NO343978B1

NO343978B1 - Charger for charging of a mobile device

Info

Publication number: NO343978B1
Application number: NO20171893A
Authority: NO
Inventors: Hans Kotthaus; Stefanie Herm; Joseph Mutamba
Original assignee: Customme As
Priority date: 2017-11-27
Filing date: 2017-11-27
Publication date: 2019-08-05
Also published as: NO20171893A1; WO2019103622A1

Description

CHARGER FOR CHARGING OF A MOBILE DEVICE

The invention relates to a charger for charging of a mobile device.

People are using more and more mobile devices, such as smartphones and tablets, in their everyday lives. Different mobile devices may have different types of connectors for charging, so people may need to have several different chargers compatible with their specific devices. As the devices may need to be charged practically daily, at times even more often, the chargers should preferably be readily available. For private homes, offices, and within the hospitality industry (i.e. hotels, restaurants, and B&B’s), having chargers readily available is important to facilitate everyday mobile communication. For example, hotels may want to offer customers charging possibilities as an additional service. The different connectors required makes this inconvenient.

A range of products exist which are trying to solve the inconvenience of different connectors. A typical charger for charging different mobile devices comprises an adapter with either a range of cables with different connectors, or simply one or more USB ports for insertion of cables with the required connector. In some products the cables are hidden to some degree, however, most known products which can charge mobile devices with different connectors include cables from the adaptor to said mobile devices. Typically, two hands are required to connect the cable to the device. These actions and the multitude of cables make these products unhandy and cumbersome to use, especially when travelling or commuting long distances.

Several solutions have been disclosed which address some of the problems mentioned above. Patent publication CN106856348 (A) discloses an arrangement of four connectors fastened to a rotary shaft. US9436221 (B2) discloses a similar solution with a drum/disc with a vertical axis and connectors placed vertically around the axis. WO2016018205 (A1) discloses a slightly tilted back support and a connector arrangement beneath, where four connectors are held on an axis which is at right angle to the tilted back support front surface, and where one connector is peaking upwards, one downwards, and one to each side of the product. Common for all these solutions is a rotating holder, e.g. a drum or disc, for two or more connectors. However, none of the above-mentioned documents address two important problems: the differences in the thickness of the mobile phones, and the unwanted turning of the rotatable drum during connection attempts.

CN205829245 U discloses a mobile phone charger, and EP2629172 dock for a mobile phone.

The applicant is aware of one product which is truly capable of charging a broad range of mobile devices without using cables between the device and the charger, namely the invention disclosed in CN206250819 (U). The charger disclosed therein is equipped with a rotatable drum holding three connectors and one additional USB slot for cable connection on the rear side. However, the disclosed charger has some disadvantages. For example, even though the mobile phone is resting on a back support, it only rests on the upper edge of the support, while the phone is positioned and held in place by the connector-slot on the drum. Touching the device while in charging mode is often necessary, e.g. to check incoming messages on a phone. Since there is a gap below the resting edge line of the support, a light touch at the frontal bottom side of the mobile phone screen will result in a bending and tilting force applied directly on the connector and the receptacle in the phone. Therefore, there is a large risk of damaging the phone receptacle. The damage may be both mechanical and electrical. This problem could be solved by avoiding a gap and shaping the support in a way that it is aligned with the back surface of the mobile device. The disadvantage of this solution is that it will make the charger only fit devices with the same thickness, while devices which are slimmer or bigger will not fit.

Another disadvantage of the prior art embodiments with a rotatable drum is that two hands are needed during mounting of the mobile device on the charger: one for mounting the mobile device, and one for holding the drum steady during mounting. Additionally, great care must be taken to mount the device directly onto the connector, as a slight misalignment may cause a turning movement of the drum, which could damage the receptacle.

The invention has for its object to remedy or to reduce at least one of the drawbacks of the prior art, or at least provide a useful alternative to prior art. The object is achieved through features which are specified in the description below and in the claims that follow. The invention is defined by the independent patent claims, while the dependent claims define advantageous embodiments of the invention.

The invention relates to a charger for charging of a mobile device having a receptacle, said charger comprising: a housing; a rotatable drum being mounted in the housing; and a at least two connectors positioned radially on the rotatable drum on at least a part of its circumference; wherein the housing and the rotatable drum in operational use of the charger are configured for accepting the mobile device, and wherein the connectors are of different types for allowing connection to different types of receptacles, and wherein the charger is provided with a fixing system for fixing the rotatable drum at predetermined angular positions such that a respective one of the at least two connectors is directed towards the mobile device when the charger is in operational use.

A specific angular position of the rotatable drum may be chosen by turning of the drum, whereby a desired connector may be accessible for connection with a mobile device. The rotatable drum may thereby be fixed in this angular position by the fixing system. In this way, the charger may be able to charge different mobile devices which may have different types of connectors, without the need for different cables. In addition, the fixing system may provide for an easy connection between the mobile device and the charger, as the mobile device may simply be connected to the charger by being placed onto said charger. This may be done by one hand, while two hands are typically needed for chargers comprising a rotatable drum and no fixing system, or for connecting a mobile device to a cable. The different connectors on the charger may for example comprise USB-C, USB-micro B, and lightning connectors. Fixing the drum at required positions combined with marking what the different connectors are used for may make the charger user friendly.

The drum may for example be mounted on a shaft having three functional sections: A connector section where the connectors are placed, a recess section where the fixing system is engaged, and a handle section where the drum is turned, e.g. a handle, a handle section on the drum, or a second drum placed in the end of the shaft.

The fixing system may for example comprise a spring-loaded member fastened to the housing, and a complementary shaped recess on a recess section on the rotatable drum or shaft, wherein an engaging part of the member is engaged with the recess. Upon turning of the rotatable drum, the engaging part of the spring-loaded member may shift from one recess to the next. A force is thus required to turn the rotatable drum, whereby said rotatable drum may be kept in the desired angular position during connection and charging. The fixing system may be designed such that the force required to turn the rotatable drum may be sufficient to keep said rotatable drum from turning undesirably, and yet small enough to be overcome manually by turning of the rotatable drum with a finger. The fixing system may thus fix the rotatable drum at predetermined angular positions in a self-adjusting manner.

The fixing system may be arranged to allow for substantially unimpeded angular movement of the rotatable drum within a predetermined angular range for each fixed angular position. For example, for the system with a spring-loaded member and a complementary shaped recess, the recess may be slightly larger than the engaging part of the spring-loaded member. This may allow a small angular movement within a few degrees for each fixed angular position without any risk of further angular movement of the rotatable drum. A few degrees of angular movement may allow for charging mobile devices with different thickness, or with different distance between the receptacle and the back of the mobile device. The predetermined angle of allowed unimpeded angular movement may be less than 5 º, and typically less than 3 º. Additionally, or alternatively, the connectors may be tiltable a few degrees, whereby no unwanted strain will arise.

The housing of the charger may have a groove which corresponds to the position for accepting a mobile device, i.e. where a connector is accessible. The groove may be able to accommodate different kinds of mobile devices, and it may be shaped such that it may facilitate correct positioning of a mobile device. For example, the groove may be aligned with the connector.

The charger may contain a self-adjustable support for the mobile device, such that the tilt angle of the self-adjustable support may align with the tilt angle of the connector on the drum when a mobile device is placed onto and connected to the charger. This self-adjustable support may be tiltable a few degrees around a horizontal axis, whereby mobile devices with different thicknesses may rest on the support with a substantial part of the device’s backside. In that way, the device may be selfadjusting to the thickness of each mobile device within defined limits. This feature will have the effect of avoiding stress on the connector and the receptacle in the mobile device.

The self-adjustable support may also comprise wireless charging means, for example a wireless spool within the self-adjustable support. By using the self-adjustable support for wireless charging, the step of connecting the mobile device to the connector may be avoided for devices capable of wireless charging. This will facilitate the charging even more. A groove in the housing of the charger may cause the mobile device to be standing in a suitable position, whereby the screen may be fully visible. This may be useful for e.g. playing video, reading, when talking using the loudspeaker, or simply being aware of notifications on the device. The wireless charging means may be active when the rotatable drum is fixed at an angular position where no connector is directed towards the position for accepting and charging a mobile device.

Each connector on the rotatable drum may be electrically connected to an internal power supply in the charger, and the internal power supply may be connected to an external power supply, e.g. a socket. The charger may thus comprise or be connected to an AC adapter. In addition, there may be an intermediate electronic control unit for controlling the charging process for each connector, for example to avoid overheating. The charger may additionally comprise a rechargeable battery, whereby it may be used as a power bank when not connected to an electrical socket. This may be useful for example in restaurants, whereby the charger can be brought to a table if requested by a customer, without the need for drawing cables to all tables, or for the customer to leave the mobile device unattended close to an electrical socket.

The charger may also comprise means for being fastened to a surface such as a table or a wall. The charger may for example be fastened to a surface using screws, glue, or suction techniques. Thereby, the charger may be situated safely at places with many people without requiring attention due to risks of it being stolen. Similarly, the charger may comprise a locking system for locking a mobile device to the charger during charging. This may be especially beneficial e.g. in restaurants, bars, or hotels, as a customer may safely use the charger unattended. The locking system may for example comprise adjustable clamps or stop members, which may be locked at position around the mobile device such that said mobile device may not be removed without unlocking the locking system. The locking system may for example be locked and unlocked using a key or a code generated by the charger.

The charger may also comprise connecting means for electrically connecting two or more chargers to each other, such that said chargers may charge different mobile devices simultaneously while being connected to a single external power supply, for example an electrical socket or a rechargeable battery such as a power bank. The connecting means may be designed specifically for that purpose.

The charger may comprise additional auxiliary features, such as a clock, an alarm, a speaker, a radio, etc, whereby the charger may substitute a range of electronic devices and thus save space and money for the consumers.

In the following is described examples of embodiments illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig.1 shows a charger according to the invention with a mobile phone connected, viewed in perspective;

Fig.2 shows on a similar scale the charger from figure 1, without the housing and the mobile phone, viewed from the side;

Fig.3 shows on a larger scale the engaging part of the spring-loaded member from figure 2 and a recess on the rotatable drum;

Fig.4 shows on a similar scale the rotatable drum and the fixing system from figure 2, viewed in perspective;

Fig.5 shows on a similar scale a cut section of the charger from figure 1 with a mobile phone with a first thickness connected;

Fig.6 shows on a larger scale the engaging part of the spring-loaded member from figure 5 and a recess on the rotatable drum;

Fig.7 shows on a similar scale a cut section of the charger from figure 1 and 5 with a mobile phone with a second thickness connected; and

Fig.8 shows on a larger scale the engaging part of the spring-loaded member from figure 7 and a recess on the rotatable drum.

In the drawings, the reference numeral 10 indicates a charger according to the invention. Identical reference numerals indicate identical or similar features. The drawings are presented in a simplified and schematic manner, and the features therein are not necessarily drawn to scale. The indicated shapes of the embodiments and the location of specific features are not final.

Figure 1 shows a charger 10 according to the invention with a mobile phone 8 connected. The charger 10 comprises a housing 15 with an input 13 for an external power supply. The external power supply may be from an electrical socket, rechargeable battery, or via another charger. Also visible is a handle section 11 of a rotatable drum 2. The rotatable drum 2 may be used to change the connector type (not visible in figure 1) by turning said rotatable drum 2 with a finger. The housing 15 comprises a cover 16 for protection of the connectors. The housing 15 and the cover 16 together form a groove 17 for easier positioning of the mobile device 8.

Figure 2 shows important, internal parts of a charger 10 by excluding the housing 15 and mobile phone 8. The charger 10 comprises three connectors 1a, 1b, 1c positioned radially on a rotatable drum 2, which is connected to a shaft 4. The shaft 4 also comprises a recess section 3 where a fixing system is engaged. The fixing system comprises a spring-loaded member 5 which is engaged on the recess section 3. The recess section 3 comprises multiple recesses 6. Turning of the rotatable drum 2 will turn the shaft 4 and the recess section 3, whereby the engaging part of the spring-loaded member 5 will move to the next recess 6. A force will have to be overcome when the engaging part 5a of the spring-loaded member 5 move to the next recess 6. The charger 10 also comprises a selfadjustable support 7 for a mobile device 8. The self-adjustable support 7 is tiltable around a horizontal axis 7a. The charger 10 has a base 9 which may be fastened to a surface. Not shown is the housing 15, shaft bearings on each side of the drum 2, and further electrical parts and wires.

Figure 3 shows in detail the engaging part 5a of the spring-loaded member 5 in the recess 6, with extra space 6a in the recess 6 on each side of the engaging part 5a of the spring-loaded member 5. This extra space 6a allows for some unimpeded angular movement of the rotatable drum 2, requiring minimal force and not risking entering the next groove 6 undesirably.

Figure 4 shows the fixing system and the rotatable drum 2 from figure 2, said rotatable drum 2 comprising three sections: a connector section 12 with connectors 1a, 1b, 1c positioned radially on the drum 2, a handle section 11 on each side of the connector section 12 for manual turning of the drum 2, and a recess section 3 with an engaged spring-loaded member 5. The three sections 12, 11, 6 are connected on the same shaft 4. Available positions 14 for wireless charging are in-between the positions of the connectors 1a, 1b, 1c.

Figure 5 shows a cut-view of a charger 10 with a mobile device 8 of a first thickness T1. For simplicity, the figure includes only some important parts of the charger 10, i.e. the housing 15, the rotatable drum 2 including the recess section 3, the spring-loaded member 5, and the cover 16 for protection of the connectors 1. The groove 17 between the cover 16 and the housing 15 is clearly visible. The tilt angle in this case is A1 and the back of the mobile device 8 is parallel and in contact with the selfadjustable support 7. The detail view in figure 6 shows that the engaging part 5a of the spring-loaded member 5 is engaged exactly in the centre of the recess 6.

Figure 7 shows the same charger as in figure 5, but with a mobile device 8 with a second thickness T2. The tilt angle in this case is aligned through the self-adjustable support 7 to A2, and again the back of the mobile device 8 is parallel and in contact with the self-adjustable support 7. The detail view in figure 8 shows that the engaging part 5a of the spring-loaded member 5 is no longer engaged in the centre of the recess 6. For a specific embodiment of the charger 10, a thickness T1 of 9.6 mm will results in a tilt angle A1 of 112.5 º, while a thickness T2 of 7.2 mm will result in a tilt angle of 113.5 º.

The process for use of the charger 10 may be as follows: The user puts one finger on the handle section 11 and turns the drum 2, until the connector 1 suitable for the mobile device 8 to be charged is in position, and the drum 2 stops turning at the correct position. The user then places the mobile device 8 from above to the connector 1 until it rests on the connector 1 and drum 2, whereby it is electrically connected to the charger 10. In case the user wants to use wireless mode, a drum position 14 without a connector 1 is chosen, and the mobile device 8 is placed in the charger’s groove 17 and resting against the self-adjustable support 7. The self-adjustable support 7 may have a wireless spool inside, which may be connected to the power supply of the charger 10. Drum positions 14 without connectors 1 may be equipped with a microswitch switching on and off wireless charging.

It should be noted that the above-mentioned embodiments illustrate rather than limit the invention, and that those skilled in the art will be able to design many alternative embodiments without departing from the scope of the appended claims. In the claims, any reference signs placed between parentheses shall not be construed as limiting the claim. Use of the verb "comprise" and its conjugations does not exclude the presence of elements or steps other than those stated in a claim. The article "a" or "an" preceding an element does not exclude the presence of a plurality of such elements.

The mere fact that certain measures are recited in mutually different dependent claims does not indicate that a combination of these measures cannot be used to advantage.

Claims

C l a i m s

1. A charger (10) for charging of a mobile device (8) having a receptacle, said charger (10) comprising:

- a housing (15);

- a rotatable drum (2) being mounted in the housing (15); and

- at least two connectors (1) positioned radially on the rotatable drum (2) on at least a part of its circumference;

wherein the housing (15) and the rotatable drum (2) in operational use of the charger (10) are configured for accepting the mobile device (8), and wherein the connectors (1) are of different types for allowing connection to different types of receptacles, c h a r a c -t e r i s e d i n that the charger (10) is provided with a fixing system for fixing the rotatable drum (2) at predetermined angular positions such that a respective one of the at least two connectors (1) is directed towards the mobile device (8) when the charger (10) is in operational use.

2. The charger (10) according to claim 1, wherein the fixing system comprises a spring-loaded member (5) arranged in the housing (15) and a complementary shaped recess (6) on the rotatable drum (2).

3. The charger (10) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the fixing system is arranged to allow for substantially unimpeded angular movement of the drum (2) within a predetermined angular range for each predetermined angular position.

4. The charger (10) according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the housing (15) of said charger (10) is provided with a groove (17) for accepting the mobile device (8).

5. The charger (10) according to any of the previous claims, wherein said charger (10) comprises a self-adjustable support (7) for the mobile device (8).

6. The charger (10) according to claim 5, wherein the self-adjustable support (7) is provided with wireless charging means.

7. The charger (10) according to claim 6, wherein the at least two connectors comprises an empty slot, and wherein the wireless charging means is active when the rotatable drum (2) is fixed at an angular position where said empty slot is directed towards the mobile device (8) when the charger (10) is in operational use.

8. The charger (10) according to any of the previous claims, wherein said charger (10) comprises a rechargeable battery.

9. The charger (10) according to any of the previous claims, wherein said charger (10) comprises fastening means for fastening of the charger (10) to a surface.

10. The charger (10) according to any of the previous claims, wherein said charger (10) comprises a locking system for locking the mobile device (8) to the charger (10).

11. The charger (10) according to any of the previous claims, wherein the charger (10) comprises additional auxiliary features chosen from the group of a clock, an alarm, a speaker, and a radio.

12. The charger (10) according to any of the previous claims, wherein the charger (10) comprises means for connection two or more of said chargers (10) to each other such that two or more mobile devices (8) may be charged simultaneously using only one external power supply.