Motorized horizontal docking station having integrated locking mechanism

• US 9,663,977 B2
• Filed: 06/30/2014
• Issued: 05/30/2017
• 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): Cunningham, Xanthia C
• Application Number:
  US14/318,779
• Publication Number:
  US 20150185776A1
• 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 including a tray for receiving the electronic device, the tray having a top surface, a bottom surface, and a plurality of sidewalls, a plurality of positioning members of the top surface of the tray for positioning the electronic device with respect to the top surface, a first rail fixed to the bottom surface of the tray; and a first sliding member slidably connected to the first rail. The docking station can further include a second rail and a second sliding member slidably connected thereto. The docking station can also include recesses sized to receive the feet of the electronic device.

Claims

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

a tray for receiving the electronic device;

a top surface of the tray;

a plurality of upstanding sidewalls on the top surface of the tray;

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

a first rail fixed to a bottom surface of the tray, the bottom surface disposed on an undersurface of the top surface and on an opposite side of the tray from the top surface; and

a first sliding member configured to slide along the first rail.

2. The docking station of claim 1 further comprising:

a second rail fixed to the bottom surface of the tray.

3. The docking station of claim 2 wherein the first sliding member is slidably connected to the second rail and wherein the second rail is parallel to the first rail.

4. The docking station of claim 3 further comprising:

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

5. The docking station of claim 2 further comprising:

a second sliding member slidably connected to the second rail.

6. The docking station of claim 5 further comprising:

a third rail fixed to the bottom surface of the tray and parallel to the first rail; and

a fourth rail fixed to the bottom surface of the tray and parallel to the second rail.

7. The docking station of claim 6 further comprising:

a third sliding member slidably connected to the first rail and the third rail; and

a fourth sliding member slidably connected to the second rail and the fourth rail.

8. The docking station of claim 1 further comprising:

a first recess in the top surface of the tray for receiving a first foot of the electronic device.

9. The docking station of claim 8 wherein the first recess is larger than the first foot.

10. The docking station of claim 8 further comprising:

a second recess in the top surface of the tray for receiving a second foot of the electronic device.

11. The docking station of claim 10 wherein the second recess is larger than the second foot.

12. 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.

13. The docking station of claim 1 further comprising:

a first slot on a right edge of the tray, the first slot generally parallel to the right edge and extending through the tray from the top surface to the bottom surface; and

a second slot on a left edge of the tray, the second slot generally parallel to the left edge and extending through the tray from the top surface to the bottom surface.

14. The docking station of claim 1 further comprising:

a rear sidewall of the plurality of sidewalls; and

a vent notch formed in the rear sidewall.

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

a tray for receiving the electronic device;

a top surface of the tray;

a plurality of upstanding sidewalls on the top surface of the tray;

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

a first rail fixed to a bottom surface of the tray, the bottom surface disposed on an undersurface of the top surface and on an opposite side of the tray from the top surface;

a second rail fixed to the bottom surface of the tray and parallel to the first rail;

a first sliding member configured to slide along the first rail and the second rail;

a third rail fixed to the bottom surface of the tray;

a fourth rail fixed to the bottom surface of the tray and parallel to the third rail; and

a second sliding member configured to slide along the third rail and the fourth rail.

16. The docking station of claim 15 further comprising:

a third sliding member slidably connected to the first rail and the second rail; and

a fourth sliding member slidably connected to the third rail and the fourth rail.

17. The docking station of claim 15 further comprising:

a first recess in the top surface of the tray for receiving a first foot of the electronic device; and

a second recess in the top surface of the tray for receiving a second foot of the electronic device.

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

a tray for receiving the electronic device;

a top surface of the tray;

a plurality of upstanding sidewalls on the top surface of the tray;

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

a first rail fixed to a bottom surface of the tray, the bottom surface disposed on an undersurface of the top surface and on an opposite side of the tray from the top surface;

a first sliding member configured to slide along the first rail;

a second sliding member configured to slide along the first rail;

a second rail fixed to the bottom surface of the tray;

a third sliding member configured to slide along the second rail; and

a fourth sliding member configured to slide along the second rail.

19. The docking station of claim 18 further comprising:

a third rail fixed to the bottom surface of the tray and parallel to the first rail;

a fourth rail fixed to the bottom surface of the tray and parallel to the second rail;

wherein the first sliding member and the second sliding member are slidably connected to the third rail; and

wherein the third sliding member and fourth sliding member are slidably connected to the fourth rail.

20. The docking station of claim 18 further comprising:

a first recess in the top surface of the tray for receiving a first foot of the electronic device; and

a second recess in the top surface of the tray for receiving a second foot of the electronic device.