Sensor-Activated Light for Battery Charger Connection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Users face difficulties in connecting battery chargers to small electronic devices in dark environments due to the small size and changing shapes of devices and chargers, making it cumbersome to find the charging port.
Innovation Solution
A battery charger with a sensor-activated light source that automatically turns on when the device is brought near, or when the environment is dark, to facilitate easier connection, which can be integrated into the charger or the device itself, and can also be manually activated.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If a battery charger is used in a dark environment, then the charging function is available, but the user cannot easily locate the charging port due to insufficient lighting
Solution Approach 1:
The light emitter is activated in advance of the actual connection action by detecting the approach of the device or the darkness of the environment. This preliminary illumination allows the user to locate and connect the charger to the device without difficulty in dark conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
A sensor detects environmental conditions (darkness or device proximity) and provides feedback that triggers the light emitter to activate. This closed-loop system ensures the light is provided exactly when and where needed for connection, improving ease of operation in dark environments.
2Ease of operation
If a light source is continuously activated to illuminate the connection area, then visibility is improved, but additional power is drained from the device
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of continuous operation, the light emitter is activated periodically or intermittently based on detected conditions. The light turns on when darkness or device proximity is detected and turns off when conditions change, providing necessary visibility while minimizing power consumption from the device battery.
Solution Approach 2:
The charger's light system serves itself by using the charger's own power source (rather than draining the device) and automatically activating based on environmental sensing. The sensor detects conditions and triggers the light emitter without user intervention, providing illumination only when needed and reducing overall power drain.
3Ease of operation
If the light emitter is always on to facilitate connection, then the connection process is simplified, but the device complexity and power consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
A sensor provides feedback about environmental conditions (darkness or device proximity) that automatically controls the light emitter. This simple feedback mechanism enables the light to activate only when needed, simplifying the connection process while avoiding the complexity and power consumption of a continuously active light system.
Solution Approach 2:
The manual control of the light (which would require switches or buttons) is replaced with an automatic sensor-based system. The sensor detects conditions and triggers the light emitter electronically, eliminating the need for mechanical controls and reducing overall system complexity while maintaining ease of operation.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution provides improved usability by illuminating the connection area, reducing the challenge of connecting devices in dark environments and ensuring successful charging without additional power drain from the device.
Implementation Method 1
a sensor connected to the cable and to the light emitter, for activating the light emitter when the sensor detects one or more vicinity light requirements indicating a need for light in the environment of the sensor
Implementation Method 2
a light emitter connected to the cable
Data Source
AI summary
An electronic device, including a battery, a port for connecting a battery charger to charge the battery, a light emitter, and a sensor connected to the light emitter, for activating the light emitter when the sensor detects one or more vicinity light requirements indicating a need for light in the environment of the sensor, and for deactivating said light emitter when the battery charger is successfully connected to the port.