Sunshades with solar power supplies for charging electronic devices
A device for providing electrical power from light for charging a portable electronic device includes a frame structure, a shade attached to the frame structure, and a solar panel attached to the frame structure and positioned above the shade. The device includes a rechargeable battery configured to be recharged by the solar panel, and a charging terminal configured to connect to the portable electronic device and supply charge from the rechargeable battery to the portable electronic device.
1. A device comprising:
a shaft;
an umbrella shade, coupled between a fastener and the shaft;
a frame structure comprising:
a cap, coupled between the fastener and the umbrella shade, comprising a cap opening and at least a first hinge portion and a second hinge portion, wherein the fastener couples to a bolt of the shaft that passes through the cap opening;
a rigid first strut, comprising first and second ends, a third hinge portion at the first end, and between the first and second ends is a first sleeve that houses at least a first solar panel, wherein the first sleeve comprises a first clear surface that is above the first solar panel such that light can pass through the first clear surface to be collected by the first solar panel for conversion into electrical energy, and the third hinge portion is adapted to mate with the first hinge portion of the cap to form a first strut hinge; and
a rigid second strut, comprising third and fourth ends, a fourth hinge portion at third end, and between the third and fourth ends is a second sleeve that holds at least a second solar panel, wherein the second sleeve comprises a second clear surface that is above the second solar panel such that light can pass through the second clear surface to be collected by the second solar panel for conversion into electrical energy, and the fourth hinge portion is adapted to mate with the second hinge portion of the cap to form a second strut hinge,
the umbrella comprises an open position during which the umbrella shade is extended into a position away from the shaft and a closed position during which the umbrella shade is folded into a position closer to the shaft,
when changing the umbrella from the closed to the open position, the umbrella shade pushes against a bottom of the struts while the umbrella shade is extended, causing the struts to rotate via the first and second strut hinges in a first turn direction, so that an angle between a top of the first strut and a top of the cap increases from a first angle in the closed position to a second angle in the open position, and the second angle is greater than the first angle, and
when changing the umbrella from the open to the closed position, the bottom of the struts rest against the umbrella shade while the umbrella is folded, causing the struts to rotate via the first and second strut hinges in a second turn direction, so that the angle between the top of the first strut and the top of the cap decreases from the second angle to the first angle, and the second turn direction is opposite of the first turn direction;
a rechargeable battery configured to be recharged by the first and second solar panels; and
a charging terminal, coupled to the rechargeable battery, configured to connect to a portable electronic device and supply charge from the rechargeable battery to the portable electronic device.
2. The device of claim 1 comprising
a printed circuit board, coupled to the battery, wherein the printed circuit board comprises an aperture through which the shaft passes through, thus securing the printed circuit board to the device.
3. The device of claim 2 comprising a battery shelf spacer, positioned on the printed circuit board, wherein the battery shelf space comprises an aperture through which the shaft passes, thus securing the battery shelf spacer to the device, and the rechargeable battery is placed on the battery shelf spacer.
4. The device of claim 3 wherein the rechargeable battery comprises cells arranged cylindrically about an aperture through which the shaft passes, thus securing the rechargeable battery to the device.
5. The device of claim 2 comprising:
a table, comprising an aperture through which the shaft passes through, thus securing the table to the device, wherein the table is positioned between a top and a bottom of the shaft, and the printed circuit board is contained within an enclosure that is positioned above the shelf.
6. The device of claim 1 wherein the charging terminal is a universal serial bus (USB) charging terminal.
7. The device of claim 2 comprising a battery charge indicator, coupled to the printed circuit board and the rechargeable battery, wherein the battery charge indicator comprises a plurality of light emitting diodes (LEDs) where one or more of the LEDs are illuminated to indicate an amount of charge remaining in the rechargeable battery, and a greater number of LEDs that are illuminated indicates a greater amount of charge remains.
8. The device of claim 1 wherein the rigid first strut comprises a fixed width.
9. The device of claim 1 wherein the first sleeve that houses at least a second solar panel, and the first clear surface that is above the first solar panel is also above the second solar panel such that light can pass through the first clear surface to be collected by the second solar panel for conversion into electrical energy.
10. The device of claim 1 wherein the first sleeve houses at least a third solar panel, and the first clear surface that is above the first solar panel is also above the third solar panel such that light can pass through the first clear surface to be collected by the second solar panel for conversion into electrical energy, and
the second sleeve houses at least a fourth solar panel, and the second clear surface that is above the second solar panel is also above the fourth solar panel such that light can pass through the second clear surface to be collected by the fourth solar panel for conversion into electrical energy.
11. The device of claim 1 comprising:
a printed circuit board, coupled to the rechargeable battery and the charging terminal, wherein the printed circuit board comprises:
a first DC-to-DC converter circuit, coupled between the rechargeable battery and the charging terminal; and
a solar cell battery charging block comprising a second DC-to-DC converter circuit, coupled between the solar panels and the rechargeable battery, wherein the charging terminal is not directly coupled to the solar panels.
12. The device of claim 11 wherein the printed circuit board comprises:
an analog-to-digital converter circuit, coupled to the rechargeable battery and the solar cell battery charging block;
a battery gauge circuit, coupled to the analog-to-digital converter circuit, wherein the battery gauge circuit comprises a plurality of light emitting diodes (LEDs), and the battery gauge circuit causes one or more of the LEDs to illuminate to indicate an amount of charge remaining in the rechargeable battery, and a greater number of LEDs that are illuminated indicates a greater amount of charge remaining in the rechargeable battery.
13. The device of claim 11 wherein the first DC-to-DC converter circuit comprises an input to receive a first voltage level from to the rechargeable battery and an output to provide a second voltage level to the charging terminal, and the second voltage level is above the first voltage level.
14. The device of claim 11 wherein the printed circuit board comprises:
an authentication circuit, coupled to the charging terminal and the first DC-to-DC converter circuit, wherein the authentication circuit receives device type information from the portable electronic device coupled to the charging terminal and determines charging parameters from the device type, and the authentication circuit configures the first DC-to-DC converter circuit to deliver power parameters appropriate for the portable electronic device.
15. The device of claim 11 wherein the second DC-to-DC converter circuit comprises an input to receive a first voltage level from to the first and second solar panels and an output to provide a second voltage level at an output of the second DC-to-DC converter circuit, and the second voltage level is below the first voltage level.
16. An umbrella comprising:
an umbrella shaft;
an umbrella shade, coupled between a fastener and the shaft;
a frame structure comprising:
a cap, coupled between the fastener and the umbrella shade, comprising a cap opening and at least a first hinge portion and a second hinge portion, wherein the fastener couples to a bolt of the shaft that passes through the cap opening;
a rigid first strut, comprising first and second ends, a third hinge portion at the first end, and between the first and second ends is a first sleeve that houses at least a first and a second solar panel, wherein the first sleeve comprises a first clear surface that is above the first and second solar panels such that light can pass through the first clear surface to be collected by the first and second solar panels for conversion into electrical energy, and the third hinge portion is adapted to mate with the first hinge portion of the cap to form a first strut hinge; and
a rigid second strut, comprising third and fourth ends, a fourth hinge portion at third end, and between the third and fourth ends is a second sleeve that holds at least a third and a fourth solar panel, wherein the second sleeve comprises a second clear surface that is above the third and fourth solar panels such that light can pass through the second clear surface to be collected by the first solar panel for conversion into electrical energy, and the fourth hinge portion is adapted to mate with the second hinge portion of the cap to form a second strut hinge,
the umbrella comprises an open position during which the umbrella shade is extended into a position away from the shaft and a closed position during which the umbrella shade is folded into a position closer to the shaft,
when changing the umbrella from the closed to the open position, the umbrella shade pushes against a bottom of the struts while the umbrella shade is extended, causing the struts to rotate via the first and second strut hinges in a first turn direction, so that an angle between a top of the first strut and a top of the cap increases from a first angle in the closed position to a second angle in the open position, and the second angle is greater than the first angle, and
when changing the umbrella from the open to the closed position, the bottom of the struts rest against the umbrella shade while the umbrella is folded, causing the struts to rotate via the first and second strut hinges in a second turn direction, so that the angle between the top of the first strut and the top of the cap decreases from the second angle to the first angle, and the second turn direction is opposite of the first turn direction;
a rechargeable battery, configured to be recharged by the solar panels;
a first USB charging terminal, coupled to the rechargeable battery, configured to connect to a first portable electronic device and supply charge from the rechargeable battery to the first portable electronic device;
a second USB charging terminal, coupled to the rechargeable battery, configured to connect to a second portable electronic device and supply charge from the rechargeable battery to the second portable electronic device; and
a printed circuit board, coupled to the rechargeable battery and the charging terminal, wherein the printed circuit board comprises an aperture through which the shaft passes through, thus securing the printed circuit board to the umbrella, and the printed circuit board comprises:
a first DC-to-DC converter circuit, coupled between the rechargeable battery and the first and second charging terminals, wherein the first DC-to-DC converter circuit comprises an input to receive a first voltage level from to the rechargeable battery and an output to provide a second voltage level to the first and second charging terminals, and the second voltage level is above the first voltage level; and
a solar cell battery charging block comprising a second DC-to-DC converter circuit, coupled between the solar panels and the rechargeable battery, wherein the first and second USB charging terminals are not directly coupled to the solar panels.
17. The umbrella of claim 16 comprising:
a battery charge indicator, coupled to the printed circuit board and the rechargeable battery, wherein the battery charge indicator comprises a plurality of light emitting diodes (LEDs) where one or more of the LEDs are illuminated to indicate an amount of charge remaining in the rechargeable battery, and a greater number of LEDs that are illuminated indicates a greater amount of charge remaining in the rechargeable battery.
18. The device of claim 16 wherein the printed circuit board comprises:
an authentication circuit, coupled to the first and second charging terminals and the first DC-to-DC converter circuit, wherein the authentication circuit receives first device type information from the first portable electronic device coupled to the first charging terminal and determines charging parameters from the first device type, and the authentication circuit configures the first DC-to-DC converter circuit to deliver first power parameters appropriate for the first portable electronic device,
the authentication circuit receives second device type information from the second portable electronic device coupled to the second charging terminal and determines charging parameters from the second device type, and the authentication circuit configures the first DC-to-DC converter circuit to deliver second power parameters appropriate for the second portable electronic device, and
the second power parameters are different from the first power parameters.
19. An umbrella comprising:
an umbrella shaft;
an umbrella shade, coupled between a fastener and the shaft;
a frame structure comprising:
a cap, coupled between the fastener and the umbrella shade, comprising a cap opening and at least a first hinge portion and a second hinge portion, wherein the fastener couples to a bolt of the shaft that passes through the cap opening;
a first strut, comprising first and second ends, a third hinge portion at the first end, and between the first and second ends is a first sleeve that houses at least a first and a second solar panel, wherein the first sleeve comprises a first clear surface that is above the first and second solar panels such that light can pass through the first clear surface to be collected by the first and second solar panels for conversion into electrical energy, and the third hinge portion is adapted to mate with the first hinge portion of the cap to form a first strut hinge; and
a second strut, comprising third and fourth ends, a fourth hinge portion at third end, and between the third and fourth ends is a second sleeve that holds at least a third and a fourth solar panel, wherein the second sleeve comprises a second clear surface that is above the third and fourth solar panels such that light can pass through the second clear surface to be collected by the first solar panel for conversion into electrical energy, and the fourth hinge portion is adapted to mate with the second hinge portion of the cap to form a second strut hinge,
the umbrella comprises an open position during which the umbrella shade is extended into a position away from the shaft and a closed position during which the umbrella shade is folded into a position closer to the shaft,
when changing the umbrella from the closed to the open position, the umbrella shade pushes against a bottom of the struts while the umbrella shade is extended, causing the struts to rotate via the first and second strut hinges in a first turn direction, so that an angle between a top of the first strut and a top of the cap increases from a first angle in the closed position to a second angle in the open position, and the second angle is greater than the first angle, and
when changing the umbrella from the open to the closed position, the bottom of the struts rest against the umbrella shade while the umbrella is folded, causing the struts to rotate via the first and second strut hinges in a second turn direction, so that the angle between the top of the first strut and the top of the cap decreases from the second angle to the first angle, and the second turn direction is opposite of the first turn direction;
a rechargeable battery, configured to be recharged by the solar panels;
a first USB charging terminal, coupled to the rechargeable battery, configured to connect to a first portable electronic device and supply charge from the rechargeable battery to the first portable electronic device;
a second USB charging terminal, coupled to the rechargeable battery, configured to connect to a second portable electronic device and supply charge from the rechargeable battery to the second portable electronic device;
a third USB charging terminal, coupled to the rechargeable battery, configured to connect to a third portable electronic device and supply charge from the rechargeable battery to the third portable electronic device; and
a printed circuit board, coupled to the rechargeable battery and the charging terminal, wherein the printed circuit board comprises an aperture through which the shaft passes through, thus securing the printed circuit board to the umbrella, and the printed circuit board comprises:
a first DC-to-DC converter circuit, coupled between the rechargeable battery and the charging terminals, wherein the first DC-to-DC converter circuit comprises an input to receive a first voltage level from to the rechargeable battery and an output to provide a second voltage level to the charging terminals, and the second voltage level is above the first voltage level;
an analog-to-digital converter circuit, coupled to the rechargeable battery; and
a battery gauge circuit, coupled to the analog-to-digital converter circuit, wherein the battery gauge circuit comprises a plurality of light emitting diodes (LEDs), and the battery gauge circuit causes one or more of the LEDs to illuminate to indicate an amount of charge remaining in the rechargeable battery, and a greater number of LEDs that are illuminated indicates a greater amount of charge remaining in the rechargeable battery.
20. The umbrella of claim 19 comprising:
a solar cell battery charging block comprising a second DC-to-DC converter circuit, coupled between the solar panels and the rechargeable battery, wherein the first, second, and third USB charging terminals are not directly coupled to the solar panels.