Docking station for electronic devices

A docking station for supporting and electrically communicating with an electronic device, said docking station comprising:

• a main housing;
• a dock housing including a base and a cover, said dock housing defining a cavity between said base and said cover, said cover defining an opening between a forward inside surface and a rearward inside surface, wherein said dock housing is movable between an in-use position in which said dock housing is extended from said main housing, and a non-use position in which said dock housing is at least partially retracted into said main housing;
• a first hinge portion projecting upwardly from said base, said first hinge portion defining a pivot axis spaced above said base;
• a device mount coupled to said base in said cavity and configured to support an electronic device, said device mount having an upper arcuate surface with forward and rearward portions, a lower surface with forward and rearward portions, and a second hinge portion spaced above said lower surface and configured to engage said first hinge portion whereby said device mount is pivotable coupled to said base;
• and an electrical connector at said device mount, said electrical connector projecting through said opening and configured to electrically engage the electrical device when the electrical device is supported at said device mount;
• wherein when said dock housing is in said in-use position, said device mount is pivotable between a forward position in which said forward portion of said lower surface contacts said base, and a rearward position in which said rearward portion of said lower surface contacts said base;
• wherein said pivot axis is located such that as said device mount is pivoted between said forward position and said rearward position, said forward portion of said upper arcuate surface remains in substantially fixed spacing relative to said forward inside surface of said cover, and said rearward portion of said upper arcuate surface remains in substantially fixed spacing relative to said rearward inside surface of said cover;
• and wherein said device mount and said dock housing are configured so that pivoting movement of said device mount relative to said dock housing is resisted only by incidental friction at said first and second hinge portions or by incidental contact of said forward and rearward portions of said upper arcuate surface with said forward and rearward inside surfaces of said cover, or both.

A docking station for supporting and electrically communicating with an electronic device, said docking station comprising:

• a main housing;
• a dock housing including a base and a cover, said dock housing defining a cavity between said base and said cover, said cover defining an opening between a forward inside surface and a rearward inside surface, wherein said dock housing is movable between an in-use position in which said dock housing is extended from said main housing, and a non-use position in which said dock housing is at least partially retracted into said main housing;
• a first hinge portion projecting upwardly from said base, said first hinge portion defining a pivot axis spaced above said base;
• a device mount mounted in said cavity and configured to support an electronic device, said device mount having an upper arcuate surface with forward and rearward portions, a lower surface with forward and rearward portions, and a second hinge portion spaced above said lower surface and configured to engage said first hinge portion whereby said device mount is pivotably coupled to said first hinge portion;
• and an electrical connector at said device mount, said electrical connector configured to electrically engage the electrical device when the electrical device is supported at said device mount;
• wherein when said dock housing is in said in-use position, said device mount is pivotable between a forward position in which said forward portion of said lower surface contacts said base, and a rearward position in which said rearward portion of said lower surface contacts said base;
• wherein said pivot axis is located such that as said device mount is pivoted between said forward position and said rearward position, said forward portion of said upper arcuate surface remains in substantially fixed spacing relative to said forward inside surface of said cover, and said rearward portion of said upper arcuate surface remains in substantially fixed spacing relative to said rearward inside surface of said cover;
• and wherein pivoting movement of said device mount relative to said dock housing is resisted only by incidental friction at said first and second hinge portions or by incidental contact of said forward and rearward portions of said upper arcuate surface with said forward and rearward inside surfaces of said cover, or both.