AU2014100697A4 - Collection device - Google Patents

Abstract

A collection device includes a docking station body. The docking station body includes a plurality of connection ports. The docking station body also includes at least two first positioning holes and the docking station 5 body further includes at least two first positioning projections. With the at least two first positioning holes formed in the bottom, the docking station body is combinable, through the first positioning holes, with a cable management box that is provided with at least two second positioning projections, whereby signal cables of various peripheral device can be first managed with the cable 10 management box and are then connected to the connection ports of the docking station body so as to achieve an effect of easy management of cables and improving space utilization. (Y) CY) ! N Q) CY) CY)

Description

1 TITLE: COLLECTION DEVICE (a) Technical Field of the Invention The present invention generally relates to a docking station, and more particularly to a docking station that allows for easy management of wires and 5 cables of office electronic devices. (b) Description of the Prior Art Referring to FIG. 1, a docking station, which is also referred to as a port replicator, generally comprises various connection ports 11, such as DVI ports, USB ports, network ports, and parallel ports. A notebook computer 12, 10 when connected to the docking station 1, is allowed to set up electrical connection with various peripheral devices 2, such as a desktop monitor, a keyboard, a mouse, a speaker, and a printed, via the docking station 1 so that the convenience of operation and expandability of the notebook computer 2 can be enhanced. Detailed structures and operations of the interior of the 15 docking station 1 are generally known to those skilled in the art and thus, no further description will be given herein. Further referring to FIG. 1, although the docking station 1 can help improve the convenience of operation and the expandability of the notebook computer 12, all the peripheral devices 2 have their own signal cables 21 and 20 power cables. Most of the users commonly use an extension cord (or a 2 power strip) placed on the desktop to supply electrical power to all the peripheral devices 2. This, however, causes a disorderly condition on the desktop when the number of the peripheral devices 2 so connected is large. In addition, the cables and the extension cord are in a non-organized condition 5 and may affect the mood and performance of people working in the office. The present invention aims to provide a solution to overcome the above-discussed shortcomings.

3 SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In view of the fact that the conventional docking station is not provided with a feature and capability for combination with other office electronic devices and may cause disorder of articles and cables placed on a desktop and 5 thus affecting the mood and performance of people working in the office, an object of the present invention is to provide a docking station that allows for easy management of office electronic devices and cables. To achieve the above object, the present invention provides a collection device, which comprises: a docking station body, wherein the docking station 10 body comprises a plurality of connection ports and the docking station body comprises at least two first positioning holes and the docking station body comprises at least two first positioning projections. With the arrangement of the at least two first positioning holes formed in the bottom, the docking station body is allowed to combine, through the first 15 positioning holes thereof, with a cable management box that is provided with at least two second positioning projections, whereby signal cables of various peripheral device can be first managed with the cable management box and are then connected to the connection ports of the docking station body so as to achieve an effect of easy management of cables and improving space 20 utilization.

4 The foregoing objectives and summary provide only a brief introduction to the present invention. To fully appreciate these and other objects of the present invention as well as the invention itself, all of which will become apparent to those skilled in the art, the following detailed description of the 5 invention and the claims should be read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Throughout the specification and drawings identical reference numerals refer to identical or similar parts. Many other advantages and features of the present invention will become manifest to those versed in the art upon making reference to the detailed 10 description and the accompanying sheets of drawings in which a preferred structural embodiment incorporating the principles of the present invention is shown by way of illustrative example.

5 BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a schematic view showing an arrangement of use of a conventional docking station. FIG. 2 is a schematic view showing the structure of the present invention. 5 FIG. 3 is a schematic view showing combination of the present invention with a cable management box. FIG. 4 is a schematic view illustrating the operation of the present invention after combination with the cable management box. FIG. 5 is a schematic view showing a combination of a second 10 embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6 is a schematic view showing a combination of the second embodiment of the present invention with another second electronic device.

6 DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIENTS The following descriptions are exemplary embodiments only, and are not intended to limit the scope, applicability or configuration of the invention in any way. Rather, the following description provides a convenient illustration 5 for implementing exemplary embodiments of the invention. Various changes to the described embodiments may be made in the function and arrangement of the elements described without departing from the scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims. Referring to FIG. 2, the present invention provides a collection device, 10 which comprises the following constituent components: a docking station body 3, wherein the docking station body 3 comprises a plurality of the connection ports 31, and specifically, the connection ports 31 can be various types of connection ports, such as DVI ports, USB ports, network ports, and parallel ports, and the docking station body 3 further 15 comprises at least two first positioning holes 32 and the docking station body 3 comprises at least two first positioning projections 33, preferably, the first positioning holes 32 and the first positioning projections 33 being respectively formed on the bottom and the top of the docking station body 3. Referring to FIG. 2, with the arrangement of at least two first positioning 20 holes 32 formed in the bottom of the docking station body 3, further referring 7 to FIG. 3, the docking station body 3 is combinable, through the first positioning holes 32 thereof, with a cable management box 4 that is provided with at least two second positioning projections 41, wherein the positions and spacing distance of the second positioning projections 41 of the cable 5 management box 4 are set to correspond to the positions and spacing distance of the first positioning holes 32 of the docking station body 3. In the instant embodiment, the docking station body 3 is mounted, through combination, on a top of the cable management box 4. Further, detailed structure of the interior of the cable management box 4 and the operation thereof that achieves 10 management of cables constitute no novel part of the present invention and the details may be referred to Taiwan Utility Model M472999, which discloses a stackable wire management device, so that no further detail will be given herein. With such an arrangement, referring to FIGS. 1 and 4, signal cables 21 of various peripheral devices 2 can be first managed with the cable 15 management box 4 and then connected to the connection ports 31 of the docking station body 3 that is located atop, whereby easy management of cables and enhancement of space utilization can be achieved. Also, the problem that the conventional docking station 1 can only be used in a manner of being independent of the cable management box 4, which leads to easy 8 stretching or damage of the cables due to displacement of the docking station 1 or the cable management box 4. Referring to FIG. 5, a second embodiment of the present invention is shown, which further comprises at least one second electronic device 5. The 5 second electronic device 5 can be a regular office electronic device, such as a computer speaker or an alarm clock. In the drawing, the second electronic device 5 is shown as a computer speaker. The second electronic device 5 has a bottom in which at least one third positioning hole 51 is formed. With such an arrangement, the second electronic device 5 is combinable, through the 10 third positioning hole 51 thereof, with and fixed to the first positioning projections 33 of the docking station body 3. As shown in FIG. 5, in an alternative embodiment, the second electronic device 5 is combinable with and fixed to the second positioning projections 41 of the cable management box 4. With such an arrangement, the docking station body 3 may also 15 achieve the function of collecting, managing, and storing the second electronic device 5 to more effectively handle the problem of disorder of a desktop caused by various electronic device, articles, and cables placed randomly on the desktop, so that the present invention may greatly improve the overall effectiveness and utilization of the cable management box 4. Further, 20 referring to FIG. 6, a schematic view is given to show a second embodiment 9 of the present invention used in combination with another second electronic device 5. Here, the second electronic device 5 is a combinable socket unit. The socket unit has a bottom that is similarly provided with at least one third positioning hole 51 formed therein. The socket unit has two opposite sides 5 respectively provided with a raised connection seat 52 and a recessed connection cavity 53. With such an arrangement, a number of socket units can be sequentially jointed to form a power strip or a power extender. Further, the mechanical and electrical structures inside the socket unit are publicly known and in the drawing, the second electronic device 5 is 10 combined with and mounted to the second positioning projections 41 of the cable management box 4. With such an arrangement, referring to FIGS. 1 and 6, the cable management box 4 can be used to manage the signal cables 21 of various peripheral device 2 and can also be used to manage power cables 22 of the peripheral devices 2 to allow an end of each of the power 15 cables 22 to directly and proximally insert into the second electronic device 5, achieving a better effect of cable management and providing a solution for use of office space and management of articles and cables, so that the present invention provides improved utilization of products.

10 It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or two or more together may also find a useful application in other types of methods differing from the type described above. While certain novel features of this invention have been shown and 5 described and are pointed out in the annexed claim, it is not intended to be limited to the details above, since it will be understood that various omissions, modifications, substitutions and changes in the forms and details of the device illustrated and in its operation can be made by those skilled in the art without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention. 10

Claims (5)

1. A collection device, comprising: a docking station body, wherein the docking station body comprises a plurality of connection ports and the docking station 5 body comprises at least two first positioning holes and the docking station body comprises at least two first positioning projections.

2. The collection device according to claim 1, wherein the first positioning holes and the first positioning projections are respectively formed on bottom and top of the docking station body. 10

3. The collection device according to claim 2 further comprising a cable management box, the cable management box comprising at least two second positioning projections, the first positioning holes of the docking station body being combinable with and mounted to the second positioning projections of the cable management box. 15

4. The collection device according to claim 2 further comprising at least one second electronic device, the second electronic device having a bottom forming at least one third positioning hole, the third positioning hole of the second electronic device being combinable with and mounted to the first positioning projections of the docking 20 station body. 12

5. The collection device according to claim 4, wherein the second electronic device has two opposite sides respectively provided with a raised connection seat and a recessed connection cavity, so that a number of the second electronic devices are allowed to sequentially 5 joint to each other.