Holder mechanism for a multi-function electronic device

• US 9,062,820 B2
• Filed: 10/31/2011
• Issued: 06/23/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Traxxas LP (Traxxas)
• Original Assignee: Traxxas LP (Traxxas)
• Inventors: Allmendinger, Otto Karl, Byers, Brent W.
• Primary Examiner(s): MILLNER, MONICA E
• Application Number:
  US13/286,021
• Publication Number:
  US 20130105656A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,331 Days
• Field of Search: 248/346.04, 248/316.1, 248/316.3, 248/316.4, 248/316.6, 248/309.1, 248/176.3, 248/292.13, 248/298.1, 248/346.03
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/041 Allowing quick release of the apparatus
• 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: H04M 1/04 Supports for telephone transmitters or receivers

Abstract

In an embodiment, a holder mechanism is provided. The holder mechanism has an upper and a lower sliding plate, an upper and a lower lever guide arm, and an upper and a lower spring. The sliding plates have an adjustment lever plate rod slot and one or more fingers. The lever guide arms have a hinge end and a spring end and are hinged to their respective sliding plates at a hinge end. Each spring pulls the spring end of its respective lever guide arm and its respective sliding plate together. An adjustment lever between the sliding plates has an upper and a lower guide rod. Each guide rod is between the respective sliding plate and the respective lever guide arm. An adjustment lever plate rod passes through adjustment lever plate rod slots in the upper and lower sliding plates, and is connected to the adjustment lever.

Claims

1. A holder mechanism comprising:

an upper sliding plate comprising an adjustment lever plate rod slot and one or more fingers;

an upper lever guide arm comprising a hinge end and a spring end, the upper lever guide arm hinged to the upper sliding plate at the hinge end;

an upper spring pulling the spring end of the upper lever guide arm and the upper sliding plate together;

a lower sliding plate comprising an adjustment lever plate rod slot and one or more fingers;

a lower lever guide arm comprising a hinge end and a spring end, the lower lever guide arm hinged to the lower sliding plate at the hinge end;

a lower spring pulling the spring end of the lower lever guide arm and the lower sliding plate together;

an adjustment lever above the lower sliding plate and below the upper sliding plate, the adjustment lever comprising;

an upper guide rod between the upper sliding plate and the upper lever guide arm; and

a lower guide rod between the lower sliding plate and the lower lever guide arm; and

an adjustment lever plate rod passing through the adjustment lever plate rod slot of the upper sliding plate, passing through the adjustment lever plate rod slot of the lower sliding plate, and connected to the adjustment lever.

2. The holder mechanism of claim 1, wherein:

the upper sliding plate further comprises a first cover plate rod slot and a second cover plate rod slot; and

the lower sliding plate further comprises a first cover plate rod slot and a second cover plate rod slot;

and further comprising;

an upper cover plate comprising a first cover plate rod connection and a second cover plate rod connection;

a lower cover plate comprising a first cover plate rod connection and a second cover plate rod connection;

a first cover plate rod, the first cover plate rod passing through the first cover plate rod slot in the upper sliding plate and the first cover plate rod slot in the lower sliding plate, and the first cover plate rod connected to the first cover plate rod connection of the upper cover plate and the first cover plate rod connection of the lower cover plate; and

a second cover plate rod, the second cover plate rod passing through the second cover plate rod slot in the upper sliding plate and the second cover plate rod slot in the lower sliding plate, and the second cover plate rod connected to the second cover plate rod connection of the upper cover plate and the second cover plate rod connection of the lower cover plate.

3. The holder mechanism of claim 2, wherein the first cover plate rod connection of the upper cover plate, the second cover plate rod connection of the upper cover plate, the first cover plate rod connection of the lower cover plate, and the second plate rod connection of the lower cover plate comprise holes.

4. The holder mechanism of claim 3, further comprising:

a first cover plate rod screw, the shank of the first cover plate rod screw comprising the first cover plate rod; and

a second cover plate rod screw, the shank of the second cover plate rod screw comprising the second cover plate rod; and

wherein

at least one of the first cover plate rod connection of the upper cover plate and the first plate rod connection of the lower cover plate is threaded; and

at least one of the second cover plate rod connection of the upper cover plate and the second plate rod connection of the lower cover plate is threaded.

5. The holder mechanism of claim 1, wherein the adjustment lever plate rod is a portion of the adjustment lever.

6. The holder mechanism of claim 1, wherein:

the upper spring is preloaded; and

the lower spring is preloaded.

7. The holder mechanism of claim 1, wherein:

each of the one or more fingers of the upper sliding plate comprises a pad; and

each of the one or more fingers of the lower sliding plate comprises a pad.

8. A holder mechanism comprising:

a first sliding plate;

a second sliding plate;

fixing means for fixing the range of sliding movement together and apart of the first sliding plate and the second sliding plate;

first gripping means coupled to the first sliding plate, the first gripping means for gripping a device;

second gripping means coupled to the second sliding plate, the second gripping means for gripping the device;

adjustment means for adjusting the position of the first sliding plate relative to the second sliding plate within the range of sliding movement, the adjustment means having a first position and a second position, the position of the first sliding plate relative to the second sliding plate closest together in the range when the adjustment means is in the first position and the device is not between the first and second gripping means, the position of the first sliding plate relative to the second sliding plate farthest apart in the range when the adjustment means is in the second position;

moving means for moving the first sliding plate and the second sliding plate apart when the adjustment means is moved toward the second position; and

pulling means for pulling the first sliding plate and the second sliding plate toward each other when the adjustment means is in the first position and the device is between the first and second gripping means.

9. A method of holding a device, the method comprising:

an upper spring pulling a spring end of an upper lever guide arm and an upper sliding plate together, the upper lever guide arm hinged to the upper sliding plate at a hinge end of the upper lever guide arm;

a lower spring pulling a spring end of a lower lever guide arm and a lower sliding plate together, the lower lever guide arm hinged to the lower sliding plate at a hinge end of the lower lever guide arm;

moving an adjustment lever from a first position to a second position, thereby;

causing an upper lever guide rod to move the upper sliding plate away from the lower sliding plate; and

causing a lower lever guide rod to move the lower sliding plate away from the upper sliding plate;

inserting the device between a finger of the upper sliding late and a finger of the lower sliding plate;

moving the adjustment lever from the second position to the first position, thereby;

causing the upper lever guide rod to move the upper sliding plate toward the lower sliding plate; and

causing the lower lever guide rod to move the lower sliding plate toward the upper sliding plate;

the upper spring extending in response to contact between the finger of the upper sliding plate and the device; and

the lower spring extending in response to contact between the finger of the lower sliding plate and the device.

10. A holder mechanism comprising:

a sliding plate;

a lever guide arm comprising at least a first end elastically connected to the sliding plate;

a lever guide rod between the sliding plate and the lever guide arm;

an adjustment lever pivotally mounted relative to the sliding plate and attached to the lever guide rod, the adjustment lever pivotably movable between a first position and a second position relative to the sliding plate, wherein;

movement of the adjustment lever from the first position to the second position causes the lever guide rod to push the sliding plate in a first direction; and

movement of the adjustment lever from the second position to the first position causes the lever guide rod to push the sliding plate in a second direction;

further comprising at least one plate rod passing through a slot in the sliding plate.

11. The holder mechanism of claim 10, wherein the sliding plate comprises the lever guide arm.

12. The holder mechanism of claim 10, further comprising a spring forming the elastic connection between the first end of the lever guide arm and the sliding plate.

13. The holder mechanism of claim 10, wherein the lever guide arm is deformable and the deformability of the lever guide arm forms the elastic connection between the first end of the lever guide arm and the sliding plate.

14. The holder mechanism of claim 10, further comprising a second end of the lever guide arm connected by a joint permitting rotational movement of the lever guide arm with respect to the sliding plate.

15. The holder mechanism of claim 10, wherein the joint comprises:

a cylindrical portion of one of the sliding late or the lever guide arm;

a socket portion of the other of the sliding plate or the lever guide arm, the socket portion receiving the cylindrical portion.

16. The holder mechanism of claim 10, wherein the joint comprises a flexure joint.

17. The holder mechanism of claim 10, wherein the adjustment lever is above the sliding plate.

18. The holder mechanism of claim 10, wherein the adjustment lever is below the sliding plate.

19. The holder mechanism of claim 10, wherein the plate rod is attached to the adjustment lever.