Gadget Hamper - The Universal Device Charging Cradle

thingiverse

# Introducing the Gadget Hamper: A Revolutionary Device Charging Cradle System ## The Universal Device Charging Cradle system TL;DR: This is an open device charger that can be easily adjusted to support any handheld equipment needing a charging dock. The latest version of this project is always available on GitHub: https://github.com/dosman33/Gadget-Hamper Main site: http://gadgethamper.org ## Components - Base - the bottom shell everything plugs into - Rear deck - horizontal lid that snaps into place on the back side of the Base - Cradle - socket that accepts the device being charged - Chad - interlocking bricks that snap multiple Bases together - Auxiliary Bases - modular organizers that snap into the Base ## Why was this made? I found myself designing replacement battery pack cases using 18650 cells for older commercial radio equipment which previously relied on NiCD batteries. These radios have a good niche in the second-hand ham radio market so they are still desirable for hobbyists despite often lacking working batteries. Lithium batteries have many benefits over the older technology, but retro-fitting older equipment with Lithium cells is not just as easy as slapping a new battery pack on the radio. All radios have infrastructure that came with them, including desk-top and vehicular charging cradles. As I kept designing more battery packs for my own gear I realized I needed an easy to repurpose charging cradle system to support all of these new battery pack designs. ## Other needs for the Gadget Hamper Handheld equipment usually comes with a single charging cradle, most people keep this where the gear spends its down time so it can charge over night. Maybe you need a second charger on your desk at home, or in the garage. Now you can print as many as you need! Also, often people buy second hand equipment which didn’t come with a charger. If second-hand charging cradles are hard to find or expensive for some reason, just use the Gadget Hamper instead! ## Modularity - gang charging Anyone who dabbles in commercial radio equipment knows about gang chargers. This is a piece of equipment that can charge 2 or more devices at once. The Gadget Hamper allows you to create your own gang charger by snapping multiple Bases together. ## Designed to be printed using minimal support material - Modular base and battery cradle - Rear deck securely snaps into place, reduces support material waste - Easy to install indicator LED's on rear deck, then snap it into place - Makes internal wiring much easier ## Multiple uses - The Base and cradle components can be remixed separately, as long as their respective footprints and chad holes are used one can remix as much as desired. - Organizer trays, bases, and other inserts included in the design - Can be used as a device holder and organizer along with battery charging ## Print settings My setup is a Hesine M505 cartesian printer (cousin to the Anet A8) with a .8mm nozzle. I've experimented with different layer heights, but .1mm and .2mm work fine with my nozzle size. I mostly use PET-G filament as it's stronger than PLA and I don't need a HEPA filter to avoid lung cancer from the fumes. Support everywhere is needed for the "base with chad holes". The Universal Cradle needs support from build platform for the open channels on the bottom. Any filament should work. ## Please Remix! Check out the main site for examples and suggestions on modeling cradles to support new devices. It would be cool to see compatible blank cradles modeled in other formats than Blender (OpenSCAD, FreeCAD, etc). For better or for worse Blender is the only 3D modeling tool I can use for now so I can't provide other formats. http://gadgethamper.org Thanks!