Low-profile mounting clip for personal device

• US 6,978,517 B2
• Filed: 11/21/2003
• Issued: 12/27/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/14/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Medtronic Minimed Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Medtronic Minimed Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Collins, Sean, Kimball, David S., Moberg, Sheldon B., Payne, Timothy J., Shetler, Lance E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sandy, Robert J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Rodriguez, Ruth C.
• Application Number:
  US10/719,671
• Publication Number:
  US 20040250382A1
• Time in Patent Office: 767 Days
• Field of Search: 24/31, 24/37, 24/39, 24 311- 312, 224/197, 224/269, 224/669, 224/670, 224/912, 224/930, 455/90, 455/351, 379/446, 379/455
• US Class Current: 24/3.12
• 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: A45F 5/021 to the belt
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/14244 adapted to be carried by the patient, e.g. portable on the body
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/13 Article holder attachable to apparel or body
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/1394 Article held by clip

Abstract

A low-profile, durable mounting clip for holding personal devices. The mounting clip may have an essentially inverted “L” shaped configuration including a foot portion having engagement elements for attachment to corresponding engagement elements on a housing of a personal device. A leg portion provides for attachment to an undergarment or other suitable article of clothing. A heel portion located between and connecting the leg portion and foot portion allows the foot portion to flexibly and durably retract from the housing. The mounting clip may include a snap tab beam locking mechanism having a barb for interlocking with a bump provided on the housing or a rotatable cam locking mechanism having one or more radial snap tabs having engagement elements for engaging corresponding surfaces on the mounting clip. The mounting clip may have an essentially inverted “C-shaped” configuration including a first foot, a second foot, and a leg portion.

Claims

1. A mounting clip for removably attaching a personal device on a supporting member, comprising:

a first foot for frictionally attaching the mounting clip to a first portion of the personal device;

a second foot for frictionally attaching the mounting clip to a second portion of the personal device;

a leg portion for connecting the first foot and the second foot; and

a lever hingedly attached to the leg portion;

wherein the lever rotates relative to the leg portion for positioning the supporting member between the lever and the leg portion;

wherein the first foot includes a dovetail configuration for slide-on attachment and slide-off removal of the personal device, the dovetail configuration having a cascading facet configuration, and wherein the first foot has a locking mechanism for securing the clip to the personal device.

2. The mounting clip of claim 1, wherein the cascading facet configuration includes a plurality of outwardly and downwardly sloping facets for engaging corresponding surfaces on the personal device.

3. The mounting clip of claim 1, wherein the cascading facet configuration includes three outwardly and downwardly sloping facets for engaging corresponding surfaces on the personal device.

4. The mounting clip of claim 2, wherein the plurality of outwardly and downwardly sloping facets have different sloping angles relative to each other.

5. The mounting clip of claim 2, wherein the plurality of outwardly and downwardly sloping facets, when fully engaged to the personal device and subjected to an overload condition, elastically deform, slide from facet to facet along the corresponding surfaces of the personal device and separate from the personal device with reduced damage.

6. The mounting clip of claim 1, wherein the first foot includes channels formed thereon for providing inward flexibility to the first foot.

7. The mounting clip of claim 6, wherein the channels extend lengthwise on the first foot in the direction of engagement with the personal device.

8. The mounting clip of claim 1, wherein the first foot includes engagement stops for abutting against corresponding surfaces of the personal device.

9. The mounting clip of claim 1, wherein the locking mechanism includes a snap tab beam locking mechanism having a barb for interlocking with a bump provided on the personal device for locking the mounting clip to the personal device.

10. The mounting clip of claim 9, wherein the barb interlocks with a bump provided on a housing of the personal device.

11. The mounting clip of claim 9, wherein the snap tab beam locking mechanism is integrally formed with the foot portion.

12. A mounting clip for removably attaching a personal device on a supporting member, comprising:

a first foot for frictionally attaching the mounting clip to a first portion of the personal device;

a second foot for frictionally attaching the mounting clip to a second portion of the personal device;

a leg portion for connecting the first foot and the second foot; and

a lever hingedly attached to the leg portion;

wherein the lever rotates relative to the leg portion for positioning the supporting member between the lever and the leg portion; and

wherein the first foot includes a rotatable cam locking mechanism having one or more radial snap tabs having engagement elements for engaging corresponding surfaces on the mounting clip.

13. The mounting clip of claim 12, wherein the rotatable cam locking mechanism is formed separately from the first foot portion and subsequently attached to the first foot.

14. The mounting clip of claim 13, wherein the first foot is formed to include an opening shaped and sized for receiving the rotatable cam locking mechanism.

15. A personal device for attachment to a supporting member, comprising:

a device housing including first engagement elements for receiving a mounting clip, the mounting clip including;

a first foot for frictionally attaching the mounting clip to a first portion of the personal device;

a second foot for frictionally attaching the mounting clip to a second portion of the personal device;

a leg portion for connecting the first foot and the second foot; and

a lever hingedly attached to the leg portion;

wherein the lever rotates relative to the leg portion for positioning the supporting member between the lever and the leg portion;

wherein the first foot includes a dovetail configuration for slide-on attachment and slide-off removal of the personal device, the dovetail configuration having a cascading facet configuration and wherein the first foot has a locking mechanism for securing the clip to the personal device.

16. The personal device of claim 15, wherein the cascading facet configuration includes a plurality of outwardly and downwardly sloping facets for engaging corresponding surfaces on the personal device.

17. The personal device of claim 15, wherein the cascading facet configuration includes three outwardly and downwardly sloping facets for engaging corresponding surfaces on the personal device.

18. The personal device of claim 16, wherein the plurality of outwardly and downwardly sloping facets have different sloping angles relative to each other.

19. The personal device of claim 16, wherein the plurality of outwardly and downwardly sloping facets, when fully engaged to the personal device and subjected to an overload condition, elastically deform, slide from facet to facet along the corresponding surfaces of the personal device and separate from the personal device with reduced damage.

20. A personal device for attachment to a supporting member, comprising:

a device housing including first engagement elements for receiving a mounting clip, the mounting clip including;

a first foot for frictionally attaching the mounting clip to a first portion of the personal device;

a second foot for frictionally attaching the mounting clip to a second portion of the personal device;

a leg portion for connecting the first foot and the second foot; and

a lever hingedly attached to the leg portion;

wherein the lever rotates relative to the leg portion for positioning the supporting member between the lever and the leg portion; and

wherein the first foot includes a rotatable cam locking mechanism having one or more radial snap tabs having engagement elements for engaging corresponding surfaces on the mounting clip.

21. The personal device of claim 20, wherein the rotatable cam locking mechanism is formed separately from the first foot and subsequently attached to the first foot.

22. The personal device of claim 21, wherein the first foot is formed to include an opening shaped and sized for receiving the rotatable cam locking mechanism.