Extending socket for portable media player

• US 8,560,031 B2
• Filed: 02/23/2012
• Issued: 10/15/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/16/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: PopSockets LLC
• Original Assignee: PopSockets LLC
• Inventors: Barnett, David B., Carlson, Lawrence E.
• Primary Examiner(s): WANG-HURST, KATHY W
• Application Number:
  US13/403,729
• Publication Number:
  US 20120329534A1
• Time in Patent Office: 600 Days
• Field of Search: 455/575.8, 455/575.1, 455/550.1, 455/556.1, 455/556.2, 379/426, 379/446
• US Class Current: 455/575.8
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 2200/15 Articles convertible into a stand, e.g. for displaying purposes
• CPC Class Codes: A45F 5/10 Handles for carrying purposes
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/046 adapted to upward-downward translation movement
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/10 around a horizontal axis F16M11/12 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/105 the horizontal axis being the roll axis, e.g. for creating a landscape-portrait rotation
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/40 by means of coilable or bendable legs or spiral shaped legs
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 13/00 Other supports for positioning apparatus or articles heads thereof F16M11/02 ; undercarriages thereof F16M11/20 ; adapted to be stuck in the ground A45F3/44 ; sockets or holders for poles or posts E04H12/22; Means for steadying hand-held apparatus or articles supports for measuring instruments G01D11/30; supports for casings of remote control switching devices H01H9/025
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1626 with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1633 Protecting arrangement for the entire housing of the computer

Abstract

Extending sockets, formed of accordions generally with buttons attached at their distal ends, for attaching to portable media players or portable media player cases. Cases having attached sockets serve purposes beyond protection of the player, such as managing a headset, attaching to belts or the like, forming stand legs to prop the player at a desired angle, forming grips for gaming, forming a grip for securely holding and manipulating player with one hand, and forming extended legs for wedging players that are phones between the ear and shoulder. The sockets are structured to allow headset cords to be wound around the accordions when the sockets are extended, to prevent the cords from tangling. Space in an attached case may be provided so that the sockets may be partially or fully retracted with headphone cords wrapped around them to save space.

Claims

1. A portable media player case for housing a portable media player, comprising:

a case body for housing the portable media player; and

an extendable socket attached to the case body, the socket including;

an accordion forming a tapered shape capable of extending outward from the case body generally along its and retracting back toward the case body by collapsing generally along its axis, and

a foot disposed at the distal end of the accordion.

2. The case of claim 1 wherein the accordion comprises rigid walls interspersed with flexural hinges.

3. The case of claim 2 wherein the tapered shape comprises a cone shape constructed and arranged such that the walls fold generally parallel to the axis of the accordion when the accordion is collapsed.

4. The case of claim 3 wherein the accordion is formed of polyester-based thermoplastic polyurethane elastomer, the walls are about 1 to 2 mm thick and 2 to 4 mm long, and the flexural hinges are about 0.2 to 0.4 mm thick and 1 to 2 mm long.

5. The case of claim 3 wherein the case body forms a cavity for housing the socket when the accordion is retracted.

6. The case of claim 1 further comprising a button attached to the foot, the button formed of a rigid material and extending radially past the foot.

7. The case of claim 1 further comprising a suction cup attached to the foot.

8. The case of claim 1 wherein the foot comprises a suction cup.

9. A socket for attaching to a portable media player or to a portable media player case, comprising:

a securing element for attaching the socket to the back of the portable media player or portable media player case; and

an accordion forming a tapered shape connected to the securing element, the accordion capable of extending outward generally along its from the portable media player and retracting back toward the portable media player by collapsing generally along its axis; and

a foot disposed at the distal end of the accordion.

10. The socket of claim 9 wherein the accordion comprises rigid walls interspersed with flexural hinges.

11. The socket of claim 10 wherein the tapered shape comprises a cone shape constructed and arranged such that the walls fold generally parallel to the axis of the accordion when the accordion is collapsed.

12. The socket of claim 11 wherein the accordion is formed of polyester-based thermoplastic polyurethane elastomer, the walls are about 1 to 2 mm thick and 2 to 4 mm long, and the flexural hinges are about 0.2 to 0.4 mm thick and 1 to 2 mm long.

13. The socket of claim 12 further comprising a button attached to the foot, the button formed of a rigid material and extending radially past the foot.

14. The socket of claim 9 wherein the securing element comprises a suction cup.

15. The socket of claim 9 wherein the securing element comprises suction-cup tape.

16. A method comprising the steps of:

attaching a socket including an accordion forming a tapered shape and having walls interspaced with flexural hinges to a portable media player;

selectively extending the socket by unfolding the accordion generally along its axis; and

selectively retracting the socket by folding the accordion generally along its axis such that the walls fold next to each other.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the retracting step folds the walls into an orientation such that the walls are generally parallel to the axis of the accordion.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the step of attaching the socket comprises the step of enclosing the player in a case already having the socket attached to the case.

19. The method of claim 16 wherein the step of attaching the socket attaches two sockets to the player.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein the step of extending the socket extends both of the sockets and the step of retracing the socket retracts both of the sockets and further including the step of winding a cord around the accordions after extending the sockets and before retracting the sockets.

21. The method of claim 19 wherein the step of extending the socket extends both of the sockets and further includes the step of bending the sockets in a curve away from the original axes of the accordions.

22. An extending socket for attaching to a portable media player, the socket forming a tapered shape and further comprising:

means for attaching the socket including an accordion forming a tapered shape to the back of the portable media player;

means for extending the socket outward generally along its axis from the portable media player and retracting the socket back toward the portable media player by collapsing the socket generally along its axis; and

a foot disposed at the distal end of the extending and retracting means.