Dock with flippable connector

• US 20100062615A1
• Filed: 09/05/2008
• Published: 03/11/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/05/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Prest, Chris
• Granted Patent: US 8,323,040 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 439/38
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/44 Means for preventing access to live contacts making use of a switch actuated by engagement of counterpart H01R13/7036
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 35/00 Flexible or turnable line connectors , i.e. the rotation angle being limited rotary current collectors, distributors H01R39/00

Abstract

A dock includes a moveable connector to allow connection to a handheld electronic device. Generally, the connector moves between a closed position and an open position where the connector is placed in at least one substantially upright position for receiving a handheld electronic device. The connector may be hidden from view or lie flush relative to the body of the dock, thereby making the dock more portable and easily organized with other objects, e.g. in stacking. Various motions can be used to move the connector. Examples include one or more rotations, translations, and/or the like. Various retention mechanisms may be employed to retain the connector in an open position when connected to the media player. Also, various electrical mechanisms can be used to couple the movable connector to a fixed printed circuit board (PCB) contained inside the body of the dock.

Claims

1. A docking station for receiving a hand-held electronic device, the hand-held electronic device having a receptacle connector, the docking station comprising:

a housing;

a connector bay formed in the housing;

a connector assembly adapted to reside in the connector bay and adapted to connect to the receptacle connector of the hand-held electronic device, wherein the connector assembly comprises;

a connector plug having a first end for connecting with the receptacle connector of the hand-held electronic device;

a pivot mechanism that is coupled with the connector plug and that is configured to rotate the connector plug between a closed position and one or more open positions;

wherein when in an open position, the connector plug is configured to connect to the receptacle connector, and wherein when in the closed position, a side of the connector plug is substantially flush or below a top surface of the housing; and

a retention mechanism that is coupled with the pivot mechanism and that is adapted to hold the connector plug in an open position when connected with the hand-held electronic device.

2. The docking station of claim 1, wherein the connector plug has electrical contacts at a first end for connecting with the receptacle connector of the hand-held electronic device, further comprising:

a circuit board electrically coupled with the electrical contacts of the connector plug.

3. The docking station of claim 1, wherein an open position occurs at an angle greater than 90 degrees relative to the closed position, and wherein the retention mechanism includes a stopper that prevents the connector plug from rotating further when the electronic device is connected with the connector plug.

4. The docking station of claim 1, wherein the retention mechanism includes a releasable locking mechanism that is associated with each open position and that holds the connector plug in a respective open position when the locking mechanism is in an unreleased state.

5. The docking station of claim 4, wherein the number of open positions of the connector plug is continuous.

6. The docking station of claim 4, wherein the releasable locking mechanism includes a ratchet that is releasable via an element accessible on the housing.

7. The docking station of claim 4, wherein the releasable locking mechanism includes an element with fingers that lock into holes of the pivot mechanism during an unreleased state.

8. The docking station of claim 1, wherein the retention mechanism includes a force element with a force profile that has an increase in the force profile from a first open position to a closed position of the connector plug.

9. The docking station of claim 8, wherein the retention mechanism includes a releasable locking mechanism that is associated with each open position and that holds the connector plug in a respective open position when the locking mechanism is in an unreleased state.

10. The docking station of claim 1, wherein the pivot mechanism includes at least one peg on a side of the connector plug and at least one corresponding slot through which the at least one peg slides during a rotation of the connector plug.

11. A docking station for receiving a hand-held electronic device, the hand-held electronic device having a receptacle connector, the docking station comprising:

a housing;

a connector bay formed in the housing; and

a connector assembly that is adapted to reside in the connector bay and that includes a connector plug adapted to connect to the receptacle connector of the hand-held electronic device, and

wherein the connector plug is movable between a closed position in which the connector plug is entirely disposed within the connector bay and at least one open position in which an end of the connector plug is exposed for coupling with the receptacle connector, wherein a first force profile for moving the connector plug from an open position to the closed position includes an increase in the force profile.

12. The docking station of claim 11, wherein the force profile is created by magnetic detents.

13. The docking station of claim 11, the force element includes a rolling mechanism coupled with the connector plug, wherein the rolling mechanism moves over an undulated surface when the connector plug rotates.

14. The docking station of claim 11, wherein the force profile is at a minimum in the first open position.

15. The docking station of claim 14, wherein the force profile is at a minimum in each open position.

16. A docking station as in claim 11, wherein the connector plug moves between an open position and the closed position via one or more rotations and/or translations.

17. A docking station for receiving a handheld electronic device, the hand-held electronic device having a receptacle connector, the docking station comprising:

one or more electronic circuits;

a body that encloses the electronic circuits; and

a moveable connector that has one or more contacts that are electrically coupled with the electronic circuits and that is adapted to connect to a corresponding connector of the hand-held electronic device,

wherein the moveable connector moves from a first position in the body to at least one second position out of the body,

wherein when in the first position, the moveable connector is incapable of electrically connecting with the handheld electronic device, and

wherein when in the second position, the moveable connector is capable of electrically connecting with the handheld electronic device.

18. The docking station of claim 17, wherein when the moveable connector is placed in the closed position, an operation of the docking station is automatically turned off.

19. The docking station of claim 17, further comprising:

a spring that biases the moveable connector toward an open position or a closed position.

20. The docking station of claim 19, further comprising a latch that locks the connector plug into the open position or the closed position.