Eveready Battery Company, Inc.

Energizer Brands, LLC

Michael J Brandon, Ii

Peter F Hoffman

Rachel P Devereaux

Mark A Ferguson

David A Furth

Richard A Langan

Jason M Barr

Scott W Osiecki

David A Spartano

Richard H Chapman

Robert M Janmey

Mandy R Iswarienko

Jean-Francois Audebert

Donwoong Kang

John C Bailey

John Matthew Somerville

Peter C Castellucci

Martin Scott Goodchild

Jennifer A Moffat

Gregory W Broburg

Liu Jing

Zi Hong Zhang

Stephen E Osmialowski

A light-emitting diode (LED) driver circuit monitors battery input current by way of a feedback resistor. The observed resistor voltage is provided to a regulator circuit which adjusts the current provided to the LED so as to hold the battery current substantially constant.

Light emitting diode driver regulated to consume constant battery current input

A portable electrical device, such as an electrical lighting device, comprises a charging channel configured for directing electrical power from the electrical device to a separate electrical device connected via the charging channel (e.g., a charging port). While the charging port is unused, the electrical device generates outputs (e.g., lighting outputs) at a first output power level (e.g., a first brightness). The electrical device also comprises an onboard controller configured to monitor the charging channel, and upon detecting an electrical device connected via the charging channel, the onboard controller decreases the output power to a second output power level (e.g., a second brightness) to conserve power.

Portable electrical device with integrated charger

A device having an active reversal protection system is described. The system includes a pair of MOSFETs connected to parallel battery power sources. When the batteries in one of the power sources are improperly installed, the voltage delivered by that power source closes the gate of its associated MOSFET. In normal operation, the MOSFETs are connected to a microprocessor configured to operate the device. In a preferred embodiment, the device is a lighting device incorporating a light emitting diode that is driven by the MOSFETs.

Electronic protection against circuit reversal

A portable lighting device such as a flashlight, headlight, or electric lantern comprises an onboard power supply (e.g., one or more batteries), a light source (e.g., one or more LEDs), and an onboard controller for regulating the light emitted by the portable lighting device. The onboard controller is in communication with one or more sensors configured to monitor component characteristics, such as a light source temperature and/or a power supply voltage. Based at least in part on the monitored characteristics, the controller is configured to generate a start-up ramp profile to gradually increase the brightness level emitted by the light source according to a defined brightness rate of change. After a power switch for the portable lighting device is activated, the controller initializes the start-up ramp profile to gradually increase the brightness emitted from the portable lighting device to a steady-state brightness level.

Portable light control apparatus

A packaged product is provided. The packaged product includes a package and a magnet fixedly disposed within the package. The packaged product also includes an electrically powered device disposed in the package. The device includes a magnetic switch disposed in close proximity to the magnet such that the magnet actuates the magnetic switch. The device operates in a test mode when the magnet is in close proximity to the magnetic switch and operates in a normal use mode when the device is removed from the package such that the magnet is no longer in close proximity to the magnetic switch.

Product packaging having magnetic activated test mode

A battery charging method includes generating a plurality of charge profiles, each for a different one of a plurality of batteries, wherein a charge profile indicates a charge current as a function of charge time, and at least two of the charge profiles have a different charge current at a same charge time, and concurrently charging each of the plurality of batteries based on a corresponding charge profile.

Staggered multi-battery battery charging

A battery charger () includes a base () which selectively receives first () and second () battery pods. The battery pods (), which are adapted to receive one or more batteries () for charging, have a form factor which facilitates the handling of the pods () and the batteries () received therein. Charging energy may be allocated between the pods () as a function of the temporal sequence in which the pods () are received by the base (). Charging energy may also be allocated among the batteries () so that the batteries () are substantially charged at about the same time.

Battery charger

A fluid regulating system is provided for controlling fluid to a fluid consuming battery having a fluid consuming cell. The fluid regulating system includes a valve and an actuator for opening and closing the valve. The actuator is controlled to open the valve when greater battery electrical output is required and to close the valve when lesser battery electrical output is required to operate a device. A controller controls operation of the actuator to open and close the valve based on a monitored rate of change in electrical output, such as voltage, compared to a rate of change threshold, wherein the valve is opened when the monitored rate of change exceeds the threshold.

System and method of controlling fluid to a fluid consuming battery

A system includes a power source (), a power supply (), and an electrical appliance (). The power supply () uses power from the power source () to supply power to the electrical appliance (). The devices carry out one or more of operations such as power converter disconnect, load shifting, power supply capability determination, and load prioritization operations.

Power supply that supplies power to and communicates with an electrical appliance

A fluid consuming battery () is provided with a fluid regulating system () for regulating fluid entry into the battery. The battery () includes a fluid consuming cell () having a cell housing with fluid entry ports for the passage of a fluid into the cell housing. A first fluid consuming electrode and a second electrode are disposed within the cell housing. The fluid regulating system () includes a valve having a moving plate () disposed adjacent to a fixed plate (). The moving plate and fixed plate both have fluid entry ports () that align in an open valve position and are misaligned in a closed valve position. The fluid regulating system () also includes an actuator that may include one or more shape memory alloy (SMA) components () for moving the moving plate () relative to the fixed plate () to open and close the valve.

Battery including a fluid manager mounted external to cell

A fluid regulating system is provided for controlling fluid to a fluid consuming battery having a fluid consuming cell. The fluid regulating system includes a valve having a moving plate disposed adjacent to a fixed plate, and both having fluid entry ports to open and close a valve. The fluid regulating system also includes an actuator for moving the moving plate to open and close the valve. The actuator is controlled to open the valve when greater battery electrical output is required to operate a device and maintains the valve in the open position for a minimum required time to minimize battery capacity loss due to operation of the fluid regulating system.

A device () such as a battery charger includes a body (), a movable member (), and a plurality of battery bays (). Moving the member () toward a first position increases a distance between respective first () and second () battery contacts so that a battery may be inserted with zero or substantially zero insertion force. Moving the member () in the second direction decreases the distance between the first and second battery contacts. In one implementation, the device () is polarity agnostic.

A battery charger () includes a plurality of battery receiving bays () for receiving batteries to be charged. A user interface () includes a display which displays information indicative of batteries received in the various bays () in graphical and textual form. The displayed information includes the number of batteries received in the charger, as well as their size, good/bad state, and state of charge.

Growing community of inventors

North Ridgeville, OH, United States of America

Michael J Brandon, Ii