Charging base system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2024079889-A1
Application number	US-202318157131-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jan 20, 2023
Priority date	Sep 6, 2022
Publication date	Mar 7, 2024
Grant date	—

Abstract

A video game controller charging base assembly includes an electrical connector configured to connect to a power source, a charging stand that includes a charging connection in communication with the electrical connector to receive electrical power therefrom, and a controller dongle with a first connection configured to electrically attach to a video game controller and a second connection configured to electrically connect to the charging connection. At least one of the charging connection or the second connection can be configured to allow movement of the second connection relative to the charging connection along at least one axis while maintaining electrical connection between the charging connection and the second connection of the controller dongle.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A video game controller charging base assembly comprising:
an electrical connector configured to connect to a power source; a charging stand that includes a charging connection in communication with the electrical connector to receive electrical power therefrom; and a controller dongle with a first connection configured to electrically attach to a video game controller and a second connection configured to electrically connect to the charging connection, wherein at least one of the charging connection or the second connection is configured to allow movement of the second connection relative to the charging connection along at least one axis while maintaining electrical connection between the charging connection and the second connection of the controller dongle.

2 . The charging base assembly of claim 1 , wherein the charging connection includes a vertically elongated contact and the second connection includes a protruding single point contact that corresponds to the vertically elongated contact such that, when the controller dongle is connected to the video game controller, the video game controller is movable vertically while maintaining the electrical connection.

3 . The charging base assembly of claim 2 , wherein the vertically elongated contact is in a plurality of vertically elongated contacts in the charging connection, wherein the protruding single point contact is in a plurality of protruding single point contacts.

4 . The charging base assembly of claim 3 , wherein the plurality of vertically elongated contacts each have a corresponding protruding single point contact in the plurality of protruding single point contacts.

5 . The charging base assembly of claim 1 , wherein the at least one of the charging connection or the second connection is further configured to allow movement of the second connection relative to the charging connection along a second axis while maintaining the electrical connection.

6 . The charging base assembly of claim 1 , wherein the charging connection includes a spring-loaded connection and the second connection includes a magnetic portion corresponding to the spring loaded connection such that the spring loaded connection is movable horizontally to engage the second connection.

7 . The charging base assembly of claim 6 , wherein the spring-loaded connection is movable along a spectrum between an initial retracted position and a second extended position, wherein the spring is biased toward the initial retracted position.

8 . The charging base assembly of claim 1 , wherein the second connection is a spring-loaded pin configured to removably retract into a body of the controller dongle.

9 . The charging base assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a base body including a charging cradle shaped to receive a portion of the video game controller when the controller dongle is electrically attached to the video game controller and electrically connected to the charging connection.

10 . The charging base assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a base body that includes a charging tower that includes the charging stand on a first portion of the charging tower, wherein the charging tower further includes a charging station on a second portion of the charging tower, wherein the charging station is configured to electrically connect a second video game controller to the electrical connector.

11 . A video game controller charging base assembly comprising:
an electrical connector configured to connect to a power source; a charging base body in communication with the electrical connector to receive electrical power therefrom, wherein the charging base body further includes a charging cradle shaped to receive and removably retain a first video game controller, wherein the charging base body further includes a charging tower adjacent the charging cradle; a charging stand on a first portion of the charging tower, wherein the charging stand includes a charging connection in communication with the electrical connector, wherein the charging connection is configured to allow movement of a controller dongle electrically attached to the first video game controller relative to the charging connection in at least two axes while maintaining electrical connection between the charging connection and the first video game controller; and a charging station on a second portion of the charging tower, wherein the charging station is configured to electrically connect a second video game controller to the electrical connector.

12 . The charging base assembly of claim 11 , wherein the charging connection includes vertically elongated contacts shaped to permit vertical movement of the controller dongle while maintaining the electrical connection.

13 . The charging base assembly of claim 11 , wherein the charging stand is spring-loaded in the charging tower and configured to move horizontally relative to the charging tower along a spectrum between an initial retracted position and a second extended position to engage the controller dongle.

14 . The charging base assembly of claim 11 , further including a second charging station on a third portion of the charging tower, wherein the second charging station is configured to electrically connect a third video game controller to the electrical connector.

15 . The charging base assembly of claim 11 , wherein the electrical connector includes a universal serial bus (USB) connector.

16 . The charging base assembly of claim 11 , wherein the charging base body further includes a roughened surface configured to limit movement of the charging base body.

17 . The charging base assembly of claim 11 , wherein the charging base body further includes an indentation formed to removably receive and retain a portion of the controller dongle.

18 . A controller dongle for connecting a video game controller to a controller base assembly comprising:
a first connection configured to electrically attach to the video game controller; and a second connection configured to electrically connect to a charging connection of a controller base assembly, wherein the second connection is further configured to allow movement of the second connection relative to the charging connection along at least two axes while maintaining the electrical connection between the charging connection and the second connection.

19 . The controller dongle of claim 18 , wherein the second connection includes a single point contact configured to electrically connect to a corresponding vertically elongated contact in the charging connect such that the second connection is movable vertically while maintaining the electrical connection.

20 . The controller dongle of claim 18 , wherein the second connection includes a magnetic portion that corresponds to a spring-loaded connection of the charging connection such that spring-loaded connection is movable horizontally while maintaining the electrical connection.

Assignees

• Acco Brands Corp

Inventors

• Wiggemans Yannik
• Gretz Jon
• Van Brussel Frank

Classifications

• H02J7/50

  acting upon multiple batteries simultaneously or sequentially · CPC title

• H02J7/751 Primary

  concerning the insertion or the connection of the batteries · CPC title

• H02J2105/44

  Portable electronic devices · CPC title

• H02J7/731

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

• A63F13/98

  Accessories, i.e. detachable arrangements optional for the use of the video game device, e.g. grip supports of game controllers · CPC title