Inductive-charging grommet for furniture

• US 9,369,004 B2
• Filed: 06/25/2014
• Issued: 06/14/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/25/2014
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: L&P Property Management Company (Leggett & Platt Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: L&P Property Management Company (Leggett & Platt Incorporated)
• Inventors: Malmberg, John, Browning, Caleb, Turner, Jason
• Primary Examiner(s): Siek, Vuthe
• Application Number:
  US14/314,856
• Publication Number:
  US 20150380969A1
• Time in Patent Office: 720 Days
• Field of Search: 320/108
• 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

Abstract

An inductive-charging device mounts into a through hole of a furniture item, such as a desk. The device generally includes a housing that mounts into the through hole and that provides a compartment for a controller, primary coil, and other electronic components used to provide inductive charging. The device might be mounted so that it at least partially extends above a work surface of a desk. Alternatively, a top of the device might be flush with the work surface.

Claims

1. An inductive-charging device that mounts into a through-hole of a furniture item, the device comprising:

a housing having one or more walls attached to a lid, the one or more walls and the lid at least partially enclosing a compartment;

a lip radially extending outward from the housing, the lip including an underneath-side surface for engaging the furniture item and a top surface that generally opposes the underneath-side surface;

a controller mounted in the compartment and at least partially surrounded by the one or more walls and the lid;

a primary coil coupled to the controller and positioned in the compartment;

a power-conducting device coupled to the controller for providing power to the primary coil; and

an LED indicator coupled to the controller and mounted underneath the top surface of the lip.

2. The device of claim 1 further comprising, a ring that engages, and at least partially circumscribes, the lip.

3. The device of claim 2, wherein the ring includes a material that is translucent and wherein light emitted from the LED indicator passes through the material.

4. The device of claim 2, wherein the ring includes a lip-engaging surface that fits substantially flush against the top surface of the lip.

5. The device of claim 4, wherein the lip-engaging surface of the ring is substantially concave in a radial direction and wherein the top surface of the lip is substantially convex in a radial direction.

6. The device of claim 2, wherein the ring attaches to the lip.

7. The device of claim 6, wherein the ring includes at least a first portion and a second portion that snaps together to attach the ring to the lip.

8. The device of claim 7, wherein the first portion includes a first ring segment and the second portion includes a second ring segment.

9. The device of claim 7, wherein the first portion includes a top of the ring and the second portion includes a bottom of a ring, and wherein the top of the ring engages the top surface of the lip and the bottom of the ring engages the underneath-side surface of the lip.

10. A furniture item that includes inductive-charging features and that comprises:

a wall having a first surface and a second surface that generally opposes the first surface;

a through-hole that passes through the wall from the first surface to the second surface;

an inductive-charging device that is at least partially positioned in the through-hole and that comprises;

a housing having one or more walls attached to a lid, the one or more walls and the lid at least partially enclosing a compartment;

a lip radially extending outward from the housing, the lip including lip underneath-side surface that engages the first surface and a lip top surface that generally opposes the lip underneath-side surface;

a controller mounted in the compartment and at least partially surrounded by the one or more walls and the lid;

a primary coil coupled to the controller and positioned in the compartment;

a power-conducting device coupled to the controller; and

an LED indicator coupled to the controller and mounted underneath the lip top surface.

11. The furniture item of claim 10, wherein the wall includes a counter bore in the first surface that circumscribes the through-hole and that includes a depth less than a thickness of the wall.

12. The furniture item of claim 11 further comprising, a ring that engages the lip top surface and that at least partially circumscribes the lip.

13. The furniture item of claim 12, wherein the ring includes a ring height that is substantially similar to the depth of the counter bore, and wherein a top of the ring and a top of the lid are substantially flush with a work surface of the wall.

14. The furniture item of claim 12, wherein the ring attaches onto the lip top surface and the lip underneath-side surface.

15. The furniture item of claim 12, wherein the ring covers the LED indicator and wherein the ring comprises a translucent material.

16. An inductive-charging device that mounts into a through-hole of a furniture item, the device comprising:

a housing having one or more walls attached to a lid, the one or more walls and the lid at least partially enclosing a compartment;

a lip radially extending outward from the housing, the lip including an underneath-side surface and a top surface that generally opposes the underneath-side surface;

a controller mounted in the compartment and at least partially surrounded by the one or more walls and the lid;

a primary coil coupled to the controller and positioned in the compartment;

a power-conducting device coupled to the controller for providing power to the primary coil;

an LED indicator coupled to the controller and mounted in the lip; and

a detachable ring that engages the top surface of the lip and at least partially circumscribes the lip.

17. The device of claim 16, wherein the detachable ring includes a translucent material that disperses a light emitted by the LED indicator.

18. The device of claim 16, wherein the LED indicator is coupled underneath the top surface of the lip.

19. The device of claim 16, wherein the detachable ring includes a lip-facing surface that fits substantially flush against top surface of the lip.

20. The device of claim 16, wherein the detachable ring includes a first portion and a second portion that snap together to attach the detachable ring to the lip.