Portable battery charger having a separate battery pack

{
  "publication_number": "US6265845B1",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "B1",
  "title": "Portable battery charger having a separate battery pack",
  "abstract": "A portable battery charger having at least one charging pocket for recharging a battery pack mounted on a mobile station or a separate battery pack, comprising a charger housing including a pair of inside walls facing each other, a ceiling connecting the inside walls, at least one opening side, a mounting space enclosed by the inside walls and the ceiling, and a printed circuit board providing at least one pair of electrical contacts; a charging unit having front and rear surfaces, a pair of side surfaces, and at least one top surface detachably mounted in the mounting housing for independently recharging the mobile station while traveling; a guide structure for horizontally or vertically mounting the charging unit in the charger housing; and an electrical connection device for electrically connecting the charging unit with the charger housing.",
  "claims": [
    "1. A portable battery charger having at least one charging receptacle to accept at least one of a battery pack mounted on a mobile station and a separate battery pack, comprising: a charger housing including a pair of inside walls facing each other, a ceiling connecting said inside walls, at least one opening side, a mounting space enclosed by said inside walls and ceiling, and a printed circuit board providing at least one pair of electrical contacts; a charging unit having a front surface, a rear surface, a pair of side surfaces, and at least one top surface detachably mounted in said mounting space; a guide structure for horizontally mounting said charging unit in said charger housing; and an electrical connection device for electrically connecting said charging unit with said charger housing.",
    "2. A portable battery charger as defined in claim 1, wherein said mounting space is formed in the lower part of said charger housing.",
    "3. A portable battery charger as defined in claim 1, wherein said mounting space consists of a first sub-space with a higher ceiling part and a second sub-space with a lower ceiling part so as to form a step.",
    "4. A portable battery charger as defined in claim 1, wherein said charger housing has a locking device consisting of a locker provided with a hook, said locker being arranged so as to move upwardly and downwardly.",
    "5. A portable battery charger as defined in claim 1, wherein said charger housing has a front end and a transparent window mounted on the front end to include at least one lens.",
    "6. A portable battery charger as defined in claim 5, wherein said lens is extended towards said mounting space.",
    "7. A portable battery charger as defined in claim 1, wherein said charging unit is provided with at least one charging indication light to indicate the state of the charging of said battery pack.",
    "8. A portable battery charger as defined in claim 7, wherein said charging indication light is positioned in a leading edge of said charging unit.",
    "9. A portable battery charger as defined in claim 1, wherein said electrical connection device includes a first interface connector provided in the front surface of said charging unit, a second interface connector fixedly arranged in said charger housing, a third interface connector provided in said printed circuit board, and a connection member for electrically connecting said second and third interface connectors.",
    "10. A portable battery charger as defined in claim 1, wherein said charger housing has at least one aperture for passing light.",
    "11. A portable battery charger as defined in claim 1, wherein said charging unit has a lock slot provided in the front surface.",
    "12. A portable battery charger as defined in claim 1, wherein said guide structure comprises a pair of horizontal guide grooves respectively formed in said pair of side surfaces of said charging unit, an inlet opening formed in the rear end of each horizontal guide groove, and at least one horizontal guide rib formed on each of said inside walls of said charger housing so as to be inserted in the corresponding horizontal guide groove.",
    "13. A portable battery charger having at least one charging receptacle to accept at least one of a battery pack mounted on a mobile station and a separate battery pack, comprising: a charger housing including a pair of inside walls facing each other, a ceiling connecting said inside walls, at least one opening side, a mounting space enclosed by said inside walls and ceiling, and a printed circuit board providing at least one pair of electrical contacts; a charging unit having a front surface, a rear surface, a pair of side surfaces, and at least one top surface, detachably mounted in said mounting space; a guide structure for vertically mounting said charging unit in said charger housing; and an electrical connection device for electrically connecting said charging unit with said charger housing.",
    "14. A portable battery charger as defined in claim 13, wherein said electrical connection device includes a first interface connector provided in the at least one top surface of said charging unit, and a second interface connector provided in said printed circuit board so as to be directly connected with said first interface connector.",
    "15. A portable battery charger as defined in claim 13, wherein said guide structure comprises a pair of vertical guide grooves respectively formed in said pair of side surfaces of said charging unit, an inlet opening formed in the upper end of each vertical guide groove, and at least one vertical guide rib formed on each of said inside walls of said charger housing so as to be inserted in the corresponding vertical guide groove.",
    "16. A portable battery charger as defined in claim 13, wherein said charger housing has a locking device arranged so as to move horizontally.",
    "17. A portable battery charger as defined in claim 13, wherein said charging unit has a locking slot formed in the front surface.",
    "18. A portable battery charger having at least one charging receptacle designed to accept at least one of a battery pack mounted on a mobile station and a separate battery pack, comprising: a charger housing including a pair of inside walls facing each other, a ceiling connecting said inside walls, at least one opening side, a mounting space enclosed by said inside walls and ceiling, and a printed circuit board providing at least one pair of electrical contacts; a charging unit having a front surface, a rear surface, a pair of side surfaces, and at least one top surface detachably mounted in said mounting space; a guide structure for mounting said charging unit in said charger housing; and an electrical connection device for electrically connecting said charging unit with said electrical contacts.",
    "19. A portable battery charger as defined in claim 18, wherein said guide structure comprises a pair of guide grooves respectively formed in said pair of side surfaces of said charging unit, an inlet opening formed in the end of each guide groove, and at least one guide rib formed on each of said inside walls of said charger housing so as to be inserted in the corresponding guide groove.",
    "20. A portable battery charger as defined in claim 18, wherein said electrical connection device includes a first interface connector provided in said charging unit, a second interface connector fixedly arranged in said charger housing so designed to mate with said first interface connector, a third interface connector provided in said printed circuit board, and a connection member for electrically connecting said second and third interface connectors."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "1. Field of the Invention\n\nThe present invention relates to a battery charger for recharging a battery pack mounted on a mobile station or a separate battery pack.\n\n2. Description of the Related Art\n\nGenerally, a battery charger for a mobile station is used to recharge a battery pack mounted on a mobile station, including a housing having charging pockets for holding a mobile station attached with a battery pack or separate battery pack and electrical contacts formed in the charging pockets for connecting the battery pack to a power supply. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,656,914 granted to Albert L. Nagele discloses a battery charger having two charging pockets, one of which is used for recharging a battery pack mounted on a mobile station, and the other for separate large and small battery packs.\n\nHowever, such battery chargers cannot accommodate battery packs of different forms and designs from those fit for them. This causes the user to obtain a new battery charger designed to fit each newly bought mobile station of a different model. Further, as the life cycle of the mobile station tends to be shortened, various battery chargers are required to accommodate different models of the mobile station. Besides, a traveler's battery charger has been developed in order to enable a traveler to readily recharge the battery mounted on the mobile station during the journey. Hence, the user, if necessary, must buy two kinds of battery chargers, namely, a desktop battery charger usually used in his home and a traveler's battery charger.",
  "cpc": [
    "H02J 7/731",
    "H01M 10/42",
    "Y02E 60/10"
  ],
  "ipc": [
    "H01M 10/42",
    "H02J 7/00"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "Samsung Electronics Co Ltd"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "Sang-Moo Hwang Bo",
    "Dong-Wook Gwak",
    "Ju-Ho Song",
    "Jeong-Woo Seo",
    "Hae-Wan Choi"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2000-05-25",
  "publication_date": "2001-07-24",
  "grant_date": "2001-07-24",
  "priority_date": "1999-05-28",
  "application_number": "US-57831800-A",
  "family_id": "19588396",
  "cited_by_count": 51,
  "citations": [
    "US5229701A",
    "US5280229A",
    "US5656914A",
    "US5659236A",
    "US6049192A"
  ]
}