Aesthetically pleasing universal dock

• US 8,792,233 B2
• Filed: 06/04/2008
• Issued: 07/29/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/04/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Terlizzi, Jeffrey J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Haughton, Anthony
• Assistant Examiner(s): WRIGHT, INGRID D
• Application Number:
  US12/156,821
• Publication Number:
  US 20090303692A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,246 Days
• Field of Search: 361/679.4, 361/679.41, 361/679.02, 361/679.55, 36167934- 36, 361/679.38, 36167943-67944, 361/810, 710303-305, 439/529, 439/929
• US Class Current: 361/679.41
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/14 Mounting supporting structure in casing or on frame or rack
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49117 Conductor or circuit manufacturing

Abstract

An aesthetically pleasing universal dock may support a variety of electronic devices of different shapes and designs while appearing to be customized to individually support each electronic device. The universal dock may support an electronic device using a support layer that may include any suitable material, including, for example, an array of vertical members, an elastic sponge-like substance, or any other suitable material. The compression of the support layer may be retained for future use with the electronic device, or the compression may be relieved, once the electronic device is removed from the universal dock.

Claims

1. A dock for supporting a plurality of differently-shaped electronic devices, the dock comprising:

a housing;

a connector coupled to a top face of the housing;

a compressible support layer positioned on the top face of the housing and at least partially about the connector, wherein at least a portion of the compressible support layer compresses to the shape of at least a portion of an electronic device that is attached to the connector; and

circuitry coupled to the connector to detect the electronic device attached to the connector and to operate the electronic device.

2. The dock of claim 1, further comprising a sensor coupled to the circuitry.

3. The dock of claim 2, wherein the sensor receives from an external device an instruction to control the electronic device, and wherein the circuitry operates the electronic device in response to the sensor receiving the instruction.

4. The dock of claim 1, further comprising a button coupled to the housing, wherein depression of the button ends the attachment between the connector and the electronic device.

5. The dock of claim 4, wherein the depression of the button ejects the electronic device from the dock.

6. The dock of claim 4, wherein the depression of the button relieves the compression of the compressible support layer.

7. The dock of claim 1, wherein the compressible support layer comprises at least one of an elastic material and an array of vertical members.

8. The dock of claim 1, further comprising a base coupled between the housing and the connector.

9. The dock of claim 1, wherein at least a non-compressed portion of the compressible support layer provides lateral support to the electronic device that is attached to the connector.

10. The dock of claim 1, wherein the compressible support layer comprises an array of compressible vertical members.

11. The dock of claim 10, wherein each of the vertical members includes a top portion, and wherein at least some of the top portions are interconnected using at least one of a webbing and a Teflon sheet.

12. The dock of claim 1, wherein at least a first portion of the compressible support layer compresses more than at least a second portion of the compressible support layer, and wherein at least the first portion of the compressible support layer compresses less than at least a third portion of the compressible support layer.

13. The dock of claim 1, wherein:

the connector is coupled to a first portion of the top face of the housing;

the compressible support layer is coupled to a second portion of the top face of the housing; and

the first and second portions are co-planar.

14. A dock for supporting a plurality of differently-shaped electronic devices, the dock comprising:

a housing;

a connector coupled to the housing; and

a compressible support layer positioned at least partially about the connector and having an independently compressible sub-portion, wherein;

the connector passes through the compressible support layer to allow the connector to emerge on a top face of the dock;

the compressible support layer is configured to appear customized to the shape of any electronic device of the differently-shaped electronic devices attached to the connector;

the compressible support layer supports the electronic device; and

the compressible support layer comprises at least one of an elastic material and an array of vertical members.

15. The dock of claim 14, wherein at least a portion of the compressible support layer provides lateral support to the electronic device that is attached to the connector.

16. The dock of claim 14, wherein the electronic device compresses at least a portion of the compressible support layer between the electronic device and the top face of the dock.

17. A dock comprising:

a housing;

a connector coupled to the housing; and

a compressible support layer coupled to the housing, wherein;

the compressible support layer deforms in a same direction as a force exerted by an electronic device when the electronic device is being connected to the connector;

the compressible support layer deforms to at least one dimension of the electronic device when the electronic device is being connected to the connecter; and

wherein the compressible support layer comprises an array of compressible vertical members.

18. The dock of claim 17, wherein each of the vertical members comprises a top portion,

and wherein at least some of the top portions are interconnected using at least one of a webbing and a Teflon sheet.

19. The dock of claim 17, wherein each of the vertical members comprises a top portion, and wherein the top portions of the vertical members are interconnected to form a seamless web.

20. The dock of claim 17, wherein the connector is coupled to a top face of the housing, and wherein the electronic device compresses at least a portion of the compressible support layer between the electronic device and the top face of the housing.

21. The dock of claim 17, wherein a first portion of the compressible support layer compresses more than a second portion of the compressible support layer when the electronic device is attached to the connector, and wherein the first portion of the compressible support layer compresses less than a third portion of the compressible support layer when the electronic device is attached to the connector.

22. The dock of claim 21, wherein the second portion of the compressible support layer experiences no compression when the electronic device is attached to the connector.

23. The dock of claim 22, wherein the first portion of the compressible support layer comprises a first group of the vertical members, wherein the second portion of the compressible support layer comprises a second group of the vertical members, and wherein the third portion of the compressible support layer comprises a third group of the vertical members.

24. The dock of claim 23, wherein the connector is coupled to a top face of the housing, and wherein the array of vertical members is coupled to the top face.

25. A dock for supporting a plurality of differently-shaped electronic devices, the dock comprising:

a housing;

a connector coupled to a top face of the housing; and

a compressible support layer including at least one of an elastic material and an array of vertical members, and positioned on the top face of the housing and at least partially about the connector, wherein at least a portion of the compressible support layer compresses to the shape of at least a portion of an electronic device that is attached to the connector.