenden Formteils in einer dreidimensionalen Darstellung, und die

Figuren 5A bis 5C

einen Bewegungsablauf bei einem Steckvorgang des Verbindungssteckers gemäß einer der Figuren 3A bis 3C in eine Ladeschale gemäß der Figur 1.

Hereinafter, a charging tray according to the invention, a power supply component according to the invention and a connector according to the invention, which together form a loading system according to the invention for the loading of mobile communication terminals, explained in more detail with reference to a drawing. Show:

FIG. 1

a charging tray according to the invention in an exploded view,

FIG. 2

a power supply component according to the invention,

FIG. 3A

a connector according to the invention according to the FIG. 2 in a three-dimensional plan view,

FIG. 3B

a connector according to the invention according to the FIG. 2 in a three-dimensional bottom view,

FIG. 3C

a connector according to the invention in an exploded view,

FIG. 4A

a bottom view of a charging tray according to the FIG. 1 in a three-dimensional representation,

FIG. 4B

an interior view of the bottom tray of the charging tray according to the FIG. 1 forming molding in a three-dimensional representation, and the

FIGS. 5A to 5C

a movement during a plug-in operation of the connector according to one of FIGS. 3A to 3C in a charging tray according to FIG. 1 ,

The charging tray 1 according to the FIG. 1 comprises two mold parts 2 and 3, of which the molded part 2 form a bottom shell and the molded part 3 a ceiling part. Together, the mold parts 2 and 3 form a housing of the charging tray 1. The molded parts 2 and 3 are formed in such a way that they can be connected to one another by simply snapping together to form a housing.

According to the present embodiment, the molded part 3, inter alia, position holder 4 for contact springs 5.

Before the two mold parts 2 and 3 are connected to each other, the contact springs 5 are placed in the position holder 4 a.

The contact springs 5 have contact tongues 6 at one end and contact points 7 at their other end.

The molded part 2 has a guide shaft 8, in which a connector 9 (FIG. FIG. 2 ) and can be positioned there.

The contact points 7 are contacted by openings 10 of the molded part 3 of a mobile communication terminal to be loaded in the charging tray 1, with its corresponding contact points. The contact tongues 6 are from a introduced into the guide shaft 8 connector 9 (FIG. FIG. 2 ) and contacted.

The in the FIG. 2 shown power supply component 11 includes a network and charging part as a total electronics 12, to which a power plug 13 is attached directly.

The power supply component 11 has a connection cable 14, at the end of the connector 9 is attached.

The connector 9 is flat and flat according to the present embodiment. He has on its top side in the surface extended contact surfaces 15. On its bottom side, it has at least a single guide 16. on.

In the FIGS. 3A and 3B is the connector 9 once seen from the side of its cover page and once from the bottom side. In particular, in the FIG. 3A the contact surfaces 15 extended in the surface and, in FIG. 3B, the guide runs 16 can be seen.

According to the FIG. 3B the connector 9 has two guide runs 16, which are formed as concave guide channels.

In the FIG. 3C is the connector 9 to see with its individual components. In particular, the connection cable 14, a lid housing 17, a bottom cover 18 and to see the extended in the surface contact surfaces 15.

In the FIG. 4A is the molding 2 in two time situations in which a connector 9 is inserted into the guide shaft 8 to see.

In the FIG. 4B the two time situations can be seen again, but with a view into the molded part 2 inside.

In the FIGS. 5A to 5C the plug-in process can be seen in 3 time situations (A, B, C). In particular, the mold parts 2 and 3 can be seen, and the connector 9.

In the first of the three time situations ( FIG. 5A ), the connector 9 is inserted into the guide shaft 8 so far that it is just before a latching hook 19.

In the second time situation ( FIG. 5B ) This catch hook 19 is already raised slightly by the connector 9.

In the third time situation ( FIG. 5C ) is the connector 9 hooked into the locking hooks 19 and thus locked.

By raising a flank 20 of the latching hook 19 can be lifted manually, so that the connector 9 can be released from the latching hook 19. In this way, the connector 9 can be taken out of the guide shaft 8 again.

During the aforementioned three time situations, the contact surfaces 15 formed in the surface are replaced by the contact springs 5 (in FIGS FIGS. 5A to 5C not shown in detail) contacted.

Claims (9)

1. Charging cradle (1) for charging mobile communication terminals, consisting of a housing (2; 3) with an insertion shaft (8), into which, for electrical connection of the charging cradle (1) a connector (9) with large-surface contact areas (15) can be introduced and positioned, and finally solely consisting of contact springs arranged in the housing (2; 3) with spring tongues (6) for a contacting the contact surfaces (15) of a connector (9) positioned in the guide shaft (8) of the housing (2; 3) arranged at one end of the contact springs (5) and with contact points (7) arranged at the other end of the contact springs (5), which can be contacted through openings (10) in the housing (2; 3) by mating points on a mobile communication terminal, inserted into the charging cradle (1) for the purposes of charging it.
2. charging cradle in accordance with claim 1, characterized in that at least one of the shaped parts (e.g. 3) of the housing (2; 3) has position holders (4) formed into it in which the contact springs can be mounted (5).
3. Power supply component with complete electronics (12) arranged in a single housing for charging and control of the charging processes of a mobile communication terminal and with a large surface connector (9) connected with a connecting cable (14) which features large-surface contact areas (15) of a charging cradle (1) in accordance with claim 1 or 2.
4. Power supply component in accordance with claim 3, characterized in that the housing of the power supply component (11) is connected directly to an ac power adapter (13).
5. Connector of an adapter component (11) in accordance with claim 3 or 4, comprising a large-surface base section on the surface of which large-surface contact areas (15) are arranged.
6. Connector in accordance with claim 5, characterized in that the base unit is embodied flat.
7. Connector in accordance with claim 5 or 6, characterized in that the flat contact areas (15) are arranged on a forward edge in an insertion direction (9) of a connector and feature starting bevels in this direction.
8. Connector in accordance with one of the claims 5 to 7, characterized in that at least a single guide section (16) is provided on the surface of the connector (9).
9. Charging system for charging mobile communication terminals, consisting of a charging cradle (1) in accordance with claim 1 or 2, a power supply component (11) in accordance with claim 3 or 4 and a connector (9) in accordance with one of the claims 5 to 8.

Images