Low profile circular dongle
AssigneeDell Products L.P.
InventorWong Hin Loong Justin
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A mobile peripheral adapter rotationally couples first and second circular housings with a spindle to define and cable cavity. A cable retracts into and extends from the cable cavity by rotation of the housing portions to bring a cable connector into the cable cavity at an opening formed to align with the cable connector at retraction. First and second magnets disposed in the cable cavity retrain the cable connector when retracted. The opening at the bottom surface of the peripheral adapter reduces the vertical height of the cable cavity by providing vertical space within which the cable connector can reside.
Claims20
A mobile peripheral adapter comprising:
- a first circular housing portion having plural port openings;
- plural ports disposed at the plural port openings, each port operable to accept a predetermined cable plug;
- a second circular housing portion rotationally coupled to the first circular housing portion, the second circular portion having an outer wall and bottom surface that define a cable cavity;
- and
- a cable disposed between the first and second circular housings in the cable cavity, the cable winding to a stored position when the first and second housing portions rotate in a first direction and to an extended position when the first and second housing portions rotate in a second direction, the cable terminating with a connector having a height, width and length;
- wherein the second circular housing portion bottom surface has an opening of the cable connector length and width aligned at a position corresponding to the cable connector when the cable retracts into the cable cavity.
A method for managing a cable connector at a mobile peripheral adapter, the method comprising:
- engaging a cable in a cable adapter of the mobile peripheral adapter, the cable terminating with a cable connector;
- rotating first and second portions of the mobile peripheral adapter relative to each other to work the cable with the cable adapter into a cavity of the mobile peripheral adapter second portion;
- and
- aligning the cable connector upon retraction of the cable with an opening formed in a bottom surface of the mobile peripheral adapter second portion.
A mobile peripheral adapter comprising:
- a first circular housing having plural port openings;
- one or more circuit boards disposed in the first circular housing;
- plural ports coupled to the one or more circuit boards, each port aligned with a port opening;
- a spindle coupled to the first circular housing and having a cable adapter;
- a second circular housing having a bottom surface and a circular side wall, the second circular housing coupled to the first circular housing by the spindle, the spindle providing rotation of the first and second circular housing relative to each other, the second circular housing defining a cable cavity between the bottom surface and the spindle, the cable cavity capturing the cable adapter;
- and
- a cable coupled through the spindle to the one or more circuit boards and terminating in a cable connector having a length, width and height;
- wherein the second circular housing bottom has an opening of at least the cable connector length and width, the cable extending from the cable cavity and retracting into the cable cavity in response to rotation of the first and second housing portions relative to each other, the cable retracting to align the cable connector with the opening.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.