Modular device charging system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11824384-B2
Application number	US-202217572327-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 10, 2022
Priority date	Dec 28, 2016
Publication date	Nov 21, 2023
Grant date	Nov 21, 2023

Abstract

A charging system includes a first charging portion and a second charging portion. The first charging portion includes at least one first connector and at least one first interface for charging a connected device. The first charging portion is configured to receive electrical current from a power source. The second charging portion includes at least one second connector and at least one second interface for charging a connected device. The at least one first connector is removably coupled to the at least one second connector, thereby removably coupling the second charging portion to the first charging portion to facilitate transmission of electrical current between the first charging portion and the second charging portion.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A charging system comprising:
a plurality of charging portions removably coupled to one another, each of the charging portions including a first connector and a second connector, the first connector configured to interchangeably connect to a power source and the second connector of another charging portion, each of the charging portions including a plurality of interfaces including at least one port for receiving a plug and at least one wireless charging port for charging a plurality of connected devices.

2. The charging system of claim 1 , wherein a connector of one of the charging portions includes a protrusion engaging a connector of the adjacent one of the charging portions.

3. The charging system of claim 1 , wherein the charging portions engage one another in an end-to-end configuration.

4. The charging system of claim 1 , wherein one of the charging portions includes an end portion engaging an end portion of an adjacent charging portion in an overlapping configuration.

5. The charging system of claim 1 , wherein a first one of the charging portions includes an upper portion and a second one of the charging portions includes a lower portion, wherein a first connector is positioned on a lower surface of the upper portion, and a second connector is positioned on an upper surface of the lower portion, the second connector removably engaging the first connector to provide electrical communication between the first one of the charging portions and the second one of the charging portions.

6. The charging system of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the charging portions includes a wireless communication device for transmitting a signal to an external device, the signal indicative of at least one of a location and a status of the charging portion.

7. The charging system of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the charging portions includes a battery.

8. The charging system of claim 1 , wherein each of the charging portions can be interchangeably connected to one another, wherein at least one of the number and configuration of connected charging portions is selected based on a maximum power consumption.

9. A charging system comprising:
a first charging portion including at least one first connector and a plurality of first interfaces including at least one first port that receives a plug and at least one first wireless charging port for charging a plurality of connected devices; and
a second charging portion including at least one second connector configured to interchangeably connect to the at least one first connector of the first charging portion and a power source, the second charging portion including a plurality of second interfaces including at least one second port that receives a plug and at least one second wireless charging port for charging a plurality of connected devices, the at least one first connector configured to be removably coupled to the at least one second connector, thereby removably coupling the second charging portion to the first charging portion to facilitate transmission of electrical current between the first charging portion and the second charging portion.

10. The charging system of claim 9 , further comprising a third charging portion including at least one third connector and at least one third interface for charging a connected device, the at least one third connector removably coupling the third charging portion to the second charging portion and facilitating transmission of electrical current between the third charging portion and the second charging portion, wherein the second charging portion is positioned between the first charging portion and the third charging portion.

11. The charging system of claim 9 , wherein the first charging portion and second charging portion engage one another in an end-to-end configuration.

12. The charging system of claim 9 , wherein the first charging portion includes an end portion engaging an end portion of the second charging portion in an overlapping configuration.

13. The charging system of claim 9 , wherein the first charging portion includes a lower portion and the second charging portion includes an upper portion, wherein the first connector is positioned on an upper surface of the lower portion, and the second connector is positioned on a lower surface of the upper portion, the second connector removably engaging the first connector to provide electrical communication between the first charging portion and the second charging portion.

14. The charging system of claim 9 , wherein at least one of the first charging portion and the second charging portion includes a wireless communication device for transmitting a signal to an external device, the signal indicative of at least one of a location and a status of the charging portion.

15. The charging system of claim 9 , wherein at least one of the first charging portion and the second charging portion includes a battery.

16. The charging system of claim 9 , wherein each of the first charging portion and the second charging portion can be interchangeably connected to one another, wherein at least one of the number and configuration of connected charging portions is selected based on a maximum power consumption.

17. The charging system of claim 9 , wherein the first interface is a first type of interface, wherein the second interface is a second type of interface different from the first type of interface.

18. The charging system of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the charging portions includes one or more selected from a group consisting of a backup battery and an energy harvesting component.

19. The charging system of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the charging portions includes an information display configured to display one or more selected from a group consisting of system status, charging status, and paid advertisements.

20. The charging system of claim 9 , wherein the first charging portion and the second charging portion include one or more selected from a group consisting of a backup battery and an energy harvesting component.

21. The charging system of claim 9 , wherein the first charging portion and the second charging portion include an information display configured to display one or more selected from a group consisting of system status, charging status, and paid advertisements.

Assignees

• Hubbell Inc

Inventors

• Brower John

Classifications

• H02J7/50

  acting upon multiple batteries simultaneously or sequentially · CPC title

• H02J7/70 Primary

  characterised by the mechanical construction · CPC title

• H02J7/0042 Primary

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H02J7/00

  Circuit arrangements for charging or discharging batteries or for supplying loads from batteries · CPC title

• H02J7/0013

  Electricity · mapped topic