MOBILE DEVICE CLAMP HOLDER WITH DAMPED RELEASE MECHANISM

• US 20070045495A1
• Filed: 08/09/2006
• Published: 03/01/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/26/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: III Holdings 3, LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Yamamoto, Yasuhiro, Asano, Mitsuhiro, Gollnitz, Michael
• Granted Patent: US 7,540,459 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 248/309.100
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/0241 for telephones
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/04 Supports for telephone transmitters or receivers

Abstract

A holder for a mobile electronic device includes first and second clamping jaws, at least the first clamping jaw being displaceable toward the second clamping jaw to clamp the mobile electronic device. The holder also includes a stop element and an entraining element connected to the first clamping jaw, the entraining element being shaped so that it is displaceable with respect to the stop element, namely jointly with the damping jaw connected to it, in which case at least one extreme position corresponding to the maximum opening of the clamping jaw is defined in the displacement path by the impact of the stop element against the entraining element. The holder includes a damper element, which is mounted on the stop element and damps the stopping of the stop element against the entraining element.

Claims

1. A holder for a mobile electronic device, comprising:

a base element;

a first and a second clamping jaw, mounted on opposing sides of the base element, at least the first clamping jaw being displaceable by a displacement toward the second clamping jaw to clamp the mobile electronic device between the first and the second clamping jaws;

an elastic element which is connected at least to the first clamping jaw and whose spring force is effective in forcing the first clamping jaw away from the second clamping jaw;

a locking mechanism which is adapted for locking the first and the second clamping jaws with respect to one another and with respect to the displacement;

a release element which is adapted for releasing the locking mechanism;

a stop element;

an entraining element which is connected to the first clamping jaw, the entraining element being displaceable with respect to the stop element and designed so that at least one extreme position corresponding to a maximum opening of the clamping jaw is defined in a path of the displacement by a stopping of the stop element against the entraining element; and

a damper element which is mounted on the stop element and damps the stopping of the stop element against the entraining element.

2. The holder according to claim 1, wherein the second clamping jaw is also displaceable against the first clamping jaw, additionally comprising:

a second stop element;

a second entraining element, which is connected to the second clamping jaw, wherein the second entraining element is displaceable with respect to the second stop element and is designed so that at least one extreme position, which corresponds to a maximum opening of the clamping jaw is defined by a stopping of the second stop element against the second entraining element; and

a second damper element, which is mounted on the second stop element and damps the stopping of the second stop element against the second entraining element.

3. A holder according to claim 1, wherein the entraining element has a recess in which the stop element engages.

4. A holder according to claim 2, wherein at least one entraining element has a recess in which the corresponding stop element engages.

5. A holder according to claim 3, wherein the recess is an elongated hole and the stop element is a tubular pin.

6. A holder according to claim 4, wherein the recess is an elongated hole and the corresponding stop element is a tubular pin.

7. A holder according to claim 1, additionally comprising:

padding elements which are mounted on the insides of the clamping jaws to protect a mobile electronic device held between the clamping jaws.

8. A holder according to claim 2, additionally comprising:

padding elements which are mounted on the insides of the clamping jaws to protect a mobile electronic device held between the clamping jaws.

9. A holder according to claim 1, additionally comprising:

at least one holding element which is mounted on the base element to prevent a mobile electronic device being held therein from falling out.

10. A holder according to claim 2, additionally comprising:

at least one holding element which is mounted on the base element to prevent a mobile electronic device being held therein from falling out.

11. A holder according to claim 3, additionally comprising:

at least one holding element which is mounted on the base element to prevent a mobile electronic device being held therein from falling out.

12. A holder according to claim 4, additionally comprising:

at least one holding element which is mounted on the base element to prevent a mobile electronic device being held therein from falling out.

13. A holder according to claim 5, additionally comprising:

at least one holding element which is mounted on the base element to prevent a mobile electronic device being held therein from falling out.

14. A holder according to claim 1, wherein the damper element is an elastomer element.

15. A holder according to claim 2, wherein the damper elements are elastomer elements.

16. A holder according to claim 1, wherein the entraining element is shaped so that another extreme position which corresponds to a minimal opening of the first clamping jaw in the displacement path is also defined by the stopping of the stop element on the entraining element.

17. A holder according to claim 2, wherein at least one entraining element is shaped so that another extreme position which corresponds to a minimal opening of the corresponding clamping jaw in the displacement path is also defined by the stopping of the stop element on the entraining element.

18. A holder according to claim 3, wherein the entraining element is shaped so that another extreme position which corresponds to a minimal opening of the first clamping jaw in the displacement path is also defined by the stopping of the stop element on the entraining element.

19. A holder according to claim 1, wherein the damper element is in frictional engagement with the entraining element over at least a portion of the displacement path of the entraining element.

20. A holder according to claim 2, wherein the damper elements are in frictional engagement with the corresponding entraining element over at least a portion of the displacement path of the corresponding entraining element.