Avionic media systems including actuated media docking stations and over-center locking mechanisms suitable for usage therein
First Claim
1. An actuated media docking station, comprising:
- a housing assembly;
a mass media device (“
MMD”
) receptacle hingedly mounted to the housing assembly;
a rotary actuator coupled to the housing assembly and to the MMD receptacle and, when actuated, rotating the MMD receptacle between a loading position and a retaining position; and
an over-center locking mechanism linking the actuator to the MMD receptacle, the over-center locking mechanism comprising;
a motor arm fixedly coupled to the rotary actuator and, when driven thereby, rotating about a fixed rotational axis; and
an over-center link rotatably coupled to the motor arm at an input pivot pointand rotatably coupled to the MMD receptacle at an output pivot point;
wherein the input pivot point resides on a first side of a plane transecting the fixed rotational axis and the output pivot point when the MMD receptacle is in both the loading and retaining positions, and wherein the input pivot point traverses the plane when the MMD receptacle is rotated between the loading and retaining positions.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Embodiments of an avionic media system are provided, as are embodiments of an actuated media docking station and embodiments of an over-center locking mechanism suitable for usage in an actuated media docking station. In one embodiment, the avionic media system includes an actuated media docking station and an onboard electronic device. The actuated media docking station includes, in turn, a housing assembly, a mass media device (“MMD”) receptacle coupled to the housing assembly, a connector mounted to the MMD receptacle and configured to interface with the MMD when inserted into the MMD receptacle, and an actuator coupled to the housing assembly and to the MMD receptacle. The actuator moves the MMD receptacle between: (i) a loading position in which an MMD can be inserted into the MMD receptacle, and (ii) a retaining position in which removal of an MMD from the MMD receptacle is physically obstructed.
49 Citations
17 Claims
-
1. An actuated media docking station, comprising:
-
a housing assembly; a mass media device (“
MMD”
) receptacle hingedly mounted to the housing assembly;a rotary actuator coupled to the housing assembly and to the MMD receptacle and, when actuated, rotating the MMD receptacle between a loading position and a retaining position; and an over-center locking mechanism linking the actuator to the MMD receptacle, the over-center locking mechanism comprising; a motor arm fixedly coupled to the rotary actuator and, when driven thereby, rotating about a fixed rotational axis; and an over-center link rotatably coupled to the motor arm at an input pivot point and rotatably coupled to the MMD receptacle at an output pivot point; wherein the input pivot point resides on a first side of a plane transecting the fixed rotational axis and the output pivot point when the MMD receptacle is in both the loading and retaining positions, and wherein the input pivot point traverses the plane when the MMD receptacle is rotated between the loading and retaining positions. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
-
-
16. An actuated media docking station, comprising:
-
a housing assembly; a mass media device (“
MMD”
) receptacle hingedly mounted to the housing assembly and rotatable between;
(i) a loading position in which an MMD can be inserted into the MMD receptacle, and (ii) a retaining position in which removal of an MMD from the MMD receptacle is physically obstructed;an actuator coupled to the housing assembly and to the MMD receptacle and, when actuated, rotating the MMD receptacle between the loading and retaining positions; an open device cavity in the housing assembly and exposed through an outer face of thereof such that the MMD is manually accessible when the MMD receptacle is in the retaining position, the MMD swinging into the open device cavity when rotating from the loading position into the retaining position; and an over-center locking mechanism having an S-shaped over-center link coupled between the actuator and the MMD receptacle, the over-center locking mechanism mechanically latching the MMD receptacle in the retaining position when the actuator rotates the MMD receptacle from the loading position into the retaining position. - View Dependent Claims (17)
-
Specification