ELECTRICAL POWER UNIT WITH WIRELESS CHARGING

Abstract

An electrical power unit is positionable in or along a work surface and includes a housing with a movable cover that is positionable in open and closed positions at an upper region of the housing. The cover defines an interior region in which a wireless power transmitter is mounted. A lamp unit is disposed in the housing or the cover. The lamp unit is configured so that emitted light is visible from outside the power unit when the cover is closed. The wireless power transmitter is operable to selectively illuminate the lamp unit when the wireless power transmitter is energized. Optionally, at least one direct-contact electrical or data receptacle is provided at the housing, and may be arranged or positioned so that it is accessible at least when the cover is in the open position.

Claims

1. An electrical power unit configured to be positioned along a work surface, said electrical power unit comprising: a housing; a cover movably coupled to an upper region of said housing, said cover defining a cover interior, and said cover having a rear portion and a front portion opposite said rear portion, wherein said cover is movable from a closed position to an open position; at least one electrical or data receptacle supported at said housing and positioned below said cover, wherein said at least one electrical or data receptacle is accessible when said cover is in the open position; a wireless power transmitter disposed in said cover interior and configured to direct wireless electrical power through an upper surface of said cover; and a lamp unit disposed in one of said housing and said cover, wherein light emitted from said lamp unit is visible from outside said electrical power unit when said cover is in said closed position; wherein said wireless power transmitter is configured to selectively illuminate said lamp unit when said wireless power transmitter is energized.

2. The electrical power unit of claim 1, wherein said at least one electrical or data receptacle comprises at least one direct-contact high voltage AC receptacle and at least one low voltage DC receptacle.

3. The electrical power unit of claim 1, wherein said rear portion of said cover is pivotably coupled to said housing, whereby said cover is pivotably movable from said closed position to said open position.

4. The electrical power unit of claim 1, wherein said lamp unit is disposed in said interior region at said front portion of said cover.

5. The electrical power unit of claim 4, wherein said front portion of said cover comprises an aperture or translucent region through which said lamp unit is visible when illuminated.

6. The electrical power unit of claim 4, wherein said housing comprises an upper front region, and wherein when said front portion of said cover is in said closed position said front portion of said cover is spaced from said upper front region of said housing to thereby define an elongate slot.

7. The electrical power unit of claim 1, wherein said wireless power transmitter is operable to detect when a compatible power receiver is positioned within transmission range of said wireless power transmitter, and wherein said wireless power transmitter is configured to illuminate said lamp unit only when the compatible power receiver is positioned within the transmission range of said wireless power transmitter.

8. The electrical power unit of claim 1, wherein said wireless power transmitter is a contactless power transmitter.

9. The electrical power unit of claim 1, comprising at least two of said wireless power transmitters in spaced arrangement in said cover interior, and comprising at least two of said lamp units corresponding to respective ones of said wireless power transmitters.

10. The electrical power unit of claim 9, wherein said at least two wireless power transmitters are independently energizable.

11. The electrical power unit of claim 1, wherein said housing defines a cavity below said cover, wherein said at least one electrical or data receptacle is accessible in said cavity at least when said cover is in said open position.

12. An electrical power unit configured to be positioned along a work surface, said power unit comprising: a housing defining an interior cavity; a cover pivotably coupled to an upper region of said housing and having an upper surface and a lower surface cooperating to define a cover interior, said cover having a front edge portion spaced from said housing to define an elongate gap that provides access to said interior cavity; a wireless power transmitter disposed in said cover interior and configured to direct contactless electrical power through said upper surface of said cover; and a lamp unit disposed in said front edge portion of said cover, wherein light emitted from said lamp unit is directed outwardly through said elongate gap; wherein said wireless power transmitter is configured to selectively illuminate said lamp unit when said wireless power transmitter is energized.

13. The electrical power unit of claim 12, further comprising at least one electrical or data receptacle supported at said housing and accessible via said interior cavity.

14. The electrical power unit of claim 13, wherein said at least one electrical or data receptacle comprises at least one direct-contact high voltage AC receptacle and at least one low voltage DC receptacle.

15. The electrical power unit of claim 14, comprising at least two of said wireless power transmitters, wherein said wireless power transmitters are operable to independently detect when a compatible power receiver is positioned within transmission range thereof, and wherein said wireless power transmitters are configured to illuminate respective ones of said lamp units only when the compatible power receiver is positioned within the transmission range of a respective one of said wireless power transmitters.

16. An electrical power unit configured to be positioned along a work surface, said power unit comprising: a housing defining an interior cavity and having an open upper region; a carriage mounted in a lower region of said housing; at least one electrical or data receptacle supported at said carriage and accessible via said interior cavity; a cover mounted in said open upper region of said housing and pivotable between a closed position in which said cover substantially occupies said open upper region of said housing, and an open position in which said cover is raised out of said open upper region of said housing; said cover having an upper panel and a lower panel spaced below the upper panel, wherein said upper and lower panels cooperate to define a cover interior, and said cover having a front edge portion in which a plurality of lamp units are mounted in spaced arrangement; a plurality of wireless power transmitters disposed in spaced arrangement in said cover interior and configured to direct contactless electrical power upwardly through said upper panel of said cover; and a power supply and voltage converter supported at said carriage and configured to supply electrical power received from a power infeed to each of said wireless power transmitters; wherein said lamp units are in electrical communication with respective ones of said wireless power transmitters, and are configured to illuminate independently when respective ones of said wireless power transmitters are energized, wherein light emitted from each of said lamp units is directed outwardly from said open upper region of said housing.

17. The electrical power unit of claim 16, wherein each of said wireless power transmitters is configured to detect when a compatible power receiver is positioned within transmission range thereof, and wherein each of said wireless power transmitters is configured to illuminate a respective one of said lamp units only when the compatible power receiver is positioned within the transmission range of the respective wireless power transmitter.

18. The electrical power unit of claim 16, wherein said front edge portion of said cover is spaced from a surface of said housing that defines a portion of said open upper region, thereby defining an elongate gap providing cord access to said interior cavity when said cover is in the closed position.

19. The electrical power unit of claim 18, wherein said front edge portion of said cover comprises a forward cover sidewall extending upwardly from a forward edge of said bottom panel, said forward cover sidewall defining a plurality of openings corresponding to respective ones of said lamp units.

20. The electrical power unit of claim 16, wherein said cover comprises a central structural cover portion disposed in said cover interior between said upper and lower panels, said central structural cover portion defines a plurality of openings in spaced arrangement, each of said openings configured to receive a respective one of said wireless power transmitters.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0023] FIG. 1 is a top perspective view of an electrical power unit incorporating wireless charging units in accordance with the present invention, in which the cover is closed;

[0024] FIG. 2 is another perspective view of the electrical power unit of FIG. 1, in which the cover is moved to an open position;

[0025] FIG. 3 is another perspective view of the electrical power unit of FIG. 1, in which a single portable electronic device is positioned atop the closed cover for wireless charging;

[0026] FIG. 4 is another perspective view of the electrical power unit of FIG. 1, in which three portable electronic devices are positioned atop the closed cover for simultaneous wireless charging;

[0027] FIG. 5 is a top plan view of the electrical power unit of FIG. 1;

[0028] FIG. 6 is a sectional elevation taken along section line VI-VI in FIG. 5;

[0029] FIGS. 7A and 7B are sectional elevations taken along section line VII-VII in FIG. 5, including an enlarged view of a forward edge region of the cover, and depicting placement of a portable electronic device atop the cover for charging;

[0030] FIG. 8 is a right side elevation of the electrical power unit of FIG. 1, with portions cut away to reveal internal structure;

[0031] FIG. 9 is a top rear perspective view of the electrical power unit of FIG. 1, with a portion of the cover's top panel cut away and a structural cover portion removed to reveal internal structure;

[0032] FIGS. 10A and 10B are exploded top and bottom perspective views of the cover portion shown positioned above the housing and carriage of the electrical power unit; and

[0033] FIG. 11 is an exploded perspective view of the power supply that energizes the wireless power transmitters.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0034] Referring now to the drawings and the illustrative embodiments depicted therein, a power and/or data unit with wireless charging capability 10 provides electrical power via direct connections at traditional electrical receptacles 12, 14 in a recessed area of a housing 16, such as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. Power and/or data unit 10 also provides wireless charging at a pivotable lid or cover 18 when a portable electronic device 20 (FIGS. 3, 4, 7A and 7B) that is fitted with compatible power receiving technology is placed within range of one of a plurality of wireless power transmitters 22 (FIGS. 6-10) incorporated into the cover 18. Although it is envisioned that high voltage AC receptacles 12 and/or low voltage DC receptacles 14, or electronic data or signal connectors or receptacles (not shown) may be supported by a carriage 24 at a lower region 16a of housing 16 and accessed through a recess or cavity 26 below cover 18, such as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, this is not required and the electrical charging capabilities of the power unit 10 may be limited to wireless power transmitters 22 and associated wiring and circuitry, such as shown in FIG. 10A.

[0035] Cover 18 is pivotably coupled to an upper region 16b of housing 16, the cover defining an interior region 28 (FIG. 9) and having a rear portion 18a and a front portion 18b opposite the rear portion 18a. Cover 18 is movable from a closed position (FIGS. 1 and 3-8) to an open position (FIG. 2) in which the electrical receptacles 12, 14 are accessible in the cavity 26 formed by housing 16. In the illustrated embodiment, three wireless power transmitters 22 are positioned in the interior region 28 of cover 18. Each wireless power transmitter 22 has an associated lamp unit 30 that is positioned at the front portion 18b of cover 18 and is operable to emit light that can be viewed from outside the power unit 10 when cover 18 is in the closed position, such as shown in FIG. 7B. Each wireless power transmitter 22 is operable to selectively and independently illuminate its corresponding lamp unit 30, thus providing an active indicia to nearby persons when the wireless power transmitter is energized, such as shown in FIG. 3. The front portion 18b of the cover 18 includes apertures 31 (FIG. 10B) or translucent regions through which light passes from the lamp units 30 into the surrounding area.

[0036] Wireless power transmitters 22 may utilize substantially any wireless power transmission technology, such as resonant inductive coupling (magnetic field resonance) or electric field resonant capacitive coupling. For example, power transmitters 22 may meet Qi® wireless charging protocols for resonant inductive couplings. In the illustrated embodiment, three power transmitters 22 are operable to independently detect when a compatible power receiver (such as a power receiver associated with a Qi® compatible portable electronic device 20) is positioned within transmission range of the wireless power transmitter 22, such as shown in FIGS. 7A and 7B. Substantially any transmission range is envisioned, such as up to at least about 1.0 to 1.6 inches, although it will be appreciated that greater transmission ranges are possible with current technologies, including electric field resonant capacitive coupling technologies. Thus, it may be possible to charge a portable electronic device 20 using wireless power transmitters 22 even when there is a book or notepad disposed therebetween.

[0037] It will be appreciated that substantially any number of wireless power transmitters 22 may be provided at a given electrical power unit, depending on the size of the power unit, the size of the transmitters 22, possible limitations on incoming electrical power, and the type of wireless power transmission technology embodied by a given transmitter, for example. Where multiple wireless power transmitters 22 are provided, these may provide different wireless power transmission technologies so that portable electronic devices having different wireless power receivers may be charged simultaneously, and to make a given electrical power unit compatible with more than one type of portable electronic device.

[0038] Each wireless power transmitter 22 is configured to illuminate its respective lamp unit 30 only when the compatible power receiver or device 20 is positioned within transmission range. This provides users with a readily discernible visual indication that their portable electronic device 20 has established a power transmission coupling with a particular transmitter 22 and is actively receiving power. It is envisioned that the portable electronic device 20 may itself provide a visual or audible indication when power is being received, such as shown in FIG. 7B.

[0039] Cover 18 includes a shallow tub-shaped tray bottom 32 having a generally planar base panel 34 and upwardly-extending sidewalls 36 that are engaged by an upper generally planar top panel 38, all of which surround a central structural cover portion 40, such as shown in FIGS. 10A and 10B. Structural cover portion 40 includes a hinge region 42 and a plurality of openings 43 for receiving and supporting respective wireless transmitters 22. A double-sided adhesive sheet 44 is provided for securing top panel 38 to an upper surface of structural cover portion 40, which in turn is secured to tray bottom 32 by a plurality of threaded fasteners 46 that extend through respective bores formed in structural cover portion 40 and threadedly engage respective screw bosses 48 that extend upwardly from base panel 34 of tray bottom 32 (FIGS. 9 and 10A). Optionally, the cover's top panel 38 includes passive (e.g., non-illuminating) markings or indicia 50 that provide users with a visual indication of the center of each wireless power transmitter 22, to aid a user with the alignment of one or more of the portable electronic devices 20 such as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4.

[0040] Power unit 10 further includes a power supply 52 for supplying electrical power from a power infeed (such as a traditional high voltage AC power cord 54) to each wireless power transmitter 22. In the illustrated embodiment, power supply 52 is supported at carriage 24 and includes a circuit board 56 (FIG. 11) mounted in a housing 58 that is configured to be supported at an elongate channel member 60 of carriage 24. It is envisioned that housing 58 and channel member 60, and the other components of carriage 24, may correspond or may be substantially similar to components that are more fully described in commonly-owned U.S. Pat. Nos. 9,312,673; 8,444,432; and 8,480,429, all of which are hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.

[0041] In the illustrated embodiment, the upper region 16b of housing 16 includes an upper bezel 62 that is configured to rest atop a work surface as the remaining portions of housing 16, cover 18, and carriage 24 extend below the work surface. Top panel 38 of cover 18 may be substantially flush with bezel 62 when cover 18 is closed, so that top panel 38 is positioned just above the work surface when cover 18 is closed. Bezel 62 defines a rectangular opening in which cover 18 is received when the cover is closed, and in the illustrated embodiment, bezel 62 and cover 18 are sized so that an elongated gap 64 is formed or defined between forward portion 18b of cover and a forward portion 62a of bezel 62. Gap 64 permits cords to exit cavity 26 when cover 18 is closed, such as to permit continuous usage of power receptacles 12, 14. Gap 64 also permits light emitted from lamp units 30 to be either directly viewed by a user positioned near a front region of the power unit 10, or to be indirectly viewed when light reflects off of the bezel's forward portion 62a and/or a forward sidewall 36 of cover 18, and/or internal surfaces inside cavity 26. Optionally, lamp units may be positioned elsewhere in the electrical power unit 10, such as in the bezel's forward portion 62a adjacent the elongate gap 64, or along housing 16 inside recess or cavity 26, for example.

[0042] Although electrical power unit 10 is primarily shown and described as being a device for mounting in an opening formed in a work surface, it will be appreciated that the principles of the present invention may be carried out in a freestanding unit or in a unit that is mounted at or near a horizontal work surface, a wall divider, or in other applications, without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.

[0043] Thus, the electrical power unit of the present invention enables convenient wireless/contactless charging of compatible portable electronic devices along a work surface, and provides active feedback to a user confirming that their device is receiving power from the electrical power unit. The electrical power unit includes one or more wireless power transmitters in a movable cover or lid, which can be raised to provide access to an interior of the electrical power unit. The active feedback may be in the form of an electric lamp associated with each wireless power transmitter, which lamp is either directly visible to a user from a vicinity of the electrical power unit, or which illuminates or directs light onto a surface of the electrical power unit that is visible to a user even when the power unit's cover is closed.

[0044] Changes and modifications in the specifically-described embodiments may be carried out without departing from the principles of the present invention, which is intended to be limited only by the scope of the appended claims as interpreted according to the principles of patent law including the doctrine of equivalents.