Abstract:
A holder for portable electronic devices is provided. The holder seats the portable electronic device upon a tray, and secures the device in such position preferably via a compression fit where the walls of the tray engage against and hold the edges of the device. The holder further provides a user the ability to adaptably position the display of the device relative to vertical or horizontal surfaces through use of a mounting assembly and support assembly that are connected to the back side of the tray.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     The present application is based upon and claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119 from U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/009,234, filed on Dec. 27, 2007, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention generally relates to carrying and protective devices for portable electronic devices, and more particularly to a holder for carrying and protecting such portable electronic devices. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Portable electronic devices, such as portable digital media players, are in wide use. For instance, portable digital music players, such as the APPLE IPOD™, are used by persons of all ages in various environments. The widely expanding use of such portable electronic devices has spawned a desire for accessories, including protective devices, carrying devices, and the like. As the electronic devices have advanced (e.g., digital music players adopting technology to make them portable digital video players), new challenges have been presented to provide functional carrying and protective devices without limiting the functionality of the device. Moreover, the ever increasing demand for the ability to use such devices in all environments, whether on the go (e.g., walking or jogging), traveling by car or plane, or simply sitting at a desk has likewise created challenges to provide such functional carrying and protective devices that are sufficiently adaptable to all such environments. 
     Therefore, it would be desirable to provide a device that provides various capabilities, such as carrying, mounting and protective capabilities, that is adaptable to promote the use of portable electronic devices in various environments. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Accordingly, the invention provides a holder for carrying and protecting portable electronic devices, such as digital media player devices (e.g., IPods™). In an exemplary preferred embodiment the holder includes a tray assembly that provides a tray with a first tray side upon which a portable electronic device may be seated. The tray further includes two side walls, a top wall and a bottom wall configured to engage at least a portion of the edges of the portable electronic device to secure the device upon the tray. The walls of the tray may secure the portable electronic device by, for instance, exerting a compression force from the walls of the tray against at least a portion of the edges of the portable electronic device. A second tray side of the tray has a mounting assembly that allows for the mounting of the holder against a vertical, nearly-vertical or non-horizontal surface. 
     With regard to another aspect of a particularly preferred embodiment of the invention, the holder also includes a support assembly attached to the second tray side of the tray for supporting the portable electronic device upon a generally horizontal surface. It is contemplated that the mounting and support assemblies, when not being used, allow the holder to maintain its generally slim profile by collapsing against the second tray side for storage. 
     With regard to yet another aspect of a particularly preferred embodiment of the invention, the walls of the holder include receiving assemblies configured to receive a user-adjustable strap. This allows the holder to be mounted for instance to a person, such as to an arm or leg, through the adjustable engagement of the strap against the person. 
     It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only and are not restrictive of the invention as claimed. The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of the specification, illustrate an embodiment of the invention and together with the general description, serve to explain the principles of the invention. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The numerous advantages of the present invention may be better understood by those skilled in the art by reference to the accompanying drawings in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a holder including a tray assembly and support assembly for use with portable electronic devices in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a front view of the holder of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is a rear view of the holder of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 4  is a side view of the holder of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 5  is an illustration of a user adjustable strap for use with the holder of  FIG. 1 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention summarized above may be better understood by referring to the following description, which should be read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which like reference numerals are used for like parts. The descriptive embodiment(s) set out below may enable one to practice an implementation of the invention; however, they are not intended to limit preferred embodiments, but to serve as a particular example thereof. Those skilled in the art should appreciate that they may readily use the conception and specific embodiments disclosed as a basis for modifying or designing other methods and systems for carrying out the same purposes of the present invention. Those skilled in the art should also realize that such equivalent assemblies do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention in its broadest form. 
     Disclosed is a protective holder and carrying device for a portable electronic device, such as a portable digital music player. As shown in the side, perspective view of  FIG. 1  and the front view of  FIG. 2 , a holder (shown generally at  10 ) is provided. The holder  10  consists of a tray  12  including a first tray side  13  sized to receive a portable electronic device, such as a portable digital music player. Tray  12  is provided with a plurality of tray walls. In the current embodiment the tray walls include side walls  14 , a top wall  16 , and a bottom wall  18 . Both top wall  16  and bottom wall  18  are provided rounded edges that terminate at opposite side ends in preferably rounded, protective corners  20 . Preferably rounded, protective corners  20  are configured to overlap the corners of a portable electronic device when such device is seated within tray  12 , thus holding the portable electronic device in place in tray  12  and serving as a protective cover without blocking any portion of the operational elements of the portable electronic device. 
     Preferably, the portable electronic device fits within tray  12  in a compression fit, and tray  12  is formed of a sufficiently resilient material to allow placement of the portable electronic device into tray  12  (past protective corners  20 ) and compressively hold the portable electronic device in place in tray  12 . For instance, tray  12  may be formed of polyethylene, polypropylene or polyurethane. Likewise, tray  12  may be provided in a variety of length and width dimensions to receive portable electronic devices of various sizes. 
     In addition or alternatively, tray  12  may accept and seat the portable electronic device through the use of other technologies, such as adhesives, snap-fit, quick-connect, socket, or other such technologies as may be contemplated by those of ordinary skill in the art. 
     Each of side walls  14  preferably includes a receiving assembly to allow users to attach various user-adjustable carrying assemblies for carrying the holder  10 . In a preferred embodiment, the receiving assembly is a loop  22  positioned along each side wall  14 , configured to receive a user-adjustable carrying strap  50  (shown in  FIG. 5 ), which may be used as a belt strap, an armband, or similar body-worn carrying strap. The carrying strap  50  may be adjustable with hook and loop fabric sections  52  to accommodate different diameters of users&#39; arms, and includes a central oversewn sleeve  54  to receive a user&#39;s belt. Similarly, top wall  16  and bottom wall  18  may also include a receiving assembly for connection with various user adjustable carrying assemblies. Top wall  16  may be preferably provided loop  24  configured to receive a neck strap and/or a carrying strap. 
     As shown in  FIG. 3 , connected to a second tray side  15  of tray  12  is a mounting assembly  30 . Mounting assembly  30  preferably includes a plurality of hinge members configured to serve as adjustable supports for holder  10  in various environments. It is contemplated that the mounting assembly  30  will allow the holder  10  to be secured in a position against non-horizontal surfaces. A first hinge member comprises a hinge plate  31  that is attached to tray  12  using an indexed hinge or friction hinge  32 , such that the angular position of hinge plate  31  may be modified and held in various angular positions with respect to tray  12 . A second hinge member comprises a second hinge plate  34  that is attached to hinge plate  31  using an indexed hinge or friction hinge  36 , such that the angular position of hinge plate  34  may be modified and held in various angular positions with respect to hinge plate  31 . Preferably, a third hinge member comprises a third hinge plate  38  that is attached to hinge plate  34  using an indexed hinge or friction hinge  39 , such that the angular position of hinge plate  38  may be modified and held in various angular positions with respect to hinge plate  34 . As shown in  FIG. 4 , the mounting assembly  30  may be configured to provide a finger hook type of arm with three friction or indexed hinges that allow such hook to adjust to a number of positions, such that it may hook over a vertical or semi-vertical surface to allow the front of the portable electronic device to be viewed. By way of example only (and not by way of limitation), such hook may be used to temporarily attach the tray  12  to a semi-vertical surface such as a seat-back table tray on an aircraft with the electronic device remaining viewable by the passenger seated behind such seat-back table tray. The indexed hinges or friction hinges  32 ,  36 , and  39  allow the viewing angle of the electronic device to be varied so that it can be properly viewed by the passenger. 
     Hinge plates  31 ,  34 , and  38  preferably fold flat onto the second tray side  15  of tray  12  for storage and ease of transport, and need not be removed from tray  12  for use of the electronic device. It is further contemplated that the number of hinged members may be greater than the three that are shown and described herein without departing from the scope and spirit of the current invention. 
     Also mounted on the second tray side  15  of tray  12  (and as shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 ) is a support assembly  40 . The support assembly  40  preferably includes a forked base leg  42  that is attached to tray  12  with an indexed hinge or friction hinge  44  that allows the electronic device to be rested on a flat or semi-flat surface to allow the portable electronic device to be viewed by a user. Once again, forked base leg  42  allows variable viewing angles for the user to see the video screen at the correct and/or preferred angle. The forked base leg  42  likewise folds flat against the second tray side  15  of tray  12  so that it need not be removed from tray  12  for overall use of the case. 
     It is contemplated that holder  10  may include either the mounting assembly  30  or the support assembly  40 . Further, the connection of the mounting assembly  30  may be at a position upon the second tray side  15  of tray  12  that is different from or similar to the connection of the support assembly  40 . Preferably, mounting assembly  30  is connected generally proximal to top wall  16 , via hinge  32 . Also, it is preferable that support assembly  40  be connected generally proximal to bottom wall  18 , via hinge  44 . Moreover, when both mounting assembly  30  and support assembly  40  are provided, it is preferred that when both are placed in a storage position (flat against second tray side  15  of tray  12 ), at least a portion of mounting assembly  30  fits between the forked base legs  42  of support assembly  40  so as to maximize the useful area of both mounting assembly  30  and support assembly  40  while minimizing the amount of space needed to store such elements. 
     It is believed that the present invention and many of its attendant advantages will be understood by the forgoing description. It is also believed that it will be apparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the components thereof without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention or without sacrificing all of its material advantages. The form herein before described being merely an explanatory embodiment thereof. Further, the method of using the invention may employ the above described functional capabilities in various ways, enabling one or many of the features without regard to any specific hierarchical order. It is the intention of the following claims to encompass and include such changes.