Patent · US Expired

Sliding door for a dock port

US6068496A · kind A · utility

8Cited by
18References
4Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateMar 9, 1998
Grant dateMay 30, 2000
Priority date
Expiry dateMar 9, 2018

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH01R2201/06
  • WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A sliding door mechanism for a portable communication or data processing device is adapted for placement of the device on a docking port. The portable device has a component that is covered by the sliding door when the door is in a closed position. A single wire spring coupled with the door and the device has a spring force tending to keep the door closed. The door opens in response to placement of the device on the docking port rail. Upon placement of the device on the docking port rail, the docking port rail slides into guides on a door receptacle located on the housing of the device. The rails of the door in the closed position are slidably disposed in the door receptacle guides. The weight of the device causes the door receptacle guides to cover the docking port rail. As the door receptacle guides slide onto the docking port rail, the door rail is moved upwards into the device, the spring is compressed and the door opens. When the door is in the open position, the docking port connector is in contact with a device component so that the device can communicate through the docking port to other data processing and communication devices. Also, because of the weight of the device su…

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.