Battery Charge Display Layout for Interchangeable Mobile Devices

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing mobile electrical devices face challenges in conveniently displaying and querying the state of charge of rechargeable batteries, often requiring precise alignment and design matching, leading to potential malfunctions and limited interchangeability of batteries.

Innovation Solution

A mobile electrical device with a device housing featuring a battery slot, charge status indicator, and a controller that deactivates the device-side charge display during mains operation, allowing independent battery-side charge state display and detection, enabling easy state-of-charge querying without alignment issues and improving battery interchangeability.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If a battery-side charge status indicator and switch are provided, then the battery can display charge status autonomously, but precise alignment with device viewing windows and buttons is required, leading to operational errors and limited interchangeability

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebattery interchangeabilityVSAvoidcharge status querying
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The device housing serves as an intermediary that provides a viewing window and button interface, allowing the battery's charge status indicator and switch to be accessed without requiring direct external access to the battery components. This mediator approach enables universal battery designs to work with various device housings.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The battery is designed with universal charge status display capabilities that can function both when inserted in a device and when removed. The viewing window in the device housing allows the battery indicator to be visible in either position, making the battery interchangeable across different devices without requiring device-specific alignment.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Ease of operation

If the device displays charge status independently, then the user can see charge status without removing the battery, but energy is consumed continuously even during mains operation

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecharge status visibilityVSAvoidenergy consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The device-side charge status display is dynamically controlled to be activated only when the device is in battery operation mode and deactivated during mains operation. The controller adjusts display based on operational state, reducing energy consumption when charge status is less relevant.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The controller monitors the device's operational state (mains vs. battery mode) and provides feedback control to the charge status display, activating or deactivating it based on the current operating conditions. This feedback mechanism ensures energy is not wasted when the display is not needed.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

3Loss of information

If viewing windows and buttons are provided on the device, then charge status can be displayed, but incorrect alignment with battery components leads to malfunction

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecharge status informationVSAvoidoperational reliability
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The device housing acts as a mediator that provides a standardized interface (viewing window and button) for accessing the battery's charge status. This intermediary approach decouples the specific alignment requirements from both the device and battery designs, allowing universal compatibility while maintaining reliable information access.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentEP2451001B1Mobile electric device with charge display and battery for same
Publication Date: 2018.04.18 HILTI AG
  • EP2451001B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP2451001B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP2451001B1 patent drawingFigure 5

AI summary

The mobile electronic device (1a) has housing (2) with battery slot (3) for receiving accumulator (7) with voltage-generating cell (9) and battery charge indicator (11). The voltage-generating cell is connected to charger (6) to which electrical load (4) is connected. A network connection (5) is attached to the charger. An accumulator charge detector (13) is connected to the accumulator. The output of detector is displayed in the charge display (14). An independent claim is included for mobile electronic device set.