Service supply module and adapter for a consumer electronic device

• US 7,798,865 B2
• Filed: 01/04/2007
• Issued: 09/21/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/04/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Original Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Inventors: McCoy, Richard A., Krefman, Stephen D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Duverne; Jean F
• Application Number:
  US11/619,904
• Publication Number:
  US 20080165475A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,356 Days
• Field of Search: 439/676, 361685-686, 361/683, 361/303
• US Class Current: 439/676
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 23/02 Doors; Covers F25D23/08 takes precedence locks or fastenings E05B65/0042
• 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 2400/361 Interactive visual displays
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/0017 with operator interface units

Abstract

A service supply module and a modular system including the service supply module and an adapter. The service supply module has a surface mount and a service interface. The service interface supplies a service provided from the surface to which the service supply module is mounted. The adapter has a service interface for a consumer electronic device and receives the service from the service interface of the service supply module and supplied it to the consumer electronic device. The service supply module can comprise multiple service interfaces.

Claims

1. A modular system comprising:

a service supply module having a top and bottom connected by opposing sides;

a surface mount located on one of the opposing sides for mounting the service supply module to a surface; and

a first standardized service interface located on one of the top, the bottom, and the other one of the opposing sides, the first standardized service interface comprising an electrical interface and a mechanical interface that is physically separate from the electrical interface such that the electrical interface and the mechanical interface is used independently of each other; and

an adapter having;

a second standardized service interface for removably connecting to at least one of the electrical interface and the mechanical interface; and

a third standardized service interface for a consumer electronic device and for receiving the at least one service from the first standardized service interface and supplying it to the consumer electronic device;

wherein the electrical interface is configured to supply at least one electrical service provided from the surface.

2. The modular system of claim 1 and further comprising multiple adapters, each having a standardized service interface for a consumer electronic device and each being alternatively connectable to the service supply module.

3. The modular system of claim 2, wherein at least some of the multiple standardized service interfaces for multiple consumer electronic devices are for different consumer electronic devices.

4. The modular system of claim 1, wherein the at least one service comprises multiple services including at least one of power communication, and data communication.

5. The modular system of claim 1, wherein the surface is selected from a vertical surface and a horizontal surface.

6. The modular system of claim 1 further comprising a host comprising a compatible standardized service interface to selectively supply the at least one service to the service supply module.

7. The modular system of claim 1 wherein the service supply module is adapted to be mounted to an appliance.

8. The modular system of claim 7 wherein the service supply module is adapted to be mounted to a door of the appliance.

9. The modular system of claim 1 wherein the service supply module is configured to mount to an upper surface of a cabinet and support the consumer electronic device adjacent a vertical surface of the cabinet below the upper surface.

10. A service module for removably supporting an adapter with a standardized service interface for a consumer electronic device adjacent a vertical surface of a use environment, and for selectively receiving at least one first electrical service from the use environment and delivering at least one second electrical service to the adapter for use by the consumer electronic device, the service module comprising:

a main body;

a surface mount for mounting the main body to the vertical surface;

a first service interface adapted to receive the at least one first electrical service from the use environment;

a second service interface adapted to supply the at least one second electrical service to the adapter; and

a third service interface adapted to mechanically mount the adapter to the main body;

wherein the third service interface is physically separate from the second service interface such that the electrical service and the mechanical service is used independently of each other.

11. The service module of claim 10 wherein the second and third service interfaces are standardized and adapted to accept multiple alternative adapters adapted for different types of consumer electronic devices.

12. The service module of claim 10, wherein the third service interface is adapted to support the adapter adjacent the vertical surface.

13. The service module of claim 10, wherein at least one of the at least one first electrical service and the at least one second electrical service comprises multiple services.

14. The service module of claim 10, wherein the at least one first and the at least one second electrical service each comprise at least one of power communication and data communication with the consumer electronic device.

15. The service module of claim 10, wherein the main body comprises at least one of a top edge and a bottom edge and at least one of the second service interface and the third service interface is located on the at least one of the top edge and the bottom edge.

16. The service module of claim 15, wherein the at least one of the top edge and bottom edge are generally horizontally oriented.

17. The service module of claim 10, wherein the service module further selectively provides at least one third service other than the at least one second electrical service to the adapter.

18. The modular system of claim 10 wherein the service supply module is adapted to be mounted to an appliance.

19. A modular system for selectively receiving at least one first electrical service from a use environment and delivering at least one second electrical service to a consumer electronic device, the modular system comprising:

an adapter having a main body with a first standardized service interface depending from the main body and a second standardized service interface for the consumer electronic device; and

a service module for removably supporting the adapter comprising;

a main body having a top and bottom connected by opposing sides;

a surface mount on one of the opposing sides for mounting the main body to the vertical surface;

a first service interface adapted to receive the at least first electrical service from the use environment;

a second service interface on the top of the main body and adapted to supply the at least one second electrical service to the adapter; and

a third service interface on the top of the main body and adapted to mechanical mount the adapter to the main body;

wherein the first standardized service interface couples with the third service interface to suspend the adapter from the service module.

20. The service module of claim 19, wherein the at least one first and the at least one second electrical service each comprise at least one of power communication and data communication with the consumer electronic device.

21. The service module of claim 19, wherein the service module further selectively provides at least one third service other than the at least one second electrical service to the adapter.