Folding stand for a cell phone camera

Improvements a folding stand for a cell phone camera have been disclosed. The stand starts in a flat form that can be easily transported in a folder or a binder. The stand can start as a single or multi layers of material that are hinged together. The hinged parts interconnect or lock together. After use, the parts can be broken-down or collapsed to return to a flat configuration where the flat form can be easily transported. The stand elevates a cell phone, tabled or camera above a surface and for the stand to have a hole, slot or ledge for the camera. A user can freely draw, write and describe what they are doing as the images are being captured. When a user has finished the user can turn the camera off and save or store or share the expression that was captured.

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THE NAMES OF THE PARTIES TO A JOINT RESEARCH AGREEMENT

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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Field of the Invention

This invention relates to improvements in a stand for use with a cell phone camera. More particularly, the present folding stand for a cell phone camera is configured to be retained in a typical three-ring binder and can be quickly folded and a cell phone placed on top of the folded stand to capture images from the camera.

Many people have sparks of creativity where they want to capture their thoughts that can often be creative drawing, doodling or writings. These thoughts are often fleeting thoughts, and once the inspiration passes it may never return. Capturing these thoughts requires setting-up a camera to record the artistic expression of the thought. Most people carry with them a cell phone, table or computer with a camera. These cameras do not have a stand that allows the camera to capture the expression. The other options can be to have a person hold the cell phone or for the user to hold the camera in one hand while they write or draw with another hand. A number of patents and or publications have been made to address these issues. Exemplary examples of patents and or publication that try to address this/these problem(s) are identified and discussed below.

U.S. Pat. No. 8,303,126 issued on Nov. 6, 2012 to Randall Moya Jr. and is titled Cell Phone Stand. This patent discloses a cell phone stand to secure a cell phone or a camera with video recording capability that includes a plurality of support legs with a plurality of front support legs, a plurality of side support legs and a plurality of back support legs, a cell phone base plate or a camera base plate with a raised perimeter to secure the cell phone or camera that is supported by the support legs. While this patent discloses a stand for a cell phone, the structure is not foldable into a flat orientation.

U.S. Pat. No. 8,706,175 issued on Apr. 22, 2014 to Richard H. Cho and is titled Phone and Tablet Stand. This Patent discloses a phone and tablet stand that includes a rotatable mounting head that attaches a tablet to the phone and tablet stand, attachment magnets that are evenly disposed on a rotatable mounting head to magnetically attach a tablet to the phone and tablet stand and an adjustable stand that includes a stein and a pair of adjustment knobs. The phone and tablet stand also includes a base that provides stability to the phone and tablet stand. While this patent provides a stand for a cell phone, the stand essentially holds the phone in a vertical orientation.

U.S. Pat. No. 10,128,887 issued on Nov. 13, 2018 to Noah Balmer and is titled Multi-Configuration Clamp System for Electronic Device. This patent discloses a support system which allows for the use and mounting of a smart phone, or similar electronic device, in a variety of ways. The support system may be adapted to function as a hand grip while supporting the smart phone during image acquisition, or while watching images on the smart phone. In another configuration, the support system may be adapted to attach to the user's belt. In another configuration, the support system may function as a support stand. This patent provides multiple mounting options for a cell phone but does not allow the phone to mounted to look down onto a surface.

What is needed is a cell phone stand that can be transported in a flat condition and can be quickly and easily folded to support a cell phone to capture the thought or the expression. The proposed folding stand for a cell phone camera provides the solution.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the folding stand for a cell phone camera for the stand to be a flat form when not used. This allows the stand to be easily transported by a student or other person in a folder or a binder. The stand can be fabricated with holes that allows the stand to be held in a three-ring binder. The stand can start as a single layer of two or three layers of material that are hinged together. The hinged parts interconnect or lock together. After use, the parts can be broken-down or collapsed to return to a flat configuration where the flat form can be easily transported in a folder or backpack. The stand can be fabricated from a rigid or semi-rigid material such as, but not limited to paper, plastic or metal.

It is an object of the folding stand for a cell phone camera for the stand to form a three-dimensional stand that provides enough structural strength to support the weight of a cell phone, tablet or camera. The strength is with gussets and supporting braces that extend from table surfaces, vertical surfaces and horizontal or angular surfaces where the device is supported without a user providing and support to hold the image capture device.

It is another object of the folding stand for a cell phone camera to elevate the cell phone, tabled or camera above a surface and for the stand to have a hole, slot or ledge where an image or movie can be captured under the stand. The stand provides a hands-free mechanism for a user as they use their mobile device.

It is still another object of the folding stand for a cell phone camera to capture images when they are inspired. A user can simply assemble the stand, place their cell phone on the stand and start the camera. This allows a user to freely draw, write and describe what they are doing as the images are being captured by the camera. When a user has finished drawing or writing they can turn the camera off and save or store or share the expression that was captured by the camera.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1shows a folding stand for a cell phone camera19in an environment of use. When a student is doing homework or classwork, they can detach and unfold it allowing them to place their phone18on top of a phone rest30pointing the phone's camera down to an attached white board of the lower member70below. While a cell phone is shown and described, it should be understood that any device with a camera, like a tablet, including just a camera can be used. In this figure the hand16of a user is shown with a writing instrument15as then write on a sheet of paper white board17. The student can either record themselves doing a problem to keep in a personal library for recall and review or submit the video to their teacher as a homework assignment to receive feedback. Students can also use the folding stand for a cell phone camera19to have a live video chat with a tutor or friend to get assistance. By having students record themselves as they work and talk their way through a problem, they are activating deeper levels of understanding which will allow them to retain and truly master the content.

The folding stand for a cell phone camera19has a lower member70that locks into a back member50. Two hinged side arms60L and60R, hinge through hinges61L,61R and62R on the back member50. The side arms60L and60R provide a stable support for the back member50to remain vertical. The phone rest30hinges through the top hinge33on the back member50. The phone rest30is braced with at least one brace. In the embodiment shown there is an upper brace40and a lower brace45. The lower brace45fits within an opening48in the back member50. The top of the upper brace40has at least one tab42that engages into the underside of the phone rest30. The two brace members connect with a hinge41and the back lip47of the lower brace45on the back of the upper brace40prevents over-rotation of the hinge41. The bottom of the lower brace45has a lock46that engages into the back member50.

FIG. 2shows a perspective view of the folding stand for a cell phone camera. Without the phone the opening31for the camera can be seen. While a particular location and size is shown for the cell phone camera it should be understood that the opening31could be round, rectangular or could be removed so a user places the camera over the end/edge of the phone rest30so the camera can look down onto the writing surface or lower member70. This figure also shows optional magnet(s)21in various locations to hold the side arms60L/R of the stand closed when the stand is folded shut.

FIG. 3shows a top view of the folding stand for a cell phone camera19in an open configuration andFIG. 4shows a side view of the folding stand for a cell phone camera19in an open configuration. InFIG. 3the back of the lower member70shows locking tabs71that secure the back member50to the lower member70. The side arms60L and60R are shown on the sides of the lower member70. The opening31for the camera is essentially centered over the top of the lower member70. InFIG. 4the upper brace40and the lower brace45are shown supporting the phone rest30with the back member50. Top hinge33is shown between the phone rest30and the back member50. The side hinges61R and62R are shown joining the back member50to the side arm60R. The locking tab71is also shown extending past the back of the back member50.

FIG. 5shows a side view of the folding stand for a cell phone camera19in a folded configuration. When the folding stand for a cell phone camera19is folded it has three layers that are easily transported and stored. The back of the stack is the lower member70with the locking tabs71at one end. The middle layer is the back member50and the top of the stack is the phone rest30and the side arms60R. The hinges61R and62R are shown joining the side arm60R to the back member50. The top hinge33is also shown joining the phone rest to the back member50. The upper brace and the lower brace are hidden within the stack. In this folded orientation the folding stand for a cell phone camera19can be transported or stored in a standard three-ring binder as shown in the next figure.

FIG. 6shows a perspective view of a folded folding stand for a cell phone camera19in a notebook, folder or binder12. The folding stand for a cell phone camera19is a useful tool for teaching and learning because it provides a platform for student to actually show what they know at a moment's notice using what they already carry around in their back pack a phone and a 3-ring binder. This figure shows the locking tabs71at the top of the lower member70. The top hinges33are shown along with the side hinges61L/R and62L/R. There are no loose pieces to locate or lose, the folding stand for a cell phone camera19can be quickly unfolded for use and then folded back down when not needed. The stand can be fabricated from a rigid or semi-rigid material such as, but not limited to paper, cardboard, plastic or metal.

The folding stand for a cell phone camera19allows a person to amass a personal library of a years' worth of their own videos. In this figure the folding stand for a cell phone camera19is shown with a binder tab80that has holes81to enable the folding stand for a cell phone camera19to be retained in the binder12using the rings11of the binder12. This makes the folding stand for a cell phone camera19available to the user when needed to be quickly unfolded, a phone placed on top of the folding stand for a cell phone camera19with camera facing down through the opening31where the user can capture their thoughts and keep a record.

Thus, specific embodiments of a folding stand for a cell phone camera have been disclosed. It should be apparent, however, to those skilled in the art that many more modifications besides those described are possible without departing from the inventive concepts herein. The inventive subject matter, therefore, is not to be restricted except in the spirit of the appended claims.