Motorized portable computer/expansion chassis docking system

Abstract

A docking station structure is used to operatively connect a notebook computer to desktop computer peripheral devices. The docking station has an internal receiving chamber into which the portable computer may be manually inserted, an electrical connector positioned within the receiving chamber, a travel plate movably carried within the receiving chamber, a motorized drive system operative to drive the travel plate toward and away from the electrical connector, and a latch structure carried by the travel plate for movement therewith. With the travel plate in a wait position thereof, the portable computer is rearwardly inserted into the receiving chamber. In response to such insertion, the latch structure automatically locks the computer to the travel plate, and the drive system rearwardly moves the travel plate to mate the electrical connector with a corresponding connector on the computer, thereby operatively linking the computer to the peripheral devices. To remove the computer, the drive system is operated to forwardly move the drive plate and the computer to an ejection position in which the computer and docking station electrical connector structures are disconnected from one another, and the computer is unlocked from the travel plate. Upon insertion of the computer into the docking station opposite side portions of the computer are slidingly received in docking station track indentations operative to maintain the computer in a precisely aligned relationship with the docking station electrical connector during driven movement of the computer.