Indicator lamp structure of charger

Abstract

An indicator lamp structure (5) of a charger (10). The charger (10) comprises a housing (1) and a main control board (2) arranged in the housing (1). The indicator lamp structure (5) comprises a light guide strip (51) and a pair of PCBs (52). The light guide strip (51) is mounted on the housing (1), the pair of PCBs (52) are located in the housing (1) and are arranged at two ends of the light guide strip (51), an LED lamp (53) is mounted on each PCB (52), and the pair of PCBs (52) are electrically connected to the main control board (2). The indicator lamp structure (5) effectively expands the indication range of an indicator lamp and improves the visibility of the indicator lamp, so that a user can observe the working state of the charger (10) more conveniently and clearly.

Description

Indicator light structure of a charger Technical Field

[0001] The utility model relates to the technical field of chargers, in particular to an indicator light structure of a charger. Background Art

[0002] In the power tool sector, an increasing number of tools are powered by lithium-ion battery packs for enhanced ease of use. Currently, lithium-ion battery chargers on the market, whether wall-mounted or dock-mounted, generally use two single-color lights or a single two-color light to indicate charging, with the light either solid or flashing. However, these lights have a narrow range and limited brightness, making it difficult for users to clearly see the charging indicator light at a glance, especially when standing some distance from the charger.

[0003] Summary of the Invention

[0004] In order to solve the problems of the prior art, the present invention aims to provide an indicator light structure for a charger, which has a large indication range, making it easy for users to observe the charging status easily and clearly.

[0005] To achieve the above-mentioned purpose, the utility model proposes an indicator light structure for a charger, wherein the charger includes a shell and a main control board arranged in the shell, and the indicator light structure includes a light guide bar and a pair of PCB boards, the light guide bar is installed on the shell, the pair of PCB boards are located in the shell and are arranged at both ends of the light guide bar, each PCB board is installed with an LED light, and the pair of PCB boards are electrically connected to the main control board.

[0006] In one embodiment, the LED lamp is a SMD red and green dual-color LED lamp.

[0007] In one embodiment, the LED light is an LED breathing light.

[0008] In one embodiment, the light guide bar is provided on the front surface or the top surface of the housing.

[0009] In one embodiment, the light guide bar extends from one side of the front surface or the top surface of the housing to the other side.

[0010] In one embodiment, when the light guide bar is disposed on the front end surface of the housing, the light guide bar is installed between the upper housing and the lower housing of the housing.

[0011] In one embodiment, limiting ribs are provided on the top and bottom surfaces of the light guide bar. The extending direction of the limiting ribs is consistent with that of the light guide bar and is used to abut against the upper and lower shells of the housing to define the assembly position of the light guide bar.

[0012] In one embodiment, grooves are formed at both ends of the light guide bar for accommodating at least part of the PCB board and the LED lamp.

[0013] In one embodiment, the front end surface of the lower housing has a heat dissipation hole, and a light blocking plate is provided between the heat dissipation hole and the light guide bar to prevent light from the LED lamp from leaking out of the heat dissipation hole.

[0014] In one embodiment, the inner side surface of the front end surface of the lower housing has a plurality of assembly ribs, and the light baffle has a plurality of holes for cooperating with the assembly ribs, thereby mounting the light baffle to the lower housing. Beneficial effects:

[0015] (1) The indicator light structure of the present invention abandons the traditional lamp bead indicator and adopts the combination of light guide strips and LED lights to effectively expand the indication range and improve the visibility of the indicator light, so that the user can easily and clearly observe the charging status even when the user is at a distance from the charger.

[0016] (2) The indicator light structure of the present invention is preferably a patch red and green dual-color LED breathing light, and has four lighting effects. The breathing indicator light effect makes the charging indication more beautiful and has an intelligent effect.

[0017] (3) The utility model adopts a light blocking plate arranged between the light guide bar and the heat dissipation hole of the shell, which effectively prevents the light of the indicator light from leaking out of the heat dissipation hole and improves the indication effect.

[0018] (4) The assembly of the indicator light structure and the light shield of the utility model cleverly utilizes the structural coordination between them and the housing without adding additional fixing parts. Its structural design is clever and the manufacturing cost is low. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0019] The present invention will be further described and elaborated below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

[0020] FIG1 is a schematic diagram of an indicator light structure according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention applied to a charger.

[0021] FIG2 is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of the charger in FIG1 , wherein the upper shell of the charger is removed.

[0022] FIG. 3 is a perspective schematic diagram of the light guide bar of the indicator light structure in FIG. 2 .

[0023] FIG4 is an enlarged view of the transverse cross-sectional view of the light guide bar of the indicator light structure in FIG2 .

[0024] FIG5 is a longitudinal sectional view of the charger in FIG1 .

[0025] FIG6 is a schematic diagram of the lower housing of the charger in FIG1 .

[0026] FIG7 is a schematic diagram of the light shield being installed on the lower housing of the charger.

[0027] FIG8 is a schematic diagram of the indicator light structure of the present invention applied to a dual-channel charger.

[0028] FIG9 is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of the dual-channel charger in FIG8 .

[0029] Reference numerals:

[0030] 10. Charger; 1. Housing; 2. Main control board; 3. Power plug; 4. Battery connection interface; 5. Indicator light structure; 6. Light baffle; 11. Upper housing; 12. Lower housing; 51. Light guide bar; 52. PCB board; 53. LED light; 110. Rib position; 120. Heat dissipation hole; 121. Assembly rib; 122. Protrusion; 121a. Horizontal part; 121b. Vertical part; 510. Main body; 511. Limiting rib; 512. Groove; 513. Chamfer; 60. Matching hole; 20. Dual-channel charger. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0031] The technical solution of the present invention will be more clearly and completely explained below by describing the preferred embodiments of the present invention in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

[0032] The utility model provides an indicator light structure for a charger. The charger includes a housing and a main control board disposed within the housing. The indicator light structure comprises a light guide bar mounted on the housing and a pair of PCBs located within the housing and disposed at opposite ends of the light guide bar. Each PCB is mounted with an LED light, and the pair of PCBs are electrically connected to the main control board.

[0033] The charger indicator light structure of the utility model mentioned above abandons traditional lamp beads and adopts the combination of LED lamps and light guide strips to realize indication through the total reflection of the LED light through the light guide strips, effectively expanding the indication area and range of the indicator light, enhancing the visibility of the indicator light, allowing users to observe the working status of the charger more easily and clearly, and improving the user experience.

[0034] In the preferred embodiment shown in Figures 1 to 7, the charger 10 includes a housing 1 and a main control board 2. The housing 1 is composed of an upper housing 11 and a lower housing 12. The upper and lower housings 11 and 12 are snap-fitted together to form a housing 1 with an internal accommodating space. The main control board 2 is disposed within the housing 1 and is used to control the operation of the charger 10. Typically, the charger 10 also includes a power plug, a battery connection interface, etc., which are commonly used in the art. In this preferred embodiment, the power plug 3 is connected to the rear end of the housing 1 for connecting to an external power source to supply power to the charger 10; the battery connection interface 4 is disposed on the top surface of the housing 1 for installing and connecting a battery pack. In other embodiments, the power plug and the battery connection interface may also be disposed at other locations of the housing, and this utility model does not limit such locations.

[0035] As shown in Figure 2, the indicator light structure 5 includes a light guide bar 51 and a pair of PCBs 52. The light guide bar 51 is mounted on the housing 1. A pair of PCBs 52 are located within the housing 1 and are disposed at either end of the light guide bar 51. Each PCB 52 is mounted with an LED 53. The pair of PCBs 52 are electrically connected to the main control board 2, which provides power to the PCBs 52 and controls the operation of the LEDs 53 on the PCBs 52.

[0036] As shown in Figures 3 and 4 , specifically, a light guide strip 51 is provided on the front face of the housing 1. It is generally in the shape of a long strip and extends from one side of the front face to the other. The front face here refers to the side of the charger 10 that faces the user during operation. Placing the light guide strip 51 on this front face helps the user easily observe the charger's operating status.

[0037] The light guide bar 51 includes a main body 510, which is elongated. Positioning ribs 511 are provided on the top and bottom surfaces of the main body 510. These ribs extend in the same direction as the main body 510 and abut against the upper and lower housings 11 and 12 during assembly to define the assembly position of the light guide bar 51. Preferably, the positioning ribs 511 on the top and bottom surfaces are symmetrically arranged vertically, resulting in a roughly cross-shaped cross-section.

[0038] Grooves 512 are formed at both ends of the light guide bar 51 for accommodating at least part of the PCB board 52 and the LED lamp 53. Furthermore, the groove 512 is formed on the side of the main body 510 facing the interior of the housing 1. A pair of PCB boards 52 are inserted into the grooves 512 at both ends of the light guide bar, and two LED lamps 53 are respectively located in the two grooves 512, and the two LED lamps 53 are arranged facing each other. This arrangement allows the light from the two LED lamps 53 to enter from both ends of the light guide bar 51, and to form indicator light through total reflection of the light guide bar 51, thereby ensuring that the light of the entire light guide bar is more uniform and the lighting effect is better.

[0039] As shown in Figure 5, in the assembled state, the light guide bar 51 is located between the upper shell 11 and the lower shell 12. The inner sides of the upper and lower shells 11 and 12 respectively abut against the outer side surfaces of the limiting ribs 511 on the top and bottom surfaces of the light guide bar, thereby limiting the light guide bar 51 to the assembled position. At the same time, the light guide bar 51 is divided into an outer shell portion and an inner shell portion. The outer shell portion located on the outer sides of the upper and lower shells 11 and 12 is the outer shell portion; the remaining parts of the light guide bar 51, such as the limiting ribs 511 and the groove 512 are located inside the shell 1, which is the inner shell portion. The outer shell portion of the light guide bar 51 forms an indicator light bar for the user to observe the working status of the charger 10.

[0040] Preferably, chamfers 513 are provided at both ends of the main body portion 510 located outside the housing of the light guide bar to enhance the lighting effect and aesthetics of the light guide bar.

[0041] Preferably, the LED light 53 is a SMD red and green dual-color LED light, and further, a SMD red and green dual-color LED breathing light. This configuration allows the charger indicator light of the present invention to be designed with four lighting effects: when the charger is fully charged, the indicator light bar is a solid green light bar; when the charger is in a normal charging state, the indicator light bar is a green breathing light bar; when the charger is in a charging temperature protection state, the indicator light bar is a red breathing light bar; when the charger is in an abnormal state (such as battery damage, pre-charge timeout, etc.), the indicator light bar is a red breathing light bar alternating with a green breathing light bar.

[0042] The structural setting and lighting effect design of the above indicator lights, on the one hand, expand the indication area of ​​the indicator lights, allowing users to observe the working status of the charger more conveniently, quickly and clearly. On the other hand, the breathing light effect improves the beauty of the charging indication, making the user experience better.

[0043] As shown in Figures 6 and 7 , the charger's lower housing 12 is typically provided with a heat dissipation hole 120. To prevent light from the indicator light structure 5 from leaking through the heat dissipation hole 120 and affecting the indication effect, the present invention further provides a light baffle 6. Specifically, in this embodiment, the light guide bar 51 and the LED light 53 are located above the heat dissipation hole 120, and the light baffle 6 is positioned between the heat dissipation hole 120, the light guide bar 51, and the LED light 53, thereby blocking the light from the light guide bar 51 and the LED light 53 from propagating downward. Furthermore, a plurality of mounting ribs 121 are provided on the inner side surface of the front end face of the lower housing (i.e., the back side of the heat dissipation hole 120). These mounting ribs 121 extend vertically and have a T-shaped cross-section. The transverse portion 121a of the T-shape is connected to the inner side surface of the front end face of the lower housing. Some mounting ribs 121 have a T-shaped top surface, while others have upwardly protruding protrusions 122 on the vertical portion 121b of the T-shaped top surface. Correspondingly, the light baffle 6 has matching holes 60 that are adapted to the number and position of the protrusions 122, which are used to cooperate with the protrusions 122, thereby installing the light baffle 6 on the lower shell 12. At the same time, the transverse portion 121a of the T-shaped assembly rib 121 plays a supporting role for the light baffle 6.

[0044] As shown in Figure 5 , in the assembled state, the light baffle 6 is mounted on the mounting ribs 121, and the limiting ribs 511 on the bottom surface of the light guide bar press against the light baffle 6, thereby securing the light baffle 6. In this state, the light baffle 6, the upper housing 11, and the ribs 110 within the upper housing 11 together form a relatively enclosed space, enclosing the LED light 53 within this space, further preventing light leakage and improving the indication effect.

[0045] In other embodiments, the light guide strip 51 may also be provided on the top surface of the housing 1 , or on other side surfaces of the housing to adapt to the outer design and structure of the charger.

[0046] In other embodiments, the length of the light guide strip 51 may not extend from one side of the surface on which it is located to the other side, but may be shorter than the length of the surface. Compared with traditional lamp beads, it can also play the role of expanding the indication area. For example, when the length of the light guide strip exceeds 2 cm, it has the effect of significantly expanding the indication area. The present invention does not impose any restrictions on the length of the light guide strip.

[0047] As shown in Figures 8 and 9, the indicator light structure of the present invention can also be applied to a dual-channel charger 20. For a dual-channel charger or a multi-channel charger, a set of indicator light structures 5 corresponds to one charging position, and each indicator light bar 51 indicates the charging status of the charging position.

[0048] The above-described specific embodiments merely describe preferred embodiments of the present invention and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of the present invention. Any modifications, substitutions, and improvements to the technical solution of the present invention made by a person of ordinary skill in the art based on the textual description and accompanying drawings provided herein, without departing from the design concept and spirit of the present invention, shall fall within the scope of protection of the present invention. The scope of protection of the present invention is determined by the claims.

Claims

1. A charger indicator light structure, the charger comprising a housing and a main control board arranged in the housing, characterized in that: The indicator light structure includes a light guide bar and a pair of PCB boards, the light guide bar is installed on the shell, the pair of PCB boards are located in the shell and are arranged at both ends of the light guide bar, an LED light is installed on each PCB board, and the pair of PCB boards are electrically connected to the main control board.

2. The indicator light structure according to claim 1, characterized in that: The LED lamp is a SMD red and green dual-color LED lamp.

3. The indicator light structure according to claim 2, characterized in that: The LED lamp is an LED breathing lamp.

4. The indicator light structure according to claim 1, characterized in that: The light guide strip is arranged on the front end surface or the top surface of the housing.

5. The indicator light structure according to claim 4, characterized in that: The light guide bar extends from one side of the front end surface or the top surface of the housing to the other side.

6. The indicator light structure according to claim 4, characterized in that: In the case where the light guide bar is disposed on the front end surface of the housing, the light guide bar is installed between an upper housing and a lower housing of the housing.

7. The indicator light structure according to claim 6, characterized in that: Limiting ribs are arranged on the top and bottom surfaces of the light guide bar, and the extending direction of the limiting ribs is consistent with that of the light guide bar, and are used to abut against the upper shell and the lower shell of the shell to limit the assembly position of the light guide bar.

8. The indicator light structure according to claim 6, characterized in that: Grooves are formed at both ends of the light guide bar for accommodating at least part of the PCB board and the LED lamp.

9. The indicator light structure according to claim 6, characterized in that: The front end surface of the lower shell is provided with a heat dissipation hole, and a light blocking plate is arranged between the heat dissipation hole and the light guide bar to prevent the light of the LED lamp from leaking out of the heat dissipation hole.

10. The indicator light structure according to claim 9, characterized in that: The inner side surface of the front end surface of the lower shell is provided with a plurality of assembly ribs, and the light baffle is provided with a plurality of holes for cooperating with the assembly ribs, so as to install the light baffle to the lower shell.

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