Rotatable Docking Station With Cable Hold-Release for Stable Connections
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing solutions for mounting electronic devices in conference settings often disrupt meetings by requiring users to switch seats or physically move devices, and they fail to manage cables effectively, leading to disconnections.
Innovation Solution
A rotatable docking station with a swivel mount assembly and integrated cable retractors that allow for seamless device rotation and cable management, minimizing disruption and preventing cable disconnection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the electronic device is physically moved along the table top from one user to another, then user accessibility is improved, but cable disconnection risk increases and meeting disruption worsens
Solution Approach 1:
The system separates the electronic device from its cable connections by introducing a docking station as an intermediary. The device connects to the docking station via a short cable, while the docking station manages the main power and data cables. This segmentation allows the device to be moved or rotated without affecting the main cable connections, resolving the contradiction between ease of operation and connection reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The docking station serves as an intermediary between the electronic device and the table surface. It provides a stable mounting point with integrated cable management, allowing the device to be accessed by multiple users through rotation while the docking station remains stationary and maintains secure cable connections throughout the movement.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the electronic device is rotated to allow multiple users to access it, then user accessibility is improved, but cable management complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The docking station combines multiple functions into a single unit: it provides structural support for the electronic device, integrates cable routing channels, incorporates cable retention mechanisms, and enables rotational movement. By merging these functions, the system achieves multi-user accessibility without proportionally increasing overall complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The docking station is designed as a universal platform that can accommodate different electronic devices while providing standardized cable management and rotational capability. This multi-functionality allows the same structure to serve multiple purposes: mounting, cable management, and enabling user rotation, thereby managing complexity efficiently.
3Adaptability or versatility
If cables are made extendable for additional device connections, then connectivity versatility is improved, but cable organization and neatness worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The system employs dynamic cable management through retractable cables with spring mechanisms. The cables can extend when needed to connect additional devices and automatically retract when not in use, maintaining a neat and organized appearance. This dynamic capability provides connectivity versatility without permanently compromising cable organization.
Data Source
AI summary
A swivel mount assembly for rotational mounting of an electronic device to a mounting structure includes a rotatable body inserted, in part, into an opening in the mounting structure and rotatable about an axis extending through the mounting structure opening. A plate part above the mounting structure has an opening that opens into the mounting structure opening. A sidewall is joined at one end to the plate part and has a side aperture formed therein. A roller is disposed in the opening in the plate part and directs a cable extending through the opening in the mounting structure to further pass through the side aperture. A hold/release mechanism, disposed above the plate part, holds the cable and prevents its movement when the hold/release mechanism is in a first setting, and releases the cable and permits its movement when the hold/release mechanism is in a second setting.