Portable device docking station

• US 8,179,672 B2
• Filed: 10/04/2006
• Issued: 05/15/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: National Products Incorporated
• Original Assignee: National Products Incorporated
• Inventors: Carnevali, Jeffrey D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wilson, Adrian S
• Application Number:
  US11/543,356
• Publication Number:
  US 20080002354A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,050 Days
• Field of Search: 361/686, 36167941-67944
• US Class Current: 361/679.41
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/16 Constructional details or arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/00 Interconnection of, or transfer of information or other signals between, memories, input/output devices or central processing units interface circuits for specific input/output devices G06F3/00 ; multiprogram control therefor G06F9/46; multiprocessor systems G06F15/16

Abstract

A molded external expanding apparatus or “docking station” operable with a portable computer device of a type having a display unit having a display screen on an inner surface thereof and a hard shell backing surface opposite thereof and pivotally mounted on a substantially rigid casing having a pair of locating holes adjacent to opposite corners of a substantially planar bottom surface thereof, and an input/output (I/O) connector positioned on a back plane thereof with a pair of positioning apertures provided on opposite sides thereof.

Claims

1. A molded docking station for laptops, mini-laptops, notebooks, netbooks, and ultra mobile personal computers (UMPCs), the docking station adapted for mounting in vehicle applications and comprising:

a housing comprising;

a molded wall consisting of a molded material,

a device bearing surface on a first portion of an outer surface of the wall between opposing side edges thereof,

an expansion connector presentation edge of the wall positioned adjacent to a rear portion of the device bearing surface between the opposing side edges of the wall, and

a mounting structure coupled for securely mounting the housing in a vehicle;

a linear expansion connector drive mechanism having a movable connector seat portion movably coupled to a portion of the molded wall between the opposing side edges thereof for substantially linear motion along a linear drive axis relative to the expansion connector presentation edge of the wall, and a driver that is movable between the opposing side edges of the wall and is further coupled to the movable connector seat portion for linear motion thereof, wherein the driver further comprises a drive handle portion that is positioned adjacent to a front portion of the wall between the opposing side edges thereof and substantially opposite from the expansion connector presentation edge; and

an expansion connector coupled to the movable connector seat portion of the expansion connector drive mechanism for motion relative to the expansion connector presentation edge of the wall.

2. The docking station of claim 1, wherein the drive handle portion of the driver is further limited to being movable adjacent to an edge of the front portion of the wall between the opposing side edges thereof and substantially opposite from the expansion connector presentation edge.

3. The docking station of claim 1, further comprising a peripheral device connector presentation surface formed adjacent to a bottom portion of the housing and having one or more openings communicating therethrough with an interior portion of the housing, and further comprising a plurality of peripheral device connectors electrically coupled for communication with the computer expansion connector, at least one or more of the peripheral device connectors further being presented at one of the openings adjacent to a bottom portion of the housing.

4. The docking station of claim 1, wherein the housing further comprises one or more engaging pins being projected from the first portion of an outer surface of the wall in the vicinity of the device bearing surface.

5. The docking station of claim 1, wherein the molded wall of the housing further comprises an inner wall surface comprising structure formed on a portion thereof for supporting a guide mechanism relative to a first portion of the inner wall surface opposite from the first portion of the outer wall surface having the device bearing surface formed thereon;

further comprising a guide mechanism coupled to the guide mechanism supporting structure; and

wherein the movable portion of the expansion connector drive mechanism is further movably coupled to the guide mechanism for motion relative to the expansion connector access 20 opening in the expansion connector presentation surface.

22. The docking station of claim 1, wherein the housing further comprises a mount for a display unit support arm.

23. The docking station of claim 1, wherein the molded wall further comprises an expansion connector presentation surface positioned adjacent to the expansion connector presentation edge thereof, the expansion connector presentation surface further comprising an expansion connector access opening formed there through, and expansion connector being further positioned in the expansion connector access opening and movable relative to both the expansion connector access opening and the device bearing surface.

24. The docking station of claim 1, wherein the molded wall further comprises a relieved clearance space formed in at least one of the opposing side edges thereof adjacent to the device bearing surface.

25. The docking station of claim 3, further comprising an external wire support apparatus comprising a plurality of cable supports each arranged on the bottom portion of the housing, each of the cable supports comprising a substantially rigid body portion formed with a cable attachment surface that is structured to securely receive a cable.

32. The docking station of claim 22, further comprising a display unit support arm mounted to the mount of the housing, and a portion of the display unit support arm being projected above the device bearing surface.

33. The docking station of claim 32, further comprising a pivot between the display unit support arm and the housing, whereby at least a portion of the display unit support arm is pivotable relative to the device bearing surface.

6. An external expanding apparatus operable with a portable computer device of a type having a display unit having a display screen on an inner surface thereof and a hard shell backing surface opposite thereof and pivotally mounted on a substantially rigid casing having a pair of locating holes adjacent to opposite corners of a substantially planar bottom surface thereof, and an input/output (I/O) connector positioned on a back plane thereof with a pair of positioning apertures provided on opposite sides thereof, the external expanding apparatus comprising:

a molded body portion forming an internal cavity at least partially bounded by an inner face thereof and adapted for mounting to an external support structure, the molded body portion having a substantially rigid bearing plate formed with a substantially rectangular computer bearing surface on an outer face thereof and a guide mechanism on a portion of the inner face thereof opposite from the bearing surface, and a passage through the bearing plate communicating between the inner and outer faces thereof and positioned between a rear edge of the bearing surface and a front edge thereof opposite from the rear edge and spaced away therefrom;

an expansion connector presentation surface positioned adjacent to the rear edge of the bearing surface and projected there above and having an access opening formed therethrough in a position for opposing the device I/O connector of the device placed on the bearing surface;

a pair of engaging pins sized to be matingly received into the pair of locating holes in the bottom surface of the casing of the portable computer, the engaging pins being fixedly projected above the bearing surface at opposite corners thereof and adjacent to the rear edge thereof in positions for being matingly received into the pair of locating holes;

a linear expansion connector drive mechanism having a frame that is movably coupled to the guide mechanism for linear motion relative to the inner face of the bearing plate along a substantially linear drive axis oriented substantially perpendicular to the presentation surface and the access opening formed through the expansion connector presentation surface;

a drive handle coupled for moving the frame in said linear motion, wherein the drive handle is further positioned proximate to the front edge of the bearing surface between opposing side edges thereof;

a connector bracket coupled to the movable portion of the expansion connector drive mechanism and projected above the bearing surface of the bearing plate adjacent to the access opening formed through the expansion connector presentation surface, the connector bracket having a pair of substantially rigid guides in spaced-apart positions for engaging the pair of positioning apertures provided on the computer back plane on opposite sides of the peripheral component connector;

a computer expansion connector coupled to the connector bracket between the guides thereof, the computer expansion connector being structured to mate with the I/O connector of the computer;

a safety catch operable between the movable portion of the expansion connector drive mechanism and the passage through the bearing plate and biased toward the bearing plate;

a latch mechanism operable for constraining the computer expansion connector relative to the access opening formed through the expansion connector presentation surface and the computer bearing surface of the molded body portion;

a plurality of openings positioned substantially opposite from the bearing plate and communicating with the internal cavity; and

a plurality of peripheral device connectors electrically coupled for communication with the computer expansion connector, at least one or more of the peripheral device connectors further being presented at one of the openings, and at least one or more of the peripheral device connectors being structured to receive a corresponding peripheral device connector.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the molded body portion comprises a body portion molded of an injection moldable material.

8. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the molded body portion comprises a body portion molded of die castable material.

9. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the drive handle is further movable adjacent to the front edge of the bearing surface between the opposing side edges thereof.

10. The apparatus of claim 6, further comprising

an external wire harness support positioned adjacent to the plurality of openings positioned substantially opposite from the bearing plate.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the external wire harness support further comprises a strain relief positioned adjacent to the plurality of openings positioned substantially opposite from the bearing plate.

12. A molded docking station for expanding the function of a portable electronic device having a device body provided with an input/output (I/O) connector, the external expanding apparatus comprising:

a molded apparatus body having a molded wall at least partially enclosing a cavity, an outer surface of the molded wall having a bearing surface formed thereof on which the device body is to be placed, a connector presentation surface positioned for opposing the I/O connector of the device body placed on the bearing surface;

an expansion connector connectable with the device I/O connector;

an expansion connector drive mechanism comprising;

a linearly movable, unitary frame having the expansion connector mounted thereon, the linearly movable frame being slidably coupled to the molded apparatus body and adapted for linear movement of the expansion connector relative to the bearing surface and the connector presentation surface between a disengaged position spaced away from the bearing surface and an engaged position extended over the bearing surface, wherein the frame moves in a linear fashion along a linear drive axis oriented substantially perpendicular to the connector presentation surface of the body, and a drive handle coupled on an opposite end of the frame from the expansion connector for moving the frame and the expansion connector between the disengaged and engaged positions, wherein the drive handle is movable adjacent to a front portion of the bearing surface of the molded wall of the molded apparatus body substantially opposite of the connector presentation surface and between spaced apart opposing side edges of the bearing surface; and

a mounting structure positioned for adapting the molded apparatus body for fixedly mounting to an external support structure within a vehicle.

13. The molded docking station of claim 12, further comprising a peripheral device connector presentation surface positioned substantially opposite from the bearing surface of the molded wall of the molded apparatus body and comprising one or more interface connectors presented thereon and adapted to connect to one or more different peripheral devices.

14. The molded docking station of claim 12, wherein the molded apparatus body further comprises at least one clearance relief formed in a portion of the molded wall communicating with an edge of the bearing surface.

34. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the expansion connector drive mechanism further comprises a resilient retraction mechanism coupled for urging the expansion connector toward the disengaged position;

and

further comprising a latch mechanism operable for constraining the expansion connector in the engaged position.

35. The molded docking station of claim 34, further comprising a display unit support arm mount positioned adjacent to the connector presentation surface and the bearing surface.

15. A method of molding a docking station comprising a housing molded of molding material and adapted for accommodating laptops, mini-laptops, notebooks, netbooks, and ultra mobile personal computers (UMPCs), the method comprising:

molding a housing consisting of a molding material, the molding comprising;

molding a wall having an inner wall surface which at least partially bounds a cavity, and

molding a device bearing surface on a portion of an outer surface of the molded wall;

on the inner wall surface of the molded wall opposite from the device bearing surface, mounting a linear expansion connector drive mechanism having a portion movably coupled to the inner wall surface of the molded wall for substantially linear motion relative to the expansion connector access opening through the expansion connector presentation surface, the movable portion of the linear expansion connector drive mechanism further comprising a frame and a drive handle coupled thereto for being movable adjacent to a front portion of the bearing surface substantially opposite from the expansion connector presentation surface and between opposing side edges of the bearing surface, wherein the frame is movable by operation of the drive handle in a linear fashion along a linear drive axis that is oriented substantially perpendicular to the connector presentation surface of the body;

providing an expansion connector presentation surface positioned adjacent to an edge of the device bearing surface, and further comprising forming an expansion connector access opening through the expansion connector presentation surface and communicating with the cavity;

on the movable frame of the expansion connector drive mechanism, coupling an expansion connector for linear motion relative to the presentation surface adjacent to device bearing surface; and

providing a mounting structure that is adapted for mounting the housing to an external support structure in a vehicle.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising molding at least one clearance relief in the outer surface of the molded wall adjacent to an edge of the device bearing surface and communicating therewith.

17. The method of claim 15 wherein molding a wall further comprises molding a first wall having the device bearing surface and the at least one clearance relief in the outer surface thereof, and molding a second molded wall, and

further comprising connecting the first and second walls along a line of mutual contact with the first and second molded walls being substantially contiguous along the line of mutual contact and substantially bounding the cavity therebetween.

18. The method of claim 15, further comprising providing a peripheral device connector presentation surface substantially opposite of the device bearing, and further comprising forming one or more openings communicating through the peripheral device connector presentation surface with the cavity.

19. The method of claim 15 wherein molding a wall further comprises molding a structure integrally with a portion of the inner wall surface for supporting the expansion connector drive relative to the inner wall surface opposite from the portion of the outer wall surface having the device bearing surface formed thereon.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising providing a display unit support arm coupler in a position adjacent to the connector presentation surface for coupling a display unit support arm thereto and extended above the bearing surface of the molded wall.

21. The method of claim 18, further comprising providing an external wire support apparatus comprising a plurality of cable supports each positioned adjacent to the peripheral device connector presentation surface, each of the cable supports comprising a substantially rigid body portion formed with a cable attachment surface that is structured to securely receive a cable.

30. The method of claim 20, further comprising coupling a display unit support arm to the coupler adjacent to the connector presentation surface and extended above the bearing surface of the molded wall.

26. A docking station operable with a portable computer device of a type having a display unit having a display screen on an inner surface thereof and a hard shell backing surface opposite thereof and pivotally mounted on a substantially rigid casing, and an input/output (I/O) connector positioned on a back plane thereof, the external expanding apparatus comprising:

a molded body portion forming an internal cavity bounded by an inner face thereof and adapted for mounting to an external support structure, the molded body portion having a substantially rigid bearing plate formed with a substantially rectangular computer bearing surface on an outer face thereof and a guide mechanism on a portion of the inner face thereof opposite from the bearing surface, an expansion connector presentation surface positioned adjacent to a rear edge of the bearing surface and projected there above and having an access opening formed therethrough in a position for opposing the device I/O connector of the device placed on the bearing surface, a passage through the bearing plate communicating between the inner and outer faces thereof and positioned between the rear edge of the bearing surface and a front edge thereof opposite from the rear edge, and at least one clearance relief in the outer surface of the molded body portion adjacent to an edge of the device bearing surface and communicating therewith;

a linear expansion connector drive mechanism having a movable unitary frame that is slidably coupled to the guide mechanism for linear motion relative to the inner face of the molded body portion and the access opening formed through the expansion connector presentation surface between a disengaged position spaced away from the bearing surface and an engaged position extended over the bearing surface, wherein a drive handle coupled to the frame for said linear motion thereof, wherein the frame is limited to motion in a linear fashion along a linear drive axis oriented perpendicular to the presentation surface, and wherein the drive handle is limited to motion adjacent to a front portion of the bearing surface opposite from the expansion connector presentation surface positioned adjacent to the rear edge of the bearing surface and between opposing side portions of the bearing surface between the front and rear portions thereof;

a connector bracket coupled to the movable frame portion of the expansion connector drive mechanism and projected above the bearing surface of the bearing plate adjacent to the access opening formed through the expansion connector presentation surface, the connector bracket having a pair of substantially rigid guides in spaced-apart positions for engaging the pair of positioning apertures provided on the computer back plane on opposite sides of the peripheral component connector;

a computer expansion connector coupled to the connector bracket between the guides thereof, the computer expansion connector being structured to mate with the I/O connector of the computer; and

a latch mechanism operable for constraining the movable portion of the expansion connector drive mechanism and the computer expansion connector in the engaged position relative to the access opening formed through the expansion connector presentation surface and the computer bearing surface of the molded body portion.

27. The docking station of claim 26, further comprising a peripheral device connector presentation surface arranged opposite of the bearing surface from the expansion connector presentation surface, the peripheral device connector presentation surface further comprising one or more openings communicating therethrough with the internal cavity, and at least one or more of peripheral device connectors each being presented at one of the openings communicating with the internal cavity.

28. The docking station of claim 27, further comprising a plurality of cable supports arranged opposite of the bearing surface from the expansion connector presentation surface, each of the plurality of cable supports comprising a substantially rigid body portion formed with a cable attachment surface that is structured to securely receive a cable.

29. The docking station of claim 26, further comprising a display unit support arm mount arranged adjacent to the expansion connector presentation surface of the molded body portion.

31. A molded docking station for laptops, mini-laptops, notebooks, netbooks, and ultra mobile personal computers (UMPCs), the docking station adapted for mounting in vehicle applications and comprising:

a housing comprising;

a molded wall consisting of a molded material,

a device bearing surface on a portion of an outer surface of the molded wall,

a clearance relief in the outer surface of the molded wall adjacent to an edge of the device bearing surface and communicating therewith,

an expansion connector presentation surface positioned adjacent to a rear portion of the device bearing surface and extended there above and comprising an opening therethrough adjacent to the device bearing surface, and

a mounting structure opposite of the device bearing surface from the expansion connector presentation surface and adapted for securely mounting the housing in a vehicle;

a linear expansion connector drive mechanism, comprising a substantially rigid frame portion that is movably coupled to a portion of the molded wall for substantially linear motion relative to the expansion connector presentation surface along a linear drive axis oriented substantially perpendicular to the expansion connector presentation surface, and a drive handle that is coupled to the movable frame for the linear motion thereof between a disengaged position wherein a connector seat portion of the frame portion is spaced away from the opening through the expansion connector presentation surface, and an engaged position wherein the connector seat portion is adjacent to the opening, and wherein the drive handle is further limited to being movable between opposing side portions of the molded wall and adjacent to a front portion thereof substantially opposite from the expansion connector presentation surface;

an expansion connector coupled to the connector seat portion of the frame portion of the expansion connector drive mechanism for linear motion between the disengaged position and the engaged position relative to the opening through the expansion connector presentation surface;

a peripheral device connector presentation surface formed on a bottom portion of the housing substantially opposite of the device bearing surface from the expansion connector presentation surface and comprising one or more openings communicating therethrough with an interior portion of the housing, and further comprising a plurality of peripheral device connectors electrically coupled for communication with the computer expansion connector, at least one or more of the peripheral device connectors each further being presented at one of the openings communicating with the interior portion of the housing; and

a mount for a display unit support arm adjacent to the connector presentation surface.