US 5,327,067 A · Portable computer battery charging apparatus

Abstract

A portable computer battery charger has a hollow housing which is supportable on a generally horizontal surface and has a power wiring board horizontally disposed within a bottom portion thereof beneath a depending pair of vertically tilted, open-topped wells formed in the top wall of the housing. The power wiring board is adapted to receive electrical charging energy from a source thereof, and has a plurality of resilient metal clip members electrically connected thereto and projecting upwardly through bottom end openings in the wells. To charge a pair of elongated portable computer batteries charging ends thereof are placed in the wells which support the batteries in a vertically tilted orientation in which major longitudinal portions of the batteries project upwardly beyond the top side of the housing. Electrical contact areas on the bottom ends of the batteries contact and deflect the clip members, and receive electrical charging energy therethrough, and the weights of the tilted batteries cause their lower end portions to be brought into forcible frictional contact with interior side surface portions of the wells to thereby positionally stabilize the charging batteries relative to the housing.

Claims14

Dependent claims

Apparatus for charging a portable computer battery having a first end portion, and a second end portion longitudinally spaced apart from said first end portion and having disposed thereon a contact area through which electrical charging energy may be transmitted to the battery, said apparatus comprising:

a battery support structure having a bottom side supportable on a generally horizontal surface, and a top wall upwardly spaced apart from said bottom side;
an open-topped well structure depending from said top wall and having a generally vertically oriented first side wall, said well structure being configured and oriented to removably receive the second end portion of the battery and support the battery in a vertically tilted orientation in which a substantial longitudinal portion of the battery extends upwardly beyond said top wall and the weight of the battery maintains its second end portion in forcible frictional engagement with said first side wall of said well structure;
and
charging circuit means, carried by said battery support structure, for receiving electrical charging energy from a source thereof and transmitting the received charging energy to the battery, through its contact area, in response to receipt of the second battery end portion in said well structure.

1 more element

a hollow housing supportable on a generally horizontal surface and having a top wall;
open-topped well means depending from said top wall within the interior of said housing and having a generally vertically oriented interior side surface, said well means being operative to removably receive the second end portion of the battery and support the battery in a vertically tilted orientation in which a substantial longitudinal portion of the battery extends upwardly beyond said top wall with the weight of the battery maintaining its second end portion in forcible frictional engagement with said interior side surface of said well means, said well means further having a bottom end wall with an opening therein positioned to be aligned with the battery contact area when the second battery end portion is operatively received in said well means;
and
charging circuit means, carried by said housing, for receiving electrical charging energy from a source thereof and transmitting the received charging energy to the battery in response to receipt of the second battery end portion in said well means, said charging means including an electrically conductive portion extending upwardly through said bottom end wall opening into the interior of said well means and engageable by the battery contact area when the second battery end portion is operatively received in said well means.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Portable computer battery charging apparatus

Life of this patent

Portable computer battery charging apparatus

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims14