Portable computer vehicle dock

• US 9,557,768 B2
• Filed: 03/28/2016
• Issued: 01/31/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/02/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Alexander Vasilevsky
• Original Assignee: Alexander Vasilevsky
• Inventors: Vasilevsky, Alexander
• Primary Examiner(s): LEA EDMONDS, LISA S
• Application Number:
  US15/082,333
• Publication Number:
  US 20160209872A1
• Time in Patent Office: 309 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/0252 for personal computers, e.g. laptops, notebooks
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 2/185 using levers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1656 Details related to functional adaptations of the enclosure, e.g. to provide protection against EMI, shock, water, or to host detachable peripherals like a mouse or removable expansions units like PCMCIA cards, or to provide access to internal components for maintenance or to removable storage supports like CDs or DVDs, or to mechanically mount accessories mounting of accessories to a computer display G06F1/1607; display hoods G06F1/1603; cooling arrangements for portable computers G06F1/203
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/595 Lever

Abstract

An automatically-lockable, shock absorbing dock for a portable computer, the dock comprising: a top plate configured to receive a portable computer, said top plate comprising: an automatic locking mechanism for securing the portable computer to said top plate, a set of connectivity ports, and a port replicator configured to connect the portable computer to the set of connectivity ports; and multiple pairs of shock absorbers connected to a bottom surface of said top plate and configured to connect to a target surface, wherein each pair of shock absorbers is coaxially-positioned and connected to opposite sides of said bottom surface, and wherein each shock absorber has an essentially equal resiliency in its x, y and z axes.

Claims

1. A shock absorbing device for essentially isotropic resiliency, comprising:

an upper part comprising an interface orifice and at least one upper attachment element that is disposed at a top surface of said upper part, wherein a central axis of said interface orifice is in a horizontal Y direction;

at least one lower part, each comprising;

(a) a base plate comprising at least one lower attachment element disposed at a bottom surface of said base plate, wherein said bottom surface is substantially parallel to said top surface of said upper part, and

(b) an upright plate comprising a hinge securing element, wherein said upright plate is substantially perpendicular to said bottom surface, and wherein said hinge securing element is substantially coaxial with said interface orifice of said upper part;

a hinge secured to said hinge securing element, wherein said hinge is substantially coaxial with said interface orifice and said hinge securing element; and

a flexible interface element comprising;

(i) a hinge orifice, wherein said hinge is positioned through said hinge orifice,

(ii) at least one flat side flush with said upright plate and being perpendicular to said horizontal Y direction, and

(iii) an annular recess flush with said interface orifice of said upper part;

wherein said flexible interface element is positioned within said interface orifice to flexibly couple said upper part to said at least one lower part with essentially isotropic resiliency.

2. A computer dock for a portable computer comprising a pair of said shock absorbing device according to claim 1, wherein said computer dock comprises a top plate, configured to receive and suspend a portable computer, attached to said at least one upper attachment element, wherein said top plate comprises:

(a) an automatic locking mechanism for securing the portable computer to said top plate,

(b) a set of connectivity ports, and

(c) a port replicator configured to connect the portable computer to the set of connectivity ports;

wherein said at least one lower attachment element is configured to attach to a target surface, wherein said horizontal Y directions of said pair are substantially aligned.

3. The computer dock of claim 2, further comprising a second pair of said shock absorbing device, wherein said horizontal Y directions of said second pair are substantially aligned.

4. The computer dock of claim 3, wherein said pair and said second pair are positioned on said top plate such that a center of gravity of the suspended portable computer is essentially at an intersection of said horizontal Y directions.

5. The computer dock of claim 3, wherein said pair and said second pair are positioned on said top plate such that a center of gravity of a combination of the suspended portable computer and the computer dock is essentially at an intersection of said horizontal Y directions.

6. The shock absorbing device of claim 1, wherein said hinge is configured to secure said upper part and at least one lower part upon structural failure of said flexible interface element.

7. The shock absorbing device of claim 1, wherein said flexible interface comprises at least one layer of flexible material from a group comprising a rubber material, a natural rubber material, a synthetic rubber material, a latex material, an elastomeric material, a latex material, a synthetic viscoelastic urethane polymer material, Sorbothane®

, and an elastic polymer material.