GB2511106A

GB2511106A - Hand held electronic device dock

Info

Publication number: GB2511106A
Application number: GB201303244A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Satish Mistry; Dipesh Mistry; Bhupesh Mistry; Manish Mistry; Pravish Mistry; Darshan Mistry
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2013-02-25
Filing date: 2013-02-25
Publication date: 2014-08-27
Also published as: GB201303244D0

Abstract

A docking station for receiving a hand held electronic device with a receptacle connector, the docking station comprising a unibody housing and a hole 1a to cater for a push, twist and lock method of a connector plug. A retaining element is coupled with the hole 1a to form a retention mechanism for the connector plug. The docking station further comprises a form of suction base (2e, fig. 2) and an acoustic system consisting of a series of sound channels and chambers (2b). The docking station may contain no electrical components. Existing cables supplied with the electronic device may be used by the docking station.

Description

Hand Held Electronic Device Dock

Background

The present invention relates to apparatus and methods for a unibody dock for hand held electronic devices. In particular, the present invention is designed to use existing charging cable supplied with such devices.

All hand held electronic devices are charged and some require to be synchronised and this requires the hand held electronic device to be stationary and therefore a dock is suitable to hold in position and show off the device.

Docks that are currently available on the market either move away from the surface when disconnecting the device or are heavy in order to counter balance this problem.

The present invention seek to litigate the problem of the prior art.

Brief Summary

The invention would be as follows, a unibody dock for hand held electronic devices which uses the existing charging cable. The dock will remain situated on the surface when undocking the device by a form of suction positioned on the base of the dock.

The cable supplied with the electronic device will be used by the said dock by inserting from the base out through to the other side, twisting and pulling back into position. The shape and size of the multi staged holes can vary, this dependent on the connector plug being used.

A retaining element is used to hold the cable in several positions so that the dock can be used on devices with various skins or cases.

Embodiments relates to a dock, that includes a multi stage pass through hole to cater for the push, twist and lock method of the connector plug in order to allow a connection to a hand held electronic device.

There are several steps that allow the connector plug to be assembled to the dock. The connector plug is inserted into the pass through hole from the base of the dock and out through to the top of the dock, the cable is twisted and pulled back into position where the connector cable will be locked into position and then reside in the dock.

The retaining element will assist in holding the connector cable in place in several positions to allow users to dock their hand held electronic devices with skins and cases.

A better understanding of the nature and advantages of the present invention may be gained from reference to the following detailed description and the accompanying drawings.

Detailed Description

The invention pertains to a unibody dock that uses connector cables provided with hand held electronic devices to charge and synchronise mobile devices; the suction base allows the dock to remain attached to the given surface when the device is being disconnected for stability.

For the purposes of discussion, a hand held electronic device is of such a size and proportion that it may be held in the hand to allow it to be portable; the device need not be fully enclosed in a person's hand.

Examples of hand held electronic device include but are not limited to mobile phones, media players, tablet pc's and mini computers.

The dock is machined from one piece of material (unibody). The dock encompasses machined features as described: A multi stage pass through hole to cater for the push, twist and lock method for the connector plug to be secured to the dock. The shape and size of the multi stage hole can vary; this is dependent on the connector plug being used. The elements of the multi stage hole are as follows: A recessed hole to create clearance for the connector plug cable. The cable can be easily bent round and located in a groove. A complete through hole for the connector plug to pass from the base through to the top. In order to seat the connector plug in place a recessed hole from the top of the dock is implemented, this then allows the retaining element to secure and lock the connector plug in place.

The connector plug/cable that is provided with the hand held electronic device is pushed through from the base of the dock. Once the connector plug is pushed through it is then twisted and pulled until it comes to a stop. The connector plug is then retained using a retaining element. A retention mechanism is employed to retain the connector plug at various heights to cater for hand held electronic device with or without sleeves. The retaining element can be but not limited to grub screw, threaded screw or bolt, spring loaded threaded screw.

Once the connector plug is in place, the cable itself needs to be placed into the allocated grove on the base of the dock. Thereafter the dock can be placed on to a smooth flat surface, ready for use. The suction base provides the fixation and stability the dock requires to stay in place whilst docking and undocking the hand held electronic device.

The hand held device is then docked; the protection pads are in place to prevent damage to the device when being docked. One of the protection pads also has holes cut out for the cable and sound to pass by. The other protection pad would not be used if the mobile device is held in a protective sleeve.

The dock comprises of an acoustic system consisting of a series of sound channels and chambers. Music can be played without any sounds being muffled. When the hand held device is docked into place, the sound from the hand held device enters the dock into the slot/chamber but has been accommodated.

The sound is then channeled out through the back of the dock via a series of holes.

The docking station is of a scalable design thus enabling it to be adapted and functional with various sized hand held electronic devices.

Brief Description of the Drawings

Figure 1 shows the front view of the dock Figure 2 shows the rear and base view of the dock Figures 3 to 6-shows the method of fitting the cable into dock, push, twist & Lock Figure 7 shows an invert diagram of the multi-stage pass through hole.

Figure 8 shows a section view of sound channel Figure 1 shows the front view of the dock which is machined from one piece of material (unibody). The dock encompasses machined features as described: la. shows a multi stage pass through hole to cater for the push, twist and lock method for the connector plug.

lb. shows the sound entry into the dock which is channelled out via the back of the dock.

lc shows a foam pad to prevent damage to the hand held device, it also has holes cut out for the cable and sound to pass by.

ld. shows a foam pad to prevent damage to the hand held device. The foam pads would not be used if the mobile device is held in a protective sleeve.

Figure 2 shows the rear and base view of the dock. Machined features to the rear of the dock encom pass: 2a. shows an internal threaded hole to accommodate the retaining element which is employed to retain the connector plug to the desired height 2b. shows a set of holes used to channel the sound 2c. is for retaining the connector plug at the desired position under the dock once placed on a surface.

2d. is used for the connector plug to be secured into the groove once it is twisted and locked into place.

2e. shows micro-suction pads used to hold the device to flat/smooth surfaces to stabilise the dock Figure 3 shows the connector plug before it is pushed through the dock Figure 4 shows once the connector plug has passed through the dock it is then twisted into position before resting.

FigureS shows the connector plug is then pulled down until it comes to a stop, which is incorporated in the multi-stage hole.

Figure 6 shows the connector plug is then locked into place by the use of the grub screw at the desired height.

Figure 7 shows the multi stage pass through hole for the connector plug to be secured to the dock. The shape and size of the multi stage hole can vary; this is dependent on the connector plug being used. The elements of the multi stage hole are as follows: 7a. is there for clearance for the connector plug cable to be easily bent round and located in the groove shown in FigZ:2c 7b. is a complete through hole for the connector plug to pass from the base through to the top.

7c. is there to create a stop for the connector plug to be seated before being locked in place.

Figure 8 shows the section through one of the sound channel figl:lb. Once the hand held electronic device is docked) the sound is passed through 8a, which then exits the dock through 8b.