Battery charger
View Patent ↗A battery charger includes a rotatable top cover for exposing electrical connectors for physically coupling and electrically communicating with a battery or other device and providing electrical energy for charging a battery or device.
1. An apparatus, comprising:
a top cover having a slot opening;
a base portion having at least two electrical connectors, wherein the top cover is rotatable so that the slot opening is positionable between the two electrical connectors to expose one of them to accept a device in a charging position, while the other of the electrical connectors is placed in an unexposed non-charging position by the top cover; and
a controller disposed in the base portion to control electrical power to the device while the device is disposed in the slot opening in the charging position;
wherein the electrical connectors are disposed on inclined surface of the base portion for the device to be slidably disposed towards an inner portion of the base portion and towards each other.
2. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the slot opening includes a latch to place a lateral biasing force to the device.
3. The apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the latch includes a temperature sensor.
4. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the device comprises a battery.
5. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the electrical connectors are radially disposed around the base portion.
6. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the top cover has a snap-fit arrangement with the base portion to provide rotation of the top cover.
7. An apparatus, comprising:
a top cover having a slot opening having sidewalls extending therefrom;
a base portion having at least two electrical connectors, wherein the top cover is rotatable so that the slot opening is positionable between the two electrical connectors to expose one of them to accept a battery in a powering position, while the other of the electrical connectors is placed in an unexposed non-powering position by the top cover, wherein the electrical connectors are disposed on inclined surface of the base portion for the battery to be slidably disposed towards an inner portion of the base portion and a portion of the sidewalls;
a controller disposed in the base portion to control electrical power to the battery while the battery is disposed in the slot opening in the powering position;
and a biasing device in the slot opening; wherein the biasing device is configured to apply a lateral force to the battery to abut the battery against a portion of the sidewalls.
8. The apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein the biasing device comprises a leaf-spring.
9. The apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein the electrical connectors are radially disposed around the base portion.
10. The apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein the top cover has a leaf spring stem for providing a snap-fit arrangement with the base portion.
11. The apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein the biasing device further comprises a temperature sensor for monitoring a temperature of the battery while in the powering position.