Apparatus for holding a portable media device

• US 8,388,243 B1
• Filed: 06/28/2011
• Issued: 03/05/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/2010
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Harold Bernard Smith
• Original Assignee: Harold Bernard Smith
• Inventors: Smith, Harold Bernard
• Primary Examiner(s): LaBalle, Clayton E
• Assistant Examiner(s): Rhodes, Jr., Leon W
• Application Number:
  US13/171,437
• Time in Patent Office: 616 Days
• Field of Search: 396/27, 396420-422, 455/575.8
• US Class Current: 396/422
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/563 Camera grips, handles means in general for steadying hand-held apparatus F16M13/00
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/566 Accessory clips, holders, shoes to attach accessories to camera if integral part of camera body G03B17/02

Abstract

An apparatus for holding a portable media device may include a body including: a pair of spaced apart and opposing handles, each handle comprising a flat bottom surface; a recess that is configured to removably receive and hold a portable media device therein, the recess comprising a through aperture defined through a bottom surface of the recess; a first through port across one handle that opens into a first side of the recess; a second through port that opens into a second side of the recess; a third through port across the opposite handle that opens into a third side of the recess; threaded sockets, one at each top and bottom corner of the body at ends of the handles; and a shoe bracket at a top of the body between the handles.

Claims

1. An apparatus for holding a portable media device comprising:

a body comprising;

a pair of spaced apart and opposing handles that enable a user to hold the portable media device, each handle comprising a flat bottom surface configured to allow the body to stand on its own allowing for hands free photography;

a recess that is configured to removably receive and hold a portable media device therein, the recess comprising a through aperture defined through a bottom surface of the recess for a lens of the portable media device;

a first through port across one handle that opens into a first side of the recess and allows for the insertion of audio connections;

a second through port that opens into a second side of the recess that allows access to media buttons on the portable media device;

a third through port across the opposite handle that opens into a third side of the recess and allows for insertion of external power or data connections; and

a shoe bracket at a top of the body between the handles that allows for expansion with accessories.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the through aperture is threaded for removably coupling a separate lens in front of the lens of the portable media device.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the body is one of substantially H shaped and inverted U shaped.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the recess further comprises an ejection through aperture defined through the bottom surface of the recess that a user can utilize to uninstall the portable media device from the recess.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the recess is in a back face of the body.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the recess is a shouldered through recess in a front face of the body.

7. A portable media device system comprising:

an apparatus for holding a portable media device, the apparatus comprising a body comprising;

a pair of spaced apart and opposing handles that enable a user to hold the portable media device, each handle comprising a flat bottom surface configured to allow the body to stand on its own allowing for hands free photography;

a recess that is configured to removably receive and hold a portable media device therein, the recess comprising a through aperture defined through a bottom surface of the recess for a lens of the portable media device;

a first through port across one handle that opens into a first side of the recess and allows for the insertion of audio connections;

a second through port that opens into a second side of the recess that allows access to media buttons on the portable media device;

a third through port across the opposite handle that opens into a third side of the recess and allows for insertion of external power or data connections;

and a shoe bracket at a top of the body between the handles that allows for expansion with accessories; and

the portable media device removably coupled to the apparatus in the recess.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein the through aperture is threaded for removably coupling a separate lens in front of the lens of the portable media device.

9. The system of claim 7 wherein the body is one of substantially H shaped and inverted U shaped.

10. The system of claim 7 wherein the recess further comprises an ejection through aperture defined through the bottom surface of the recess that a user can utilize to uninstall the portable media device from the recess.

11. The system of claim 7 wherein the recess is in a back face of the body.

12. The system of claim 7 wherein the recess is a shouldered through recess in a front face of the body.

13. The system of claim 7 wherein the portable media device comprises a smart phone.

14. The system of claim 7 further comprising a case coupled to the portable media device that facilitates a press fit engagement of the portable media device into the recess.

15. The system of claim 7 further comprising an external microphone removably coupled to the portable media device through the first through port.

16. The system of claim 7 further comprising an external lens removably coupled to the body in front of a lens of the portable media device.