Dock with moveable connector for display device

• US 9,075,573 B2
• Filed: 06/26/2012
• Issued: 07/07/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 01/04/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Hayashida, Jeff, Frazier, Cameron, Sanford, Emery
• Primary Examiner(s): LEA EDMONDS, LISA S
• Application Number:
  US13/533,132
• Publication Number:
  US 20120264329A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,106 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations

Abstract

Docking stations with a moveable connector that is more durable are provided. For example, when a portable electronic device, coupled with the connector, is pushed forward, the connector is designed to move (e.g. rotate), thereby reducing an impact of strain resulting from such a push. The rotatable connector may be biased to keep the portable electronic device in an upright position such that the electronic device is supported by a rear reference surface of the docking station, thereby preventing undue strain on the rotatable connector in the upright position and inhibiting movement forward. The rotatable connector may be partly below an outer shell of the docking station, and pivot at the outer shell, thereby reducing possible damage to parts below the outer shell. The rotatable connector may also retract when rotated, thereby removing a force that can break the connector at a position of full rotation forward.

Claims

1. A docking station for a portable electronic device, the docking station comprising:

a housing having a bottom surface, a top outer shell and an interior cavity, the top outer shell having an opening into the interior cavity, the housing having a first end and a second end opposite to the first end;

a rotatable connector that protrudes through the opening in the top outer shell, the rotatable connector having a first section below the top outer shell and a second section above the top outer shell, wherein the rotatable connector is configured to receive and electrically couple to a receptacle connector of the portable electronic device; and

a refraction mechanism that causes a portion of the second section of the rotatable connector that is above the top outer shell to recede into the cavity as the rotatable connector rotates from an upright position toward the first end of the docking station, wherein a bottom end of the first section of the rotatable connector moves toward the second end of the docking station as the second section of the rotatable connector rotates toward the first end of the docking station,

wherein a rear reference surface is mechanically coupled to the housing and adapted to support the portable electronic device when the electronic device is coupled to the rotatable connector in its upright position.

2. The docking station of claim 1, wherein the rotatable connector is coupled to the housing and biased toward the upright position.

3. The docking station of claim 2, wherein the top outer shell includes:

a first section on a first side of the opening, the first section including a first edge; and

a second section on the opposite side of the opening, the second section including a second edge,

wherein the rotatable connector forms a seal in the opening of the housing when the second section of the rotatable connector is rotated toward the first end of the docking station, wherein the seal is formed by the rotatable connector contacting the first edge and the second edge.

4. The docking station of claim 3, wherein the second section of the top outer shell includes a second surface facing toward the rotatable connector, the second surface being below the second edge and angling toward the second end of the docking station, and

wherein the first section of the top outer shell includes a first surface facing toward the rotatable connector, the first surface being below the first edge and running substantially parallel to the rotatable connector when the rotatable connector is in the upright position.

5. The docking station of claim 2, wherein the top outer shell includes:

a first section on a first side of the opening, the first section including a first edge; and

a second section on the opposite side of the opening, the second section including a second edge,

wherein the rotatable connector forms a partial seal in the opening of the housing when the rotatable connector is in the upright position, wherein the seal is formed by the rotatable connector contacting the first edge.

6. The docking station of claim 5, wherein the first edge is at a same height as the second edge.

7. The docking station of claim 1, wherein the retraction mechanism ejects the rotatable connector from the receptacle connector of the portable electronic device when the second section of the rotatable connector is rotated toward the first end of the docking station.

8. The docking station of claim 1, further comprising a biasing mechanism that biases the rotatable connector to reside in the upright position, wherein the biasing mechanism includes at least one spring that provides a biasing force that increases as the second section of the rotatable connector moves farther from the upright position.

9. The docking station of claim 1, further comprising electronic circuitry electronically coupled with contacts of the rotatable connector via a flexible circuit.

10. A docking station for a portable electronic device, the docking station comprising:

a base having a bottom surface and a top outer shell, the top outer shell having an opening;

a rotatable connector that protrudes through an opening in the top outer shell, the rotatable connector having a first section below the top outer shell and a second section above the top outer shell, wherein the rotatable connector is configured to receive and electrically couple to a receptacle connector of the portable electronic device; and

a retraction mechanism that causes a part of the first section of the rotatable connector to translate horizontally as the rotatable connector rotates forward from a substantially vertical orientation,

wherein a rear reference surface is mechanically coupled to the housing and adapted to support the portable electronic device when the electronic device is coupled to the rotatable connector in its substantially vertical orientation.

11. The docking station of claim 10, further comprising a biasing mechanism that biases the rotatable connector to reside in the substantially vertical orientation.

12. The docking station of claim 10, wherein the a retraction mechanism further causes the second section of the rotatable connector that is above the top outer shell to decrease as the rotatable connector rotates towards a first end of the docking station, wherein a bottom end of the first section of the rotatable connector moves toward a second end of the docking station as the second section of the rotatable connector rotates towards the first end of the docking station.

13. The docking station of claim 10, wherein during at least a portion of the forward rotation of the rotatable connector, the rotatable connector rotates about a surface of the top outer shell, and wherein a bottom end of the first section and a top end of the second section of the rotatable connector move when the rotatable connector rotates.

14. The docking station of claim 10, wherein during at least a portion of the forward rotation of the rotatable connector, the rotatable connector rotates about a point above an external surface of the top outer shell, and wherein a bottom end of the first section and a top end of the second section of the rotatable connector move when the rotatable connector rotates.

15. The docking station of claim 10, wherein during at least a portion of the forward rotation of the rotatable connector, the rotatable connector rotates such that a bottom end of the first section moves towards a second end of the docking station and a top end of the second section of the rotatable connector moves towards a first end of the docking station and the rotatable connector recedes into the opening.

16. A docking station for a portable electronic device, the docking station comprising:

a base having a top outer shell, a first end, and a second end opposite to the first end, the top outer shell having an opening;

a rotatable connector having a first section below the top outer shell and a second section above the top outer shell, the rotatable connector movable between a first position where the rotatable connector extends out of the opening in a substantially vertical orientation and a second position where the rotatable connector extends out of the opening in a second orientation that is different from the substantially vertical orientation of the rotatable connector when in the first position; and

a retraction mechanism that;

(i) translates a change in orientation of the rotatable connector between the first and second positions into a horizontal motion of a point about which the rotatable connector rotates with respect to the retraction mechanism and (ii) causes a bottom end of the first section of the rotatable connector to rotate toward the first end of the base and the second section of the rotatable connector to rotate toward the second end of the base.

17. The docking station of claim 16, further comprising a biasing mechanism that biases the rotatable connector to reside in the first position, wherein the biasing mechanism provides a biasing force in a direction to rotate the rotatable connector toward the first position.

18. The docking station of claim 16, wherein a rear reference surface is mechanically coupled to the housing and adapted to support the portable electronic device when the electronic device is coupled to the rotatable connector in its first position.

19. The docking station of claim 16, further comprising electronic circuitry electronically coupled with contacts of the rotatable connector via a flexible circuit.

20. The docking station of claim 16, wherein the top outer shell includes:

a first section on a first side of the opening, the first section including a first edge; and

a second section on the opposite side of the opening, the second section including a second edge,

wherein the rotatable connector forms a partial seal in the opening of the base when the rotatable connector is in the first position, wherein the seal is formed by the rotatable connector contacting the first edge.