FLEXIBLE MOUNTING DEVICE FOR VIDEO/MAP DISPLAY

• US 20070262216A1
• Filed: 05/15/2006
• Published: 11/15/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/15/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CSR Technology Holdings Inc. (Qualcomm, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: SiRF Technology Holdings Incorporated (Qualcomm, Inc.)
• Inventors: Wang, David
• Granted Patent: US 7,568,670 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 248/205.300
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/02 for radio sets, television sets, telephones, or the like; Arrangement of controls thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/0235 of flat type, e.g. LCD
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/0258 for navigation systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0005 Dashboard
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0056 using suction cups
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0063 using adhesive means, e.g. hook and loop fasteners
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/007 using magnetic means
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0089 around three axes, i.e. universally mounted

Abstract

Flexible mounting devices for navigational/entertainment displays, especially for in-vehicle use, are described herein. In an embodiment, the flexible mounting device comprises a flexible gooseneck, a magnetic base magnetically attached to a front end of the gooseneck for holding a display, and a windshield suction attached to a back end of the gooseneck for providing windshield support from the rear by suctioning to the windshield of a vehicle. In another embodiment, the flexible mounting device comprises a flexible neck, which may be firmly attached to the dashboard of a vehicle with a sticky gel pad. The mounting device also comprises a counter weight attached to a back end of the flexible neck. The display is fixed to a front end of the flexible neck such that the display protrudes beyond the dashboard. The counter weight at the back end of the flexible neck counter balances the weight of the display at the front end, and thereby helps to provide a stable support.

Claims

1. A flexible display mounting device, comprising:

a flexible length of material that can be bent in different directions;

a display or display holder attachable to one end of the flexible material; and

a support attached to the other end of the flexible material.

2. The mounting device of claim 1, further comprising a stick gel pad material for attaching the display to the flexible material.

3. The mounting device of claim 1, wherein the flexible material comprises a gooseneck.

4. The mounting device of claim 1, further comprising:

interlocking blocks attached to the flexible material; and

grooves on the back of the display that cooperate with the interlocking blocks for adjusting a mounting height of the display and quickly aligning the display.

5. The mounting device of claim 1, further comprising a magnetic base, wherein the display is fixed to the magnetic base and the magnetic base can be magnetically attach to one end of the flexible material.

6. The mounting device of claim 1, wherein the support comprises a suction that can be suctioned to a windshield.

7. The mounting device of claim 1, further comprising a rubber pad on the bottom of the display to prevent slippage of the display.

8. The mounting device of claim 1, wherein the support comprises a weighted block.

9. The mounting device of claim 1, wherein the flexible material comprises a weighted metal neck with a sticky gel pad thereon.

10. The mounting device of claim 8, wherein the weighted block can support the weight of the display without any base support.

11. A method of mounting and adjusting an angle of a display using a mounting device, wherein the mounting device includes a flexible neck and a support attached to one end of the flexible neck, comprising:

attaching the support to a surface;

attaching the display to the other end of the flexible neck; and

adjusting the angle of the display by bending the flexible neck.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the support comprises a suction.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the surface is the windshield of a vehicle.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising resting a bottom of the display on the dashboard of the vehicle.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the support is a weighted block.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the surface is the dashboard of a vehicle.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising fixing at least a portion of the flexible neck on the dashboard of the vehicle such that the display extends beyond the dashboard.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising fixing the flexible neck to the dashboard with a sticky gel pad material.

19. The method of claim 11, wherein the mounting device comprises a magnetic base magnetically attached to the other end of the flexible neck, and further comprising fixing the display to the magnetic base.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising adjusting the angle of the display by pivoting the magnetic base about the other end of the flexible neck.

21. The method of claim 19, further comprising fixing the display to the magnetic base with a stick gel pad material.

22. The method of claim 19, wherein the display has grooves and the magnetic base has interlocking blocks, and further comprising aligning the display on the magnetic base by fitting at least one of the interlocking blocks into at least one of the grooves of the display.

23. The method of claim 22, further comprising adjusting a mounting height of the display by fitting at least one of the interlocking blocks into at least one of the grooves corresponding to a desired mounting height.