Self Leveling Steering Wheel Mount Assembly for Electronic Cell Phone Device Having Side Camera

• US 20180022292A1
• Filed: 09/25/2017
• Published: 01/25/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 02/29/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lowell, Thomas A.
• Original Assignee: Lowell, Thomas A.
• Inventors: Lowell, Thomas A.
• Granted Patent: US 10,220,798 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/02 for radio sets, television sets, telephones, or the like; Arrangement of controls thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/0241 for telephones
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/0252 for personal computers, e.g. laptops, notebooks
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/0264 for control means
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/001 Vehicle control means, e.g. steering-wheel or column
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0063 using adhesive means, e.g. hook and loop fasteners
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1686 the I/O peripheral being an integrated camera
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0264 for a camera module assembly
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/04 Supports for telephone transmitters or receivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6075 adapted for handsfree use in a vehicle H04M1/6058 takes precedence; arrangements for holding telephones in a vehicle B60R11/0241

Abstract

A combination of a vehicle including a steering wheel assembly and an electronic cell phone device having a side positioned camera and a mounting system that enables said cell phone device to be mounted on said steering wheel assembly. The camera faces at least one front seat side window of the vehicle allowing handsfree recording and uploading to cloud storage of events inside and outside the vehicle without the necessity of the driver positioning the camera at the area being recorded.

Claims

1. A combination of a vehicle including a steering wheel assembly;

an electronic cell phone device; and

, a mounting system that enables said cell phone device to be mounted on said steering wheel assembly;

said cell phone device characterized by having at least one camera positioned on a side edge of said camera;

said side edge positioned camera facing a side window of said vehicle when mounted on said steering wheel assembly.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein said mounting system, is centrally located on said steering wheel assembly and said electronic cell phone device having a structure for attachment to said mounting system whereby said cell phone device is characterized by being freely relative to said steering wheel assembly and is maintained in a substantially vertical position by gravity regardless of the position of the steering wheel.

3. The combination of claim 2 wherein said mounting system further includes a mounting stud on said steering wheel assembly and a mounting clip attached to said cell phone.

4. The combination of claim 1 further including a safety strap to maintain said cell phone device connected to said steering wheel assembly;

said strap having a first portion attached to said mounting stud and a second portion attached to said steering wheel.

5. The combination of claim 4 whereby said safety strap is connected to a steering wheel spoke.

6. The combination of claim 3 wherein said mounting, stud is formed with a head and a smaller cylindrical shaft to maintain said mounting clip on said mourning stud;

said mounting clip being formed with a dual opening structure to accommodate said mounting stud including a first opening to accommodate said mounting stud head of said mounting stud and a second opening smaller than said first opening to accommodate said cylindrical shaft of said mounting stud.

7. The combination of claim 6 wherein said second opening is adjacent said first opening such that said cylindrical shaft rests and is freely rotatable in said second opening when said mounting clip of said device engages said mounting stud.

8. A combination of a vehicle including a steering wheel assembly and an electronic cell phone device having a camera and a mounting system that enables said cell phone device to be mounted on said steering wheel assembly and maintained thereon in a substantially vertical position regardless of the rotational position of the steering wheel comprising:

a mounting stud centrally located on said steering wheel assembly;

a mounting clip attached to said electronic cell phone device having a structure for attachment to said mounting stud;

said mounting clip and said mounting stud characterized by being freely movable each with the other whereby said device is maintained in a substantially vertical position regardless of the position of the steering wheel;

said cell phone device characterized by having at least one camera positioned on a side edge of said camera;

said side edge positioned camera facing a side window of said vehicle when mounted on said steering wheel assembly; and

a support member for supporting said cell phone in a substantially vertical position, said support member having two ends, a fixed end connected to a stationary portion of the vehicle and a free end connected to the cell phone, whereby said cell phone and the cameras are positioned on an upper portion of said steering wheel assembly within a normal forward looking driver'"'"'s field of view.

9. The combination of claim 8 wherein said support member is an elongated, semi-rigid material having said free end that attaches to said mounting clip on said cell phone.

10. The combination of claim 8 further including a cell phone charging cable integrally attached to said support member.

11. A combination of a vehicle including a steering wheel assembly and an electronic cell phone device having a mounting system that enables said cell phone device to be mounted on said steering wheel assembly and maintained thereon in a substantially vertical position regardless of the rotational position of the steering wheel comprising:

a mounting stud centrally located on said steering wheel assembly;

a mounting clip attached to said electronic cell phone device having a structure for attachment to said mounting stud;

said mounting clip and said mounting stud characterized by being freely movable each with the other whereby said device is maintained in a substantially vertical position regardless of the position of the steering wheel; and

a support member having two ends, a fixed end connected to a stationary portion of the vehicle and a free end connected to the cell phone, whereby the cell phone is positioned on an upper portion of said steering wheel assembly within a normal forward looking driver'"'"'s field of view.

12. The combination of claim 11 wherein said support member is an elongated, semi-rigid material.

13. The combination of claim 11 further including a cell phone charging cable integrally attached to said support member.

14. The combination of claim 13 wherein said charging cable has an end connected to a power supply of said vehicle and a cell phone connector on the opposite end of said charging cable for connection to said cell phone.

15. A method of capturing and preserving video evidence outside a motor vehicle comprising:

mounting a cell phone with a side facing camera on a steering wheel assembly with a lens of the camera facing a front, side window of said vehicle;

initiating a preprogrammed video recording app contained within the cell phone;

recording activity that transpires adjacent the front side window; and

, automatically uploading the recorded evidence to the cloud such that it can be accessed only by authorized individuals.

16. The method of claim 15 being further defined by said recorded evidence being produced during a law enforcement vehicle stop.

17. The method of claim 16 further including the step of securing the cell phone to the steering wheel assembly to limit movement thereof in the event of an airbag deployment.