Alternative hosts for multiple adapters and multiple consumer electronic devices

• US 7,898,812 B2
• Filed: 01/04/2007
• Issued: 03/01/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/04/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Original Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Inventors: LeClear, Douglas D., McCoy, Richard A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Duverne; Jean F
• Application Number:
  US11/619,845
• Publication Number:
  US 20080164226A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,517 Days
• Field of Search: 361/728, 386/96, 439/676, 439/660
• US Class Current: 361/728
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 27/02 for simultaneous co-operation with two or more dissimilar counterparts
• 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

A modular system comprises multiple hosts, each having a common service interface, multiple consumer electronic devices, each having a service interface that is different from each other and from the common service interface of the hosts, and multiple adapters, each corresponding to one of the consumer electronic devices, to couple the service interfaces of the host and the corresponding consumer electronic device to supply at least one service between the host and the corresponding consumer electronic device.

Claims

1. A modular system comprising:

multiple appliances, each performing a different useful physical cycle of operation and having a host service interface;

multiple consumer electronic devices, each having a device service interface that is incompatible with all of the host service interfaces of the multiple appliances; and

multiple adapters comprising a corresponding adapter for each of the multiple consumer electronic devices to couple the device service interface to one of the host service interfaces such that at least one service can be supplied between at least one of the multiple appliances and at least one of the multiple consumer electronic devices.

2. The modular system of claim 1, wherein the host service interfaces of the multiple appliances provides at least one electrical service to at least one of the multiple consumer electronic devices through at least one of the multiple adapters.

3. The modular system of claim 2, wherein the at least one electrical service is different from the at least one service.

4. The modular system of claim 1, wherein one of the multiple appliances and the multiple consumer electronic devices provides the at least one service and another of the multiple appliances and the multiple consumer electronic devices receives the at least one service.

5. The modular system of claim 4, wherein one of the multiple adapters provides at least one service in addition to the at least one service provided by the one of the multiple appliances and the multiple consumer electronic devices.

6. The modular system of claim 5, wherein the at least one service provided by the one of the multiple adapters is different from the at least one service provided by the one of the multiple appliances and the multiple consumer electronic devices.

7. The modular system of claim 1, wherein one of the multiple adapters mechanically couples one of the multiple consumer electronic devices to one of the multiple appliances.

8. The modular system of claim 1, wherein the host service interface of one of the multiple appliances is integral with the one of the multiple appliances and the host service interface of another of the multiple appliances is removable from the another of the multiple appliances.

9. The modular system of claim 1, wherein the multiple adapters each comprise a transformative component that receives the at least one service, transforms the at least one service from a first category of the at least one service to a second category of the at least one service, different than the first category, and supplies the second category of the at least one service.

10. The modular system of claim 1, wherein the multiple adapters each provide a mechanical support service to the multiple consumer electronic devices.

11. A modular system for use with multiple consumer electronic devices, each having a device service interface that is different from each other, the modular system comprising:

multiple appliances, each performing a different useful physical cycle of operation and having a host service interface that is incompatible with at least one of the device service interfaces of the multiple consumer electronic devices; and

multiple adapters comprising a corresponding adapter for each of the multiple consumer electronic devices to couple the device service interface to one of the host service interfaces such that at least one service can be supplied between each of the multiple appliances and at least one of the multiple consumer electronic devices by at least one of the adapters wherein the multiple adapters each comprise a transformative component that receives the at least one service, transforms the at least one service from a first category of the at least one service to a second category of the at least one service, different than the first category, and supplies the second category of the at least one service.

12. A modular system for coupling with a consumer electronic device having a device service interface and for supporting the consumer electronic device adjacent a vertical surface, the modular system comprising:

an appliance performing a useful physical cycle of operation and having an appliance service interface that is incompatible with the device service interface and providing a mechanical support service and at least one electrical service;

a portable host having a host service interface that is incompatible with the device service interface and providing a mechanical support service and at least one electrical service;

a mechanical mounting system for selectively mounting the portable host adjacent a vertical surface; and

an adapter selectively coupling the consumer electronic device with one of the appliance and the portable host to supply the consumer electronic device with the mechanical support service and the at least one electrical service, wherein when the adapter is coupled with the portable host, the consumer electronic device is supported adjacent the vertical surface.

13. The modular system of claim 12, wherein the adapter comprises a transformative component that receives the at least one electrical service, transforms the at least one electrical service from a first category to a second category that is different than the first category, and supplies the second category of the at least one electrical service to the consumer electronic device.

14. The modular system of claim 12 further comprising multiple adapters, each selectively coupling a different type of consumer electronic device with one of the appliance and the portable host.

15. The modular system of claim 12 wherein the host service interface is provided on an upper horizontal surface of the portable host when the portable host is mounted adjacent the vertical surface.

16. The modular system of claim 12 wherein the adapter comprises a main body having a horizontal portion and a connector extending downwardly from the horizontal portion for engagement with one of the appliance service interface and the host service interface.

17. The modular system of claim 16 wherein the adapter further comprises a holder extending downwardly from the horizontal portion for removably holding the consumer electronic device.