COMPUTER DOCKING STATION

• US 20110075351A1
• Filed: 09/30/2009
• Published: 03/31/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gamber-Johnson LLC
• Original Assignee: L&P Property Management Company (Leggett & Platt Incorporated)
• Inventors: Tarnoff, Matthew S.
• Granted Patent: US 7,911,779 B1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 361/679.43
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1626 with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 70/5611 For control and machine elements

Abstract

A computer docking station is provided for supporting and electrically coupling to a portable computer that includes a docking connector and an aperture at least partly defining a carrying handle for the computer. The docking station includes a body with a cradle portion configured to support a portion of the computer and having a connector operable to electrically couple with the docking connector of the computer. The body further includes an arm portion sized and configured to be received in the aperture in the computer. A latching member is coupled with the arm portion and is movable between a first position relative to the arm portion, in which the arm portion can be inserted into or removed from the aperture in the portable computer, and a second position relative to the arm portion, in which the arm portion cannot be removed from the aperture in the portable computer.

Claims

1. A computer docking station for supporting and electrically coupling to a portable computer that includes a docking connector and an aperture at least partly defining a carrying handle for the portable computer, the docking station comprising:

a body having

a cradle portion configured to support a portion of the portable computer and having a connector operable to electrically couple with the docking connector of the portable computer; and

an arm portion sized and configured to be received in the aperture in the portable computer; and

a latching member coupled with the arm portion and movable between a first position relative to the arm portion, in which the arm portion can be inserted into or removed from the aperture in the portable computer, and a second position relative to the arm portion, in which the arm portion cannot be removed from the aperture in the portable computer.

2. The computer docking station of claim 1, wherein when in the first position, the latching member is retracted relative to the arm portion, and when in the second position, the latching member is extended relative to the arm portion.

3. The computer docking station of claim 2, wherein the latching member is at least partially retracted into the arm portion when in the first position and is at least partially extended from the arm portion when in the second position.

4. The computer docking station of claim 3, further comprising a biasing member biasing the latching member toward the second position.

5. The computer docking station of claim 3, wherein the latching member is retracted and extended from a top surface of the arm portion.

6. The computer docking station of claim 1, wherein the latching member automatically moves from the second position to the first position as the arm portion is being inserted into the aperture of the portable computer, and automatically moves from the first position to the second position once the arm portion is fully inserted into the aperture of the portable computer.

7. The computer docking station of claim 6, wherein the latching member includes a cam surface engageable by the portable computer as the arm portion is being inserted into the aperture to automatically move the latching member from the second position to the first position.

8. The computer docking station of claim 7, wherein the cam surface includes two oblique cam surfaces intersecting to define a cam surface edge.

9. The computer docking station of claim 1, further comprising a lock mechanism operable to selectively lock the latching member in the second position.

10. The computer docking station of claim 9, wherein the lock mechanism is operated with a key.

11. The computer docking station of claim 9, wherein the lock mechanism is at least partially received in the arm portion.

12. The computer docking station of claim 1, further comprising an activation member manually operable to move the latching member to the first position.

13. The computer docking station of claim 1, wherein the cradle portion includes a base wall operable to engage and support an edge of the portable computer, and wherein the connector is on the base wall.

14. The computer docking station of claim 13, wherein the arm portion extends from the body in a direction generally parallel to the base wall.

15. The computer docking station of claim 13, wherein the base wall includes at least one aperture formed therein.

16. The computer docking station of claim 13, further comprising at least one flange extending from the base wall and having a first portion that extends in a direction generally normal to the base wall.

17. The computer docking station of claim 16, wherein the at least one flange includes a second portion that extends in a direction oblique to the base wall to facilitate insertion of the portable computer into the cradle portion.

18. The computer docking station of claim 13, wherein the base wall transitions into opposing side walls that also define the cradle portion and engage oppositely-facing edges of the portable computer.

19. The computer docking station of claim 13, wherein the cradle portion further includes a rear wall intersecting the base wall, the rear wall including alignment projections positioned to align with recesses in the portable computer to align the portable computer in the docking station.

20. The computer docking station of claim 13, wherein the cradle portion further includes a rear wall intersecting the base wall, the rear wall transitioning into a transition portion of the body that couples the arm portion and the cradle portion.

21. The computer docking station of claim 1, further comprising at least one rib formed at least partially on the arm portion, the rib engageable with the portable computer to guide the arm portion into the aperture in the portable computer.

22. The computer docking station of claim 1, further comprising a connection module coupled with the cradle portion to provide electrical connections to the docking station.

23. A computer docking station for supporting and electrically coupling to a portable computer that includes a docking connector and an aperture, the docking station comprising:

a body having

a cradle portion configured to support a portion of the portable computer and having a connector operable to electrically couple with the docking connector of the portable computer; and

an arm portion sized and configured to be received in the aperture in the portable computer; and

a latching member coupled with the arm portion and movable between a first, retracted position within the arm portion, in which the arm portion can be inserted into or removed from the aperture in the portable computer, and a second, extended position from the arm portion, in which the arm portion cannot be removed from the aperture in the portable computer;

wherein the latching member automatically moves from the second position to the first position as the arm portion is being inserted into the aperture of the portable computer, and automatically moves from the first position to the second position once the arm portion is fully inserted into the aperture of the portable computer; and

wherein the latching member includes a cam surface engageable by the portable computer as the arm portion is being inserted into the aperture to automatically move the latching member from the second position to the first position.