Connector Carrier for Electronic Device Kiosk

Abstract

To provide connector carriers for use with kiosks.SOLUTION: A connector carrier (e.g., connector carousel) for use with an electronic device processing kiosk, such as a cell phone recycling kiosk, is disclosed herein. In some embodiments, the connector carrier includes a chassis and a plurality of electrical connectors that are fixedly positioned around the periphery of the chassis. In operation, the connector carrier is configured to rotate about a central axis to position a selected one of the electrical connectors in a first position adjacent an inspection area of the kiosk, then move toward the inspection area and move the selected electrical connector from the first position to a second position from which a user may connect a cell phone to the electrical connector.SELECTED DRAWING: None

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] (CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE) This application claims priority to and the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62 / 804,714, entitled “CONNECTOR CARRIER FOR ELECTRONIC DEVICE KIOSK,” filed February 12, 2019, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

[0002] (Technical field) TECHNICAL FIELD This disclosure relates generally to kiosks for buying and / or selling mobile phones and / or other electronic devices, and in particular to connector carriers for use with such kiosks. [Background technology]

[0003] (background) Today, there are more mobile phones in use than there are humans on the planet. The rapid growth of mobile phones is due in part to the rapid pace at which these devices evolve. Due to the rapid pace of development, a relatively high percentage of mobile phones are replaced each year as consumers continually upgrade to acquire the latest features or better operating plans. According to the US Environmental Protection Agency, the United States alone disposes of over 370 million mobile phones, PDAs, tablets, and other electronic devices each year. Millions of other outdated or broken mobile phones are simply tossed in junk drawers or otherwise stored until a suitable disposal solution arises.

[0004] Today, many mobile phone retailers and cell carrier stores offer trade-in or buy-back programs for mobile phones, but many old mobile phones still end up in landfills or are improperly disassembled and disposed of in developing countries. Unfortunately, mobile phones and similar devices typically contain materials that can be harmful to the environment, such as arsenic, lithium, cadmium, copper, lead, mercury, and zinc. If not properly disposed of, these toxic materials can leach into groundwater from decomposing landfills, contaminating the soil with potentially harmful consequences for humans and the environment.

[0005] As an alternative to retailer trade-in or buy-back programs, consumers may recycle and / or sell their used mobile phones using self-service kiosks located in malls, retail stores, or other publicly accessible areas. Such kiosks are operated by the assignee of the present application, ecoATM, LLC, and aspects of these kiosks are described, for example, in U.S. Patent Nos. 7,881,965, 8,195,511, 8,200,533, 8,239,262, 8,423,404, and 8,463,646; U.S. Provisional Patent Applications Nos. 62 / 169,072, 62 / 202,330, 62 / 332,736, 62 / 782,302, and 62 / 782,947; U.S. Patent Application Nos. 14 / 498,763, 14 / 500,739, 14 / 506,441, and 14 / 508,442. Nos. 14 / 568,051, 14 / 598,469, 14 / 660,768, 14 / 663,331, 14 / 873,145, 14 / 873,158, 14 / 925,357, 14 / 925,375, 14 / 934,134, 14 / 964,963, 14 / 967,183, 14 / 966,346, 15 / 057,707, 15 / 130,851, 15 / 176,975, and 16 / 719,699, each of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

[0006] Cell phone recycling kiosks typically provide users with connectors to connect to devices they wish to sell so that the kiosk can electrically evaluate the devices for identity, functionality, and the like. Because different makes and models of portable devices often require different connectors, the kiosk generally includes at least one of each type of commonly found connector, so that the kiosk can accommodate a wide range of commercially available devices. Each of the connectors is typically attached to an individual electrical cable that is carried on a rotating carousel or other type of carrier device. To use a connector, the user pulls the connector and cable off the carrier device and manually connects the connector to the user's device. As a result of repeated pulling and manipulation by the user, the cables tend to break or otherwise become damaged over time, requiring time-consuming replacement and leading to downtime for the kiosk. Thus, it may be advantageous to provide a connector carrying device for use with portable device recycling kiosks that is less susceptible to connector and / or cable damage from use, and thus requires less maintenance and has a longer service life than conventional connector carrying devices. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0007] [Patent Document 1] U.S. Pat. No. 7,881,965 [Patent Document 2] U.S. Pat. No. 8,195,511 Summary of the Invention [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] (Detailed Description) The following disclosure describes various embodiments of connector carriers for use with kiosks, such as consumer-operated kiosks for purchasing mobile phones and / or other handheld electronic devices from consumers and / or for selling mobile phones and / or other portable electronic devices to consumers. In some embodiments, a connector carrier configured in accordance with the present technology includes a rotating carousel that carries a number of different mobile phone connectors around its periphery. Unlike conventional connector carriers in which the connectors and associated cables are manually unplugged from the connector carrier for manual connection to a mobile phone, in the connector carrier of the present technology, the connectors remain stationary relative to the carrier and are not manually unplugged for connection to a mobile phone. Instead, as described in more detail below, the connector carrier of the present technology is movable as a unit to present the correct connector to a user so that the user can dock their mobile device to the connector. After electrical testing, the kiosk automatically disconnects the connector from the mobile device. As a result, the connectors and associated cables are not subject to repeated pulling and other rough handling that can lead to premature wear and tear. Thus, use of connector carriers constructed in accordance with the present technology can lead to longer connector / cable service life, reduced maintenance, and longer kiosk uptime. The present invention provides, for example, the following items. (Item 1) 1. A kiosk for purchasing a mobile phone from a user, the kiosk comprising: an inspection area configured to receive a mobile phone from a user; and a connector carrier, the connector carrier comprising: A chassis, a plurality of electrical connectors positioned around a periphery of the chassis, the connector carrier configured to rotate about a central axis to position a selected one of the electrical connectors at a first location adjacent the inspection area, the connector carrier further configured to move the selected electrical connector when the selected electrical connector is in the first location toward the inspection area to move the selected electrical connector from the first location to a second location where the selected electrical connector is positioned for connection to the mobile phone within the inspection area; Including, kiosks. (Item 2) 2. The kiosk of claim 1, wherein each of the electrical connectors is fixedly mounted to the chassis of the connector carrier. (Item 3) 2. The kiosk of claim 1, wherein moving the selected electrical connector from the first position to the second position includes moving at least a tip portion of the selected electrical connector into the inspection area. (Item 4) 2. The kiosk of claim 1, wherein movement of the connector carrier toward the inspection area includes movement of the connector carrier in a first direction, the connector carrier being further configured to move in a second direction opposite the first direction to move the selected electrical connector from the second position to the first position to automatically disconnect the selected electrical connector from the mobile phone. (Item 5) 2. The kiosk of claim 1, wherein the central axis is a first axis and movement of the connector carrier toward the inspection area includes rotation of the connector carrier about a second axis spaced from the first axis. (Item 6) 6. The kiosk of claim 5, wherein movement of the connector carrier toward the inspection area includes rotation of the connector carrier about the second axis in a first direction, the connector carrier being further configured to move the selected electrical connector from the second position to the first position by rotating about the second axis in a second direction opposite to the first direction to automatically disconnect the one electrical connector from the mobile phone. (Item 7) The central axis is a first axis, and the kiosk is a support frame configured to rotate about a second axis spaced from the first axis, the connector carrier is rotatably mounted to the support frame; movement of the connector carrier toward the inspection area includes rotation of the support frame about the second axis in a first direction; the support frame is further configured to rotate about the second axis in a second direction opposite to the first direction to move the selected electrical connector from the second position to the first position to automatically disconnect the one electrical connector from the mobile phone. Item 1. The kiosk of item 1, further comprising: (Item 8) The mobile phone includes a front surface, a back surface, and at least one side surface having a connector receptacle, and the kiosk includes: a support surface positioned within the inspection area and configured to contact at least one of the front or the back of the mobile phone; a shelf having an opening positioned adjacent to the support surface, the shelf configured to contact the at least one side of the mobile phone having the connector receptacle, the opening configured to receive at least a portion of the selected electrical connector when the selected electrical connector moves to the second position; 2. The kiosk of claim 1, further comprising: (Item 9) Item 9. The kiosk of item 8, wherein the support surface is inclined at an angle relative to a horizontal plane. (Item 10) Item 9. The kiosk of item 8, wherein the central axis extends perpendicular to the support surface. (Item 11) Item 9. The kiosk of item 8, further comprising a transparent plate positioned within the inspection area, the transparent plate including the support surface. (Item 12) Item 2. The kiosk of item 1, wherein the connector carrier has a cylindrical shape. (Item 13) 1. A connector carrier for use with a kiosk configured to purchase a mobile phone from a user, the connector carrier comprising: a support frame configured to be movably mounted proximate a phone screening area of ​​the kiosk; a carrier chassis rotatably supported by the support frame; a plurality of mobile phone electrical connectors fixedly positioned on and extending outwardly from the chassis, the chassis configured to rotate about a central axis within the support frame to selectively position the electrical connectors relative to the inspection area, and the support frame configured to move the chassis relative to the inspection area; A connector carrier comprising: (Item 14) Item 14. The connector carrier of item 13, wherein the support frame is configured to move the chassis through an arc relative to the inspection area. (Item 15) Item 15. The connector carrier of item 14, wherein the arc lies in a plane that is perpendicular to the central axis of the carousel chassis. (Item 16) Item 14. The connector carrier of item 13, wherein the support frame is configured to be pivotally mounted to a support structure of the kiosk at a pivot point spaced from the central axis of the chassis, and the support frame is further configured to rotate about the pivot point to move the chassis relative to the inspection area. (Item 17) Item 14. The connector carrier of item 13, wherein the inspection area of ​​the kiosk includes a transparent plate configured to support a mobile phone, and the chassis is configured to rotate about the central axis in a plane parallel to the transparent plate. (Item 18) 1. A method for presenting a selected one of a plurality of different electrical connectors to a user of a kiosk for connection to a mobile phone, the method comprising: rotating a connector carousel about a central axis, said connector carousel carrying said plurality of different electrical connectors about its periphery; stopping the rotating carousel when the selected electrical connector is positioned adjacent a cell phone inspection area of ​​the kiosk; presenting the selected electrical connector to the user for connection to the mobile phone by stopping rotation of the carousel and then moving the carousel towards the inspection area. A method comprising: (Item 19) 20. The method of claim 18, wherein moving the carousel towards the inspection area includes rotating the carousel about a pivot axis spaced from the central axis. (Item 20) 19. The method of claim 18, further comprising: after presenting the selected electrical connector to the user for connection to the mobile phone by moving the carousel towards the inspection area, automatically disconnecting the selected electrical connector from the mobile phone by moving the carousel away from the inspection area. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1-1] FIG. 1A is a front isometric view of an electronic device recycling kiosk configured in accordance with an embodiment of the present technology, and FIG. 1B is a front view of the kiosk with the front door and associated hardware omitted for purposes of better illustrating the kiosk's internal components and systems.

[0010] [Figure 1-2] FIG. 1C is an enlarged front isometric view of selected internal components and systems of the kiosk, and FIG. 1D is an even enlarged isometric view of a connector carrier and associated components of a kiosk configured in accordance with an embodiment of the present technology. [Figure 1-3] FIG. 1C is an enlarged front isometric view of selected internal components and systems of the kiosk, and FIG. 1D is an even enlarged isometric view of a connector carrier and associated components of a kiosk configured in accordance with an embodiment of the present technology.

[0011] [Figure 2A] FIG. 2A is an enlarged front isometric view of the connector carrier and associated components from FIG. 1D, FIG. 2B is a bottom front isometric view of the connector carrier and associated components, and FIG. 2C is a rear isometric view of the connector carrier and associated components. [Figure 2B] FIG. 2A is an enlarged front isometric view of the connector carrier and associated components from FIG. 1D, FIG. 2B is a bottom front isometric view of the connector carrier and associated components, and FIG. 2C is a rear isometric view of the connector carrier and associated components. [Figure 2C] FIG. 2A is an enlarged front isometric view of the connector carrier and associated components from FIG. 1D, FIG. 2B is a bottom front isometric view of the connector carrier and associated components, and FIG. 2C is a rear isometric view of the connector carrier and associated components.

[0012] [Figure 2D] FIG. 2D is a front view of the connector carrier with a selected connector in a first position, and FIG. 2E is a similar front view of the connector carrier with the selected connector in a second position for connection to a mobile phone. [Figure 2E] FIG. 2D is a front view of the connector carrier with a selected connector in a first position, and FIG. 2E is a similar front view of the connector carrier with the selected connector in a second position for connection to a mobile phone.

[0013] [Figure 3A] FIG. 3A is a front isometric view of the connector carrier of FIGS. 1D-2C, and FIG. 3B is an exploded front isometric view of a connector carrier configured in accordance with an embodiment of the present technology. [Figure 3B] FIG. 3A is a front isometric view of the connector carrier of FIGS. 1D-2C, and FIG. 3B is an exploded front isometric view of a connector carrier configured in accordance with an embodiment of the present technology. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0014] Specific details are set forth in the following description and in Figures 1A-3B to provide a thorough understanding of various embodiments of the present technology. In other examples, well-known structures, materials, operations and / or systems often associated with portable electronic devices, portable device recycling kiosks, and the like, are not shown and described in detail in the following disclosure to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the description of various embodiments of the present technology. However, those skilled in the art will recognize that the present technology can be practiced without one or more of the details set forth herein, or with other structures, methods, components, and the like.

[0015] The terminology used below should be interpreted in its broadest reasonable manner, even when it is used in conjunction with the detailed description of specific examples of embodiments of the present technology. Indeed, certain terms may be emphasized below, but any terminology intended to be interpreted in any limiting manner will be clearly and specifically identified as such in this detailed description section.

[0016] The accompanying figures depict embodiments of the present technology and are not intended to limit its scope. Sizes of various depicted elements are not necessarily drawn to scale, and these various elements may be arbitrarily enlarged to improve visibility. Details of components may be abstracted in the figures to exclude details such as the location of components and specific precise connections between such components when such details are not necessary for a complete understanding of how to make and use the present invention. Many of the details, dimensions, angles, and other features shown in the figures are merely illustrative of specific embodiments of the present disclosure. Thus, other embodiments may have other details, dimensions, angles, and features without departing from the spirit or scope of the present invention. In addition, those skilled in the art will appreciate that further embodiments of the present invention may be practiced without some of the details described below.

[0017] In the figures, identical reference numbers identify identical, or at least generally similar, elements. To facilitate discussion of any particular element, the most significant digit(s) of any reference number will refer to the figure in which the element is first introduced. For example, 1 10 is first introduced and discussed with reference to FIG.

[0018] FIG. 1A is a partial, schematic, front isometric view of a kiosk 100 configured in accordance with an embodiment of the present technology for purchasing electronic devices (e.g., mobile phones) from consumers. FIG. 1B is a front isometric view of the kiosk 100 with a front door 108 removed from a housing 106 to better illustrate selected internal components of the kiosk 100. With reference to both FIG. 1A and FIG. 1B, in some embodiments, the kiosk 100 may include a number of user interface devices to facilitate use of the kiosk 100. For example, in the illustrated embodiment, the kiosk 100 includes a display 104 (e.g., an LCD screen) that may provide textual and / or graphical information to a user to facilitate the phone purchase process. The display 104 may include touch screen capabilities to receive user input in response to displayed prompts, etc. Additionally, in some embodiments, the kiosk 100 may also include a keypad, an ID card reader, a thumbprint scanner, a cash dispenser, a receipt printer, and / or other user interface devices to facilitate the phone purchase process. The kiosk 100 further includes an access door 102 covering an interior device inspection area 112. As shown in FIG. 1B, the door 102 may be slidingly coupled to an inclined track 122 such that the door 102 may move upward to provide a user access to the inspection area 112. The kiosk 100 also includes a suitable processor 140 that controls the operation of the kiosk components and systems as described herein by computer readable instructions stored in a system memory. The processor 140 may be any logical processing unit, such as one or more CPUs, digital signal processors (DSPs), application specific integrated circuits (ASICs), etc. The processor 140 may be a single processing unit or multiple processing units within the kiosk, or may be distributed across multiple devices.

[0019] FIG. 1C is an enlarged, front isometric view of the kiosk 100 with the housing 106 removed to better illustrate selected internal components of the kiosk 100 relevant to device evaluation. FIG. 1D is a further enlarged isometric view of the kiosk portion shown in FIG. 1C with the cover 116 removed to expose the connector carrier 130, configured in accordance with an embodiment of the present technology. In both of these views, the access door 102 has been slid upward in a direction U on the track 122 to expose the inspection area 112. As shown in FIG. 1D, the connector carrier 130 may be rotatably mounted in an opening 143 in a support plate 145 located below the inspection area 112 and below the cover 116 (FIG. 1C). In the illustrated embodiment, the connector carrier 130 has the form of a cylindrical carousel (which may also be referred to as a cylindrical hub) having a plurality of mobile phone electrical connectors 132a-f radially arranged around the periphery of the chassis 136. The individual connectors 132a-f may be selected such that all or at least most of the commercially available mobile phones may be connected to the carrier 130. For example, in some embodiments, the connectors 132a-f may include Mini-USB, Micro-USB, Type-C and / or Lightning connectors.

[0020] In some embodiments, the process for selling a cell phone via kiosk 100 may be at least generally similar to one or more of the processes described in the patents and patent applications incorporated herein by reference. For example, referring together to FIGS. 1A-1D, a user wishing to sell a cell phone 120 (FIGS. 1C and 1D) may approach kiosk 100 and input various cell phone and / or personal information via one or more of the user interface devices described above. Such information may include, for example, phone identification information (e.g., make and / or model), user identification information (e.g., driver's license and / or thumbprint), etc.

[0021] Based on phone make and / or model information as provided by the user, the connector carrier 130 rotates in a clockwise direction CW and / or a counterclockwise direction CCW about a central axis 134 as shown in FIG. 1D to selectively position a corresponding one of the connectors 132a-f directly adjacent to an opening (not shown in FIG. 1D ) in the device shelf 118 (the shelf 118 may also be referred to as a border member, guide, wall, etc.). As described in more detail below, the connector carrier 130 then moves upward as a unit to insert the selected connector 132 through the opening, such that the selected connector 132 protrudes slightly above the shelf 118 and into the inspection area 112. The access door 102 then moves upward on the track 122 in a direction U to expose the transparent plate 114 in the inspection area 112. In the illustrated embodiment, the transparent plate 114 is perpendicular to the central axis 134 and is inclined to the horizontal plane at an angle of, for example, about 45 degrees to about 75 degrees, about 55 degrees to about 65 degrees, or about 60 degrees. In other embodiments, the transparent plate 114 may be positioned at other angles to the horizontal plane, or the transparent plate 114 may be parallel to the horizontal plane. After the door 102 is opened, the user docks or otherwise connects the mobile phone 120 to the connector 132 by positioning a connector port in the mobile phone 120 directly over the selected connector 132 and moving the phone 120 downward in direction D to insert the connector 132 into the port. With the electrical connection thus made and the phone 120 positioned face up on the transparent plate 114 as shown in FIG. 1D, the door 102 moves downward on the track 122 in direction D to the position shown in FIG. 1A and FIG. 1B, closing the inspection area 112 and initiating the phone evaluation process. In some embodiments, the structure and functionality of kiosk 100 may be at least generally similar to the kiosk structure and functionality described in U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62 / 807,153, entitled "KIOSK FOR EVALUATING AND PURCHASING USED ELECTRONIC DEVICES," filed February 18, 2019, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

[0022] In some embodiments, kiosk 100 and its various features may be at least generally similar in structure and function to the systems, methods and corresponding features described in the following patents and patent applications, each of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety: U.S. Patent Nos. 10,496,963, 10,475,002, 10,445,708, 10,438,174, 10,417,615, 10,401,411, 10,269,110, 10,157,427, 10,127,647, 10,055,798, 10,032,140, ​​9,911,102, 9,904,911, 9,885,672, 9,881,284, 9,818,160, 8,463,646 Nos. 8,423,404, 8,239,262, 8,200,533, 8,195,511, and 7,881,965, and U.S. patent application Ser. Nos. 12 / 573,089, 12 / 727,624, 13 / 113,497, 12 / 785,465, 13 / 017,560, 13 / 438,924, 13 / 753,539, 13 / 658,825, 13 / 733,984, 13 / 705,252, 13 / 487,299, 13 / 14, and 14 / 16. No. / 492,835, No. 13 / 562,292, No. 13 / 658,828, No. 13 / 693,032, No. 13 / 792,030, No. 13 / 794,814, No. 13 / 794,816, No. 13 / 862,395, No. 13 / 913 ,408, No. 14 / 498,763, No. 14 / 500,739, No. 14 / 873,158, No. 14 / 506,449, No. 14 / 925,357, No. 14 / 925,375, No. 14 / 934,134, No. 14 / 964,963 , No. 14 / 568,051, No. 14 / 966,346, No. 14 / 598,469, No. 14 / 660,768, No. 14 / 663,331, No. 15 / 057,707, No. 15 / 091,487, No. 15 / 214,791, No. 15 / 630,460, 15 / 641,145, 15 / 672,157, 15 / 855,320, 15 / 901,526, 15 / 977,729, 16 / 195,785, 16 / 357,041, 16 / 534,Nos. 16 / 741, 16 / 556,018, 16 / 556,104, 16 / 575,003, 16 / 575,090, 16 / 601,492, and 16 / 719,699, entitled "METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR VISUALLY EVALUATING ELECTRONIC DEVICES" and filed by the applicant on June 1, 2015, U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62 / 169,072 entitled "METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR INSPECTING MOBILE DEVICES AND OTHER CONSUMER ELECTRONIC DEVICES WITH ROBOTIC ACTUATION" and U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62 / 202,330 entitled "METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR DETECTING DAMAGE IN, U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62 / 332,736, entitled "EDGE REGIONS OF MOBILE ELECTRONIC DEVICES," filed by the applicant on May 6, 2016; U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62 / 782,302, entitled "SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR VENDING AND / OR PURCHASING MOBILE PHONES AND OTHER ELECTRONIC DEVICES," filed by the applicant on December 19, 2019; U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62 / 782,947, entitled "CONNECTOR CARRIER FOR ELECTRONIC DEVICES," filed by the applicant on December 20, 2019. No. 62 / 804,714, entitled "KIOSK FOR EVALUATING AND PURCHASING USED ELECTRONIC DEVICES", filed by the applicant on February 12, 2019; No. 62 / 807,153, entitled "KIOSK FOR EVALUATING AND PURCHASING USED ELECTRONIC DEVICES", filed by the applicant on February 18, 2019; No. 62 / 807,165, entitled "NEURAL NETWORK BASED PHYSICAL CONDITION EVALUATION OF ELECTRONIC DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED SYSTEMS AND METHODS", filed by the applicant on February 18, 2019; and No. 62 / 807,165, entitled "SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR VENDING AND / OR PURCHASING MOBILE PHONES AND OTHER ELECTRONIC No. 62 / 950,075, entitled "METHOD FOR USE IN HYBRID PHOTOVOLTAIC DEVICES" filed by the applicant on December 18, 2019. All patents and patent applications recited in the preceding sentence, as well as any other patents or patent applications identified herein, are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety.It should be understood that although connector carrier 130 and embodiments thereof are described herein in the context of kiosk 100, unless the context requires otherwise, connector carrier 130 is not limited to be used in such kiosks. Thus, it is envisioned that connector carrier 130 and various embodiments thereof may also be used in other types of kiosks and / or machines for cell phone valuation / recycling / purchasing / processing and / or other purposes.

[0023] FIG. 2A is an enlarged front isometric view of a connector carrier 130 and associated components configured in accordance with an embodiment of the present technology. FIG. 2B is a bottom front isometric view of the connector carrier 130 and associated components, and FIG. 2C is a rear isometric view of the connector carrier 130 and associated components. In FIG. 2A-FIG. 2C, the support plate 145 (FIG. 1D) has been omitted for clarity of illustration. Referring together to FIG. 2A-FIG. 2C, the connector carrier 130 is rotatably mounted to a support frame 240 (which may also be referred to as a yoke 240). The support frame 240 is pivotally mounted to a rear surface of the support plate 145 (FIG. 1D) by a pivot pin 244 at a first end of the frame 240. The opposite end of the frame 240 includes a slot 241 that slidably receives a guide pin 243. In the illustrated embodiment, the slot 241 is generally oriented along a horizontal axis. The guide pin 243 is attached to a distal end of an eccentric crank arm 242, which in turn has a proximal end fixedly attached to a rotating shaft 247 extending from an electric motor 248. The electric motor 248 may be mounted to the rear of the support plate 145 (FIG. 1D) by a suitable bracket. As shown in FIG. 2C, the connector carrier chassis 136 includes a plurality of teeth 256 around its periphery. The teeth 256 engage corresponding teeth on a pinion 254 (which may also be referred to as a spur gear 254), which in turn is attached to the drive shaft of the electric motor 252. The electric motor 252 is mounted to the rear of the support frame 240 by a suitable bracket.

[0024] 2B, in some embodiments, the kiosk 100 may identify the appropriate connector 132 for connecting to the phone 120 based on the make and / or model of the mobile phone 120 as indicated by the user (e.g., via the kiosk display 104 (FIG. 1A)). In operation, the electric motor 252 (e.g., under the control of the kiosk processor 140) is actuated to rotate the pinion 254, which, through engagement with the teeth 256, rotates the connector carrier 130 about the central axis 134 to position the appropriate connector 132 at the 12 o'clock position aligned directly adjacent to the opening 246 in the shelf 118. In some embodiments, the electric motor 252 may rotate the connector carrier 130 up to 180 degrees in either a clockwise direction CW or a counterclockwise direction CCW about the central axis 134 to position the selected connector 132 adjacent to the opening 246. In other embodiments, the electric motor 252 may rotate the connector carrier 130 more or less than 180 degrees in either direction about the central axis 134 (e.g., a full 360 degrees in either direction, etc.) for connector positioning. Before the connector carrier 130 rotates about the axis 134 in this manner, the crank arm 242 positions the guide pin 243 in the position shown in FIG. 2A (e.g., the 9 o'clock position) or in a lower position (e.g., a lower position between the 9 o'clock position and a tertiary position, such as the 6 o'clock position). Moving the guide pin 243 to a lower position in this manner rotates the support frame 240 about the axis 245 in a CW direction downward and away from the shelf 118. This allows the connectors 132a-f to rotate about the axis 134 without hitting the underside of the shelf 118 on either side of the opening 246.

[0025] 2D is a front view of connector carrier 130 with a selected connector (e.g., connector 132a) aligned with, but not extending through, opening 246 in shelf 118 (FIG. 2B), and FIG. 2E is a similar front view with connector 132a inserted through opening 246 for connection to cell phone 120. Referring together to FIGS. 2D and 2E, once the correct connector 132a is positioned directly adjacent to and generally aligned with opening 246 as shown in FIG. 2D (e.g., which may also be referred to as the "first connector position" or "staging position"), motor 252 stops rotation of connector carrier 130 and motor 248 rotates crank arm 242, e.g., in a clockwise direction CW, to position guide pin 243 (FIG. 2B) at or near the 12 o'clock position. Moving the guide pin 243 in this manner causes the connector support 240 to rotate counterclockwise CCW about the axis 245 of the pivot pin 244 (FIG. 2B), thereby moving the connector carrier 130 toward the inspection area 112 and inserting the selected connector 132a through the opening 246 so that at least a portion of the connector 132a (e.g., tip portion 232) protrudes above the shelf 118 and into the inspection area 112, as shown in FIG. 2E. As described above, when the selected connector 132a is in this position (e.g., which may also be referred to as the "second connector position" or the "engagement position"), a user may manually dock or otherwise connect the phone 120 to the connector carrier 130 by moving the mobile phone 120 downwardly on the transparent plate 114 to insert the selected connector 132a (e.g., tip portion 232 of the selected connector 132a) into a connector port 250 (FIG. 2B) of the mobile phone 120.

[0026] Once the mobile phone 120 is properly connected to the appropriate connector 132 in the manner described above, the access door 102 (FIGS. 1A and 1B) of the kiosk 100 slides downward on the track 122 to close the inspection area 112 to the user. The kiosk 100 may then perform electrical testing of the mobile phone 120 (e.g., for device identification (e.g., IMEI number, etc.), battery capacity, functionality, etc.) and / or visual analysis of the mobile phone 120 (e.g., for cracks in the display screen, cosmetic condition, etc.). In some embodiments, the electrical and / or visual testing performed by the kiosk 100 may be at least generally similar to the electrical and visual testing described in one or more of the patents and patent applications incorporated herein by reference. Once these tests are completed, the kiosk 100 may automatically activate the motor 248 to rotate the crank arm 242 and corresponding guide pin 243 downward from the 12 o'clock position. As the guide pin 243 moves downward in this manner, the guide pin 243 drives the carrier support frame 240 in a counterclockwise direction CW downward about the pivot pin 244, which in turn moves the connector carrier 130 downward and away from the inspection area 112. This movement of the connector carrier 130 pulls the selected connector 132 back through the opening 246, automatically disconnecting the connector 132 from the mobile phone 120. If the user approves the offered price and wishes to sell the phone to the kiosk 100, the transparent plate 114 rotates back downward, sliding the phone 120 out of the inspection area 112 and into a collection bin (not shown). Conversely, if the user declines to sell the phone at the offered price, the access door 102 (FIGS. 1A and 1B) moves upward on the guide track 122, allowing the user to reach into the inspection area 112 and retrieve the mobile phone 120.

[0027] In some embodiments, the kiosk 100 may periodically perform self-tests of the connectors 132a-f to ensure that all connectors are healthy and to identify unhealthy connectors that may require replacement. For example, as shown in FIG. 2A, in some embodiments, the kiosk 100 may include an electrical test port 138 (e.g., mounted to a front surface of the support plate 145 (FIG. 1D)). The test port 138 may be a female port or socket configured to receive one or more of the connectors 132a-f to electrically test the functionality of the connectors. For example, to perform a self-test of a selected connector 132, the motor 252 (FIG. 2C) rotates the carrier 130 about the central axis 134 as needed to position the selected connector 132 in radial alignment with the test port 138. The motor 248 then rotates the crank arm 242 and guide pin 243 downward toward the 6 o'clock position, thereby rotating the carrier support frame 240 downward in a CW direction about the pivot pin 244, which in turn drives the selected connector 132 into the test port 138. Once testing is complete, the motor 248 rotates the crank arm 242 and guide pin 243 upward, thereby rotating the carrier support frame 240 upward in a CCW direction about the pivot pin 244 to disconnect the selected connector 132 from the test port 138. If required, the kiosk 100 may include multiple test ports 138 as needed to accommodate different types of connectors 132. The test port(s) 138 may be connected to suitable kiosk software and / or electrical systems to test the individual connectors 132a-f for continuity, impedance, etc. to ensure proper function. If any of the connectors 132 are found to be functioning improperly, the kiosk 100 sends a corresponding text or other electronic message to service personnel to alert them of the defective connector so that the defective connector can be replaced immediately.

[0028] 3A is an enlarged front isometric view of the connector carrier 130, and FIG. 3B is an enlarged isometric view of the connector carrier 130 configured in accordance with an embodiment of the present technology. Referring to both FIG. 3A and FIG. 3B, in the illustrated embodiment, the connector carrier 130 includes a plurality of connector cable assemblies 378a-f positioned under a top cover 370. The cover 370 is releasably secured to the carrier chassis 136 by a plurality of fasteners 372 (e.g., screws) that extend through drilled ends of openings 374 in the cover 370. To remove the cover 370 and access the connector cable assemblies 378, a user loosens the fasteners 372 and rotates the cover 370 in a counterclockwise direction CCW to align the faster head with the larger sized end of the openings 374. The cover 370 can then be lifted off the chassis 136 with the fasteners 372 removed.

[0029] 3B, each of the connector cable assemblies 378a-f includes one of a mobile phone connector 132, a connector holder 360, an electrical cable 362, and a chassis connector 366 (e.g., a universal cable connector such as a USB connector). Each of the electrical cables 362 has a first end electrically connected to a corresponding one of the phone connectors 132 and a second end electrically connected to a corresponding one of the chassis connectors 366. To hold (e.g., fixedly hold) the phone connectors 132 in position relative to the chassis 136, each connector 132 is received within a corresponding connector holder 360, which in turn is held within a corresponding bracket 364 fixedly attached to an annular flange 373 of the chassis 136. The connector holder 360 may include asymmetric protrusions 361 a,b on either side thereof (such as the rectangular protrusions shown in FIG. 3B ) and / or other dimensional features to ensure that the holder 360 is positioned in the correct orientation (e.g., with the tips of the connectors 132 pointing radially outward) within the corresponding bracket 364. Each of the chassis connectors 366 is operably received within a corresponding connector socket 368 that is fixedly arranged on the carrier plate 370.

[0030] As noted above, some electronic device recycling kiosks include connectors and associated electrical cables that are configured to be detached by a user from the connector carrier and manually connected to a device the user wishes to sell. As a result, the electrical cables are subject to stress and strain from manual use, which may result in damage over time thereby requiring replacement and / or repair. In contrast, the connector carrier 130 does not rely on a user to grab a selected connector 132, manually pull the connector from the carrier, and connect the connector to their portable device. Conversely, referring to FIG. 2B, a user docks or otherwise connects a portable device 120 to a presented connector 132 by simply aligning the portable device connector port (e.g., connector port 250) with the connector 132 and sliding the portable device 120 downward to insert the connector into the connector port. Similarly, the portable device 120 can be automatically disconnected from the presented connector 132 by movement of the connector carrier 130 downward in a clockwise direction CW about the pivot pin 244, as shown in Figure 2A. As a result of these features, the connector 132 and associated electrical cable 362 (Figure 3B) described herein are not subject to manual use that can lead to damage and the need for frequent and laborious replacement or maintenance.

[0031] In addition to the aforementioned features, in some embodiments, the connector carrier 130 may include a plurality of visual indicators to assist service personnel in identifying broken or failed cable assemblies 378 that may require replacement. For example, as shown in FIG. 3B , in some embodiments, the connector carrier 130 may include a plurality of visual indicators 376a-f (e.g., light emitting diodes (LEDs)) positioned proximate corresponding ones of the connectors 132a-f on the flange 373 of the chassis 136. If it is determined that a particular cable assembly 378 requires replacement (e.g., as a result of a connector self-test as described above), an associated indicator 376 may be illuminated to inform service personnel as to which of the cable assemblies 378 should be replaced. In other embodiments, each of the cable assemblies 378 and / or selected portions thereof may have a unique color, and when service personnel receive an alert indicating that one of the cable assemblies 378 needs to be replaced, the alert identifies the color of the particular cable assembly 378, thereby allowing the service personnel to quickly identify the cable assembly 378 to be replaced during a service call. In further embodiments, other types of cable assembly indications may be used, such as those that identify each cable assembly 378 by having a selected number printed or otherwise provided adjacent each cable location.

[0032] Aspects of the present invention may be embodied in a special purpose computer or data processor that is specially programmed, configured, or constructed to perform one or more of the computer-executable instructions described in detail herein. While aspects of the present invention, such as certain functions, are described as being performed exclusively on a single device, the present invention may also be practiced in a distributed environment in which functions or modules are shared among separate processing devices linked through a communications network, such as a local area network (LAN), a wide area network (WAN), or the Internet. In a distributed computing environment, program modules may be located in both local and remote memory storage devices.

[0033] Aspects of the invention may be stored or distributed on tangible computer-readable media, including magnetically or optically readable computer disks, hardwired or programmed chips (e.g., EEPROM semiconductor chips), nanotechnology memories, biological memories, or other data storage media. Alternatively, computer-implemented instructions, data structures, screen displays, and other data in aspects of the invention may be distributed over time in signals transmitted in a transmission medium (e.g., electromagnetic wave(s), sound waves, etc.), over the Internet or other networks (including wireless networks), or the instructions etc. may be provided in any analog or digital network (packet-switched, circuit-switched, or other scheme). Although dedicated circuitry is described above, those skilled in the art will recognize that microprocessor-based systems may also be used, with any logical decisions being configured in software.

[0034] References throughout the foregoing description to features, advantages, or similar terms do not imply that all of the features and advantages that may be realized in the technology should or are in any one embodiment of the present invention. Rather, terms referring to features and advantages are understood to mean that the particular feature, advantage, or characteristic described in connection with an embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the technology. Thus, discussions of features and advantages and similar terms throughout this specification may, but do not necessarily, refer to the same embodiment.

[0035] Furthermore, the described features, advantages and characteristics of the technology can be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments.Those skilled in the art will recognize that the technology can be put into practice without one or more of the specific features or advantages of a particular embodiment.In other examples, it can be recognized that additional features or advantages in a particular embodiment may not be present in all embodiments of the technology.

[0036] Any patents and applications and other references noted above, including any that may be listed in accompanying application papers, are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety, except for any subject matter disclaimer or disclaimer, and except to the extent that the incorporated material is not inconsistent with the explicit disclosure herein, in which case the language of this disclosure will control. Aspects of the present invention can be modified, if necessary, to employ the systems, functions, and concepts of the various references described above to provide further practice of the present invention.

[0037] Unless the context clearly requires otherwise, throughout the description and claims, the words "comprise", "comprising" and the like are to be construed in an inclusive sense, i.e., "including, but not limited to," rather than in an exclusive or exhaustive sense. As used herein, the terms "connected", "coupled" or any variation thereof means any connection or coupling between two or more elements, either direct or indirect, and the coupling or coupling between the elements may be physical, logical, or a combination thereof. In addition, the words "herein", "above", "below" and words of similar import, when used in this application, refer to this application as a whole and not to any particular portions of this application. Where the context permits, words in the above detailed description using the singular may also include the plural, and words in the above detailed description using the plural may also include the singular. The word "or" referring to a list of two or more items covers any interpretation of the word: any of the items in the list, all of the items in the list, or any combination of the items in the list.

[0038] While the above description describes various embodiments of the invention and the best mode envisioned, regardless of how detailed the above text is, the invention can be put into practice in many ways. The details of the system may vary considerably in its particular implementation, but still be encompassed by the present disclosure. As noted above, specific terminology used when describing a particular feature or aspect of the invention should not be taken to imply that the terminology is redefined herein to be limited to any particular characteristic, feature, or aspect of the invention with which the terminology is associated. In general, the terms used in the following claims should not be construed to limit the invention to the specific examples disclosed herein, unless the detailed description section above explicitly defines such terms. Thus, in the claims, the actual scope of the invention encompasses not only the disclosed examples, but also all equivalent ways of practicing or carrying out the invention.

[0039] From the foregoing, it will be appreciated that, although specific embodiments of the invention have been described herein for purposes of illustration, various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the various embodiments of the invention. Moreover, although various advantages associated with specific embodiments of the invention have been described above in the context of those embodiments, other embodiments may also deploy such advantages, and it is not necessary for all embodiments to deploy such advantages in order to fall within the scope of the invention. Accordingly, the invention is not limited, except as by the appended claims.

[0040] Although certain aspects of the invention are presented below in particular claim forms, Applicant envisions the various aspects of the invention in any number of claim forms, and thus Applicant reserves the right to pursue additional claims after filing this application, in order to pursue such additional claim forms, either in this application or in a continuing application.

Claims

1. 1. A kiosk for recycling mobile phones, the kiosk comprising: a support surface configured to receive a mobile phone from a user; A support frame; a connector carrier mounted to the support frame; the connector carrier including a plurality of electrical connectors mounted thereto; the connector carrier is configured to move relative to the support surface to position a selected one of the electrical connectors at a first position adjacent the support surface; The support frame is configured to pivot about an axis to move the selected electrical connector from the first position toward a second position proximate the support surface.

2. The kiosk of claim 1 , wherein the support frame is configured to move the connector carrier toward the support surface, thereby moving the selected electrical connector toward the second position.

3. 2. The kiosk of claim 1, wherein the support frame is configured to move the selected electrical connector from the first position toward the second position by pivoting about the axis in a first direction, and the support frame is further configured to move the selected electrical connector from the second position toward the first position by pivoting about the axis in a second direction opposite the first direction.

4. The support frame includes a first end having an aperture and a second end having a slot, and the kiosk includes: a support plate, the first end of the support frame pivotally coupled to the support plate via a pin extending through the hole; a motor configured to move a drive element slidably received within the slot to pivot the support frame about the axis; The kiosk of claim 1 further comprising:

5. The kiosk of claim 1 , further comprising an electric motor configured to pivot the support frame about the axis.

6. The kiosk of claim 1 , wherein the connector carrier includes a chassis, the plurality of electrical connectors being mounted to a periphery of the chassis.

7. The kiosk of claim 6 , wherein the chassis is rotatably mounted to the support frame.

8. The kiosk of claim 1 , wherein the support surface is inclined at an angle relative to a horizontal plane.

9. The kiosk of claim 8 , wherein the angle is between approximately 45 and 75 degrees.

10. The kiosk of claim 1 , wherein the support surface comprises a transparent plate.

11. 1. A kiosk for recycling mobile phones, the kiosk comprising: a support frame pivotally coupled to a portion of the kiosk proximate an inspection area of ​​the kiosk; a connector carrier movably coupled to the support frame; the connector carrier including a plurality of electrical connectors mounted thereto; A kiosk, wherein (a) the connector carrier is configured to move relative to the inspection area to position a selected electrical connector adjacent to the inspection area, and (b) the support frame is configured to pivot about an axis to move the selected electrical connector toward the inspection area.

12. The support frame includes: a first end pivotally coupled to the portion of the kiosk; a second end having a slot configured to receive a drive element coupled to a motor for pivoting the support frame about the axis; and The kiosk of claim 11 , comprising:

13. The kiosk of claim 12 , wherein the slot is oriented along a horizontal axis extending between the first end and the second end.

14. The kiosk of claim 11 , wherein the connector carrier is configured to rotate in an arc relative to the inspection area when the support frame pivots about the axis.

15. 12. The kiosk of claim 11, wherein the connector carrier is rotatably mounted to the support frame, the connector carrier configured to rotate relative to the inspection area to position the selected electrical connector adjacent to the inspection area.

16. 12. The kiosk of claim 11, wherein the support frame is configured to pivot about the axis in a first direction to move the selected electrical connector toward the inspection area and to pivot about the axis in a second direction opposite the first direction to move the selected electrical connector away from the inspection area.

17. 1. A method for presenting a selected one of a plurality of different electrical connectors to a user of a kiosk for connection to a mobile phone, the method comprising: moving a connector carrier having a plurality of different electrical connectors relative to an inspection area holding the mobile phone such that the selected electrical connector is positioned adjacent to the inspection area; moving the selected electrical connector toward the inspection area by pivoting a support frame coupled to the connector carrier about an axis; A method comprising:

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein pivoting the support frame about the axis comprises rotating the support frame through an arc in a plane that is perpendicular to a central axis of the connector carrier.

19. 20. The method of claim 17, wherein the inspection area includes a support surface for receiving the mobile phone, the support surface being inclined relative to a horizontal plane at an angle between about 45 degrees and about 70 degrees.

20. 20. The method of claim 17, wherein the connector carrier is rotatably mounted to the support frame, and moving the connector carrier so that the selected electrical connector is positioned adjacent to the inspection area includes rotating the connector carrier relative to the inspection area.

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