Electronic accessories for digital music players and related methods

• US 8,998,637 B2
• Filed: 03/18/2014
• Issued: 04/07/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/20/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• 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:
  US14/218,537
• Publication Number:
  US 20140199882A1
• Time in Patent Office: 385 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 dock comprising;

a dock surface extended between;

a dock surface front edge; and

a dock surface rear edge;

and

a connector aperture between the dock surface front edge and the dock surface rear edge;

and

an electrical connector located, between the dock surface front edge and the dock surface rear edge, and through the connector aperture;

wherein;

the dock surface comprises;

a dock front distance; and

a dock rear distance;

the dock front distance is a shortest path along the dock surface, from a perimeter of the connector aperture to the dock surface front edge;

the dock rear distance is a shortest path along the dock surface, from the perimeter of the connector aperture to the dock surface rear edge; and

the dock front distance is different than the dock rear distance.

2. The electronic accessory of claim 1, wherein:

the dock rear distance is greater than the dock front distance.

3. The electronic accessory of claim 1, wherein:

the electrical connector protrudes above the dock surface front edge.

4. The electronic accessory of claim 1, wherein:

when the electronic accessory rests over a horizontal surface;

a connector plane is defined parallel to the horizontal surface and intersecting the electrical connector;

the dock surface comprises;

a front height magnitude measured, orthogonal to the horizontal surface, from the connector plane to the dock surface front edge;

a rear height magnitude measured, orthogonal to the horizontal surface, from the connector plane to the dock surface rear edge;

and

the rear height magnitude is different than the front height magnitude.

5. The electronic accessory of claim 4, wherein:

the rear height magnitude is greater than the front height magnitude.

6. The electronic accessory of claim 5, wherein:

the dock surface rear edge is closer to the horizontal surface than the dock surface front edge.

7. The electronic accessory of claim 4, wherein:

the electrical connector comprises a connector top; and

the connector plane intersects the connector top.

8. The electronic accessory of claim 4, wherein:

the electrical connector comprises a connector bottom; and

the connector plane intersects the connector bottom.

9. The electronic accessory of claim 8, wherein:

the perimeter of the connector aperture defines a connector aperture plane, and

the connector bottom is defined by the connector aperture plane.

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

a spacer deployable to distance a portion of the electronic device from a portion of the electronic accessory when the electronic device is coupled to the electrical connector.

11. The electronic accessory of claim 10, wherein:

the spacer comprises;

a first side configured to face towards the electronic device when the electronic device is coupled to the electrical connector; and

a second side opposite the first side, differently shaped from the first side, and comprising a spacer curved contour complementary with the dock surface.

12. The electronic accessory of claim 10, wherein:

the spacer is removable from the portion of the electronic accessory.

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

first and second speakers at opposite sides of a center of the electrical connector.

14. The electronic accessory of claim 1, wherein:

the dock further comprises;

a neck protruding from the dock surface and comprising;

a neck base coupled to the dock surface; and

a neck top end opposite the neck base;

wherein;

the neck is bounded by the dock surface; and

the electrical connector is bounded by the neck and protrudes past the neck top end.

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

a dock comprising;

a dock surface extended between;

a dock surface front edge; and

a dock surface rear edge;

and

a connector aperture between the dock surface front edge and the dock surface rear edge;

and

an electrical connector located, between the dock surface front edge and the dock surface rear edge, and through the connector aperture;

wherein;

when the electronic accessory rests over a horizontal surface;

a connector plane is defined parallel to the horizontal surface and intersecting the electrical connector;

the dock surface comprises;

a front height magnitude measured, orthogonal to the horizontal surface, from the connector plane to the dock surface front edge;

a rear height magnitude measured, orthogonal to the horizontal surface, from the connector plane to the dock surface rear edge;

and

the rear height magnitude is different than the front height magnitude.

16. The electronic accessory of claim 15, wherein:

the rear height magnitude is greater than the front height magnitude.

17. The electronic accessory of claim 15, wherein:

the electrical connector comprises a connector top; and

the connector plane intersects the connector top.

18. The electronic accessory of claim 15, wherein:

a perimeter of the connector aperture defines a connector aperture plane;

the electrical connector comprises a connector bottom;

the connector bottom is defined by the connector aperture plane; and

the connector plane intersects the connector bottom.

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

providing a dock comprising;

a dock surface extended between;

a dock surface front edge; and

a dock surface rear edge;

and

a connector aperture between the dock surface front edge and the dock surface rear edge;

and

providing an electrical connector located, between the dock surface front edge and the dock surface rear edge, and through the connector aperture;

wherein;

the dock surface comprises;

a dock front distance; and

a dock rear distance;

the dock front distance is a shortest path along the dock surface, from a perimeter of the connector aperture to the dock surface front edge;

the dock rear distance is a shortest path along the dock surface, from the perimeter of the connector aperture to the dock surface rear edge; and

the dock front distance is different than the dock rear distance.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

at least one of;

providing a spacer deployable to distance a portion of the electronic device from a portion of the electronic accessory when the electronic device is coupled to the electrical connector;

or

providing the dock to comprise a neck bounding the electrical connector, protruding from the dock surface and comprising;

a neck base coupled to the dock surface; and

a neck top end opposite the neck base and through which the electrical connector protrudes;

wherein;

the dock rear distance is greater than the dock front distance.