parametric : Multi-Tablet Charging Stations
Mechanical Design Consultant at Parametric Dining
Fall 2013 - Fall 2014
I worked with my classmate Aedhan Loomas to design a prototype charging station for holding multiple point-of-sale tablets for Parametric Dining, a startup co-founded by our professor Jonathan Fiene.
PROTOTYPE CHARGING STATIONS
READY TO CHARGE
The tablets are primarily used in premium dining venues, such as private boxes in stadiums, where the quantities used were often in the high-tens. We decided to pursue a modular design where each dock has its own charging circuitry. Power for the docks runs from a wall transformer along two rails in the dovetail spine. The docks were designed for functionality, manufacturability, safety, and ease-of-use. This was my first experience working on a corporate schedule, and I learned a lot about project planning and organization.
The final design uses laser-cut acrylic panels sandwiching flex-circuitry with 3D printed components attaching each dock to the ABS spine. Each station can charge up to ten tablets at once and can be mounted on a wall or laid on a table. The charge indicating LEDs on each dock are diffused through the frosted acrylic for easy viewing from a variety of angles. The red strap can be locked over the front of the charging station to secure the docks.
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The multi-dock charging stations were shipped to a variety of customers and served as inspiration for the next version, which Aedhan and Dr. Fiene designed. Parametric Dining was acquired by Bypass Mobile (the company behind the popular Clover point-of-sale system) in 2016.