Many childrens toys or other devices that use conventional batteries(ie AA, AAA, C, D) do not have provision for recharging the batteries(TV Remotes, toys etc) There are currently available rechargable batteries(NICAD, LION) but you still have to remove them and put them in the charger(which involves coins, screwdrivers, fingernails or combinations of all three)
I propose a battery using a standard form factor(AA Etc) but with an induction coil built into the battery with a charging circuit. This would allow you to have a pad (or Pads) that you could place the object with the induction batteries installed onto and it would recharge the batteries no disassembly required.
This could also be integrated into a children's toy shelf or bin such that any toys placed on the shelf will automatically be recharged.
This would be fully compatible with all battery powered objects available today with no modifications.-- jhomrighaus, Feb 15 2007 Shakeably-rechargeable battery Battery-Shaped_20Shake_20Generatorrelated idea [csea, Feb 22 2007] A possible pad http://www.wildcharge.com/Almost on the market [csea, Feb 22 2007] Another Idea Baked http://www.engadget...recharges-in-a-cup/AA induction charged battery [jhomrighaus, Jul 02 2010] powermat http://www.mobilefu...arge-pad-p23462.htmhalf way there [Tulaine, Jul 03 2010] Better yet, have the toy-box be the charging zone.
"Put your toys away or they won't work tomorrow"...-- Custardguts, Feb 22 2007 See related idea which doesn't even require a separate charger, just manually shake to charge!
[link]-- csea, Feb 22 2007 [Custardguts] Isnt that what i said right here?
//This could also be integrated into a children's toy shelf or bin such that any toys placed on the shelf will automatically be recharged.//-- jhomrighaus, Feb 22 2007 [csea]
These are really quite different. Have you ever had to charge one of those shakeable recahrge flashlights? Your arm is ready to fall off after about a minute and that gives you like 30 seconds of power(more now with the LEDs but still not a lot)
This is expressly intended to be retrofit able to existing products and can also be used for products that are not amenable to shaking(size, weight, fragility).
"Honey? Why are you shaking the Roomba?"
"I swear officer its my kids dolly I was shaking, the batteries were dead, I would never do that to a Baby!"-- jhomrighaus, Feb 22 2007 [jh] I have 3 of the LED shakeable flashlights, and haven't found the shaking to be arduous. They have the advantage that they can be recharged anytime, anywhere, without resorting to another power source, or even sunlight.
There is a company [link] about to market an inductive pad, but they seem to have avoided the battery problem by the use of a matching component with the receiving coil, which connects to the charger terminals of the portable device.
Your idea is better due to the standard form factor batteries, but would likely be less efficient due to larger distance between coils.-- csea, Feb 22 2007 It will certainly be more efficient than me having to go to the store buy the batteries and change them every 2 hours(Anyones kid have one of those cheap RC cars that use regular batteries?)-- jhomrighaus, Feb 22 2007 I was just about to call this baked (electric toothbrushes and razors already have inductive chargers) but now i see the benefit of yoru approach. good idea, bun for you.-- ServoMan314, Jun 21 2008 Another idea that has come to be fully baked with time! See Link!
Yay!-- jhomrighaus, Jul 02 2010 I found the Powermat (see link) but it relies on you having an adapter permanently plugged in to your PSP/phone/MP3 player so you can simply drop the item onto the mat to start charging.
I'm sure I read a while back about the major mobile phone makers agreeing some standard method of picking up charge energy from an inductive surface without need for an actual wired connection but can't find anything of the sort now. (Maybe I just dreamed that up and forgot to suggest it on HB).-- Tulaine, Jul 03 2010 Xavier I think I accidentally deleted your annotation and I am very sorry for that, tapped the wrong link.
To paraphrase He noted that my link was actually posted before I posted my idea which is true so its actually a baked idea at time of inception. :(
at least I know it was an OK idea.
X please reannotate if you like it was not on purpose that I deleted as you said i have been gone for a while. That's what happens when you are working 60 to 70 hours a week driving a truck or working in the field(no computer access)-- jhomrighaus, Jul 04 2010 [Tulaine] Powermat - Why do you say half way?-- pashute, Jul 22 2011 random, halfbakery