Fixtures for displaying products

• US 9,954,386 B2
• Filed: 08/27/2015
• Issued: 04/24/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/03/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Schwalbach, Charles A., Kumka, David Samuel, Yang, Sheng, Kosecoff, David Benjamin
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Truc
• Application Number:
  US14/837,479
• Publication Number:
  US 20160064995A1
• Time in Patent Office: 971 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 13/00 Details of tables or desks drawers A47B88/00; feet for furniture in general A47B91/00
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 10/00 Furniture or installations specially adapted to particular types of service systems, not otherwise provided for conveyor aspects B65G; building aspects E04H; coin-freed apparatus G07F
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 2003/008 with pivoting front glass panel
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 3/001 Devices for lighting, humidifying, heating, ventilation
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 3/007 Cases or cabinets of the counter type
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 7/022 for watches or for bracelets therefor A47F7/03 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 7/024 with provisions for preventing unauthorised removal show cases with devices for prevention of theft A47F3/002; devices for locking portable objects against unauthorised removal E05B73/0017
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other groups of this subclass
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0045 concerning the insertion or the connection of the batteries

Abstract

A display apparatus, such as a table, for display consumer products, such as electronic devices, is disclosed. The table may include a display cavity for displaying products. The display cavity may include a transparent glass panel defining a top portion thereof so as to allow consumers to view products housed within the display cavity. A display fixture for holding a consumer product with the display cavity is disclosed. A kit for aligning a plurality of nodes on the display panel is also disclosed. A DC-to-DC converter that can receive a DC input voltage via a first standard receptacle connector, convert the DC input voltage to a DC output voltage using regulator circuitry and provide the DC output voltage at a second standard receptacle connector is also disclosed. The DC-to-DC converter can include a compact, cosmetic, minimalist housing for containing a space-efficient printed circuit board that includes the regulator circuitry.

Claims

1. A display fixture comprising:

a plug comprising;

a body having a top exterior surface and a bottom exterior surface disposed opposite the top exterior surface, and

an electrical connector extending from the bottom exterior surface;

a rigid stem extending from the top exterior surface of the plug; and

an inductive charging mechanism attached to the stem and in electrical communication with the electrical connector,

wherein the stem supports the charging mechanism above the top exterior surface of the plug.

2. The display fixture of claim 1, further comprising:

a printed circuit board disposed within the body and in electrical communication with the electrical connector; and

a wire at least partially disposed within the stem and electrically connecting the printed circuit board to the charging mechanism.

3. The display fixture of claim 1, wherein the plug further comprises a magnet disposed within the body of the plug.

4. The display fixture of claim 1, wherein the plug further comprises an alignment groove disposed on a side surface of the plug.

5. The display fixture of claim 1, wherein the electrical connector comprises a spring loaded pin.

6. The display fixture of claim 1, wherein the electrical connector is a power cord.

7. The display fixture of claim 2, wherein the printed circuit board is configured to control the amount of voltage delivered to the charging mechanism.

8. The display fixture of claim 2, wherein the printed circuit board is configured to control the amount of current delivered to the charging mechanism.

9. The display fixture of claim 1, wherein the stem comprises an extension extending from the top exterior surface of the plug and a ring attached to the extension and coupled to the charging mechanism, wherein the extension and the ring support the charging mechanism above the top exterior surface of the plug.

10. The display fixture of claim 9, wherein the ring comprises a first end coupled to a first side of the charging mechanism and a second end coupled to a second side of the charging mechanism opposite the first side.

11. A display apparatus for displaying a product, the display apparatus comprising:

a display panel; and

the display fixture according to claim 1 removably coupled to the display panel.

12. The display apparatus of claim 11, wherein the display fixture is removably disposed in a node on the display panel, and

wherein the plug of the display fixture comprises a first alignment feature and the node comprises a second alignment feature configured to mate with the first alignment feature.

13. The display apparatus of claim 11, further comprising a product supported by the display fixture.

14. The display apparatus of claim 11, wherein the display apparatus is a table.

15. The display apparatus of claim 11, further comprising a cavity partially defined by the display panel, and wherein the display fixture is disposed within the cavity.

16. The display apparatus of claim 15, wherein the display panel defines a bottom portion of the cavity and a transparent panel defines a top portion of the cavity.

17. A display fixture, comprising:

a plug comprising;

a body comprising a cylindrical side exterior surface,

an electrical connector comprising a spring loaded pin extending from a bottom of the body,

a magnet coupled to the body,

an alignment groove disposed on the cylindrical side exterior surface, and

a printed circuit board disposed within the body and in electrical communication with the electrical connector; and

a charging mechanism in electrical communication with the printed circuit board and the electrical connector.

18. The display fixture of claim 17, wherein the body of the plug is configured to position the plug in a cylindrical node formed in a surface of a display table to thereby support the charging mechanism above the surface of the display table.

19. The display fixture of claim 17, comprising two spring loaded pins extending from the bottom of the body, wherein one of the pins is configured to receive power from an external source and the other pin is an electrical grounding pin.

20. The display fixture of claim 17, comprising two magnets coupled to the body of the plug, wherein the two magnets are disposed on opposite sides of the printed circuit board.

21. A product display fixture, comprising:

a plug comprising an electrical connector extending from a bottom of the plug;

a stem comprising;

an extension extending from a top surface of the plug, and

a ring attached to the extension; and

a puck attached to the ring, the puck comprising a charging surface and a charging mechanism in electrical communication with the electrical connector,

wherein the extension and the ring support the puck above the top surface of the plug, and

wherein the ring and the puck are configured to support and charge a product on the product display fixture.

22. The product display fixture of claim 21, wherein the charging surface of the puck comprises a surface oriented at an oblique angle relative to the top surface of the plug.

23. The product display fixture of claim 21, comprising:

a wire electrically connecting the charging mechanism and the electrical connector; and

a groove formed in the ring, wherein the wire is disposed within the groove.

24. The product display fixture of claim 21, wherein the charging surface comprises a concave shape.

25. A product display fixture assembly, comprising:

the product display fixture of claim 21; and

a watch disposed on the charging surface of the puck.

26. The product display fixture assembly of claim 25, wherein a portion of the watch wraps around the ring.