Electronic device carrier

An electronic device carrier comprising a base and rolling devices. When an electronic device is removed from a receiving chamber of the base, the rolling devices can reduce friction effectively and resilient force of the rolling device can fix the electronic device in the receiving chamber. The electronic device carrier further includes a transmission unit for transmitting data whenever the electronic device is positioned in the receiving chamber.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This non-provisional application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119(a) on Patent Application No(s). 098143445 filed in Taiwan, R.O.C. on 17 Dec. 2009, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to electronic device carriers, and more particularly, to an electronic device carrier that can be removed without producing much fiction and can position the electron device at its location firmly.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

A conventional electronic device is usually placed on a carrier or usually requires a carrier, for recharging or data transmission purpose. In so doing, friction arises between the electronic device and the carrier while the electronic device is being removed from or placed on the carrier. Plenty of the conventional electronic devices are encapsulated with the protective rubber. In this regard, rubber is notorious known for its excessive friction, which not only prevents the conventional electronic device from being smoothly removed from or positioned in the carrier but also damages the edges of the electronic device or a corresponding portion of the carrier.

The prior art pertaining to reduction of aforesaid friction is disclosed in Taiwan Patent No. 571608, M264742, and 525864. Taiwan Patent No. 571608 discloses a wearproof base structure comprising an elastic structure that has a rubber pad provided on a supporting base such that when the electronic device comes into contact with the rubber pad, it will induce the rubber pad to undergo an elastic deformation after the electronic device is placed on the supporting base. The elasticity derived from deformation provides resistance to the electronic device. However, the wearproof base structure cannot reduce friction at all.

Taiwan Patent No. M264742 discloses a recharger structure, comprising a supporting platform provided thereon with a stop block for limiting the movement of a battery placed on the supporting platform and fixing the battery to the supporting platform. However, the recharger structure is not free from the excessive friction while being removed or positioned.

Taiwan Patent No. 525864 discloses a quick-assembly mobile phone recharger comprising clamping mechanisms that are designed at the sides of a casing of a mobile phone so as to clamp the mobile phone and precisely position the mobile phone in between the clamping mechanisms. However, great friction is generated between the mobile phone and the clamping mechanisms in the course of the removal or the positioning of the mobile phone.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an objective of the present invention to provide an electronic device carrier comprising a rolling element for rolling and thereby having point contact with an electronic device so as to efficiently reduce friction between the electronic device and a base of the electronic device carrier, so as to allow the electronic device to be smoothly removed or positioned, and it protects the electronic device and the base from damage.

Another objective of the present invention is to provide an electronic device carrier, wherein a resilient element of each of the rolling devices exerts a resilient force for driving the rolling element pivotally connected to the resilient element to tightly clamp the electronic device and position the electronic device to a receiving chamber of the electronic device carrier firmly.

Yet another objective of the present invention is to provide an electronic device carrier comprising a transmission unit whereby the data transmission between the transmission unit and the electronic device takes place.

The electronic device carrier of the present invention comprises a base and two rolling devices. The base is concavely provided with a receiving chamber. The base has two sidewalls located at two opposing ends of the receiving chamber respectively. Each of two sidewalls is concavely provided with a chamber opening facing toward the receiving chamber.

The two rolling devices each comprise a resilient element and a rolling element. The resilient element of each of the rolling devices is coupled to the base and is extended toward the chamber opening of a corresponding one of the sidewalls until the resilient element is provided with a pivotally connecting end. The resilient element of each of the rolling devices exerts a resilient force toward the receiving chamber. The rolling element of each of the rolling devices is pivotally connected to the pivotally connecting end, and is located in the chamber opening of each of the sidewalls, and each rolling element is protruded toward the receiving chamber.

When the electronic device is positioned in the receiving chamber of the base or removed from the receiving chamber of the base, the electronic device comes into contact with the rolling element of the rolling devices. Consequently, the rolling movement of the rolling element provides the point contact between the rolling element and the electronic device, thus the friction between the electronic device and the base is effectively reduced. As a result, the removal and positioning of the electronic device is smooth, and the electronic device or the base is protected from damage.

When the electronic device is positioned in the receiving chamber of the base, the resilient element of each of the rolling devices exerts a resilient force for driving the rolling element pivotally connected to the resilient element to tightly clamp the electronic device and fixing the electronic device to the receiving chamber.

In another embodiment of the present invention, the electronic device carrier comprises a base, two rolling devices, and a transmission unit. The base is concavely provided with a receiving chamber. The base has two sidewalls located at two opposing facing of the receiving chamber respectively. The sidewalls are each concavely provided with a chamber opening open to the receiving chamber.

The two rolling devices each comprise a resilient element and a rolling element. The resilient element of each of the rolling devices is coupled to the base and extends toward the chamber opening of a corresponding one of the sidewalls until the resilient element is provided with a pivotally connecting end. The resilient element of each of the rolling devices exerts a resilient force toward the receiving chamber. The rolling element of each of the rolling devices is pivotally connected to the pivotally connecting end, received in the chamber opening of each of the sidewalls, and protruding toward the receiving chamber.

The transmission unit comprises a control panel and an electrical connector electrically connected to the control panel. The control panel is internally coupled to the base. The electrical connector is coupled to the base and exposed to the receiving chamber.

Accordingly, in addition to the aforesaid effects, the electronic device carrier enables data transmission between the transmission unit and the electronic device when the electronic device is positioned in the receiving chamber of the base.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

Referring toFIG. 1throughFIG. 9, in an embodiment of the present invention, an electronic device carrier is configured to carry an electronic device4having two opposing sides. The electronic device carrier comprises a base1and two rolling devices2. The base1has a receiving chamber11for receiving the electronic device4. The two rolling devices2are provided at two sidewalls12of the two ends of the receiving chamber11respectively, and are utilized for rotational contact with the sides of the electronic device4. The base1is concavely provided with the receiving chamber11and has two sidewalls12positioned at the two opposing ends of the receiving chamber11, respectively. Each of two said sidewalls12is concavely provided with a chamber opening121facing to the receiving chamber11. Each of two rolling devices2comprises a resilient element21and a rolling element22. The resilient element21of each of the rolling devices2is coupled to the base1and is extended toward the chamber opening121of the corresponding sidewall12until the resilient element21is provided with a pivotally connecting end211. The resilient element21exerts a resilient force toward the receiving chamber11. Each of the rolling element22of the rolling devices2is pivotally connected to the pivotally connecting end211, and is received in the chamber opening121of each of the sidewalls12, and is protruded toward the receiving chamber11.

In another embodiment of the present invention, the electronic device carrier is configured to carry the electronic device4having the two opposing sides. The electronic device carrier comprises the base1, the two rolling devices2, and a transmission unit3. The base1has the receiving chamber11for receiving the electronic device4. The two rolling devices2are provided at the two sidewalls12of the receiving chamber11respectively for rotational contact with the sides of the electronic device4. The transmission unit3comprises a control panel31and an electrical connector32. The electrical connector32is electrically connected to the control panel31. The control panel31is internally coupled to the base1. The electrical connector32is coupled to the base1and exposed to the receiving chamber11. The base1is concavely provided with the receiving chamber11and has two said sidewalls12positioned at the two opposing ends of the receiving chamber11, respectively. Each of the sidewalls12is concavely provided with the chamber opening121facing to the receiving chamber11. Each of the two rolling devices2comprises the resilient element21and the rolling element22. Each of the resilient element21of the rolling devices2is coupled to the base1and extended toward the chamber opening121of the corresponding sidewall12until the resilient element21is provided with the pivotally connecting end211. The resilient element21exerts a resilient force toward the receiving chamber11. The rolling element22of each of the rolling devices2is pivotally connected to the pivotally connecting end211, received in the chamber opening121of each of the sidewalls12, and protruding toward the receiving chamber11. The transmission unit3comprises the control panel31and the electrical connector32electrically connected to the control panel31. The control panel31is internally coupled to the base1. The electrical connector32is coupled to the base1and exposed to the receiving chamber11.

As disclosed in the present invention, no limitation is imposed upon the direction in which the receiving chamber11of the base1is open to the outside. In practices, the direction is upward, leftward, or rightward. Where the receiving chamber of the base is open upward, the two sidewalls12stand erect on the left and the right of (or in front of and behind) the receiving chamber11respectively. Where the receiving chamber of the base is open leftward or rightward, the two sidewalls12lie above and below the receiving chamber11, respectively.

The resilient element21and the rolling element22of the rolling devices2come in different forms. For instance, the resilient element21can be a flexible rod, a spring, a leaf spring, or any element that manifests resilience. The rolling element22can be a roller, a ball, or a cylinder and can have a round cross-section or arc-shaped cross-section.

Various embodiments of the present invention are described in detail hereunder.

Referring toFIG. 1, there is shown a schematic view of an embodiment of an electronic device carrier according to the present invention. As shown in the drawing, the base1is concavely provided with the receiving chamber11open upward, and the electronic device4can be removed from or positioned in the receiving chamber11in the directions indicated by arrows shown inFIG. 1.

Two sidewalls12stand erect on the left and the right of the receiving chamber11of the base1respectively. Each of the sidewalls12is concavely provided with the chamber opening121facing to the receiving chamber11.

Referring toFIG. 1, each of two rolling devices2comprises the resilient element21and the rolling element22. In this embodiment, the resilient element21is a flexible rod, and the rolling element22is a roller with a round cross-section.

Each of the resilient element21of the rolling devices2is coupled to the base1and extended toward the chamber opening121of the corresponding sidewall12until the resilient element21is provided with the pivotally connecting end211. The two resilient elements21exert a resilient force toward the receiving chamber11(in the directions indicated by the arrows shown). Each of the rolling element22of the rolling devices2is pivotally connected to the pivotally connecting end211of the resilient element21, and is received in the chamber opening121of each sidewall12, and is protruded toward the receiving chamber11.

Referring toFIG. 2, when the electronic device4is positioned in the receiving chamber11of the base1(or is removed from the receiving chamber11), (protective rubber41of) the electronic device4comes into contact with the rolling element22of the rolling devices2, and the rolling element22rolls to provide point contact between the rolling element22and (the protective rubber41of) the electronic device4, and in consequence, the friction between the electronic device4and the base1is effectively reduced. As a result, the removal and positioning of the electronic device4is smoothly operated, and the electronic device4or the base1is protected from any damage.

Referring toFIG. 2, when the electronic device4is positioned in the receiving chamber11of the base1, each of the resilient elements21of the rolling devices2exerts a resilient force for driving the rolling element22pivotally connected to the resilient element21to tightly clamp the electronic device4, and fix the electronic device4to the receiving chamber11, and thereby prevent the displacement of the electronic device4.

Referring toFIG. 3andFIG. 4, there are shown schematic views of another embodiment of the electronic device carrier according to the present invention. The main structure is the same as the embodiments described above. As shown in the drawing, this embodiment differs from the preceding embodiment in that, in this embodiment, the resilient element21is replaced by a spring but it still achieves the same effects as in the preceding embodiment.

Referring toFIG. 5andFIG. 6, there are shown schematic views of yet another embodiment of the electronic device carrier according to the present invention. The main structure is the same as the embodiments described above. As shown in the drawing, this embodiment differs from the preceding embodiments in that, in this embodiment, the resilient element21is replaced by a leaf spring but it still achieves the same effects as in the preceding embodiments.

Referring toFIG. 7, there is shown a schematic view of a further embodiment of the electronic device carrier according to the present invention. The main structure is the same as the embodiments described above. As shown in the drawing, this embodiment differs from the preceding embodiments in that, in this embodiment, the rolling element22is a roller with an arc-shaped cross-section whereby the size of the roller can be adjusted according to the stroke (depth) of the removal and positioning (plugging and unplugging) of the electronic device4in the receiving chamber11with a view to saving materials.

Referring toFIG. 8andFIG. 9, there are shown schematic views of a further embodiment of the electronic device carrier according to the present invention. As shown in the drawing, the electronic device carrier comprises the base1, the two rolling devices2, and the transmission unit3. This embodiment is structurally the same as the preceding embodiments in terms of the base1and the two rolling devices2. In this embodiment, the transmission unit3comprises the control panel31and the electrical connector32electrically connected to the control panel31. The control panel31is internally coupled to the base1. The electrical connector32is coupled to the base1and exposed to the receiving chamber11

The electronic device4is connected to the electrical connector32for the purpose of data transmission as soon as the electronic device4is positioned in the receiving chamber11of the base1.

In the embodiment illustrated withFIG. 8andFIG. 9, the transmission unit3further comprises an electrical slot33and an indicator34, wherein the electrical slot33and the indicator34are electrically connected to the control panel31. Hence, with the indicator34, it is feasible to determine whether the base1is operating. The electrical slot33functions as an expansion slot, such as a slot for a memory card. The quantity of the electrical slots33and the indicators34is subject to changes as needed.

The base1can be provided with a built-in battery (not shown) or can be connected to an external power supply (not shown) so as to be supplied with electric power. The electronic device4can be positioned in the receiving chamber11and connected to the electrical connector32so as to be recharged.

As revealed by the above description, persons skilled in the art can readily understand that the present invention can also be implemented by other embodiments, and thus the above embodiments serve an illustrative purpose only. The spirit and the disclosure of the present invention shall be defined by the scope of the present invention as set forth in the appended claims hereunder.