DOCKING STATION FOR MEDIA PLAYER
The present invention relates to a docking station for a media (or multimedia) player which is an electronic device having media playing functions for audio and/or video, such as an iPod, iPhone or iPad.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Media players of the type concerned in general are becoming ever increasingly popular. Most of such media players do not have built-in speakers and hence require use of external earphones or any such speakers are not of adequate quality to meet higher expectations . Docking stations equipped with larger, better quality speakers are available on the markets for connecting such media players to play better sound, but they are inflexible in the docking position. The invention seeks to mitigate or at least alleviate such a problem by providing a new or otherwise improved docking station for media player.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to the invention, there is provided a docking station for media player, comprising a body having a base and a support, the support having a first part connected to the base and a second part, and a holder connected to the second part of the support. The holder is adapted to releasably hold a said media player and includes a connector for connection with an operating circuit of a said media player. An amplifier circuit in the body and connected to the connector amplifies an audio signal from a said media player via the connector. At least one speaker is located at the body and connected to the amplifier circuit for reproducing sound based on audio signal amplified by the amplifier circuit. Also included is an adjusting means for adjusting the position of the holder relative to the base.
Preferably, the adjusting means comprises an adjustable structure for the support for adjusting the position of its second part relative to its first part.
In a preferred embodiment, the support comprises at least two, first and second members which include the first and second parts respectively, the first and second members being connected together by an adjustable connection, together constituting the adjustable structure, the connection being adjustable for adjusting the position of the second member relative to the first member.
More preferably, the connection comprises a hinge that makes the second member pivotable relative to the first member . It is preferred that, the first and second members of the support are both elongate members having adjacent ends connected together by the connection.
It is preferred that the first member of the support is pivotably connected to the base for pivotal movement relative to the base. In another preferred embodiment, the support comprises a bendable or flexible elongate member that is bendable along at least part of its length to change its shape.
In yet another preferred embodiment, the adjusting means comprises a slider connecting the holder to the second part of the support, the slider being slidably relative to the second part for adjusting the position of the holder relative to the base . It is preferred that the holder is connected to the second part of the support by means of a pivotable connection that permits change in angle of the holder through an angle of at least 90 degrees . It is further preferred that the pivotable connection permits angular movement of the holder between a portrait position and a landscape position. In a preferred embodiment, the speaker is provided at the support .
More preferably, the speaker is located inside the support at a position off the holder.
More preferably, the docking station includes a pair of speakers which are provided at different positions at the support .
More preferably, the support has an end extending in a specific direction, and the speaker is located in that end facing in a direction substantially parallel to that direction, the end having perforations around its periphery to permit emission of sound reproduced by the speaker .
Further more preferably, the speaker is fitted in a casing which includes a cone reflector facing the speaker from the front and a speaker cabinet behind the speaker.
It is preferred that the support comprises an elongate member having opposite ends in which a pair of said speakers is separately located, facing in opposite directions .
Preferably, the base includes a subwoofer speaker. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
The invention will now be more particularly described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings , in which :
Figure 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a docking station for media player in accordance with the invention, showing the docking station in an extended position;
Figure 2 is another perspective view of the docking station of Figure 1, showing the docking station in a contracted position;
Figure 3 is a cross-sectional side view of a holder of the docking station of Figure 1, holding a media player e.g. iPhone ; Figure 4 is a perspective view of an alternative holder for the docking station of Figure 1, for holding a different media player e.g. iPad;
Figure 5 is a perspective view of the holder of Figure 4, holding an iPad;
Figure 6 is a cross-sectional side view of a support of the docking station of Figure 1, showing its internal construction and a pair of speakers therein; and
Figure 7 is a schematic functional block diagram of an operating circuit of the docking station of Figure 1.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring to the drawings , there is shown a docking station 100, for a media player such as an iPhone 101 or iPad 102, embodying the invention, which has a body consisting of a base 10 and a support 20 and includes a holder 30 for holding the iPhone 101. The base 10 is made sufficiently heavy to stand the overall docking station 100 on a horizontal surface such as a desktop. The support 20 extends upwardly from the base 10 and terminates at the holder 30, where the iPhone 101 is supported at a desired height from the desktop for use.
The support 20 is of a two-part construction, formed by an elongate lower arm 21 and an elongate upper arm 22 which are connected together at respective adjacent ends 21A and 22A by means of a hinge 29. The lower arm 21 is implemented by an aluminium bar, and the upper arm 22 is a cylindrical tube acting as an acoustic sound-bar tube.
The lower arm 21 is connected at its other bottom end 21B to the base 10 by means of another hinge 19 such that it is pivotable relative to the base 10. The holder 30 is connec ed by means of a pair of hinge connections 38 and 39 to an opposite free end 22B of the upper arm 22 via a cylindrical end cap 22BB, such that the holder 30 is pivotable relative to the upper arm 22.
The first hinge connection 38 is formed by a pair of first and second parts 38A and 38B hinged together by means of a hinge pin, with the first part 38A being attached to the end cap 22BB and the second part 38B forming an integral part 39A of the second hinge connection 39. The first hinge connection 38 permits manual adjustment of the angle of the holder 30, through an angle of at least 90°, for best viewing, for example to face an iPhone to the viewer or to avoid reflection on the iPhone' s screen.
The second hinge connection 39 has its part 39A extending at right angles through a rear member 30R of the holder 30 and includes a second part 39B on the opposite side of the rear member 30R in co-axial engagement with the first part 39A, together forming a rotary hinge about their co-axial axis . The rotary hinge permits rotation or angular movement of the holder 30 about the axis of the hinge connection 39 through an angle of at least 90° such that the holder 30 is manually movable between a portrait position and a landscape position.
The hinges 19, 29, 38 and 39 are optimized such that whilst they permit manually adjustment of the angular positions of the respective hinged members 21 and 22 and holder 30, they are sufficiently tight to hold the hinged members 21 and 22 and holder 30 firmly in their new positions . A parallelogram linkage rod 24 connected across the two hinges 19 and 29 enhances stability.
Broadly stated, the support 20 is given an adjustable structure, by reason of the hinge connection 29, for adjusting the position of the upper arm 22 or its free end 22B and hence the holder 30, relative to the lower arm 21 or its bottom end 21B and in turn the base 10.
The support 20 is normally extended for operation and contracted when the docking station 100 is not in use. In the extended position, the lower arm 21 leans forwardly at an angle of say 45° and the upper arm 22 extends generally horizontally to present the iPhone 101 held by the holder 30 (Figure 1) . In the contracted position, the upper arm 22 is folded close to the lower arm 21 and together they lean back slightly to stay right above the base 10 (Figure 2) .
The holder 30 has a base 31 and an integral clip 33 upstanding from the base 31, with a connector 32 on the base 31. The connector 32 is a standard 30-pin connector 32 for iPhone/iPad, connected with a cable 35 which runs past the hinges 38 and 39 into the support' s upper arm 22 and then lower arm 21 and through to the base 10. The connector 32 provides connection with the internal operating circuit of the iPhone/iPad 101/102.
To mount the iPhone 101 onto the holder 30, it is first inserted to connect with the connector 32 and then pressed in to engage with the clip 33 at the top (Figure 3) . For release, it is only necessary to pivot the iPhone 101 out from the clip 33 and then pull it up off the connector 32. At the back of the holder 30, the hinges 38 and 39 together as a pivotable/rotary connection permits change in or adjustment of the orientation of the iPhone 101 on the holder 30 to the best viewing angle, portrait or landscape, as desired by a user.
There is an alternative larger holder 30' for an iPad 102, which likewise has a base 31' , a 30-pin connector 32' and a clip 33' but includes a pair of side hooks 34' to provide additional holding on the left and right sides of the considerably larger and heavier iPad body. Equivalent hinges 38' and 39' at the back of the holder 30' is connected with an end cap 22BB' for fixing upon the free end 22B of the support' s upper arm 22 , replacing the original end cap 22BB.
The docking station 100 includes a pair of speakers 40 which are located at the support 20 and, in particular, separately in the opposite ends 22A and 22B of the upper arm 22 of the support 20 for reproducing the sound of the iPhone/iPad 101/102. Both speakers 40 are located inside and completely concealed within the respective ends 22A and 22B of the support's upper arm 22, with the front speaker 40 nearer to the holder 30 at a position off the holder 30.
The speakers 40 are each formed by a speaker driver 41 fitted in a casing 42 which includes a cone reflector 43 facing the speaker driver 41 from the front and a speaker cabinet 44 behind the speaker driver 41, as a cylindrical unit.
Each speaker 40 has an outer diameter slightly smaller than the inner diameter of the upper arm 22, and is inserted into the corresponding end 22A/22B of the upper arm 22 and fixed therein. The end 22A/22B is then closed by respective end cap 22AA/22BB. The speakers 40 are located at different positions in the upper arm 22, facing in opposite directions and as far as possible apart to provide the widest possible stereo sound.
Each speaker 40 faces in a direction substantially parallel to the direction in which the associated end 22A/22B of the upper arm 22 extends. More specifically, each speaker 40 faces in the same direction as the associated end 22A/22B in which the end 22A/22B extends outwardly. The wall of the upper arm 22 at each end 22A/22B is formed with perforations e.g. narrow slots 24 around its periphery to permit emission of the sound reproduced by the corresponding speaker 40. The base 10 houses a subwoofer speaker 49 for improved low frequency performance, which also adds weight to the base 10.
Audio functions of the docking station 100 are implemented by an audio circuit 50, also housed in the base 10.
The audio circuit 50 incorporates an audio signal processor 51 for processing audio signals fed from the connector 32/32' (i.e. iPhone/iPad 101/102) via the cable 35 or from an auxiliary input jack 37, and an audio power amplifier 52 connected to the audio signal processor 51 for amplifying the signal processed thereby to drive the speakers 40 and 49 or an optionally connected headphone 48 The speakers 40 and 49 are connected to the audio power amplifier 52 for reproducing sound based on the signal amplified by the amplifier 52.
An MCU (microprocessor control unit) 53 controls the audio signal processor 51 and a clock display driver 54 which in turn drives a clock display 14 on the base 10. A voltage regulator 55 converts the AC mains voltage into a number of lower DC voltages for powering the audio signal processor 51, the audio power amplifier 52, the MCU 53 and the clock display driver 54, and also for providing a USB power output 56.
The docking station of the subject invention may be used in any locations, including home and office, where a user may place his/her iPhone/iPad on the docking station 100 for viewing a movie or listening to music, whilst simultaneously charging the iPhone/iPad. The docking station 100 is adjustable to allow the user to position or re-position the iPhone/iPad with ease and to great degree of freedom.
In particular, the docking station makes it possible and convenient for a user to position or re-position the iPhone/iPad at a height above the desktop that matches the user's eye level while seated, which no docking stations known can attain. Viewing at eye level is beneficial to the eyes as well as sitting posture, resulting in less fatigue .
It is noted that the docking station is not limited to use with iPhone or iPad, for the mere fact that more of such handheld electronic devices with media playing functions are in the pipeline.
It is envisaged that the support or equivalent part of the subject docking station may be provided by a bendable or flexible elongate member which is bendable/flexible along at least part of its length to change its shape or profile, thereby enabling adjustability in the position of a docked media player. Examples of such bendable/flexible elongate members include the legs of a snake tripod for cameras and the flexible shaft of conventional table lamps.
In a further different embodiment, the support or equivalent part of the docking station may be rigid, and adjustability in the position of a docked media player is provided by a slider that connects the holder. The slider is slidably relative to the rigid support, for example along a track, in order to adjust the position of the media player relative to the base. The invention has been given by way of example only, and various other modifications of and/or alterations to the described embodiment may be made by persons skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention as specified in the appended claims .