# US 11,114,872 B2 · Charging device > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,114,872 B2 - Document ID: US11114872B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/865,782 - Filed: 2020-05-04 - Published: 2020-08-20 - Granted: 2021-09-07 - Earliest claimed: 2017-11-10 - Assignees: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd. - Applicants: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Masaki Shikanai; Yoshinari Matsuyama; Takeshi Kikuchi; Yuzuka Isobe - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11114872B2 ## CPC - H02J 7/731: {specially adapted for holding portable devices containing batteries (H02J7/751 takes precedence)} - H01M 10/44: Methods for charging or discharging (circuits for charging H02J7/00) - H01M 10/46: Accumulators structurally combined with charging apparatus (circuits for charging H02J7/00) - H02J 7/00: Circuit arrangements for charging or discharging batteries or for supplying loads from batteries - H02J 7/751: {concerning the insertion or the connection of the batteries} - H01R 13/4538: {Covers sliding or withdrawing in the direction of engagement} - Y02E 60/10: Energy storage using batteries - H02J: ELECTRIC POWER NETWORKS; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS OR SYSTEMS FOR SUPPLYING OR DISTRIBUTING ELECTRIC POWER; SYSTEMS FOR STORING ELECTRIC ENERGY - H01M: PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY - H01R: ELECTRICALLY-CONDUCTIVE CONNECTIONS; STRUCTURAL ASSOCIATIONS OF A PLURALITY OF MUTUALLY-INSULATED ELECTRICAL CONNECTING ELEMENTS; COUPLING DEVICES; CURRENT COLLECTORS - Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION ## Abstract A charging device includes: a connector that protrudes from a placement surface; a protective plate; a wall surface intersecting with the placement surface; a support member capable of moving to be in a first orientation in which the protective plate is supported and a second orientation in which the protective plate is not supported; and a lock mechanism that locks the support member in the first orientation. The lock mechanism includes a first protruding part that, when the support member is locked, releases the locking of the support member by being pushed. The support member (i) includes a second protruding part, and (ii) moves from the first orientation to the second orientation by the second protruding part being pushed toward the wall surface in a state where the locking is released. When the support member has moved, the protective plate is capable of moving to the placement stand. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A charging device that charges a storage battery placed on a placement stand, the device comprising: a connector that protrudes in a first direction from a placement surface of the placement stand and that electrically connects to a terminal of the storage battery placed on the placement stand; a protective plate disposed in a first position, the first position located further in the first direction than the connector; a wall surface extending in the first direction and a second direction substantially orthogonal to the first direction; a support member capable of moving to be in a first orientation and a second orientation, the support member supporting the protective plate in the first position when in the first orientation and not supporting the protective plate when in the second orientation; and a lock mechanism that locks the support member in the first orientation, wherein the lock mechanism includes a first protruding part that, when the support member is locked, is disposed in a first protruding position protruding from the wall surface and that releases locking of the support member by being pushed from the first protruding position to a second protruding position closer to the wall surface than the first protruding position, the support member (i) includes a second protruding part disposed in a different position from the first protruding part in the second direction and protruding by an amount smaller than a distance from the wall surface to the second protruding position, and (ii) moves from the first orientation to the second orientation by the second protruding part being pushed toward the wall surface in a state where the locking by the lock mechanism is released, and when the support member has moved to the second orientation, the protective plate is capable of moving to a second position closer to the placement stand than a first direction-side end part of the connector. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The charging device according to claim 1, wherein two lock mechanisms, each of which is the lock mechanism, are provided at two ends of the support member in the second direction, the two lock mechanisms locking the support member in the first orientation at the two ends, and the second protruding part is disposed between the two lock mechanisms provided at the two ends. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The charging device according to claim 2, wherein the support member includes a pair of projections protruding outward toward both sides in the second direction from a wall surface-side end part of the support member, and each of the two lock mechanisms includes a hook, the hooks locking the support member by hooking onto the pair of projections when the first protruding part is positioned in the first protruding position, and releasing the locking of the support member by separating from the pair of projections when the first protruding part is positioned in the second protruding position. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The charging device according to claim 1, wherein the support member is a plate-shaped member connected in a freely-rotatable state to a first rotation shaft, the first rotation shaft being disposed near a location where the placement surface and the wall surface of the placement stand intersect and extending in the second direction, and the support member assumes the first orientation by being positioned at a first rotated position rotated in a direction away from the wall surface, and assumes the second orientation by being positioned at a second rotated position along the wall surface. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The charging device according to claim 1, wherein the wall surface includes a recess that contains the support member when the support member is in the second orientation. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The charging device according to claim 1, wherein when the protective plate is disposed in the first position, a height of the protective plate from the placement surface in the first direction increases with decreasing distance to the wall surface, and when the protective plate is in the second position, the protective plate is disposed along the placement surface and in contact with the placement surface. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The charging device according to claim 1, wherein the protective plate (i) has an opening, (ii) is disposed so as to cover the connector when the protective plate is positioned in the first position, and (iii) when the protective plate is positioned in the second position, the connector passes through the opening. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The charging device according to claim 7, wherein the support member includes a shutter that has a plate shape and that covers the opening in the protective plate when the support member is in the first orientation, and the shutter (i) is connected, in a freely-rotatable state, by a second rotation shaft, to an end part of the support member on a side of the support member that supports the protective plate, the second rotation shaft extending in the second direction, (ii) is biased in a direction of rotation toward the wall surface, from the opposite side of a wall surface-side of the support member, and (iii) covers the opening in the protective plate when the support member has moved to the first orientation. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The charging device according to claim 8, wherein when the support member is in the first orientation, the shutter is positioned in a position overlapping the connector as seen from the first direction, and when the support member is in the second orientation, the shutter moves toward the wall surface. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The charging device according to claim 1, further comprising: a first projecting part disposed on the placement surface at a distance from the wall surface, in a third direction, equivalent to a width of the storage battery in the third direction, the third direction being substantially orthogonal to the first direction and the second direction.