charging one battery from another (using a charge controller, natch)

[Joerg]

If we all assume it's a prior art search, how is it hidden?

ROFL!

 

[James Arthur]

I'm thinking about the simple scheme of charging a portable device's
rechargeable internal battery from an external battery (which should
have a little higher voltage, obviously). The portable device should
have an internal charge controller to protect its battery and manage
the charging.

Find a suitable battery or stack of cells, and plug it in. Simple.

Using AA cells in an product like Belkin's iPod charger is an
example.
http://www.amazon.com/Belkin-F8E464-Backup-Battery-Pack/dp/B00009KAPW
Recharging your cell phone from your car's 12V battery could be an
example. Emergency power for a cell phone would be an example.
Instances of externally powering the dead device, without
significantly charging its battery, would be interesting as well.

I'm looking for specific instances of products, or of people doing
this
themselves and making the suggestion to others. One caveat, these
instances have to be during the 1990s or before. Sorry! That
rules out Belkin and their AA-cell holder, since Apple introduced the
iPod in 2002 and they brought out their product sometime later.

Thanks, Win.

Here's another lead, someone describing making and using an
external battery pack (4xAA alkaline cells) to charge a LiIon battery
in a mini-disc player:

http://groups.google.com/group/alt....d8b3/63b0acd57b035b12?&hl=en#63b0acd57b035b12

And another example, this one from 4/17/2000:
http://www.revoworld.com/dbShowNews.asp?ID=109


Best,
James Arthur