APPLIANCE CONSOLE WITH CONNECTOR-FREE ATTACHMENT TO APPLIANCE
First Claim
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1. An appliance system comprising:
- an appliance body providing a cabinet housing with at least one of electrical actuators and electrical sensors for implementing a function of the appliance;
a first and second appliance console providing different user accessible controls implementing at least some different appliance functions, the appliance consoles interchangeably attaching to the appliance body;
wherein the appliance body supports at least one primary coil attached proximate to a location of an appliance console when an appliance console is attached to the appliance body, the primary coil attached to driving circuitry providing an oscillating magnetic field passing from the appliance body;
and wherein the first and second appliance console each support at least one secondary coil attached proximate to the primary coil of the appliance body when the appliance console is attached to the appliance body, the secondary coils being electrically connected to receiving circuitry to rectify an alternating current signal induced in the secondary coil by the primary coil to provide power to the appliance console.
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Abstract
A configuration system for an appliance such as a dryer or washing machine provides for multiple interchangeable consoles having different user controls and displays that may be attached to standardized appliance housings to change the functionality of the appliance allowing for multiple appliance styles to be offered with reduced inventory stocking requirements
10 Citations
14 Claims
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1. An appliance system comprising:
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an appliance body providing a cabinet housing with at least one of electrical actuators and electrical sensors for implementing a function of the appliance; a first and second appliance console providing different user accessible controls implementing at least some different appliance functions, the appliance consoles interchangeably attaching to the appliance body; wherein the appliance body supports at least one primary coil attached proximate to a location of an appliance console when an appliance console is attached to the appliance body, the primary coil attached to driving circuitry providing an oscillating magnetic field passing from the appliance body; and wherein the first and second appliance console each support at least one secondary coil attached proximate to the primary coil of the appliance body when the appliance console is attached to the appliance body, the secondary coils being electrically connected to receiving circuitry to rectify an alternating current signal induced in the secondary coil by the primary coil to provide power to the appliance console. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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- 8. An appliance console attachable to an appliance body, the appliance body providing a cabinet housing with at least one electrical actuator or electrical sensor for implementing a function of the appliance, the appliance console providing user accessible controls for the function when attached to the appliance body, the appliance console including an electrical coil positioned in the appliance console to be proximate to a corresponding electrical coil in the appliance body when at a provide electromagnetic coupling between the electrical coils when the appliance console is attached to the appliance body for communicating electrical power from the appliance body to the appliance console by inductive coupling.
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14. A method of managing appliance inventory comprising the steps of:
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(a) stocking a first set of appliance bodies each providing a cabinet housing with at least one of electrical actuators and electrical sensors for implementing a function of the appliance, the cabinet supporting at least one primary coil attached proximate to a location of an appliance console, the primary coil attached to driving circuitry providing an oscillating magnetic field passing from the appliance body, the appliance bodies further including a wireless data receiver communicating with the primary coil; (b) stocking separate sets of a first and second appliance console providing for user accessible controls implementing at least some different appliance functions, the appliance console supporting at least one secondary coil attached proximate to the primary coil of the appliance body when the console is mounted on the appliance body, the secondary coils attached to receiving circuitry to rectify an alternating current signal induced in the secondary coil by the primary coil to provide electrical output providing power to the user accessible controls;
the first and second appliance consoles further including a wireless data transmitter connected to the secondary coil; and(c) selectively attaching one of the first and second consoles to an appliance housing to determine a function of a resulting appliance.
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Specification