Electrical connector for an electronic device holder

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9517731-B2
Application number	US-201414565710-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 10, 2014
Priority date	Dec 10, 2014
Publication date	Dec 13, 2016
Grant date	Dec 13, 2016

Abstract

An electronic device holder includes a mounting surface configured to receive an electronic device. A door is operably coupled to the mounting surface and is moveable between open and closed positions relative to the mounting surface. An electrical connector is slideably coupled to the mounting surface, wherein the electrical connector moves to an extended position as the door moves to the open position due to an abutting relationship with the door. The electrical connector is configured to remain in the extended position as the door moves from the open position to the closed position. The electrical connector is configured to be moved manually to an electrically connected position with the electronic device after the door has been moved to the closed position. When connected, the electrical connector is configured to power the electronic device.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electronic device holder, comprising:
a mounting surface configured to receive an electronic device;
a door operably coupled to the mounting surface between open and closed positions and including an aperture; and
an electrical connector slideably coupled to the mounting surface through the aperture, wherein the electrical connector moves to an extended position as the door moves to the open position, and remains in the extended position as the door moves to the closed position.

2. The electronic device holder of claim 1 , including:
a power plug mounted to the electrical connector.

3. The electronic device holder of claim 2 , including:
a power port disposed on the electronic device.

4. The electronic device holder of claim 3 , wherein the power plug of the electrical connector is received in the power port of the electronic device when the electrical connector is moved from the extended position to a connected position.

5. The electronic device holder of claim 4 , wherein the electrical connector includes an outer housing having a shoulder portion.

6. The electronic device holder of claim 5 , wherein the shoulder portion abuts a body portion of the door as the door moves to the open position to move the electrical connector to the extended position.

7. The electronic device holder of claim 6 , wherein the electrical connector includes a lower portion having one or more retaining legs slideably coupled to the mounting surface.

8. The electronic device holder of claim 1 , wherein the electrical connector is operably coupled to an external power source for interfacing with the electronic device.

9. An electrical connector, comprising:
an outer housing having outwardly extending upper and lower portions; and
a power plug disposed between the upper and lower portions, wherein the upper portion is configured to locate to a first side of an electronic device and the lower portion is configured to locate to a second opposite side of the electronic device for aligning the power plug with a power port of the electronic device, and further wherein the lower portion includes an outwardly extending flange having a plurality of tunable ribs disposed on an upper side thereof and a central guide member disposed on a lower side.

10. The electrical connector of claim 9 , wherein the lower portion further includes one or more retaining legs for mounting the electrical connector to a surface of an electronic device holder.

11. The electrical connector of claim 10 , wherein the electrical connector is slideably mounted on the electronic device holder between extended and connected positions.

12. An electronic device holder, comprising:
a mounting surface having a mounting cavity for mounting an electronic device therein,
first and second doors disposed on opposite sides of the mounting cavity and operably coupled to the mounting surface between open and closed positions; and
an electrical connector slideably coupled to the mounting surface between extended and connected positions, wherein the electrical connector is configured to move to the extended position when the doors are in the open position, and further wherein the electrical connector remains in the extended position as the doors move to the closed position around the electronic device, the electrical connector further configured for electrical connection with the electronic device as moved from the extended position to the connected position when the doors are in the closed position.

13. The electronic device holder of claim 12 , wherein the first and second doors are configured to move laterally outward with respect to the mounting surface in the open position.

14. The electronic device holder of claim 13 , wherein the first and second doors are configured to move laterally towards the mounting cavity in the closed position for retaining the electronic device in the mounting cavity.

15. The electronic device holder of claim 12 , wherein the electrical connector includes an outer housing having a shoulder portion.

16. The electronic device holder of claim 15 , wherein the shoulder portion of the outer housing abuts a body portion of one of the first and second doors as the first and second doors move to the open position to move the electrical connector to the extended position.

17. The electronic device holder of claim 16 , including:
an upper portion and a lower portion extending outwardly from the outer housing, wherein the electronic device is received between the upper and lower portions when the electrical connector is in the connected position.

18. The electronic device holder of claim 17 , wherein the lower portion further includes one or more tunable ribs disposed thereon.

19. The electronic device holder of claim 18 , wherein the electrical connector is operably coupled to an external power source for interfacing with the electronic device through a power plug disposed between the upper and lower portions, and further wherein the electronic device includes a power port in which the power plug is received when the electrical connector is manually moved from the extended position to the connected position.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Dry Alan George
• Groesbeck Gunnar
• Talamonti Joseph S

Classifications

• B60R11/02 Primary

  for radio sets, television sets, telephones, or the like; Arrangement of controls thereof · CPC title

• H01R13/629

  Additional means for facilitating engagement or disengagement of coupling parts, e.g. aligning or guiding means, levers, gas pressure {electrical locking indicators, manufacturing tolerances (separate tools or apparatus H01R43/26)} · CPC title

• H01R13/73

  Means for mounting coupling parts to apparatus or structures, e.g. to a wall · CPC title

• H01R13/60

  Means for supporting coupling part when not engaged · CPC title

• B60N3/02

  of hand grips or straps · CPC title