DEVICE HOLDER

• US 20140103179A1
• Filed: 10/11/2012
• Published: 04/17/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/11/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Leviton Manufacturing Company Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Leviton Manufacturing Company Incorporated
• Inventors: Bragg, Charles, Lipke, Dean
• Granted Patent: US 9,551,454 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 248/231.91
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/041 Allowing quick release of the apparatus
• 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 13/02 for supporting on, or attaching to, an object, e.g. tree, gate, window-frame, cycle
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/72 Means for accommodating flexible lead within the holder
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 3/14 Fastening of cover or lid to box
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0044 specially adapted for holding portable devices containing batteries H02J7/0045 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49117 Conductor or circuit manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining

Abstract

An electronic device holder is provided. In one aspect, a strap or a back plate, such as a molded plastic strap, is provided to facilitate holding an electronic device. In another aspect, a device cradle is provided that can hold an electronic device and facilitate retention and management of associated device cables. In another aspect, the strap or back plate can comprise a set of connector stations that conform to a standardized form-factor, wherein the connector stations are adapted to accept a standardized insert.

Claims

1. An article of manufacture comprising:

a molded plastic strap adapted to fit into an unused station of a wallplate from a back side of the wallplate;

a first attachment mechanism adapted to align and attach the molded plastic strap to the wallplate; and

a second attachment mechanism adapted to attach the molded plastic strap to a device cradle.

2. The article of manufacture of claim 1, wherein the first attachment mechanism comprises at least one threaded hole that accepts a fastener inserted through the wallplate.

3. The article of manufacture of claim 1, wherein the first attachment mechanism comprises a raised portion of the molded plastic strap that inserts into a recessed mating portion of the wallplate.

4. The article of manufacture of claim 1, further comprising a converter adapted to convert line voltage to a Universal Serial Bus (USB) standard voltage to facilitate charging an electronic device.

5. The article of manufacture of claim 1, wherein the molded plastic strap further comprises a set of connector stations that conform to a standardized form-factor, and wherein the connector stations are adapted to accept a standardized insert.

6. The article of manufacture of claim 1, wherein the second attachment mechanism comprises at least one of a flexible, a sliding, or a rotating second attachment mechanism.

7. The article of manufacture of claim 1, wherein the second attachment mechanism is adapted to allow attachment and removal of the device cradle.

8. The article of manufacture of claim 7, wherein the second attachment mechanism comprises at least one slot on the molded plastic strap and at least one complementary peg on the device cradle.

9. The article of manufacture of claim 7, wherein the second attachment mechanism comprises at least one slot on the device cradle and at least one complementary peg on the molded plastic strap.

10. An article of manufacture comprising:

a back plate adapted to fit into a station of a wallplate from a back side of the wallplate, to fasten to the wallplate resulting in a fastened back plate, and to accept a device cradle positioned on a front side of the wall plate.

11. The article of manufacture of claim 10, wherein the back plate is further adapted to allow the wallplate and the fastened back plate to be mounted flush with a plane of a mounting surface absent a junction box to accommodate the back plate.

12. The article of manufacture of claim 10, further comprising electronics and connectors adapted to convert line voltage to a Universal Serial Bus (USB) standard voltage to facilitate at least one of connecting or charging an electronic device.

13. The article of manufacture of claim 10, wherein the back plate is further configured to allow removably attaching the device cradle.

14. The article of manufacture of claim 10, wherein the back plate further comprises at least one connector station on the back plate that conforms to a standardized form-factor, and wherein the connector station is adapted to accept a standardized insert.

15. An article of manufacture comprising:

a device cradle adapted to hold an electronic device proximate at least one of an electrical outlet, a switch, or a control device and adapted to manage at least one of a power cable, a data cable, or a signal carrying cable associated with the electronic device; and

at least one attachment mechanism on the device cradle adapted to allow removable attachment of the device cradle to a wallplate.

16. The article of manufacture of claim 15, wherein the at least one attachment mechanism comprises insulating prongs adapted to be inserted into an electrical outlet and to hold the electronic device proximate the wallplate by tension exerted by the electrical outlet.

17. The article of manufacture of claim 15, further comprising electronics and connectors adapted to convert line voltage to a Universal Serial Bus (USB) standard voltage to facilitate at least one of connecting or charging an electronic device, and the at least one attachment mechanism comprises conducting prongs adapted to conduct voltage to the electronics and to hold the electronic device proximate the wallplate by tension exerted by an electrical outlet.

18. The article of manufacture of claim 15, wherein the at least one attachment mechanism comprises at least one slot on a back plate adapted to attach to a back side of the wallplate and at least one complementary peg on the device cradle.

19. The article of manufacture of claim 18, wherein the back plate further comprises a set of connector stations that conform to a standardized form-factor, and wherein the connector stations are adapted to accept a standardized insert.

20. The article of manufacture of claim 15, wherein the at least one attachment mechanism comprises at least one slot on the device cradle and at least one complementary peg on a molded plastic strap adapted to attach to the wallplate.

21. The article of manufacture of claim 20, wherein the molded plastic strap comprises at least one connector station adapted to accept at least one of a blank insert or a connector insert.

22. A method for holding an electronic device comprising:

attaching a back plate on a back side of a wallplate;

affixing a device cradle to the back plate;

mounting the wallplate to a wall; and

inserting the electronic device into the device cradle.

23. The method of claim 22, further comprising:

retaining at least one of a power cable, a data cable, or a signal carrying cable associated with the electronic device by a cable management portion of the device cradle.

24. The method of claim 22, further comprising:

connecting at least one of a power cable, a data cable, or a signal carrying cable associated with the electronic device to a corresponding connector, which at least one is at least one of proximate to or associated with the wallplate.

25. The method of claim 22, wherein the mounting the wallplate to the wall includes attaching the wallplate to a junction box located in the wall and having at least one fewer station than the wallplate.

26. The method of claim 22, wherein the mounting the wallplate to the wall includes mounting the wallplate directly to the wall without attaching the wallplate to an existing junction box located in the wall.

27. The method of claim 22, further comprising:

removing the device cradle from the back plate when the device cradle is not holding the electronic device.

28. The method of claim 22, further comprising:

inserting a standardized insert into a connector station that conforms to a standardized form-factor of a set of connector stations on the back plate to provide a connector associated with the electronic device.

29. A method for holding an electronic device comprising:

plugging a device cradle into an electrical wall outlet;

inserting the electronic device into the device cradle; and

connecting at least one of a power cable, a data cable, or a signal carrying cable associated with the electronic device to a corresponding connector, which at least one is at least one of proximate to or associated with the electrical wall outlet.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein the plugging includes plugging electronics and connectors adapted to convert line voltage to a Universal Serial Bus (USB) standard voltage to facilitate at least one of connecting or charging an electronic device.

31. The method of claim 29, further comprising:

managing at least one of a power cable, a data cable, or a signal carrying cable associated with the electronic device with a cable management portion of the device cradle.

32. A system for holding an electronic device comprising:

a molded plastic back plate adapted to be fastened to a wallplate; and

a device cradle adapted to be attached to the molded plastic back plate.

33. The system of claim 32, wherein the device cradle is further configured to be removable from the molded plastic back plate.

34. The system of claim 32, wherein the device cradle further is configured with a cable management portion adapted to retain at least one of a power cable, a data cable, or a signal carrying cable associated with the electronic device.

35. The system of claim 32, wherein the device cradle is further configured to allow passage of at least one of a power cable, a data cable, or a signal carrying cable associated with the electronic device when attached to the electronic device and the electronic device is inserted into the device cradle.

36. The system of claim 32, further comprising electronics and connectors adapted to convert line voltage to a Universal Serial Bus (USB) standard voltage to facilitate at least one of connecting or charging an electronic device.

37. The system of claim 32, wherein the molded plastic back plate is further configured to mount flush to a mounting surface for the wallplate absent an available station in a junction box installed in the mounting surface or absent an available junction box in the mounting surface.

38. The system of claim 32, wherein the molded plastic back plate further comprises a set of connector stations that conform to a standardized form-factor, and wherein the connector stations are adapted to accept a standardized insert.