Mobile device retention and charging tray

• US 9,327,659 B2
• Filed: 06/16/2014
• Issued: 05/03/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America Incorporated (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Lambert, Michael R., Sitarski, Nicholas S., Weiss, Scott L., Quijano, Jonathan J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Kiran B
• Application Number:
  US14/305,350
• Publication Number:
  US 20140292015A1
• Time in Patent Office: 687 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/0241 for telephones
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/02 electric constitutive elements
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0007 Mid-console
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0075 using a containment or docking space
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 7/04 in driver or passenger space , e.g. using racks B60R7/005, B60R7/08 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/46 for ICE-powered road vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/48 for electric vehicles [EV] or hybrid vehicles [HEV]
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/005 Mechanical details of housing or structure aiming to accommodate the power transfer means, e.g. mechanical integration of coils, antennas or transducers into emitting or receiving devices
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0044 specially adapted for holding portable devices containing batteries H02J7/0045 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/14 for charging batteries from dynamo-electric generators driven at varying speed, e.g. on vehicle

Abstract

A console assembly for an automotive vehicle and use with a mobile device. The console assembly including a storage compartment having a floor, a pair of sidewalls, and a pair of end walls. An opening permits access into the storage area and a slidable top wall is operable to move between a covered position and a retracted position relative to the opening. An anti-slip surface is provided on the top wall and configured to receive the mobile device thereon. A wireless charging unit is also incorporated into and moveable with the top wall. The wireless charging unit is located immediately below the anti-slip surface. When the mobile device is placed on the anti-slip surface, the device is moveable with the top wall, between the covered position and retracted position, while being charged.

Claims

1. An assembly for an automotive vehicle and for wirelessly charging a mobile device, the assembly comprising:

a tray comprising an anti-slip surface and a bounding surface, wherein the bounding surface surrounds the anti-slip surface about a circumference of the anti-slip surface, wherein the bounding surface transitions into upwardly extending end and sidewalls of the tray, wherein the anti-slip surface is formed from a material having a surface hardness of less than or equal to 70 Shore A, and wherein the bounding surface and the anti-slip surface are formed from different materials; and

a wireless charging unit incorporated in the tray and located below the anti-slip surface, whereby the mobile device is charged when placed on the anti-slip surface.

2. The assembly of claim 1, wherein when the mobile device is placed on the anti-slip surface, the anti-slip surface prevents sliding or movement of the mobile device when the mobile device is subjected to loading of up to +/−

4G during operation of the automotive vehicle when the tray and the anti-slip surface are inclined at an angle of up to 21.5°

.

3. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the material of the anti-slip surface includes a polyester (base) thermoplastic elastomer.

4. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the assembly is a console assembly.

5. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the tray is provided at an inclined angle such that a forward end of the tray is raised relative to a rearward end of the tray.

6. The assembly of claim 1, wherein a material of the bounding surface has a Shore A hardness that is less than a Shore A hardness of the material of the anti-slip surface.

7. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the bounding surface comprises curved contours transitioning into the upwardly extending end and sidewalls.

8. The assembly of claim 1, further comprising a storage compartment including the tray, a storage area, and an opening, the storage area defined by a floor, a pair of sidewalls, and a pair of end walls, the opening permitting access in the storage area.

9. The assembly of claim 8, wherein the tray is operable to be slid between a covered position and a retracted position relative to the opening, wherein in the covered position the tray covers the opening and in the retracted position the opening is exposed to permit access into the storage area through the opening.

10. The assembly of claim 9, further comprising a receiving slot defined by a pair of second sidewalls and a top wall generally extending between the pair of second sidewalls, the tray defining a bottom wall of the receiving slot when in the retracted position, the anti-slip surface of the tray being spaced apart from the top wall so as to define a receiving space whereby the mobile device can be retained on the anti-slip surface as the tray is moved between the covered position and the retracted position.

11. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the wireless charging unit defines a charging spot on the anti-slip surface, the assembly further comprising an indicia of the charging spot provided on the anti-slip surface.

12. The assembly of claim 11, wherein the charging spot is not centered on the anti-slip surface.

13. The assembly of claim 1, wherein a height of the anti-slip surface is raised relative to immediately adjacent portions of the bounding surface.