Portable device docking station

• US 20080002351A1
• Filed: 07/31/2006
• Published: 01/03/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: National Products Incorporated
• Original Assignee: National Products Incorporated
• Inventors: Carnevali, Jeffrey D.
• Granted Patent: US 7,573,706 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 361/686
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/5009 For portable articles

Abstract

An external expanding apparatus or “docking station” operable with a portable computer device of a type having a display unit having a display screen on an inner surface thereof and a hard shell backing surface opposite thereof and pivotally mounted on a substantially rigid casing having a pair of locating holes adjacent to opposite corners of a substantially planar bottom surface thereof, and an input/output (I/O) connector positioned on a back plane thereof with a pair of positioning apertures provided on opposite sides thereof.

Claims

1-20. -20. (canceled)

21. An external expanding apparatus operable with a portable computer of a type having a display unit having a display screen on an inner surface thereof and a hard shell backing surface opposite thereof and pivotally mounted on a substantially rigid casing having a pair of locating holes adjacent to opposite corners of a substantially planar bottom surface thereof, and an input/output (I/O) connector positioned on a back, plane thereof with a pair of positioning apertures provided on opposite sides thereof, the external expanding apparatus comprising:

an apparatus body adapted for mounting to an external support structure, the apparatus body having first and second body portions having respective opposing side wails coupled along a line of mutual contact with a pair of mating shapes formed therebetween along the line of mutual contact and forming, the pair of mating shapes forming a hole communicating between interior and exterior surfaces of the first and second body portions, the upper body portion forming a substantially rigid bearing plate with a substantially rectangular computer bearing surface on an outer face thereof and a guide mechanism spaced away therefrom on an opposing inner face thereof opposite from the bearing surface, a computer receiver structure fixedly positioned adjacent to a front edge of the bearing surface and projected there above, and a passage through the bearing plate communicating between the inner and outer faces thereof and positioned between the front edge of the bearing surface and a rear edge thereof;

a nut pocket formed on the interior surface of the side wall of one of the first and second body portions and being substantially aligned with the hole between interior and exterior surfaces thereof, the nut pocket having a plurality of spaced apart walls forming therebetween a cavity having an opening communicating with the exterior surface of one of the first and second body portions;

a pair of engaging pins sized to be matingly received into the pair of locating holes in the bottom surface of the casing of the portable computer, the engaging pins being fixedly projected above the bearing surface at opposite corners thereof and adjacent to the rear edge thereof in positions for being matingly received into the pair of locating holes;

an expansion connector drive mechanism formed with a keyhole aperture and being movably coupled to the guide mechanism for moving a connector bracket seat thereof relative to the inner face of the bearing plate, drive the expansion connector mechanism being operable between a first disengaged position having the connector bracket seat spaced away from the bearing plate and the rear edge of the bearing surface with a relatively enlarged passage of the keyhole aperture being aligned with the passage through the bearing plate, and a second engaged position having the connector bracket seat positioned adjacent to the bearing plate and the rear edge of the bearing surface with a relatively narrow slot portion of the keyhole aperture being aligned with the passage through the bearing plate, and the keyhole aperture being continuously substantially aligned with the passage through the bearing plate between the first disengaged position and the second engaged position;

a connector bracket coupled to the connector bracket seat of the frame and projected above the bearing surface of the bearing plate, the connector bracket having a pair of substantially rigid guides in spaced apart positions for engaging the pair of positioning apertures provided on the computer back plane on opposite sides of the peripheral component connector;

a computer expansion connector structured to mate with the I/O connector of the computer and being mounted on the connector bracket between the guides thereof;

a safety catch operable between the keyhole aperture of the expansion connector mechanism and biased toward the bearing plate, the safety catch having a first portion sized to pass through both the relatively narrow slot portion of the keyhole aperture in the expansion connector mechanism and the passage through the bearing plate, and a second portion sized to pass through the relatively enlarged passage of the keyhole aperture and being oversized relative to the relatively narrow slot portion;

a latch mechanism operable between the expansion connector mechanism and the apparatus body;

a peripheral device connector presentation surface formed on one of the first and second body portions and having one or more interface connectors adapted to connect to one or more different peripheral devices, one or more of the interface connectors being electrically interfaced to the computer expansion connector; and

an external wire harness support positioned adjacent to the peripheral device connector presentation surface and being structured for securing wires relative to the peripheral device connector presentation surface;

a rotatable display unit support having a substantially rigid support arm structured with a first end portion that is rotatably coupled to the side wall of one of the first and second body portions of the apparatus body adjacent to the rear edge of the bearing surface and is pivotable in a plane that is substantially perpendicular to the bearing surface of the bearing plate, and

a display unit clamping mechanism positioned adjacent to a second end portion of the rigid support arm opposite from the first end portion and adapted to resiliently clamp the display unit between a convexly arcuate support surface and a substantially rigid finger of a jaw portion resiliently biased theretoward.

22. The apparatus of claim 21 wherein the further comprises a resilient retraction mechanism coupled between the expansion connector mechanism and the apparatus body for urging the expansion connector drive mechanism into the first disengaged position.

23. The apparatus of claim 21 wherein the external wire harness support further comprises a gang support spaced away from the strain relief and from the peripheral device connector presentation surface.

24. The apparatus of claim 21 wherein the clamping mechanism further comprises a substantially rigid anvil having the convexly arcuate support surface formed thereon, and

a rotatable coupling between wherein the jaw portion and the anvil, the jaw portion being rotatable between a first disengaged position rotated away from the arcuate support surface of the anvil and a second engaged position opposed to the arcuate support surface of the anvil.

25. The apparatus of claim 21 wherein the nut pocket further comprises a substantially planar wall oriented substantially crosswise of the hole between the interior and exterior surfaces of the first and second body portions and spaced away therefrom.

26. The apparatus of claim 25 wherein the nut pocket further comprises at least three angularly interconnected apart walls spaced around the hole between the interior and exterior surfaces of the first and second body portions and being interconnected between the wall oriented substantially crosswise of the hole and the interior surface of one of the first and second body portions.

27. The apparatus of claim 21 wherein the expansion connector drive mechanism further comprises:

a substantially rigid frame having the connector bracket seat integrally formed adjacent to a first end thereof, an integral handle, an integral follower mechanism structured to cooperate with the guide mechanism on the inner face of the bearing plate for moving the frame relative thereto, an integral security plate having the keyhole aperture formed therethrough, and an integral catch mechanism positioned adjacent to a second end of the frame opposite from the connector bracket seat; and

a keeper coupled to the bearing plate with the frame therebetween and interfaced to the guide mechanism.

28. The apparatus of claim 27 wherein the guide mechanism on the inner face of the bearing plate further comprises a pair of wheels rotatable relative to the bearing plate, and the integral follower mechanism of the frame portion of the expansion connector drive mechanism further comprises an integral slot structured to cooperate with the guide mechanism for moving the connector bracket seat in substantially linear fashion between the first disengaged position and the second engaged position.

29. An external expanding apparatus for expanding the function of a portable electronic device having a device body provided with an input/output (I/O) connector, the external expanding apparatus comprising:

an apparatus body having a bearing surface on which the device body is to be placed, and a mounting structure that is structured to adapt the apparatus body for mounting to an external support structure;

a pair of engaging pins projected from the bearing surface;

an expansion connector connectable with the device I/O connector;

an expansion connector drive mechanism structured for moving the expansion connector linearly relative to the bearing surface between a disengaged position spaced away from one edge of the bearing surface and an engaged position adjacent to the edge of the bearing surface;

a display unit support rotatably coupled to the apparatus body and having a display unit clamping mechanism positioned thereon in a position spaced away from the apparatus body;

an integral wire harness strain relief structured on an external surface of the apparatus body spaced away from a peripheral device connector presentation surface of the apparatus body having one or more interface connectors presented thereon and adapted to connect to one or more different peripheral devices;

an edge mounting hole formed between upper and lower portions of the apparatus body; and

a nut pocket formed on an inner surface of one of the upper and lower apparatus body portions and substantially aligned with the edge mounting hole and having an opening thereinto communicating with a surface of one of the upper and lower portions of the apparatus body.

30. The apparatus of claim 29 wherein the expansion connector drive mechanism further comprises a frame movably coupled to an inner surface of the apparatus body opposite from the bearing surface thereof for motion relative to the bearing surface, and

further comprising a releasable safety catch operable between the frame and an aperture communicating with the bearing surface of the apparatus body, the safety catch being movable between a locked position having a sensing portion thereof extended from the bearing surface and having a locking portion thereof interlocked with the frame, and an unlocked position having the sensing portion thereof retracted relative to the bearing surface and having the locking portion thereof disengaged from the frame.

31. The apparatus of claim 30, further comprising a releasable latch mechanism operable between the frame and a portion of the apparatus body;

32. The apparatus of claim 31 wherein the expansion connector drive mechanism further comprises one or more guides positioned on the inner surface of the body apparatus opposite from the bearing surface thereof and aligned between the one edge of the bearing surface and another opposing edge thereof, and a cooperating follower mechanism formed in an integral interface portion of the movable frame.

33. The apparatus of claim 29 wherein the display unit support further comprises a substantially rigid support arm rotatably coupled to a portion of the apparatus body adjacent to the one edge of the bearing surface and rotatable in a plane that is substantially perpendicular to the bearing surface, and having the display unit clamping mechanism positioned thereon in a position spaced away from the apparatus body.

34. The apparatus of claim 33 wherein the clamping mechanism further comprises:

a substantially rigid anvil having a convexly arcuate support surface extended substantially perpendicularly to the rotation plane of the support arm, and

a substantially rigid jaw that is rotatably coupled to the anvil, the jaw having a substantially rigid finger that is resiliently biased toward the arcuate support surface of the anvil.

35. The apparatus of claim 34 wherein the resiliently biased finger of the clamping mechanism is further rotatable between a first position opposed to the arcuate support surface of the anvil, and a second position unopposed to the arcuate support surface of the anvil.

36. An external expanding apparatus operable with a portable computer device of a type having a display unit having a display screen on an inner surface thereof and a hard shell backing surface opposite thereof and pivotally mounted on a substantially rigid casing having a pair of locating holes adjacent to opposite corners of a substantially planar bottom surface thereof, and an input/output (I/O) connector positioned on a back plane thereof with a pair of positioning apertures provided on opposite sides thereof, the external expanding apparatus comprising:

a substantially rigid apparatus body an upper apparatus body portion and a lower apparatus body portion interconnected along a line of mutual contact, and a pair of mating shapes formed between the upper and lower apparatus body portions the pair of mating shapes forming a hole communicating between interior along the line of mutual contact, and exterior surfaces of the upper and lower apparatus body portions;

a nut pocket formed on the interior surface of one of the upper and lower apparatus body portions and being substantially aligned with the hole between interior and exterior surfaces thereof, the nut pocket communicating with an opening formed in an outer surface of one of the upper and lower apparatus body potion via a substantially straight well shaft formed therebetween;

the upper apparatus body portion having a substantially rigid bearing plate formed with a substantially rectangular computer bearing surface on an outer face thereof on which the computer device body is to be placed and one or more guides on an inner face thereof opposite from the bearing surface, a connector presentation surface adjacent to the bearing surface along a rear edge thereof and having an opening formed therein projected above the bearing surface for opposing the device I/O connector of the computer device body placed on the bearing surface, a computer device receiver structure fixedly positioned adjacent to a front edge of the bearing surface and projected there above opposite from the connector presentation surface and having a jaw structure with an opening facing toward the connector presentation surface and structured to receive and mate with a front face of the computer device casing, a clearance hole through the bearing plate communicating between the inner and outer faces thereof and positioned between the front edge of the bearing surface and a rear edge thereof, and a peripheral device connector presentation surface having one or more peripheral device connectors;

a pair of engaging pins sized to be matingly received into the pair of locating holes in the bottom surface of the casing of the portable computer device, the engaging pins being fixedly projected above the bearing surface at opposite corners thereof and adjacent to the rear edge thereof in positions for being matingly received into the pair of device locating holes;

one or more strain relief structures positioned on a surface of the apparatus body adjacent to the peripheral device connector presentation surface, each of the one or more strain relief structures being formed with a valley portion projected above the body surface and being substantially aligned with a corresponding one of the one or more peripheral device connectors and spaced away therefrom;

an expansion connector drive mechanism movably coupled to the one or more guides on the inner face of the bearing plate for moving an integral connector seat thereof relative to the connector presentation surface, and a keyhole aperture therethrough positioned opposite the clearance hole through the bearing plate and having a relatively narrow elongated slot portion oriented substantially parallel with a linear drive axis of the expansion connector drive mechanism and a relatively larger aperture communicating with one end of the slot portion opposite from the integral connector seat;

a connector bracket connectable with the pair of positioning apertures provided on opposite sides of the device I/O connector and being coupled to the connector seat of the expansion connector drive mechanism and projected above the bearing surface of the bearing plate and substantially aligned with the opening in the connector presentation surface, the connector bracket having a pair of substantially rigid guides in spaced apart positions for engaging the pair of positioning apertures provided on the computer device back plane on opposite sides of the I/O connector;

a computer expansion connector connectable with the I/O connector of the computer, the computer expansion connector being mounted on the connector bracket between the guides thereof;

a releasable safety catch operable between the keyhole aperture in of the expansion connector drive mechanism and the clearance hole through the bearing plate, the safety catch having a first relatively narrow stem portion sized to pass through both the relatively narrow slot portion of the keyhole aperture of the expansion connector drive mechanism and the clearance hole through the bearing plate, and a second base portion having a relatively wider shoulder portion sized to pass through the relatively larger keyhole aperture and being oversized relative to the relatively narrow slot portion;

a first resilient biasing mechanism coupled to the safety catch and structured for urging the relatively narrow stem portion through both the relatively narrow slot portion of the keyhole aperture in the security plate and the passage through the bearing plate, and for urging the relatively wider shoulder portion of the base portion into the relatively enlarged passage of the keyhole aperture;

a mounting structure that is structured to adapt the apparatus body for mounting to an external support structure;

a display unit support having a substantially rigid support arm having a first pivot end portion that is rotatably coupled in a releasably lockable manner between the upper and lower apparatus body portions adjacent to the connector presentation surface and being rotatable in a rotation plane that is substantially perpendicular to the bearing surface of the bearing plate, and having a display unit clamping mechanism positioned adjacent to a second clamping end portion of the rigid support arm opposite from the first pivot end portion, the clamping mechanism being adapted to releasably resiliently clamp the inner surface and hard shell backing of the display unit;

the expansion connector drive mechanism being linearly movable substantially along the linear drive axis thereof between a first disengaged position having the guides of the connector bracket coupled to the integral connector seat thereof and the expansion connector mounted thereon both retracted within the opening in the connector presentation surface adjacent to the rear edge of the bearing surface, and a second engaged position having the connector bracket guides and expansion connector extended from the opening in the connector presentation surface over the rear edge of the bearing surface, wherein the connector bracket is linearly movable between the first disengaged position and the second engaged position by release of the releasable safety catch including retraction of the first relatively narrower portion thereof relative to the clearance hole through the bearing plate and disengagement of the second relatively wider portion thereof from the relatively larger keyhole aperture in the security plate, and the elongated slot portion of the keyhole being continuously substantially aligned with the passage through the bearing plate between the first disengaged position and the second engaged position;

a second resilient biasing mechanism coupled between the expansion connector drive mechanism and a rear portion of the upper apparatus body portion adjacent to the rear edge of the bearing surface for urging the expansion connector drive mechanism away from the second engaged position toward the first disengaged position; and

a releasable latch mechanism positioned on the apparatus body adjacent to a front surface of the bearing plate and projected below the inner face thereof in a position to alternately engage the expansion connector drive mechanism and retain the expansion connector drive mechanism in the second engaged position.

37. The apparatus of claim 36 wherein the pair of substantially rigid guides of the connector bracket is further substantially rigidly fixed in the spaced apart positions relative to the connector seat of the expansion connector drive mechanism;

and

the connector seat of the expansion connector drive mechanism is movable relative to the one or more guides on the inner face of the bearing plate.

38. The apparatus of claim 36, further comprising one or more gang supports projected above the surface of the apparatus body adjacent to the peripheral device connector presentation surface and being spaced away from both of the one or more strain relief structures and from the peripheral device connector presentation surface, each of the gang supports comprising a substantially rigid body portion being projected above the surface of the apparatus body on one or more leg structures and forming a tunnel between the body portion and the surface of the apparatus body.

39. The apparatus of claim 36 wherein the clamping mechanism of the display unit support further comprises:

a substantially rigid anvil having a substantially smooth convexly arcuate support surface extended substantially perpendicularly to the rotation plane of the support arm;

a substantially rigid jaw that is rotatably coupled to the anvil, the jaw having a substantially rigid finger that is spaced away from the arcuate support surface of the anvil and is rotatable between a first position opposed to the arcuate support surface of the anvil, and a second position unopposed to the arcuate support surface of the anvil; and

a resilient biasing mechanism for urging the substantially rigid finger toward the arcuate support surface of the anvil.

40. The apparatus of claim 36 wherein the expansion connector drive mechanism further comprises a substantially rigid movable frame having the integral connector seat adjacent to a first end thereof, the movable frame further comprising:

an integral retention plate formed with a lengthwise slot that is movably coupled to the one or more guides on the inner face of the bearing plate for moving the frame relative thereto between the front and rear edges of the bearing surface along the linear drive axis of the expansion connector drive mechanism,

an integral security plate positioned opposite the clearance hole through the bearing plate and having the keyhole aperture formed therethrough,

a handle extended from the frame toward the lower apparatus body portion, and

one or more keepers coupled to the bearing plate with the integral retention plate of the frame being movably secured therebetween.