Support for a portable electronic device

• US 9,207,714 B2
• Filed: 08/01/2013
• Issued: 12/08/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/01/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Boomhour, Benjamin William
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Hoa C
• Assistant Examiner(s): Cunningham, Xanthia C
• Application Number:
  US13/957,214
• Publication Number:
  US 20150036282A1
• Time in Patent Office: 859 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/00 Stands or trestles as supports for apparatus or articles placed thereon ; Stands for scientific apparatus such as gravitational force meters without heads F16M13/00; easels or stands for blackboards or the like A47B97/04; show-stands A47F7/00; for workmen E04G1/32; sockets or holders for poles or posts E04H12/22; supporting or suspending for lighting devices F21V21/00
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/10 around a horizontal axis F16M11/12 takes precedence
• 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: F16M 13/022 repositionable
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/04 Supports for telephone transmitters or receivers

Abstract

A support includes a device-receiving groove for receiving a portable electronic device. A center of gravity of the support being selected to bias the support to remain in a device-receiving position when no portable electronic device is received therein and bias the support to remain in an upright position when the portable electronic device is received therein.

Claims

1. A support for receiving a portable electronic device, the support comprising:

a base; and

a seat mechanically coupled to the base and rotatable relative to the base, the seat comprising a first portion, a second portion and a device-receiving groove defined by a front wall, a back wall and a side wall, the side wall located between the front wall and the back wall, the second portion coupled to the first portion at a right angle and the seat being sized for receiving the portable electronic device and being movable, by rotation of the seat relative to the base, between a device-receiving position and an upright position;

wherein a center of gravity of the seat is located to bias the seat toward the device-receiving position in which the device-receiving groove of the second portion is upward facing.

2. The support of claim 1, comprising an aperture for receiving an electrical connector, a surface defining the aperture extending through the side wall of the second portion.

3. The support of claim 1, wherein when the portable electronic device is received in the support and the support is in the upright position, a combined centre of gravity of the support and the portable electronic device causes the support to remain in the upright position.

4. The support of claim 1, wherein in the device-receiving position, the first portion of the support contacts a support surface on which the support sits.

5. The support of claim 2, wherein the electrical connector is for electrically communicating with the portable electronic device to enable one of:

charging of a power pack of the portable electronic device and data communication with the portable electronic device.

6. The support of claim 1, wherein the second portion is coupled to the first portion at a right angle.

7. The support of claim 1, comprising a spring coupled between the seat and the base.

8. The support of claim 7, wherein the spring functions as a damper to slow rotation of the seat relative to the base when the seat moves from the upright position to the device-receiving position.

9. The support of claim 7, wherein the spring is a torsional spring to facilitate movement of the seat relative to the base from the device-receiving position to the upright position.

10. The support of claim 2, comprising a second aperture for receiving a second electrical connector, a second surface defining the second aperture extending at least partway through the side wall of the second portion.

11. The support of claim 10, wherein the second electrical connector is for electrically communicating with the portable electronic device to enable one of:

charging of a power pack of the portable electronic device and data communication with the portable electronic device.

12. The support of claim 1, wherein the seat comprises a return portion coupled to the second portion, the return portion being substantially parallel to the first portion.

13. A support for receiving a portable electronic device and supporting the portable electronic device on a surface on which the support is located, the support comprising:

a seat comprising a first portion, a second portion and a device-receiving groove defined by a front wall, a back wall and a side wall, the side wall located between the front wall and the back wall, the second portion coupled to the first portion at a right angle and the seat being sized for receiving the portable electronic device and movable between a device-receiving position and an upright position; and

a base mechanically coupled to the seat and including a surface contacting wall comprising a curved portion and a flat portion, wherein the flat portion is in contact with the surface on which the portable electronic device is located when the portable electronic device is in the upright position, and wherein when the portable electronic device is moved out of the upright position by rotation of the base such that a part of the curved portion is in contact with the surface on which the portable electronic device is located, the seat and the base automatically rotate to return the portable electronic device to the upright position by the force of gravity acting on the support and the portable electronic device,

wherein a center of gravity of the support is located to bias the support toward the device-receiving position.

14. The support of claim 13, wherein the device-receiving position and the upright position are the same.

15. The support of claim 13, wherein the support is one piece.

16. The support of claim 13, comprising an aperture for receiving an electrical connector, a surface defining the aperture extending through the side wall of the second portion.

17. The support of claim 13, comprising a weight coupled to the base.

18. The support of claim 13, wherein when the portable electronic device is received in the support and the support is in the upright position, a combined centre of gravity of the support and the portable electronic device causes the support to remain in the upright position.

19. The support of claim 16, wherein the electrical connector is for electrically communicating with the portable electronic device to enable one of:

charging of a power pack of the portable electronic device and data communication with the portable electronic device.

20. The support of claim 16, comprising a second aperture for receiving a second electrical connector, a second surface defining the second aperture extending at least partway through the side wall of the upright portion.