Electronic accessories for digital music players and related methods

• US 8,556,653 B2
• Filed: 12/21/2012
• Issued: 10/15/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/20/2006
• 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: Neu, Thorben, Kleeman, David A., Razi, Vincent
• Primary Examiner(s): Paumen, Gary F.
• Application Number:
  US13/725,332
• Publication Number:
  US 20130109227A1
• Time in Patent Office: 298 Days
• Field of Search: 439/569, 439/527, 439/374, 700/94, 700/95
• US Class Current: 439/569
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 33/00 Coupling devices specially adapted for supporting apparatus and having one part acting as a holder providing support and electrical connection via a counterpart which is structurally associated with the apparatus, e.g. lamp holders; Separate parts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 33/945 Holders with built-in electrical component
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 43/00 Apparatus or processes specially adapted for manufacturing, assembling, maintaining, or repairing of line connectors or current collectors or for joining electric conductors of trolley lines B60M1/28
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2430/01 Aspects of volume control, not necessarily automatic, in sound systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 5/00 Stereophonic arrangements stereophonic pick-ups H04R9/16, H04R11/12, H04R17/08, H04R19/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04S 7/40 Visual indication of stereophonic sound image
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49002 Electrical device making
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49204 Contact or terminal manufacturing

Abstract

Embodiments of electronic accessories for digital music players are disclosed herein. Other examples and related methods are also disclosed herein.

Claims

1. An electronic accessory for an electronic device, the electronic accessory comprising:

a body docking portion comprising;

a docking portion surface; and

a docking portion cross-sectional dimension;

a neck protruding past the docking portion surface and comprising;

a neck base;

a neck top surface; and

a neck cross-sectional dimension; and

an electrical connector protruding past the neck top surface and configured to couple the electronic accessory to the electronic device at a docking end of the electronic device;

wherein;

the docking portion cross-sectional dimension is greater than the neck cross-sectional dimension;

the neck remains permanently protruded past the docking portion surface;

the electrical connector comprises a front side, a rear side, a right side, and a left side; and

the neck top surface comprises at least one of;

a neck topmost front surface with a neck front axis unobstructedly extending past a front end of the body docking portion and extending substantially orthogonal to the front side of the electrical connector;

a neck topmost rear surface with a neck rear axis unobstructedly extending past a rear end of the body docking portion and extending substantially orthogonal to the rear side of the electrical connector;

a neck topmost left surface with a neck left axis unobstructedly extending past a left end of the body docking portion and extending substantially orthogonal to the left side of the electrical connector;

or

a neck topmost right surface with a neck right axis unobstructedly extending past a right end of the body docking portion and extending substantially orthogonal to the right side of the electrical connector.

2. The electronic accessory of claim 1, wherein:

the docking portion surface circumscribes the neck base.

3. The electronic accessory of claim 1, wherein:

the neck top surface comprises at least two of;

the neck topmost front surface with the neck front axis;

the neck topmost rear surface with the neck rear axis;

the neck topmost left surface with the neck left axis;

or

the neck topmost right surface with the neck right axis.

4. The electronic accessory of claim 1, wherein:

the neck top surface comprises each of;

the neck topmost front surface with the neck front axis;

the neck topmost rear surface with the neck rear axis;

the neck topmost left surface with the neck left axis; and

the neck topmost right surface with the neck right axis.

5. The electronic accessory of claim 1, wherein:

when the electrical connector is coupled to the docking end of the electronic device, the neck top surface is closer than the docking portion surface to the docking end of the electronic device.

6. The electronic accessory of claim 1, wherein:

the neck top surface comprises;

the neck topmost left surface with the neck left axis; and

the neck topmost right surface with the neck right axis; and

the neck left axis is collinear with the neck right axis.

7. The electronic accessory of claim 1, wherein:

the neck comprises;

a neck front end between the neck top surface and the neck base;

a neck rear end between the neck top surface and the neck base;

a neck right end between the neck top surface and the neck base;

a neck left end between the neck top surface and the neck base; and

each of the neck front end, the neck rear end, the neck right end, and the neck left end protrudes above the docking portion surface.

8. The electronic accessory of claim 1, wherein:

the body docking portion is configured such that a straight line intersecting two of the neck topmost front surface, the neck topmost rear surface, the neck topmost left surface, or the neck topmost right surface does not intersect the body docking portion.

9. The electronic accessory of claim 1, wherein:

the docking portion surface is non-concave relative to an external portion of the electrical connector.

10. The electronic accessory of claim 1, wherein:

the neck cross-sectional dimension is centered within the docking portion cross-sectional dimension.

11. The electronic accessory of claim 1, wherein:

the neck top surface is substantially parallel to the docking portion surface, the docking portion cross-sectional dimension, and the neck cross-sectional dimension.

12. The electronic accessory of claim 1, wherein:

when the electrical connector is coupled to the docking end of the electronic device;

a distance between the docking end of the electronic device and the docking portion surface is sufficient to accommodate a wall thickness of a removable case for the electronic device.

13. The electronic accessory of claim 1, wherein:

the neck is non-detachable from the body docking portion;

the neck top surface and the docking portion surface are substantially immovable relative to each other;

the neck cross-sectional dimension is substantially centered within the docking portion body cross-sectional dimension; and

the docking portion surface is convex relative to an external portion of the electrical connector.

14. The electronic accessory of claim 1, further comprising:

at least one of a microphone, a stereo receiving system, a speaker, or an FM transmitter; and

a spacer comprising a spacer thickness and an opening configured to removably accommodate the neck when the opening is concentric with the neck;

wherein;

when the spacer is fully seated with the body docking portion, with the opening being concentric with the neck, the spacer thickness fits between the electronic device and the docking portion surface when the docking end of the electronic device is not covered by a removable case for the electronic device.

15. An electronic accessory configured to couple with an electronic device, the electronic accessory comprising:

a housing comprising;

a body docking portion having a docking portion surface; and

a neck protruding past the docking portion surface and having a neck top surface;

wherein;

the neck top surface remains permanently protruded past the docking portion surface;

the neck top surface defines a neck top plane comprising;

a top plane front portion extending towards a front of the housing;

a top plane rear portion extending towards a rear of the housing;

a top plane left portion extending towards a left of the housing; and

a top plane right portion extending towards a right of the housing;

at least one of the top plane front portion, the top plane rear portion, the top plane left portion, or the top plane right portion extends unobstructed past the body docking portion; and

when the electronic accessory is coupled to the electronic device through a docking end of the electronic device;

the neck is located between the docking portion surface and the electronic device.

16. The electronic accessory of claim 15, wherein:

when the electronic accessory is coupled to the electronic device through the docking end of the electronic device;

at least two opposite sides of the docking end of the electronic device remain uncradled by the body docking portion.

17. The electronic accessory of claim 15, wherein:

at least two opposite ones of the top plane front portion, the top plane rear portion, the top plane left portion, or the top plane right portion extend unobstructed past the body docking portion.

18. A method for providing an accessory for an electronic device, the method comprising:

providing a housing of the accessory; and

coupling an electrical connector to the housing to permit the accessory to be electrically coupled to a docking portion of the electronic device;

wherein;

the housing comprises;

a neck comprising;

a neck cross-sectional dimension; and

a neck top surface comprising at least two of;

 

a neck top front surface;

a neck top rear surface;

 

a neck top left surface;

or a neck top right surface;

a docking portion comprising;

a docking portion cross-sectional dimension; and

a docking portion surface having least two of;

 

a front docking portion section located forward of the neck;

 

a rear docking portion section located rearward of the neck;

 

a left docking portion section located leftward of the neck;

or

 

a right docking portion section located rightward of the neck;

and at least one of;

the neck top front surface being taller than the front docking portion section;

the neck top rear surface being taller than the rear docking portion section;

the neck top left surface being taller than the left docking portion section;

or

the neck top right surface being taller than the right docking portion section;

the neck protrudes from the docking portion surface and is in a permanently external configuration;

the electrical connector protrudes from the neck top surface; and

the docking portion cross-sectional dimension is greater than the neck cross-sectional dimension.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein:

the housing comprises at least two of;

the neck top front surface being taller than the front docking portion section;

the neck top rear surface being taller than the rear docking portion section;

the neck top left surface being taller than the left docking portion section;

or

the neck top right surface being taller than the right docking portion section.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein:

the docking portion surface is substantially non-concave relative to the neck.