Automatic computer docking station having a motorized tray, cammed side connectors, motorized side connectors, and locking and unlocking guide pins

• US 5,477,415 A
• Filed: 11/12/1993
• Issued: 12/19/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 11/12/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Texas Instruments, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Texas Instruments, Inc.
• Inventors: Mitcham, Larry D., Grimm, Thomas R., Vinson, Samuel L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Phillips, Michael W.
• Application Number:
  US08/151,225
• Time in Patent Office: 767 Days
• Field of Search: 364/708.1, 439/324, 439/374, 439/378, 361/679, 361/683-686, 312/223.2
• US Class Current: 361/679.42
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/18 Packaging or power distribution
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/184 Mounting of motherboards
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/185 Mounting of expansion boards
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/186 Securing of expansion boards in correspondence to slots provided at the computer enclosure
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/187 Mounting of fixed and removable disk drives
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 33/12 Disposition of constructional parts in the apparatus, e.g. of power supply, of modules
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/629 Additional means for facilitating engagement or disengagement of coupling parts, e.g. aligning or guiding means, levers, gas pressure electrical locking indicators, manufacturing tolerances separate tools or apparatus H01R43/26
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/62905 comprising a camming member H01R13/62933 and H01R13/641 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/641 by indicating incorrect coupling; by indicating correct or full engagement
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/74 Means for mounting coupling parts in openings of a panel

Abstract

An automatic docking station for a portable PC such as a Notebook PC is provided wherein the station includes a housing with external connectors to connect up to a full size monitor and full size keyboard as well as external connectors for connection to a modem and a mouse. The docking station further includes internal connectors coupled to these external connectors and tray for receiving the portable computer. The docking station includes a first drive motor to drive the tray into and out of the docking station so that some of the internal connectors engage and disengage with connectors on the end of a portable PC mounted on the tray. The movement of the tray causes an internal connector mounted on a first side of the docking station to cam into and out of engagement with a connector on a first side of a portable PC mounted on the tray. A second drive motor is provided to drive other internal connectors mounted on a second side of the docking station into and out of engagement with connectors on a second side of a portable PC mounted on the tray. Guide pins which are locked and unlocked in response to the guide pins being in mating holes in the portable PC are provided.

Claims

1. An automatic docking station for a portable computer comprising:

a housing for holding a portable computer therein, said housing having connection means for coupling a computer monitor and a keyboard,

a tray adapted to receive said portable computer thereon, said tray being slidably mounted to said housing,

a tray driver coupled between said housing and said tray for driving said tray and said portable computer into and out of said housing and automatically mating said connection means of said housing to connection means on said portable computer, and said tray driver including a drive mechanism including a drive motor and gear means coupled to said drive motor and said tray includes a rack means on the bottom of said tray and said gear means is coupled to said rack means to drive said tray.

5. The docking station of claim 1 wherein said housing includes a housing connector bus half for connection to a connector bus half in said personal computer when said personal computer on said tray is driven in said first direction by said first drive mechanism and said first drive mechanism includes means for sensing when said tray with said personal computer is near said housing connector bus half and for stepping said first drive motor slowly and wherein said housing includes guide means for guiding said personal computer so said bus halves mate.

6. The docking station of claim 5 wherein said guide means includes guide pins on either side of said housing connector bus half and said personal computer includes alignment holes on either side of said personal computer bus half.

12. The docking station of claim 1 wherein said drive mechanism includes a pair of spaced racks on the bottom of said tray near opposite end thereof and said gear means includes a cross shaft orthogonal to said racks with drive gears thereon, near each end driving said racks to drive the tray into and out of said housing.

13. The docking station of claim 12 including guides on said tray sliding under guides on said housing, said guides extending in the same direction as said racks.

2. An automatic docking station for a portable computer having first and second connection means comprising:

a housing for holding said portable computer therein, said housing having connection means for coupling a computer monitor and a keyboard, said connection means including first and second connecting means,

a tray adapted to receive said portable computer thereon, said tray being slidably mounted to said housing, and

drive means coupled between said housing and said tray for driving said tray and said portable computer into and out of said housing and automatically mating said first connecting means of said housing to said first connection means on said portable computer; and

said drive means includes a first drive mechanism for driving said tray in a first direction and a second drive mechanism coupled to a first connector system of said connection means on said housing for driving said first connector system in a second direction orthogonal to said first direction to mate or unmate with said second connection means on said portable computer.

3. The docking station of claim 2 wherein said first drive mechanism includes a first drive motor and gear means coupled to said drive motor and said tray includes a rack means on the bottom of said tray and said gear means is coupled to said rack means to drive said tray.

4. The docking station of claim 3 wherein said second drive mechanism includes a second drive motor and a second gear means and said first connector system includes a connector holder means slidably mounted in said second orthogonal direction having pins therein extending into a rack/cam plate and a rack portion of said rack/cam plate is coupled to said second gear means.

7. An automatic docking station for a portable computer comprising:

a housing for holding a portable computer therein, said housing having connection means for coupling a computer monitor and a keyboard,

a tray adapted to receive said portable computer thereon, said tray being slidably mounted to said housing, and

drive means coupled between said housing and said tray for driving said tray and said portable computer into and out of said housing and automatically mating said connection means of said housing to connection means on said portable computer;

said housing includes a connector bus half for connection to a connector bus half in said personal computer when said personal computer is driven in said first direction and said first drive means includes means for indicating when said tray with said personal computer is near said housing connector bus half for stepping said drive means slowly and wherein said housing includes guide means for guiding said computer so said bus halves mate;

said guide means includes guide pins on either side of said housing connector bus half and said personal computer includes alignment holes on either side of said personal computer bus half; and

said guide means includes means for locking and unlocking said guide pins and means responsive to the personal computer being and the tray being such that the guide pins are in the holes for unlocking said pins allowing the first drive motor to continue stepping the bus halves together.

8. The docking station of claim 7 including switch means indicating the presence of said personal computer on said tray.

9. The docking station of claim 8 wherein said tray has alignment pins to mate with corresponding alignment holes on said personal computer.

10. The docking station of claim 9 wherein said tray has means located on the sides thereof to channel said portable computer into alignment with the docking station.

11. An automatic docking station for a portable computer comprising:

a housing for holding a portable computer therein,

a tray adapted to receive said portable computer thereon, said tray being slidably mounted to said housing, and

drive means coupled between said housing and said tray for driving said tray and, said portable computer into and out of said housing; and

said tray includes a tray camming means along one side thereof and a spring mounted connector on said housing with a pin means is coupled to said tray camming means for coupling said connector to the side of said personal computer when said tray moves said computer into said housing.

14. An automatic docking station for a portable computer having a connector on a first side thereof comprising:

a housing for holding said portable computer therein, said housing having a first connection means;

a tray adapted to receive said portable computer thereon, said tray being slidably mounted to said housing;

first drive means coupled between said housing and said tray for driving said tray and said portable computer into and out of said housing in a first direction; and

a second drive mean coupled to said first connection means for driving said first connection means in a direction orthogonal to said first direction automatically mating said first connection means of said housing to said connector on a side of said portable computer.

15. The docking station of claim 14 wherein said computer has a second connector means at an end in the direction of travel of said tray going into said housing wherein when said tray is driven into said housing said second connector means mates with a second connection means in said housing.

16. The docking station of claim 15 wherein said computer has a third connector on a side opposite said first side and a third drive means coupled to a third connection means on said housing and said tray for driving said third connection means to mate with said third connector means on said computer when said tray is driven into said housing.