Universal serial bus hub and method of manufacturing same

• US 7,329,152 B2
• Filed: 08/26/2003
• Issued: 02/12/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/26/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Belkin International Incorporated (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Belkin International Incorporated (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Mori, Kenneth, Wadsworth, John, Quinteros, Ernesto
• Primary Examiner(s): Nasri; Javaid H.
• Application Number:
  US10/649,148
• Publication Number:
  US 20050094355A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,631 Days
• Field of Search: 439/638, 439/639, 439/650, 439/652, 439/928, 439/490, 439/910
• US Class Current: 439/638
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0227 Cooperation and interconnection of the input arrangement with other functional units of a computer G06F3/023 - G06F3/037 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 438/928 Front and rear surface processing

Abstract

A universal serial bus hub (100, 900) includes a housing (110), a power port (210), a first universal serial bus port (120), and a second universal serial bus port (220). The housing includes a middle portion (112), a top portion (111) coupled to the middle portion, and a bottom portion (113) coupled to the middle portion opposite the top portion. The middle portion has a first region (163), a second region (161) substantially opposite the first region, and a third region (162), where the third region is between the first region and the second region. The power port is located at the first region, the first universal serial bus port is located at the second region, and the second universal serial bus port is located at the third region.

Claims

1. A universal serial bus hub comprising:

a housing comprising;

a middle portion having a first region, a second region located substantially opposite the first region, and a third region located between the first region and the second region;

a top portion coupled to the middle portion; and

a bottom portion coupled to the middle portion and located opposite the top portion;

a power port at the first region;

an upstream universal serial bus port at the second region; and

a group of downstream universal serial bus ports at the third region, the universal serial bus hub further comprising;

a first foot and a symmetric and substantially similar second foot located at opposite ends of the bottom portion; and

a recessed first slot and a recessed second slot located at opposite ends of the top portion, wherein the first slot is located above the first region and the first foot; and

the second slot is located above the second region and the second foot, and wherein the universal serial bus hub is stackable with a second universal serial bus hub;

the second universal serial bus hub is substantially similar to the universal serial bus hub;

the first slot of the second universal serial bus hub is configured to receive inside the first slot at least a portion of the first foot of the universal serial bus hub and the second slot of the second universal serial bus hub is configured to receive inside the second slot at least a portion of the second foot of the universal serial bus hub when the universal serial bus hub is stacked on top of the second universal serial bus hub, and wherein the first foot and the second foot of the universal serial bus hub and of the second universal serial bus hub and the first slot and the second slot of the universal serial bus hub and of the second universal serial bus hub self-align and self-interlock the universal serial bus hub and the second universal serial bus hub together.

2. The universal serial bus hub of claim 1 wherein:

the group of downstream universal serial bus ports consists of four downstream universal serial bus ports.

3. The universal serial bus hub of claim 1 further comprising:

a group of status indicators at the top portion, wherein;

the group of status indicators are visible through a portion of the top portion.

4. The universal serial bus hub of claim 3 wherein:

the portion of the top portion comprises a translucent material; and

the group of status indicators indicate a status of the group of downstream ports.

5. The universal serial bus hub of claim 1 wherein:

at least a portion of the housing comprises a rubberized material.

6. A hub comprising multiple universal serial bus (USB) ports, the hub comprising:

a bottom portion having at least a first foot having a first tab and a second foot having a second tab wherein the first foot and the second foot project downward and outward from at least part of the bottom portion;

a top portion having at least a first slot and a second slot;

wherein the hubs are stackable in a first orientation by inserting the first tab into the first slot and by inserting the second tab into the second slot; and

wherein the hubs are stackable in a second orientation by inserting the first tab into the second slot and by inserting the second tab into the first slot.

7. The hub of claim 6 further comprising a first side having at least four USB ports and a power port wherein the hub is configured to be attachably stackable with a substantially similar hub with the first side in either the front or the back.

8. The hub of claim 6 further comprising a rubberized coating and a mini B universal serial bus port.

9. The hub of claim 6 further comprising an upstream USB port and a group of downstream USB ports.

10. The hub of claim 6 further comprising a top portion comprising a translucent cover over at least one light-emitting diode serving as a status indicator.

11. The hub of claim 6 having only two feet on opposite ends of a bottom portion of the hub and wherein the first foot and the second foot are configured to support the hub above a work surface when the hub is placed on the work surface.

12. The hub of claim 11 wherein the first slot and the second slot are symmetric with each other and substantially similar to each other.

13. The hub of claim 6 wherein the first slot and the second slot are symmetric with each other and substantially similar to each other.

14. The hub of claim 13 wherein the first tab and the second tab are configured to deflect or flex to insert into the first slot and the second slot and wherein substantially similar hubs are self-aligning and self-interlocking when stacked with each other.

15. The hub of claim 6 wherein the first tab and the second tab are configured to deflect or flex to insert into the first slot and the second slot.

16. The hub of claim 6 wherein the first foot and the second foot are symmetric, are substantially similar, and are located at opposite ends of the bottom portion.

17. The hub of claim 6 wherein the first slot and the second slot are symmetric and are substantially similar.