Electronic accessories for digital music players and related methods

• US 8,696,379 B2
• Filed: 10/15/2013
• Issued: 04/15/2014
• 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, Razo, Vincent, Kleeman, David A.
• Primary Examiner(s): PAUMEN, GARY F
• Application Number:
  US14/054,692
• Publication Number:
  US 20140038455A1
• Time in Patent Office: 182 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 end; and

a neck cross-sectional dimension;

and

an electrical connector protruding past the neck top end;

wherein;

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

the neck top end comprises at least one of;

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

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

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

or

a neck right top end with a neck right axis unobstructedly extending past a body right top 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 cross-sectional dimension is greater than the neck cross-sectional dimension.

3. The electronic accessory of claim 1, wherein:

the neck remains permanently protruded from the docking portion surface.

4. The electronic accessory of claim 1, wherein:

the docking portion surface circumscribes the neck base.

5. The electronic accessory of claim 1, wherein:

the neck top end comprises at least two of;

the neck front top end with the neck front axis;

the neck rear top end with the neck rear axis;

the neck left top end with the neck left axis;

or

the neck right top end with the neck right axis.

6. The electronic accessory of claim 1, wherein:

the neck top end comprises each of;

the neck front top end with the neck front axis;

the neck rear top end with the neck rear axis;

the neck left top end with the neck left axis; and

the neck right top end with the neck right axis.

7. The electronic accessory of claim 1, wherein:

the neck comprises at least one of;

the neck front top end protruded past the body rear top end;

the neck rear top end protruded past the body front top end;

the neck left top end protruded past the body right top end;

or

the neck right top end protruded past the body left top end.

8. The electronic accessory of claim 1, wherein:

the electrical connector comprises at least one of;

a connector front top end protruded past the body front top end;

a connector rear top end protruded past the body rear top end;

a connector left top end protruded past the body left top end;

or

a connector right top end protruded past the body right top end.

9. The electronic accessory of claim 1, wherein:

the body docking portion is configured such that an axis intersecting two of the neck front top end, the neck rear top end, the neck left top end, or the neck right top end, does not intersect the body docking portion.

10. The electronic accessory of claim 1, wherein:

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

the body docking portion is configured such that an axis intersecting two of the connector front top end, the connector rear top end, the connector left top end, or the connector right top end, does not intersect the body docking portion.

11. The electronic accessory of claim 1, wherein:

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

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

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

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

a spacer configured to couple with the body docking portion, the spacer comprising;

a spacer front top end, a spacer rear top end,

a spacer left top end, and a spacer right top end;

wherein, when the spacer is coupled with the body docking portion, at least one of;

the spacer front top end protrudes past the body front top end;

the spacer rear top end protrudes past the body rear top end;

the spacer left top end protrudes past the body left top end;

or

the spacer right top end protrudes past the body right top end.

13. The electronic accessory of claim 1, wherein:

when the electronic accessory is coupled to a 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.

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

a body comprising;

a dock portion with a dock surface comprising;

a dock surface front top end;

a dock surface rear top end;

a dock surface left top end; and

a dock surface right top end;

and

an electrical connector configured to couple the electronic accessory to the electronic device;

and

a spacer configured to couple with the dock portion around the electrical connector and over the dock surface, the spacer comprising;

a spacer front top end;

a spacer rear top end;

a spacer left top end; and

a spacer right top end;

wherein, when the spacer is coupled with the dock portion, at least one of;

the spacer front top end protrudes past the dock surface front top end;

the spacer rear top end protrudes past the dock surface rear top end;

the spacer left top end protrudes past the dock surface left top end;

or

the spacer right top end protrudes past the dock surface right top end.

15. The electronic accessory of claim 14, wherein:

when the spacer is coupled with the dock portion, the spacer rear top end protrudes past the dock surface rear top end.

16. The electronic accessory of claim 14, wherein:

the dock portion further comprises;

a neck protruding from the dock surface and bounding a bottom of the electrical connector.

17. The electronic accessory of claim 16, wherein:

the spacer comprises an aperture configured to accommodate a perimeter of the neck when the spacer is coupled with the dock portion.

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

providing a body having a body docking portion;

providing a neck having a neck top end and protruding past the body docking portion; and

providing an electrical connector protruding past the neck top end;

wherein;

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

the cross-sectional dimension of the neck is greater than the cross-sectional dimension of the electrical connector;

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

the neck comprises a neck front side and a neck rear side;

the neck front side is substantially parallel to the connector front side; and

the neck rear side is substantially parallel to the connector rear side.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein:

the neck front side and the neck rear side are substantially flat.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein:

the body docking portion comprises;

a body front top end, a body rear top end,

a body left top end, and a body right top end;

the neck comprises;

a neck front top end, a neck rear top end;

a neck left top end, and a neck right top end;

and at least one of;

a neck front-rear axis extending;

above the body front top end and the body rear top end; and

through the neck front top end and the neck rear top end;

or

a neck left-right axis extending;

above the body left top end and the body right top end; and

through the neck right top end and the neck left top end.