Cabinet system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12290193-B2
Application number	US-202318394857-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 22, 2023
Priority date	Dec 28, 2015
Publication date	May 6, 2025
Grant date	May 6, 2025

Abstract

According to one embodiment, a system includes a cabinet and an apparatus. The cabinet includes a cabinet housing, a door coupled to the cabinet housing to form a cabinet storage compartment, and a support member mounted in the cabinet storage compartment, the support member having a front surface having a first mounting element. The apparatus has a second mounting element and a locking element. The locking element is alterable between: (1) an unlocked state in which the second mounting element of the apparatus can be coupled and decoupled from the first mounting element of the support member of the cabinet; and (2) a locked state in which the second mounting element of the apparatus is prohibited from being decoupled from the first mounting element of the support member.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system comprising:
a cabinet comprising:
a cabinet housing;
a door coupled to the cabinet housing to form a cabinet storage compartment; and
a power supply circuit;

a charger mounted within the cabinet storage compartment, the charger comprising:
a charger housing; and
a charging circuit in operable cooperation with the power supply circuit, the charging circuit comprising an inductive element; and

an electronic device comprising an accessory circuit comprising an inductive element,
wherein the charger and the electronic device are configured so that the electronic device can be mounted to the charger in a first rotational orientation and a second rotational orientation, the inductive element of the electronic device being in operable cooperation with the inductive element of the charger irrespective of whether the electronic device is mounted to the charger in the first or second rotational orientations,
wherein the electronic device includes an accessory housing having a panel section and a base section, the base section comprising a protruding portion that protrudes from a rear surface of the panel section,
wherein the charger housing has a front surface, a rear surface, and first and second side surfaces extending between the front and rear surfaces of the charger housing,
wherein when the electronic device is mounted to the charger in the first rotational orientation, the rear surface of the panel section of the electronic device is adjacent the front surface of the charger housing and the base section extends beyond the first side surface of the charger housing such that the protruding portion of the base section is adjacent the first side surface of the charger,
wherein when the electronic device is mounted to the charger in the second rotational orientation, the rear surface of the panel section of the electronic device is adjacent the front surface of the charger housing and the base section extends beyond the second side surface of the charger housing such that the protruding portion of the base section is adjacent the second side surface of the charger.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the electronic device is a at least one of a tablet, a smart phone, a radio, a television, or a touch screen.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the electronic device includes a user perceptible signal generator.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the electronic device comprises a registration feature and the charger comprises a first registration feature and a second registration feature.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein when the electronic device is mounted to the charger in the first rotational position, the registration feature of the electronic device mates with the first registration feature of the charger; and wherein when the electronic device is mounted to the charger in the second rotational position, the registration feature of the electronic device mates with the second registration feature of the charger.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the charger comprises a first arrangement of magnets at a front surface of the charger housing; wherein the electronic device comprises a second arrangement of magnets at a rear surface of the electronic device; and wherein the first and second arrangements of magnets are configured to magnetically mate with one another to mount the electronic device to the charger in both the first and second rotational orientations.

7. A system comprising:
a cabinet comprising:
a cabinet housing;
a door coupled to the cabinet housing to form a cabinet storage compartment; and
a power supply circuit;

a charger mounted within the cabinet storage compartment, the charger comprising:
a charger housing; and
a charging circuit in operable cooperation with the power supply circuit, the charging circuit comprising an inductive element; and

an electronic device comprising an accessory circuit comprising an inductive element,
wherein the charger and the electronic device are configured so that the electronic device can be mounted to the charger in a first rotational orientation and a second rotational orientation,
wherein the accessory circuit comprises an accessory power source disposed within the accessory housing and a sensor configured to cause the accessory circuit to transition from an inactive state to an active state,
wherein the electronic device includes an accessory housing having a panel section and a base section, the base section comprising a protruding portion that protrudes from a rear surface of the panel section,
wherein the charger housing has a front surface, a rear surface, and first and second side surfaces extending between the front and rear surfaces of the charger housing,
wherein when the electronic device is mounted to the charger in the first rotational orientation, the rear surface of the panel section of the electronic device is adjacent the front surface of the charger housing and the base section extends beyond the first side surface of the charger housing such that the protruding portion of the base section is adjacent the first side surface of the charger,
wherein when the electronic device is mounted to the charger in the second rotational orientation, the rear surface of the panel section of the electronic device is adjacent the front surface of the charger housing and the base section extends beyond the second side surface of the charger housing such that the protruding portion of the base section is adjacent the second side surface of the charger.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the sensor is configured to cause the accessory circuit to transition from an inactive state to an active state upon the accessory being mounted to the door.

9. The system of claim 7 , wherein the electronic device includes a user perceptible signal generator.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the user perceptible signal generator is configured to emit a user perceptible signal when the accessory circuit is in the active state.

11. The system of claim 9 , wherein the user perceptible signal generator is configured to not generate a user perceptible signal when the accessory circuit is in the inactive state.

12. The system of claim 9 , wherein the accessory circuit is configured to transition from the active state to the inactive state based on a timer running for a predetermined time.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the timer is based on lack of movement of the electronic device.

14. The system of claim 7 , wherein the electronic device comprises a registration feature and the charger comprises a first registration feature and a second registration feature, wherein when the electronic device is mounted to the charger in the first rotational position, the registration feature of the electronic device mates with the first registration feature of the charger; and wherein when the electronic device is mounted to the charger in the second rotational position, the registration feature of the electronic device mates with the second registration feature of the charger.

15. A cabinet comprising:
a cabinet housing;
a door coupled to the cabinet housing to form a cabinet storage compartment;
a power supply circuit;
a charger mounted within the cabinet storage compartment, the charger comprising:
a charger housing; and
a charging circuit in operable cooperation with the power supply circuit, the charging circuit comprising an inductive element; and
an electronic device comprising an accessory circuit comprising an inductive element,
wherein the charger and the electronic device are configured so that the electronic devic

Assignees

• Robern Inc
• Kohler Co

Inventors

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

Classifications

• G06F1/1654

  the display being detachable, e.g. for remote use · CPC title

• G06F1/1632

  External expansion units, e.g. docking stations · CPC title

• H02J7/00

  Circuit arrangements for charging or discharging batteries or for supplying loads from batteries · CPC title

• A47B67/005 Primary

  Mirror cabinets; Dressing-tables · CPC title

• A47B2220/0091

  Electronic or electric devices · CPC title