Vertical docking station

• US 20050162824A1
• Filed: 05/22/2003
• Published: 07/28/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/28/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Eric Thompson
• Original Assignee: Eric Thompson
• Inventors: Thompson, Eric
• Granted Patent: US 7,679,902 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 361/679.410
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations

Abstract

A docking station, serving as a digital hub and cable management platform, support a laptop computer (42) in an upright position with the laptop screen (43) in a comfortable viewing position relative to the working position of the user. The laptop (42) is positioned in an upright slot (4) in the docking station, with the connection ports easily seen and accessed. The surface of the laptop slot (4) is lined with non-slip surface (3) to ease insertion and control of the laptop (42) as it is lowered into the slot (4). An adjustable front cover (15) defining the front boundary of the slot (4) covers the keyboard of the mobile computer (42) so that the user does not need to view two keyboards, and the appearance of the docked laptop (42) is clean and aesthetic. Wireless data and power transmission into the laptop (42) is provided while the laptop (42) is in the slot (4) so that the laptop (42) can be used in the docking station without a need for cable connections (45, 46) at all.

Claims

1. A docking station for supporting a mobile computer, such as a laptop computer, on a work surface, said mobile computer having an integral keyboard and a screen pivotally connected thereto, comprising:

a base, front cover and rear support plate defining a slot that is upwardly open and also open on two opposite sides for receiving said laptop in an upright position with said screen lifted upward into a good ergonomic position for viewing;

said front cover being positioned relative to said rear support plate to cover desired portions or all of said laptop keyboard when said laptop is inserted in said slot.

2. A docking station as defined in claim 1, further comprising:

a cable bay enclosed by said rear support plate and a cable bay cover for containing and concealing related items such as cables, power supplies, network adapters, wireless network and keyboard/mouse transceivers, wireless power supply and controls.

3. A docking station as defined in claim 2, further comprising:

wireless data and power transceivers in said cable bay for wireless transmission of power to said laptop and for wireless transmission of data to and from said laptop while in said slot.

4. A docking station as defined in claim 2, further comprising:

an elastomeric cable guide in the top of said cable bay cover for holding cables to be connected to said laptop in an easy to reach position.

5. A docking station as defined in claim 1, further comprising:

a tilt adjustment on said base for tilting said front cover and said rear support plate to change said angle of said slot relative to said work surface.

6. A docking station as defined in claim 1, further comprising:

a non-slip surface that facilitates control of the laptop while lowering said laptop into said slot.

7. A docking station for a mobile computer, such as a laptop computer, having a integral keyboard and a screen pivotally connected thereto at a hinge region, comprising:

a base for lying on a work surface, such as a desktop, on which said docking station is to be used;

a front cover and a rear support plate carried by said base, said front cover and rear support plate defining front and rear faces of a slot for receiving said laptop and supporting said laptop at an upright angle, with said screen lifted upward above said slot into a good ergonomic position for viewing, said slot being open at one end, closed at an opposite end, and open on opposite sides, affording easy access to electrical connections and data storage devices on rear and side edges of said laptop computer while in said slot;

said front cover covering said laptop integral keyboard when said laptop is inserted in said slot.

8. A docking station as defined in claim 7, further comprising:

means for adjusting said upright angle of said slot relative to said supporting surface.

9. A docking station as defined in claim 7, further comprising:

a mechanism for adjusting said upright angle of said slot relative to said supporting surface to a desired upright angle for viewing said screen, and for holding said slot at said desired upright angle, said mechanism including an adjusting device for allowing a user of said docking station to rotate said front cover and said rear support plate relative to said work surface.

10. A docking station as defined in claim 7, further comprising:

an elastomeric end pad at said closed end of said slot to gently catch and support said laptop when inserted into said slot.

11. A docking station as defined in claim 7, further comprising:

an elastomeric face pad on one of said front and rear faces of said slot to engage said laptop as it is being inserted into said slot and ease the lowering of said laptop into said slot.

12. A docking station as defined in claim 7, further comprising:

a USB hub on said base, and a USB hub data cable connected to said USB hub and routed to the top of said slot for connection to the laptop.

13. A docking station as defined in claim 12, further comprising:

a cable lock down slot on the back side of said rear support plate, near the top thereof, for receiving and holding said USB hub data cable in position for connection to said laptop.

14. A docking station as defined in claim 12, further comprising:

an opening at the top of said docking station through which said USB hub data cable can be routed.

15. A docking station as defined in claim 7, further comprising:

a wireless power transfer device on said rear support plate for transferring electrical energy to the laptop for charging laptop batteries and powering said laptop.

16. A docking station as defined in claim 7, wherein:

said front cover is sized to expose laptop buttons and light emitting diode indicators near said laptop hinge region.

17. A docking station as defined in claim 7, wherein:

said laptop support plate has a lateral dimension that is narrower than the lateral dimension of said laptop computer, to facilitate easy insertion of said laptop computer into and removal out of said slot.

18. A docking station as defined in claim 7, further comprising:

a digital USB hub on said base for inputting data and connecting peripherals, such as an auxiliary keyboard, to said docking station; and

a USB data cable connected to said hub and extending to said open end of said slot for connection to one of said edges of said laptop computer.

19. A docking station as defined in claim 7, further comprising:

a cable clamp on said rear support plate, on the side thereof opposite the face bounding said slot, that maintains a clamp on said cable and holds said cable at a convenient position for easy plug-in to said laptop computer.

20. A process for supporting a laptop computer for use on a work surface with an auxiliary keyboard, while concealing an integral keyboard of said laptop and presenting a folding screen of said laptop at a selected ergonomic upright viewing angle, comprising:

inserting said laptop computer into a slot defined between a rear support plate and a front cover, said slot being open on three sides and closed on a fourth side;

adjusting said upright angle of said slot relative to said supporting surface to a desired upright angle for viewing said screen by rotating said front cover and said rear support plate relative to said work surface.

21. A process as defined in claim 20, wherein:

said adjusting step includes adjusting an adjustable foot on one edge of said base to change the elevation of said one edge of said base relative to said work surface and thereby rotate said front cover and said rear support plate relative to said work surface.

22. A process for using a laptop computer on a work surface, comprising:

inserting said laptop computer into a slot defined between a rear support plate and a front cover of a docking station, said slot opening sidewardly and upwardly so that said laptop computer in said slot has a generally upward orientation, with said screen extending upwardly above said slot, and having laptop connectors facing upwardly and sidewardly, thereby giving users of said laptop computer easy access to connectors on said laptop computer for connecting a USB data cable running from a USB hub on said docking station and extending out of top portions of said docking station to a USB connector on said laptop computer;

connecting USB data and peripheral cables into said USB hub for inputting to said laptop computer, and plugging said USB data cable from said USB hub into said laptop USB connection.