Electrical connectors – With coupling separator – Including retainer or joiner
Reexamination Certificate
2000-04-18
2001-08-28
Patel, Tulsidas (Department: 2839)
Electrical connectors
With coupling separator
Including retainer or joiner
C361S310000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06280212
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to computer apparatus and, in a preferred embodiment thereof, more particularly relates to a docking station mateable with a portable computer and operative to couple it to desktop peripheral devices such as a keyboard, mouse and monitor.
2. Description of Related Art
In computer parlance a “docking station” is an interface device to which a portable computer, such as the increasingly popular notebook computer, may be operatively and removably coupled to connect its central processing unit and other internal circuitry to desktop computer peripheral devices such as a keyboard, monitor, printer and mouse. In this manner the portable computer may be used “on the road” by its owner, utilizing its own keyboard, monitor and pointing device, and later used in a home or office desktop work station in conjunction with the larger desktop peripheral devices which are typically considered to be more comfortable to use over extended periods of work time. Thus, a single computer can provide its user with both the compactness, light weight, portability and diminutive work space requirements of the notebook computer and the power and comfort of a desktop system with its larger workspace and peripheral devices.
A conventionally configured docking station typically comprises a housing adapted to sit atop the desktop work space and containing the interface electronics used to connect the “docked” portable computer to the desktop peripheral devices operatively coupled to the docking station. The housing has a generally horizontal surface upon which the portable computer is rested, keyboard side up, prior the to the docking operation. To dock the computer, a manual or motorized system is used to engage it and move it rearwardly along the top side of the docking station to forcibly mate an electrical connector on the moving computer with a stationary electrical connector on the docking station.
Particularly in a motorized docking system, this need to engage and move the computer along the docking station housing on which it initially rests tends to undesirably increase both the mechanical complexity of the docking system and the force required to effect the docking process. In turn, this tends to increase the cost of producing a given docking station, and the difficulty and expense of subsequently maintaining it.
In view of this it can readily be seen that a need exists for an improved technique for operatively mating a portable computer to an associated docking station. It is to this need that the present invention is directed.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In carrying out principles of the present invention, in accordance with a preferred embodiment thereof, a specially designed docking station is provided for use in operatively coupling a portable computer, having a first electrical docking connector structure thereof, to at least one desktop computer peripheral device. The docking station includes a housing having a wall portion with an area upon which the portable computer may be supported, and a holding structure associated with the wall portion and operative to stationarily restrain the supported portable computer against appreciable movement relative to the housing parallel to the wall portion area.
A second electrical docking connector structure is carried by the housing for movement relative thereto toward and away from the wall portion area and is releasably mateable with the first electrical docking connector. A force exerting structure is linked to the second electrical docking connector structure and is operative to selectively drive it relative to the housing into and out of mating engagement with the first electrical docking connector structure of the supported portable computer when it is stationarily restrained on the wall portion area by the holding structure. Preferably, the second electrical docking connector structure is movable relative to the housing in directions parallel to the wall portion area.
In a preferred embodiment of the docking station the wall portion is a top side wall portion of the housing and has peripheral edge portions, and the holding structure includes upwardly projecting rib structures disposed on the peripheral edge portions and bounding with the wall portion area an open-topped receiving area configured to downwardly and complementarily receive the portable computer base housing. Illustratively, the top side wall portion has a generally rectangular shape with front, rear, left and right side edge portions, and the rib structures project upwardly from each of the front, rear, left and right side edge portions.
The force exerting structure illustratively includes a manually operable lever member pivotally connected to the docking station housing and drivingly coupled to the movable second electrical docking connector structure, the lever member having a manually graspable outer end portion projecting outwardly from the housing and being movable between docking and undocking limit positions. According to another aspect of the invention, the housing has an exterior lock opening positioned adjacent the lever member outer end portion and to which a lock member may be connected to block movement of the lever member outer end portion from its docking limit position to its undocking limit position.
In accordance with another feature of the invention the docking station further comprises a security latch member linked to the second electrical docking connector structure for driven movement therewith relative to the housing. The security latch member is operative to engage the stationarily supported portable computer and releasably prevent its removal from the wall portion area, in a direction transverse thereto, when the second electrical docking connector structure is releasably mated with the first electrical docking connector structure.
The docking station housing is restable on a horizontal support surface and, in accordance with yet another aspect of the invention, the docking station further comprises a tilt adjustment mechanism movably carried by the housing and engageable with the support surface in a manner selectively varying the angle of the wall portion relative to the support surface.
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Nguyen Minh H.
Youens John E.
Compaq Computer Corporation
Patel Tulsidas
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