Self-disconnecting power source apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10714926-B2
Application number	US-201715642503-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 6, 2017
Priority date	Jul 6, 2017
Publication date	Jul 14, 2020
Grant date	Jul 14, 2020

Abstract

A power source apparatus and associated method for protecting an electrical device such as a mobile device from an electric shortage are disclosed. The power source apparatus can be provided within the electrical device to provide power to device components. The power source apparatus can include a power source such as a battery, one or more triggering components, and a disconnection component. The triggering component(s) can be connected to a moisture/fluid detection circuit of the electrical device. Upon receiving an input signal indicative of detected moisture/fluid within the electrical device, the triggering component(s) send a disconnection signal to the disconnection component which may be a solenoid. The disconnection component disconnects the power source from device circuitry of the electrical device. The power source apparatus can also include a reconnection component that can be manually actuated by a user or automatically actuated to reconnect the power source to the device circuitry.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electrical device configured to avoid an electrical shortage, the device comprising:
device circuitry; and
a power source apparatus comprising a power source, one or more triggering components, a disconnection component, and a reconnection component comprising a mechanical switch, wherein the power source and the disconnection component are contained within a waterproof housing, and the power source apparatus is configured to:
receive, at the one or more triggering components, an input signal indicative of a triggering event;
send, by the one or more triggering components, a disconnection signal to the disconnection component;
disconnect the power source from the device circuitry; and
reconnect the power source to the circuitry of the electrical device,
wherein the triggering event is fluid being detected within the electrical device, and wherein the input signal is received from a fluid detection circuit of the electrical device.

2. The electrical device of claim 1 , wherein the power source is a battery, and wherein disconnecting the power source from the device circuitry comprises disconnecting internal leads of the battery from external terminals of the battery that are in contact with the device circuitry.

3. The electrical device of claim 1 , wherein the disconnection component is a solenoid.

4. The electrical device of claim 1 , wherein the reconnecting the power source to the device circuitry is responsive to mechanical actuation of the reconnection component by a user of the electrical device.

5. The electrical device of claim 1 , wherein the power source apparatus is further configured to:
determine that the triggering event is no longer present; and
automatically actuate the reconnection component to reconnect the power source to the device circuitry.

6. A power source apparatus configured to protect an electrical device from an electrical shortage, the power source apparatus comprising:
a power source;
one or more triggering components;
a disconnection component;
a reconnection component comprising a mechanical switch; and
a waterproof housing containing the power source and the disconnection component,
wherein the power source apparatus is configured to:
receive, at the one or more triggering components, an input signal indicative of a triggering event;
send, by the one or more triggering components, a disconnection signal to the disconnection component;
disconnect the power source from circuitry of the electrical device; and
reconnect the power source to the circuitry of the electrical device,
wherein the triggering event is fluid being detected within the electrical device, and wherein the input signal is received from a fluid detection circuit of the electrical device.

7. The power source apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the power source is a battery, and wherein disconnecting the power source from the circuitry of the electrical device comprises disconnecting internal leads of the battery from external terminals of the battery that are in contact with the circuitry of the electrical device.

8. The power source apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the disconnection component is a solenoid.

9. The power source apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the reconnecting the power source to the circuitry of the electrical device is responsive to mechanical actuation of the reconnection component by a user of the electrical device.

Assignees

• IBM

Inventors

• Demarco Dominic L
• Fitzsimmons Thomas D
• Flagg Troy A
• Golden Ryan P

Classifications

• H02H5/083 Primary

  responsive to the entry or leakage of a liquid into an electrical appliance (moisture alarm G08B21/20) · CPC title

• H02H7/18

  for batteries; for accumulators · CPC title

• H02H5/08 Primary

  responsive to abnormal fluid pressure, liquid level or liquid displacement, e.g. Buchholz relays · CPC title