IP Library Granted Patent US 8,545,247
Granted Patent B2
US 8,545,247 · App. 13/397,486 · Granted Oct 1, 2013

Dock for a portable electronic device

Inventors: Leonardo Aldana (Waterloo, CA); Ming-Lun Dave Ma (Kitchener, CA); Dietmar Frank Wennemer (St. Agatha, CA); Felipe Oliveira Simoes (Kitchener, CA)
Assignee: BlackBerry Limited
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,545,247
App. No.
13/397,486
Granted
Oct 1, 2013
Kind
B2
Abstract

A dock for receiving a portable electronic device, including a housing comprising an aperture; a support coupled to an inner wall of the housing, a portion of the support being elastically deformable; 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 to an electronic device; wherein the portion of the support elastically deforms in response to non-axial movement of at least a portion of the connector.

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 (8)
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE ADDED PATENT NUMBER TO REMOVE PATENT NO. 8,873,407 AT PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 64066 FRAME 1. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE NUNC PRO TUNC ASSIGNMENT EFFECTIVE DATE MARCH 20, 2023. Recorded Feb 2, 2026
From: BLACKBERRY LIMITED
To: MALIKIE INNOVATIONS LIMITED
Reel/Frame 074921/0001 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE COVER SHEET AT PAGE 50 TO REMOVE 12817157 PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 063471 FRAME 0474. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNMENT. Recorded Sep 5, 2023
From: BLACKBERRY LIMITED
To: OT PATENT ESCROW, LLC
Reel/Frame 064806/0669 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT 12817157 APPLICATION NUMBER PREVIOUSLY RECORDED AT REEL: 064015 FRAME: 0001. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNMENT. Recorded Sep 5, 2023
From: OT PATENT ESCROW, LLC
To: MALIKIE INNOVATIONS LIMITED
Reel/Frame 064807/0001 →
NUNC PRO TUNC ASSIGNMENT Recorded Jun 19, 2023
From: BLACKBERRY LIMITED
To: MALIKIE INNOVATIONS LIMITED
Reel/Frame 064066/0001 →
NUNC PRO TUNC ASSIGNMENT Recorded Jun 16, 2023
From: OT PATENT ESCROW, LLC
To: MALIKIE INNOVATIONS LIMITED
Reel/Frame 064015/0001 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 27, 2023
From: BLACKBERRY LIMITED
To: OT PATENT ESCROW, LLC
Reel/Frame 063471/0474 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Aug 28, 2013
From: RESEARCH IN MOTION LIMITED
To: BLACKBERRY LIMITED
Reel/Frame 031122/0342 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 27, 2012
From: ALDANA, LEONARDO; MA, MING-LUN DAVE; WENNEMER, DIETMAR FRANK; SIMOES, FELIPE OLIVEIRA
To: RESEARCH IN MOTION LIMITED
Reel/Frame 028456/0127 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 61503451 · Jun 30, 2011
Related Publication 20130005179A1 · Jan 3, 2013