System for mounting a device to a host

• US 7,934,958 B2
• Filed: 03/29/2010
• Issued: 05/03/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/04/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Original Assignee: Whirlpool Corporation
• Inventors: Viswanathan, Ameresh, Knight, John M., Weinkauf, David A., Kendall, James W., McCoy, Richard A., Moes, Christopher S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Duverne; Jean F
• Application Number:
  US12/748,679
• Publication Number:
  US 20100182753A1
• Time in Patent Office: 400 Days
• Field of Search: 439/628, 439/188, 361680-686, 361/725, 361/679
• US Class Current: 439/628
• 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 23/126 Water cooler
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2400/06 Refrigerators with a vertical mullion
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2400/361 Interactive visual displays
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2400/40 Refrigerating devices characterised by electrical wiring
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/0017 with operator interface units

Abstract

A system for mounting a device to a host, such as an appliance, includes elongated, substantially parallel device interfaces for removably mounting the device to the host. The device interfaces can include rails, slots and/or electrical conductors.

Claims

1. A system for mounting a device having a pair of spaced connectors, the system comprising:

an appliance host having a cabinet defining an interior, with an open face providing access to the interior, and a door mounted to the cabinet selectively closing the open face, one of the cabinet and the door having an outer wall;

a pair of generally parallel elongated slots in the outer wall; and

a rail provided with each slot below the outer wall, and slidably receiving one of the connectors for slidable movement of the device along the rails;

wherein the position of the device relative to the appliance host is adjusted by sliding the device along the rails;

wherein each rail comprises a channelway for receiving one of the connectors of the device, and each channelway is accessible through one of the slots.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the rails are provided on an interior of the outer wall.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the rails cooperatively define a plurality of alternative locations along the outer wall for mechanically coupling the device to the outer wall.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the appliance host is a refrigeration appliance.

5. The system of claim 1, further comprising at least one device having a pair of spaced connectors, the connectors slidably received by the rails.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein the device is portable.

7. The system of claim 5 wherein the device is a portable device and is removably coupled to the outer wall.

8. The system of claim 5, wherein the at least one device comprises multiple devices simultaneously removably coupled to the rails at different locations.

9. The system of claim 5 wherein the device is an adapter configured to hold a portable device.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein the adapter is removably coupled to the outer wall.

11. The system of claim 1, further comprising a pair of elongated electrical conductors, wherein each electrical conductor is disposed adjacent one of the slots.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein each rail comprises an elongated electrical conductor adjacent the outer wall.

13. The system of claim 12 wherein the elongated electrical conductors provide data communication to the device when the device is coupled to the rails.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein the elongated electrical conductors provide power communication to the device when the device is coupled to the rails.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein the appliance host comprises a wireless service for communication with the device.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the wireless service comprises one of data service and power service.

17. An appliance comprising:

a cabinet defining an interior and having an open face providing access to the interior;

a door mounted to the cabinet selectively closing the open face;

a substantially vertical exterior surface on one of the cabinet and the door;

a pair of elongated device interfaces formed in the vertical exterior surface and substantially parallel to each other;

an electrical conductor associated with at least one of the device interfaces; and

a source of power providing an electrical service to the electrical conductor;

wherein each device interface comprises a slot formed in the vertical exterior surface;

wherein each device interface further comprises an elongated rail provided the slot;

wherein the rails are disposed behind the vertical surface and the slots provide limited access to the rails.

18. The appliance of claim 17 wherein the source of power is a control system and the control system provides a power service to the electrical conductor.

19. The appliance of claim 17 wherein the source of power comprises a source of data and the source of power provides a data service to the electrical conductor.

20. The appliance of claim 17 wherein the appliance is a refrigeration appliance.

21. The appliance of claim 17 wherein the vertical exterior surface is on the door, and the device interfaces are mounted to the door.

22. The appliance of claim 21, and further comprising a dispenser mounted on the door, wherein the device interfaces are located above the dispenser.

23. The appliance of claim 17 further comprising at least one electronic device movably coupled to the device interfaces and receiving the electrical service from the electrical conductor.