Holder for electronic device with support

• US 9,267,638 B2
• Filed: 01/18/2013
• Issued: 02/23/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/09/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Zero Chroma, LLC
• Original Assignee: Zero Chroma, LLC
• Inventors: Le Gette, Brian E., Reeb, David
• Primary Examiner(s): Sterling, Amy
• Application Number:
  US13/745,693
• Publication Number:
  US 20130134291A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,131 Days
• Field of Search: 248/688, 248/455, 248/676, 248917-923, 248/126
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A45F 2200/0516 Portable handheld communication devices, e.g. mobile phone, pager, beeper, PDA, smart phone
• CPC Class Codes: A45F 5/02 Fastening articles to the garment
• 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 11/04 Means for attachment of apparatus; Means allowing adjustment of the apparatus relatively to the stand
• 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 11/2021 around a horizontal axis F16M11/2035 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 13/04 for supporting on, or holding steady relative to, a person, e.g. by chains , e.g. rifle butt or pistol grip supports, supports attached to the chest or head apparatus or arrangements for taking photographs or for projecting or viewing them G03B
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/02 Casings; Cabinets ; Supports therefor; Mountings therein H04R1/28 takes precedence ; attachments for microphones H04R1/08; mounting of transducers in earpieces H04R1/1075
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1033 Cables or cables storage, e.g. cable reels cord reels per se H02G11/02; arrangements for storing and repeatedly paying-out and re-storing lengths of conductors or cables B65H75/34; extensible conductors or cables, e.g. self-coiling cords H01B7/06

Abstract

A protective holder for the iPhone®, iPad®, iPod Touch™, electronic books, electronic tablet computers and other portable devices having a frontal LCD, OLED, touch screen, or other display that employs a form-fitting backplate with corner frames for cradling the device while leaving the entire frontal aspect unobstructed is disclosed. The holder may include a series of contoured side grippers on each side of the backplate for clamping the device in place without obstructing the LCD screen (or access to it for cleaning or otherwise). The holder may include a fully-adjustable kickstand for upright hands-free viewing of the device at several landscape and portrait angles and the holder may also include a built-in moveable directional sound reflector and noise shield improves audio performance, and a detachable belt clip allows belt wearing. The holder has an extreme slimline folded profile to facilitate pocket insertion, minimize bulk and create an eye-catching aesthetic.

Claims

1. A support mechanism for a portable device, comprising:

a body including a coupling portion configured to couple a portable device to the body; and

means for supporting the body, said means for supporting the body being rotatably coupled to the body such that the orientation of said means for supporting the body relative to the body can change to support the body and the portable device in different orientations relative to a support surface, said means for supporting the body being movable between a retracted position and at least two extended positions relative to the body, said means for supporting the body being engageable with the support surface when said means for supporting the body is in any of its extended positions,

wherein said means for supporting the body includes a base, a coupler, and a leg directly pivotally coupled to the base about a first axis and to the coupler about at least a second axis, the first axis being different from the second axis, the first axis and the second axis being parallel to each other, and the leg being engageable with the support surface, and

wherein the leg has a first end that is directly pivotally coupled to the base about the first axis, and the leg has a second end, distal the first end, that is engageable with the support surface to support the body.

2. The support mechanism of claim 1, wherein the leg includes an engagement surface that engages the support surface, the leg is directly pivotally coupled to the base at a first location and directly pivotally coupled to the coupler at a second location, and the second location is between the engagement surface and the first location.

3. The support mechanism of claim 1, wherein the coupler is slidably coupled to the base.

4. The support mechanism of claim 1, wherein said means for supporting the body is rotatable relative to the body when said means for supporting the body is in its retracted position and the at least two extended positions.

5. The support mechanism of claim 1, wherein said means for supporting the body is flush with the body when said means for supporting the body is in its retracted position.

6. The support mechanism of claim 1, wherein said means for supporting the body is engageable with the support surface when said means for supporting the body is in any of its extended positions and any of the orientations with said means for supporting the body in any of its extended positions.

7. The support mechanism of claim 1, wherein the coupler is slidably coupled to the body.

8. The support mechanism of claim 1, wherein the body is configured to be removably coupled to the portable device.

9. The support mechanism of claim 1, further comprising a support member, said means for supporting the body being coupled to the support member.

10. The support mechanism of claim 9, wherein the support member is coupled directly to the leg of said means for supporting the body.

11. The support mechanism of claim 9, wherein the support member is coupled directly to the base of said means for supporting the body.

12. A holder for a portable electronic device, comprising:

a body; and

a support movably rotatably coupled to the body, the support being movable between a retracted position and at least two extended positions relative to the body, the at least two extended positions including a first extended position and a second extended position, the second extended position being different from the first extended position, the support being disposed within the body in its retracted position, the support extending from the body in its extended positions, the support being engageable with a support surface to support the body in at least two desired angles relative to the support surface,

wherein the support includes a stand member and a support component directly rotatably coupled together, each of the stand member and the support component being directly rotatably coupled to the body, and no part of the support component extends to the support surface in the at least two extended positions of the support, and

wherein the holder is configured to orient the body in at least one of landscape view and portrait view in the at least two extended positions.

13. The holder of claim 12, wherein the body is configured to be removably coupled to the portable electronic device.

14. The holder of claim 12, wherein the support is rotatably coupled to the body such that the orientation of the support relative to the body can change to support the body in different orientations relative to the support surface.

15. The holder of claim 12, wherein the support is flush with a portion of the body when the support is in its retracted position.

16. The holder of claim 12, wherein the stand member is flush with a portion of the body when the support is in its retracted position.

17. The holder of claim 12, wherein the support component is slidably coupled to a base of the support.

18. The holder of claim 12, wherein the support component is slidably coupled to the stand member.

19. The holder of claim 12, wherein a base of the support has an inner surface, an outer surface, and an opening extending from the inner surface to the outer surface, the stand member being disposed in the opening when the support is in its retracted position.

20. The holder of claim 12, wherein the stand member is directly rotatably coupled to the body at a first location and directly rotatably coupled to the support component at a second location, the second location being between the support surface and the first location.

21. The holder of claim 12, wherein a first of the at least two extended positions of the support forms an acute angle between the body and the stand member of the support, and a second of the at least two extended positions of the support forms an obtuse angle between the body and the stand member of the support.

22. The holder of claim 12, wherein the support is rotatable relative to the body in a plane parallel to a plane of the body when in its retracted position and the at least two extended positions.

23. The holder of claim 12, wherein a portion of the support is configured to be friction fit connected to a mount.

24. The holder of claim 12, wherein the stand member is pivotable around a first axis, the support component is pivotable about at least a second axis different from the first axis, and the first axis and the second axis always being parallel to each other.

25. The holder of claim 12, wherein the stand member is directly removably coupleable to another support.

26. The holder of claim 12, wherein the support component is directly removably coupleable to another support.