Dock Tray With Foldable Cap For Multi-Posture IHS Charging
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Solution Overview
Problem
Mobile Information Handling Systems (IHS) devices lack versatility in display postures and struggle to provide a larger display area with reduced size and weight, limiting their usability in various forms and applications.
Innovation Solution
A charger stand with a dock that includes a body, a tray for supporting the IHS in an inclined position, and a cap that folds onto the body to increase the leaning surface area, along with a power supply for powering or charging the IHS, allowing for versatile use in multiple display postures.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Weight of moving object
If mobile IHS devices are made smaller and lighter to improve portability, then portability is improved, but display area is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The dock transforms the 2D display area limitation into a 3D spatial solution by creating an inclined leaning surface that extends vertically and horizontally. The cap folds onto the body to increase the leaning surface area, allowing the display to occupy more spatial volume rather than being constrained to a flat surface, thereby providing larger display area while maintaining compact device dimensions.
Solution Approach 2:
The dock incorporates movable components including a spring-loaded tray that can extend and retract, and a cap that folds onto the body. These dynamic elements allow the display support structure to adapt its size and shape based on usage requirements, providing larger display area when needed while maintaining a compact form factor when the dock is closed or not in use.
2Adaptability or versatility
If mobile IHS devices are made more versatile to support multiple display postures, then adaptability is improved, but device complexity is increased
Solution Approach 1:
The dock is divided into distinct functional segments: a body housing the power supply, a spring-loaded tray for supporting the IHS, and a foldable cap for increasing leaning surface area. Each segment performs a specific function and can be independently configured, allowing the system to achieve multiple display postures through simple combinations of these segmented components rather than requiring a complex integrated mechanism.
Solution Approach 2:
The dock acts as an intermediary device between the IHS and the user/environment. Rather than making the IHS itself complex to achieve multiple postures, the dock provides the complexity in a separate supporting structure. The spring-loaded tray and foldable cap serve as intermediary elements that enable posture versatility while keeping the IHS device itself simple and unchanged.
3Reliability
If the dock is designed to hold the tray securely in closed position, then reliability is improved, but ease of operation is worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The latch mechanism is designed to automatically engage and disengage based on the relative positions of the cap and body. When the cap is closed against the body, the latch automatically secures the tray in place without requiring manual intervention. Conversely, when the cap is opened, the latch automatically releases, allowing the spring-loaded tray to extend. This self-service mechanism maintains reliable securing while simplifying operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The latch mechanism provides mechanical feedback that indicates whether the dock is properly closed and secured. The leaf spring coupled to the latch provides resistance that gives the user tactile feedback about the closure state. This feedback mechanism ensures reliable operation by confirming proper engagement while maintaining ease of use through intuitive mechanical response.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The charger stand enhances usability by providing a larger display area with reduced size and weight, supporting multiple display postures, and enabling efficient power management for IHS devices, thus addressing the limitations of existing mobile IHS devices.
Implementation Method 1
The tray is also coupled to the body via a pair of spring-loaded stoppers configured to slide within rails disposed on the internal surface of the body
Implementation Method 2
The tray is insertable into the body against a tray spring configured to push the tray outward
Implementation Method 3
The latch may be coupled to a leaf spring configured to maintain the cap closed against the body, while resisting action of the tray spring upon the tray when the dock is a closed position
Data Source
AI summary
A charger stand or dock for multi-form factor Information Handling Systems (IHSs) is described. In some embodiments, a dock may include: a body; a tray insertable into the body, where the tray provides a leaning surface configured to support a display of an IHS in an inclined position; and a cap coupled to the body, where when the dock is open, the cap folds onto the body and increases the leaning surface.