Ejecting electronic instrument mount

• US 6,095,470 A
• Filed: 01/22/1999
• Issued: 08/01/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 01/22/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Garmin Corporation (Garmin Limited)
• Original Assignee: Garmin Corporation (Garmin Limited)
• Inventors: Kalis, Robert M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ramirez, Ramon O.
• Application Number:
  US09/235,948
• Time in Patent Office: 557 Days
• Field of Search: 379/454, 379/455, 248/309.1, 248/316.4, 248/316.5, 248/316.1, 248/316.3, 248/313
• US Class Current: 248/309.1
• 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 2011/0071 using latches, clips, clamps, straps or the like

Abstract

A mounting device for removably attaching a hand-held electronic instrument to a support surface includes a base adapted to be attached to the support surface. The base has a front surface for engaging the hand-held instrument. A pair of locking arms are attached to the base at laterally spaced locations. Each arm extends generally outwardly from the front surface and has a detent and a finger-engaging area associated therewith. The detents are capable of engaging the hand-held instrument to attach the instrument to the base. The arms have a first position wherein the detents engage the instrument. The arms also have a second position wherein the detents are disengaged from the instrument by an operator actuating the finger-engaging areas.

Claims

1. A holding device for removably attaching a hand-held electronic instrument to a support surface, said holding device comprising:

a base adapted to be attached to the support surface, said base having a front surface, whereby the front surface engages the hand-held instrument when the instrument is positioned in the base; and

a pair of locking arms attached to said base at laterally spaced locations, each arm extending generally outwardly from said front surface and having a detent and a finger-engaging area associated therewith, whereby said detents engage the hand-held instrument to attach the instrument to said base when the instrument is positioned in the base, wherein said detents are biased toward the interior of said base;

wherein said arms have a first position whereby said detents engage the instrument, and wherein said arms have a second position, whereby said detents are disengaged from said instrument by an operator actuating said finger-engaging areas, wherein said second position is attained by an operator squeezing the finger-engaging areas toward one another.

2. The holding device of claim of 1 wherein said arms are at opposed locations on opposite side edges of said base.

3. The holding device of claim 1 wherein said finger-engaging areas extend generally perpendicular to said front surface and said detents move in a plane that extends generally parallel to said front surface.

4. The holding device of claim 1 further including a receiving slot formed adjacent a lower end of said base, said slot adapted to receive a projection extending from a lower end of the instrument.

5. The holding device of claim 4 further including a pair of lips extending outwardly from said base front surface on opposite sides of said base, said lips adapted for generally engaging side surfaces of the instrument.

6. The holding device of claim 5 wherein said slot is generally formed by a pair of extensions extending inwardly from said lips.

7. A holding device for removably attaching a hand-held electronic instrument to a support surface, the combination of said holding device and said hand-held electronic instrument comprising:

a base adapted to be attached to the support surface, said base having a front surface adapted to engage the instrument and a receiving slot formed adjacent a lower end of said base adapted to engage a projection on the instrument; and

a pair of detents attached to said base at spaced lateral locations, said detents having a first position adapted to engage the instrument to lock the instrument to said base, said detents movable to a second position wherein said detents are disengaged from the instrument;

a pair of camming members attached to said base at spaced lateral locations, said camming members adapted to engage the instrument to force the instrument away from said base when said detents are moved to their second positions.

8. A holding device for removably attaching a hand-held electronic instrument to a support surface, said holding device comprising:

a base adapted to be attached to the support surface, said base having a front surface, whereby the front surface engages the hand-held instrument when the instrument is positioned in the base; and

a pair of locking arms attached to said base at laterally spaced locations, each arm extending generally outwardly from said front surface and having a detent and a finger-engaging area associated therewith, whereby said detents engage the hand-held instrument to attach the instrument to said base when the instrument is positioned in the base;

wherein said arms have a first position whereby said detents engage the instrument, and wherein said arms have a second position, whereby said detents are disengaged from said instrument by an operator actuating said finger-engaging areas, and wherein each arm has a camming surface located adjacent said finger-engaging area, and wherein said camming surfaces are adapted to engage a back portion of the instrument when said finger-engaging areas are actuated to force the instrument away from said base.

9. A holding device for removably attaching a hand-held electronic instrument to a support surface, said holding device comprising:

a base adapted to be attached to the support surface, said base having a front surface, whereby the front surface engages the hand-held instrument when the instrument is positioned in the base; and

a pair of locking arms attached to said base at laterally spaced locations, each arm extending generally outwardly from said front surface and having a detent and a finger-engaging area associated therewith, whereby said detents engage the hand-held instrument to attach the instrument to said base when the instrument is positioned in the base;

wherein said arms have a first position whereby said detents engage the instrument, and wherein said arms have a second position, whereby said detents are disengaged from said instrument by an operator actuating said finger-engaging areas, and wherein each arm has a camming surface located adjacent said finger-engaging area, and wherein each arm is attached to said base through a torsion member positioned at an intermediate location along said arm.

10. A holding device for removably attaching a hand-held electronic instrument to a support surface, said holding device comprising:

a base adapted to be attached to the support surface, said base having a front surface adapted to engage the instrument and a receiving slot formed adjacent a lower end of said base adapted to engage a projection on the instrument; and

a pair of detents attached to said base at spaced lateral locations, said detents having a first position adapted to engage the instrument to lock the instrument to said base, said detents movable to a second position, whereby said detents are disengaged from the instrument;

a pair of camming members attached to said base at spaced lateral locations, said camming members adapted to engage the instrument to force the instrument away from said base when said detents are moved to their second positions.

11. The holding device of claim 10 wherein one of said camming members and one of said detents are disposed on an arm torsionally attached to said base.

12. The holding device of claim 11 wherein said arm is torsionally attached to said base through a torsion member attached at an intermediate location of said arm, said detent disposed on one side of said torsion member and said camming surface disposed on the other side of said torsion member.

13. The holding device of claim 12 further including a finger-engaging surface disposed on said arm.

14. The holding device of claim 10 further including a pair of lips extending outwardly from said base on opposite sides of said base, said lips adapted for generally engaging side members of the instrument.

15. The holding device of claim 14 wherein said slot is generally formed by a pair of extensions extending inwardly from said lips.

16. A method of mounting a hand-held electronic instrument to a support surface, the method comprising:

mounting a base to the support surface, said base having a pair of laterally spaced detents and a receiving slot disposed adjacent a lower end of said base;

inserting a projection formed on the bottom of the instrument into the slot with the instrument at an angle to the base;

rotating the instrument toward the base with the projection in the slot; and

snapping the detents into apertures formed on the instrument to secure the instrument to the base.

17. A holding device for removably attaching a hand-held electronic instrument to a support surface, the combination of said holding device and said hand-held electronic instrument comprising:

a base adapted to be attached to the support surface, said base having a front surface for engaging the hand-held instrument; and

a pair of locking arms attached to said base at laterally spaced locations, each arm extending generally outwardly from said front surface and having a detent and a finger-engaging area associated therewith, said detents adapted to engage the hand-held instrument to attach the instrument to said base;

wherein said arms have a first position wherein said detents engage the instrument, and wherein said arms have a second position wherein said detents are disengaged from said instrument by an operator actuating said finger-engaging areas.