Patent Publication Number: US-2021186221-A1

Title: Locker with Inductive Charger

Description:
This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16/454,161, filed on 27 Jun. 2019, titled “Locker with Inductive Charger,” which is incorporated herein for all purposes. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates generally to improvements in lockers or storage cabinets used in athletic or sporting facilities, and more specifically to electronic components of such lockers. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     The aesthetics and utility of lockers or storage cabinets in “locker rooms” of athletic and sporting facilities of sports teams and country clubs, for example, have become a measure of the quality and prestige of such organizations and an increasingly important aspect of recruiting new team or club members. Modern lockers are a far cry from the simple wood or metal cabinets of the past. 
     Modern lockers incorporate storage for specific items of equipment, such as helmets and shoes, and features promoting comfort and luxury. There is a constant need for improvement in both functional and aesthetic aspects of such lockers, including the ability to store athletic or sporting equipment as well as “street clothes” and other property a user brings into the locker room, along with the ability to provide electrical functionality. 
    
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The novel features believed characteristic of the embodiments of the present application are set forth in the appended claims. However, the embodiments themselves, as well as a preferred mode of use, and further objectives and advantages thereof, will best be understood by reference to the following detailed description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a locker according to the present application; 
         FIG. 2  is an enlarged perspective view of a portion of the locker of  FIG. 1 ; and 
         FIG. 3  is an exploded view of the portion of the locker illustrated in  FIG. 2 . 
     
    
    
     While the assembly and method of the present application is susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, specific embodiments thereof have been shown by way of example in the drawings and are herein described in detail. It should be understood, however, that the description herein of specific embodiments is not intended to limit the invention to the particular embodiment disclosed, but on the contrary, the intention is to cover all modifications, combinations, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the present application as defined by the appended claims. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Illustrative embodiments of the locker of the present application are provided below. It will of course be appreciated that in the development of any actual embodiment, numerous implementation-specific decisions will be made to achieve the developer&#39;s specific goals, such as compliance with assembly-related and business-related constraints, which will vary from one implementation to another. Moreover, it will be appreciated that such a development effort might be complex and time-consuming, but would nevertheless be a routine undertaking for those of ordinary skill in the art having the benefit of this disclosure. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 1  in the drawings, a locker  11  according to the present application is illustrated. As can be seen, locker  11  comprises a pair of upstanding sidewalls  13  that generally define the extent of locker  11 . Sidewalls  13  may be connected at the rear by a back wall. Each locker  11  may be installed adjacent to another, similar or identical locker, with the rear of each locker  11  being against a wall or other structure, and the front of each locker  11  facing the interior of the locker room. 
     Between sidewalls  13  of locker  11 , a plurality of compartments  15  are defined by dividers that may include generally vertical panels parallel to sidewalls  13 , one or more shelves or other horizontally extending surfaces, panels, and/or platforms that serve to connect sidewalls  13  and lend rigidity and strength to locker  11 , in addition to forming compartments  15 . Each compartment  15  may be sized and otherwise configured for storage of clothing or sporting equipment or other items and may include a door, which may be lockable. Locker  11  may also include a generally horizontal seat member  17 , which sits atop a “footlocker” or lowermost compartment  15 , and is preferably forward of the remainder of locker  11 . Seat member  17  preferably includes a padded and/or upholstered upper portion  18  and a rigid lower portion  20 . Seat member  17  is preferably adjacent to a seatback  19 . Seatback  19  is preferably a folding seatback having a lower portion  22  and an upper headrest portion  24 . In the preferred embodiment, seatback  19  also functions as a door to a compartment behind seatback  19 , as disclosed in commonly invented and assigned U.S. Pat. Nos. 10,080,433; 10,299,583; D826,602; and D845,680, all of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. 
     Adjacent padded upper portion  18 , or on any other generally horizontal surface or member of locker  11 , an electronics charger  21  may be incorporated or located and identified by a logo (team mascot or name, or club logo, or text) or other indicia (indicated by “@” in  FIG. 1 ). Charger  21  preferably is of the “Qi” type of inductive charger that is capable of charging a wireless phone or other electronic device, provided with corresponding charging components, that is place in proximity to charger  21 . The logo or other indicia indicates to the user the location of the charger and thus where to place the device to effectuate charging. Charger  21  may be one of several electronic components conductively coupled to an electrical subsystem carried by locker  11  for controlling the various electrical components, such as electric locks, security systems, ventilation systems, high-speed drying systems, lights, televisions, alarms, computer networks, etc. 
     Referring now also to  FIGS. 2 and 3  in the drawings, a preferred assembly of charger  21  into seat or other horizontal surface or divider is illustrated in greater detail, as indicated by the detail numbered “2” in  FIG. 1 . As depicted, rigid lower portion  20  of seat member  17  or other horizontal surface comprises a “sandwich” of an upper panel  31  and a lower panel  33 , which may be held together at the corners or other appropriate locations by screws or other appropriate fasteners. A pocket  35  may be defined in rigid lower portion  20  and preferably is formed in upper panel  31  (or lower panel  33 , or both) to receive a charging unit  51 . Pocket  35  may leave a thin layer of the material of panel  31  to cover the charging unit (without interfering with the coupling between the device and charging unit  51 ), or may be open (cut through the entire thickness of upper panel  31 ) and covered or filled with a polymeric (or other material) cover. In this manner, charger  21  may be flush with, recessed within, or upraised relative to panel  31 . Charger  21  may include a switch for activating and deactivating charger  21 . 
     A team logo or shape or outline or other visible indicia (indicated by “@”) may be provided on upper panel  31  above and proximal pocket  35  to indicate proper placement of the device for charging. A channel  37  may be formed in lower panel  33  (or both upper panel  31  and lower panel  33 , or just upper panel  31 ) to provide a conduit for the power cable(s) leading to charging unit  51 . Preferably, channel  37  extends toward the rear or sidewall  13  of locker  11  to feed the power cable(s) toward an electrical power source within locker  11  or outside of locker  11 , depending on other aspects of the configuration of locker  11 . 
     An illuminated indicia in the form of one or more LED devices  41  may be provided in or on upper panel  31  proximal to or in the vicinity of the logo or charger  21 , or may comprise part of the logo (eyes of an animal logo, outline, etc.), or may comprise part or all of an outline corresponding to the location of charger  21 . LED devices  41  may be illuminated to provide an indication that the charger is powered and functional and ready to charge. LED devices  41  may change color to indicate that charging unit  51  is coupled with and charging a device in proximity to charger  21 . For example, LED devices  41  may comprise two discrete LEDs, one to indicate power and another to indicate charging. 
     In operation, a user seated on seat member  17  may place his or her phone or other inductive-charging-capable device on the logo or indicia indicating the location of charger  21 . Coupling between the device and charging unit  51  then will charge the device while the device remains within “range” of charger  21 . LED devices  41  indicate the readiness of charger  21  and/or that the device is coupled to charger  21  and being charged. 
     It is apparent that a system with significant advantages has been described and illustrated. The particular embodiments disclosed above are illustrative only, as the embodiments may be modified and practiced in different but equivalent manners apparent to those skilled in the art having the benefit of the teachings herein. It is therefore evident that the particular embodiments disclosed above may be altered or modified, and all such variations are considered within the scope and spirit of the application. Accordingly, the protection sought herein is as set forth in the description and claims. Although the present embodiments are shown above, they are not limited to just these embodiments, but are amenable to various changes and modifications without departing from the spirit thereof.