ADJUSTABLE PORTABLE DEVICE HOLDER

• US 20180244211A1
• Filed: 04/30/2018
• Published: 08/30/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 11/20/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: KENU Incorporated
• Original Assignee: KENU Incorporated
• Inventors: Minn, Kenneth Y., Yao, David E.
• Granted Patent: US 10,315,585 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 11/0258 for navigation systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0008 Ventilation grilles
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0059 using clips, clamps, straps or the like
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0071 using latches, clips, clamps, straps or the like
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0085 with adjustment by rotation in their operational position
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0294 Apparatus with multi-functionalities, e.g. radio and telephone
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 2/065 using screw-thread elements F16B2/08 - F16B2/12 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/041 Allowing quick release of the apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/105 the horizontal axis being the roll axis, e.g. for creating a landscape-portrait rotation
• 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 13/022 repositionable
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 224/929 Article carrier for electrical device
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49963 Threaded fastener

Abstract

Adjustable portable device holders are herein disclosed. According to one embodiment, an adjustable portable device holder includes an adjustable clamping element and a rotatable mounting element attached to the adjustable clamping element for removably securing a portable device to the adjustable portable device holder.

Claims

1. A portable device holder comprising:

an adjustable clamping element configured to be expanded and retracted to removably attach one of a plurality of different sized portable devices to the portable device holder;

a mounting element including at least two mounting arms that define at least one mounting slot which enables the portable device holder to be mounted to a vent blade within an automobile;

the mounting element rotatably attached to the adjustable clamping element such that the mounting arms extend in a direction away from a body of the adjustable clamping element;

the at least one mounting slot rotatable relative to the adjustable clamping element by rotating the mounting element at least one of clockwise or counterclockwise relative to the body of the adjustable clamping element thereby enabling the at least one mounting slot to be selectively rotated between vertical and horizontal arrangements relative to the adjustable clamping element;

the portable device holder having a front and a back;

the mounting arms of the mounting element and the at least one mounting slot defined by the mounting arms hidden behind the body of the adjustable clamping element and thus not viewable when the portable device holder is viewed from the front;

the adjustable clamping element having a width that increases when the adjustable clamping element is expanded, and having a height that is perpendicular to the width;

the height of the adjustable clamping element being less than half of the width of the adjustable clamping element when the adjustable clamping element is completely retracted;

the adjustable clamping element configured to hold a smartphone widthwise, by clamping opposing sides of the smartphone, without contacting and otherwise obstructing a bottom of the smartphone and without contacting and otherwise obstructing a top of the smartphone; and

the mounting element rotatably attached to the adjustable clamping element by a single pivot point such that the rotatable mounting element is centered relative to the height of the adjustable clamping element and remains centered relative to the height of the adjustable clamping element when the mounting element is rotated clockwise or counter-clockwise about the single pivot point relative to the adjustable clamping element.

2. The portable device holder of claim 1, wherein the single pivot point is provided by a fastener that rotatably attaches the mounting element to the adjustable clamping element.

3. The portable device holder of claim 2, wherein the fastener includes a ratchet device, a screw, or a pin.

4. The portable device holder of claim 3, wherein a center of the at least one mounting slot, defined by the mounting arms, is coextensive with the single pivot point about which the mounting element rotates relative to the adjustable clamping element.

5. The portable device holder of claim 4, wherein:

the mounting element includes a rotatable base plate that is attached to the adjustable clamping element by the single pivot point such that the rotatable base plate is centered relative to the height of the adjustable clamping element and remains centered relative to the height of the adjustable clamping element when the rotatable base plate is rotated clockwise or counter-clockwise about the single pivot point relative to the adjustable clamping element; and

the mounting arms extend from the rotatable base plate in the direction away from the body of the adjustable clamping element.

6. The portable device holder of claim 5, wherein the rotatable base plate is flush with the body of the adjustable clamping element.

7. The portable device holder of claim 5, wherein:

the at least two mounting arms comprise four mounting arms spaced apart from and converging towards one another to define at least two different sized mounting slots when the four mounting arms are not engaged with any vent blade within an automobile;

the at least two different sized mounting slots accommodate engagement with at least two different sized vent blades; and

the at least two different sized mounting slots are rotatable relative to the adjustable clamping element by rotating the base plate relative to the body of the adjustable clamping element, thereby enabling the portable device holder to hold and mount one of a plurality of different sized portable devices to at least two different sized vent blades in multiple different orientations.

8. The portable device holder of claim 7, wherein:

centers of the at least two different sized mounting slots, defined by the mounting arms, are coextensive with one another and with the single pivot point about which the mounting element rotates relative to the adjustable clamping element.

9. The portable device holder of claim 1, wherein:

the mounting element includes a rotatable base plate that is attached to the adjustable clamping element by the single pivot point such that the rotatable base plate is centered relative to the height of the adjustable clamping element and remains centered relative to the height of the adjustable clamping element when the rotatable base plate is rotated clockwise or counter-clockwise about the single pivot point relative to the adjustable clamping element; and

the mounting arms extend from the rotatable base plate in the direction away from the body of the adjustable clamping element.

10. The portable device holder of claim 9, wherein the rotatable base plate is flush with the body of the adjustable clamping element.

11. A portable device holder comprising:

an adjustable clamping element configured to be expanded and retracted to removably attach one of a plurality of different sized portable devices to the portable device holder;

a mounting element including at least two mounting arms that define at least one mounting slot which enables the portable device holder to be mounted to a vent blade within an automobile;

the mounting element rotatably attached to the adjustable clamping element such that the mounting arms extend in a direction away from a body of the adjustable clamping element;

the at least one mounting slot rotatable relative to the adjustable clamping element by rotating the mounting element at least one of clockwise or counterclockwise relative to the body of the adjustable clamping element thereby enabling the at least one mounting slot to be selectively rotated between vertical and horizontal arrangements relative to the adjustable clamping element;

the portable device holder having a front and a back;

the adjustable clamping element having a width that increases when the adjustable clamping element is expanded, and having a height that is perpendicular to the width;

the adjustable clamping element configured to hold a smartphone widthwise, by clamping opposing sides of the smartphone, without contacting and otherwise obstructing a bottom of the smartphone and without contacting and otherwise obstructing a top of the smartphone; and

the mounting element rotatably attached to the adjustable clamping element by a single pivot point such that the rotatable mounting element is centered relative to the height of the adjustable clamping element and remains centered relative to the height of the adjustable clamping element when the mounting element is rotated clockwise or counter-clockwise about the single pivot point relative to the adjustable clamping element;

wherein a center of the at least one mounting slot, defined by the mounting arms, is coextensive with the single pivot point about which the mounting element rotates relative to the adjustable clamping element.

12. The portable device holder of claim 11, wherein the single pivot point is provided by a fastener that rotatably attaches the mounting element to the adjustable clamping element.

13. The portable device holder of claim 11, wherein:

the at least two mounting arms comprise four mounting arms spaced apart from one another to define at least two different sized mounting slots when the four mounting arms are not engaged with any vent blade within an automobile;

the at least two different sized mounting slots accommodate engagement with at least two different sized vent blades;

centers of all of the at least two different sized mounting slots are coextensive with one another.

14. The portable device holder of claim 11, wherein the centers of all of the at least two different sized mounting slots, which are coextensive with one another, are also coextensive with the single pivot point about which the mounting element rotates relative to the adjustable clamping element.

15. The portable device holder of claim 11, wherein:

the mounting element includes a rotatable base plate that is attached to the adjustable clamping element by the single pivot point; and

the mounting arms extend from the rotatable base plate in the direction away from the body of the adjustable clamping element.

16. A portable device holder comprising:

an adjustable clamping element configured to be expanded and retracted to removably attach one of a plurality of different sized portable devices to the portable device holder;

a frustoconical shaped mounting element divided into four segments that each define a respective mounting arm and that collectively define two different sized mounting slots which enable the portable device holder to be mounted to at least two different sized vent blades;

the frustoconical shaped mounting element having first and second ends, with the first end having a greater circumference than the second end;

the first end of the frustoconical shaped mounting element rotatably attached to the adjustable clamping element such that the mounting arms, which are defined by the four segments of the frustoconical shaped mounting element, extend in a direction away from the adjustable clamping element; and

the second end of the frustoconical shaped mounting element being a free end that provides access to the two different sized mounting slots to thereby enable the portable device holder to be mounted to at least two different sized vent blades.

17. The portable device holder of claim 16, wherein the mounting arms, which are defined by the four segments of the frustoconical shaped mounting element, each converge towards a rotational axis of the frustoconical shaped mounting element.

18. The portable device holder of claim 16, wherein the first end of the frustoconical shaped mounting element is flush with the body of the adjustable clamping element.

19. The portable device holder of claim 16, wherein the frustoconical shaped mounting element is rotatably attached to the adjustable clamping element by a single pivot point such that the frustoconical shaped mounting element is centered relative to a height of the adjustable clamping element and remains centered relative to the height of the adjustable clamping element when the frustoconical shaped mounting element is rotated clockwise or counter-clockwise about the single pivot point relative to the adjustable clamping element.

20. The portable device holder of claim 19, wherein:

the single pivot point is provided by a fastener that rotatably attaches the frustoconical shaped mounting element to the adjustable clamping element; and

centers of the two different sized mounting slots are coextensive with one another and with the single pivot point about which the frustoconical shaped mounting element rotates relative to the adjustable clamping element.