Adapter for Docking a Consumer Electronic Device in Discrete Orientations
AssigneeWhirlpool Corporation
InventorRichard A. McCoy
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A modular system comprises an appliance conducting a useful cycle of operation, a consumer electronic device removably mounted to the appliance and having a user interface for controlling a primary function of the consumer electronic device, and an adapter mounting the consumer electronic device to the appliance for movement between a first orientation, where the user interface is accessible to a user, and a second orientation, where the user interface is inaccessible to the user.
Claims19
1-31. (canceled)
A modular system for mounting to a host and providing at least a first service selected from a power service and a data service to a modular system, the modular system comprising:
- a portable consumer electronic device adapted to use at least a second service selected from a power service and a data service and having a user interface for controlling a primary function of the consumer electronic device;
- and
- an adapter comprising:
- an adapter main body adapted to hold the consumer electronic device and to be moveably mounted to the host and moveable when the adapter is mounted to the host and the consumer electronic device is mounted to the adapter for movement between a first orientation, where the user interface of the consumer electronic device is accessible to a user, and a second orientation, where the user interface is inaccessible to the user wherein inaccessibility of the second orientation comprises at least one of physical, operational, and functional inaccessibility;
- a first adapter interface depending from the adapter main body and adapted to receive the at least first service from the host, and
- a second adapter interface depending from the adapter main body and adapted to provide the at least second service to the consumer electronic device.
An adapter for removably mounting a consumer electronic device using at least a first service selected from a power service and a data service and having a user interface for controlling a primary function of the consumer electronic device to a host providing at least a second service and conducting a useful cycle of operation, the adapter comprising:
- an adapter main body capable of being mounted to the host and adapted to removably hold the consumer electronic device for movement between a first orientation, where the user interface is accessible to a user, and a second orientation, where the user interface is inaccessible to the user wherein inaccessibility of the second orientation comprises at least one of physical, operational, and functional inaccessibility;
- a first adapter interface depending from the adapter main body and adapted to receive the second service from the host;
- and
- a second adapter interface depending from the adapter main body and adapted to provide the first service to the consumer electronic device.
An adapter for removably mounting to a host and for removably holding a portable electronic device having a display, the adapter comprising:
- an adapter main body capable of being removably mounted to the host and capable of removably supporting the portable electronic device;
- a storage compartment at least partially defined by the adapter main body;
- an articulated support frame for the main body selectively articulating relative to the host when the adapter is mounted to the host between a first orientation where the display is substantially outside of the storage compartment, and a second orientation where the display is contained within the storage compartment.
An adapter for removably mounting to a host conducting a useful cycle of operation and for removably holding a portable electronic device having a display, the adapter comprising:
- an adapter frame capable of being removably mounted to the host;
- and
- an arm movably mounted to the adapter frame and capable of removably supporting the portable electronic device, for selectively extending the consumer electronic device away from the host in a first orientation extending from the host and retracting the consumer electronic device to a second orientation adjacent the host.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.