Space-saving docking station for vertically supporting an opened notebook computer

Computer apparatus comprising:

• a portable computer having a base housing to which a display screen housing is pivotally secured by a hinge structure disposed adjacent a rear side edge of said base housing;
• a docking structure having a general wedge shape;
• and
• a support structure having an inclined front support wall against which the docking structure is mounted, wherein said portable computer may be releasably docked to the docking structure to electrically couple it to a peripheral drive, said docking structure and said support structure being operable to support the base housing of the docked portable computer in a generally vertical, hinge-side-up orientation in which said display screen housing may be pivoted to a generally upright elevated user viewing orientation.

Computer apparatus comprising:

• a portable computer having a base housing to which a display screen housing is pivotally secured by a hinge structure disposed adjacent a rear side edge of said base housing, said portable computer having a first electrical docking connector thereon;
• a docking structure for operatively coupling said portable computer to at least one peripheral device, said docking structure having a general wedge-shape configuration and a second electrical docking connector to which said first electrical docking connector may be releasably mated;
• and
• a support structure having an inclined front support wall operative to hold said docking structure in an orientation in which, with said portable computer operatively docked to said docking structure, said base housing is generally vertically oriented, hinge side up, to permit said display screen housing to be pivoted to an elevated, generally vertical user view orientation.

A method of electrically coupling a portable computer to a peripheral device, the portable computer having a base housing to which a display screen housing is pivotally secured by a hinge structure disposed adjacent a rear side edge of the base housing, and a first electrical docking connector, said method comprising the steps of;

• providing a docking structure having a second electrical docking connector thereon to which the first electrical docking connector may be releasably mated to dock the portable computer, said second docking connector being electrically connectable to the peripheral device;
• releasably mounting said docking structure to a support structure along a generally inclined support wall;
• docking the portable computer, by releasably mating the first and second electrical docking connectors, in a manner positioning the base housing of the portable computer against said docking structure in a generally vertical, hinge side-up position in which said display screen housing may be pivoted about the hinge structure to a generally upright position;
• and
• pivoting said display screen housing to a generally upright elevated user viewing orientation.

Docking apparatus for electrically coupling a portable computer to at least one peripheral device, the portable computer having a base housing having a bottom side and a rear edge portion, and a display screen housing pivotally secured to the base housing by a hinge structure disposed adjacent the rear edge portion of the base housing, the portable computer further having a first docking connector thereon, said docking apparatus comprising:

• a docking base structure having a general wedge shape and a facing side against which the bottom side of the base housing may be placed, hinge-side up, to dock the portable computer to said docking base structure at a docked position, said docking base structure further having a second docking connector positioned thereon to be releasably mated with the first docking connector when the portable computer is docked to said docking base structure, said docking base structure being configured to allow the display screen housing to pivot about the hinge structure to a desired orientation while the portable computer is docked at the docked position;
• and
• a support structure placeable on a generally horizontal surface, the support structure having an inclined front support wall able to orient said docking base structure in a manner such that said facing side of said docking base structure is generally vertically oriented, wherein the docking base structure is releasably mounted to the support structure.

Computer apparatus comprising:

• a portable computer having a base housing with a top side, a bottom side with a first docking connector thereon, a rear side edge portion, and a display screen lid housing pivotally secured to said rear side edge portion by a hinge structure;
• a docking structure having a generally wedge-shaped configuration for operatively coupling said portable computer to a desktop peripheral device, said docking structure having interface circuitry to which the desktop peripheral device may be electrically coupled, and a generally upright support wall upon which is disposed a second docking connector coupled to said interface circuitry;
• and
• a support structure having an angled support member to which the docking structure is mounted, said portable computer being dockable to said docking structure in a generally vertical orientation by placing said base housing bottom side against said generally upright wall and generally horizontally mating said first and second docking connectors.