Host device and add-on module assembly with a rugged module connection
An assembly including a host device and an add-on module, in which the host device and the add-on module include features to provide a rugged electro-mechanical interface or connection between the host device and the add-on module. The host device includes a body that has an open or non-enclosed docking bay on a side, and the module is placed into the docking bay such that a top side of its body mates with the inner surfaces and features of the docking bay. The interface is rugged so that the assembly is useful in the field, and the interface provides a secure attachment that can withstand dropping. A hook is provided on the top side of the body of the module, and the hook feature's shape, when combined with the location of fasteners on the module body that mate with threaded holes in the docking bay, is designed to withstand dropping.
1. An assembly for providing a rugged interface between a host device and an add-on module, comprising:
a host device including a host device body with a side including a docking bay, wherein the docking bay includes a receiving surface that is recessed a distance from the side of the host device body to define a depth of the docking bay and wherein the host device includes a hook mating feature with a body protruding outward from the docking bay; and
an add-on module including a module body with a top side and a bottom side,
wherein the module body is positionable within the docking bay with the top side of the module body abutting the receiving surface of the docking bay,
wherein the module body includes a hook extending upward from an end of the top side that is adapted to receive the body of the hook mating feature when the module body is positioned within the docking bay to block rotation of the module body out of the docking bay,
wherein the module body further comprises at least one fastener with a threaded end extending outward from the top side of the module body,
wherein the at least one fastener is provided in a first end of the module body opposite a second end of the module body containing the hook, and
wherein the receiving surface of the docking bay includes one or more threaded holes for receiving the threaded end of the at least one fastener when the module body is positioned within the docking bay.
2. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the docking bay further includes an inner sidewall extending from the side of the host device body to the receiving surface, wherein the receiving surface is disposed between the inner sidewall and the hook mating feature, and wherein the module body comprises two of the fasteners and the receiving surface includes two of the threaded holes for receiving the threaded ends of the fasteners when the module body is positioned within the docking bay with the first end of the module body proximate to the inner sidewall of the docking bay.
3. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the hook comprises left and right spaced-apart sidewalls extending outward from the top side of the module body, wherein the hook further comprises an upper sidewall extending between the left and right spaced-apart sidewalls, wherein a void space is defined by inner surfaces of the left and right spaced-apart sidewalls and the upper sidewall, and wherein the body of the hook mating feature is received within the void space with a hook-mating surface of the body abutting the upper sidewall when the module body is positioned within the docking bay to form the rugged interface.
4. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the hook comprises an upper sidewall spaced apart and extending outward from an end of the module body parallel to and toward the top side and wherein a hook-mating surface of the body abuts the upper sidewall when the module body is positioned within the docking bay to form the rugged interface.
5. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein a communication interface is formed when the module body is positioned within the docking bay via coupling of a set of connection pins on the top side of the module body and a set of contacts on the receiving surface of the docking bay and wherein a pinout design for the communication interface includes data communication lines and a power supply line for supplying power from the host device to the add-on module.
6. The assembly of claim 5 , wherein the set of connection pins comprise a set of pogo pins.
7. The assembly of claim 5 , wherein the data communication lines are configured to provide a Universal Serial Bus (USB) connection between the add-on module and the host device.
8. The assembly of claim 5 , wherein the pinout design further includes a module detection signal allowing the host device to detect the add-on module in the docking bay and also includes at least one shared communication line connected between the add-on module, any additional add-on modules in additional docking bays on the host device body, and the host device for accessory control or low latency communications.
9. An assembly for providing a rugged interface between a host device and an add-on module, comprising:
a host device including a host device body with a docking bay, wherein the docking bay includes a receiving surface that is recessed a distance from a surface on the host device body, first and second sidewalls extending along opposed edges of the receiving surface, and an inner sidewall extending between ends of the first and second sidewalls, wherein the docking bay has an open end opposite the inner sidewall, and wherein the host device includes a hook mating feature with a body protruding outward from the docking bay proximate to the open end; and
a module including a module body with a top side and a bottom side,
wherein the module body is positionable within the docking bay with the top side of the module body abutting the receiving surface of the docking bay,
wherein the module body has a height that is less than about one half a height of the first and second sidewalls,
wherein the module body includes a hook element extending upward from an end of the top side that is adapted to receive the body of the hook mating feature when the module body is positioned within the docking bay,
wherein the module body further comprises at least one fastener with a threaded end extending outward from the top side of the module body, and
wherein the receiving surface of the docking bay includes one or more threaded holes for receiving the threaded end of the at least one fastener when the module body is positioned within the docking bay.
10. The assembly of claim 9 , wherein the hook element comprises left and right sidewalls extending outward from the top side of the module body, wherein the hook element further comprises an upper sidewall extending between the left and right sidewalls, wherein a void space is defined by inner surfaces of the left and right sidewalls and the upper sidewall, and wherein the body of the hook mating feature is received within the void space with a hook-mating surface of the body of the hook mating feature abutting the upper sidewall when the module body is positioned within the docking bay.
11. The assembly of claim 9 , wherein a communication interface is formed when the module body is positioned within the docking bay via coupling of a set of connection pins on the top side of the module body and a set of contacts on the receiving surface of the docking bay and wherein a pinout design for the communication interface includes data communication lines and wherein the set of connection pins comprise a set of pogo pins.
12. The assembly of claim 11 , wherein the data communication lines are configured to provide a Universal Serial Bus (USB) connection between the add-on module and the host device.
13. The assembly of claim 11 , wherein the pinout design further includes a power supply line, a module detection signal allowing the host device to detect the add-on module in the docking bay, and at least one shared communication line connected between the add-on module, any additional add-on modules in additional docking bays on the host device body, and the host device for accessory control or low latency communications.
14. An assembly for providing a rugged interface between a host device and an add-on module, comprising:
a host device including a host device body with a docking bay, wherein the docking bay includes a receiving surface recessed a distance from the side of the host device body to define a depth of the docking bay and wherein the host device includes a tab protruding outward from the docking bay; and
a module including a module body with a top side and a bottom side,
wherein the module body is positionable within the docking bay with the top side of the module body abutting the receiving surface of the docking bay,
wherein a communication interface is formed, when the module body is positioned within the docking bay, via coupling of a set of connection pins on the top side of the module body to a set of contacts on the receiving surface of the docking bay,
wherein a pinout design for the communication interface includes data communication lines and a power supply line for supplying power from the host device to the add-on module, and
wherein the set of connection pins comprises a plurality of pogo pins.
15. The assembly of claim 14 , wherein the data communication lines are configured to provide a Universal Serial Bus (USB) connection between the module and the host device.
16. The assembly of claim 14 , wherein the pinout design further includes a module detection signal allowing the host device to detect the module in the docking bay and also includes at least one shared communication line connected between the module, any additional add-on modules in additional docking bays on the host device body, and the host device for accessory control or low latency communications.
17. The assembly of claim 14 , wherein the module body includes a hook extending upward from an end of the top side that is adapted to receive the body of the hook mating feature when the module body is positioned within the docking bay to block rotation of the module body out of the docking bay, and wherein the module body has a height as measured between the top side to the bottom side and the depth of the docking bay is at least one fourth of the height of the module body.
18. The assembly of claim 17 , wherein the module body further comprises at least one fastener with a threaded end extending outward from the top side of the module body, wherein the at least one fastener is provided in a first end of the module body opposite a second end of the module body containing the hook, and wherein the receiving surface of the docking bay includes one or more threaded holes for receiving the threaded end of the at least one fastener when the module body is positioned within the docking bay.
19. The assembly of claim 18 , wherein the docking bay further includes an inner sidewall extending from the side of the host device body to the receiving surface, wherein the receiving surface is disposed between the inner sidewall and the hook mating feature, and wherein the module body comprises two of the fasteners and the receiving surface includes two of the threaded holes for receiving the threaded ends of the fasteners when the module body is positioned within the docking bay with the first end of the module body proximate to the inner sidewall of the docking bay.
20. An assembly for providing a rugged interface between a host device and an add-on module, comprising:
a host device including a host device body with a side including a docking bay, wherein the docking bay includes a receiving surface that is recessed a distance from the side of the host device body to define a depth of the docking bay and wherein the host device includes a hook mating feature with a body protruding outward from the docking bay; and
an add-on module including a module body with a top side and a bottom side,
wherein the module body is positionable within the docking bay with the top side of the module body abutting the receiving surface of the docking bay,
wherein the module body includes a hook extending upward from an end of the top side that is adapted to receive the body of the hook mating feature when the module body is positioned within the docking bay to block rotation of the module body out of the docking bay,
wherein the hook comprises left and right spaced-apart sidewalls extending outward from the top side of the module body,
wherein the hook further comprises an upper sidewall extending between the left and right spaced-apart sidewalls,
wherein a void space is defined by inner surfaces of the left and right spaced-apart sidewalls and the upper sidewall, and
wherein the body of the hook mating feature is received within the void space with a hook-mating surface of the body abutting the upper sidewall when the module body is positioned within the docking bay to form the rugged interface.
21. The assembly of claim 20 , wherein the hook comprises an upper sidewall spaced apart and extending outward from an end of the module body parallel to and toward the top side and wherein a hook-mating surface of the body abuts the upper sidewall when the module body is positioned within the docking bay to form the rugged interface.
22. The assembly of claim 20 , wherein a communication interface is formed when the module body is positioned within the docking bay via coupling of a set of connection pins on the top side of the module body and a set of contacts on the receiving surface of the docking bay and wherein a pinout design for the communication interface includes data communication lines and a power supply line for supplying power from the host device to the add-on module.
23. The assembly of claim 22 , wherein the set of connection pins comprise a set of pogo pins.
24. The assembly of claim 22 , wherein the data communication lines are configured to provide a Universal Serial Bus (USB) connection between the add-on module and the host device.
25. The assembly of claim 22 , wherein the pinout design further includes a module detection signal allowing the host device to detect the add-on module in the docking bay and also includes at least one shared communication line connected between the add-on module, any additional add-on modules in additional docking bays on the host device body, and the host device for accessory control or low latency communications.
26. An assembly for providing a rugged interface between a host device and an add-on module, comprising:
a host device including a host device body with a side including a docking bay, wherein the docking bay includes a receiving surface that is recessed a distance from the side of the host device body to define a depth of the docking bay and wherein the host device includes a hook mating feature with a body protruding outward from the docking bay; and
an add-on module including a module body with a top side and a bottom side,
wherein the module body is positionable within the docking bay with the top side of the module body abutting the receiving surface of the docking bay,
wherein the module body includes a hook extending upward from an end of the top side that is adapted to receive the body of the hook mating feature when the module body is positioned within the docking bay to block rotation of the module body out of the docking bay,
wherein the hook comprises an upper sidewall spaced apart and extending outward from an end of the module body parallel to and toward the top side, and
wherein a hook-mating surface of the body abuts the upper sidewall when the module body is positioned within the docking bay to form the rugged interface.
27. The assembly of claim 26 , wherein a communication interface is formed when the module body is positioned within the docking bay via coupling of a set of connection pins on the top side of the module body and a set of contacts on the receiving surface of the docking bay and wherein a pinout design for the communication interface includes data communication lines and a power supply line for supplying power from the host device to the add-on module.
28. The assembly of claim 27 , wherein the set of connection pins comprise a set of pogo pins.
29. The assembly of claim 27 , wherein the data communication lines are configured to provide a Universal Serial Bus (USB) connection between the add-on module and the host device.
30. The assembly of claim 27 , wherein the pinout design further includes a module detection signal allowing the host device to detect the add-on module in the docking bay and also includes at least one shared communication line connected between the add-on module, any additional add-on modules in additional docking bays on the host device body, and the host device for accessory control or low latency communications.
31. An assembly for providing a rugged interface between a host device and an add-on module, comprising:
a host device including a host device body with a side including a docking bay, wherein the docking bay includes a receiving surface that is recessed a distance from the side of the host device body to define a depth of the docking bay and wherein the host device includes a hook mating feature with a body protruding outward from the docking bay; and
an add-on module including a module body with a top side and a bottom side,
wherein the module body is positionable within the docking bay with the top side of the module body abutting the receiving surface of the docking bay,
wherein the module body includes a hook extending upward from an end of the top side that is adapted to receive the body of the hook mating feature when the module body is positioned within the docking bay to block rotation of the module body out of the docking bay,
wherein a communication interface is formed when the module body is positioned within the docking bay via coupling of a set of connection pins on the top side of the module body and a set of contacts on the receiving surface of the docking bay,
wherein a pinout design for the communication interface includes data communication lines and a power supply line for supplying power from the host device to the add-on module, and
wherein the set of connection pins comprise a set of pogo pins.
32. The assembly of claim 31 , wherein the data communication lines are configured to provide a Universal Serial Bus (USB) connection between the add-on module and the host device.
33. The assembly of claim 31 , wherein the pinout design further includes a module detection signal allowing the host device to detect the add-on module in the docking bay and also includes at least one shared communication line connected between the add-on module, any additional add-on modules in additional docking bays on the host device body, and the host device for accessory control or low latency communications.