Charging cabinet and control method thereof

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10056768-B2
Application number	US-201615011803-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 1, 2016
Priority date	Nov 6, 2015
Publication date	Aug 21, 2018
Grant date	Aug 21, 2018

Abstract

A charging cabinet and a control method thereof are disclosed. The charging cabinet includes a controller, a power supply, switches, a charging detector, a status detector, and sockets electrically connected to devices. The switches are selectively tuned on to connect a current path between one of the sockets and the power supply. When a current value of the current path is smaller than a preset current value, the charging detector products a first detection signal. The status detector produces a second detection signal after counting up to more than a preset time period, during which the charging cabinet stays at a suspension status. The controller turns on at least part of the switches after counting up to more than an idle time period, during which the switches in the charging cabinet at the suspension status are tuned off according to the first and second detection signals.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A charging cabinet, comprising:
a plurality of sockets, each of the plurality of sockets electrically connected to a device;
a power supply, electrically connected to the plurality of sockets;
a plurality of switches, each of the plurality of switches electrically connected to one of the plurality of sockets and the power supply and selectively enabling a current path between one of the plurality of sockets and the power supply;
a charging detector electrically connected to the current path between each of the plurality of sockets and the power supply and configured to detect a current value on each of the current paths and when the current value on each of the current paths is smaller than a preset current value, generate a first detection signal;
at least one status detector configured to calculate a first time period that the charging cabinet stays at a suspension status, and generate a second detection signal when the first time period is longer than a preset time period; and
a controller, electrically connected to the charging detector, the status detector and the plurality of switches and configured to turn off each of the plurality of switches according to the first and second detection signals and calculate a second time period, which each of the plurality of switches is turned off and the charging cabinet stays at the suspension status, and to selectively at least in part turn on the plurality of switches when the second time period is longer than an idle time period.

2. The charging cabinet according to claim 1 , wherein the charging detector comprises:
at least one current meter electrically connected to the current path between each of the plurality of sockets and the power supply and configured to detect the current value on each of the current paths; and
a first processor electrically connected to the at least one current meter and configured to determine whether the current value on each of the current paths is smaller than the preset current value, and to generate the first detection signal when the current value on each of the current paths is smaller than the preset current value.

3. The charging cabinet according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of sockets in the charging cabinet is disposed in a container, a door plank is disposed at an opening of the container, and the status detector comprises:
a micro switch configured to detect whether the door plank covers the opening of the container; and
a first timer electrically connected to the micro switch and configured to calculate the first time period that the opening of the container is covered with the door plank; and
a second processor electrically connected to the first timer and configured to determine whether the first time period is longer than the preset time period, and to generate the second detection signal when the first time period is longer than the preset time period.

4. The charging cabinet according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of sockets in the charging cabinet is disposed in a container, a door plank is disposed at an opening of the container, and the status detector comprises:
a first detector disposed on the door plank;
a second detector disposed on the container ;
a first timer configured to calculate the first time period that the opening of the container is covered with the door plank, according to a first triggering signal; and
a second processor electrically connected to the first detector, the second detector and the first timer and configured to generate the first triggering signal according to a connection relationship between the second detector and the first detector and to generate the second detection signal when the first time period is longer than the preset time period.

5. The charging cabinet according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of sockets has at least one disposition area, and the status detector comprises:
at least one detector configured to detect a status of the at least one disposition area and to generate a second triggering signal when the status of the at least one disposition area changes;
a first timer electrically connected to the at least one detector and configured to calculate the first time period that the status of the at least one disposition area has not changed, according to the second triggering signal; and
a second processor electrically connected to the first timer and configured to determine whether the first time period is longer than the preset time period, and to the second detection signal when the first time period is longer than the preset time period.

6. The charging cabinet according to claim 1 , wherein the controller further comprises a second timer configured to commence counting the second time period when the controller turns off the plurality of switches, and to stop counting the second time period and switch the charging cabinet to perform a charging schedule when the charging cabinet leaves the suspension status.

7. A control method applied to a charging cabinet comprising a plurality of sockets and a power supply that is electrically connected to the plurality of sockets, each of the plurality of sockets electrically connected to devices, and the control method comprising:
selectively enabling a current path between one of the plurality of sockets and the power supply;
detecting a current value on the current path for each of the plurality of sockets;
generating a first detection signal when the current value on each of the current paths is shorter than a preset current value;
counting a first time period that the charging cabinet stays at a suspension status;
generating a second detection signal when the first time period is longer than a preset time period;
disabling the current path between each of the plurality of sockets and the power supply according to the first detection signal and the second detection signal;
counting a second time period that the current path for each of the plurality of sockets is disabled and the charging cabinet stays at the suspension status; and
selectively enabling the current path between each of at least part of the plurality of sockets and the power supply when the second time period is longer than an idle time period.

8. The control method according to claim 7 , further comprising:
determining whether the current value on each of the current paths is shorter than the preset current value; and
performing a charging schedule when the current value on one of the current paths is not smaller than the preset current value.

9. The control method according to claim 7 , wherein the plurality of sockets in the charging cabinet is disposed in a container, a door plank is disposed at an opening of the container, and to count the first time period that the charging cabinet stays at the suspension status, comprises:
detecting whether the opening of the container is covered with the door plank; and
counting the first time period that the opening of the container is covered with the door plank when the opening of the container is covered with the door plank.

10. The control method according to claim 7 , wherein the charging cabinet further comprises a first detector and a second detector, the plurality of sockets is disposed in a container, a door plank is disposed at an opening of the container, the first detector is disposed on the door plank, the second detector is disposed in the container, and to count the first time period that the charging cabinet stays at the suspension status comprises:
generating a first triggering signal according to a connection relationship between the second detector and the first detector; and
counting the first time period that the opening of th

Assignees

• Aver Information Inc

Inventors

• Hsu Chi-Fa
• Chang Chao-Hung
• Chou Lien-Kai

Classifications

• H02J2105/44

  Portable electronic devices · CPC title

• H02J7/575

  Parallel/serial switching of connection of batteries to charge or load circuit · CPC title

• H02J7/70

  characterised by the mechanical construction · CPC title

• H02J7/731 Primary

  specially adapted for holding portable devices containing batteries (H02J7/751 takes precedence) · CPC title

• H02J7/0027 Primary

  Electricity · mapped topic