1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to docking stations, and in particular, to a docking station for an electronic device.
2. Description of Related Art
Many hand held electronic devices, such as a mobile phone or a music player, include a docking station for providing a convenient interface for transferring data between the device and computing devices such as personal computers or peripheral devices such as speakers, monitors and printers without having to connect and disconnect cables. Generally, the docking station includes a slot for receiving the electronic device. Also, the docking station includes a connector adapted to connect electrically with a port of the electronic device. The connector is typically coupled to the external systems such as a power source and/or a computer through a cable so that communications between the hand held electronic device and the external system can take place. However, as the connector engages tightly with the electronic device, users wanting to remove the electronic device from the docking station need to use both hands and considerable strength to pull the electronic device and the docking station apart. This is inconvenient and the pulling may result in damage to the interface and/or the port of the device.
Therefore, there is room for improvement in the art.
Many aspects of the embodiments can be better understood with reference to the following drawings. The components in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, the emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the embodiments. Moreover, in the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views.
Referring to
Referring to
The housing 200 defines an interior space for accommodating the disengagement mechanism 270. The housing 200 includes a cover 201 and a housing base 202 attached to the cover 201. A first through hole 205 is defined in the cover 201. The cover 201 is partially depressed to form a receiving portion 203 adjacent to the first through hole 205 for receiving the side portion 32 of the electronic device 30. The receiving portion 203 includes a bottom wall 204 slanted back towards the housing base 202. A second through hole 206 is defined in the bottom wall 204 and communicates with the receiving portion 203 and with the interior space of the housing 200. The second through hole 206 is substantially rectangular. A supporting member 207 protrudes from the housing base 202 and a slot 208 is defined in the supporting member 207.
Referring also to
The locking unit 220 includes a sliding member 221 slidably disposed in the channel 214 of the disengagement base 210 and supported by the supporting member 207 disposed on the housing base 202, a connection rod 222 integrally formed with the sliding member 221, and a first elastic member 223 sleeved on the connection rod 222. The sliding member 221 is substantially rectangular and defines a first opening 224 therein. The opening 224 has an internal first end 225 and an internal second end 226 opposite to the first end 225. The connection rod 222 extends longitudinally from the first end 225. The second end 226 defines a first engaging surface, which is an inclined surface (see
The driving unit 230 includes a push member 231 for driving the sliding member 221 to slide in the channel 214 of the disengagement base 210, a second elastic member 233 sleeved on the push member 231, and a resistive support 234 for the bottom end of the second elastic member 233 sandwiched between the second elastic member 233 and the sliding member 221. The push member 231 includes a first part 235 slidably inserted in the first through hole 205 of the cover 201, a second part 237 on which the second elastic member 233 is sleeved, and a resisting part 236 disposed between the first part 235 and the second part 237 for resisting the top end of the second elastic member 233. The resisting part 236 has a diameter larger than that of the second part 237 so as to resist the end of the second elastic member 233. One end of the second part 237 which is away from the resisting part 236 defines a second engaging surface 238 parallel to the first engaging surface 226 of the sliding member 221.
The ejecting unit 240 includes an ejecting member 241 movably connected to the disengagement base 210, two restricting spaces 242 disposed on the ejecting member 241, and two third elastic members 243 between the ejecting member 241 and the disengagement base 210. The ejecting member 241 includes a frame 244 slidably inserted in the second through hole 206, an engaging portion 245 extending down from two opposite sides of the frame 244, and two connection posts 246 extending down from another two opposite sides 2440 of the frame 244 respectively. A second opening 247 fitting the interface 250 is defined in the frame 244 such that the frame 244 can frame the interface 250 and yet move up and down relative to the interface 250. The engaging portion 245 may be substantially U shaped, and includes two arms 248 protruding from the frame 244 and an end portion 249 connecting the two arms 248. The end portion 249 is substantially parallel to the frame 244, and the side of the end portion 249 furthest from the frame 244 defines a second guiding surface 2490. The second guiding surface 2490 is slanted so as to be parallel to the first guiding surface 227 of the sliding member 221. The restricting spaces 242 respectively protrude from the two arms 248 of the engaging portion 245 and face away from each other. The restricting spaces 242 abut the wall 204 of the receiving portion 203 to restrict the movement of the ejecting member 240.
The interface 250 is mounted to the housing 200 and passes through the opening 247 of the frame 244 and the second through hole 206 of the receiving portion 203 to be exposed in the receiving portion 203. In the illustrated embodiment, the interface 250 is a plug connector adapted to engage with the port 34 of the electronic device 30 to allow communication therebetween, and the interface 250 extends upwardly along a direction perpendicular to the bottom wall 204 of the receiving portion 203. The fixing member 260 is used for mechanically connecting the interface 250 to the disengagement base 210. As shown in
Referring to
Referring to
Referring to
With disengagement mechanism 270, the electronic device 30 can be removed from the docking station easily, and mishandling damage to the electronic device 30 can be minimized.
Even though information and the advantages of the present embodiments have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structures and functions of the present embodiments, the disclosure is illustrative only; and that changes may be made in detail, especially in matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the principles of the present embodiments to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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2010 1 0604395 | Dec 2010 | CN | national |
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Number | Date | Country | |
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20120162902 A1 | Jun 2012 | US |