Holder apparatus for a portable electronic device

• US 9,022,267 B2
• Filed: 10/11/2012
• Issued: 05/05/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/13/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke AG
• Original Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke AG
• Inventors: Wisselmann, Dirk, Bross, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Larson, Justin
• Assistant Examiner(s): SCHMIDT, PHILLIP D
• Application Number:
  US13/649,860
• Publication Number:
  US 20130119102A1
• Time in Patent Office: 936 Days
• Field of Search: 224/929, 224/483, 224/539, 224/542, 224/552, 224/567, 224/571, 455/575.8, 455/575.9, 248/688, 379/446, 379/449, 379/450, 379/454, 379/455, 361/679.59
• US Class Current: 224/552
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/00 Arrangements for holding or mounting articles, not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/0241 for telephones
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0075 using a containment or docking space
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 224/929 Article carrier for electrical device

Abstract

A holder apparatus is provided for a portable electronic device, in particular in a motor vehicle. The portable electronic device is designed for bidirectional data transfer with the motor vehicle, wherein the holder apparatus has a base element which can be fixed in the motor vehicle and which has a plurality of holder elements, and at least one wall and/or cover element which is coupled to the holder elements such that it can be reversibly plug-connected. The portable electronic device can be secured in the holder apparatus in an interlocking and/or force-fitting manner by the base element and the at least one wall and/or cover element.

Claims

1. A holder device for a portable electronic device in a motor vehicle, wherein the portable electronic device is designed for a bi-directional data transfer with the motor vehicle, wherein the holder device comprises:

a base element, which is securable in the motor vehicle and which has a plurality of holder elements; and

at least one wall element and/or cover element, which is operatively configured to couple with the holder elements such that the at least one wall element and/or cover element and the holder elements are reversibly pluggable into one another, wherein

the portable electronic device is securable in the holder device in a force locking manner via contact with an outer surface of the at least one wall element and/or cover element,

the holder elements have recesses,

the at least one wall element and/or cover element has pins, and

the pins of the at least one wall element and/or cover element are arranged in a shape locking and/or force locking manner in the recesses of the holder elements.

2. The holder device according to claim 1, wherein the at least one wall element and/or cover element secure the portable electronic device in the holder device in the shape locking manner.

3. The holder device according to claim 2, wherein the holder elements form an orthogonal grid.

4. The holder device according to claim 3, wherein the holder elements are designed as pins.

5. The holder device according to claim 2, wherein the holder elements are designed as pins.

6. The holder device according to claim 5, wherein the at least one wall element and/or cover element is arranged in the at least one of the shape locking and force locking manner between the holder elements, which are designed as pins.

7. The holder device according to claim 4, wherein the at least one wall element and/or cover element is arranged in the at least one of the shape locking and force locking manner between the holder elements, which are designed as pins.

8. The holder device according to claim 4, wherein the at least one wall element and/or cover element has recesses;

and the holder elements, which are designed as pins, are arranged in the shape locking and/or force locking manner in the recesses of the at least one wall element and/or cover element.

9. The holder device according to claim 5, wherein the at least one wall element and/or cover element has recesses;

and the holder elements, which are designed as pins, are arranged in the shape locking and/or force locking manner in the recesses of the at least one wall element and/or cover element.

10. The holder device according to claim 2, wherein the base element has an induction element, which is configured to be electrically connected to a power source and which is arranged and configured to be inductively coupled to the portable electronic device.

11. The holder device according to claim 2, wherein the base element has an antenna element, which is configured to provide a wireless transfer of a radio signal from and to the portable electronic device.

12. The holder device according to claim 2, wherein the base element has an antenna element, which is configured to provide a wireless transfer of a radio signal from and to the portable electronic device.

13. The holder device according to claim 2, wherein the portable electronic device is at least one of a mobile telephone, a personal digital assistant, a portable media player device and a portable tablet computer.

14. The holder device according to claim 11, wherein the portable electronic device is at least one of a mobile telephone, a personal digital assistant, a portable media player device and a portable tablet computer.

15. The holder device according to claim 12, wherein the portable electronic device is at least one of a mobile telephone, a personal digital assistant, a portable media player device and a portable tablet computer.

16. The holder device according to claim 1, wherein the outer surface of the at least one wall element and/or cover element contacts an outer surface of the portable electronic device.

17. The holder device according to claim 16, wherein the surface of the at least one wall element and/or cover element is springy or elastic, so as to exert a motion-resistive force on the outer surface of the portable electronic device, thereby securing the portable electronic device in the holder device in the force locking manner.

18. A holder device for a portable electronic device in a motor vehicle, wherein the portable electronic device is designed for a bi-directional data transfer with the motor vehicle, wherein the holder device comprises:

a base element, which is securable in the motor vehicle and which has a plurality of holder elements; and

at least one wall element and/or cover element, which is operatively configured to couple with the holder elements such that the at least one wall element and/or cover element and the holder elements are reversibly pluggable into one another, wherein

the portable electronic device is securable in the holder device in at least one of a shape locking and force locking manner by the base element and the at least one wall element and/or cover element,

the holder elements have recesses,

the at least one wall element and/or cover element has pins, and

the pins of the at least one wall element and/or cover element are arranged in the shape locking and/or force locking manner in the recesses of the holder elements.