Tablet connection system
View Patent ↗In one embodiment, the tablet connection system includes an attachment station configured to couple to a tablet, and a tablet attachment system configured to couple to the attachment station and the tablet. The attachment station includes a charging mechanism such that the attachment station is configured to charge the tablet and hold the tablet such that the tablet is positioned for viewing by a user. In one embodiment, the charging mechanism of the attachment station is configured to wirelessly charge the tablet that is coupled thereto. The tablet attachment system is configured to provide coupling between the tablet and the attachment station.
1. A tablet connection system, comprising:
a seat attachment station configured to be coupled to a vehicle seat, the seat attachment station including a plurality of seat-side connection points, each seat-side connection point comprising:
a housing including
a semispherical opening radially symmetrical an axis and having a first width and a first depth running along the axis from a top of the housing to a first point below the top,
a cylindrical opening radially symmetrical the axis and having a second width smaller than the first width and a second depth running along the axis from the first point to a second point below the first point, and
a seat-side magnetic element configured to fit within the second opening; and
a tablet attachment station configured to be coupled to a tablet, the tablet attachment station including:
a clamping surface configured to be directly coupled to the tablet and having a plurality of openings;
a plurality of tablet-side connection points, each tablet-side connection point comprising:
a tablet-side magnetic element including:
a flat top side including a surface perpendicular to the axis and a having a threaded opening running along the axis partially through the tablet-side magnetic element, and
a semispherical bottom side configured to at least partially fit within the semispherical opening of the seat-side connection point housing;
a threaded fastener configured to run through an opening of the plurality of openings in the clamping surface and be threaded into the threaded opening in the tablet-side magnetic element, thereby coupling the clamping surface to the tablet-side magnetic element;
wherein each of the plurality of seat-side connection points is configured to be magnetically coupled to a respective tablet-side connection point, thereby removably coupling the tablet to the vehicle seat.
2. The tablet connection system of claim 1 further comprising a wireless charging mechanism, including a seat-side charging mechanism and a tablet-side charging mechanism.
3. The tablet connection system of claim 2 , wherein, when the tablet is removably coupled to the vehicle seat, the seat-side charging mechanism is separated from the tablet-side charging mechanism by a non-zero distance.
4. The tablet connection system of claim 2 , wherein the tablet-side charging mechanism is disposed on the clamping surface within the boundaries of the tablet-side connection points.
5. The tablet connection system of claim 1 , wherein the threaded fastener of each of the plurality of tablet-side connection points is a threaded screw.
6. The tablet connection system of claim 1 , wherein the clamping surface is configured to clamp around the outside edges of a tablet.
7. The tablet connection system of claim 1 , wherein the semispherical bottom side of the tablet-side magnetic element has a width greater than the semispherical opening of the housing.
8. The tablet connection system of claim 7 , wherein the tablet-side magnetic element includes a cylindrical middle portion with a width equal to the width of the semispherical bottom side and a length connecting the flat top side surface with the semispherical bottom side.
9. The tablet connection system of claim 1 , wherein the threaded fastener is further configured to run through an opening in a back surface of the tablet before running through the opening in the clamping surface.
10. The tablet connection system of claim 1 , wherein:
the housing of each seat-side connection point further includes a second cylindrical opening having a having a third width smaller than the second width, and a third depth running from the second point to a bottom of the housing along the axis; and
each seat-side connection point further includes a seat-side fastener configured to fit within the second cylindrical opening and is configured couple the vehicle seat to the magnetic element, thereby coupling the housing to the vehicle seat.