Alignment and drive system for motorized horizontal docking station

• US 9,650,814 B2
• Filed: 06/16/2014
• Issued: 05/16/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Uinta Products, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Henge Docks LLC (Uinta Products, Inc.)
• Inventors: Vroom, Matthew Leigh
• Primary Examiner(s): Shyu, Jing-Yih
• Application Number:
  US14/306,198
• Publication Number:
  US 20150185774A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,065 Days
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 73/0082 for office machines, e.g. PC's, portable computers, typewriters, calculators
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 2/065 using screw-thread elements F16B2/08 - F16B2/12 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2035/106 Monitoring of overload
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 35/10 Arrangements or devices for absorbing overload or preventing damage by overload for screw mechanisms F16H25/2021
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 9/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 13/4282 on a serial bus, e.g. I2C bus, SPI bus on daisy chain buses G06F13/4247
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/31 User authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/86 Secure or tamper-resistant housings
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/88 Detecting or preventing theft or loss
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2213/0024 Peripheral component interconnect [PCI]
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/00174 Electronically operated locks; Circuits therefor; Nonmechanical keys therefor, e.g. passive or active electrical keys or other data carriers without mechanical keys mechanical locks with electric permutation E05B49/00; arrangements for sensing or reading record carriers G06K7/00; electronic switching H03K17/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y02D 10/00 Energy efficient computing, e.g. low power processors, power management or thermal management
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/18808 with rack
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/2066 Friction

Abstract

Disclosed is a docking station for an electronic device having a housing, a top surface of the housing for receiving the electronic device, a plurality of positioning members of the top surface for positioning the electronic device with respect to the top surface, a first sensor for detecting the presence of the electronic device, a first connector block, a first connector of the first connector block, a first arm of the first connector block, a motor connected to the first arm via one or more gears, and a security hole for attaching a lock.

Claims

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

a housing;

a top surface of the housing for receiving the electronic device;

a plurality of positioning members of the top surface for positioning the electronic device with respect to the top surface;

a first connector block;

a first connector of the first connector block;

a first arm of the first connector block;

a motor connected to the first arm via one or more gears, the motor operable to move the first connector block from a substantially open position to a substantially closed position;

a controller for controlling the motor;

a first sensor configured to detect the presence of the electronic device;

a button on the housing, the button configured to send a signal to the controller; and

wherein when the first sensor indicates the electronic device is present, the controller, upon receiving the signal from the button, activates the motor to move the first connector block from a substantially open position to a substantially closed position.

2. The docking station of claim 1 further comprising:

a first slot on a right edge of the top surface; and

a second slot on a left edge of the top surface.

3. The docking station of claim 1 further comprising:

a first positioning member of the plurality of positioning members, the first positioning member positioned to contact a front surface of the electronic device;

a second positioning member of the plurality of positioning members, the second positioning member positioned to contact a front surface of the electronic device;

a third positioning member of the plurality of positioning members, the third positioning member positioned to contact a rear surface and a first side surface of the electronic device; and

a fourth positioning member of the plurality of positioning members, the fourth positioning member positioned to contact a rear surface and a second side surface of the electronic device.

4. The docking station of claim 1 further comprising:

a second sensor, the second sensor configured to detect the presence of the electronic device.

5. The docking station of claim 1 further comprising:

a second connector of the first connector block.

6. The docking station of claim 1 further comprising:

a first block-side portion of the first arm; and

a first follower portion of the first arm.

7. The docking station of claim 6 further comprising:

a first linear clutch connecting the first block-side portion to the first follower portion.

8. The docking station of claim 7 further comprising:

a third sensor associated with the first linear clutch, the third sensor configured to detect a slippage of the first linear clutch.

9. The docking station of claim 1 further comprising:

a first rail associated with the first arm and connected to the housing; and

a first sliding member connected to the first arm and slidably connected to the first rail.

10. The docking station of claim 1 further comprising:

a first alignment arm of the first connector block.

11. The docking station of claim 1 further comprising:

a first rack-gear of the first arm; and

a pinion-gear.

12. The docking station of claim 11 further comprising:

an emergency override gear connected to the pinion-gear; and

a clutch-gear.

13. The docking station of claim 12 wherein the clutch-gear is configured to slip in response to a rotational force applied to the emergency override gear.

14. The docking station of claim 12 wherein the clutch-gear is disposed between the motor and the pinion gear.

15. The docking station of claim 1 further comprising:

a security hole; and

a fourth sensor in the security hole.

16. The docking station of claim 1 further comprising:

a position sensor for detecting a position of the first arm.

17. The docking station of claim 16 further comprising:

a position reference member of the first arm, the position reference member positioned to interface with the position sensor.

18. A docking station for an electronic device, the docking station comprising:

a housing;

a tray of the housing for receiving the electronic device;

a first connector block;

a first connector of the first connector block, the first connector positioned to engage a first port of the electronic device;

a first arm of the first connector block, the first arm slidably connected to the housing;

a second connector block opposite the first connector block;

a second connector of the second connector block, the second connector positioned to engage a second port of the electronic device;

a second arm of the second connector block, the second arm slidably connected to the housing;

a motor connected to the first arm and the second arm via one or more gears, the motor operable to turn the one or more gears thereby sliding the first and second arms to engage and disengage the first and second connectors with the first and second ports of the electronic device, respectively;

a controller for controlling the motor;

a sensor configured to detect the presence of the electronic device;

a button on the housing, the button configured to send a signal to the controller; and

wherein when the sensor indicates the electronic device is present, the controller, upon receiving the signal from the button, activates the motor.

19. A docking station for an electronic device, the docking station comprising:

a housing;

a tray of the housing for receiving the electronic device;

a connector block;

a connector of the connector block, the connector positioned to engage a port of the electronic device;

an arm of the connector block, the arm slidably connected to the housing;

a block-side portion of the arm;

a follower portion of the arm; and

a linear clutch connecting the block-side portion to the follower portion, the linear clutch operable to slip thereby allowing the follower portion to move independently of the block-side portion.

20. The docking station of claim 19 further comprising:

a first sensor configured to detect the presence of the electronic device; and

a second sensor associated with the linear clutch, the second sensor configured to detect a slippage of the linear clutch.