Reconfigurable mobile device docking cradle

• US 7,480,138 B2
• Filed: 06/30/2005
• Issued: 01/20/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Symbol Technologies, LLC (Zebra Technologies Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Symbol Technologies, Inc. (Zebra Technologies Corporation)
• Inventors: Kogan, Eduard M., Jenkins, Ian, Rivalsi, Kenneth J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gandhi; Jayprakash N
• Assistant Examiner(s): Edwards; Anthony Q
• Application Number:
  US11/172,510
• Publication Number:
  US 20070002533A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,300 Days
• Field of Search: 361679-683, 361/686, 361724-727, 710/303, 710/304, 312/223.1, 312/223.2, 312/333, 439/86, 439/271, 439/775, 235/375, 235/472.01
• US Class Current: 361/679.02
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/0241 for telephones
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0075 using a containment or docking space
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/22 The load being a portable electronic device
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0013 acting upon several batteries simultaneously or sequentially H02J7/1423 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0042 characterised by the mechanical construction
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0044 specially adapted for holding portable devices containing batteries H02J7/0045 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/04 Supports for telephone transmitters or receivers

Abstract

A docking station for a portable electronic device comprises a housing forming a first cradle receiving slot, the housing including a first housing connector within the first cradle receiving slot in combination with a first cradle shell inerrable into the first cradle receiving slot, the first cradle shell being sized and shaped to receive a first portable electronic device therein, the first cradle shell including a first shell inner connector positioned on a device receiving side of the cradle shell so that, when a first portable electronic device is received in the first cradle shell, the first shell inner connector is aligned with a connector of the first portable electronic device and a first shell outer shell connector on a housing facing surface of the first cradle shell, the first shell outer connector being positioned so that, when the first cradle shell is inserted into the first cradle receiving slot, the first shell outer connector aligns with the first housing connector.

Claims

1. A docking station for a portable electronic device comprising:

a housing forming a first cradle receiving slot, the housing including a first housing connector within the first cradle receiving slot and an alignment hole;

a first cradle shell insertable into the first cradle receiving slot, the first cradle shell being sized and shaped to receive a first portable electronic device therein, the first cradle shell including a first shell inner connector positioned on a device receiving side of the cradle shell so that, when a first portable electronic device is received in the first cradle shell, the first shell inner connector is aligned with a connector of the first portable electronic device and a first shell outer shell connector on a housing facing surface of the first cradle shell including an alignment feature, the first shell outer connector being positioned so that, when the first cradle shell is inserted into the first cradle receiving slot, the alignment feature that extends through and mates with the alignment hole so that the first shell outer connector aligns with the first housing connector.

2. The docking station according to claim 1, wherein the first housing connector includes a number of contacts at least as large as a number of contacts on a connector of a portable device to be received within the docking station.

3. The docking station according to claim 1, wherein the housing further comprises a second cradle receiving slot with a second housing connector positioned therein, a second cradle shell being insertable into the second cradle receiving slot, the second cradle shell being sized and shaped to receive a second portable electronic device therein, the second cradle shell including a second shell inner connector positioned on a device receiving side of the cradle shell so that, when a second portable electronic device is received in the second cradle shell, the second shell inner connector is aligned with a connector of the second portable electronic device and a second shell outer shell connector on a housing facing surface of the second cradle shell, the second shell outer connector being positioned so that, when the second cradle shell is inserted into the second cradle receiving slot, the second shell outer connector aligns with the second housing connector.

4. The docking station according to claim 3, wherein the first and second cradle receiving slots are substantially equally sized and shaped and wherein, when the second cradle shell is inserted into the first cradle receiving slot, the second shell outer connector aligns with the first housing connector.

5. The docking station according to claim 1, wherein the first and second cradle shells are configured to receive different mobile devices.

6. The docking station according to claim 2, wherein the number of contacts of the first housing connector is less than a number of contacts on the first shell inner connector.

7. The docking station according to claim 1, wherein the first cradle shell includes a device aligning feature ensuring that a first portable device inserted therein is maintained in a desired position and orientation with the first shell inner connector aligning with a connector of the first portable device.

8. The docking station according to claim 1, further comprising a gasket mounted between the first shell outer connector and an outer surface of the first shell.

9. The docking station according to claim 1, wherein the first cradle receiving slot includes a first surface including a connector recess formed therein, the housing connector being mounted on a circuit board received within the recess.

10. The docking station according to claim 9, wherein the circuit board on which the aligning feature of the first cradle receiving slot comprises an aligning hole extending through the circuit board on which the connector is mounted.

11. The docking station according to claim 1, wherein the first cradle shell includes at least one mounting hole for receiving a fastener to bind the first cradle shell in a predetermined position therein.

12. A docking station for a portable electronic device comprising:

a base including a multi-contact electrical connector and an alignment hole;

a removable cradle mountable on the base, the cradle including an alignment feature that extends through and mates with the alignment hole and a first connector which, when the cradle is mounted on the base electrically couples to the multi-contact electrical connector or the base and a second connector electrically coupled to the first connector, the second connector mating with a portable device received within the cradle.

13. The docking station according to claim 12, wherein the base includes a plurality of multi-contact electrical connectors, over each of which a separate removable cradle may be mounted.

14. A docking station for a portable electronic device comprising:

a housing forming a plurality of cradle receiving slots, the housing including a plurality of housing connectors, each housing connector being within a corresponding cradle receiving slot and a plurality of alignment holes;

a plurality of cradle shells, each cradle shell insertable into the corresponding cradle receiving slot, each cradle shell being sized and shaped to receive a corresponding portable electronic device therein, each cradle shell including a shell inner connector positioned on a device receiving side of the cradle shell so that, when the corresponding portable electronic device is received in the cradle shell, the shell inner connector is aligned with a connector of the corresponding portable electronic device and a shell outer connector on a housing facing surface of the cradle shell including and alignment feature, the shell outer connector being positioned so that, when the cradle shell is inserted into the corresponding cradle receiving slot, the alignment feature that extends through and mates with the alignment hole so that the shell outer connector aligns with the corresponding housing connector.

15. The docking station according to claim 14, wherein each housing connector includes a number of contacts at least as large as a number of contacts on a connector of the corresponding portable device to be received within the docking station.

16. The docking station according to claim 14, wherein at least two of the plurality of cradle shells are configured to receive different portable electronic devices.

17. The docking station according to claim 14, wherein each cradle shell includes an aligning feature mating with a corresponding aligning feature of the corresponding cradle receiving slot to ensure that, when the cradle shell is inserted into the corresponding cradle receiving slot, the shell outer connector is aligned with the corresponding housing connector.