Cabinet system including accessory

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10582769-B2
Application number	US-201615377715-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 13, 2016
Priority date	Dec 28, 2015
Publication date	Mar 10, 2020
Grant date	Mar 10, 2020

Abstract

A system that includes a cabinet and an accessory that is capable of being stored within a storage compartment of the cabinet. The cabinet may include a mirrored door having a ferromagnetic element. The accessory may include another ferromagnetic element. The accessory may be mounted to the door by magnetic attraction between the ferromagnetic elements. When the accessory is within the cabinet, it may be mounted to a charger so as to charge a power source of the accessory. In some embodiments, the accessory may be automatically transitioned into an active state when it is detected that the accessory is mounted to the door. The accessory may include a user-operated actuator that has a first functionality when the accessory is mounted to the door and a second functionality when the accessory is not mounted to the door.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system comprising:
a cabinet comprising:
a cabinet housing; and
a mirrored door coupled to the cabinet housing to form a cabinet storage compartment, the mirrored door comprising a first ferromagnetic element; and

an accessory sized and shaped to be capable of being stored within the storage compartment of the cabinet, the accessory comprising a second ferromagnetic element an accessory housing, and an accessory circuit;
wherein the accessory circuit comprises, in operable cooperation, a user perceptible signal generator and an accessory power source disposed within the accessory housing;
wherein the accessory circuit further comprises a sensor configured to cause the accessory circuit to automatically transition from an inactive state to an active state upon the accessory being mounted to the mirrored door;
wherein in the active state, the user perceptible signal generator generates a user perceptible signal; and
wherein the accessory can be mounted to the mirrored door by magnetic attraction between the first and second ferromagnetic elements.

2. The system according to claim 1 wherein the first ferromagnetic element is embedded within the mirrored door.

3. The system according to claim 2 wherein the mirrored door comprises: a first mirror having a reflective surface forming an outer surface of the mirrored door; a second mirror having a reflective surface forming an inner surface of the mirrored door; and wherein the first ferromagnetic element is located between the first and second mirrors.

4. The system according to claim 3 wherein the first ferromagnetic element is coupled to a rear surface of the second mirror that is opposite the reflective surface of the second mirror.

5. The system according to claim 1 wherein the first ferromagnetic element is an elongated plate formed of a ferromagnetic material and the second ferromagnetic element comprises one or more first magnets.

6. The system according to claim 1 wherein the mirrored door has a pivot edge, a free edge, and a vertical centerline dividing the mirrored door into a first half comprising the pivot edge and a second half comprising the free edge; and wherein the first ferromagnetic element is located in the second half of the mirrored door.

7. The system according to claim 6 wherein the first ferromagnetic element is located adjacent the free edge.

8. The system according to claim 1 wherein the accessory can be mounted to the mirrored door at an infinitely selectable number of positions along the first ferromagnetic element.

9. A system comprising:
a support structure; and
an accessory comprising:
an accessory housing; and
an accessory circuit including, in operable cooperation, a user perceptible signal generator, an accessory power source, and a sensor configured to detect when the accessory is mounted to the support structure, the accessory circuit configured to automatically transition the circuit from an inactive state to an active state upon the sensor detecting that the accessory is mounted to the support structure, the user perceptible signal generator generating a user perceptible signal when the accessory circuit is in the active state.

10. The system according to claim 9 wherein:
the sensor is configured to detect that the accessory is mounted to the support structure by detecting a target forming part of the support structure; and
the target comprises an elongated plate comprising a ferromagnetic material.

11. The system according to claim 10 wherein the sensor is configured to detect the target by detecting a parameter associated with the presence of the target.

12. The system according to claim 11 wherein the sensor comprises an LC circuit, and the parameter is a resonant frequency of the LC circuit when the accessory is mounted to the support structure.

13. The system according to claim 9 wherein:
the sensor is configured to detect that the accessory is mounted to the support structure by detecting that a sensed parameter is within a detection range;
the sensed parameter is a resonant frequency of a sensor element, the resonant frequency measured when the accessory is mounted to the support structure; and
the detection range is based on measurements of the parameter when the accessory is mounted to the support structure.

14. The system according to claim 13 wherein:
the parameter is measured a predetermined number of times;
a lowest measured parameter value is determined; and
a high and low threshold of the detection range are determined based on the lowest measured parameter value.

15. A system comprising:
a support structure; and
an accessory comprising:
a user-operated actuator; and
an accessory circuit including, in operable cooperation, a light source, a power source, and a sensor;
the sensor configured to detect whether the accessory is (a) in a mounted state in which the accessory is mounted to the support structure, or (b) in a non-mounted state in which the accessory is not mounted to the support structure;

wherein in the mounted state, actuation of the user-operated actuator causes the accessory circuit to operate according to a first routine; and
wherein in the non-mounted state, actuation of the user-operated actuator causes the accessory circuit to operate according to a second routine, the first routine being different from the second routine.

16. The system according to claim 15 wherein:
the first routine comprises an adjustment of an illumination intensity of the light source, the light source remaining in an active state;
the second routine comprises:
deactivation of the light source when the light source is in the active state; and
activation of the light source when the light source is in an inactive state.

17. The system according to claim 16 wherein the accessory circuit is further configured to automatically transition the light source from the inactive state to the active state upon the sensor detecting that the accessory is mounted to the support structure.

18. The system according to claim 15 wherein the second routine comprises:
deactivation of the light source when the light source is in the active state; and
activation of the light source when the light source is in an inactive state.

19. The system according to claim 15 wherein:
the sensor comprises an LC circuit and is configured to detect that the accessory is mounted to the support structure by detecting a target forming part of the support structure; and
the sensor is configured to detect the target by detecting a parameter associated with the presence of the target, the parameter being a resonant frequency of the LC circuit when the accessory is mounted to the support structure.

20. The system according to claim 15 wherein the support structure is a door.

Assignees

• Robern Inc
• Kohler Co

Inventors

• Stanley Jr James L
• Katz Howard
• Estiban Marwan
• Dehope James A
• Andren Travis

Classifications

• A47B2220/0091

  Electronic or electric devices · CPC title

• A47K1/02

  Portable toilet tables; Wash cabinets or stands · CPC title

• A47B67/02 Primary

  Cabinets for shaving tackle, medicines, or the like · CPC title

• A47B97/00

  Furniture or accessories for furniture, not provided for in other groups of this subclass · CPC title

• F16B1/00

  Devices for securing together, or preventing relative movement between, constructional elements or machine parts · CPC title