DOCKING STATION WITH MOVEABLE CONNECTOR FOR HAND HELD ELECTRONIC DEVICE
First Claim
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, the connector bay having two side walls, a back wall, and a front wall;
a connector assembly configured to reside in the connector bay and 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
the first end of the connector plug is adjacent to the front wall of the connector bay; and
a retention mechanism that is coupled with the pivot mechanism and that is configured to hold the connector plug in an open position when connected with the hand-held electronic device.
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Accused Products
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.
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Citations
14 Claims
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1. A docking station for receiving a hand-held electronic device, the hand-held electronic device having a receptacle connector, the docking station comprising:
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a housing; a connector bay formed in the housing, the connector bay having two side walls, a back wall, and a front wall; a connector assembly configured to reside in the connector bay and 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 the first end of the connector plug is adjacent to the front wall of the connector bay; and a retention mechanism that is coupled with the pivot mechanism and that is configured to hold the connector plug in an open position when connected with the hand-held electronic device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A docking station for receiving a handheld electronic device, the hand-held electronic device having a receptacle connector, the docking station comprising:
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one or more electronic circuits; a body that encloses the electronic circuits; a switch; and a moveable connector, coupled to the switch, that has one or more contacts that are electrically coupled with the one or more electronic circuits and that is configured 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; when in the first position, the moveable connector is incapable of electrically connecting with the handheld electronic device; when in the second position, the moveable connector is capable of electrically connecting with the handheld electronic device; and the switch is activated when the moveable connector is moved from the second position to the first position, the activation causing power to the docking station to be turned off. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14)
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Specification