Abstract:
An apparatus for holding a portable device is provided which includes a cradle for holding the portable device. A support member is operatively coupled to the cradle and includes an inserting member. The inserting member may be received by a receiving member coupled to a base member, wherein the base member is mounted to a supporting surface. Once the receiving member receives the inserting member, at least one locking mechanism can releasably couple the support member to the base member for securing the apparatus to the surface.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention generally relates to portable device holders, and more particularly relates to a portable device holder adapted to be used within a vehicle. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    Portable devices are widely used and becoming commonplace in a variety of settings. One particular setting involves the use of such devices inside a traveling vehicle to assist in and enhance a trip experience. Popular devices often include navigation units and cellular devices. In order to communicate with a vehicle&#39;s electrical system, devices of this sort are typically plugged into a vehicle&#39;s preexisting power supply input such as a cigarette lighter or auxiliary port and are mounted to an interior structure such as an inner windshield, a dashboard, or an instrument panel. In some instances, these types of mounting schemes are not only unsightly, but also result in the presence of loose cables and obstructions. Consequently, an occupant may be prevented from accessing other vehicle features and devices that may be necessary during certain circumstances. For these types of scenarios, it may be desirable to provide a portable device holder that better compliments a vehicle&#39;s spatial interior relative to the location of the user and other accessible features and devices within the vehicle. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    According to one aspect of the present invention, an apparatus for holding a portable device is provided. The apparatus includes a cradle for holding a portable device and a support member operably coupled to the cradle. The support member comprises an inserting member that may be received by a receiving member. The receiving member is coupled to a base member, wherein the base member is joined to a surface. Once the receiving member receives the inserting member, a locking mechanism releasably couples the support member to the base member thereby securing the apparatus to the surface. 
         [0004]    According to another aspect of the present invention, a method for holding a portable device on a selected surface is provided. The method includes aligning at least one of a first electrical connector disposed on a base member to at least one of a second electrical connector disposed on a support member, pressing on at least one of a locking mechanism, inserting an inserting member disposed on the support member into a receiving member disposed on the base member to make an electrical connection between the at least one of the first electrical connector and the at least one of the second electrical connector, releasing the at least one of the locking mechanism to releasably couple the support member to the base member, and securing the portable device to a cradle, wherein the cradle is operably coupled to the support member. 
         [0005]    These and other aspects, objects, and features of the present invention will be understood and appreciated by those skilled in the art upon studying the following specification, claims, and appended drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0006]    In the drawings: 
           [0007]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a vehicle passenger compartment having a dashboard employing a portable device holding apparatus; 
           [0008]      FIG. 2  is perspective side view of one general embodiment of the portable device holding apparatus; 
           [0009]      FIG. 3  is a perspective side view of one exemplary embodiment of a cradle and support member assembly; 
           [0010]      FIG. 4  is a perspective bottom view of one exemplary embodiment of the support member; 
           [0011]      FIG. 5  is a cross-sectional front view of the portable device holding apparatus taken through V-V of  FIG. 2  showing a locking mechanism in a locked position; 
           [0012]      FIG. 6  is a cross-sectional front view of the portable device holding apparatus taken through V-V of  FIG. 2  showing the locking mechanism in an unlocked position; 
           [0013]      FIG. 7  is a perspective elevation view of one exemplary embodiment of the base member; 
           [0014]      FIG. 8  is a perspective front view of the portable device holding apparatus taken through VIII-VIII of  FIG. 2  showing an inserting member being received by a receiving member; and 
           [0015]      FIG. 9  is a perspective front view of the portable device holding apparatus taken through VIII-VIII of  FIG. 2  showing the locking mechanism locking the support member to the base member once the inserting member has been fully received by the receiving member. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0016]    As required, detailed embodiments of the present invention are disclosed herein. However, it is to be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the invention that may be embodied in various and alternative forms. The figures are not necessarily to a detailed design and some schematics may be exaggerated or minimized to show function overview. Therefore, specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to variously employ the present invention. 
         [0017]    Referring now to  FIG. 1 , a passenger compartment  2  of an automotive vehicle is generally illustrated having a dashboard  4  generally located below the front windshield and in front of the driver and front passenger seats. The dashboard  4  may include various components such as one or more instrument and display panels, user input switches, storage compartments, and other vehicle assemblies for occupant use and enjoyment. The dashboard  4  is equipped with a portable device holding apparatus  10  generally positioned on a surface of the dashboard  4  to be accessible by the driver and front passenger. As further illustrated in  FIG. 1 , a generic portable device  12  is secured by the portable device holder  10  and oriented to face the driver so as to provide easy viewing of the display screen. 
         [0018]    Referring now to  FIG. 2 , one general embodiment of the portable device holding apparatus  10  is shown and includes a cradle  14  for holding the portable device  12 . The cradle  14  includes a support member  16  that has an inserting member  18  configured to be received by a receiving member  20 , wherein the receiving member  20  is coupled to a base member  22 . The base member  22  may additionally include one or more first electrical connectors  24  adapted to make electrical connections with one or more second electrical connectors  26  disposed on the support member such that the first and second electrical connectors  24 ,  26  are electrically coupled when the inserting member  18  has been properly aligned and inserted into the receiving member  20 . Once the inserting member  18  has been received by the receiving member  20 , a releasable locking mechanism  28  may temporarily affix the support member  16  to the base member  22  until a user no longer desires to use the portable device holding apparatus  10 . In that instance, the user may release the releasable locking mechanism  28  and remove the inserting member  18  from the receiving member  20 . The support member  16  may in turn be stored in any desirable location until further use is desired. 
         [0019]    Referring now to  FIG. 3 , an exemplary embodiment of the cradle  14  is shown, wherein the cradle  14  further includes a claw  30  having a support  32  and an arm  34  that extends perpendicularly from each end of the support  32  and outwardly with respect to the support member  16 . Additionally, each arm  34  is substantially parallel in relation to the other and includes an inward facing grip  36 . In this arrangement, a corresponding portable device can be inserted between each arm  34  from either side of the cradle  14  and guided to the desired position. If the cradle  14  is constructed from a flexible material, the portable device can also be snapped in place by gently pushing the portable device towards the support  32 . Regardless of attachment method, once the desired position has been reached, the holding forces of the claw  30  will prevent additional movement of the portable device absent any user intervention. 
         [0020]    Since portable devices are not always rectangular in shape, the portable device holding apparatus  10  can be optionally configured to hold devices of different shapes and sizes. As seen in  FIG. 3 , the claw  30  is mated to a joint  38  that is removably coupled to the cradle  14 , wherein the joint  38  and claw  30  assembly can be easily removed via a releasable locking clip  40  and substituted with another joint and claw assembly that is configured to hold a portable device having a different size and shape. Alternatively, the joint  38  may be fixed to the cradle  14  thus requiring the claw  30  to be adjustable so that portable devices of different sizes and shapes can be easily accommodated without the removal of cradle  14  components. Given the numerous types of portable devices in use, the dimensions of claw  30  will necessarily depend on the shape, width, and depth of the portable device being held and should be adapted to ensure a snug fit so that the portable device holding apparatus  10  can withstand dynamic forces including common vehicular occurrences such as sudden movement or disturbances caused by sharp turning maneuvers or bumps on the road. 
         [0021]    Referring again to the present embodiment, the cradle  14  is pivotally coupled to the support member  16  to enable a user to control the pitch (fore and aft tilt) about a pitch axis A, the roll (side to side tilt) about a roll axis B, and the yaw (rotation about a vertical axis) about a yaw axis C of the cradle  14  so that a portable device may be easily viewed in a plurality of orientations. As will be obvious to those skilled in the art, many suitable adaptations exist for achieving the described pivotal relationship between the cradle  14  and the support member  16 . With respect to the instant embodiment, the joint  38  makes a swiveled connection with the claw  30  via a first locking screw  42  to enable a user to pivot the claw  30  about the pitch axis A. As a result, users of different heights can alter the pitch of the portable device to achieve a desirable vantage point. To do so, a user need simply apply the required directional force to overcome the holding force present in the first locking screw  42 . Similarly, a second locking screw  44  is pivotally coupled to the claw  30  to enable a user to pivot the claw  30  about the roll axis B. Consequently, a user may view the portable device in various popular orientations such as landscape and portrait style by simply turning the device on the cradle  14  to the desired position. The cradle  14  further includes a third locking screw  46  pivotally coupled to the support member  16  so that a user may pivot the cradle  14  about the yaw axis C to enable a plurality of passengers to use and access the portable device. The first, second, and third locking screws  42 ,  44 , and  46  are independently adjustable by a user to loosen to allow rotation and to tighten to lock the cradle  14  in place. 
         [0022]    The support member  16  of the cradle  14  can take on a variety of structural shapes for support and aesthetic purposes and can be adapted to any suitable mounting surface. Since some surfaces may be non-linear, additional consideration can be given for adapting the support member  16  to engage surfaces of these types. With particular reference to  FIGS. 3 and 4 , the support member  16  includes a base  48  contoured to a non-linear surface  50  such as a vehicle dashboard. The inserting member  18  is disposed on the underside of the support member  16  and includes a cylindrical extension  52  having an open distal end and two opposite spaces formed in the wall of the cylindrical extension  52 . The second electrical connectors  24  include a USB plug  54  and an auxiliary plug  56  coupled to the underside of the support member  16  and disposed within the inserting member  18  to face the open distal end. Additionally, the releasable locking mechanism  28  is disposed on two opposite sides of the support member  16  and configured to extend through the underside of the support member  16 . With respect to the present embodiment, each releasable locking mechanism  28  includes a pressable portion  58  coupled to a clipping portion  60 , wherein each clipping portion  60  also includes a distal projection  62  that is disposed to face away from the opposing releasable locking mechanism  28 . Regarding the present embodiment, each pressable portion  58  is integrated with the base  48  of the support member  16  and each clipping portion  60  is disposed within one of the opposite spaces in the wall of the cylindrical extension  52 . Depending on whether or not a user has engaged the releasable locking mechanism, the pressable portion  58  and clipping portion  60  of each releasable locking mechanism  28  are configured to move in concert between a locked position and an unlocked position. 
         [0023]    With particular reference to  FIGS. 5 and 6 , a cross-sectional view of the support member  16  is shown, wherein a pivot pin  64  pivotally couples each releasable locking mechanism  28  to the support member  16  and a torsion spring  65  biases each releasable locking mechanism  28  in favor of the locked position. In  FIG. 5 , each releasable locking mechanism  28  is shown in the locked position, wherein each releasable locking mechanism  28  is substantially vertical and each distal projection  62  extends beyond the wall of the cylindrical extension  52 . In  FIG. 6 , the releasable locking mechanism  28  is shown in the unlocked position, wherein a user has applied inward pressure to each pressable portion  58  causing each torsion spring  65  to compress to allow each clipping portion  60  to tilt inwards such that each distal projection  62  no longer extends beyond the wall of the cylindrical extension  52 . Upon release of each pressable portion  58 , the spring bias will subsequently return the releasable locking mechanism to the locked position. 
         [0024]    Referring now to  FIG. 7 , one exemplary embodiment of the base member  22  is shown, wherein the base member  22  can be contoured and integrated with any suitable surface via a plurality of mounting clips  66 . The first electrical connectors  26  are disposed centrally on the base member  22  and comprise a USB port  68  and an auxiliary port  70  disposed to receive the USB plug  54  and auxiliary plug  56  of the previous embodiment, wherein the USB port  68  and auxiliary port  70  are configured to communicate electrically with an electrical source, such as the electrical system of a vehicle, via a pair of electrical wires  72 . The receiving member  20  is disposed to enclose the USB port  68  and the auxiliary port  70 , wherein the receiving member  20  comprises a receptacle  74  contoured to the cylindrical extension  52  as shown in the previous embodiment. As shown in  FIG. 7 , the receptacle  74  includes an annular depression  76  and two oppositely disposed notches  78  on the outer ringed wall of the receptacle  74 , wherein the two notches are each configured to engage one of distal projections  62  as shown in the previous embodiment. 
         [0025]    As an optional feature, the receiving member  20  may additional include a guarding member  80  for deterring unwanted materials from entering the receptacle  74  when the inserting member  18  has not yet been received. In the present embodiment, the guarding member  80  comprises a movable ring  82  that is concentric with the receptacle  74  and is disposed to move within the receptacle between a first position that is substantially near the annular entrance of the receptacle  74 , and a second position that is at a predetermined distance below the receptacle  74  entrance. Additionally, the movable ring  82  is operably coupled to two springs  84  disposed longitudinally within the receptacle  74  having a spring bias towards the first position. In this arrangement, when the receiving member  20  has not yet received the inserting member  18 , the two springs  84  naturally hold the movable ring  82  in the first position to prevent unwanted materials from entering the receptacle  74 . Conversely, the receiving member  20  receives the inserting member  18 , the movable ring  82  is depressed towards the second position so as not to obstruct the receival of the inserting member  18 . If the movable ring  82  is made from a translucent material, one or more user-activated lighting assemblies  86  that are electrically coupled to the electrical source can be disposed near the bottom of the receptacle  74  to provide a desirable lighting effect that is viewable when the movable ring  82  is in the first position. 
         [0026]    In operation, once the USB plug  54  and auxiliary plug  56  have been aligned with the USB port  68  and the auxiliary port  70 , a user may press each pressable portion  58  of the locking mechanism  28  (thereby retracting each distal projection  62 ) to the unlocked position so that the cylindrical extension  52  can be properly received by the receptacle  74  (see  FIG. 8 ). As the cylindrical extension  52  travels downward within the receptacle  74 , the cylindrical extension  52  contacts and depresses the movable ring  82  towards the second position. Once the cylindrical extension  52  has been fully received, the user may release each pressable portion  58  to return the releasable locking mechanism  28  to the locked position, thereby coupling each distal projection  62  with each notch  78  to secure the apparatus  10  to a supporting surface (see  FIG. 9 ). Concurrently, an electrical connection is made between the USB plug  54  and USB port  68  and between the auxiliary plug  56  and auxiliary port  70  to enable electrical communication with the electrical source. As a result, it is conceivable that other port or plug arrangements may be disposed on the support member  16  and cradle  16  assembly to enable a portable electronic device being held to engage in communications with the electrical source such as receiving electrical power. When the user no longer desires to use the apparatus  10 , the user may again press each releasable locking mechanism  28  to the unlocked position and remove the cylindrical extension  52  accordingly, which also terminates the electrical connection between the USB plug  54  and USB port  68  and between the auxiliary plug  56  and the auxiliary port  70 . As a result the movable ring  82  will return to the up position and the user can enjoy the lighting effect produced on the movable ring  82 . The support member and cradle assembly can subsequently be stored until the next use. For instances where a user does not require a portable device to be held, the support member  16  and cradle  14  assembly may be left in storage and a compatible portable device can be directly connected to the USB port  68  or the auxiliary port  70  on the base member  22  to communicate with the electrical source. 
         [0027]    Accordingly, the portable device holding apparatus  10  described advantageously holds a portable device for convenient viewing and use within a vehicle. The apparatus  10  is stowable and readily assembled to accommodate the positioning of various portable devices. 
         [0028]    It is to be understood that variations and modifications can be made on the aforementioned structures without departing from the concepts of the present invention, and further it is to be understood that such concepts are intended to be covered by the following claims unless these claims by their language expressly state otherwise.