IP Library Granted Patent US 11,809,230
Granted Patent B2
US 11,809,230 · App. 17/337,577 · Granted Nov 7, 2023

Docking station for accommodating a tablet computer device

Inventors: Marquart Ciolek (Nuremberg, DE); David Dederichs (Poxdorf, DE); Roman Achleitner (Nuremberg, DE); Guo Chen Zhong (Shanghai, CN)
Assignee: SIEMENS HEALTHCARE GMBH
G06F1/1632G06F1/1626
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,809,230
App. No.
17/337,577
Granted
Nov 7, 2023
Kind
B2
Abstract

A docking station is for accommodating a tablet computer device. In an embodiment, the docking station includes a housing, and an interface apparatus for connecting the tablet computer device to the housing. The housing is configured to accommodate the interface apparatus in a form-fit manner. The interface apparatus is configured such that the tablet computer device is dockable in a form-fit manner to the interface apparatus upon the interface apparatus being accommodated in a form-fit manner in the housing.

Claims (64)

1. A docking station for accommodating a tablet computer housed in a tablet computer casing, the docking station comprising:

a housing, the housing including a retaining frame; and

an interface apparatus, the interface apparatus including

a first side configured to connect to the housing, the housing being configured to accommodate the interface apparatus in a first form-fit manner,

a second side configured to connect to the tablet computer casing in a second form-fit manner, and

a housing side area, the housing side area being planar in an interface plane, and the retaining frame being configured to form-fit with the housing side area and secure the interface apparatus against displacement in the interface plane via the form-fit upon the interface apparatus being accommodated in the first form-fit menner in the housing.

2. The docking station of claim 1 , wherein

the housing includes an interface-side connection device,

the interface apparatus includes a housing-side connection device, and

the interface-side connection device and the housing-side connection device are configured to create a releasable connection which opposes removal of the interface apparatus from the housing upon the interface apparatus being accommodated in the first form-fit manner in the housing.

3. The docking station of claim 1 , wherein

the tablet computer casing includes an interface-side connection device,

the interface apparatus includes a tablet-side connection device, and

the interface-side connection device and the tablet-side connection device are configured to create a releasable connection which opposes removal of the tablet computer casing from the interface apparatus upon the tablet computer casing being connected in the second form-fit manner to the interface apparatus.

4. The docking station of claim 3 , wherein the releasable connection which opposes the removal of the tablet computer casing from the interface apparatus includes a magnetic connection.

5. The docking station of claim 3 , wherein the releasable connection which opposes removal of the tablet computer casing from the interface apparatus includes a dovetail connection.

6. The docking station of claim 1 , wherein

the interface apparatus includes an interface marking,

the tablet computer casing includes a tablet marking, and

the interface marking and the tablet marking indicate a compatibility between the interface apparatus and the tablet computer casing.

7. The docking station of claim 1 , further comprising:

a charging module configured to detachably connect to the housing and to charge the tablet computer with electrical power, wherein

the interface apparatus is configured to transmit the electrical power to the tablet computer upon the interface apparatus being accommodated in the first form-fit manner in the housing and the tablet computer casing being connected in the second form-fit manner to the interface apparatus.

8. The docking station of claim 7 , wherein

the charging module is configured to charge the tablet computer with the electrical power via inductive charging, and

the interface apparatus includes a power transfer area configured to inductively transmit the electrical power upon the interface apparatus being accommodated in the first form-fit manner in the housing and the tablet computer casing being connected in the second form-fit manner to the interface apparatus.

9. The docking station of claim 7 , wherein

the charging module is configured to charge the tablet computer with the electrical power via contact-based charging,

the interface apparatus includes a contact-based power transfer device, and

the contact-based power transfer device is configured to transmit the electrical power to the tablet computer upon the interface apparatus being accommodated in the first form-fit manner in the housing and the tablet computer casing being connected in the second form-fit manner to the interface apparatus.

10. The docking station of claim 1 , further comprising:

a mounting apparatus, the mounting apparatus being configured to detachably connect to the housing and to mount the housing to at least one of a base or a wall.

11. The docking station of claim 10 , wherein

the mounting apparatus includes a mounting pedestal for placing the docking station on the base, and

a weight of the mounting pedestal secures the docking station against displacement relative to the base upon

the interface apparatus being accommodated in the first form-fit manner in the housing,

the tablet computer casing being connected in the second form-fit manner to the interface apparatus, and

a force being applied to the tablet computer casing to remove the tablet computer casing from the interface apparatus.

12. The docking station of claim 10 , wherein the mounting apparatus includes a wall bracket configured to mount the docking station to the wall.

13. The docking station of claim 10 , wherein

the docking station includes a rocker bearing configured to mount the housing such that the housing is tiltable relative to the mounting apparatus, and

an angle of inclination between a screen plane of the tablet computer housed in the tablet computer casing and the mounting apparatus is variable via the rocker bearing upon the interface apparatus being accommodated in the first form-fit manner in the housing and the tablet computer casing being connected in the second form-fit manner to the interface apparatus.

14. An arrangement, the arrangement comprising:

the tablet computer; and

the docking station of claim 1 , to accommodate the tablet computer.

15. The arrangement of claim 14 , the arrangement further comprising:

a medical imaging apparatus, wherein the tablet computer is configured to operate the medical imaging apparatus.

16. The docking station of claim 2 , wherein

the interface-side connection device of the housing is a first interface-side connection device,

the tablet computer casing includes a second interface-side connection device,

the interface apparatus includes a tablet-side connection device, and

the second interface-side connection device and the tablet-side connection device are configured to create a releasable connection which opposes removal of the tablet computer casing from the interface apparatus upon the tablet computer casing being connected the second form-fit manner to the interface apparatus.

17. The docking station of claim 16 , wherein the releasable connection which opposes the removal of the tablet computer casing from the interface apparatus includes a magnetic connection.

18. The docking station of claim 16 , wherein the releasable connection which opposes removal of the tablet computer casing from the interface apparatus includes a dovetail connection.

19. A docking station for accommodating a tablet computer housed in a tablet computer casing, the docking station comprising;

a housing; and

an interface apparatus,the interface apparatus having a first side configured to connect to the housing, the housing being configured to accommodate the interface apparatus in a first form-fit manner, and the interface apparatus having a Second side configured to connect to the tablet computer casing in a second form-fit manner, wherein

the housing includes a retaining frame having a cut out portion configured to receive a housing side area of the interface apparatus,

a shape of the housing side area corresponds to a shape of the cut out portion of the retaining frame,

the interface apparatus is accommodated by the housing in the first form-fit manner upon the cut out portion of the retaining frame receiving the housing side area of the interface apparatus, and

upon the interface apparatus being accommodated by the housing in the first form-fit manner, the retaining frame secures the interface apparatus against displacement in an interface plane that is planar with a surface of the housing side area.

20. The docking station of claim 19 , wherein

the cut out portion of the retaining frame includes a ridge configured to connect to the interface apparatus, and

upon the housing side area being received by the cut out portion of the retaining frame, the interface apparatus rests on the ridge, the interface apparatus connects to the ridge, and the ridge secures the interface apparatus in a direction orthogonal to the interface plane.

Assignments (4)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 20, 2023
From: SIEMENS HEALTHCARE GMBH
To: SIEMENS HEALTHINEERS AG
Reel/Frame 066267/0346 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 9, 2022
From: SIEMENS SHANGHAI MEDICAL EQUIPMENT LTD
To: SIEMENS HEALTHCARE GMBH
Reel/Frame 058934/0042 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 2, 2022
From: CIOLEK, MARQUART; DEDERICHS, DAVID; ACHLEITNER, ROMAN
To: SIEMENS HEALTHCARE GMBH
Reel/Frame 058861/0615 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 2, 2022
From: ZHONG, GUO CHEN
To: SIEMENS SHANGHAI MEDICAL EQUIPMENT LTD
Reel/Frame 058865/0100 →
Priority Claims (1)
DE 20 2020 103 384.0 · Jun 12, 2020 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20210389803A1 · Dec 16, 2021
Cited By (1)
US 12,353,245