Mounting arm

• US 7,111,814 B1
• Filed: 09/17/2004
• Issued: 09/26/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/17/2003
• Status: Expired

• Current Assignee: Eureka Mobility Incorporated
• Original Assignee: David Newman
• Inventors: Newman, David
• Primary Examiner(s): Ramirez, Ramon O
• Application Number:
  US10/943,708
• Time in Patent Office: 739 Days
• Field of Search: 248/274.1, 248/282.1, 248/289.11, 248/309.1, 248/310, 248/316.1, 248/316.7, 248/919, 248/918, 248/921, 248/922, 224/275, 108/44, 297/188.01, 297/188.06, 297/188.2
• US Class Current: 248/274.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2002/905 the head-rest or seat used as an anchorage point, for an object not covered by groups in B60N, e.g. for a canvas
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/0211 for record carriers apparatus, e.g. video recorders, tape players or CD players
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/0235 of flat type, e.g. LCD
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/0252 for personal computers, e.g. laptops, notebooks
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0015 Back-rests
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0017 Head-rests
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/10 around a horizontal axis F16M11/12 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/14 with ball-joint ball-jointed hinges F16C11/06 ; adjustable mountings employing universal joints for lighting devices F21V21/26 - F21V21/30
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/2021 around a horizontal axis F16M11/2035 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/2078 with ball-joint ball-jointed hinges F16C11/06
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/40 by means of coilable or bendable legs or spiral shaped legs
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 13/02 for supporting on, or attaching to, an object, e.g. tree, gate, window-frame, cycle
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 248/917 Video display screen support

Abstract

The present invention provides for a mounting arm for receiving an electronic component, such as a DVD player that is quickly and easily strapped to the mounting arm and in turn, the mounting arm may be quickly and easily mounted to a support surface, such as a seat back of a vehicle via the mounting means provided by the mounting arm. Apertures may be provided in the mounting arm for receiving rods of a headrest of a vehicle seat for maintaining the mounting arm in a secured position.

Claims

1. An arm for mounting an electronic component comprising:

an arm including a longitudinal axis and a mounting aperture formed along the longitudinal axis;

a support area for receiving the electronic component thereon, the support area attached to the arm;

an attachment member for fastening at least a portion of the electronic component to the support area in a generally horizontal orientation;

an upright member having a rod that extends from a support surface; and

the arm mounted on the support surface so that the rod of the upright member is disposed inside the mounting aperture.

2. The mounting arm of claim 1

wherein the mounting aperture is integrally formed within the arm.

3. The mounting arm of claim 1 wherein the upright member comprises a head rest mounted to the support surface including a seat back.

4. The mounting arm of claim 3 wherein the head rest includes a pair of rods protruding therefrom and at least one of the rods received by the aperture provided by the arm and the rod removeably inserted in at least one hole in the support surface.

5. The mounting arm of claim 1 wherein the attachment member includes a Velcro strap attached to the support area.

6. The mounting arm of claim 1 wherein the arm includes a telescoping arm extension.

7. The mounting arm of claim 1 wherein the support area includes a clamping member for clamping an electronic component to the support area.

8. The mounting arm of claim 1 wherein the support area includes a rim protruding from the support area and having a void for receiving a cord of the electronic component.

9. The mounting arm of claim 1 wherein the attachment member includes an offset member.

10. The mounting arm of claim 9 wherein the offset member includes a resilient band attached to the attachment member in order to form a gap between the attachment member and an upper surface of the electronic component.

11. The mounting arm of claim 10 wherein the adjustable arm includes a swivel joint disposed adjacent the arm.

12. The mounting arm of claim 1 further comprising an adjustable arm disposed between the arm and the support area for adjusting the angle of the arm.

13. The mounting arm of claim 1 wherein the support area is hingedly attached to the arm.

14. The mounting arm of claim 1 wherein the mounting aperture is open on a side and allows for a rod to be slid therein.

15. The mounting arm of claim 14 wherein a latch finger is located at the opening of the aperture in order to retain the rod within the aperture.

16. The mounting arm of claim 14 wherein a latch finger latches to a latch member disposed on the arm in order to retain the arm to the rod.

17. The mounting arm of claim 1 wherein the support area is oriented horizontally with respect to the support surface.

18. The mounting arm of claim 1 further comprising sizing members disposed on the rod for mounting the arm to the rod.

19. The mounting arm of claim 1 further comprising a tether member having a proximal end attached to the arm and having a biasing tube for attaching a terminal end of the tether member to the arm in order to lock the rod within the aperture of the arm.

20. The mounting arm of claim 1 further comprising a second arm mounted directly to the support surface.

21. The mounting arm of claim 20 further comprising a third arm protruding from the support surface and connected to the platform.

22. The vehicle mount of claim 1 wherein a portion of the mounting aperture is offset from the longitudinal axis.

23. A mounting apparatus comprising:

a support area;

an arm attached to the support area, the arm having a mounting aperture having an opening on a side; and

a support surface having a rod protruding therefrom and the arm supported by the support surface and the mounting aperture for receiving the rod through the open side and received within the aperture.

24. The mounting apparatus of claim 23 wherein the support surface has a clamping member mounted thereto and the arm is secured to the support surface by the clamping member.

25. The mounting apparatus of claim 24 wherein the clamping member comprises a headrest of a vehicle mounted to the support surface via the rod and by sliding of the rod into the support surface the headrest is positioned in order to clap down onto the arm.

26. The mounting apparatus of claim 23 wherein the mounting aperture includes a latch finger located at the opening of the mounting aperture in order to retain the rod within the mounting aperture.

27. A mounting apparatus comprising:

a support area;

an arm attached to the support area, the arm having a mounting aperture having an open side; and

a support surface having a rod protruding therefrom and the arm supported by the support surface and the mounting aperture for receiving the rod through the open side and a latch finger located at the open side in order to retain the rod within the mounting aperture.

28. The mounting apparatus of claim 27 wherein the latch finger is a hook shaped finger that engages the rod.

29. The mounting apparatus of claim 27 wherein the latch finger partially encloses the open side.

30. A vehicle mount for mounting an electronic component to a seat of a vehicle comprising:

an arm including a mounting aperture formed within the arm;

a support area for receiving the electronic component thereon, the support area attached to the arm;

an attachment member for fastening at least a portion of the electronic component to the support area;

a headrest of the vehicle having a rod that extends from a support surface of a seat back;

the arm mounted on the support surface so that the rod of the upright member is disposed within the mounting aperture; and

the arm is adjustably connected to the support area in order to provide for adjusting of the angle of the arm with respect to the support area.

31. The vehicle mount of claim 30 wherein the arm is pivotally mounted to the support area.

32. The vehicle mount of claim 30 wherein the attachment member secures the electronic component to the support area so that a display monitor of the electronic component is oriented in a vertical orientation in the final mounted position.

33. The vehicle mount of claim 30 wherein the electronic component is a DVD player and the vehicle includes a first seat back oriented adjacent a second seat back and a center area formed between the first and second seat backs and the arm extending toward the center area from the first seat back and the support area disposed in the center area so that multiple occupants of the vehicle located behind the first and second seat backs may easily view the DVD player mounted to support area.

34. The vehicle mount of claim 33 further comprising a second arm extending from the support area and the second arm attached to the second seat back.

35. The vehicle mount of claim 30 wherein the arm is a coiled, flexible snake-like tube.