Granted Patent B2

US 8,545,247 · App. 13/397,486 · Granted Oct 1, 2013

Abstract

Claims (39)

1. A dock for receiving a portable electronic device, comprising:

a housing comprising an aperture;

a support coupled to an inner wall of the housing, a portion of the support being elastically deformable;

a connector received in the support and extending through the aperture for electrically communicating with the portable electronic device, wiring of the connector for transferring data from the portable electronic device; and

a collar abutting the connector within the housing to limit translation of the connector, the connector being pivotable relative to the collar;

wherein the portion of the support elastically deforms in response to non-axial movement of at least a portion of the connector.

2. A dock as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the support includes a spring component received in a support tray, the spring component being elastically deformable.

3. A dock as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the spring component comprises a passage for receiving the connector, the passage comprising ribs for contacting the connector.

4. A dock as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the spring component biases the connector to a starting position within the passage.

5. A dock as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the spring component comprises three passages for receiving a first data connector, a second data connector and a charging connector.

6. A dock as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the collar surrounds the connector at a location adjacent the aperture.

7. A dock as claimed in claim 1 , comprising more than one connector, each connector being independently movable relative to the housing.

8. A dock as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the housing comprises a seat for receiving the portable electronic device and the aperture extends through the seat.

9. A dock as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the connector is a micro HDMI connector.

10. A dock as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the connector is a micro USB connector and the wiring receives data from an electronic device.

11. A dock as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the connector is a charging connector.

12. A dock for receiving a portable electronic device, comprising:

a housing comprising an aperture;

a support coupled to an inner wall of the housing, the support comprising a spring component received in a support tray, the spring component comprising a passage for receiving the connector, the passage comprising ribs for contacting the connector, the spring component being elastically deformable in response to non-axial movement of at least a portion of the connector; and

a connector received in the support and extending through the aperture for electrically communicating with the portable electronic device, wiring of the connector for transferring data from the portable electronic device;

wherein a cross-sectional area of the ribs is reduced between a top end of the spring component and a bottom end of the spring component, the top end being located adjacent the aperture of the housing.

13. A dock for receiving a portable electronic device, comprising:

a housing comprising an aperture;

a support coupled to an inner wall of the housing, a portion of the support being elastically deformable;

a pad disposed in the support and elastically deformable in response to axial movement of the connector; and

a connector received in the support and extending through the aperture for electrically communicating with the portable electronic device, wiring of the connector for transferring data from the portable electronic device;

wherein the portion of the support elastically deforms in response to non-axial movement of at least a portion of the connector.

14. A connector assembly for a dock, the connector assembly comprising:

a support for coupling to an inner wall the dock, the support comprising a spring component received in a support tray, the spring component comprising a passage, the spring component being elastically deformable; and

a connector received in the support and extending through the passage for electrically communicating with a portable electronic device received by the dock, wiring of the connector for transferring data from the portable electronic device;

wherein the passage comprises ribs for contacting the connector and a cross-sectional area of the ribs is reduced between a top end of the spring component and a bottom end of the spring component, the top end being located adjacent the aperture of the housing.

15. A connector assembly for a dock, the connector assembly comprising:

a support for coupling to an inner wall the dock, the support comprising a collar, a portion of the support being elastically deformable; and

a connector received in the support for electrically communicating with a portable electronic device received by the dock, wiring of the connector for transferring data from the portable electronic device;

wherein the portion of the support elastically deforms in response to non-axial translation and pivoting relative to the collar of at least a portion of the connector.

16. A connector assembly as claimed in claim 15 , wherein the support includes a spring component received in a support tray, the spring component being elastically deformable.

17. A connector assembly as claimed in claim 16 , wherein the spring component comprises a passage for receiving the connector, the passage comprising ribs for contacting the connector.

18. A connector assembly as claimed in claim 15 , wherein the spring component biases the connector to a starting position within the passage.

19. A connector assembly as claimed in claim 15 , comprising a collar abutting the connector within the housing to limit translation of the connector.

Assignments (7)