Modular device charging system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12580396-B2
Application number	US-202318514572-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 20, 2023
Priority date	Dec 28, 2016
Publication date	Mar 17, 2026
Grant date	Mar 17, 2026

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 plurality of 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 plurality of charging portions including a plurality of interfaces for charging a plurality of connected devices, wherein a first one of the plurality of charging portions includes an upper portion and a second one of the plurality of charging portions includes a lower portion, wherein a first connector of the first one of the plurality of charging portions is positioned on a lower surface of the upper portion, and a second connector of the second one of the plurality of charging portions is positioned on an upper surface of the lower portion, the second connector of the second one of the plurality of charging portions removably coupled to the first connector of the first one of the plurality of charging portions to provide electrical communication between the first one of the plurality of charging portions and the second one of the plurality of charging portions.

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

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

4 . The charging system of claim 1 , wherein one of the plurality of 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 at least one of the plurality of 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.

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

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

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

9 . The charging system of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the plurality of 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.

10 . A charging system comprising:
a first charging portion including a first connector and a plurality of first interfaces for charging a plurality of connected devices; and a second charging portion including a second connector configured to interchangeably connect to the first connector of the first charging portion and a power source, the second charging portion including a plurality of second interfaces for charging a plurality of connected devices, the first connector configured to be removably coupled to the 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, 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 coupled to the first connector to provide electrical communication between the first charging portion and the second charging portion.

11 . The charging system of claim 10 , further comprising a third charging portion including a third connector and a third interface for charging a connected device, the 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.

12 . The charging system of claim 10 , wherein the first charging portion and second charging portion engage one another in an end-to-end configuration.

13 . The charging system of claim 10 , wherein the first charging portion includes an end portion engaging an end portion of the second charging portion in an overlapping configuration.

14 . The charging system of claim 10 , wherein the first 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 first charging portion.

15 . The charging system of claim 10 , wherein each of the first charging portion and the second charging portion can be interchangeably connected to one another, wherein at least one of a number and configuration of connected charging portions is selected based on a maximum power consumption.

16 . The charging system of claim 10 , wherein the plurality of first interfaces is a first type of interface, wherein the plurality of second interfaces is a second type of interface different from the first type of interface.

17 . The charging system of claim 10 , 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.

18 . The charging system of claim 10 , 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

• H02J50/00

  Circuit arrangements or systems for wireless supply or distribution of electric power · CPC title

• H02J7/00

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

• H02J7/70 Primary

  characterised by the mechanical construction · CPC title

• H02J7/0013

  Electricity · mapped topic