DOCKING STATION FOR TABLET DEVICE

• US 20180143665A1
• Filed: 01/19/2018
• Published: 05/24/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/05/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mobile Tech, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Mobile Tech, Inc.
• Inventors: Wylie, Hunter
• Granted Patent: US 10,198,036 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• 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

Abstract

A docking station for a tablet device includes a security frame that is releasably connected to a pedestal. An upper head portion of the pedestal is rotatable through three degrees of freedom to allow for angular adjustment of the frame as it retains a tablet device. Electrical conductivity is maintained through the rotational connection.

Claims

1. A docking station for a tablet device, the docking station comprising:

a frame assembly for retaining the tablet device, the frame assembly including a frame adapter and a first electrical connection, the frame adapter being electrically connectable to the tablet device via the first electrical connection;

a pedestal assembly including a head portion and a base portion, the head portion being connected to the base portion, the head portion including a pedestal adapter and a second electrical connection, the pedestal adapter being electrically connectable to a power source via the second electrical connection, the pedestal adapter being releasably connectable to the frame adapter;

the pedestal adapter and the frame adapter being configured such that the pedestal assembly and the frame assembly are electrically connected whenever the pedestal adapter is connected to the frame adapter, the pedestal adapter and the frame adapter being configured such that the pedestal assembly is electrically unconnected to the frame assembly whenever the pedestal adapter is not connected to the frame adapter;

the frame assembly being positionable relative to the base portion of the pedestal assembly in a landscape orientation and in a rotated orientation, the rotated orientation being different from the landscape orientation, the pedestal assembly and the frame assembly being configured such that the pedestal adapter and the frame adapter are connected to each other when the frame assembly is in the landscape orientation, the pedestal assembly and the frame assembly being configured such that the pedestal adapter and the frame adapter are connected to each other when the frame assembly is in the rotated orientation, the frame assembly being electrically connected to the pedestal assembly when the frame assembly is in the landscape orientation, the frame assembly being electrically connected to the pedestal assembly when the frame assembly is in the rotated orientation.

2. The docking station as set forth in claim 1 wherein the docking station further comprises a lock assembly moveable between a locked condition and an unlocked condition, the lock assembly being configured to lock the frame assembly to the pedestal assembly in the locked condition, the lock assembly being configured to permit detachment of the frame assembly from the pedestal assembly when the lock assembly is in the unlocked condition.

3. The docking station as set forth in claim 1 wherein the frame adapter includes a first electrical interface and the pedestal adapter includes a second electrical interface, the first electrical interface being configured to connect with the second electrical interface in a manner such that the pedestal assembly and the frame assembly are electrically connected when the pedestal adapter is connected to the frame adapter.

4. The docking station as set forth in claim 1 wherein the head portion of the pedestal assembly is configured to pivot about a horizontal axis to adjust a vertical position of the frame assembly when the pedestal adapter is connected to the frame adapter.

5. The docking station as set forth in claim 1 wherein the head portion further comprises a face, a head portion axis being generally normal to the face, the frame assembly being generally normal to the head portion axis when in the landscape orientation, the frame assembly being generally normal to the head portion axis when in the rotated orientation.

6. A docking station for a tablet device, the docking station comprising:

a frame assembly for retaining the tablet device, the frame assembly including a frame adapter, a first electrical connection and a first electrical interface, the first electrical interface being electrically connectable to the tablet device via the first electrical connection;

a pedestal assembly including a head portion and a base portion, the head portion being connected to the base portion, the head portion including a pedestal adapter, a second electrical connection and a second electrical interface, the second electrical interface being electrically connectable to a power source via the second electrical connection, the pedestal adapter being releasably connectable to the frame adapter;

the first electrical interface being electrically connected to the second electrical interface whenever the pedestal adapter is connected to the frame adapter, the first electrical interface being electrically unconnected to the second electrical interface whenever the pedestal adapter is not connected to the frame adapter;

the frame assembly being positionable relative to the base portion of the pedestal assembly in a landscape orientation and in a rotated orientation, the rotated orientation being different from the landscape orientation, the pedestal assembly and the frame assembly being configured such that the pedestal adapter and the frame adapter are connected to each other when the frame assembly is in the landscape orientation, the pedestal assembly and the frame assembly being configured such that the pedestal adapter and the frame adapter are connected to each other when the frame assembly is in the rotated orientation, the frame assembly being electrically connected to the pedestal assembly when the frame assembly is in the landscape orientation, the frame assembly being electrically connected to the pedestal assembly when the frame assembly is in the rotated orientation.

7. The docking station as set forth in claim 6 wherein the docking station further comprises a lock assembly moveable between a locked condition and an unlocked condition, the lock assembly being configured to lock the frame assembly to the pedestal assembly in the locked condition, the lock assembly being configured to permit detachment of the frame assembly from the pedestal assembly when the lock assembly is in the unlocked condition.

8. The docking station as set forth in claim 7 wherein the lock assembly comprises a sensor configured to receive a wireless signal, the lock assembly being configured to move from the locked condition to the unlocked condition upon the sensor receiving the wireless signal.

9. The docking station as set forth in claim 8 wherein the sensor is configured to receive an RFID signal.

10. The docking station as set forth in claim 6 wherein the first electrical interface is a first connector fitting and the second electrical interface is a second connector fitting.

11. The docking station as set forth in claim 10 wherein the first connector fitting is a female connector fitting and the second connector fitting is a male connector fitting.

12. The docking station as set forth in claim 6 wherein the first electrical connection includes a connector fitting, the connector fitting being connectable to the tablet device.

13. The docking station as set forth in claim 12 wherein the frame assembly further includes a stem portion, the connector fitting being electrically connected to the frame adapter via the stem portion.

14. The docking station as set forth in claim 6 wherein the first electrical interface forms a portion of the frame adapter and the second electrical interface forms a portion of the pedestal adapter.

15. The docking station as set forth in claim 6 wherein the head portion further comprises a face, a head portion axis being generally normal to the face, the frame assembly being generally normal to the head portion axis when in the landscape orientation, the frame assembly being generally normal to the head portion axis when in the rotated orientation.

16. A docking station for a tablet device, the docking station comprising:

a frame assembly for retaining the tablet device, the frame assembly including a frame adapter, a first electrical connection and a first electrical interface, the first electrical interface being electrically connectable to the tablet device via the first electrical connection;

a pedestal assembly including a head portion and a base portion, the head portion being connected to the base portion, the head portion including a pedestal adapter, a second electrical connection and a second electrical interface, the second electrical interface being electrically connectable to a power source via the second electrical connection, the pedestal adapter being releasably connectable to the frame adapter;

the first electrical interface being electrically connected to the second electrical interface whenever the pedestal adapter is connected to the frame adapter, the first electrical interface being electrically unconnected to the second electrical interface whenever the pedestal adapter is not connected to the frame adapter;

the head portion being configured such that the frame assembly is rotatable relative to the base portion of the pedestal assembly between a landscape orientation and a rotated orientation while the frame adapter is connected to the pedestal adapter, the rotated orientation being different from the landscape orientation, the pedestal assembly and the frame assembly being configured such that the pedestal adapter and the frame adapter are connected to each other when the frame assembly is in the landscape orientation, the pedestal assembly and the frame assembly being configured such that the pedestal adapter and the frame adapter are connected to each other when the frame assembly is in the rotated orientation, the first electrical interface being electrically connected to the second electrical interface when the frame assembly is in the landscape orientation, the first electrical interface being electrically connected to the second electrical interface when the frame assembly is in the rotated orientation.

17. The docking station as set forth in claim 16 wherein the docking station further comprises a lock assembly moveable between a locked condition and an unlocked condition, the lock assembly being configured to lock the frame assembly to the pedestal assembly in the locked condition, the lock assembly being configured to permit the detachment of the frame assembly from the pedestal assembly when the lock assembly is in the unlocked condition.

18. The docking station as set forth in claim 17 wherein the lock assembly comprises a sensor configured to receive a wireless signal, the lock assembly being configured to move from the locked condition to the unlocked condition upon the sensor receiving the wireless signal.

19. The docking station as set forth in claim 16 wherein the frame assembly further includes a front portion and a back portion, the front portion being connectable to the back portion, the frame assembly being configured to sandwich the tablet device between the front portion and the back portion when the front portion is connected to the back portion.

20. The docking station as set forth in claim 19 wherein the frame adapter is connected to the back portion.

21. The docking station as set forth in claim 16 wherein the head portion of the pedestal assembly further includes a protrusion, the frame adapter of the frame assembly being configured to engage the protrusion when the frame adapter is connected to the pedestal adapter.

22. The docking station as set forth in claim 16 wherein the base portion of the pedestal assembly includes a hollow portion.

23. The docking station as set forth in claim 22 wherein the second electrical connection includes a cable, the cable extending through the hollow portion.

24. The docking station as set forth in claim 16 wherein the first electrical connection includes a connector fitting, the connector fitting being connectable to the tablet device.

25. The docking station as set forth in claim 24 wherein the frame assembly further includes a stem portion, the connector fitting being electrically connected to the frame adapter via the stem portion.

26. The docking station as set forth in claim 16 wherein the first electrical interface is a first connector fitting and the second electrical interface is a second connector fitting, the second connector fitting being connectable to the first connector fitting.

27. The docking station as set forth in claim 26 wherein the first connector fitting is a female connector fitting and the second connector fitting is a male connector fitting, the male connector fitting being insertable into the female connector fitting.

28. The docking station as set forth in claim 16 wherein the rotated orientation is a portrait orientation.

29. The docking station as set forth in claim 16 wherein the head portion of the pedestal assembly is configured to pivot about a horizontal axis to adjust a vertical position of the frame assembly when the pedestal adapter is connected to the frame adapter.

30. The docking station as set forth in claim 16 wherein the frame assembly further includes a front portion connectable to a back portion, the frame assembly being configured such that the front portion and the back portion collectively surround the tablet device when the front portion is connected to the back portion, the frame adapter being connected to the back portion.