DOCKING STATION FOR PORTABLE TERMINAL

• US 20130335914A1
• Filed: 06/04/2013
• Published: 12/19/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/19/2012
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: LEE, John-Gy
• Application Number:
  US13/909,330
• Publication Number:
  US 20130335914A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 361/679.41
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1654 the display being detachable, e.g. for remote use
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1669 Detachable keyboards

Abstract

A docking station for a portable terminal includes: a body configured with a connection member to allow the portable terminal to be removably mounted to the body; and the connection member is installed to be movable on the body, the connection member comprising connection terminals, wherein when the portable terminal is mounted on the docking station, the connection member approaches the portable terminal to connect the connection terminals to the portable terminal. The connection body, in which the connection terminals are arranged, can be moved together with a portable terminal on the body of the docking station while being connected with the portable terminal using a point contact structure. Therefore, it is possible to reduce the risk of damage of the connection body due to the movement of the portable terminal Further, the connection body may approach to a portable terminal by the attractive force of one or more magnetic bodies or the like to connect the connection terminals with the portable terminal.

Claims

1. A docking station for a portable terminal, comprising:

a body configured with a connection member to allow the portable terminal to be removably mounted to the body; and

the connection member installed on the body and comprising connection terminals,

wherein when the portable terminal is mounted on the docking station, the connection terminals of the connection member approach the portable terminal to connect to the portable terminal.

2. The docking station as in claim 1, further comprising:

a magnetic body installed on the connection member,

wherein when the portable terminal is mounted, the connection member approaches the portable terminal to be attached to an outer peripheral surface of the portable terminal by an attractive force between the magnetic body and the portable terminal.

3. The docking station as in claim 1, wherein a pair of magnetic bodies are arranged on the connection member, and the connection terminals are arranged between the magnetic bodies.

4. The docking station as in claim 1, further comprising:

a plurality of hinge lugs extending from a plurality of opposite ends of the connection member, respectively; and

a plurality support members mounted within an inside portion of the body, and coupled to wrap the plurality of hinge lugs,

wherein the plurality of hinge lugs is rotatably coupled to the plurality of support members, respectively.

5. The docking station as in claim 4, further comprising:

a plurality of hinge holes are formed in the plurality of support members to receive the plurality of hinge lugs, respectively,

wherein a diameter of each of the plurality of hinge holes is larger than a cross-sectional diameter of each of the plurality hinge lugs such that the plurality of hinge lugs is movable in the plurality of hinge holes.

6. The docking station as in claim 1, the body comprising:

a docking member installed to be pivotable at a side edge of the body, and the portable terminal removably attached to the docking member.

7. The docking station as in claim 6, wherein the portable terminal is coupled to the docking member to pivot together with the docking member on the body to allow the portable terminal to be folded to come into contact with one face of the body or to be unfolded from the body.

8. The docking station as in claim 7, further comprising:

a keyboard of a qwerty arrangement provided on the one face of the body,

wherein when the portable terminal is folded to the body, the keyboard comes into contact with the portable terminal.

9. The docking station as in claim 6, wherein the docking member is coupled to wrap a side edge of the portable terminal.

10. The docking station as in claim 6, wherein the connection member is installed on the docking member to be movable.

11. The docking station as in claim 10, further comprising:

an opening formed on one face of the docking member,

wherein when the connection member is installed within an inside portion of the docking member, the connection terminals protrude to an outside portion of the docking member through the opening.

12. The docking station as in claim 11, further comprising:

a plurality of hinge lugs extending from a plurality of opposite ends of the connection member, respectively; and

a plurality of support members mounted within the inside portion of the body, each of the plurality of support members being coupled to wrap one of the plurality of hinge lugs,

wherein the plurality of hinge lugs are wrapped by and rotatably coupled to the plurality of support members, respectively.

13. The docking station as in claim 12, further comprising:

a plurality of hinge holes formed in the plurality of support members to receive the plurality of hinge lugs, respectively,

wherein a diameter of each the plurality of hinge holes is larger than a cross-sectional diameter of each of the plurality of hinge lugs such that the plurality of hinge lugs are movable in the plurality of hinge holes.

14. The docking station as in claim 6, further comprising:

a pair of magnetic bodies installed on the connection member,

wherein when the portable terminal is mounted, the connection member approaches the portable terminal to be attached to an outer peripheral surface of the portable terminal by an attractive force between the pair of magnetic bodies and the portable terminal.

15. The docking station as in claim 1, wherein the connection terminals are pogo pins.

16. The docking station as in claim 1, further comprising:

a plurality of hinge lugs provided to the connection member,

wherein the plurality of hinge lugs is rotatably coupled within an inside portion of the body, respectively to allow the connection member to rotate in relation to the body.

17. The docking station as in claim 16, wherein the connection member is configured to move in a horizontal and vertical direction in the body.

18. The docking station as in claim 16, wherein the plurality of hinge lugs are configured on an inside portion of the docking member to allow the plurality of hinge lugs to rotate while moving in a horizontal or vertical direction.

19. The docking station as in claim 16, further comprising:

a pair of magnetic bodies to produce an attractive force between the connection member and the portable terminal.

20. The docking station as in claim 1, wherein the connection terminals are configured with pogo pins to allow the portable terminal to remain in connect with the connection member when the portable terminal is moved within a predetermined range.

21. A docking station for a portable terminal, comprising:

a body configured to allow the portable terminal to be removably mounted to the body;

a connection member installed on the body and comprising connection terminals;

hinge lugs extending from both ends of the connection member, respectively;

support members mounted within an inside portion of the body; and

hinge holes are formed in the support members to receive the hinge lugs, respectively,

wherein a diameter of each of the hinge holes is larger than a cross-sectional diameter of each of the hinge lugs such that the hinge lugs is movable in the hinge holes, respectively and when the portable terminal is mounted on the docking station, the connection member approach the portable terminal to connect the connection terminals to the portable terminal.

22. The docking station as in claim 21, wherein the hinge lugs is rotatably coupled in the hinge holes, respectively.

23. The docking station as in claim 21, further comprising:

at least one magnetic body installed on the connection member,

wherein when the portable terminal is mounted, the connection member approaches the portable terminal to be attached to an outer peripheral surface of the portable terminal by an attractive force between the magnetic body and the portable terminal.

24. The docking station as in claim 23, wherein a pair of the magnetic bodies are arranged on the connection member, and the connection terminals are arranged between the magnetic bodies.