Appliance Door With a Service Interface
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An appliance comprises a cabinet, a door movably mounted to the cabinet and having a peripheral edge, and a standardized service interface located on the peripheral edge. The standardized service interface is configured to supply at least one service for use by a consumer electronic device. The peripheral edge can be the top edge of the door and the standardized service interface can receive the service from the use environment of the appliance. A connector can be incorporated into the standardized service interface to selectively supply the consumer electronic device with the service. The appliance can comprise a refrigerator. The service can comprise mechanical, power, or data communication.
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Citations
38 Claims
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1-26. -26. (canceled)
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27. An electrical appliance for performing a household task by conducting a useful cycle of operation on a consumer item, the appliance comprising:
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a cabinet defining a chamber for selectively containing the consumer item and performing the household task, the cabinet having an open face providing access to the chamber to add and remove the consumer item; a door with a peripheral edge and movably mounted to the cabinet for selectively closing the open face; at least one service used by the appliance in conducting the useful cycle of operation; and a standardized service interface located on the peripheral edge and configured to the at least one service for use by a consumer electronic device. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31)
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33. An appliance for performing a household task by conducting a useful cycle of operation on a consumer item and for selectively supporting and providing at least one service to a portable consumer electronic device, the appliance comprising:
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a cabinet defining at least one chamber for selectively containing the at least one consumer item and performing the household task, the cabinet having an open face providing access to the interior of the cabinet to add and remove the consumer item; a door having a vertical front face and a top edge and movably mounted to the cabinet for selectively closing the open face; at least one electrical service used by the appliance in conducting the useful cycle of operation; a standardized service interface located on the top edge of the door and adapted to receive the at least one electrical service; and a connector incorporated into the standardized service interface to selectively supply the consumer electronic device with the at least one electrical service. - View Dependent Claims (32, 34)
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35. A system for supporting and providing at least one service to a consumer electronic device comprising:
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an electrical appliance for performing a household task by conducting a useful cycle of operation on a consumer item, the appliance comprising; a cabinet defining a chamber for selectively containing the consumer item and performing the household task, the cabinet having an open face providing access to the chamber to add and remove the consumer item; a door with a peripheral edge and movably mounted to the cabinet for selectively closing the open face; at least one service used by the appliance in conducting the useful cycle of operation; a standardized service interface located on the peripheral edge and supply with at least one service for use by a consumer electronic device; and an adapter capable of being coupled with the standardized service interface and capable of coupling with the consumer electronic device to provide the at least one service to the consumer electronic device.
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36. The system of claim 39, wherein the adapter comprises a first service interface coupled to the standardized service interface of the refrigerator to receive the at least one service from the appliance.
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37. The appliance of claim 39, wherein the adapter has second service interface coupled to the first service interface and configured for coupling with the consumer electronic device to supply the at least one service to the consumer electronic device.
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38. The appliance of claim 39 wherein the standardized service interface is adapted to support the adapter adjacent a vertical surface of the door.
Specification