INDUCTIVELY COUPLED SHELVING AND STORAGE CONTAINERS

• US 20090212737A1
• Filed: 02/24/2009
• Published: 08/27/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/25/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: L&P Property Management Company (Leggett & Platt Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: L&P Property Management Company (Leggett & Platt Incorporated)
• Inventors: Browning, Caleb, Johnson, LeRoy
• Granted Patent: US 8,228,026 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 320/108
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 96/02 Shelves movable shelves coupled to doors A47B96/16
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 97/00 Furniture or accessories for furniture, not provided for in other groups of this subclass
• CPC Class Codes: B25H 3/006 Storage means specially adapted for one specific hand apparatus, e.g. an electric drill
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/12 of the resonant type
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0044 specially adapted for holding portable devices containing batteries H02J7/0045 takes precedence

Abstract

Inductively coupled shelving units and storage containers with integrated primary coils, as well as inductively coupled systems for storing and charging tools, are provided. Power is inductively coupled from a primary coil to a device containing a secondary coil. Primary coils may be integrated into a shelving unit to charge devices stored on the shelving unit. Primary coils may similarly be integrated into a storage container. Inductively coupled shelving units may also be configured to receive and hold an inductively coupled storage container such as a toolbox. An integrated secondary coil in the toolbox receives power inductively coupled from a primary coil in a shelving unit. Integrated primary coils in the toolbox then inductively couple the received power to secondary coils in individual devices. Integrated primary coils may provide varying amounts of power.

Claims

1. An inductively coupled shelving unit, comprising:

a shelving unit having one or more shelves; and

one or more primary coils integrated into the one or more shelves, wherein each primary coil is connected to a power source, and

wherein each primary coil is capable of inductively coupling power to a device containing a secondary coil.

2. The inductively coupled shelving unit of claim 1, further comprising indicators that show the charging area for each primary coil.

3. The inductively coupled shelving unit of claim 1, wherein the one or more primary coils is a combination of primary coils selected from the group consisting of low power primary coil, medium power primary coil, and high power primary coil.

4. The inductively coupled shelving unit of claim 1,

wherein a docking area configured to receive and hold an inductively coupled storage container is attached to the shelving unit, and

wherein the one or more primary coils integrated into the one or more shelves are integrated into the docking unit.

5. The inductively coupled shelving unit of claim 4, wherein the inductively coupled storage container is a toolbox.

6. The inductively coupled shelving unit of claim 1, wherein the shelving unit is installed in a vehicle.

7. The inductively coupled shelving unit of claim 1,

wherein a plurality of primary coils are integrated into the one or more shelves, and

wherein the plurality of primary coils are controlled by a single circuit.

8. An inductively coupled storage container, comprising:

a storage container capable of storing one or more devices containing one or more secondary coils; and

one or more primary coils integrated into the storage container,

wherein each primary coil is connected to a power source, and

wherein each primary coil is capable of inductively coupling power to a device containing a secondary coil.

9. The inductively coupled storage container of claim 8, wherein the one or more internal primary coils is a combination of primary coils selected from the group consisting of low power primary coil, medium power primary coil, and high power primary coil.

10. The inductively coupled storage container of claim 8,

wherein a plurality of primary coils are integrated into the storage container, and

wherein the plurality of primary coils are controlled by a single circuit.

11. The inductively coupled storage container of claim 8, wherein the storage container is a toolbox containing compartments designed to receive and hold one or more tools containing one or more secondary coils.

12. The inductively coupled storage container of claim 8, wherein the storage container is a tool holster installed on a side surface.

13. The inductively coupled storage container of claim 8, further comprising:

one or more secondary coils integrated into the storage container,

wherein the secondary coils integrated into the storage container are capable of receiving power inductively coupled from one or more external primary coils, and

wherein the power inductively coupled to the secondary coils integrated into the storage container is transferred to the one or more primary coils integrated into the storage container.

14. The inductively coupled storage container of claim 13, wherein the storage container is designed to receive power inductively coupled from a surface containing one or more primary coils.

15. A system for storing and inductively charging devices, comprising:

one or more surfaces;

one or more primary coils integrated into the one or more surfaces,

wherein each of the one or more primary coils is connected to a power source, and

wherein each of the one or more primary coils is capable of inductively coupling power to a secondary coil; and

a storage container capable of storing one or more devices containing a secondary coil.

16. The system of claim 15, further comprising:

one or more secondary coils integrated into the storage container,

wherein the secondary coils are capable of receiving power inductively coupled from the one or more primary coils integrated into the one or more surfaces; and

one or more primary coils integrated into the storage container capable of inductively coupling power received by the secondary coils integrated into the storage container to the one or more devices containing one or more secondary coils.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the one or more surfaces are shelves in a shelving unit.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein a docking area configured to receive and hold the storage container is attached to the shelving unit.

19. The system of claim 15, wherein the storage container is a toolbox.

20. The system of claim 15, wherein the system is installed in a vehicle.