MOBILE DEVICE RETENTION AND CHARGING TRAY

• US 20160211697A1
• Filed: 03/31/2016
• Published: 07/21/2016
• 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.
• Granted Patent: US 9,722,456 B2
• Time in Patent Office: 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 storage compartment including a tray, a storage area, and an opening, the storage area defined by a floor, a pair of sidewalls, and a pair of end walls, wherein the opening permits access in the storage area, 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; and

a wireless charging unit incorporated into and movable with the tray, whereby the mobile device is charged when placed on the tray.

2. The assembly of claim 1, further comprising an anti-slip surface provided on the tray and configured to receive the mobile device thereon, wherein the wireless charging unit is located below the anti-slip surface.

3. The assembly of claim 2, wherein the anti-slip surface is formed from a material having a surface hardness of less than or equal to 70 Shore A.

4. The assembly of claim 2, 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°

.

5. The assembly of claim 2, wherein the tray further comprises a bounding surface that surrounds the anti-slip surface.

6. The assembly of claim 5, wherein the bounding surface and the anti-slip surface are formed from different materials, and 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 6, wherein the tray further comprises upwardly extending end and sidewalls, wherein the bounding surface comprises curved contours transitioning into the upwardly extending end and sidewalls.

8. 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.