Abstract:
An alignment tray for facilitating the docking of a computer to a docking device in which a tray member is adapted to receive the computer and guide the computer into a docking engagement with the docking device. The tray member is pivotal between an extended position in which it receives the computer and a folded position for storage or travel. A second tray member is provided which can either be connected to, or formed integrally with, the first-mentioned tray member and may be pivotally connected to the first-mentioned tray member so that the latter member pivots relative to the additional tray member and the docking device to and from its folded position.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present disclosure relates to an alignment tray for a portable computer, and, more particularly, to a portable alignment tray for facilitating the docking of a portable computer to a docking device. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Portable computers, such as notebook computers, laptop computers, and other similar types of computers, are becoming more and more popular due to their ability to be used in non-office environments. Docking devices, such as docking stations, port replicators, etc., have been designed to enable the portable computer to be easily interfaced with certain peripheral equipment, such as, monitors, printers, modems, etc., so that the portable computer can quickly be adapted for office use, yet can be quickly undocked for use in a non-office environment. 
     Alignment stands, or trays, are often provided to facilitate the docking of the portable computer to the docking device. Typical alignment trays are designed to rest on a table top or desk top and are provided with slots, rails, flanges, posts, etc. which cooperate with corresponding structure on the docking device and the portable computer to align the docking device in a fixed, precise location on the tray, and to guide the movement of the computer towards the docking device during the docking process. This permits corresponding connectors on the computer and the docking device to engage and electrically connect the computer to the docking device and therefore to the peripheral equipment. 
     However, the alignment trays of the above type are relatively large and heavy and thus do not lend themselves to portable use. Therefore, when a portable computer is used in a remote environment it is usually removed from the docking device and taken to the remote environment. Therefore when it is desired to dock the portable computer to a docking device in the remote environment, it is usually done so without a tray. This makes it difficult to align the computer with the docking device during the docking process and often results in misalignment of, and damage to, their respective connectors. 
     Therefore, what is needed is an alignment tray for a portable computer which is relatively small in size, light in weight and lends itself to portable use. 
     SUMMARY 
     Accordingly, the present disclosure is directed to an alignment tray for facilitating the docking of a portable computer to a docking device. The tray includes a tray member adapted to receive the computer and guide the computer into a docking engagement with the docking device. The tray member is pivotal between an extended position in which it receives the computer and a folded position. 
     A second tray member is provided which can either be connected to, or formed integrally with, the first-mentioned tray member and is pivotally connected to the first-mentioned tray member so that the latter member pivots relative to the additional tray member and the docking device to and from its folded position. 
     Several advantages result from the alignment tray of the present disclosure. For example, it is small in size and light in weight and lends itself to portable use. It also can be folded to reduce its size for travel, storage, or the like, and can easily be interfaced with a non-portable alignment tray commonly used in an office environment. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is an exploded, isometric view of the portable alignment tray of the present disclosure along with a docking device and a portable computer. 
     FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1 but showing the portable computer and the docking device of FIG. 1 in a docked relationship. 
     FIG. 3 is an enlarged side elevational view showing the tray and the docking device of FIGS. 1 and 2. 
     FIG. 4 is an exploded, isometric view depicting the tray and the docking device of FIG. 1 with a standard docking tray. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring to FIG. 1 of the drawings, the reference numeral  10  refers in general to a docking device, which may be in the form of a docking station, a port replicator, or any similar device. The docking device  10  is adapted to receive a portable computer  12 , which can be in the form of a laptop computer, a notebook computer, or the like. To this end, a connector  14  is provided on a front face of the docking device  10  which is adapted to engage a corresponding connector (not shown) on an adjacent rear face of the portable computer  12  to mechanically and electrically connect the computer to the docking device. One or more connectors  16  are also provided on a side face of the docking device  10 , and it is understood that the rear face of the docking device is provided with similar connectors, which, along with the connectors  16 , are adapted for connection, via standard cables, to peripheral equipment, such as, monitors, printers, modems, etc. This enables the portable computer  12  to be easily interfaced with the latter equipment via the docking device  10  so that the computer can quickly be adapted for office use, yet can easily be disconnected for portable use. Because all of these connectors, including the connectors  14  and  16 , are conventional they will not be described in detail. 
     The alignment tray of the present disclosure is shown in general by the reference numeral  20  and includes a tray member  22  adapted to receive the docking device  10  and align it in a fixed, precise location on the tray member  22  in a manner to be described. An additional tray member  24  is also provided that is connected to the tray member  22  in a manner to be described and is adapted to guide the portable computer  12  into a position in which the above-mentioned connector on the rear face of the computer engages the connector  14  on the docking device  10 . 
     The tray member  22  includes a base member  26  having a length and a width approximately corresponding to the length and width of the docking device  10 . Two spaced alignment posts  28  and  29  project upwardly from the base member  26  near a front end thereof and are adapted to be engaged by a front end of the docking device  10  in a manner to be described to locate the device longitudinally relative to the base member. A third post  30  projects upwardly from the base member  26  near a rear end thereof and extends into a corresponding bore formed in a bottom surface of the docking device  10 . 
     A pair of spaced slots  32   a  and  32   b  are provided through the base member  26  near the respective sides thereof for receiving feet (not shown) on the bottom surface of the docking device  10 . The slots  32   a  and  32   b  are elongated in order to accommodate feet at different locations on the docking device  10 . A pair of slots  34   a  and  34   b  are also provided through the base member  26  for enabling indicia on the bottom surface of the docking device  10 , such as service tags, regulatory labels, etc. to be viewed through the base member  26 . An opening  36  also extends through the base member  26  for receiving a bolt  37 , the shaft of which passes through the opening and into a threaded bore on the bottom surface of the docking device  10  to fasten the docking device to the tray member  22 . 
     The tray member  24  includes a base member  40  and a pair of spaced, longitudinally-extending rails  42   a  and  42   b  projecting upwardly from the base member  40 . The rails  42   a  and  42   b  are adapted to be engaged in channels (not shown) provided on the lower surface of the portable computer  12  to locate and guide the computer with respect to the tray member  24 , and therefore the tray member  22  and the docking device  10 . 
     Assuming that the docking device  10  and the portable computer  12  are to be used in an environment other than a normal office environment, the tray  20  is placed on a flat surface as shown in FIG. 1, and the docking device  10  is lowered from the position shown until it engages the tray member  22 , and is guided and retained relative to the tray member as discussed above. It is understood that the docking device  10  would be connected to a monitor, a keyboard, a modem and/or other peripheral equipment by proper cabling (not shown). 
     The portable computer  12  is then advanced towards the tray member  24  as shown by the arrow in FIG. 1 until the rails  42   a  and  42   b  extend in the channels provided on the bottom of the computer  12 . The computer  12  is then advanced further towards its docked position shown in FIG. 2 in which the leading face of the computer engages the front face of the docking device  10  and the connector of the computer engages the connector  14  of the docking device. In this position, the computer  12  is also connected to the above-mentioned monitor, keyboard, modem, etc, through the docking device  10  to permit the computer to be used with this equipment. 
     The specific manner in which the docking station  10  is retained to the tray member  22  is better shown in FIG.  3 . More particularly, a lip  28   a  is provided on the post  28  which extends in a corresponding opening in the front face of the docking device  10 . Although not shown in the drawing, it is understood that a corresponding lip is provided on the post  29  which extends in an opening in the front face of the docking device  10 . FIG. 3 also depicts the above-mentioned post  30  extending in the bore formed in the bottom of the docking device  10  and the bolt  37  extending through the opening  36  and into the threaded bore provided in the bottom of the docking device. 
     The alignment tray  20  is adapted to be pivoted from its operative position shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 and by the solid lines in FIG. 3 to a folded position shown in FIG. 4 in which it extends underneath the tray member  22 . To this end, a hinge  44  is provided that connects the tray member  22  to the tray member  24  to permit the pivotal movement of the member  24  relative to the member  22  in the direction of the arrow in FIG. 3, with an intermediate position of the member  24  being shown by the phantom lines. The hinge  44  is of a type that permits the member  24  to pivot relative to the member  22  until it reaches a folded, substantially horizontal, position shown in FIG.  4 . Because the hinge  44  is conventional, it will not be described in detail. It is understood that detents, or the like (not shown) are provided to retain the member  24  in its extended, open position and in its folded position. 
     The alignment tray  20  can be pivoted to its folded position in the above manner without the docking device  10  mounted thereon for travel, storage, or the like. In the event it is desired to use the portable computer  12  in a remote location, the tray  20  can be folded with the docking device  10  mounted thereon for use with an alignment tray  50  as shown in FIG.  4 . The tray  50  is provided for use in an office environment and is standard except for the fact that it is specially adapted to receive the alignment tray  20  with the docking device  10  mounted thereon. To this end, a rectangular opening  50   a  is provided in the tray  50  which has a length and a width slightly greater than the length and width, respectively, of the folded alignment tray  20 . Also, the tray  50  includes a pair of guide rails  52   a  and  52   b  which are identical to the guide rails  42   a  and  42   b  to guide the computer  12  into a docked position with the docking device  10 . The tray  50  is otherwise of a standard design and, as such, is larger and heavier than the tray  20 . 
     Therefore, if it is desired to utilize the computer  12  and the docking device  10  with the alignment tray  50  in a standard office environment, the folded tray  20 , with the docking device  10  mounted thereon, can simply be inserted in the opening  50   a  of the tray  50  in the manner shown in FIG.  4 . The computer  12  can then be docked to the docking device  10  by advancing the computer relative to the tray  50  and the docking device  10  so that the rails  52   a  and  52   b  extend in the above-mentioned channels in the bottom of the computer and therefore guide the computer into a docked position relative to the docking device in the manner described above. To this end, the design is such that the height, or thickness, of the folded tray  20  is such that it locates the connector  14  of the docking device  10  relative to the corresponding connector on the computer  12  so that the computer can be docked to the docking device in the manner described above. 
     Several advantages result from the alignment tray of the present disclosure. For example, it is small in size and light in weight and lends itself to portable use. It also can be folded to reduce its size for travel, storage, or the like, and can easily be interfaced with a non-portable alignment tray commonly used in an office environment. 
     It is understood that variations may be made in the foregoing without departing from the scope of the embodiments. For example, the docking device  10  can be formed integrally with the tray member  22 . This embodiment would retain all of the advantages set forth above yet reduce costs due to the reduced number of parts. Also, the number of guide rails, posts and bolts can be varied within the scope of the embodiments. Further, the manner in which the computer  12  is guided by the tray member  24  can also be varied. 
     It is also understood that the disclosure described above is intended to illustrate rather than limit the present disclosure, and that it can take many other forms and embodiments within the scope of the disclosure as defined by the attached claims.