System for supplying service from an appliance to multiple consumer electronic devices

• US 7,625,246 B2
• Filed: 01/04/2007
• Issued: 12/01/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/04/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Original Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Inventors: Kendall, James W., McCoy, Richard A., Viswanathan, Ameresh, LeClear, Douglas D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Duverne; Jean F
• Application Number:
  US11/619,900
• Publication Number:
  US 20080166895A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,062 Days
• Field of Search: 439/676, 439/236, 361/686, 361/683, 361/681
• US Class Current: 439/676
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 23/028 Details
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 23/12 Arrangements of compartments additional to cooling compartments; Combinations of refrigerators with other equipment, e.g. stove
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2400/06 Refrigerators with a vertical mullion

Abstract

A modular system comprises an appliance, a first adapter coupling a first consumer electronic device, and a second adapter coupling a second consumer electronic device wherein the first and second adapters are each capable of being connected with the appliance. The adapters may share a common interface with the appliance. The adapters may supply at least one electrical service between the appliance and respective consumer electronic devices.

Claims

1. A modular system comprising:

an appliance conducting a useful cycle of operation;

a first removable adapter mounting a first portable consumer electronic device to the appliance to supply at least one electrical service between the appliance and the first consumer electronic device; and

a second removable adapter mounting a second portable consumer electronic device to the appliance to supply at least one electrical service between the appliance and the second consumer electronic device;

wherein the first and second adapters are simultaneously removably coupled to the appliance.

2. The modular system of claim 1, wherein the at least one electrical service supplied by at least one of the first and second adapters comprises multiple services including at least one of power communication and data communication with the consumer electronic device.

3. The modular system of claim 2, wherein the first adapter supplies at least one electrical service that is different from the at least one electrical service supplied by the second adapter.

4. The modular system of claim 1, wherein the at least one electrical service supplied by the first adapter comprises at least one of:

multiple services including at least one of power communication and data communication with the consumer electronic device; and

a service different from the at least one electrical service supplied by the second adapter.

5. The modular system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first adapter and second adapter comprises at least a first component and a second component, which are operably coupled to supply the at least one electrical service to the respective first consumer electronic device and second consumer electronic device.

6. The modular system of claim 5, wherein the other of the first adapter and second adapter comprises at least a first component and a second component, which are operably coupled to supply the at least one electrical service between the appliance and the respective first and second consumer electronic device and further wherein the first adapter and second adapter share the same first component.

7. The modular system of claim 1, wherein the appliance is one of a heating appliance, a cooling appliance, and a cleaning appliance.

8. The modular system of claim 1, wherein the appliance comprises a standardized service interface that couples with at least one of the first and second adapters to supply the at least one electrical service between the appliance and the respective first and second consumer electronic devices.

9. The modular system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first adapter and second adapter couples the respective first consumer electronic device and second consumer electronic device adjacent to a vertical surface of the appliance.

10. The modular system of claim 1, wherein the appliance provides the at least one electrical service supplied by at least one of the first and second adapters.

11. The modular system of claim 10, wherein at least one of the first adapter and second adapter is a transformative adapter that transforms the at least one electrical service provided by the appliance prior to supplying the at least one electrical service to the respective first consumer electronic device and the second consumer electronic device.

12. The modular system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first adapter and second adapter comprises at least a first component and a second component, which are operably coupled to mount at least one of the respective first consumer electronic device and second consumer electronic device to the appliance.

13. The modular system of claim 1, wherein the at least one electrical service is one of wireless power communication and wireless data communication.

14. A modular system for coupling a first consumer electronic device having a first service interface and a second consumer electronic device having a second service interface to an appliance, comprising:

an appliance conducting a useful cycle of operation having at least a first standardized service interface;

a first removable adapter having a first adapter interface compatible with the first standardized service interface and a second adapter interface compatible with the first service interface, wherein the first removable adapter may be used to electrically couple the first consumer electronic device to the appliance by coupling the first service interface to the second adapter interface and the first adapter interface to the first standardized interface; and

a second removable adapter having a third adapter interface compatible with the first standardized service interface and a fourth adapter interface compatible with the second service interface, wherein the second removable adapter may be used to electrically couple the second consumer electronic device to the appliance by coupling the second service interface to the fourth adapter interface and the third adapter interface to the first standardized interface;

wherein the first and second service interfaces are incompatible with the first standardized service interface, and the first and second adapters simultaneously removably mount the first and second consumer electronic devices to the appliance to supply at least one electrical service between the appliance and the consumer electronic devices.

15. The modular system of claim 14, wherein the appliance further has a second standardized service interface, which is compatible with at least one of the first and third adapter interfaces.