Patent ID: 7417855

Claim:
An external expanding apparatus that is operable with a portable computer of a type having an input/output (I/O) connector positioned on a back plane thereof for interconnecting with a mating connector of the external expanding apparatus, the external expanding apparatus comprising: a substantially rigid apparatus body portion adapted for mounting to an external support structure, the apparatus body portion having a substantially rigid bearing plate formed with a substantially rectangular computer bearing surface on an outer face thereof with a connector presentation surface projected above the bearing surface and having an opening therein facing toward the computer bearing surface of the bearing plate, an expansion connector drive mechanism coupled to an inner face thereof opposite from the bearing surface and being moveable relative to the connector presentation surface, and a substantially rigid bottom plane formed opposite from the bearing plate with a peripheral device connector presentation surface adjacent thereto; engaging structure projected above the bearing surface at opposite corners thereof and being structured for matingly engaging the bottom surface of the casing of the portable computer; a computer expansion connector structured to mate with the I/O connector of the computer and being movably mounted on the expansion connector drive mechanism adjacent to the opening in the connector presentation surface for moving relative to the computer bearing surface of the bearing plate; a plurality of peripheral device connectors electrically coupled to the computer expansion connector and presented at the peripheral device connector presentation surface of the apparatus body portion adjacent to the bottom plane thereof, each of the peripheral device connectors being structured to receive a corresponding peripheral device connector; and an external wire harness support apparatus comprising a plurality of individual cable supports each projected from the bottom plane of the apparatus body portion proximate to a respective one of the peripheral device connectors, each of the individual cable supports comprising a substantially rigid body portion formed with an electrical interface cable attachment surface that is spaced away from the bottom plane and structured to securely receive a cable thereover, and a clearance tunnel extended thereunder and oriented substantially crosswise thereof.