Mounting system for an electronic device

• US 9,722,352 B2
• Filed: 12/08/2013
• Issued: 08/01/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/08/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Uinta Products, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Henge Docks LLC (Uinta Products, Inc.)
• Inventors: Vroom, Matthew Leigh, Maskell, Benjamin Edwards
• Primary Examiner(s): Semenenko, Yuriy
• Application Number:
  US14/100,000
• Publication Number:
  US 20150163938A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,332 Days
• Field of Search: 361729, 361742, 361758, 361753, 361757, 361807, 361808, 361809, 439 38, 439 39, 439 761, 439217, 439218, 439700, 4555751-5754, 4555757
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6205 Two-part coupling devices held in engagement by a magnet
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/0204 Mounting supporting structures on the outside of casings
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/0221 Locks; Latches
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/0247 Electrical details of casings, e.g. terminals, passages for cables or wiring
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/02 Arrangements of circuit components or wiring on supporting structure

Abstract

Disclosed is a mounting system for an electronic device includes a first portion associated with an electronic device and a second portion configured to mate with the first portion. The first portion includes a first face formed from an electrically insulating material, a first central electrical contact on the first face, a first plurality of radial electrical contacts on the first face and positioned around the central contact, a first ferromagnetic member. The second portion includes a second face formed from an electrically insulating material, a second central electrical contact on the second face, a first radial electrical contact on the second face, and a first magnetic member. Magnetic attraction between the first magnetic member and the first ferromagnetic member substantially maintains the first and second central electrical contacts in an electrically conductive relationship.

Claims

1. A mounting system for an electronic device, the mounting system, comprising:

a first portion associated with an electronic device, the first portion comprising;

a first face formed from an electrically insulating material;

a first central electrical contact on the first face;

a plurality of concave members on the first face;

a first plurality of radial electrical contacts each respectively disposed in one of the plurality of concave members and positioned around the central contact;

a first ferromagnetic member;

a second portion configured to mate with the first portion, the second portion comprising;

a second face formed from an electrically insulating material;

a second central electrical contact on the second face;

a first radial convex member on the second face;

a first radial electrical contact on the first radial convex member; and

a first magnetic member;

wherein magnetic attraction between the first magnetic member and the first ferromagnetic member substantially maintains the first and second central electrical contacts in an electrically conductive relationship.

2. The system of claim 1 further comprising:

a second ferromagnetic member in the first portion; and

a second magnetic member in the second portion.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein magnetic attraction between the second magnetic member and the second ferromagnetic member maintains at least one of the first plurality of radial contacts and the first radial contact in an electrically conductive relationship.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the first convex member on the second face selectively interfaces with one of the plurality of concave members on the first face to maintain the first portion in an fixed orientation with respect to the second portion.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein each of the first plurality of radial contacts are electrically interconnected.

6. The system of claim 1 further comprising:

a second radial electrical contact on the second face;

a third radial electrical contact on the second face; and

a fourth radial electrical contact on the second face.

7. The system of claim 6 wherein the first, second, third, and fourth radial electrical contacts are radially offset by 90 degrees about the second central electrical contact.

8. The system of claim 6 further comprising:

a third magnetic member below the second radial electrical contact;

a fourth magnetic member below the third radial electrical contact; and

a fifth magnetic member below the fourth radial electrical contact.

9. The system of claim 6 further comprising:

a third magnetic member radially offset 45 degrees from the second radial electrical contact;

a fourth magnetic member radially offset 45 degrees from the third radial electrical contact; and

a fifth magnetic member radially offset 45 degrees from the fourth radial electrical contact.

10. The system of claim 1 wherein

a middle of the second central electrical contact is spaced apart from a middle of the first radial electrical contact by at least ¾

inches and

a middle of the first central electrical contact is spaced apart from a middle of each of the first plurality of radial electrical contacts by at least ¾

inches.

11. The system of claim 2 further comprising:

a first magnetic pole of the first magnetic member, the first magnetic pole facing the second surface; and

a second magnetic pole of the second magnetic member, the second magnetic pole facing the second surface;

wherein the first magnetic pole and the second magnetic pole are an opposite magnetic pole.

12. A mounting system for an electronic device, the mounting system, comprising:

a first portion associated with an electronic device, the first portion comprising;

a first face formed from an electrically insulating material;

a first central electrical contact on the first face;

a first concave member on the first face;

a first radial electrical contact disposed in the first concave member;

a second concave member on the first face;

a second radial electrical contact disposed in the second concave member;

a third concave member on the first face;

a third radial electrical contact disposed in the third concave member;

a fourth concave member on the first face;

a fourth radial electrical contact disposed in the fourth concave member;

a first ferromagnetic member;

a second portion configured to mate with the first portion, the second portion comprising;

a second face formed from an electrically insulating material;

a second central electrical contact on the second face;

a first radial convex member on the second face;

a fifth radial electrical contact on the first radial convex member;

a second radial convex member on the second face;

a sixth radial electrical contact on the second radial convex member;

a third radial convex member on the second face;

a seventh radial electrical contact on the third radial convex member;

a fourth radial convex member on the second face;

an eighth radial electrical contact on the fourth radial convex member;

a first magnetic member; and

wherein magnetic attraction maintains the first and second central electrical contacts in an electrically conductive relationship.

13. The system of claim 12 further comprising:

a second ferromagnetic member in the first portion; and

a second magnetic member in the second portion.

14. The system of claim 12 wherein the first convex member on the second face selectively interfaces with one of the plurality of concave members on the first face to maintain the first portion in an fixed orientation with respect to the second portion.

15. The system of claim 12 wherein first, second, third, and fourth radial electrical contacts are electrically interconnected.

16. The system of claim 12 wherein the first, second, third, and fourth radial electrical contacts are radially offset by 90 degrees about the central electrical contact.

17. A mounting system for an electronic device, the mounting system, comprising:

a first portion associated with an electronic device, the first portion comprising;

a first face formed from an electrically insulating material;

a first central electrical contact on the first face;

a first radial electrical contact disposed in a first concave member on the first face;

a second radial electrical contact disposed in a second concave member on the first face radially offset 90 degrees from the first radial electrical contact about the central electrical contact;

a third radial electrical contact disposed in a third concave member on the first face radially offset 90 degrees from the second radial electrical contact about the central electrical contact;

a fourth radial electrical contact disposed in a fourth concave member on the first face radially offset 90 degrees from the third radial electrical contact about the central electrical contact;

a first magnetic member;

a first magnetic pole of the first magnetic member, the first magnetic pole facing the second surface; and

a second portion configured to mate with the first portion, the second portion comprising;

a second face formed from an electrically insulating material;

a second central electrical contact on the second face;

a fifth radial electrical contact on a first radial convex member on the second face;

a sixth radial electrical contact on a second radial convex member on the second face;

a seventh radial electrical contact on a third radial convex member on the second face;

an eighth radial electrical contact on a fourth radial convex member on the second face;

a second magnetic member;

a second magnetic pole of the second magnetic member, the second magnetic pole facing the second surface and the second magnetic pole being an opposite magnetic pole to the first magnetic pole; and

wherein magnetic attraction maintains the first and second central electrical contacts in an electrically conductive relationship.

18. The system of claim 17 further comprising:

a third magnetic member of the first portion;

a third magnetic pole of the third magnetic member, the third magnetic pole facing the first surface and the third magnetic pole being an opposite magnetic pole to the first magnetic pole;

a fourth magnetic member of the second portion;

a fourth magnetic pole of the fourth magnetic member, the fourth magnetic pole facing the second surface and the fourth magnetic pole being an opposite magnetic pole to the second magnetic pole.

19. The system of claim 17 wherein

a middle of the first central electrical contact is spaced apart from a middle of each of the first, second, third, and fourth radial electrical contacts by at least ¾

inches; and

a middle of the second central electrical contact is spaced apart from a middle of each of the fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth radial electrical contacts by at least ¾

inches.