Inductive charging station for an electronic device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10389180-B2
Application number	US-201715701472-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 12, 2017
Priority date	Sep 12, 2017
Publication date	Aug 20, 2019
Grant date	Aug 20, 2019

Abstract

An inductive charging station is provided for an electronic device. The inductive charging station includes a housing, an inductive charging feature and a device latch that is carried on the housing. The device latch is displaceable between a charging position wherein the electronic device is held in position for efficient charging, and a presenting position wherein the electronic device is tilted forward for easy access and removal from the inductive charging station.

First claim

What is claimed:

1. An inductive charging station for an electronic device, comprising:
a housing;
an inductive charging feature adjacent said housing; and
a device latch carried on said housing and adapted to engage the electronic device, said device latch being displaceable between a charging position wherein the electronic device is oriented for charging by the inductive charging feature and a presenting position wherein the electronic device is oriented for access, and wherein said device latch is an overcenter latching mechanism and said device latch includes an adjustable cradle, a pivot element and a pivot pin pivotally connecting said pivot element to said housing, wherein said adjustable cradle is displaceable along said pivot element between multiple operating positions, wherein said pivot element includes a first rack, said adjustable cradle includes a second rack and a guide slot and said pivot element extends through said guide slot and wherein a spring clip carried on said adjustable cradle biases said first rack and said second rack into engagement.

2. The inductive charging station of claim 1 , wherein said adjustable cradle includes a lift lever.

3. The inductive charging station of claim 2 , wherein said housing includes a support surface for said electronic device, said device latch holding said electronic device against said support surface when in said charging position.

4. The inductive charging station of claim 3 , wherein said inductive charging feature is carried on said housing juxtaposed said support surface.

5. The inductive charging station of claim 4 , wherein said housing includes an electronic device pocket, said device latch and said electronic device pocket being provided at opposite sides of said support surface.

6. The inductive charging station of claim 5 , wherein said pivot element is a presentation lever, said presentation lever tilting said electronic device away from said support surface and forward in said electronic device pocket when in said presenting position.

7. The inductive charging station of claim 6 , wherein said adjustable cradle includes a first channel and said electronic device pocket includes a second channel, said first channel opening toward said second channel and said second channel opening toward said first channel when said device latch is in said charging position.

8. The inductive charging station of claim 7 , wherein said first channel is offset from said pivot pin.

9. The inductive charging station of claim 8 , wherein said presentation lever forms one wall of said first channel.

10. The inductive charging station of claim 9 , wherein said lift lever is on a first side of said first channel and said presentation lever is on a second side of said first channel.

11. The inductive charging station of claim 10 , further including a resilient pad lining a bottom wall of said first channel.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Laird Kenneth S
• Ligi Jr Anthony
• Stoner Kenneth Alan

Classifications

• H02J2105/44

  Portable electronic devices · CPC title

• H02J7/731

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

• H02J50/10 Primary

  using inductive coupling · CPC title

• H04B5/0037

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H02J7/025

  Electricity · mapped topic