# US 2014/0191729 A1 · Computer Cart > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0191729 A1 - Document ID: US20140191729A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/188,386 - Filed: 2014-02-24 - Published: 2014-07-10 - Earliest claimed: 2012-02-06 - Assignees: Bretford Manufacturing, Inc. - Applicants: Bretford Manufacturing, Inc. - Inventors: Jack Guasta; Morad Ghassemian - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140191729A1 ## CPC - G06F 1/1632: {External expansion units, e.g. docking stations} - B62B 3/005: {Details of storage means, e.g. drawers, bins or racks} - B62B 5/00: Accessories or details specially adapted for hand carts ({B62B3/1404} , B62B9/00 take precedence; wheels, axles, or axle bearings for vehicles B60B; castors for vehicles, castors in general B60B33/00) - G06F 1/266: {Arrangements to supply power to external peripherals either directly from the computer or under computer control, e.g. supply of power through the communication port, computer controlled power-strips} - H02J 7/00: Circuit arrangements for charging or discharging batteries or for supplying loads from batteries - H02J 7/50: acting upon multiple batteries simultaneously or sequentially - H02J 7/731: {specially adapted for holding portable devices containing batteries (H02J7/751 takes precedence)} - B62B 2202/56: Computers; Screens - H02J 7/70: characterised by the mechanical construction - H02J 2105/44: Portable electronic devices - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) - B62B: HAND-PROPELLED VEHICLES, e.g. HAND CARTS OR PERAMBULATORS; SLEDGES (characterised by animal propulsion B62C; propulsion of sledges by driver or engine B62M) - H02J: ELECTRIC POWER NETWORKS; CIRCUIT ARRANGEMENTS OR SYSTEMS FOR SUPPLYING OR DISTRIBUTING ELECTRIC POWER; SYSTEMS FOR STORING ELECTRIC ENERGY ## Abstract A computer cart has removable electrical connector management system which may be removed from the computer cart to install portable electronic device electrical transformers, and then reinserted into the computer cart to enable multiple electrical transformers to be installed into the cart as a group. An electrical charging system uses a staggered round robin approach to control distribution of power within the computer cart without requiring the amount of power used from each power strip to be individually monitored. ## Claims ### Claim at position 1 1-17. (canceled) ### Claim 18 A computer cart, comprising: a computer storage compartment; and a power distribution system, comprising: a current sensor connected to a power input line; a microprocessor operably connected to the current sensor for receiving an indication of a sensed current on the power input line, the microprocessor containing programmable logic to cause the microprocessor to activate charging zones on a staggered round robin basis. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The computer cart of claim 17, wherein each charging zone comprises a set of outlets. ### Claim 20 (depends on 17) The computer cart of claim 17, wherein each charging zone comprises a power strip having a set of outlets. ### Claim 21 (depends on 17) The computer cart of claim 17, wherein the charging zones are arranged in a predetermined order. ### Claim 22 (depends on 17) The computer cart of claim 17, wherein the charging zones do not include individual current sensors. ### Claim 23 (depends on 17) The computer cart of claim 17, wherein the microprocessor activates charging zones on a staggered round robin basis by: selecting a first charging zone; determining an amount of current drawn by the cart from the current sensor; and when the current drawn by the cart does not exceed a threshold, selecting a second charging zone from the available charging zones, and sequentially selecting additional charging zones according to a predetermined order until the current drawn by the cart approaches the threshold. ### Claim 24 (depends on 23) The computer cart of claim 23, wherein the microprocessor activates charging zones on a staggered round robin basis by: charging the selected group of charging zones for a first period of time; and selecting a new group of charging zones for a second period of time. ### Claim 25 (depends on 24) The computer cart of claim 24, wherein the new group of charging zones is selected by first selecting the second charging zone. ### Claim 26 A computer storage system, comprising: a computer storage compartment; and a power distribution system, comprising: a current sensor connected to a power input line; a microprocessor operably connected to the current sensor for receiving an indication of a sensed current on the power input line, the microprocessor containing programmable logic to cause the microprocessor to activate charging zones on a staggered round robin basis. ### Claim 27 (depends on 26) The computer storage system of claim 26, wherein each charging zone comprises a set of outlets. ### Claim 28 (depends on 26) The computer storage system of claim 26, wherein each charging zone comprises a power strip having a set of outlets. ### Claim 29 (depends on 26) The computer storage system of claim 26, wherein the charging zones are arranged in a predetermined order. ### Claim 30 (depends on 26) The computer storage system of claim 26, wherein the charging zones do not include individual current sensors. ### Claim 31 (depends on 26) The computer storage system of claim 26, wherein the microprocessor activates charging zones on a staggered round robin basis by: selecting a first charging zone; determining an amount of current drawn by the cart from the current sensor; and when the current drawn by the cart does not exceed a threshold, selecting a second charging zone from the available charging zones, and sequentially selecting additional charging zones according to a predetermined order until the current drawn by the cart approaches the threshold. ### Claim 32 (depends on 31) The computer storage system of claim 31, wherein the microprocessor activates charging zones on a staggered round robin basis by: charging the selected group of charging zones for a first period of time; and selecting a new group of charging zones for a second period of time. ### Claim 33 (depends on 32) The computer storage system of claim 32, wherein the new group of charging zones is selected by first selecting the second charging zone.