Modular Charging Dock With Cable Troughs for Multi-Device Access
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional charging docks are designed for a single electronic device and do not efficiently organize multiple devices, leading to tangled charging cables and difficulty in identifying the correct charging port.
Innovation Solution
A multi-device charging dock with a plurality of device holders aligned in an array, featuring flexible arms and a base with organized cable troughs and channels, allowing easy alignment and connection of multiple devices and cables.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a conventional charging dock is used for multiple devices, then the charging area remains organized, but cable tangling occurs and accessibility deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The charging dock is segmented into multiple independent holder units, each with its own cable management system. Each holder contains a cable compartment and cable guide structure, allowing cables to be organized individually for each device rather than all cables being tangled together. This segmentation enables independent access to each device-cable pair.
Solution Approach 2:
Cable guide structures and cable compartments act as intermediary elements between the charging ports and the external environment. These intermediaries channel and direct cables through designated paths, preventing tangling while maintaining organized connectivity between power sources and devices.
2Productivity
If multiple devices are charged simultaneously, then charging capacity increases, but identifying the correct charging port becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The charging dock divides multiple charging ports into separate, dedicated holder units. Each holder is visually distinct and contains a specific number of charging ports (e.g., one or two ports per holder), making it easy to identify and select the appropriate holder for each device without confusion among multiple ports.
Solution Approach 2:
Each holder unit has differentiated local characteristics, such as varying numbers of ports, different orientations, or distinct visual features. This local differentiation allows users to quickly identify the correct holder for their device type without having to search through or untangle cables first.
3Ease of operation
If devices are placed vertically for easy access, then placement and retrieval become effortless, but cable management becomes challenging
Solution Approach 1:
The cable compartment is nested within or adjacent to each holder unit, creating a compact integrated structure. Cables are stored in dedicated compartments that are part of the holder assembly, allowing vertical device placement while keeping cables organized in nested or adjacent spaces rather than external tangles.
Solution Approach 2:
Cable guide structures serve as intermediary elements that channel cables from the vertical device placement area down to the cable compartments. These guides maintain cable organization even when devices are positioned vertically for easy access.
Data Source
AI summary
A multi-device charging dock comprising two rails and a plurality of device holders removably coupled between the two rails. Each of the device holders comprises a base and two flexible arms. The base has a substantially longitudinal configuration with a top surface, a bottom surface, a front surface, a rear surface, and two side surfaces, and further comprises a cable trough and a vertical channel configured to receive a charging cable. The cable trough is concaved along a longitudinal direction parallel to the length of the base and comprises at least one first openings on one of the two side surfaces. The vertical channel is concaved along a vertical direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction and comprises a second opening on the top surface. The two arms extend upwards from the top surface of the base and configured to flex along the longitudinal direction to receive an electronic device.