Holder for Electronic Device with Support

• US 20100072334A1
• Filed: 09/09/2009
• Published: 03/25/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/09/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Zero Chroma, LLC
• Original Assignee: Zero Chroma, LLC
• Inventors: Le Gette, Brian E., Reeb, David
• Application Number:
  US12/556,182
• Publication Number:
  US 20100072334A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 248/176.300
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 2011/002 for portable handheld communication devices, e.g. mobile phone, pager, beeper, PDA, smart phone
• CPC Class Codes: A45F 2200/0516 Portable handheld communication devices, e.g. mobile phone, pager, beeper, PDA, smart phone
• CPC Class Codes: A45F 5/02 Fastening articles to the garment
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/041 Allowing quick release of the apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/10 around a horizontal axis F16M11/12 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 13/00 Other supports for positioning apparatus or articles heads thereof F16M11/02 ; undercarriages thereof F16M11/20 ; adapted to be stuck in the ground A45F3/44 ; sockets or holders for poles or posts E04H12/22; Means for steadying hand-held apparatus or articles supports for measuring instruments G01D11/30; supports for casings of remote control switching devices H01H9/025
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 2200/08 Foot or support base
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining

Abstract

A protective holder for the iPhone®, iPod Touch™, electronic books, electronic tablet computers and other portable devices having a frontal LCD, OLED, touch screen, or other display that employs a form-fitting backplate with corner frames for cradling the device while leaving the entire frontal aspect unobstructed is disclosed. The holder may include a series of contoured side grippers on each side of the backplate for clamping the device in place without obstructing the LCD screen (or access to it for cleaning or otherwise). The holder may include a fully-adjustable kickstand for upright hands-free viewing of the device at several landscape and portrait angles and the holder may also include a built-in moveable directional sound reflector and noise shield improves audio performance, and a detachable belt clip allows belt wearing. The holder has an extreme slimline folded profile to facilitate pocket insertion, minimize bulk and create an eye-catching aesthetic.

Claims

1. A holder for a portable device, comprising:

a body including a first coupling member and a second coupling member, each of the coupling members extending from the body, the coupling members being configured to couple a portable device to the body; and

a support movably coupled to the body, the support being movable between a retracted position and at least two extended positions relative to the body, the at least two extended positions including a first extended position and a second extended position, the second extended position being different from the first extended position, the support being disposed within the body in its retracted position, the support extending from the body in its extended positions, the support being engageable with a support surface to support the body in at least two desired angles relative to the support surface.

2. The holder of claim 1, wherein the body has an inner surface, an outer surface, and an opening extending from the inner surface to the outer surface, the support being disposed in the opening when the support is in its retracted position.

3. The holder of claim 2, wherein the body has a thickness defined by the distance between the inner surface and the outer surface and the support has a thickness substantially the same as the thickness of the body when the support is in its retracted position.

4. The holder of claim 1, wherein the body includes a positioning mechanism, the positioning mechanism defining a plurality of positions greater than three in which the support may be retained.

5. The holder of claim 4, wherein the positioning mechanism includes at least one slot and the support includes at least one pin, the at least one pin being slidably engaged with the at least one slot.

6. The holder of claim 1, wherein the body includes a plurality of corners and each of the first and second coupling members is located proximate to one of the corners.

7. The holder of claim 6, wherein the body includes a third coupling member and a fourth coupling member, each of the third coupling member and the fourth coupling member being located proximate to one of the corners of the body.

8. The holder of claim 1, wherein the body includes a sound reflector slidably coupled thereto, the sound reflector being movable between a retracted position and a reflecting position.

9. A holder for a portable device, comprising:

a body including a first coupling member and a second coupling member, each of the coupling members extending from the body, the coupling members being configured to couple a portable device to the body; and

a support movably coupled to the body, with a thickness substantially the same as the thickness of the body, the support being movable between a retracted position and at least two extended positions relative to the body, the support being disposed within the body in its retracted position, the support extending from the body in its extended positions, the support being engageable with a support surface to support the body in at least two desired angles relative to the support surface.

10. The holder of claim 9, wherein the body includes a positioning mechanism, the positioning mechanism defining a plurality of positions greater than three in which the support may be retained.

11. The holder of claim 10, wherein the positioning mechanism includes at least one slot and the support includes at least one pin, the at least one pin being slidably engaged with the at least one slot.

12. The holder of claim 9, wherein the body includes a plurality of corners and each of the first and second coupling members is located proximate to one of the corners.

13. The holder of claim 12, wherein the body includes a third coupling member and a fourth coupling member, each of the third coupling member and the fourth coupling member being located proximate to one of the corners of the body.

14. The holder of claim 9, wherein the body includes a sound reflector slidably coupled thereto, the sound reflector being movable between a retracted position and a reflecting position.

15. A holder for a portable device, comprising:

a body including a first coupling member and a second coupling member, each of the coupling members extending from the body, the coupling members being configured to couple a portable device to the body; and

a sound reflector coupled thereto, the sound reflector being movable between a retracted position and a reflecting position

16. The holder of claim 15, wherein the sound reflector is made or coated by a material that is more sonically reflective than the material of the body.

17. A holder for a portable device including a front surface, a rear surface and a side wall extending between the front surface and the rear surface, the holder comprising:

a mounting portion configured to be coupled to the portable device with the front surface of the portable device exposed, the mounting portion covering at least part of the rear surface of the portable device and portions of the side wall of the portable device; and

a support portion movably coupled to the mounting portion, the support portion being disposable in a retracted position and in at least two extended positions relative to the mounting portion, substantially all of the support portion being disposed within the body when the support portion is in its retracted position, and substantially all the support portion extending from the body when the support portion is in its extended positions.

18. The holder of claim 17, wherein the support portion is disposed entirely within the mounting portion when the support portion is in its retracted position.

19. The holder of claim 17, wherein the coverage of the side wall by the mounting portion is discontinuous.

20. The holder of claim 17, wherein the support portion includes a first component having a first end and a second end and a second component having a first end and a second end, the first end of the first component is pivotally coupled to the mounting portion, the second end of the first component is pivotally coupled to the second component, and the first end of the first component is slidably coupled to the mounting portion.

21. The holder of claim 20, wherein the first component includes a substantially planar portion configured to engaged a support surface.

22. The holder of claim 20, wherein the orientation of each of the first component and the second component varies when the support portion moves from its retracted position to its extended position.

23. The holder of claim 22, wherein the angle between the first component and the second component varies when the support portion moves from its retracted position to its extended position.

24. A holder for a portable device including a front surface, a rear surface, a side wall extending between the front surface and the rear surface and a plurality of corners, the holder comprising:

a base including a first coupling member and a second coupling member, each of the coupling members extending from the base, the coupling members being configured to extend along the side wall of the portable device, the first coupling member being configured to cover a first corner of the portable device, the second coupling member being configured to cover a second corner of the portable device, each of the coupling members having a length such that the front surface of the portable device is not covered by either of the coupling members when the holder is coupled to the portable device; and

a support movably coupled to the base, the support being movable between a retracted position and at least two extended positions relative to the base, the support being engageable with a support surface to support the base and the portable device at desired angles relative to the support surface.

25. The holder of claim 24, wherein the first corner of the portable device is covered by the first coupling member and the second corner of the portable device is covered by the second coupling member.

26. The holder of claim 24, wherein the portable device includes a third corner and a fourth corner, and the base includes a third coupling member that covers the third corner and a fourth coupling member that covers the fourth corner, each of the third coupling member and the fourth coupling member has a length such that the front surface of the portable device is not covered by either of the third or fourth coupling members when the holder is coupled to the portable device.

27. The holder of claim 24, wherein the support extends from the base in its extended position and is disposed within the base in its retracted position.

28. A method of manufacturing a holder for an electronic device, the holder including a body and a support having a first support component and a second support component coupled to the first support component, the support being movable between a retracted position and at least two extended positions relative to the body, the support being disposed within the body in its retracted position and extending from the body in its extended positions, the first support component including a first connector and the second support component including a second connector, the method comprising the steps of:

forming the body with a first coupling member and a second coupling member, each of the coupling members extending from the body and collectively being configured to couple the body to the electronic device, the body including a notch formed therein and a slot formed therein;

coupling the first support component to the body by engaging the first connector with the slot; and

coupling the second support component to the body by engaging the second connector with the notch.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein the connection between the first connector and the slot is a slidable connection and the connection between the second connector and the notch is a pivotable connection.

30. The method of claim 28, wherein the slot is a first slot and the body includes a second slot opposite to the first slot, the step of coupling the first support component includes engaging the first connector with the second slot.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein the notch is a first notch and the body includes a second notch opposite to the first notch, the step of coupling the second support component includes engaging the second connector with the second notch.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein the first connector has a first end and a second end, the first end of the first connector being inserted into the first slot before the second end of the first connector is inserted into the second slot.

33. A method of adjusting a holder for an electronic device, the holder including a body configured to be coupled to the electronic device, the holder including a support movable between a retracted position and at least two extended positions relative to the body, the support being disposed within the body in its retracted position and extending from the body in its extended positions, the first support component including a first connector coupled to the body and the second support component including a second connector coupled to the body, the method comprising the steps of:

moving the first connector along the body from a retracted position to an extended position, the first support component being disposed in a retracted position when the first connector is in its retracted position and in an extended position when the first connector is in its extended position; and

moving the second support component about the second connector relative to the body from a retracted position to an extended position.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein the step of moving the first connector along the body from a retracted position to an extended position includes sliding the first connector along the body.

35. The method of claim 34, wherein the body includes at least one slot and the step of moving the first connector includes moving the first connector along the at least one slot.

36. The method of claim 33, wherein the second connector is pivotally coupled to the body and the step of moving the second support component includes rotating the second support component about the second connector.

37. The method of claim 33, wherein the extended position is a first extended position, the method further comprising:

moving the first connector along the body from the first extended position to a second extended position different than the first extended position.

38. The method of claim 37, wherein the second support component is rotated about the second connector simultaneously with the movement of the first connector between its retracted position and either of its first extended position and its second extended position.