International Business Machines Corporation

Luis Ernesto Elizalde Rodarte

Ronald A Smith

Kevin Laverne Schultz

John Peter Karidis

Susan Sommers Moffatt

Travis C Baldwin

A portable electrical device requiring periodic recharging mates with a corresponding charging device by dropping or placing the portable device on or in the charger without pre-alignment by the user. The charger-to-device interface self aligns the portable electrical device in the charger for charging. Preferably, the charger is a bowl-shaped cradle. The portable device sinks to the bottom of the bowl using the force of gravity and thus aligns the contacts for recharging. Optional magnets may provide additional force to guide alignment.

Charging a portable electrical device

A portable electrical device requiring periodic recharging mates with a corresponding charging device by dropping or placing the portable device on or in the charger without pre-alignment by the user. The charger-to-device interface self aligns the portable electrical device in the charger for charging. Preferably, the charger is a bowl-shaped cradle, and the mating surfaces as well as the contacts are symmetrical about a vertical axis. The portable device sinks to the bottom of the bowl using the force of gravity and thus aligns the contacts for recharging. Optional magnets may provide additional force to guide alignment.

Method and apparatus for charging a portable electrical device

A carrier for a portable device having a shoulder strap having a padded region and a cord region. The padded region is adapted to rest on a superior portion of a person's shoulder. A shoulder strap catch is adapted to be coupled at an end thereof to a portable device; and the shoulder strap catch defines an opening through which the cord region of the shoulder strap is slidably retained. The portable device may be moved from a carry to a use position, along the shoulder strap, without dislodging the padded region. In addition or alternatively, the carrying apparatus is a hand strap coupled at a first end to side of a portable device at substantially a center portion thereof. The second end of the hand strap is removably coupled to a strap attachment bracket positioned proximate the opposite side of the portable device, and having a bracket attachment area that can be reversed to support a right or left-handed orientation.

Carrier for a portable device

Charging bowl for a portable digital audio player

Digital music player

Wireless handheld computer enclosure

Portable digital audio player

Spherical headphones

Portable clamshell digital audio player

A keyboard for a small, portable computing device includes a pair of mating sections that can be folded together after they are pulled apart. The sections are releasably held together by a spring and by a sliding attachment structure that holds them in alignment. When the sections are pulled away from one another to release the sliding attachment structure, they are held together by a pivoting sliding attachment structure that allows folding.

Folding keyboard

Growing community of inventors

Durham, NC, United States of America

Luis Ernesto Elizalde Rodarte