Assembly capable of simultaneously supporting and wirelessly supplying electrical power to a portable electronic device within a passenger compartment of a vehicle

• US 9,191,074 B2
• Filed: 06/19/2012
• Issued: 11/17/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/03/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Global IP Holdings LLC
• Original Assignee: Global IP Holdings LLC
• Inventors: Murar, Jason T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Fureman, Jared
• Assistant Examiner(s): Evans, James P
• Application Number:
  US13/526,855
• Publication Number:
  US 20130257147A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,246 Days
• Field of Search: 307/9.1, 307/10.1, 307/104
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0042 characterised by the mechanical construction
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/79 for data transfer in combination with power transfer

Abstract

An assembly capable of simultaneously supporting and wirelessly supplying electrical power to a portable electronic device within a passenger compartment of a vehicle is provided. The assembly includes a base adapted to be coupled to an interior component of the vehicle and a device holder supported in spaced relationship relative to the interior component. The device holder has a vibration and shock damping bottom support surface capable of wirelessly supplying electrical power to the supported electronic device during vehicle motion. A part of the surface includes first and second sets of conductive, anti-vibration and anti-shock thermoplastic pads. Another part of the surface includes a non-conductive or insulating, unitary, anti-vibration and anti-shock plastic substrate bonded to the different sets of pads. The substrate electrically insulates the first set of pads from the second set of pads. The different sets of pads are adapted to be biased at different voltage levels.

Claims

1. An assembly capable of simultaneously supporting a portable electronic device and wirelessly supplying electrical power to the device within a passenger compartment of a vehicle, the assembly comprising:

a base adapted to be coupled to an interior component of the vehicle;

an elongated support having a proximal end connected to the base, an intermediate portion extending from the proximal end and a distal end supported by and extending from the intermediate portion; and

a device holder for coupling to the distal end of the elongated support wherein the device holder is supported in spaced relationship relative to the interior component and has an anti-vibration and anti-shock bottom support surface capable of wirelessly supplying electrical power to an electronic device supported on the surface, the holder including;

first and second sets of conductive, anti-vibration and anti-shock thermoplastic pads that comprise a first part of the support surface;

a non-conductive or insulating unitary anti-vibration and anti-shock plastic substrate bonded to the first and second sets of pads and comprising a second part of the support surface, the substrate electrically insulating the first set of pads from the second set of pads and wherein the pads and substrate dampen vibration and shock at the support surface and allow power transfer during vehicle motion; and

a power source coupling including first and second conductive power traces, the first trace being electrically coupled to each of the first set of pads and the second trace being electrically coupled to each of the second set of pads, the first and second traces forming separate conductive pathways and being operable for biasing the first and second sets of pads at first and second voltage levels, respectively.

2. The assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first and second sets of pads are sized, shaped and arranged laterally adjacent to each other in a pattern at the support surface in relation to a predetermined distribution of contacts of the device to achieve conductive power transfer to the device at various positions and orientations of the device when supported on the support surface.

3. The assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the device holder further includes a first common conductive pad for coupling the first set of pads together.

4. The assembly as claimed in claim 3, wherein the device holder further includes a second common conductive pad for coupling the second set of pads together.

5. The assembly as claimed in claim 3, wherein the first common conductive pad and the first set of pads form a first integral, unitary, conductive structure.

6. The assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein the device holder and the intermediate portion are adapted to be removably coupled together at the distal end.

7. The assembly as claimed in claim 4, wherein the first common conductive pad and the first set of pads form a first integral, unitary, conductive structure and the second common conductive pad and the second set of pads form a second integral, unitary, conductive structure.

8. The assembly as claimed in claim 7, wherein the first and second conductive structures are substantially identical.

9. The assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first set of pads are interdigitated with the second set of pads.

10. The assembly as claimed in claim 8, wherein the first and second conductive power traces are substantially identical.

11. The assembly as claimed in claim 9, wherein the first conductive power trace includes a first set of finger portions, and wherein the second conductive power trace includes a second set of finger portions and wherein the first and second finger portions are interdigitated.

12. A portable electronic device support and wireless power supply assembly for removable insertion use in a vehicle interior container accessible to at least one passenger of the vehicle, the container having a bottom surface, an inner side wall and an upper edge, the assembly comprising:

a base adapted to contact the bottom surface of the container as well as the inner side wall of the container when the assembly is in an inserted position in the container;

an elongated support having a first end connected to the base, an intermediate portion extending from the first end and a second end opposite the first end; and

a device holder for coupling to the second end of the elongated support, the device holder having an anti-vibration and anti-shock bottom support surface capable of wirelessly supplying electrical power to a portable electronic device supported on the surface, the holder including;

first and second sets of conductive, thermoplastic elastomer pads that comprise a first part of the support surface;

a non-conductive or insulating unitary thermoplastic elastomer substrate chemically bonded to the first and second sets of pads and comprising a second part of the support surface, the substrate electrically insulating the first set of pads from the second set of pads and wherein the pads and the substrate dampen vibration and shock at the support surface and allow power transfer during vehicle motion; and

a power source coupling including first and second conductive power traces, the first trace being electrically coupled to each of the first set of pads and the second trace being electrically coupled to each of the second set of pads, the first and second traces forming separate conductive pathways and being operable for biasing the first and second sets of pads at first and second voltage levels, respectively.

13. The assembly as claimed in claim 12, wherein the first and second sets of pads are sized, shaped and arranged laterally adjacent to each other in a pattern at the support surface in relation to a predetermined distribution of contacts of the device to achieve conductive power transfer to the device at various positions and orientations of the device when supported on the support surface.

14. The assembly as claimed in claim 12, wherein the device holder further includes a first common conductive pad for coupling the first set of pads together.

15. The assembly as claimed in claim 14, wherein the device holder further includes a second common conductive pad for coupling the second set of pads together.

16. The assembly as claimed in claim 14, wherein the first common conductive pad and the first set of pads form a first integral, unitary, conductive structure.

17. The assembly as claimed in claim 15, wherein the first common conductive pad and the first set of pads form a first integral, unitary, conductive structure and the second common conductive pad and the second set of pads form a second integral, unitary, conductive structure.

18. The assembly as claimed in claim 17, wherein the first and second conductive structures are substantially identical.

19. The assembly as claimed in claim 12, wherein the first set of pads are interdigitated with the second set of pads.

20. The assembly as claimed in claim 18, wherein the first and second conductive power traces are substantially identical.

21. The assembly as claimed in claim 19, wherein the first conductive power trace includes a first set of finger portions, and wherein the second conductive power trace includes a second set of finger portions and wherein the first and second finger portions are interdigitated.

22. The assembly as claimed in claim 12 wherein the device holder and the intermediate portion are adapted to be removably coupled together at the second end.

23. The assembly as claimed in claim 12 wherein the container is a cup holder and the base is cup-shaped.

24. The assembly as claimed in claim 12, wherein the first and second sets of pads are anti-vibration and anti-shock thermoplastic pads.

25. The assembly as claimed in claim 24, wherein the substrate is an anti-vibration and anti-shock plastic substrate chemically bonded to the first and second sets of pads.