Multistage undocking assembly and system and method incorporating same
First Claim
1. A docking system for a portable computing system, comprising:
- a docking mechanism, comprising;
a docking latch mechanism; and
a dock eject mechanism, comprising;
an engagement mechanism;
a spring-loaded dock eject mechanism; and
a manually forced ejector mechanism, wherein the docking latch mechanism and the manually forced ejector mechanism are operably coupled to the engagement mechanism, wherein the manually forced ejector mechanism comprises multiple lifters, each disposed adjacent a cam portion of the engagement mechanism.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The present technique provides a multistage undocking mechanism for a system having a portable computing device dockable with a docking device. The multistage undocking mechanism may be disposed in either the portable computing device or the docking device. In a first stage, the multistage undocking mechanism engages a latch assembly to unlatch the portable computing device from the docking device. In a second stage, the multistage undocking mechanism engages a lifter assembly to separate the portable computing device from the docking device at least partially via a manual force applied by the user. The lifter assembly may have one or more spring-loaded lifter mechanisms, such as a spring-loaded lifter having sufficient force to support the portable computing device but insufficient to separate male/female connections between the portable computing device and the docking device.
36 Citations
37 Claims
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1. A docking system for a portable computing system, comprising:
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a docking mechanism, comprising;
a docking latch mechanism; and
a dock eject mechanism, comprising;
an engagement mechanism;
a spring-loaded dock eject mechanism; and
a manually forced ejector mechanism, wherein the docking latch mechanism and the manually forced ejector mechanism are operably coupled to the engagement mechanism, wherein the manually forced ejector mechanism comprises multiple lifters, each disposed adjacent a cam portion of the engagement mechanism. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A docking system for a portable computing system, comprising:
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a docking latch mechanism adapted to latch the portable computing device releasably to an expansion base;
a manually forced separator mechanism adapted to separate the portable computing device from the expansion base;
a spring-loaded lifter adapted to lift the portable computing device from the expansion base; and
a multistage undocking mechanism engageable with the docking latch mechanism in an unlatching stage and engageable with the manually forced separator mechanism in a separating stage. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A docking system for a portable computing system, comprising:
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means for releasably latching the portable computing system to an expansion device, wherein the means for releasably latching comprises a spring-loaded lifter;
means for manually separating the portable computing system from the expansion device;
means for springably assisting the separating means and for springably supporting the portable computing system in an unlatched and lifted position; and
means for unlatching the docking latch mechanism in an unlatching stage and for subsequently separating the portable computing system in a separating stage. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
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21. A method of undocking a portable computing device from an expansion device, comprising the acts of:
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moving a multistage undocking mechanism to a first position in which the portable computing device is unlatched from the expansion device; and
extending the multistage undocking mechanism from the first position to a second position to separate the portable computer from the expansion device at least partially via a manual separation mechanism; and
releasing a spring-loaded lifter to lift the portable computer from the expansion device. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. A method of making a docking mechanism for a portable computing device, comprising the acts of:
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providing a docking latch mechanism having latched and unlatched positions;
providing a spring-loaded lifter that is operable in the unlatched position;
providing a manually forced lifter mechanism having lifted and unlifted positions; and
operably coupling a multistage undocking mechanism to the docking latch mechanism and the manually forced separator mechanism to effectuate the unlatched and lifted positions in first and second stages of the multistage undocking mechanism, respectively. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37)
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Specification