Abstract:
A handheld mount assembly for portable electronic device includes a pistol style grip and suction cup assembly. The mount assembly functions as a gripping device for handheld use, a hands free stand, and a recharging station. The mount can be secured anywhere on the back of the electronic device, making the angle adjustable for stand use, and also allowing the user to position the device differently to accommodate his/her own needs. The mount can be secured to any planar, smooth surface including plates or trays providing a more stable and maneuverable option for eating without a table or carrying large trays.

Description:
[0001]    This application claims the benefit of pending U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/823,003 filed May 14, 2013 and under 35 U.S.C. §120 claims the benefit thereof. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    Numerous ways of mounting tablet/pad computers and smart phone devices such as: the Samsung Galaxy® product line, Iphones®, Ipads®, Ipods®, Kindles®, similar e-book readers, and similar portable electronic/multi-media devices are well know. However, several limitations exist for known mounts. Often it is impossible to alter the orientation of the device (that is go from portrait to landscape or landscape to portrait) for ease of viewing, are cumbersome, and the attachment point of the mount is fixed typically in the center of the portable multi-media device. Additionally, mounts that are designed as “handheld” will not double as a “hands free” stand. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    The handheld mount assembly of the present invention is an ergonomic convenience aid for easily holding, standing, positioning, and handling portable electronic devices, as well as any light household items with flat smooth mounting surfaces. The assembly includes rechargeable batteries and can charge/power the electronic devices it is designed to hold. 
         [0004]    The mount assembly also doubles as a stand for hands free use, and provides different angles by simply rotating the electronic device it is attached to. The handheld mount assembly can also be easily positioned in different places on an object to support even more creative sustained use; for example, offsetting the mount&#39;s connection point to balance part of the device on the user&#39;s arm while drawing or writing with a stylus. A pistol style grip on the handheld mount assembly allows for longer and more comfortable use while lying in bed, reading, or watching movies. It reduces the strain on hands and wrists by allowing the use of larger muscle groups. The handheld mount assembly design also supports a more stable application for lap viewing or reading—the user does not even need to hold the mount assembly, as the mount assembly acts as a counter balance contacting the user&#39;s leg or stomach, while the user holds the multi-media device (or even laptop) to which the mount is attached. The handheld mount assembly of the present invention also allows for simplified transport of multi-media devices from one room to another and will function as a hands free stand on soft and hard surfaces, and since the handheld mount assembly of the present invention can be secured at any point on the back of the multi-media device the angle at which the devices rests (or stands) on a surface is adjustable. 
         [0005]    The handheld mount assembly of the present invention can also be secured to a dinner plate, making eating without a table simpler. The handheld mount assembly of the present invention provides a much more stable and maneuverable option for people caring plates around a party or for servers carrying large trays of food, and can be used to install hard surface construction material such as laminate, plastic, and glass. 
         [0006]    Finally the assembly includes a recessed ¼″ thread to accommodate a standard tripod mount within the base of the pistol grip. A camera or video recorder can easily be attached to the base allowing the user to maintain a steady grip on his/her camera or video recorder. Users are not limited to just attaching cameras or video recorders, but can attach anything with a ¼″ bolt—for example, a pivotal suction cup mount. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0007]      FIG. 1  is an exploded perspective view of a second embodiment of the handheld mount assembly of the present invention illustrating a wall charger attachment and a portable electronic device; 
           [0008]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a second embodiment of the handheld mount assembly of the present invention attached to a wall charger and a portable electronic device; 
           [0009]      FIG. 3  is an exploded perspective view of a second embodiment of the handheld mount assembly of the present invention; 
           [0010]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of a second embodiment of the handheld mount assembly of the present invention; 
           [0011]      FIG. 5  is a top view of the first embodiment of handheld mount assembly of the present invention; 
           [0012]      FIG. 6  is a right-side view of the first embodiment handheld mount assembly of the present invention; and 
           [0013]      FIG. 7  is a rear view of a first embodiment handheld mount assembly of the present invention; 
           [0014]      FIG. 8  is a front view of a first embodiment handheld mount assembly of the present invention; 
           [0015]      FIG. 9  is a left-side view of the first embodiment handheld mount assembly of the present invention; 
           [0016]      FIG. 10  is a bottom view of the first embodiment handheld mount assembly of the present invention; 
           [0017]      FIG. 11  is a back exploded perspective view of the first embodiment handheld mount assembly of the present invention with the battery access lid removed; and 
           [0018]      FIG. 12  is a perspective view of the second embodiment of the handheld mount assembly of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0019]    Looking at  FIGS. 5-11  it can be seen that the first embodiment of the handheld mount assembly  10  includes a pistol grip assembly  12  that accommodates a user&#39;s hand in a first configuration. Grip assembly  12  accommodates both left and right-hand gripping with ergonomically correct finger grooves  14 , a rear upper extension  16  for supporting the web of the hand, and a flat base  18 . Visible in  FIG. 10  is connection orifice  28 , which is a recessed ¼″ threaded orifice designed to accommodate a standard tripod mount as is well known in the art. Grip assembly  12  comprises a first section  13  and second section  15  which have been matingly connected via two screws  36 , which pass through access orifices  34 . Should a user need or want to access the interior electrical components of grip assembly  12 , he or she would simply remove (unscrew) screws  36 . Electrical terminal  38  is visible in  FIG. 7  and provides for secure connection to a wall charger as illustrated in  FIGS. 1 &amp; 2 . 
         [0020]    Grip assembly  12  further includes a battery compartment  30  as is illustrated in  FIG. 11 . Battery compartment  30  is designed to house a battery or batteries having sufficient power to power the electronic device to which first embodiment mount assembly  10  is attached or any peripheral add-ons to mount  10  such as wirelessly connected speakers, lights, etc. Additionally the battery can serve as a reserve power for other devices. Second electrical terminal  39  is visible in  FIG. 11  and allows an electronic device to be connected to mount  10  via an appropriate electronic connector as illustrated in  FIG. 1-2 . Battery compartment  30  can be covered with removable battery plate  32 . Plate  32  includes a flexible cleat  33 , which matingly engages detent  31  of compartment  30 , allowing plate  32  to lock over battery compartment  30 , covering and protecting the battery housed within compartment  30 . 
         [0021]    Looking at  FIGS. 8 &amp; 9  it can be seen that above and extending therefrom rear upper extension  16  is suction cup assembly  20 , which comprises a domed base  22 , lever  24 , and flexible polymer disk  26 . Suction cup assembly  20  is capable of securing to any planar, smooth surface such as the back of multimedia devices as illustrated in  FIGS. 1 &amp; 2 , or in an alternate use, could be secured to the back of dinner plate or server&#39;s tray to provide an alternate and more ergonomic method of caring serving plates and trays, or even hard surface construction material such as laminate, plastic, and glass, to aid in installation. The vacuum grip provided by the suction cup assembly  20  is well know in the industry, but generally, the flexible polymer disk  26  is positioned on the back of the device that is to be secured/mounted. Lever  24  is connected to one end of a fulcrum that is connected at its other end to the bottom face of the center of disk  26 . The fulcrum pivots about pivot pin  19 , such that when lever  24  is vertically raised the end of the fulcrum connected to the bottom face of disk  26  is drawn downward so as to cause the upper face of disk  26  to form a concave depression, forming the vacuum seal discussed above. A ratchet locking mechanism is mechanically situated between lever  24  and domed base  22  and utilizes ratchet-lock teeth  23  (See  FIG. 6 ). On lever  24  is at least one release button  21  that mechanically disengages lever  24  from teeth  23 . The ratchet lock device allows the vertical position of the lever  24  to be secured corresponding to different degrees of concavity achieved on the upper face of flexible disk  26 . In this manner the strength the vacuum may be adjusted for vary weights, creating an adjustable vacuum grip (stronger or lighter suction grip) depending on need. Additionally, the flexible polymer of the present invention does not require the surface (back of the multi-media device, for example) to be initially moistened. A small tab  27  of flexible polymer  26  extends beyond domed base  22  allowing the user to break the vacuum seal. Suction cup assembly  20  is mechanically affixed to grip assembly  12  at their respective mating physical interfaces. 
         [0022]    Turning to  FIGS. 1-4  and  12 , second embodiment handheld mount assembly  50  can be seen. Second embodiment  50  connects first embodiment handheld mount  10  to a pivotal suction cup mount  52 , as is illustrated in  FIG. 3 . Suction cup mount  52  is substantially similar in design and function to that of suction cup assembly  20  but additionally has a first pivotal connection member  60  extending therefrom. It further comprises a mounting plate  56  with a ¼″ treaded connecter  54  extending from a top face thereof and a second pivotal connection member  58  extending from a lower face thereof. Pivot pin  68  pivotally connects first pivotal connection member  60  to second pivotal connection member  58  so as to allow pivotal motion of the suction cup  66  with respect to grip assembly  12 , when suction cup mount  52  is threadingly engaged by threaded connector  54  to connection orifice  28 . Suction cup mount  52  is just an example of any number of pivotal or stationary mounts that could be attached to mount assembly  10 . For example, mounting plate  56  could be configured to house a ball head making mount assembly  10  pivotal about the ball head. 
         [0023]    Numerous additions while not illustrated could easily be added to mount assembly  10  without departing from the scope of the invention. For example, mount assembly  10  could easily be enabled for wireless transmission such as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, 4G including LTE, Wibro Evolution (3.9G), LTE-Advanced, or otherwise enabled for wireless transmission of data or audio signals to devices. An input device such as a mouse could be incorporated within mount assembly  10  and communicate wirelessly with any tablet/pad computer, e-reader, or smart phone devices to which mount assembly  10  as been secured, or streamed to another electronic device within close proximity to mount assembly  10 . A speaker could be incorporated into mount assembly  10  to play music or audio files from any electronic device to which mount assembly is secured. Additionally, numerous attachments 
         [0024]    To use the suction cup assembly  20  of the handheld mount assembly for portable electronic devices  10  is pressed against planar, flat surface of the back (non-viewing side) of a portable multi-media device, an the lever  24  is actuated, tightening the flexible polymer disk  26  and securing mount  10  via a vacuum grip. Once secured, the user is free to hold or carry his multi-media device via the mount assembly  10 . 
         [0025]    Although specific embodiments have been illustrated and described herein, it will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art that a wide variety of alternate and/or equivalent implementations calculated to achieve the same purposes may be substituted for the specific embodiments shown and described without departing from the scope of the present invention. Therefore, it is intended that this invention be limited only by the claims and the equivalents thereof.