Inductive charging case
An inductive charging case in accordance with certain embodiments presented herein comprises a base and a lid mechanically coupled together via a hinge mechanism. When the inductive charging case is in a closed arrangement (e.g., the lid is positioned adjacent to the base), the lid and base collectively define an interior volume that is configured to enclose an electronic device therein. The electronic device includes one or more rechargeable batteries, a receiver coil, and circuitry for recharging the one or more rechargeable batteries, while the inductive charging case includes inductive charging circuitry, including at least one inductive charging coil, that is configured to provide power to the electronic device which is then used to charge the one or more rechargeable batteries and/or power the electronic device.
1 . An inductive charging case, comprising:
a base;
a lid attached to the base via a hinge mechanism, wherein in a closed arrangement, the lid and base collectively define an interior volume configured to enclose an electronic device therein;
an inductive case coil disposed in the lid, wherein the inductive case coil is configured for inductive coupling with a charging coil in the electronic device;
a positioning arrangement in the base configured to receive the electronic device, wherein the positioning arrangement is configured to urge the electronic device toward the lid while the lid is in the closed arrangement; and
one or more openings configured to, when the electronic device is positioned in the positioning arrangement, receive an attachment and enable the attachment to pass from the interior volume to an exterior of the inductive charging case while the attachment is connected to the electronic device and while the inductive charging case is in the closed arrangement.
2 . The inductive charging case of claim 1 , wherein the positioning arrangement further comprises:
an insert positioned in the base, wherein the insert comprises a profiled device recess configured to receive the electronic device therein.
3 . The inductive charging case of claim 2 , wherein the profiled device recess comprises:
a central region having a shape corresponding to a shape of the electronic device; and
one or more finger scoops adjacent to, and extending from, the central region.
4 . The inductive charging case of claim 3 , wherein the central region has a generally cylindrical shape corresponding to a cylindrical shape of the electronic device.
5 . The inductive charging case of claim 2 ,
wherein the positioning arrangement is configured to urge the electronic device toward the lid along an axis that is generally orthogonal to the lid.
6 . The inductive charging case of claim 5 , wherein the positioning arrangement comprises:
a moveable support member forming a bottom surface of at least a portion of the profiled device recess; and
one or more springs attached to the moveable support member and a surface of the base such that the one or more springs urge the moveable support member and the electronic device away from the surface of the base and toward the lid.
7 . The inductive charging case of claim 2 , wherein the electronic device is an off-the-ear (OTE) component, wherein the attachment is a securing line, and wherein the one or more openings comprise a groove of the insert.
8 . The inductive charging case of claim 2 , wherein the electronic device is a behind-the-ear (BTE) component having an external coil, and wherein the attachment is a cable assembly.
9 . The inductive charging case of claim 1 , further comprising:
a ferromagnetic metal component disposed in an interior of the base, wherein the ferromagnetic metal component is configured to magnetically attract to a magnet disposed in the electronic device.
10 . The inductive charging case of claim 1 , further comprising a transparent window arranged for visibility of one or more status indicators of the electronic device from outside of the inductive charging case when the lid is closed.
11 . The inductive charging case of claim 1 , further comprising:
a fan configured to draw air from outside of the inductive charging case into the interior volume and to expel air from the interior volume to outside of the inductive charging case.
12 . The inductive charging case of claim 1 , wherein the hinge mechanism is a spring-loaded hinge mechanism configured to self-close the lid.
13 . The inductive charging case of claim 12 , wherein the hinge mechanism comprises a damper configured to soft-close the lid.
14 . An inductive charging case, comprising:
a base comprising a concave outer shell defining an upper opening;
a lid attached to the base via a hinge mechanism and configured to close the upper opening;
an insert disposed in the upper opening of the base, wherein the insert comprises a device recess configured to receive an electronic device therein; and
a positioning arrangement comprising:
a moveable support member forming at least a portion of the device recess; and
one or more springs attached to a surface of the base and the moveable support member such that the one or more springs support the moveable support member and are configured to urge the moveable support member and the electronic device to move along an axis that is generally orthogonal to the upper opening.
15 . The inductive charging case of claim 14 , wherein the one or more springs are configured to urge a portion of the moveable support member toward the insert.
16 . The inductive charging case of claim 14 , wherein the device recess comprises:
a central region having a shape corresponding to a shape of the electronic device; and
one or more finger scoops adjacent to, and extending from, the central region.
17 . The inductive charging case of claim 14 , wherein the electronic device is an off-the-ear (OTE) component having a securing line attached thereto, and wherein the insert includes a groove configured to receive the securing line while attached to the OTE component and when the OTE component is positioned in the device recess.
18 . The inductive charging case of claim 14 , wherein the electronic device is a behind-the-ear (BTE) component having an external coil attached thereto via a cable assembly, and wherein the inductive charging case includes one or more openings configured to enable the cable assembly to pass from an interior of the inductive charging case to outside of the inductive charging case while attached to the BTE component when the BTE component is positioned in the device recess.
19 . The inductive charging case of claim 14 , wherein the positioning arrangement comprises a ferromagnetic metal configured to magnetically attract to a magnet disposed in the electronic device.
20 . The inductive charging case of claim 14 , further comprising a transparent window arranged for visibility of one or more status indicators of the electronic device from outside of the inductive charging case when the lid is closed.
21 . The inductive charging case of claim 14 , further comprising an inductive charging coil positioned in the lid.
22 . The inductive charging case of claim 14 , further comprising:
a fan configured to draw air from outside of the inductive charging case into an interior of the inductive charging case and to expel air from the interior of the inductive charging case to outside of the inductive charging case.
23 . The inductive charging case of claim 14 , wherein the hinge mechanism is a spring-loaded hinge mechanism configured to self-close the lid.
24 . The inductive charging case of claims 23 , wherein the hinge mechanism comprises a damper configured to soft-close the lid.
25 . A method for inductively charging a sound processing unit of an auditory prosthesis with an inductive charging case comprising a base and a lid attached to the base via hinge mechanism, the method comprising:
detaching the sound processing unit from a head of a recipient of the auditory prosthesis, wherein the sound processing unit comprises a skin-facing surface and an outer-facing surface;
placing the sound processing unit in a moveable support member of the inductive charging case with the skin-facing surface facing a bottom surface of the base, wherein one or more springs of the inductive charging case are attached to the bottom surface of the base and the moveable support member to support the moveable support member within the inductive charging case; and
closing the lid to enclose the sound processing unit inside the inductive charging case such that the one or more springs urge the sound processing unit toward the lid.
26 . The method of claim 25 , wherein the inductive charging case comprises an insert having a profiled device recess, and wherein placing the sound processing unit in the moveable support member of the inductive charging case comprises:
placing the sound processing unit in the profiled device recess.
27 . The method of claim 26 , wherein the profiled device recess comprises a central region having a shape corresponding to a shape of the sound processing unit and one or more finger scoops adjacent to, and extending from, the central region, and wherein the method further comprises:
opening the lid; and
removing the sound processing unit from the central region through use of the one or more finger scoops.
28 . The method of claim 26 , wherein the sound processing unit comprises an off-the-ear (OTE) sound processing unit, and wherein the method comprises:
placing an entirety of the OTE sound processing unit in the profiled device recess.
29 . The method of claim 26 , wherein the sound processing unit comprises a behind-the-ear (BTE) sound processing unit attached to an external coil via a cable assembly, and wherein the method comprises:
placing the BTE sound processing unit in the profiled device recess while the external coil remains outside of the inductive charging case,
wherein the inductive charging case includes one or more openings to enable the cable assembly to pass from an interior of the inductive charging case to outside of the inductive charging case.
30 . The method of claim 26 , wherein the sound processing unit comprises a behind-the-ear (BTE) sound processing unit attached to an external coil via a cable assembly, and wherein the method comprises:
placing the BTE sound processing unit in the profiled device recess; and
placing the external coil in a coil recess while the external coil remains outside of the inductive charging case,
wherein the inductive charging case includes one or more openings to enable the cable assembly to pass from an interior of the inductive charging case to outside of the inductive charging case.