Portable computer desktop docking system
First Claim
1. Docking apparatus for use with a portable computer having a bottom side, opposite front and rear sides, opposite left and right sides, and a first docking connector structure carried on said rear side, said docking apparatus comprising:
- a support base structure having;
a generally flat bottom side positionable on a horizontal support surface such as a desktop,a top side portion having front and rear sections and a front end, said front section being operative to support the bottom computer side for sliding movement of the computer thereon rear side first toward said rear section of said top side portion,opposite left and right side edge portions,a pair of vertical walls extending in front-to-rear directions along said left and right side edge portions and having side edge sections projecting upwardly beyond said top side portion and being operative to slidingly engage the left and right computer sides, in a manner maintaining a desired left-to-right horizontal alignment of the computer, as the computer is moved rear side first rearwardly along said top side portion;
a port replicator having a bottom side, and a front side having disposed thereon a second docking connector structure releasably mateable with said first docking connector structure on the portable computer;
attachment means for releasably securing said port replicator on said rear section of said top side portion of said base structure with said front side of said port replicator facing forwardly and said second docking connector structure being positioned to be forcibly interconnected with the first docking connector structure in response to forcible movement of the computer rearwardly along said front section of said top side portion of said support base structure;
a monitor support structure including a platform upon which a monitor may be rested, and support legs depending from an underside portion of said platform; and
cooperating means on said support legs and said support base structure for releasably interconnecting said support legs and said support base structure in a manner supporting said platform above said port replicator in a generally parallel relationship with the horizontal support surface.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A portable computer desktop docking system includes a base structure, a port replicator, a shroud and a monitor stand. The base structure is horizontally supportable on a desktop and has an upwardly and rearwardly sloping top side with the port replicator being mounted on a rear section thereof. To dock the computer, it is manually slid rearwardly along the top side of the base structure until a rear side connector on the computer is forcibly mated with a front side connector on the port replicator. The port replicator has a rear side connectable to desktop peripheral device electrical cables. The shroud structure snaps onto a rear side of the base structure, conceals port replicator end portions of the cables, and groups the cables so that they exit the shroud structure in a horizontally central rear side portion thereof. The monitor stand has a monitor support platform from which four support legs depend. Bottom ends of the legs interlock with side edge projections on the base structure to position the platform above the port replicator and parallel with the desktop. A front pair of these side edge projections are positioned to permit the user'"'"'s index fingers to rearwardly hook around them so that the user'"'"'s thumbs can engage spaced apart front side portions of the computer and provide leverage for manually pushing the computer rearwardly along the top side of the support base structure to forcibly interconnect the port replicator and computer connector structures during docking.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. Docking apparatus for use with a portable computer having a bottom side, opposite front and rear sides, opposite left and right sides, and a first docking connector structure carried on said rear side, said docking apparatus comprising:
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a support base structure having; a generally flat bottom side positionable on a horizontal support surface such as a desktop, a top side portion having front and rear sections and a front end, said front section being operative to support the bottom computer side for sliding movement of the computer thereon rear side first toward said rear section of said top side portion, opposite left and right side edge portions, a pair of vertical walls extending in front-to-rear directions along said left and right side edge portions and having side edge sections projecting upwardly beyond said top side portion and being operative to slidingly engage the left and right computer sides, in a manner maintaining a desired left-to-right horizontal alignment of the computer, as the computer is moved rear side first rearwardly along said top side portion; a port replicator having a bottom side, and a front side having disposed thereon a second docking connector structure releasably mateable with said first docking connector structure on the portable computer; attachment means for releasably securing said port replicator on said rear section of said top side portion of said base structure with said front side of said port replicator facing forwardly and said second docking connector structure being positioned to be forcibly interconnected with the first docking connector structure in response to forcible movement of the computer rearwardly along said front section of said top side portion of said support base structure; a monitor support structure including a platform upon which a monitor may be rested, and support legs depending from an underside portion of said platform; and cooperating means on said support legs and said support base structure for releasably interconnecting said support legs and said support base structure in a manner supporting said platform above said port replicator in a generally parallel relationship with the horizontal support surface. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. Docking apparatus for use with a portable computer having a bottom side, opposite front and rear sides, opposite left and right sides, and a first docking connector structure carried on said rear side, said docking apparatus comprising:
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a support base structure having; a generally flat bottom side positionable on a horizontal support surface such as a desktop, a top side portion having front and rear sections and a front end, said front section being operative to support the bottom computer side for sliding movement of the computer thereon rear side first toward said rear section of said top side portion, said front and rear sections being upwardly and rearwardly canted at a relatively small angle, opposite left and right side edge portions, a pair of vertical walls extending in front-to-rear directions along said left and right side edge portions and having side edge sections projecting upwardly beyond said top side portion and being operative to slidingly engage the left and right computer sides, in a manner maintaining a desired left-to-right horizontal alignment of the computer, as the computer is moved rear side first rearwardly along said top side portion, and a generally vertical rear side wall positioned generally at a rear side portion of said rear section of said top side portion of said support base structure; attachment means for releasably securing a port replicator on said rear section of said top side portion of said base structure with a front side of the port replicator, having a second docking connector structure thereon, facing forwardly with the second docking connector structure being positioned to be forcibly interconnected with the first docking connector structure in response to forcible movement of the computer rearwardly along said front section of said top side portion of said base structure, the port replicator further having a rear side with a plurality of connector areas to which first end portions of a plurality of electrical cables, connectable at second end portions thereof to computer peripheral devices, may be connected; cable covering shroud means, removably connectable to said support base structure over the rear port replicator side and said vertical rear side wall, for concealing the rear side of the port replicator and the first end portions of the plurality of electrical cables, said shroud means having a rear side wall with a generally central opening formed therein and through which the plurality of electrical cables may outwardly pass; and projection means formed on and extending outwardly from said opposite left and right side edge portions of said base structure adjacent said front end thereof and being graspable by fingers of a user'"'"'s hands, with the portable computer resting on said front section of said top side portion of said base structure and said first and second docking connector structures being adjacent one another, in a manner resisting rearward movement of said support base structure while the user'"'"'s thumbs press rearwardly against spaced portions of the front side of the computer to forcibly mate said first and second docking connector structures. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
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Specification