Docking system and portable computer having the same

• US 7,782,608 B2
• Filed: 08/22/2007
• Issued: 08/24/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/02/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Lee, Kwang-su
• Primary Examiner(s): LEA EDMONDS, LISA S
• Application Number:
  US11/843,110
• Publication Number:
  US 20080189463A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,098 Days
• Field of Search: 3616794-67945
• US Class Current: 361/679.44
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations

Abstract

A docking system which is detachably coupled with a computer main body, includes a docking main body which is formed with a docking opening, a docking bracket including a docking part which is accommodated to the docking opening to be electrically connected with the computer main body, and a position moving unit which couples the docking main body and the docking bracket to move the docking bracket relative to the docking main body.

Claims

1. A docking system to be detachably coupled with a computer main body, comprising:

a docking main body which is formed with a docking opening;

a docking bracket which comprises a docking part positioned about the docking opening to be electrically connected with the computer main body; and

a position moving unit which movably couples the docking bracket to the docking main body to move the docking bracket in a direction substantially parallel to a surface of the docking main body having the docking opening;

wherein the position moving unit comprises a transverse moving part which is coupled to one of the docking main body and the docking bracket to move the docking bracket in a transverse direction with respect to the surface of the docking main body.

2. The docking system according to claim 1, wherein the position moving unit further comprises a perpendicular moving part which is coupled to the transverse moving part to move the docking bracket in a perpendicular direction different from the transverse direction with respect to the surface of the docking main body.

3. The docking system according to claim 2, wherein the transverse direction and the perpendicular direction are substantially perpendicular each other.

4. The docking system according to claim 2, wherein the transverse moving part comprises at least one of a transverse transmitting member which transmits a force to move the transverse moving part with respect to the docking main body, and a transverse guiding member which guides the transverse moving part with respect to the docking main body.

5. The docking system according to claim 4, wherein the transverse transmitting member comprises:

a transverse rack which is provided to one of the docking bracket and the perpendicular moving part, and

a transverse pinion which is provided to the other of the docking bracket and the perpendicular moving part engaged with the transverse rack.

6. The docking system according to claim 4, wherein the transverse guiding member comprises:

a transverse guiding slot which is provided to one of the docking bracket and the perpendicular moving part, and

a transverse guiding protrusion which is provided to the other of the docking bracket and the perpendicular moving part engaged with the transverse guiding slot.

7. The docking system according to claim 2, wherein the perpendicular moving part comprises a perpendicular moving member which is interposed between the docking main body and the docking bracket coupled with the transverse moving part.

8. The docking system according to claim 7, wherein the perpendicular moving part further comprises at least one of a perpendicular transmitting member which transmits a force to move the docking bracket with respect to the docking main body, and a perpendicular guiding member which guides the docking bracket with respect to the transverse moving part.

9. The docking system according to claim 8, wherein the perpendicular transmitting member comprises:

a perpendicular rack which is provided to one of the docking main body and the perpendicular moving part, and

a perpendicular pinion which is provided to the other of the docking main body and the perpendicular moving part engaged with the perpendicular rack.

10. The docking system according to claim 8, wherein the perpendicular guiding member comprises:

a perpendicular guiding slot which is provided to one of the docking main body and the perpendicular moving part, and

a perpendicular guiding protrusion which is provided to the other of the docking main body and the perpendicular moving part engaged with the perpendicular guiding slot.

11. The docking system according to claim 1, wherein the position moving unit further comprises a moving restricting part which restricts an amount of movement of the docking bracket relative to the docking main body.

12. The docking system according to claim 2, wherein the transverse moving part comprises:

a transverse guiding bar which is coupled to one of the docking bracket and the perpendicular moving part, and

a transverse guiding holder which is coupled to the other of the docking bracket and the perpendicular moving part engaged with the transverse guiding bar.

13. The docking system according to claim 2, wherein the perpendicular moving part comprises:

a perpendicular guiding bar which is provided to one of the docking main body and the transverse moving part, and

a perpendicular guiding holder which is provided to the other of the docking main body and the transverse moving part coupled with the perpendicular guiding bar.

14. A portable computer, comprising:

a computer main body; and

a docking system which is detachably coupled with the computer main body,

the docking system comprising a docking main body which is formed with a docking opening, a docking bracket which comprises a docking part which is accommodated to the docking opening to be electrically connected with the computer main body, and a position moving unit which movably couples the docking main body and the docking bracket to guide the docking bracket in a direction substantially parallel to a surface of the docking main body having the docketing opening;

wherein the position moving unit comprises a transverse moving part which is coupled to one of the docking main body and the docking bracket to move the docking bracket in a transverse direction with respect to the docking main body.

15. The portable computer according to claim 14, wherein the position moving unit further comprises a perpendicular moving part which is coupled to the transverse moving part to move the docking bracket in a perpendicular direction, different from the transverse direction, with respect to the docking main body.

16. The portable computer according to claim 15, wherein the transverse direction and the perpendicular direction are substantially perpendicular each other.

17. A docking station to couple with a portable computer, comprising:

a main housing having an opening therein;

a plate positioned to cover the opening;

an electrical connector mounted on the plate to have a fixed positional relationship with the plate; and

a physical connector to movably connect the plate to the main housing;

wherein the position of the electrical connector relative to the main housing is adjustable in a direction substantially parallel to a surface of the main housing having the opening.

18. The docking station of claim 17, wherein the physical connector includes a pin coupled with a fixed positional relationship to one of the plate and the main housing, fitted within a slot of a structure having a fixed positional relationship to the other of the plate and the main housing.

19. The docking station of claim 18, wherein the structure is a second plate connected with a fixed positional relationship to the main housing.

20. The docking station of claim 18, wherein the structure is a second plate connected with a fixed positional relationship to the plate to which the electrical connector is mounted.

21. The docking station of claim 17, wherein the physical connector includes a clasp movably fitted to a bar, the clasp being connected in a fixed positional relationship to one of the plate and the main housing and the bar being connected in a fixed positional relationship to the other of the plate and the main housing.

22. A docking system to be detachable coupled with a computer main body, comprising:

an adjustable docking bracket that is movable in a direction substantially orthogonal to a connecting direction of the computer main body and transverse to the computer main body.