Locking apparatus for locking a notebook computer on a docking station
First Claim
1. A docking station for use in operatively connecting a portable computer to a peripheral device, the portable computer having a first electrical connector thereon, said docking station comprising:
- a first portion on which a second electrical connector is carried;
a second portion on which the portable computer may be placed and moved therealong in a docking direction to releasably couple said first and second electrical connectors; and
a latch structure operative in response to movement of the portable computer along said second portion in said docking direction to engage and releasably latch the portable computer to said second portion at two locations spaced apart in said docking direction.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An assembly of a notebook computer and a docking station includes a locking apparatus for locking the computer on the station. The apparatus includes a front retaining unit attached to the station and engaged within a front recess unit in the front end portion of the computer, and a rear retaining unit attached to the station and engaged within a rear recess unit in the rear end portion of the computer. In this situation, the computer is coupled completely with a connector unit on the station. Because the front and rear end portions of the computer are locked on the station by means of the retaining units which constitute a double lock, the computer cannot be removed forcibly from the station without disengaging the retaining units from the recess units. By operating an actuator unit on the base in a single action, a slide unit moves on the base so as to disengage the retaining units from the recess units at the same time and so as to disconnect the computer from the connector unit, thus unlocking the computer from the station. Then, the computer can be locked again on the station and coupled completely with the connector unit in a one-action operation on the actuator unit.
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Citations
30 Claims
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1. A docking station for use in operatively connecting a portable computer to a peripheral device, the portable computer having a first electrical connector thereon, said docking station comprising:
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a first portion on which a second electrical connector is carried; a second portion on which the portable computer may be placed and moved therealong in a docking direction to releasably couple said first and second electrical connectors; and a latch structure operative in response to movement of the portable computer along said second portion in said docking direction to engage and releasably latch the portable computer to said second portion at two locations spaced apart in said docking direction. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A docking station for use in operatively connecting a portable computer to a peripheral device, the portable computer having a first electrical connector thereon, said docking station comprising:
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a first portion on which a second electrical connector is carried; a second portion on which the portable computer may be placed; and drive and latch apparatus selectively operative to engage the portable computer and (1) drive the portable computer along said second portion toward said first portion in a docking direction and responsively couple said first and second electrical connectors and releasably latch the portable computer to said second portion at two locations spaced apart in said docking direction, and (2) drive the portable computer along said second portion away from said first portion in an undocking direction and responsively uncouple said first and second electrical connectors and unlatch the portable computer from said second portion. - View Dependent Claims (6)
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7. A docking station for use in operatively connecting a Portable computer to a peripheral device, the portable computer having a first electrical connector thereon, said docking station comprising:
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a first portion on which a second electrical connector is carried; a second portion on which the portable computer may be placed; and drive and latch apparatus selectively operative to engage the portable computer and (1) drive the portable computer along said second portion toward said first portion in a docking direction and responsively couple said first and second electrical connectors and releasably latch the portable computer to said second portion at two locations spaced apart in said docking direction, and (2) drive the portable computer along said second portion away from said first portion in an undocking direction and responsively uncouple said first and second electrical connectors and unlatch the portable computer from said second portion, said drive and latch apparatus including; a drive member supported for translational movement relative to said second portion of said docking station in a direction parallel to said docking direction, a first latch structure carried by said drive member for translational movement therewith, said first latch structure being pivotable, in response to translation of said drive member, between a latching position in which said first latch structure is adapted to engage a first one of said two locations on the portable computer, and an unlatching position in which said first latch structure is adapted to be disengaged from the portable computer, and a second latch structure pivotable, in response to translation of said drive member, between a latching position in which said second latch structure is adapted to latchingly engage the other one of said two locations on the portable computer, and an unlatching position in which said second latch structure is adapted to be from the portable computer. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. Computer apparatus comprising:
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a portable computer having spaced apart front and rear portions, and a first electrical connector carried by said rear portion; and a docking station for use in operatively connecting said portable computer to a peripheral device, said docking station including; a rear portion on which a second electrical connector is carried, a front portion on which said portable computer may be placed, and drive and latch apparatus selectively operative to engage said portable computer and (1) rearwardly drive said portable computer along said front portion of said docking station and responsively couple said first and second electrical connectors and releasably latch said spaced apart front and rear portions of said portable computer to said front portion of said docking station, and (2) forwardly drive said portable computer along said front portion of said docking station and responsively uncouple said first and second electrical connectors and unlatch said front and rear portions of said portable computer from said front portion of said docking station. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16)
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17. Computer apparatus comprising:
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a portable computer having spaced apart front and rear portions, and a first electrical connector carried by said rear portion; and a docking station for use in operatively connecting said portable computer to a peripheral device, said docking station including; a rear portion on which a second electrical connector is carried, a front portion on which said Portable computer may be placed, and drive and latch apparatus selectively operative to engage said portable computer and (1) rearwardly drive said portable computer along said front portion of said docking station and responsively couple said first and second electrical connectors and releasably latch said spaced apart front and rear portions of said portable computer to said front portion of said docking station, and (2) forwardly drive said portable computer along said front portion of said docking station and responsively uncouple said first and second electrical connectors and unlatch said front and rear portions of said portable computer from said front portion of said docking station, said drive and latch apparatus including; a drive member supported for forward and rearward translational movement relative to said front portion of said docking station, a first latch structure carried by said drive member for translational movement therewith, said first latch structure being pivotable, in response to translation of said drive member, between a latching position in which said first latch structure latchingly engages said rear portion of said portable computer, and an unlatching position in which said first latch structure is disengaged from said portable computer, and a second latch structure pivotable, in response to translation of said drive member, between a latching position in which said second latch structure latchingly engages said front portion of said portable computer, and an unlatching position in which said second latch structure is disengaged from the portable computer. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. An assembly of a portable computer and a docking station, said docking station having a base and a rear fence which is fixed on and above a rear end portion of said base and which is provided with a connector unit thereon, said assembly including a locking apparatus for locking said portable computer on said docking station when said portable computer is coupled completely with said connector unit of said docking station,
said portable computer having a bottom surface formed with a front recess unit located at a front end portion thereof, and a rear recess unit located at a rear end portion thereof, said portable computer further having a latch hole which is formed therein in communication with said front recess unit, said docking station including: -
a slide unit which is slidably mounted in said base and which is provided with a rear retaining unit attached thereto, said slide unit being located in a rear limit position on said base so as to engage said rear retaining unit within said rear recess unit, a latch bar which is mounted pivotally in said base at an intermediate portion thereof and which has a rear end portion and a front end portion that is provided with a fixed front retaining unit engaged within said front recess unit of said portable computer so as to prevent forward removal of said portable computer from said rear fence of said docking station, said front end portion of said latch bar being formed with a fixed horizontal insert rod which is inserted into said latch hole of said portable computer so as to prevent upward removal of said portable computer from said base of said docking station, thus locking said portable computer on said docking station, a front spring biasing said front retaining unit of said latch bar into said front recess unit, and an actuator unit located in a completely locked position in which said portable computer is located in a completely connected position so that said portable computer is coupled completely with said connector unit of said docking station, said actuator unit being movable to a partly locked position in which said portable computer is carried on said slide unit and is moved forward along with said slide unit on said base of said docking station to a partly connected position so as to disconnect partly from said connector unit of said docking station, location of said actuator unit on said partly locked position activating said latch bar to disengage said horizontal insert rod of said front retaining unit of said latch bar from said latch hole of said portable computer while still maintaining engagement of said front retaining unit within said front recess unit of said portable computer, said actuator unit being capable of being actuated in a single action to move from said completely locked position to an unlocking position via said partly locked position so that said slide unit moves to a front limit position in which said slide unit pushes said notebook computer forward on said base of said docking station to a disconnected position in which said portable computer is disconnected completely from said connector unit of said docking station and in which said rear retaining unit is disengaged from said rear recess unit, forward movement of said slide unit on said base pressing said slide unit against said rear end portion of said latch bar during movement of said push lever from said partly locked position to said unlocking position, so as to disengage said front retaining unit of said latch bar from said front recess unit of said portable computer against the biasing force of said front spring, thereby unlocking said portable computer from said docking station, said push lever being movable in a one-action operation from said unlocking position to said completely locked position via said partly locked position on said base of said docking station so as to move said portable computer carried by said slide unit from said disconnected position to said completely connected position via said partly connected position on said base of said docking station. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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Specification