Powered docking station

A quick release docking station apparatus for portable electronics devices having one or more charging or input/output (I/O) interface ports, the docking station apparatus comprising:

• a substantially rigid support tray having means for supporting the device relative to opposing first and second faces thereof;
• clamping means for substantially securely clamping the device relative to the support tray;
• electrical interface means for electrically interfacing with the device;
• supporting means for securely supporting the electrical interface means relative to the second face;
• and
• linking means for mechanically linking positioning of the supporting means with positioning of the clamping means, the linking means comprising:
• i) means for expanding the supporting means in a substantially fully expanded position spaced away from the second face in response to expanding the clamping means in a substantially fully expanded position spaced away from the first face,
• ii) means for retracting the supporting means in a substantially fully retracted position adjacent to the second face in response to retracting the clamping means in a substantially fully retracted position adjacent to the first face, and
• iii) decoupling means for decoupling the means for expanding the supporting means from the retracting of the clamping means.

A quick release docking station apparatus for portable computers and other portable electronics devices having one or more input/output (I/O) communication interface ports, the docking station apparatus comprising:

• a) a substantially rigid support tray structured for securely supporting the device, the support tray comprising:
• i) an interior support portion,
• ii) at least a partial guard rail extended exterior of at least a portion of the interior support portion,
• iii) a partial peripheral retention portion spaced away from and opposing at least a portion of the interior support portion adjacent to a first face of the support tray,
• iv) at least a partial web portion interconnecting the retention portion with a portion of the interior support portion, the web portion formed with clearance there through at least in a position corresponding to at least one communication interface port of the device, and
• v) first and second substantially parallel slide guides formed adjacent to the interior support portion and at least partially extended substantially between the first face of the support tray and a second face thereof opposite from the first face;
• b) a substantially rigid compression clamp slide portion comprising:
• i) an elongate clamp sled portion slidably coupled with the first slide guide for moving relative to the second face of the support tray, and
• ii) a clamp jaw portion extended adjacent to a first end of the clamp sled portion, the jaw portion formed with retention lip spaced above and substantially opposing the clamp sled portion;
• c) a clamp expansion mechanism operable between the compression clamp slide portion and a stop portion of the support tray;
• d) an electrical connector mounted on a substantially rigid connector carrier slide portion, the connector carrier slide portion comprising:
• i) an elongate carrier sled portion slidably coupled with the second slide guide for moving relative to the first face of the support tray, and
• ii) a carrier jaw portion extended adjacent to a first end of the carrier sled portion, the carrier jaw portion formed with retention lip spaced above and substantially opposing the carrier sled portion and having the electrical connector positioned thereon with an electrical interconnect portion of the electrical connector extended from an inner surface thereof along the carrier sled portion toward the support tray;
• e) a linkage mechanism coupled between the compression clamp slide portion and the connector carrier slide portion, the linkage mechanism being substantially responsive to the compression clamp slide portion;
• f) one or more guide mechanisms formed between the connector carrier slide portion and the support tray, and
• g) the compression clamp slide portion and the connector carrier slide portion operable in three different relationships with the support tray:
• i) an expanded relationship wherein:
• 1) the compression clamp slide portion is arranged in a substantially expanded position relative to the support tray having the clamp sled portion extended on the first slide guide and the clamp jaw portion spaced away from the second face of the support tray,
• 2) the clamp expansion mechanism is substantially expanded between the compression clamp slide portion and a stop portion of the support tray,
• 3) the connector carrier slide portion is arranged in a substantially expanded position relative to the support tray having the carrier sled portion extended on the second slide guide, the inner surface of the carrier jaw portion spaced away from the first face of the support tray with the electrical interconnect portion of the electrical connector withdrawn relative thereto, and the guides at least partially disengaged from the corresponding guide ways in the web portion of the support tray, and
• 4) responsive to the substantially expanded arrangement of the compression clamp slide portion, the linkage mechanism is responsively configured in a first positive driving relationship with the connector carrier slide portion for actively arranging the connector carrier slide portion in its substantially expanded position,
• ii) an engaged relationship wherein:
• 1) the compression clamp slide portion is arranged in a substantially retracted position relative to the support tray having the clamp sled portion retracted on the first slide guide and substantially engaged therewith and the clamp jaw portion adjacent to the second face of the support tray,
• 2) the clamp expansion mechanism is substantially compressed between the compression clamp slide portion and a stop portion of the support tray, and
• 3) responsive to the substantially retracted arrangement of the compression clamp slide portion, the linkage mechanism is responsively configured in a second resiliently urging relationship with the connector carrier slide portion for resiliently urging the connector carrier slide portion toward a substantially retracted position relative to the support tray having the carrier sled portion retracted on the second slide guide and substantially engaged therewith, and the inner surface of the carrier jaw portion adjacent to the first face of the support tray with the guides substantially engaged with the guide ways in the web portion thereof and the electrical interconnect portion extended substantially through the clearance aperture thereof, and
• iii) a semi-engaged relationship wherein:
• 1) the compression clamp slide portion is arranged in the substantially retracted position relative to the support tray,
• 2) the clamp expansion mechanism is substantially compressed between the compression clamp slide portion and a stop portion of the support tray,
• 3) responsive to the substantially retracted position of the compression clamp slide portion, the linkage mechanism is responsively configured in a second resiliently urging relationship with the connector carrier slide portion for resiliently urging the connector carrier slide portion toward its substantially retracted position relative to the support tray, and
• 4) the connector carrier slide portion is resiliently retractably arranged in its substantially expanded position relative to the support tray having the inner surface of the carrier jaw portion spaced away from the first face of the support tray with the electrical interconnect portion of the electrical connector withdrawn relative thereto, and the guides at least partially disengaged from the corresponding guide ways in the web portion of the support tray.

A quick release docking station apparatus for portable computers and other portable electronics devices having one or more input/output (I/O) communication interface ports, the docking station apparatus comprising:

• a) a substantially rigid support tray structured for securely supporting the device, the support tray comprising:
• i) an interior support portion,
• ii) at least a partial guard rail extended exterior of at least a portion of the interior support portion,
• iii) a partial peripheral retention portion spaced away from and opposing at least a portion of the interior support portion adjacent to a first face of the support tray,
• iv) at least a partial web portion interconnecting the retention portion with a portion of the interior support portion, the web portion formed with a clearance aperture there through at least in a position corresponding to at least one communication interface port of the device,
• v) a pair of spaced apart guide ways formed in the web portion and arranged on opposite sides of the clearance aperture between the interior support portion and the retention portion, and
• vi) first and second substantially parallel slide guides formed adjacent to the interior support portion and at least partially extended substantially between the first face of the support tray and a second face thereof opposite from the first face;
• b) a fulcrum positioned adjacent to the interior support portion between the first and second slide guides and spaced further from first slide guide than from second slide guide;
• c) a substantially rigid compression clamp slide portion comprising:
• i) an elongate clamp sled portion slidably coupled with the first slide guide for moving relative to the second face of the support tray,
• ii) a clamp jaw portion extended adjacent to a first end of the clamp sled portion, the jaw portion formed with retention lip spaced above and substantially opposing the clamp sled portion, and
• iii) first and second substantially parallel expansion channels formed in the clamp sled portion and substantially aligned with a longitudinal axis thereof, the first expansion channel having an internal stop portion adjacent to the clamp jaw portion, the second expansion channel having first and second internal stop portions adjacent to opposite ends thereof with the first internal stop portion being adjacent to the clamp jaw portion and the second internal stop portion being spaced away from the first stop portion;
• d) a clamp expansion spring residing within the first expansion channel of the clamp sled portion and operable between the internal stop portion thereof and a stop portion of the support tray spaced away from the second face thereof;
• e) a slip connector shorter than the second expansion channel of the clamp sled portion and slidable therein, the slip connector having a first reaction portion facing toward and spaced away from the first internal stop portion of the second expansion channel and forming a nominal return spring gap there between, and a second reaction portion opposite from the first reaction portion and facing toward the second internal stop portion of the second expansion channel;
• f) a connector return spring residing within the return spring gap formed in the second expansion channel of the clamp sled portion, and in a partially compressed state substantially filling the nominal return spring gap;
• g) an electrical connector mounted on a substantially rigid connector carrier slide portion, the connector carrier slide portion comprising:
• i) an elongate carrier sled portion slidably coupled with the second slide guide for moving relative to the first face of the support tray, and
• ii) a carrier jaw portion extended adjacent to a first end of the carrier sled portion, the carrier jaw portion formed with retention lip spaced above and substantially opposing the carrier sled portion and having the electrical connector positioned thereon with an electrical interconnect portion of the electrical connector extended from an inner surface thereof along the carrier sled portion toward the support tray and a pair of spaced apart guides arranged on opposite sides of the electrical connector in positions corresponding to the spaced apart guide ways in the web portion of the support tray and sized to enter there into;
• h) a control lever formed with a rotation portion being rotatable on the fulcrum, the control lever having first and second lever arms extending from the rotation portion with the first lever arm being longer than the second lever arm;
• i) a first drive pin rotatably coupling the first longer lever arm of the control lever to the slip connector within the second expansion channel of the clamp sled portion of the compression clamp slide portion;
• j) a second drive pin rotatably coupling the second shorter arm of the control lever to the carrier sled portion of the connector carrier slide portion;
• k) a latch mechanism operable between the compression clamp slide portion and the support tray for retaining the compression clamp slide portion relative to the support tray;
• and
• l) the compression clamp slide portion and the connector carrier slide portion being operable in three relationships with the support tray:
• i) an expanded relationship wherein:
• 1) the latch mechanism is operatively disengaged from the compression clamp slide,
• 2) the compression clamp slide portion is in a substantially expanded position relative to the support tray having the clamp sled portion extended on the first slide guide and the clamp jaw portion spaced away from the second face of the support tray,
• 3) the clamp expansion spring is substantially expanded in the first expansion channel of the clamp sled portion between the internal stop portion thereof and the stop portion of the support tray,
• 4) the slip connector is positioned in within the second expansion channel of the clamp sled portion with the first reaction portion thereof spaced away from the first internal stop portion of the second expansion channel and forming the return spring gap there between, and the second reaction portion thereof substantially contacting the second internal stop portion of the second expansion channel,
• 5) the connector return spring is substantially expanded within the return spring gap,
• 6) the control lever is rotated on the fulcrum in a substantially expanded position relative to the compression clamp slide portion and the connector carrier slide portion having the first longer lever arm rotated away from the first face of the support tray and toward the opposite second face, and the second shorter lever arm rotated toward the first face of the support tray and away from the opposite second face, and
• 7) the connector carrier slide portion is in a substantially expanded position relative to the support tray having the carrier sled portion extended on the second slide guide, the inner surface of the carrier jaw portion spaced away from the first face of the support tray with the electrical interconnect portion of the electrical connector withdrawn relative thereto, and the guides at least partially disengaged from the corresponding guide ways in the web portion of the support tray;
• ii) an engaged relationship wherein:
• 1) the compression clamp slide portion is in a substantially retracted position relative to the support tray having the clamp sled portion retracted on the first slide guide and substantially engaged therewith and the clamp jaw portion adjacent to the second face of the support tray,
• 2) the clamp expansion spring is substantially compressed in the first expansion channel of the clamp sled portion between the internal stop portion thereof and the stop portion of the support tray,
• 3) the latch mechanism is operatively engaged with the compression clamp slide,
• 4) the slip connector is positioned in within the second expansion channel of the clamp sled portion with the first reaction portion thereof spaced away from the first internal stop portion of the second expansion channel and forming the return spring gap there between, and the second reaction portion thereof spaced away from the second internal stop portion of the second expansion channel,
• 5) the connector return spring is partially compressed within the return spring gap,
• 6) the control lever is rotated on the fulcrum to a substantially neutral position relative to the compression clamp slide portion and the connector carrier slide portion having the first longer and second shorter lever arms each rotated to a respective neutral position between the first and second faces of the support tray, and
• 7) the connector carrier slide portion is in a substantially retracted position relative to the support tray having the carrier sled portion retracted on the second slide guide and substantially engaged therewith, and the inner surface of the carrier jaw portion adjacent to the first face of the support tray with the guides substantially engaged with the guide ways in the web portion thereof and the electrical interconnect portion extended substantially through the clearance aperture thereof;
• and
• iii) a semi-engaged relationship wherein:
• 1) the compression clamp slide portion is in the substantially retracted position relative to the support tray,
• 2) the clamp expansion spring is substantially compressed in the first expansion channel of the clamp sled portion between the internal stop portion thereof and the stop portion of the support tray,
• 3) the latch mechanism is operatively engaged with the compression clamp slide,
• 4) the slip connector is positioned in within the second expansion channel of the clamp sled portion with the first reaction portion thereof spaced away from the first internal stop portion of the second expansion channel and forming the return spring gap there between, and the second reaction portion thereof spaced away from the second internal stop portion of the second expansion channel,
• 5) the connector return spring is substantially compressed within the return spring gap,
• 6) the control lever is rotated on the fulcrum to a substantially neutral position with the first longer and second shorter lever arms each rotated to a respective neutral position between the first and second faces of the support tray, and
• 7) the connector carrier slide portion is in the substantially expanded position relative to the support tray having the inner surface of the carrier jaw portion spaced away from the first face of the support tray with the electrical interconnect portion of the electrical connector withdrawn relative thereto, and the guides at least partially disengaged from the corresponding guide ways in the web portion of the support tray.