Abstract:
An apparatus for supporting cellular telephones and similar portable devices to vehicle mounts is provided in which the portable devices may be manipulated to different angular orientations relative to the vehicle without altering the connection of the vehicle mount thereto, and wherein the support is easily laterally adjustable to accommodate portable devices of different size.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to supports for securing portable devices to vehicles, and, more particularly, to an apparatus for supporting cellular telephones and similar portable devices to vehicle mounts such that the portable devices may be manipulated to different angular orientations relative to the vehicle without altering the connection of the vehicle mount thereto, and wherein the support is laterally adjustable to accommodate portable devices of different size. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     High fuel prices and traffic congestion have made motorcycles, and motorized scooters such as those commercially available from Piaggio &amp; Co. S.p.A. under the trademark “Vespa®”, an increasingly common mode of transportation, not only for recreational purposes but for people commuting to and from their place of employment. While production vehicles of this type may include some amenities found in automobiles and other vehicles, such as a radio, they have no means of providing riders with ready access to items such as radar detectors, toll road transponders, global positioning devices (GPS), cellular telephones, cameras, change holders, garage door openers, personal digital assistants (PDA) and other portable devices. 
     This deficiency of production motorcycles and scooters has been addressed by aftermarket mounting devices that may be secured to different parts of the vehicle. These include handlebar mounts, control mounts, stem mounts, fairing mounts, mirror mounts and different specialty mounts. In each case, the mount generally comprises a vehicle mounting element designed to attach to a part of the vehicle, a lower pivot coupled to the vehicle mounting element, a device mounting element designed to support a number of different portable devices, an upper pivot coupled to the device mounting element, and, a shaft extending between the upper and lower pivots. The mount is connected to the vehicle and a portable device such as a GPS or cellular telephone is secured to the device mounting element, at which time the position of the device may be adjusted by manipulation of one or both of the upper and lower pivots to the satisfaction of the rider. This arrangement allows the cyclist ready access to and/or viewing of a given portable device, and reduces potentially dangerous situations wherein the rider must reach into a pocket of his or her clothing, or a storage area of the vehicle, to access a particular device while riding. 
     The device mounting element of aftermarket mounts noted above is typically a support plate having an array of apertures configured to align with corresponding mounting holes in the housing of a particular model or style of portable device. The location and number of such mounting holes may vary from manufacturer-to-manufacturer, and is dependent on the type of device to be connected to the support plate. As such, a number of support plates must be provided by manufacturers of aftermarket mounts in order to accommodate different types and brands of portable devices. Additionally, device mounting elements may take the form of a cradle for cellular telephones, such as shown, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 8,613,379. But cradles of this type have limited adjustment capability which detracts from their usefulness in view of the wide variety of sizes of cellular telephones. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to a support for securing portable devices such as cellular telephones and similar portable devices to vehicle mounts such that the portable devices may be manipulated to different angular orientations relative to the vehicle without altering the connection of the vehicle mount thereto, and wherein the support is laterally adjustable to accommodate portable devices of different size. 
     In one presently preferred embodiment, the support of this invention comprises a base having an extension which connects to the coupler of a vehicle mount in such a way as to form a ball-and-socket joint wherein a portion of the vehicle mounting element is received and retained within the interior of the extension in frictional engagement with a cup located therein. First and second gripper arms are carried by the base and movable toward and away from one another between an extended position and a gripping position. Each gripper arm is connected to one end of at least one pin located within the base, and the opposite end of each pin is coupled to a return spring. In response to movement of the gripper arms in a direction away from one another, toward an extended position wherein a portable device may be positioned between them, the return springs undergo compression thus exerting a force on the gripper arms urging them toward the gripping position to retain the portable device on the support. 
     The cup located within the interior of the extension is preferably made of rubber or similar material which frictionally engages a ball of the vehicle mount. The extension receives a locking ring which is effective to urge the wall of the extension against the ball so as to retain it within the interior of the extension while permitting movement of the ball along the cup so that the position of the portable device support relative to the vehicle may be adjusted without disconnecting and/or repositioning the vehicle mount relative to the vehicle. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The structure, operation and advantages of the presently preferred embodiment of this invention will become further apparent upon consideration of the following description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is perspective view of a support for a portable device according to this invention which is shown connected to a handlebar mount for a vehicle such as a motorcycle; 
         FIG. 2  is an exploded, perspective view of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is a plan view, in partial cross section, illustrating pins within the base of the portable device support and opposed gripper arms; 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the assembled portable device support with its gripper arms spread apart in an extended position to receive a portable device between them; and 
         FIG. 5  is a view similar to  FIG. 4  except with the portable device secured between the gripper arms. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring now to the Figs., the support  10  of this invention may be connected to a handlebar mount  12  mounted to the handlebar  14  of a motorcycle or other vehicle. The handlebar mount  12  comprises a vehicle mounting element  16  of the type described in U.S. Pat. No. 8,439,239, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference in its entirety herein. The vehicle mounting element  16  may be connected to a coupler  17  comprising a shaft  18  formed with a projection  20  at one end and a ball  22  at the opposite end. It should be understood that the following discussion applies to any type of vehicle mount for motorcycles and other vehicles, and is not intended to be limited to the handlebar mounts  12 . Additionally, for purposes of the present discussion, the turns “upper,” “lower,” “top,” bottom,” “inward” and “outward” refer to the orientation of the support  10  and mount  12  as depicted in the drawings. 
     The support  10  comprises a base  24 , first and second gripper arms  26  and  28  and a locking ring  30 , each of which is described in detail below. As best seen in  FIGS. 1-3 , the base  24  has a top surface  32  which mounts a center pad  34  preferably formed of rubber or other material with a relatively high coefficient of friction. An extension  36  protrudes from the bottom of base  24  having a wall  38  defining a hollow interior within which a cup  42  is mounted. The cup  42  is preferably formed of rubber or similar, high friction material and is formed with a concave-shaped surface which engages the ball  22  of the coupler  17  as discussed below. The wall  38  of extension  36  is formed with external threads  46  and one or more slots  48  which extend from the bottom edge  50  of extension  36  toward the base  24 . The locking ring  30  has internal threads  31  which mate with the external threads  46  on the wall  38  of extension  36 . Preferably, the extension wall  38  is slightly radially inwardly tapered, in a direction from the base toward its bottom edge  50 , so that when tightened down onto the extension  36  the locking ring  30  urges the wall  38  radially inwardly for purposes to become apparent below. 
     In the presently preferred embodiment, and as best seen in  FIG. 3 , the base  24  is formed with four transverse bores  52   a - d  extending from one side to the other, each having a larger diameter section  54   a - d  joined to a smaller diameter section  56   a - d , respectively. A seat  58   a - d  is formed at the intersection of respective sections  54   a - d  and  56   a - d . Each of the bores  52   a - d  receives a pin  60   a - d , respectively, having a head  62  at one end and a through hole  64  at the opposite end. Coil springs  66   a - d  are placed along pins  60   a - d  such that one end of the springs  66   a - d  contact the head  62  of a pin  60   a - d  and the opposite end engages a seat  58   a - d  within bores  52   a - d . In this position, the head  62  of each pin  60   a - d  protrudes outwardly from one side of the base  24 , and the opposite end of each pin  60   a - d , having the hole  64 , protrudes outwardly from the other side of base  24 . 
     The first and second gripper arms  26 ,  28  of support  10  are each formed with a recess  67  which mounts a grip pad  68  preferably formed of rubber or other material with a relatively high coefficient of friction. Each gripper arm  26 ,  28  is formed with two larger diameter blind bores  70  and two smaller diameter blind bores  72 , all of which extend in a generally horizontal direction in the orientation depicted in  FIG. 2 . Two internally threaded vertical bores (not shown) are formed in each of the gripper arms  26 ,  28 , each of which aligns with and extends substantially perpendicular to one of the blind bores  72 . The gripper arms  26 ,  28  may be connected to the base  24  by inserting the ends of pins  60   a - d  into the blind bores  70 ,  72 , and threading a screw  76  through a vertical bore  74  into one of the holes  64  in the pins  60   a - d . More particularly, with reference to the right-hand side of  FIG. 2  and the second gripper arm  28 , the head  62  of pins  60   a  and  60   c  are each inserted into one of the larger diameter blind bores  70  in second gripper arm  28 . At the same time, respective ends of pins  60   b  and  60   d  are inserted into one of the smaller diameter blind bores  70  such that the hole  64  in each pin  60   b  and  60   d  aligns with one of the vertical bores  74  in the second gripper arm  28 . In this position, a screw  76  may be threaded into each vertical bore  74 , and into the hole  64  of pins  60   b,d , to connect the base  24  to gripper arm  28 . The same procedure is followed to connect the first gripper arm  26  to the opposite side of base  24 . Preferably, when the above-described assembly operation is completed, and without any portable device carried by the support  10 , each of the first and second gripper arms  26  and  28  engage one side of the base  24 . See  FIG. 1 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the support  10  is removably connected to the handlebar mount  12  by inserting the ball  22  of coupler  17  through the locking ring  30  and into the hollow interior of extension  36  such that it contacts the cup  42 . The locking ring  30  may then be tightened down along the threaded wall  38  of extension  36  to retain the ball  22  in place and in frictional engagement with the cup  42 . As noted above, the wall  38  of extension  36  is slightly inwardly tapered in a direction from its bottom edge  50  toward the base  24 , and formed with one or more slots  48 , such that the wall  38  is urged radially inwardly as the locking ring  30  moves along the wall  38 . The amount of radially inward movement of wall  38  in response to tightening of the locking ring  30 , and the extent of frictional engagement between the ball  22  and cup  42 , are collectively chosen to permit movement between the ball  22  and cup  42  while retaining the position of the support  10  relative to the handlebar mount  12  and handlebar  14  which is desired by the operator of the vehicle. As such, an individual may manipulate the position of the support  10  relative to the handlebar mount  12  to adjust its position, and the support  10  will remain in such adjusted position until the user changes it. This is true despite the application of vibration to the support  10 , caused by operation of the vehicle under normal conditions. 
     The support  10  is effective to grip and retain a portable device  78 , such as a cellular telephone or similar device, between its gripper arms  26  and  28 . As shown in  FIGS. 1 ,  4  and  5 , the gripper arms  26 ,  28  are movable between a retracted, gripping position and an extended position. In order to receive the device  78 , one or both of the gripper arms  26 ,  28  are moved away from one another, in a direction outwardly from the sides of the base  24 , to create space between them. The extent of such outward movement is dependent on the width of the device  78 , and one advantage of the support  10  of this invention is that it may accommodate devices of relatively widely varying width due to the lateral space that may be provided between the gripper arms  26 ,  28 . In the view illustrated in  FIG. 4 , one edge of the device  78  may be placed within the recess  67  of second gripper arm  28  and against grip pad  68 . The two gripper arms  26 ,  28  are separated from one another a sufficient distance to permit the opposite edge of device  78  to enter the recess  67  in first gripper arm  26  and into contact with its grip pad  68 . See  FIG. 5 . Once the device  78  is captured between gripper arms  26 ,  28 , its back surface rests against the center pad  34  on the base  24  to further secure the device  78  to the support  10 . 
     In the course of movement of the gripper arm  28  to the position shown in  FIGS. 4 and 5 , the head  62  of each pin  60   b  and  60   d  enters the larger diameter portion  54   b  and  54   d , respectively, of transverse bores  52   b  and  52   d . The pins  60   b ,  60   d  are moved in this direction because their opposite ends are connected to the gripper arm  28  as discussed above. The coil springs  66   b  and  66   d  located along respective pins  60   b ,  60   d  undergo compression as such pins  60   b ,  60   d  move in the direction noted above, since springs  66   b ,  66   d  are captured between the head  62  of each pin  60   b ,  60   d  and the seats  58   b ,  58   d  within transverse bores  52   b ,  52   d , respectively. The same is true for springs  66   a  and  66   c  located along pins  60   a  and  60   c  in response to movement of the gripper arm  26  in a direction opposite to that of gripper arm  28 . Consequently, each of the springs  66   a - 66   d  exert a force on their respective pins  60   a - 60   d  which urges gripper arms  26 ,  28  in a direction toward one another to a gripping position wherein the device  78  is securely mounted to the support  10 . The device  78  may be released by urging the gripper arms  26 ,  28  apart and removing it from between them. 
     It should be understood that the “gripping position” described above will change for portable devices of different size, e.g. a different lateral spacing between the gripper arms  26 ,  28  will be required for a portable device having a larger width dimension compared to another device. Similarly, the “extended position” of gripper arms  26 ,  28  required to receive a given portable device will be dependent on the dimensions of such device. 
     While the invention has been described with reference to a preferred embodiment, it should be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents substituted for elements thereof without departing from the scope of the invention. In addition, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings of the invention without departing from the essential scope thereof. For example, the Figs. and above discussion describe a portable device support  10  having four transverse bores  52   a - d , four pins  60   a - d  and four springs  66   a - d . It is contemplated that other numbers of the elements may be employed in the support  10  of this invention, such as two sets of each or more than four of each, as desired. 
     Therefore, it is intended that the invention not be limited to the particular embodiment disclosed as the best mode contemplated for carrying out this invention, but that the invention will include all embodiments falling within the scope of the appended claims.