Phone holder

• US 9,609,105 B1
• Filed: 10/13/2015
• Issued: 03/28/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 02/05/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Allstate Insurance Company (Allstate Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Allstate Insurance Company (Allstate Corporation)
• Inventors: Krug, David J., Thomas, Joy A., Lundsgaard, Soren K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Goddard, Tammy Paige
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bataille, Frantz
• Application Number:
  US14/881,970
• Time in Patent Office: 532 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3877 Arrangements for enabling portable transceivers to be used in a fixed position, e.g. cradles or boosters
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/04 Supports for telephone transmitters or receivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6075 adapted for handsfree use in a vehicle H04M1/6058 takes precedence; arrangements for holding telephones in a vehicle B60R11/0241
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication

Abstract

An apparatus for holding a cell phone or a mobile device in a vehicle that includes a cradle assembly configured to receive the cell phone or the mobile device and a speaker assembly. The cradle assembly includes a cradle base and a cradle attached to the cradle base, wherein the cradle base includes a power charger adapter connection and a USB connector connection. The speaker assembly connects to the cradle assembly and includes one or more speakers, wherein the speaker assembly includes a Bluetooth connection for wireless connection of the one or more speakers to the cell phone.

Claims

1. A phone holder for holding a cell phone in a vehicle, the phone holder including:

a cradle assembly configured to receive a cell phone, wherein the cradle assembly includes a cradle base and a cradle attached to the cradle base, wherein the cradle base includes a power charger adapter connection and a USB connector connection, the cradle including a triangular hold securement system connected to the cradle,

wherein the triangular hold securement system includes a first grab post, a second grab post, and a third grab post, wherein the first grab post and the second grab post are positioned to contact and engage on one of two long sides of the cell phone and the third grab post is positioned to contact and engage on the opposite long side of the cell phone, and further wherein the first grab post and third grab post are connected by a first arm and the second grab posts and the third grab post are connected by a second arm, wherein the first arm and the second arm are connected to a linkage element providing biasing forces to the first arm, the second arm, and the grab posts to secure the cell phone to the cradle; and

a speaker assembly connected to the cradle assembly, the speaker assembly including one or more speakers, wherein the speaker assembly includes a Bluetooth connection for wireless connection of the one or more speakers to the cell phone.

2. A phone holder according to claim 1, further including a vehicle mount to secure the phone holder to the inside of a vehicle.

3. A phone holder according to claim 1, wherein the cradle is rotatably attached to the cradle base and the cradle rotates such that the cell phone is located in either a portrait configuration or a landscape configuration.

4. A phone holder according to claim 1, wherein the speaker assembly includes a loudspeaker connector with a plurality of leads and wherein the cradle assembly includes a speaker connector with a plurality of leads and further wherein the plurality of leads of the loudspeaker connector and the speaker assembly connect to the plurality of leads of the speaker connector and the cradle assembly.

5. A phone holder according to claim 1, wherein the one or more speakers include two speakers directed in opposite directions from each other.

6. A phone holder according to claim 1, wherein the speaker assembly is removably connected to the cradle assembly.

7. A phone holder according to claim 1, wherein the speaker assembly is integrally connected to the cradle assembly.

8. A phone holder according to claim 1, wherein the cradle base includes a media slot configured to receive a media memory device.

20. A phone holder according to claim 1, wherein the speaker assembly includes a speaker housing and the one or more speakers located within the speaker housing, wherein the speaker housing includes one or more cradle mounts that are sized, shaped, and located such that the cradle assembly slides and locks into the speaker assembly when connecting the cradle assembly to the speaker assembly.

9. A mobile device holder for holding a mobile device in a vehicle, the holder including:

a cradle assembly configured to receive a mobile device, wherein the cradle assembly includes a cradle base and a cradle attached to the cradle base, wherein the cradle base includes a power charger adapter connection and a USB connector connection, the cradle including a triangular hold securement system connected to the cradle,

wherein the triangular hold securement system includes a first grab post, a second grab post, and a third grab post, wherein the first grab post and the second grab post are positioned to contact and engage on one of two long sides of the mobile device and the third grab post is positioned to contact and engage on the opposite long side of the mobile device, and further wherein the first grab post and third grab post are connected by a first arm and the second grab posts and the third grab post are connected by a second arm, wherein the first arm and the second arm are connected to a linkage element providing biasing forces to the first arm, the second arm, and the grab posts to secure the mobile device to the cradle; and

a speaker assembly integral to the cradle assembly, the speaker assembly including one or more speakers, wherein the speaker assembly includes a Bluetooth connection for wireless connection of the one or more speakers to the mobile device, and further wherein the speaker assembly includes a speaker housing and the one or more speakers located within the speaker housing, wherein the speaker housing includes one or more cradle mounts that are sized, shaped, and located such that the cradle assembly slides and locks into the speaker assembly when connecting the cradle assembly to the speaker assembly.

10. A mobile device holder according to claim 9, further including a vehicle mount to secure the mobile device holder to the inside of a vehicle.

11. A mobile device holder according to claim 9, wherein the cradle is rotatably attached to the cradle base and the cradle rotates such that the mobile device is located in either a portrait configuration or a landscape configuration, the cradle includes a pair of cradle arms and a pair of grips attached to each of the cradle arms, wherein the grips are configured to hold the mobile device.

12. A mobile device holder according to claim 9, wherein the speaker assembly includes a loudspeaker connector with a plurality of leads and wherein the cradle assembly includes a speaker connector with a plurality of leads and further wherein the plurality of leads of the loudspeaker connector and the speaker assembly connect to the plurality of leads of the speaker connector and the cradle assembly.

13. A mobile device holder according to claim 9, wherein the cradle base includes a media slot configured to receive a media memory device.

14. A mobile device holder according to claim 9, wherein the one or more speakers include two speakers directed in opposite directions from each other.

15. A mobile device holder for holding a mobile device in a vehicle, the holder including:

a cradle assembly configured to receive a mobile device, wherein the cradle assembly includes a cradle base and a cradle rotatably attached to the cradle base, wherein the cradle rotates such that the cell phone is located in either a portrait configuration or a landscape configuration, and further wherein the cradle base includes a power charger adapter connection and a USB connector connection, the cradle including a triangular hold securement system connected to the cradle,

wherein the triangular hold securement system includes a first grab post, a second grab post, and a third grab post, wherein the first grab post and the second grab post are positioned to contact and engage on one of two long sides of the mobile device and the third grab post is positioned to contact and engage on the opposite long side of the mobile device, and further wherein the first grab post and third grab post are connected by a first arm and the second grab posts and the third grab post are connected by a second arm, wherein the first arm and the second arm are connected to a linkage element providing biasing forces to the first arm, the second arm, and the grab posts to secure the mobile device to the cradle; and

a speaker assembly removably connected to the cradle assembly, the speaker assembly including one or more speakers, wherein the speaker assembly includes a Bluetooth connection for wireless connection of the one or more speakers to the mobile device, and further wherein the speaker assembly includes a speaker housing and the one or more speakers located within the speaker housing, wherein the speaker housing includes one or more cradle mounts that are sized, shaped, and located such that the cradle assembly slides and locks into the speaker assembly when connecting the cradle assembly to the speaker assembly.

16. A mobile device holder according to claim 15, further including a vehicle mount to secure the holder to the inside of a vehicle.

17. A mobile device holder according to claim 15, wherein the speaker assembly includes a loudspeaker connector with a plurality of leads and wherein the cradle assembly includes a speaker connector with a plurality of leads, and further wherein the plurality of leads of the loudspeaker connector and the speaker assembly connect to the plurality of leads of the speaker connector and the cradle assembly.

18. A mobile device holder according to claim 15, wherein the cradle base includes a media slot configured to receive a media memory device.

19. A mobile device holder according to claim 15, wherein the one or more speakers include two speakers directed in opposite directions from each other.