Electrical connectors – Interrelated connectors relatively movable during use – Movement about axis
Reexamination Certificate
2000-02-10
2001-03-06
Abrams, Neil (Department: 2839)
Electrical connectors
Interrelated connectors relatively movable during use
Movement about axis
Reexamination Certificate
active
06196850
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND
1. Field of the Present Invention
The present invention generally relates to the field of electro-mechanical interfaces and more particularly to the design of a mechanism suitable for enabling rotational movement of an electronic device relative a base piece connecting the electronic device with one or more external peripheral devices.
2. History of Related Art
Laptop style personal computers (laptops) are well known in the field of microprocessor based computer systems. Laptops provide a portable data processing system in a relatively small and typically foldable package that is suitable for transporting from place to place. Typically, such systems are capable of operating on batteries for an extended period such that the system can be operated when the user is away from a source of AC power, such as when the user is in an airplane or automobile. Typically, smaller and lighter laptop systems are preferred to larger and heavier systems. Unfortunately, some features of laptops systems that would otherwise be larger for ease of use, such as keyboards and display screens, are intentionally reduced in size to achieve the desired laptop footprint. When a laptop user has access to a source of AC power, such as when the user is in his or her home or office, it is frequently desirable to connect standard sized peripheral devices to the laptop system to facilitate system use. Docking stations are typically employed to achieve this connection between externally supplied peripheral components and a laptop personal computer. A docking station includes facilities for connecting various peripheral devices to a laptop system. Unfortunately, when the laptop is connected to the docking station, the user is typically unable to move the laptop system except within a very limited range. Under some conditions, such as when multiple people are working on a project, it would be desirable to be able to rotate the laptop system even when the laptop system is connected to its docking station to enable multiple users, for example, to view the display screen of the laptop system without difficulty. Therefore it would be desirable to implement a docking station or other suitable device that would enable the free rotation of an electronic device such as a laptop personal computer when the electronic device is connected the docking station.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The problems identified above are in large part addressed by a docking assembly including an electronic device, a base piece, and a rotating piece. The base piece is electrically connected to at least one peripheral device. The rotating piece is intermediate between the electronic device and the base piece. The rotating piece enables rotational movement of the electronic device with respect to the base piece while maintaining electrical contact between one or more signal carriers of the electronic device and corresponding signal carriers of one or more peripheral devices. The assembly may include a set of conductive bearings at an upper surface of the base piece. In this embodiment, each conductive bearing is in electrical contact with a corresponding signal carrier in the base piece. The rotating piece may include an annular conductive element at a lower surface of the rotating piece. The conductive element is in contact with a corresponding bearing element. The base piece may include a set of conductive axial elements that provide a connection between the conductive bearing at a first end and a corresponding signal carrier in the base piece at a second end. The base piece signal carrier may be connected to a corresponding axial element through an intermediate base piece conductive element. The conductive bearing may comprise a material selected from the metals including aluminum, copper, and gold. In one embodiment, a lower surface of the rotating piece includes at least one annular tongue protrusion and an upper surface of the base piece includes at least one annular groove corresponding to each of the tongue protrusions. The tongue protrusions of the rotating piece are seated within corresponding grooves of the base piece thereby preventing translational movement between the rotating piece and the base piece when the rotating piece is rotated with respect to the base piece.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3479632 (1969-11-01), Galles
patent: 4475779 (1984-10-01), Fohl
patent: 5009604 (1991-04-01), Plocek et al.
patent: 5851120 (1998-12-01), Sobhani
Dietz Timothy Alan
Logan Carol Angela
Abrams Neil
International Business Machines - Corporation
Lally Jospeh P.
McBurney Mark E.
Nasri Javaid
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