Docking sleeve with electrical adapter

• US 9,706,026 B2
• Filed: 11/09/2015
• Issued: 07/11/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 02/24/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: National Products Incorporated
• Original Assignee: National Products Incorporated
• Inventors: Carnevali, Jeffrey D.
• Primary Examiner(s): LE, THANH TAM T
• Application Number:
  US14/936,517
• Publication Number:
  US 20160065702A1
• Time in Patent Office: 610 Days
• Field of Search: 439 38, 439638, 439929, 320114, 320115, 36167941
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 2011/002 for portable handheld communication devices, e.g. mobile phone, pager, beeper, PDA, smart phone
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 2011/003 for portable computing devices, e.g. laptop, tablet, netbook, game boy, navigation system, calculator
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1628 Carrying enclosures containing additional elements, e.g. case for a laptop and a printer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1633 Protecting arrangement for the entire housing of the computer
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6205 Two-part coupling devices held in engagement by a magnet
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 31/06 Intermediate parts for linking two coupling parts, e.g. adapter with a holder adapted for supporting apparatus to which its counterpart is attached H01R33/94
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3888 Arrangements for carrying or protecting transceivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0274 for an electrical connector module
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/04 Supports for telephone transmitters or receivers

Abstract

A protective arrangement for an electronic device includes a flexible cover having a panel and a skirt that form an interior cavity to receive an electronic device; and an adapter fixedly positioned in the flexible cover and having a male plug with connectors extending into the interior cavity of the flexible cover for mating with a female socket of the device and a contactor with contacts adjacent outwardly from the flexible cover and electrically coupled to one or more of the connectors of the plug. A docking cradle or external adapter can receive the electronic device and cover. A docking cradle may have a movable arm.

Claims

1. A docking cradle, comprising:

a base receiver configured to receive an electronic device disposed in a removable cover having a male connector with a plurality of contacts, the base receiver comprising a back support surface to support a back of the removable cover and electronic device and a docking support surface extending away from the back support surface; and

a female connector disposed within the docking support surface of the base receiver and comprising a plurality of contacts configured to connect with one or more of the plurality of contacts of the male connector when the male connector is received in the base receiver, the female connector defining a rim to guide proper mating of the male connector of the removable cover to the female connector of the docking cradle, wherein the contacts of the female connector are biasing contacts that move when the removable cover and electronic device are received.

2. The docking cradle of claim 1, wherein the rim of the female connector has an asymmetric shape.

3. The docking cradle of claim 2, wherein the asymmetric shape comprises a straight side and a curved side opposite the straight side.

4. The docking cradle of claim 1, wherein the rim is recessed with respect to the docking support surface.

5. The docking cradle of claim 1, further comprising a housing, the housing comprising a plurality of the back support surfaces and a plurality of the female connectors.

6. The docking cradle of claim 1, wherein the back support surface and the docking support surface form a tray.

7. The docking cradle of claim 1, wherein the docking support surface and the back support surface form an angle in a range of 90 to 135 degrees.

8. A docking cradle, comprising:

a base receiver configured to receive an electronic device disposed in a removable cover having a male connector with a plurality of contracts, the base receiver comprising a back support surface to support a back of the removable cover and electronic device and a docking support surface extending away from the back support surface; and

a female connector disposed within the docking support surface of the base receiver and comprising a plurality of contacts configured to connect with one or more of the plurality of contacts of the male connector when the male connector is received in the base receiver, the female connector defining a rim to guide proper mating of the male connector of the removable cover to the female connector of the docking cradle, wherein the female connector further comprises a magnetic coupling element resident in the connector, wherein the magnetic coupling element comprises one of a magnetic material or a magnetically attractive material.

9. The docking cradle of claim 8, wherein the contacts of the female connector are biasing contacts that move when the removable cover and electronic device are received.

10. A docking system, comprising:

a protective cover for an electronic device, the cover comprising a shell forming an interior cavity to receive the electronic device, a male plug comprising a plurality of connectors extending into the interior cavity of the shell in an arrangement for mating with a female socket of the device, and a contactor comprising a plurality of contacts adjacent to an exterior of the shell and electrically coupled to one or more of the connectors of the plug, wherein the cover is configured and arranged to extend over at least a portion of a back surface, a front surface, and each of four side surfaces of the electronic device to hold the electronic device within the cover; and

a docking cradle configured to receive the cover and comprising a base receiver to receive the cover and a docking connector disposed on the base receiver and comprising a plurality of contacts positioned to connect with one or more of the plurality of contacts of the contactor of the protective cover, the docking connector defining a rim to guide proper mating of the contactor to the docking connector.

11. The docking system of claim 10, wherein one of the contactor and the docking connector comprises a female portion and a different one of the contactor and the docking connector comprises a male portion complementary to the female portion.

12. The docking system of claim 10, wherein the rim of the docking connector has an asymmetric shape.

13. The docking system of claim 12, wherein the asymmetric shape comprises a straight side and a curved side opposite the straight side.

14. The docking system of claim 10, wherein the base receiver of the docking cradle comprises a back support surface to support a back of the cover and electronic device and a docking support surface extending away from the back support surface.

15. The docking system of claim 14, wherein the rim of the docking connector is recessed with respect to the docking support surface.

16. The docking system of claim 14, wherein the docking cradle further comprises a housing, the housing comprising a plurality of the back support surfaces and a plurality of the docking connectors.

17. The docking system of claim 14, wherein the back support surface and the docking support surface form a tray.

18. The docking system of claim 14, wherein the docking support surface and the back support surface form an angle in a range of 90 to 135 degrees.

19. The docking system of claim 10, wherein the contacts of the docking connector are biasing contacts that move when the cover and electronic device are received.

20. The docking system of claim 10, wherein the contactor comprises a first magnetic coupling element resident in the cover and the docking connector comprises a second magnetic coupling element, wherein the first magnetic coupling element comprises one of a magnetic material or a magnetically attractive material and the second magnetic coupling element comprises another of the magnetic material or the magnetically attractive material.