Battery charging device employing solar cells
AssigneeSolarex Corporation
InventorsPeter F. Varadi, Ramon Dominguez
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A device utilizing solar energy cells to charge a battery or a plurality of batteries. An array of solar cells is disposed on a container having lid and tray parts. The parts are electrically interconnected to the solar cell array so that in container closed position the circuit including the solar cell array and the battery is closed to effect charging of the battery, and in container open position the circuit including the solar cell array and the battery is open with no flow of solar cell electrical output to the battery.
Claims15
A device for charging a battery, comprising a container having parts movable between open and closed positions and having an array of solar cells disposed in light-receiving position thereon, said array having positive and negative electrical terminals, said container being formed with at least one part adapted to receive a battery therein, and the other of said parts including a first electrical contact connected to one of said array terminals and adapted to contact one terminal of said battery, a second electrical contact in said battery receiving part, the other terminal of said battery in said receiving portion being in contact with said second electrical contact, a third movable contact is electrically connected to said second electrical contact and adapted to be electrically connected to the other terminal of said solar array, and said third movable electrical contact moving into electrical connecting relationship with said other terminal of said solar cell array in a plane transverse to said first electrical contact and said first electrical contact contacting said one battery terminal to charge said battery when said movable parts are moved from an open to a closed position.
A device for charging a battery, comprising a container having a lid and a tray relatively movable between open and closed positions and having an array of solar cells disposed in light-receiving position on said lid, said array having positive and negative electrical terminals, said tray being formed with at least one portion adapted to receive a battery therein, each such battery receiving portion including an electrical contact arranged for electrical connection to one of said array terminals, another electrical contact in said lid electrically connected to the other terminal of said solar cell array, one terminal of said battery in said receiving portion being electrically connected to said an electrical contact and the other battery terminal being located for contact with said another electrical contact, the terminals of said battery being unconnected to said one and said other array terminals when said container is in open position and each terminal of said battery being connected to a respective one of said solar array terminals through said an electrical contact being electrically connected to said one array terminal and said another electrical contact contacting said other battery terminal to charge said battery when said lid and said tray are moved into said closed position.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.