Digital camera dock having a movable attachment surface
First Claim
1. An apparatus comprising:
- a connector configured to electrically connect to a device connector of an external device;
a support plate having a connector hole and a trigger lever hole formed therethrough, the connector hole configured to allow the support plate to move along the connector, and the trigger lever hole configured to allow a trigger lever to protrude from the support plate; and
a control unit comprising the trigger lever, a latch, a slide plate, and a button;
wherein, in a first position, the connector does not protrude through the connector hole, the trigger lever protrudes through the trigger lever hole, and the slide plate, which moves horizontally between a first and a second position, prevents the support plate from moving in a direction of insertion of the external device into the apparatus, andwherein, in a second position, the connector protrudes through the connector hole, the trigger lever does not protrude through the trigger lever hole, the slide plate prevents the support plate from moving in the direction of insertion, and the latch prevents the support plate from moving in a direction opposite the direction of insertion, andwherein the control unit is configured to allow transition from the first position to the second position in response to depression of the trigger lever and is further configured to allow transition from the second position to the first position in response to depression of the button.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Use of a custom insert is obviated when a digital camera is attached to a base (dock). Two movable pins are provided, in such a way that a connector is sandwiched between the movable pins, on a digital camera attachment surface of a base (dock) which provides a digital camera with a recharging function and a printing function. The movable pins fit to holes in a bottom of the digital camera to thus act as guides during the course of attachment of the digital camera. Alternatively, the attachment surface itself may be configured so as to be vertically movable, and the attachment surface may descend during attachment of the digital camera and the attachment surface may be latched in a lower position after attachment of the same.
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Citations
25 Claims
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1. An apparatus comprising:
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a connector configured to electrically connect to a device connector of an external device; a support plate having a connector hole and a trigger lever hole formed therethrough, the connector hole configured to allow the support plate to move along the connector, and the trigger lever hole configured to allow a trigger lever to protrude from the support plate; and a control unit comprising the trigger lever, a latch, a slide plate, and a button; wherein, in a first position, the connector does not protrude through the connector hole, the trigger lever protrudes through the trigger lever hole, and the slide plate, which moves horizontally between a first and a second position, prevents the support plate from moving in a direction of insertion of the external device into the apparatus, and wherein, in a second position, the connector protrudes through the connector hole, the trigger lever does not protrude through the trigger lever hole, the slide plate prevents the support plate from moving in the direction of insertion, and the latch prevents the support plate from moving in a direction opposite the direction of insertion, and wherein the control unit is configured to allow transition from the first position to the second position in response to depression of the trigger lever and is further configured to allow transition from the second position to the first position in response to depression of the button. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A system comprising:
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a device comprising a device connector; and a dock comprising; a dock connector rigidly fixed to the dock and configured to electrically connect to the device connector; a support plate movably connected to the dock, wherein the support plate has a connector hole and a trigger lever hole formed therethrough, the connector hole configured to allow the support plate to move vertically along the dock connector, and the trigger lever hole configured to allow a trigger lever to protrude from the support plate; and a control unit comprising the trigger lever, a latch, a slide plate, and a button; wherein, when the dock is in a first position, the dock connector does not protrude through the connector hole, the trigger lever protrudes through the trigger lever hole, and the slide plate, which moves horizontally between a first and a second position, prevents the support plate from moving in a direction of insertion of the device into the dock, and wherein, when the dock is in a second position, the dock connector protrudes through the connector hole, the trigger lever does not protrude through the trigger lever hole, the slide plate prevents the support plate from moving in the direction of insertion of the device into the dock, and the latch prevents the support plate from moving in a direction opposite the direction of insertion; and wherein the control unit is configured to allow the dock to transition from the first position to the second position in response to depression of the trigger lever and is further configured to allow the dock to transition from the second position to the first position in response to depression of the button. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A method comprising:
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depressing a trigger lever of a dock to cause a slide plate to move horizontally from a first slide plate position to a second slide plate position, wherein the first slide plate position prevents a support plate from moving in a direction of insertion of a device into the dock and the second slide plate position permits the support plate to move in the direction of insertion of the device into the dock; moving the support plate in the direction of insertion of the device into the dock to cause the slide plate to move horizontally from the second slide plate position to a third slide plate position, wherein the third slide plate position prevents the support plate from further movement in the direction of insertion of the device into the dock; and securing the slide plate in the third slide plate position with a latch. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25)
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Specification