Power supply equipment with matching indicators on converter and connector adapters
View Patent ↗Power supply equipment includes a power converter and connector adapters for coupling between the converter and various appliances. The connector adapters bear respective adapter indicators. A particular connector adapter, bearing a corresponding adapter indicator, is chosen for mating with a particular appliance. The power converter generates selectable output voltages which are identified by respective converter indicators. The power converter output voltage is selected so that the converter indicator matches the indicator on the adapter chosen for the particular appliance.
1. Power supply equipment comprising:
a power converter which generates a first output voltage when a switch is in a first position and a second output voltage when the switch is in a second position;
a first indicator indicating that the switch is in the first position;
a second indicator indicating that the switch is in the second position;
a first connector adapter for mating the power converter with a first appliance which accepts as its input voltage the first output voltage, the first connector adapter bearing the first indicator; and
a second connector adapter for mating the power converter with a second appliance which accepts as its input voltage the second output voltage, the second connector adapter bearing the second indicator.
2. The power supply equipment according to claim 1 , wherein the switch is included as part of the power converter.
3. The power supply equipment according to claim 1 , wherein the switch is external to the power converter.
4. The power supply equipment according to claim 1 , wherein the first indicator is a first symbol and the second indicator is a second symbol.
5. The power supply equipment according to claim 4 , wherein the first symbol is a first number and the second symbol is a second number.
6. The power supply equipment according to claim 4 , wherein one of the first or second symbols represents a cellular telephone.
7. The power supply equipment according to claim 1 , wherein the first indicator is a first color and the second indicator is a second color.
8. The power supply equipment according to claim 1 , wherein the switch is a mechanical switch.
9. The power supply equipment according to claim 1 , wherein the switch is an electronic switch.
10. The power supply equipment according to claim 1 , wherein the switch is coupled to a plurality of resistors.
11. A method of providing power to an appliance, the method comprising:
selecting, from among a plurality of connector adapters, a connector adapter for mating with the appliance;
identifying an adapter indicator affixed to the selected connector adapter;
at a power converter which generates a first output voltage, when a switch is in a first position identified by a corresponding first converter indicator, and a second output voltage, when the switch is in a second position identified by a corresponding second converter indicator, positioning the switch at one of the first or second positions which is identified by a corresponding one of the first or second converter indicators associated with the adapter indicator affixed to the selected connector adapter; and
coupling the selected connector adapter between the power converter and the appliance.
12. The method according to claim 11 wherein the switch is included as part of the power converter.
13. The method according to claim 11 , wherein the switch is external to the power converter.
14. The method according to claim 11 , wherein the first converter indicator is a first symbol and the second converter indicator is a second symbol.
15. The method according to claim 14 , wherein the first symbol is a first number and the second symbol is a second number.
16. The method according to claim 14 , wherein one of the first or second symbols represents a cellular telephone.
17. The method according to claim 11 , wherein the first converter indicator is a first color and the second converter indicator is a second color.
18. The method according to clam 11 , wherein the switch is a mechanical switch.
19. The method according to claim 11 , wherein the switch is an electronic switch.
20. The method according to claim 11 , wherein the switch is coupled to a plurality of resistors.
21. Power supply equipment comprising:
a power converter which generates a first output voltage when a switch is in a first position and a second output voltage when the switch is in a second position;
a first converter indicator indicating that the switch is in the first position;
a second converter indicator indicating that the switch is in the second position;
a first connector adapter for mating the power converter with a first appliance which accepts as its input voltage the first output voltage, the first connector adapter bearing a first adapter indicator corresponding to the first converter indicator; and
a second connector adapter for mating the power converter with a second appliance which accepts as its input voltage the second output voltage, the second connector adapter bearing a second adapter indicator corresponding to the second converter indicator.
22. The power supply equipment according to claim 21 , wherein the switch is included as part of the power converter.
23. The power supply equipment according to claim 21 , wherein the switch is external to the power converter.
24. The power supply equipment according to claim 21 , wherein the first converter indicator is a first symbol and the second converter indicator is a second symbol.
25. The power supply equipment according to claim 24 , wherein the first symbol is a first number and the second symbol is a second number.
26. The power supply equipment according to claim 24 , wherein one of the first or second symbols represents a cellular telephone.
27. The power supply equipment according to claim 21 , wherein the first converter indicator is a first color and the second converter indicator is a second color.
28. The power supply equipment according to claim 21 , wherein the switch is a mechanical switch.
29. The power supply equipment according to claim 21 , wherein the switch is an electronic switch.
30. The power supply equipment according to claim 21 , wherein the switch is coupled to a plurality of resistors.