Portable device docking station
First Claim
1. 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:
- a body portion adapted for mounting to an external support structure, the body portion having a substantially rigid bearing plate formed with a computer bearing surface, a computer receiver structure fixedly positioned adjacent to a front edge of the bearing surface and projected there above;
a pair of locating pins sized to be matingly received into the pair of locating holes in the bottom surface of the casing of the portable computer, the locating pins being fixedly projected above the bearing surface in positions for being matingly received into the pair of locating holes;
a computer expansion connector positioned for mating with the input/output (I/O) connector positioned on the back plane of the portable computer;
a rotatable display unit support having a substantially rigid support arm structured with a first end portion that is rotatably coupled to the body portion 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 clamp the display unit between a substantially rigid support surface and a substantially rigid jaw portion resiliently biased substantially theretoward.
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Accused Products
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 exposed on a surface thereof with a pair of positioning apertures provided on opposite sides thereof. The docking station having a rotatable display unit support with a display unit clamping mechanism at one end thereof adapted to resiliently clamp the computer'"'"'s display unit.
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Citations
22 Claims
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1. 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:
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a body portion adapted for mounting to an external support structure, the body portion having a substantially rigid bearing plate formed with a computer bearing surface, a computer receiver structure fixedly positioned adjacent to a front edge of the bearing surface and projected there above; a pair of locating pins sized to be matingly received into the pair of locating holes in the bottom surface of the casing of the portable computer, the locating pins being fixedly projected above the bearing surface in positions for being matingly received into the pair of locating holes; a computer expansion connector positioned for mating with the input/output (I/O) connector positioned on the back plane of the portable computer; a rotatable display unit support having a substantially rigid support arm structured with a first end portion that is rotatably coupled to the body portion 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 clamp the display unit between a substantially rigid support surface and a substantially rigid jaw portion resiliently biased substantially theretoward. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. 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 one or more positioning apertures provided on opposite sides thereof, the external expanding apparatus comprising:
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a body portion adapted for mounting to an external support structure, the body portion having a substantially rigid bearing plate formed with a computer bearing surface, a computer receiver structure fixedly positioned adjacent to a front edge of the bearing surface and projected there above; one or more locating pins sized to be matingly received into the locating holes in the bottom surface of the casing of the portable computer, the one or more locating pins being fixedly projected above the bearing surface in positions for being matingly received into the locating holes; a movable computer expansion connector positioned adjacent to a rear edge of the bearing surface opposite from the computer receiver structure the for mating with the input/output (I/O) connector positioned on the back plane of the portable computer; a rotatable display unit support having a substantially rigid support arm structured with a first end portion that is pivotally coupled to the body portion adjacent to the rear edge of the bearing surface of the bearing plate and is pivotable in a plane that is substantially perpendicular to the bearing surface; and a display unit clamping mechanism adapted to clamp the display unit, the clamping mechanism positioned adjacent to a second end portion of the rigid support arm opposite from the first end portion, the clamping mechanism comprising; a substantially rigid anvil having a convexly arcuate support surface extended substantially perpendicularly to the pivot 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 spacable away from the arcuate support surface of the anvil and 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 qf the anvil. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. 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:
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a body portion adapted for mounting to an external support structure, the body portion having a substantially rigid bearing plate between opposing side walls and formed with a computer bearing surface, a computer receiver structure fixedly positioned adjacent to a front edge of the bearing surface and projected there above; a pair of locating pins sized to be matingly received into the pair of locating holes in the bottom surface of the casing of the portable computer, the locating pins being fixedly projected above the bearing surface in positions for being matingly received into the pair of locating holes; a computer expansion connector movable relative to a connector presentation surface positioned adjacent to a rear edge of the bearing surface opposite from the computer receiver structure the for mating with the input/output (I/O) connector positioned on the back plane of the portable computer; a rotatable display unit support having a substantially rigid support arm structured with a first end portion that is rotatably coupled in a releasably lockable manner to one of the side walls of the body portion adjacent to the connector presentation surface and is rotatable in a plane of rotation that is substantially perpendicular to the computer bearing surface of the bearing plate; and a display unit clamping mechanism adapted to clamp the inner surface and hard shell backing of the display unit, the clamping mechanism positioned adjacent to a second clamping end portion of the rigid support arm opposite from the first pivot end portion, the display unit clamping mechanism comprising; a substantially rigid anvil having a substantially smooth part-cylindrical support surface having an axis of rotation extended substantially perpendicularly to the rotation plane of the support arm, a substantially rigid jaw that is rotatably coupled to a heal portion of the anvil, the jaw having a substantially rigid finger that is nominally spaced away from the arcuate support surface of the anvil and is rotatable about a drive axis extended substantially crosswise axis of rotation of the part-cylindrical support surface of the anvil, the finger being rotatable between a first position opposed to the part-cylindrical support surface of the anvil, and a second position unopposed to the part-cylindrical support surface of the anvil; a resilient biasing mechanism coupled for urging the substantially rigid finger toward the part-cylindrical support surface of the anvil; and a detent mechanism between the jaw and the anvil for retaining the finger portion of the jaw in one of the first and second positions. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22)
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Specification