Holding device for automobiles

• US 7,784,864 B2
• Filed: 11/13/2008
• Issued: 08/31/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/13/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ron Feder
• Original Assignee: Ron Feder
• Inventors: Feder, Ron
• Primary Examiner(s): Nelson, Jr.; Milton
• Application Number:
  US12/270,255
• Publication Number:
  US 20100117407A1
• Time in Patent Office: 656 Days
• Field of Search: 297/188.06, 297/188.01, 297/188.03, 297/188.04, 297/188.2, 297/188.05, 297/188.21, 248/274.1, 224/275
• US Class Current: 297/188.06
• 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 7/043 mounted on or under a seat

Abstract

A holder for personal effects in a vehicle comprising a base that fits around the support rods of a headrest, a mount that may adjustably connected to the base and designed to hold the strap or other hanging feature of one or more personal items, and at least one securement block that may be used to sure up the base, limit its ability to move laterally, or help it to support heavier items. The base may be detachable and reversible so that it can be used in combination with the headrest support rods of a seat on either side of the car and so that the arm can be positioned in a maximum number of variations for the convenience of the user. In some embodiments, one or more of the securement blocks is easily removable and re-attachable to the base to accommodate a large variety of headrest and support rod configurations.

Claims

1. A holder for hanging one or more personal items from a seat of a vehicle, comprising:

a. a base having a longitudinal axis, the base comprising a first end, a second end opposite the first end, and a middle portion in between the first end and the second end, the middle portion having a first side and a second side opposite the first side, the first and second sides having inner edges defining a longitudinal gap for receiving a headrest support rod or rods of a seat of the vehicle, wherein the first end defines a split in communication with the longitudinal gap;

b. an arm extending from the base and having a proximal end connected to the base and a distal end;

c. a mount adjustably connected to the distal end of the arm; and

d. two securement blocks, each comprising a pair of locating pins to removably attach to the holder and to restrict at least a lateral movement of the holder when attached,

e. wherein the first and second sides comprise a plurality of paired holes intermittently spaced apart along the lengths of the first and second sides, and wherein the pair of locating pins are dimensioned to be inserted into any pair of the paired holes to reversibly secure the holder around the headrest rod or rods of the seat, to fix the position of the first and second sides relative to each other and to clamp the headrest support rod or rods in between the first and second sides.

2. The holder of claim 1, wherein at least one of the two securement blocks is positioned below the base to contact the seat and support the base near the arm while the arm is carrying heavy personal item.

3. The holder of claim 2, wherein the proximal end is integrally connected to the base and the arm is angularly offset from the longitudinal axis, the arm having a first orifice, wherein the mount comprises a base wall having a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface, a crook on the first surface of the base wall to form a hook surface, and a flange extending out from the second surface, the flange comprising a second orifice.

4. A holder for an automobile, comprising:

a. a base having a longitudinal axis, the base comprising a first end, a second end opposite the first end, and a middle portion in between the first end and the second end, wherein

i. the first end defines an opening for receiving at least a first headrest rod, and

ii. the middle portion comprises a first side and a second side opposite the first side, the first and second sides having inner edges defining a gap in communication with the opening;

b. an arm extending from the base, the arm comprising a proximal end and a distal end;

c. a mount movably connected to the arm; and

d. at least one securement block comprising a fastening means to detachably connect to the holder to adjustably limit lateral movement of the holder along the longitudinal axis.

5. The holder of claim 4, wherein the first and second sides of the base are lined with a plurality of paired holes intermittently spaced apart along the length of the middle portion to resistively receive the fastening means of the securement block for secure attachment to the holder.

6. The holder of claim 5, wherein the fastening means is a pair of locating pins insertable into the paired holes for a resistive fit to secure the holder against at least the first headrest rod and allowing ready removal without removal of at least the first headrest rod for easy adjustment to different headrest rods.

7. The holder of claim 6, wherein the holder is flat so as to make the holder reversible to accommodate all seats in the automobile in various positions.

8. The holder of claim 4, further comprising an additional securement block positioned underneath the holder buttressed against a backrest of a seat of the automobile to provide additional support for the arm.

9. The holder of claim 4, wherein the at least one securement block comprises a concave foundation to conform to a backrest of a seat of the automobile to provide vertical support of the arm and limit a forward and backward movement of the holder.

10. The holder of claim 4, wherein the at least one securement block is a solid block positioned adjacent to the holder in between a headrest and a backrest that utilizes a compressive force between the headrest and the backrest to secure the holder onto the backrest to restrict vertical movement of the holder.

11. The holder of claim 4, wherein the proximal end is integrally connected to the base.

12. The holder of claim 11, wherein the arm is angularly offset from the longitudinal axis.

13. The holder of claim 4, wherein the mount is a swivel hook.

14. The holder of claim 13 further comprising a clamp to immobilize the swivel hook.

15. The holder of claim 4, wherein the opening is wedge-shaped to guide at least the first headrest rod into the gap through the opening, wherein the gap is closed by opposing ledges of the first and second sides at the first end, wherein the ledges prevent at least the first headrest rod from slipping out of the gap in a closed configuration.

16. A method of holding an article on a headrest rod of a seat in an automobile, comprising:

a. providing a holder, the holder comprising;

i. a base having a longitudinal axis, the base comprising a first end, a second end opposite the first end, and a middle portion in between the first end and the second end, wherein the first end comprises an opening and the middle portion comprises a first side and a second side having interior edges defining a gap,

ii. an arm protruding from the base, and

iii. a mount movably connected to the arm;

b. passing the holder along the seat so that the headrest rod is passed through the opening into the gap;

c. compressing at least one securement block and the holder in between a backrest and a headrest supported by the headrest rod to limit vertical movement of the holder, wherein the securement block is adjacent to the headrest rod to limit lateral movement of the holder in a first direction; and

d. hanging the article on the mount.

17. The method of claim 16 further comprising attaching a second securement block onto the holder and adjacent to a second headrest rod to further limit lateral movement of the holder.

18. The method of claim 16 further comprising attaching a second securement block onto the holder and adjacent to a second headrest rod to further limit lateral movement of the holder in a second direction opposite the first direction.

19. The method of claim 16 further comprising attaching a second securement block underneath the holder that buttresses against the backrest to provide vertical support for the arm proximate the point where the arm extends from the base.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the second securement block comprises a concave foundation to conform to the shape of a curved backrest to prevent a forward and backward movement of the holder.

21. The method of claim 16 further comprising attaching a second securement block adjacent to but on the opposite side of the at least one securement block to increase the height of the headrest.

22. The method of claim 16 further comprising:

a. removing the at least one securement block from the holder without removing the headrest rod from the backrest;

b. removing the holder from the headrest rod;

c. rotating the holder 180 degrees about the longitudinal axis;

d. passing the headrest rod through the opening into the gap; and

e. securing the at least one securement block onto the holder adjacent to the headrest rod and the headrest to limit lateral movement of the holder with the holder in a new position.

23. The method of claim 16 further comprising:

a. removing the at least one securement block from the holder without removing the headrest rod from the backrest;

b. removing the holder from the headrest rod;

c. rotating the holder 180 degrees about an axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis;

d. passing the headrest rod through the opening into the gap; and

e. securing the at least one securement block onto the holder adjacent to the headrest rod and the headrest to limit lateral movement of the holder with the holder in a new position.

24. The method of claim 16 further comprising:

a. removing the at least one securement block from the holder without removing the headrest rod from the backrest;

b. removing the holder from the headrest rod;

c. attaching the holder onto a second headrest rod of a different seat by passing the second headrest rod through the opening into the gap; and

d. adjusting the at least one securement block onto the holder adjacent to the second headrest rod to limit lateral movement of the holder on the different seat.