CRADLE

• US 20080205070A1
• Filed: 01/28/2008
• Published: 08/28/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/22/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: OSADA, Yasuo
• Granted Patent: US 8,092,060 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 362/368
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations

Abstract

A cradle includes a housing, an indicator configured to display a status by emitting light, a light-emitting unit serving as a light source for causing the indicator to emit the light, and a reflection unit for guiding the light emitted from the light-emitting unit to the indicator by reflecting the emitted light to the indicator.

Claims

1. A cradle comprising:

a housing;

an indicator configured to display a status by emitting light;

light-emitting means serving as a light source for causing the indicator to emit the light; and

reflection means for guiding the light emitted from the light-emitting means to the indicator by reflecting the emitted light to the indicator.

2. The cradle according to claim 1,

wherein the housing includes a mounting portion on which a portable playback device is mounted.

3. The cradle according to claim 2,

wherein the mounting portion on which the portable playback device is mounted includes a connector.

4. The cradle according to claim 1, further comprising an antenna for receiving a signal from an information terminal.

5. The cradle according to claim 1,

wherein the light-emitting means is a light-emitting diode mounted on a circuit board provided in the housing.

6. The cradle according to claim 1,

wherein the indicator is an arc-shaped translucent-white light guide member which is exposed at an outer peripheral surface of the housing and which extends circumferentially.

7. The cradle according to claim 6,

wherein the reflection means is included in a weight provided under the housing,

wherein a reflection portion of the weight is exposed at an opening in the housing, and

wherein the light emitted from the light-emitting means is guided to the indicator in such a manner that the emitted light is reflected through the opening by the reflection portion of the weight.

8. The cradle according to claim 6,

wherein the reflection means is formed on a surface of a weight provided under the housing,

wherein the reflection means is exposed at an opening in the housing, and

wherein the light emitted from the light-emitting means is guided to the indicator in such a manner that the emitted light is reflected through the opening by the reflection means.

9. The cradle according to one of claims 7 and 8, wherein the reflection portion of the weight or the reflection means is provided, inside the arc-shaped translucent-white light guide member, in proximity to the circumferential center of the arc-shaped translucent-white light guide member.

10. A cradle comprising:

a housing;

an indicator configured to display a status by emitting light;

light-emitting means serving as a light source for causing the indicator to emit the light; and

reflection means for guiding the light emitted from the light-emitting means to the indicator by reflecting the emitted light to the indicator,

wherein the indicator is mounted in a junction between an upper case and a lower case that form the housing, and

wherein a weight is attached to an underside of the lower case and the weight is provided with the reflection means.

11. The cradle according to claim 10,

wherein the upper case and the lower case are bonded to each other by screws screwed from the side of the lower case, and

wherein the weight is attached to the underside of the lower case so as to cover heads of the screws.

12. The cradle according to claim 11,

wherein pawls are provided at a periphery of the weight and the pawls are engaged in openings of engagement holes of the lower case, and

wherein the weight is locked such that a locking protrusion of an elastic member of the lower case is inserted into a lock hole of the weight.

13. The cradle according to claim 12,

wherein the pawls of the weight are disengaged from the openings of the engagement holes in such a manner that the elastic member is elastically deformed by inserting a pin from the lock hole to press the locking protrusion and the weight is circumferentially turned by a small angle, with the locking protrusion disengaged from the lock hole.

14. The cradle according to claim 11,

wherein pawls are provided at a periphery of the weight and the pawls are engaged in openings of engagement holes of the lower case, and

wherein the weight is locked such that a lock hole of an elastic member of the lower case receives a locking protrusion of the weight.

15. The cradle according to claim 14,

wherein the pawls of the weight are disengaged from the openings of the engagement holes in such a manner that the weight is circumferentially turned by a small angle in a state in which engagement between the lock hole of the elastic member and the locking protrusion of the weight is released by inserting a pin through a small hole of the weight to press the elastic member of the lower case.

16. A cradle comprising:

a housing;

an indicator configured to display a status by emitting light;

a light-emitting unit serving as a light source for causing the indicator to emit the light; and

a reflection unit configured to guide the light emitted from the light-emitting unit to the indicator by reflecting the emitted light to the indicator.

17. A cradle comprising:

a housing;

an indicator configured to display a status by emitting light;

a light-emitting unit serving as a light source for causing the indicator to emit the light; and

a reflection unit configured to guide the light emitted from the light-emitting unit to the indicator by reflecting the emitted light to the indicator,

wherein the indicator is mounted in a junction between an upper case and a lower case that form the housing, and

wherein a weight is attached to an underside of the lower case and the weight is provided with the reflection unit.