Mounting device for a radar detector

• US 6,779,765 B2
• Filed: 11/26/2002
• Issued: 08/24/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 11/26/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Beltronics USA Incorporated (Cedar Electronics Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Beltronics USA Incorporated (Cedar Electronics Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Martinson, Glenn Douglas, Zheng, Yusan
• Primary Examiner(s): Braun, Leslie A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Le, Tan
• Application Number:
  US10/304,991
• Publication Number:
  US 20040099775A1
• Time in Patent Office: 637 Days
• Field of Search: 248/206.3, 248/231.81, 248/231.85, 248/205.5, 248/206.2, 248/229.1, 248/205.1, 248/205.3, 248/362, 248/363, 248/229.16, 248/229.26, 296/97.8, 296/97.4, 224/559, 224/567, 297/417
• US Class Current: 248/206.3
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/02 for radio sets, television sets, telephones, or the like; Arrangement of controls thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/0211 for record carriers apparatus, e.g. video recorders, tape players or CD players
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0026 Windows, e.g. windscreen
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0035 Sun visors
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0056 using suction cups
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0071 using latches, clips, clamps, straps or the like
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/10 around a horizontal axis F16M11/12 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 13/022 repositionable

Abstract

A mounting device configured for attaching electronic devices, such as radar detectors, to sun visor or to a windshield. The mounting device includes a clip portion for securement to the sun visor and attachment points for a pair of suction cups for securement to the windshield. The mounting device further includes a pair of relatively pivotal bracket members configured for adjusting the angular orientation of the mounting device and the inclination angle of the electronic device. The bracket members have a latched condition in which rotation is prevented and an unlatched condition permitting relative rotation.

Claims

1. An apparatus alternatively attachable to a sun visor or a windshield of a vehicle, comprising:

a bracket including a coupling member and a pair of clamping arms movable relative to each other for defining a channel dimensioned to slidingly receive the sun visor, one of said pair of clamping arms being resiliently biased toward the other of said pair of clamping arms;

at least one suction-cup attachment member positioned on one of said pair of clamping arms;

a suction cup attached to said at least one suction-cup attachment member and configured for selective engagement with the windshield when the sun visor is not received in said channel; and

an electronic device configured to be releasably coupled with said coupling member of said bracket.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein one of said pair of clamping arms includes a free end angled away from the other of said clamping arms, said free end causing said pair of clamping arms to be urged apart when said first bracket is pushed onto the sun visor with the sun visor positioned between said free end and the other of said pair of clamping arms.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said pair of clamping arms is positioned relative to said at least one suction-cup attachment member to avoid interference in the engagement of said suction cup with the windshield.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said pair of clamping arms is positioned below a window-engaging portion of said suction cup to avoid interference in the engagement of said suction cup with the windshield.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said suction cup is removable from said at least one suction-cup attachment member to facilitate mounting said bracket to the sun visor.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said electronic device is a radar detector.

7. A mounting device for alternatively securing an electronic device to a sun visor or a windshield of a vehicle, comprising:

a bracket having a pair of relatively pivotal bracket member, one of said bracket members capable of being removably secured with the electronic device;

a first attachment element mounted to one of said bracket members, said first attachment element configured to removably secure the bracket to the sun visor; and

a second attachment element mounted to one of said bracket members, said second attachment element configured to removably secure the bracket to the windshield, said second attachment element including at least one suction cup, and said first and second attachment elements being concurrently mounted to said bracket.

8. The mounting device of claim 7 wherein one of said bracket members includes a lower arm and an upper arm with one of said upper and lower arms being biased toward the other of said upper and said lower arms, said upper and lower arms capable of clampingly engaging opposite side surfaces of the sun visor.

9. A mounting device for attaching an electronic device to a windshield, comprising:

a first bracket member having a pair of transversely-spaced first flanges and a plurality of mating receptacles on at least one of said first flanges;

a second bracket member having a pair of transversely-spaced second flanges pivotally coupled with said first flanges, one of said first and second bracket members being removably attachable to the electronic device, at least one of said second flanges having a projection capable of being engaged with at least one of said plurality of mating receptacles to provide a latched condition and being disengageable from said plurality of mating receptacles to provide an unlatched condition in which the two bracket members are relatively pivotal;

at least one suction-cup attachment member positioned on one of said first and said second bracket members; and

a suction cup attached to said at least one suction-cup attachment member and configured for selective engagement with the windshield.

10. The mounting device of claim 9 wherein said second flanges are moveable relative to said first flanges to disengage said projection from said plurality of mating receptacles, the unlatched condition being provided by applying an inwardly-directed force to said mount buttons that disengages said projection from said plurality of mating receptacles.

11. The mounting device of claim 9 wherein said projection is inwardly-oriented and said plurality of mating receptacles are configured to engage said projection.

12. The mounting device of claim 11 wherein each of said plurality of mating receptacles is selected from the group consisting of a notch, a blind hole, a throughhole, and combinations thereof.

13. An apparatus for detecting electromagnetic waves that is alternatively securable to a sun visor or a windshield of a vehicle, comprising:

an electronic device configured to sense electromagnetic waves;

a bracket having a pair of bracket members, one of said bracket members capable of being removably secured with said radar detector, and said bracket members having a latched condition in which the relative angular orientation of the bracket members is prevented and an unlatched condition in which the bracket members are relatively pivotal;

a first attachment element mounted to one of said bracket members, said first attachment element configured to removably secure the bracket to the sun visor; and

a second attachment element mounted to one of said bracket members, said second attachment element configured to removably secure the bracket to the windshield.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein said second attachment element includes at least one suction cup.

15. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein one of said bracket members includes a lower arm and an upper arm with one of said upper and lower arms being biased toward the other of said upper and said lower arms, said upper and lower arms capable of clampingly engaging opposite side surfaces of the sun visor.

16. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein one of said bracket members includes a plurality of mating receptacles and the other of said bracket members includes a projection capable of being individually engaged with at least one of said plurality of mating receptacles for arresting the angular relationship between said relatively pivotal bracket members.

17. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein said electronic device is a radar detector.

18. A mounting device for attaching an electronic device alternatively to a sun visor or a windshield of a vehicle, comprising:

a bracket configured to releasably couple with the electronic device, said bracket having pair of clamping arms movable relative to each other for defining a channel dimensioned to slidingly receive the sun visor, one of said clamping arms being resiliently biased toward the other of said clamping arms;

at least one suction-cup attachment member positioned on one of said clamping arms;

a transverse stabilizing member located on one of said clamping arms, said stabilizing arm carrying said at least one suction-cup attachment member; and

a suction cup attached to said at least one suction-cup attachment member and configured for selective engagement with the windshield.

19. The mounting device of claim 18 further comprising two suction-cup attachment members and two suction cups each attached to a corresponding one of said suction-cup attachment members, said suction-cup attachment members adjacent opposite ends of said transverse stabilizing member for attaching said suction cups adjacent opposite ends of said transverse stabilizing member.

20. A mounting device for alternatively securing an electronic device to a sun visor or a windshield of a vehicle, comprising:

a bracket having a pair of relatively pivotal bracket members, one of said bracket members capable of being removably secured with the electronic device;

a first attachment element mounted to one of said bracket members, said first attachment element configured to removably secure the bracket to the sun visor;

a second attachment element mounted to one of said bracket members, said second attachment element configured to removably secure the bracket to the windshield;

a plurality of mating receptacles on one of said bracket members; and

a projection on the other of said bracket members capable of being individually engaged with at least one of said plurality of mating receptacles for arresting the angular relationship between said relatively pivotal bracket members.

21. A mounting device for attaching an electronic device to a windshield, comprising:

a first bracket member having a pair of transversely-spaced first flanges, a plurality of mating receptacles on at least one of said first flanges, and a pair of mount buttons each located on one of said pair of transversely-spaced first flanges; and

a second bracket member having a pair of transversely-spaced second flanges each having an opening pivotally coupled with a corresponding one of said mounting buttons to provide a transverse axis of rotation for said first bracket member relative to said second bracket member, one of said first and second bracket members being removably attachable to the electronic device, and at least one of said second flanges having a projection capable of being engaged with at least one of said plurality of mating receptacles to provide a latched condition and being disengageable from said plurality of mating receptacles to provide an unlatched condition in which the two bracket members are relatively pivotal.

22. A mounting device for attaching an electronic device to a sun visor, comprising:

a first bracket member having a pair of transversely-spaced first flanges and a plurality of mating receptacles on at least one of said first flanges;

a second bracket member having a pair of transversely-spaced second flanges pivotally coupled with said first flanges, one of said first and second bracket members being removably attachable to the electronic device, at least one of said second flanges having a projection capable of being engaged with at least one of said plurality of mating receptacles to provide a latched condition and being disengageable from said plurality of mating receptacles to provide an unlatched condition in which the two bracket members are relatively pivotal; and

a pair of clamping arms carried by said first bracket, said pair of bracket arms movable relative to each other for defining a channel dimensioned to slidingly receive the sun visor, one of said pair of clamping arms being resiliently biased toward the other of said pair of clamping arms.