Abstract:
A holder for holding portable electronic devices includes a main support body being a rectangular rigid plate and comprising an upwardly extending closed, rectangular, flexible flange on a top surface; a main support member being hingedly secured to a rear end of the main support body, the main support member being a rectangular rigid plate and comprising an extending closed, rectangular, flexible flange on a front surface; a support leg being hingedly secured to a transverse part of a back of the main support member, the support leg being a rectangular rigid plate; and at least one connecting strap each extending from a bottom edge of the support leg to be releasably secured to a back of the main support body, thereby adjusting a tilt angle of the support leg with respect to the main support member.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of Invention 
         [0002]    The invention relates to holding devices and more particularly to a holder for securely holding one or two portable electronic devices with improved characteristics. 
         [0003]    2. Description of Related Art 
         [0004]    A wide variety of electronic products are commercially available due to the advancement of science and technology. One important feature of these products is that they are portable. Such portable electronic devices include, but not limited to, cellular phones, PDAs (personal digital assistants), palm type game machines, and tablet computers. Moreover, for laptops its keyboard is thin and may incorporate a touch pad or a trackball. These portable electronic devices may be actuated by wire (e.g., USB (universal serial bus)) or wireless (e.g., RF (radio frequency) or Bluetooth) technology. 
         [0005]    These portable electronic devices are relatively expensive and advanced products. Thus, how to protect them in transport or use is an important issue. There are many different types of product for protecting portable electronic devices are available in the market. However, such products are disadvantageous because they are inferior in quality, not durable, awkward to carry, inconvenience in use, etc. Thus, the need for improvement still exists. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    It is therefore one object of the invention to provide a holder for holding portable electronic devices comprising a main support body being a rectangular rigid plate and comprising an upwardly extending closed, rectangular, flexible flange on a top surface; a main support member being hingedly secured to a rear end of the main support body, the main support member being a rectangular rigid plate and comprising an extending closed, rectangular, flexible flange on a front surface; a support leg being hingedly secured to a transverse part of a back of the main support member, the support leg being a rectangular rigid plate; and at least one connecting strap each extending from a bottom edge of the support leg to be releasably secured to a back of the main support body, thereby adjusting a tilt angle of the support leg with respect to the main support member. 
         [0007]    The above and other objects, features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description taken with the accompanying drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0008]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a holder according to a first preferred embodiment of the invention, two portable electronic devices to be held thereon; 
           [0009]      FIG. 2  is another perspective view of the holder but viewing from an opposite angle; 
           [0010]      FIG. 3  is a longitudinal sectional view of the holder with both the portable electronic devices being held thereon in an open position; 
           [0011]      FIGS. 4 and 5  are views similar to  FIG. 3  showing the holder being collapsed for saving storage space; 
           [0012]      FIG. 6  is a longitudinal sectional view of a holder according to a second preferred embodiment of the invention in an open position; 
           [0013]      FIG. 7  is a perspective view of the support leg and the connecting member of  FIG. 6 ; 
           [0014]      FIG. 8  is a perspective view of the holder of  FIG. 6  viewing from a rear, bottom direction; 
           [0015]      FIG. 9  is a view similar to  FIG. 6  showing the holder being collapsed for saving storage space; 
           [0016]      FIG. 10  is a longitudinal sectional view of a holder according to a third preferred embodiment of the invention in an open position; 
           [0017]      FIG. 11  is a rear view of the holder of  FIG. 10 ; 
           [0018]      FIG. 12  is a longitudinal sectional view of a holder according to a fourth preferred embodiment of the invention in an open position; 
           [0019]      FIG. 13  is a rear view of the holder of  FIG. 12 ; 
           [0020]      FIG. 14  is a sectional view taken along line X-X of  FIG. 13 ; and 
           [0021]      FIG. 15  is a perspective view of the holder of  FIG. 1  with one portable electronic device being rested upon the tilted main support member and the other portable electronic device being retained in the recess of the main support body. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0022]    Referring to  FIGS. 1 to 5 , a holder  10  for holding portable electronic devices in accordance with a first preferred embodiment of the invention comprises a main support body  11 , a main support member  16 , and a support leg  19  as discussed in detail below. 
         [0023]    The main support body  11  is a rectangular rigid plate. The main support body  11  has an upwardly extending closed, rectangular, flexible flange  12 . A rectangular recess  121  is defined by the flange  12 . The flange  12  is made of elastomeric material so that an electronic input device  50  may be retained in the recess  121 . The electronic input device  50  can be a thin keyboard incorporating a touch pad or a trackball. A back  13  of the main support body  11  is provided with a plurality of disc magnetic members  131 . A flexible hinge  15  is provided on a rear edge of the main support body  11 . The main support member  16  extends outward from the hinge  15  so that the main support member  16  may be closed onto the main support body  11  or open with respect to the main support body  11  by pivoting about the hinge  15 . 
         [0024]    The main support member  16  is a rectangular rigid plate. The main support member  16  has an extending closed, rectangular, flexible flange  17 . A rectangular recess  171  is defined by the flange  17 . The flange  17  is made of elastomeric material so that an electronic processing device  60  may be retained in the recess  171 . The electronic processing device  60  can be a cellular phone, a PDA, or a tablet computer. The support leg  19  is provided on a transverse central portion of a back  18  of the main support member  16 . 
         [0025]    The support leg  19  is a rectangular rigid plate. The support leg  19  comprises a top edge  192  hingedly secured to the transverse central portion of the back  18  of the main support member  16  by stitching. A bottom edge  191  of the support leg  19  is adapted to rest upon a planar surface (e.g., desk top). A straight connecting strap  14  extends from a central portion of the bottom edge  191 . The other open end portion of the connecting strap  14  is provided with a plurality of spaced disc magnetic members  141  so that the connecting strap  14  may be secured to the back  13  of the main support body  11  by magnetically adhering to the disc magnetic member  131 . Positions of the disc magnetic members  141  secured to the back  13  can be adjusted as desired. Thus, a tilt angle of the support leg  19  with respect to the main support member  16  can be adjusted. This arrangement enables a user to comfortably view the electronic processing device  60  in an optimum tilt angle. Alternatively, the connecting strap  14  and the back  13  of the main support body  11  may be implemented as a hook and hoop fastener for saving cost and other beneficial purposes. 
         [0026]    In the invention, the electronic input device  50  and the electronic processing device  60  can be communicated by wire (e.g., USB) or wireless (e.g., RF or Bluetooth) technology. 
         [0027]    For closing the holder  10 , a user may unfasten the connecting strap  14  and then clockwise pivot same to engage the support leg  19  with the back  18  of the main support member  16 . Also, engage the main support member  16  with the main support body  11  (see  FIGS. 3 and 4 ). Next, continuously clockwise pivot the connecting strap  14  and bent same until one of the disc magnetic members  141  is secured to one of the disc magnetic members  131  with the connecting strap  14  being tightly stretched (see  FIGS. 4 and 5 ). Both the electronic processing device  60  and the electronic input device  50  are protected by the holder  10  in a storage position. 
         [0028]    Referring to  FIGS. 6 to 9 , a holder  20  for holding portable electronic devices in accordance with a second preferred embodiment of the invention is shown. The characteristics of the second preferred embodiment are substantially the same as that of the first preferred embodiment except the following: 
         [0029]    The holder  20  comprises a main support body  21 , a main support member  26 , and a support leg  29  as discussed in detail below. The support leg  29  is a rectangular rigid plate. The support leg  29  comprises a bottom edge  293  adapted to rest upon a planar surface (e.g., desk top). A rectangular connecting plate  25  has one end hingedly secured to the bottom edge  293 . The other end of the connecting plate  25  is connected to the back of the main support body  21 . The support leg  29  further comprises a curved member  292  on a center of a top edge, and a transverse ridge  291  on one end of the curved member  292 . The curved member  292  is shaped to complimentarily engage with an extending closed, rectangular, flexible flange  27  of the main support member  26  when the holder  20  is closed in a storage position (see  FIG. 9 ). The ridge  291  is adapted to insert in one of a plurality of parallel grooves  261  on the back of the main support member  26 . The ridge  291  can be retained by any one of the grooves  261  means that the electronic processing device  60  on the main support member  26  can be disposed in different angles with respect to the main support body  21  (i.e., different tilt angles). This arrangement enables a user to comfortably view the electronic processing device  60  in an optimum tilt angle. 
         [0030]    A rectangular rigid plate  28  is fixedly provided on a lower portion of the main support member  26  just between the grooves  261  and the bottom edge of the main support member  26 . The connecting plate  25  is adapted to rest upon the rigid plate  28  when the holder  20  is closed. Moreover, a closed elastic strap  23  may be used to wrap around the front portions of the main support body  21  and the main support member  26  in the closed position of the holder  20  (see  FIGS. 8 and 9 ). The provision of the elastic strap  23  can ensure the holder  20  and the device(s) (e.g., electronic input device  50  and/or electronic processing device  60 ) being retained in a protected state. 
         [0031]    Referring to  FIGS. 10 and 11 , a holder  30  for holding portable electronic devices in accordance with a third preferred embodiment of the invention is shown. The characteristics of the third preferred embodiment are substantially the same as that of the first preferred embodiment except the following: 
         [0032]    The holder  30  comprises a main support body  31 , a main support member  36 , and two spaced, parallel support legs  39  as discussed in detail below. The support leg  39  is a rectangular plate. The support leg  39  comprises a pivot  392  on a top edge adapted to hingedly secure to a back of the main support member  36 . A bottom end of the support leg  39  is adapted to rest upon a planar surface (e.g., desk top). This means that tilt angle of the electronic processing device  60  on the main support member  36  with respect to the main support body  31  can be adjusted (i.e., different tilt angles). This arrangement enables a user to comfortably view the electronic processing device  60  in an optimum tilt angle. Moreover, an intermediate disc magnetic member  393  is provided on the support leg  39 . The disc magnetic member  393  is adapted to adhere to one of two transversely spaced disc magnetic members  361  when the support leg  39  is engaged with a back of the main support member  36  in a storage position of the holder  30 . 
         [0033]    Referring to  FIGS. 12 to 14 , a holder  40  for holding portable electronic devices in accordance with a fourth preferred embodiment of the invention is shown. The characteristics of the fourth preferred embodiment are substantially the same as that of the third preferred embodiment except the following: 
         [0034]    The holder  40  comprises a main support body  41 , a main support member  46 , and a support leg  49  as discussed in detail below. The support leg  49  is a rod-like member. A pivot pin  47  is provided on a back of the main support member  46 . A gear  471 , as one portion of a ratchet, is provided on the periphery of the pivot pin  47 . the support leg  49  comprises an annular hole  491  at a top end, the hole  491  being put on the gear  471 , a pawl  492  provided on the inner surface of the hole  491 , a lever  494  distal the pawl  492 , and an elastic member (e.g., helical spring)  493  biased between the lever  494  and the back of the pawl  492 . The front of the pawl  942  is formed with a plurality of teeth which are adapted to engage with the teeth of the gear  471 . A pivoting operation (as indicated by the upper arrow) of the lever  494  may compress the elastic member  493  to push the pawl  492  to pivotably move the gear  471 . As such, an angle of the support leg  49  with respect to the main support member  46  is changed. A reverse pivoting operation (as indicated by the lower arrow) will return the lever  494  to its original position with the engagement of the pawl  492  and the gear  471  remained unchanged. The above two steps can be performed repeatedly until a desire tilt angle of the support leg  49  with respect to the main support member  46  is obtained. Further, the bottom end of the support leg  49  is rested upon a planar surface (e.g., desk top). This arrangement enables a user to comfortably view the electronic processing device  60  in an optimum tilt angle. 
         [0035]    Referring to  FIG. 15 , the electronic processing device  60  may be alternatively rested upon the tilted flange  17  and the electronic input device  50  may be retained by the flange  12  in another configuration of use. 
         [0036]    While the invention has been described in terms of preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art will recognize that the invention can be practiced with modifications within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.