Multistage undocking assembly and system and method incorporating same

• US 6,813,145 B2
• Filed: 06/04/2003
• Issued: 11/02/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/16/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: DeLuga, Ronald E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gibson, Randy W.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bui, Hung S.
• Application Number:
  US10/454,048
• Publication Number:
  US 20040052036A1
• Time in Patent Office: 517 Days
• Field of Search: 361/679, 361/686, 361/683, 361/685, 361/727, 439/928.1, 439/131, 439/310
• US Class Current: 361/679.41
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations

Abstract

The present technique provides a multistage undocking mechanism for a system having a portable computing device dockable with a docking device. The multistage undocking mechanism may be disposed in either the portable computing device or the docking device. In a first stage, the multistage undocking mechanism engages a latch assembly to unlatch the portable computing device from the docking device. In a second stage, the multistage undocking mechanism engages a lifter assembly to separate the portable computing device from the docking device at least partially via a manual force applied by the user. The lifter assembly may have one or more spring-loaded lifter mechanisms, such as a spring-loaded lifter having sufficient force to support the portable computing device but insufficient to separate male/female connections between the portable computing device and the docking device.

Claims

1. A computer system, comprising:

a portable computing device having a first communication connector and a first mechanical connector mechanism; and

a dockable expansion base comprising;

second communication connector that is mateable with the first communication connector;

second mechanical connector mechanism that is coupleable with the first mechanical connector mechanism; and

an undocking mechanism comprising a trigger operably coupled to the second mechanical connector mechanism in a first engagement position and operably coupled to a manually forced lifter mechanism in a second engagement position, wherein the manually forced lifter mechanism comprises multiple lifters operably coupled with a lateral engagement mechanism extending through the dockable expansion base and operably coupled to the trigger.

2. The computer system of claim 1, wherein the undocking mechanism comprises a spring-loaded lifter mechanism operable in the second engagement position.

3. The computer system of claim 2, wherein the spring-loaded lifter mechanism comprises a spring assembly having a spring force approximately equal to the weight of the portable computing device.

4. The computer system of claim 2, wherein the spring-loaded lifter mechanism comprises a spring assembly having a spring force less than the sum of the weight of the portable computing device and a friction force between the first and second communication connectors.

5. The computer system of claim 1, wherein the second mechanical connector mechanism comprises a plurality of latches releasable in the first engagement position and, wherein the undocking mechanism comprises a spring-loaded lifter mechanism disposed adjacent each of the plurality of latches.

6. The computer system of claim 1, wherein the manually forced lifter mechanism is adapted to overcome a friction force between the first and second communication connectors.

7. The computer system of claim 1, wherein the manually forced lifter mechanism is adapted to provide a lift force greater than the weight of the portable computing device plus a retaining force between the portable computing device and the dockable expansion base less a lifting spring force between the portable computing device and the dockable expansion base.

8. The computer system of claim 1, wherein the trigger comprises buttons disposed at opposite sides of the dockable expansion base.

9. The computer system of claim 1, wherein the portable computing device comprises a laptop computer.

10. The computer system of claim 1, wherein the portable computing device comprises a tablet computer.

11. The computer system of claim 1, wherein the expansion base comprise a plurality of input/output ports.

12. The computer system of claim 11, wherein the expansion base comprises a plurality of computing components.

13. A computer system, comprising:

a portable computing device having a first communication connector and a first mechanical connector mechanism; and

a dockable expansion base comprising;

a second communication connector that is mateable with the first communication connector;

a second mechanical connector mechanism that is coupleable with the first mechanical connector mechanism; and

an undocking mechanism comprising a trigger operably coupled to the second mechanical connector mechanism in a first engagement position and operably coupled to a manually forced lifter mechanism in a second engagement position, wherein the undocking mechanism comprises a spring-loaded lifter mechanism operable in the second engagement position, wherein the spring-loaded lifter mechanism comprises a spring force adjuster.

14. The computer system of claim 13, wherein the spring force adjuster comprises an automatic weight adjuster adapted to accommodate the weight of the portable computing device.

15. A computer system, comprising:

a computing device;

a dockable device; and

a multistage undocking mechanism disposed in at least one of the computing device and the dockable device, comprising;

a trigger;

a docking connector releasable by the trigger; and

a device separation mechanism comprising an automatically engageable lifter and a manually forced lifter, wherein the docking connector retains the automatically engageable lifter in a secured position at which the docking connector secures the computing device to the dockable device, and the automatically engageable lifter is enabled in a released position at which the docking connector releases the computing device from the dockable device.

16. The computer system of claim 15, wherein the trigger is a manual button.

17. The computer system of claim 15, wherein the docking connector comprises a latch.

18. The computer system of claim 15, wherein the docking connector is releasable in a first stage and the manually forced lifter is operable in a second stage.

19. The computer system of claim 15, wherein the automatically engageable lifter and the manually forced lifter are adapted to provide a joint separation force sufficient to separate the computing device from the docking device.

20. The computer system of claim 15, wherein the automatically engageable lifter comprises a spring-loaded lifter mechanism.

21. The computer system of claim 20, wherein the spring-loaded lifter mechanism comprises a spring having a spring force substantially equal to the weight of the computing device.

22. The computer system of claim 15, wherein the manually forced lifter is adapted to overcome a retaining force between the computing device and the docking device.

23. A computer system, comprising:

a multistage undocking mechanism adapted to undock a computing device from a dockable device, comprising;

a manual trigger comprising a left-hand button coupled to a first lateral engagement mechanism and a right-hand button coupled to a second lateral engagement mechanism;

a releasable docking connector coupled to at least one of the first and second lateral engagement mechanisms; and

a device separation mechanism comprising an automatically engageable lifter and a manually forced lifter, wherein the manually forced lifter is coupled to at least one of the first and second lateral engagement mechanisms.

24. The computer system of claim 23, wherein the releasable docking connector comprises a latch.

25. The computer system of claim 23, wherein the releasable docking connector is releasable in a position of the manual trigger and the manually forced lifter is operable in a positional range after the position of the manual trigger.

26. The computer system of claim 25, wherein the automatically engageable lifter is operable after the position.

27. The computer system of claim 23, wherein the automatically engageable lifter comprises a spring-loaded lifter adapted to support weight of the computer device after being disconnected from the dockable device.

28. The computer system of claim 23, wherein the releasable docking connector comprises a first latch coupled to the first lateral engagement mechanism and a second latch coupled to the second lateral engagement mechanism.

29. The computer system of claim 23, wherein the manually forced lifter comprises a first lifter coupled to the first lateral engagement mechanism and a second lifter coupled to the second lateral engagement mechanism.

30. The computer system of claim 23, wherein the automatically engageable lifter comprises a first spring-loaded lifter that is freed by the first lateral engagement mechanism and a second spring-loaded lifter that is freed by the second lateral engagement mechanism.