ADAPTER FOR COUPLING A CONSUMER ELECTRONIC DEVICE TO AN APPLIANCE

• US 20100248546A1
• Filed: 06/09/2010
• Published: 09/30/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/04/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Original Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Inventors: MCCOY, RICHARD A.
• Granted Patent: US 7,903,397 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 439/620.210
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 31/06 Intermediate parts for linking two coupling parts, e.g. adapter with a holder adapted for supporting apparatus to which its counterpart is attached H01R33/94

Abstract

An adapter comprises a first adapter interface configured to removably couple to a consumer electronic device to permit communication of a first electrical service between the adapter and the device, a second adapter interface configured to removably couple to an appliance to permit communication of a second electrical service between the transformative adapter and the appliance, and at least one transformation component in communication with the first adapter interface and the second adapter interface and transforming one of the first electrical service and the second electrical service into the other when the adapter is mechanically coupled with at least one of the appliance and the consumer electronic device. The first and second electrical services can be a power or data service, and one of the services can comprise a wireless service.

Claims

1. An adapter for removably coupling a consumer electronic device having a first standardized service interface to an appliance conducting a useful cycle of operation and having a second standardized service interface that is incompatible with the first standardized interface, the adapter comprising:

an adapter main body;

a first adapter interface provided on the main body and configured to removably couple to the first standardized interface to permit communication of a first electrical service selected from a power service and a data service between the adapter and the consumer electronic device;

a second adapter interface provided on the main body and configured to removably couple to the second standardized interface to permit communication of a second electrical service selected from a power service and a data service between the adapter and the appliance; and

at least one transformation component in communication with the first adapter interface and the second adapter interface and transforming one of the first electrical service and the second electrical service to the other of the first electrical service and the second electrical service when the adapter is mechanically coupled with at least one of the appliance and the consumer electronic device;

wherein at least one of the first electrical service and the second electrical service comprises a wireless service.

2. The adapter of claim 1, further comprising an inverter capable of transforming the first electrical service to the second electrical service.

3. The adapter of claim 2, wherein the first electrical service comprises a first type of power service and the second electrical service comprises a second type of power service, and inverter is configured to transform the first type of power to the second type of power.

4. The adapter of claim 1 wherein at least one of the first electrical service and the second electrical service comprises both a power service and a data service.

5. The adapter of claim 1 wherein at least one of the first electrical service and the second electrical service is bi-directional.

6. The adapter of claim 1 wherein each of the first electrical service and the second electrical service comprise bi-directional data service.

7. The adapter of claim 1 wherein one of the first electrical service and the second electrical service comprises wireless power service.

8. The adapter of claim 7 wherein the other of the first electrical service and the second electrical service comprises wired power service.

9. The adapter of claim 1 wherein one of the first electrical service and the second electrical service comprises wireless data service.

10. The adapter of claim 9 wherein the other of the first electrical service and the second electrical service comprises wired data service.

11. The adapter of claim 1 wherein the incompatibility of the first and second standardized service interfaces is an incompatibility of the format of the first electrical service and the second electrical service, and the transformation component transforms one of the first electrical service and the second electrical service to a different format.

12. The adapter of claim 1, further comprising a power source provided within the main body.

13. The adapter of claim 12 wherein and the power source is a rechargeable battery.

14. The adapter of claim 1 wherein one of the first and second adapter interface comprises a mechanical interface on the main body for mechanically coupling the adapter with at least one of the appliance and the consumer electronic device.

15. The adapter of claim 1 wherein the other of the first and second adapter interface comprises a mechanical interface on the main body for mechanically coupling the adapter with the other of the appliance and the consumer electronic device.