Smart phone and/or consumer electronics device charger system

Abstract

A consumer electronics charging device having a pair of rotatable blades, wherein the blades are rotatable from a deployed position in which ends of the blades are inserted into a standard wall outlet to a retracted position to decrease the overall thickness of the charger.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 ) A charging device, comprising:
 (a) a housing;   (b) a plug unit in communication with the housing, the plug unit having:
 (i) a pair of blades, wherein the blades are positionable from a deployed position to a retracted position, the deployed position defined by ends of the blades oriented to be received by a wall outlet; and 
 (ii) a mechanism for transitioning the blades from the retracted position to the deployed position; and 
   (c) electrical circuitry operable to electrically connect the blades of the plug unit to a battery of a consumer electronics device.   
     
     
         2 ) The charging device of  claim 1 , wherein the blades are disposed in parallel planes when in the deployed position. 
     
     
         3 ) The charging device of  claim 1 , wherein the blades rotate away from each other about parallel axes into the deployed position. 
     
     
         4 ) The charging device of  claim 1 , wherein the blades are positionable together such that manual positioning of one blade causes the other blade to move. 
     
     
         5 ) The charging device of  claim 1 , wherein the blades are biased to rotate throughout a range of motion between retracted and deployed positions. 
     
     
         6 ) The charging device of  claim 1 , wherein the blades are substantially parallel when in the retracted position. 
     
     
         7 ) The charging device of  claim 1 , wherein the blades are positionable by being folded away from one another when moved between deployed and retracted positions. 
     
     
         8 ) The charging device of  claim 1 , wherein the battery is operatively connected to the housing. 
     
     
         9 ) The charging device of  claim 1 , wherein the charging device is electrically connected to the battery of the consumer electronics device, the consumer electronics device being a smart phone, a battery charger, an electric toothbrush, or an electric shaver. 
     
     
         10 ) The charging device of  claim 9 , further comprising a slide moveable between a first position that exposes the blades, and a second sliding position that substantially covers the blades. 
     
     
         11 ) The charging device of  claim 1 , wherein a base of each of the blades are mounted onto a spring biased member. 
     
     
         12 ) The charging device of  claim 1 , wherein the housing is attached to a rear portion or a bottom portion of a smart phone. 
     
     
         13 ) The charging device of  claim 1 , wherein the housing further comprises a cradle operable to receive the consumer electronics device. 
     
     
         14 ) The charging device of  claim 1 , further comprising: a spring biasing system that urges the blades into the deployed position. 
     
     
         15 ) The charging device of  claim 14 , further comprising: a restraint mechanism for holding the blades in the retracted position, wherein releasing the restraint mechanism causes the blades to transition to the deployed position. 
     
     
         16 ) The charging device of  claim 1 , further comprising: a latching mechanism for holding the blades in the retracted position, the latching mechanism comprising:
 a spring for each blade;   a roller in communication with respective blades and springs;   a switch having a forward projection positioned on a side of the rollers; and   wherein each spring is operable to advance the switch such that a forward projection of the switch remains positioned on the side of the rollers thereby preventing the blades from moving from the retracted position.   
     
     
         17 ) The charging device of  claim 16 , wherein sliding the switch away from the blades causes the forward projection to release each of the rollers causing the springs to move the blades to the deployed positions. 
     
     
         18 ) The charging device of  claim 1 , wherein the blades are planar with the housing in the retracted position, and wherein the blades rotate upwardly and are twisted when transitioning from the retracted position to the deployed position. 
     
     
         19 ) The charging device of  claim 18 , wherein each blade rotates is operable to rotate 90 degrees about a corresponding longitudinal blade axis. 
     
     
         20 ) A charging system for a consumer electronics device, comprising:
 (a) the consumer electronics device having: a battery, and a power connector configured to electrically connect an external power supply to the battery;   (b) a charging device, having:
 (i) a housing; 
 (ii) a plug unit in communication with the housing, the plug unit having:
 (a) a pair of blades, wherein the blades are positionable from a deployed position to a retracted position, the deployed position defined by ends of the blades oriented to be received by the external power supply; and 
 (b) a mechanism for transitioning the blades from the retracted position to the deployed position, 
 
 (iii) electrical circuitry operable to electrically connect the blades of the plug unit with the power connector, the battery, and the external power supply. 
   
     
     
         21 ) The charging system of  claim 20 , wherein the charging device plugs into the power connector of the consumer electronics device. 
     
     
         22 ) The charging system of  claim 20 , wherein the consumer electronic device is a smart phone, a battery recharger, an electric toothbrush, or an electric shaver. 
     
     
         23 ) The charging system of  claim 22 , wherein the power connector is a 30 pin connector.