Universal magnetic mounting charger for mobile devices

A mobile device charger with mounting ability is disclosed. An attachment seat is attached to a mobile device, the attachment seat has a charging cable and charging plug that can be plugged into the charge port of mobile device. The attachment seat has an electrode section and a magnet section to interact with a charger mounting support that has a matching charging head with an electrode section and a magnet section. The charger mounting support also has a rotation section and a power converting configuration and port for power supply port.

BACKGROUND

The present application relates to a magnetic mount, more particularly, a universal magnetic mount with electric charging capability.

Note that the points discussed below may reflect the hindsight gained from the disclosed inventions, and are not necessarily admitted to be prior art.

Many handheld electronic portable devices are touch-screen devices. These portable devices include smart phones and media players with V3, V9, or Apple-lightning charger ports. Examples include Samsung Galaxy™ smart phones, LG™ smart phones, Apple iPhone®, Apple iPod®, and they may have incompatible charger ports. Because of their wireless network connection capability, smart phones and tablets are conveniently used for many things, most commonly such as GPS for navigation, and music playbacks. The hundreds of thousands of downloadable mobile apps continue to expand the functionality of smart phones. All these extra functionalities consume battery, and mobile devices quickly die. Cell phones frequently need to be re-charged.

Also according to the National Safety Council, more than a quarter of all car crashes in America are likely caused by driving while using cell phone devices. Many people continue to play with their cell phones in disregard their safety, the safety of others.

Previous portable device mounts have attempted to provide users with a safer means to use devices while driving. But these attempts fall short to provide users optimal safety and reliability, with consideration to efficiency and personalization.

U.S. patent application Ser. No. 29/453,019 represents an example of an unconventional design that obstructs its user's view due to an un-retractable, elongated vertical support stand.

U.S. Patent Application No. 2014201062 represents an example of a bulky mount design that not only obstructs its user view, but is also not resource-efficient. Its design includes an unnecessary array of different support fixtures, snap fittings, and attachable jaws. Should one or two components break or become faulty, it is possible that the entire design becomes compromised.

Previous portable device mounts may also have magnetic designs to provide users with an easier and more practical means of accessibility. Those magnetic designs require its users' cellular devices to be placed in special cases in order for magnetization to occur, adding additional tediousness and burden in simple use.

U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/874,581 is an example of a design that requires its users to place their mobile devices inside of a device case in order for possible charging. Although design utilizes magnetization as a means for easy-to-use, hands-free capability, the necessary and bulky device case adds an additional step to the charging procedure that additionally takes away from user preference and device personalization.

SUMMARY

The present application discloses new approaches to safely using portable devices while driving, encouraging users to perform safer practice while on the road. The present application provides drivers a mobile battery charger that users can magnetically attach their portable devices to, with the option to charge said devices. The present application differs from its predecessors because present application's design best encourages overall safety, resource-efficiency, and ease-of-use, while maintaining users' personalization of portable device.

The compact design of present application deviates from past standards because of how efficiently compartmentalized it is. Line of sight and view of the road is not compromised and resources for design are least demanding. The present device simply comprises a (put size of) shaft that attaches to a rotation head and a (put dimension in diameter of) magnetic seat. The present application does not require a case and therefore, the amount of resources to build one, and instead uses a small, magnetic (put dimension in diameter) electrode contact board that is placed on the back of the phone, attached with a small charging cable that connects to charger port of attached device.

Further, the present application is versatile and can be used as a charging device in any home. The adhesive base of the device shaft can mount on different surfaces, such as either one's dashboard or office desk.

For the reasons mentioned, the present application best provides drivers the most conventional, easy-to-use and resource friendly mounting device for portable devices.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF SAMPLE EMBODIMENTS

The numerous innovative teachings of the present application will be described with particular reference to presently preferred embodiments (by way of example, and not of limitation). The present application describes several embodiments, and none of the statements below should be taken as limiting the claims generally.

For simplicity and clarity of illustration, the drawing figures illustrate the general manner of construction, and description and details of well-known features and techniques may be omitted to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the invention. Additionally, elements in the drawing figures are not necessarily drawn to scale, some areas or elements may be expanded to help improve understanding of embodiments of the invention.

The terms “first,” “second,” “third,” “fourth,” and the like in the description and the claims, if any, may be used for distinguishing between similar elements and not necessarily for describing a particular sequential or chronological order. It is to be understood that the terms so used are interchangeable. Furthermore, the terms “comprise,” “include,” “have,” and any variations thereof, are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusions, such that a process, method, article, apparatus, or composition that comprises a list of elements is not necessarily limited to those elements, but may include other elements not expressly listed or inherent to such process, method, article, apparatus, or composition.

It is contemplated and intended that the design apply to both car mounting and at home mounting. The support body may be modified slightly to be fit to the use requirement and environment. Any suitable materials to make the construct are contemplated, for example, metal, plastic, wood, glass, and rubber. One material may be preferred to the other for the reason of cost, easiness to manufacture, and atheistic look and feels.

In reference toFIGS. 1A-5B, a magnetic mobile device mounting charger comprises two major parts: mounting system1(FIGS. 1A-3) and magnetic attachment system2(FIG. 4-5B).FIGS. 6A and 6Bdemonstrate how a mobile device is attached to the described mounting device for battery re-charging.

Referring toFIG. 1A, mounting system1includes a top charging and mounting head shaped like a filled wide-brimmed sun hat1C, a rotation ball connector1B and a cylindrical tubular support body1A with an adhesive footing section20.

Circularly shaped charging head1C includes positive electrode column or pin100in the center, negative peripheral electrode ring110and insulation ring or rings120that separates center electrode100and peripheral electrode110, and a magnet piece130disposed underneath a decorative surface layer at the brim of charging head1C for mounting. Insulation ring120may embed printed circuit for conducting electricity. Magnet ring130can either be made of permanent magnet material or alternatively magnetic induction coil which generates a magnetic field when electricity is connected. Magnet ring130is configured to have sufficient magnetic force that sufficiently attracts attachment system2for mounting and holding a cell phone or a mobile device to the support stand1A.

Charging head1C attaches to swivel ball rotation portion1B that is configured to rotate 360° C. in all directions, but also with built-in threads to hold an attached cell phone at one position until a user changes to another position in another direction.

As shown inFIG. 1B, swivel ball rotation portion1B includes a rotatable neck portion150that is threadedly coupled to the top of support stand1A and allows portable device to rotate freely at 360 degrees. Swivel ball1B is rotatably coupled charging head1C through a threaded coupling-ring structure135(an example as shown inFIG. 6A). The expanded side views inFIGS. 6A and 6Bof mounting system1display how a portable device may attach to mounting system1.FIG. 1Bprovides a sectional view of the mounting charger system only for illustrative purposes, each of the individual parts may not be drawn in proportion, to provide clearer interpretation of present application in illustrating the structural relationship between portion1C,1B and1A.

Support stand includes a tubular body, an adhesive footing base, a power supply port, and an electrical outlet, as will be described in greater detail below. Inside tubular body, a printed circuit board for functional control and power adapting may be contained. Adhesive footing base may be built with a layer of adhesive materials such as 3M® adhesive tapes or SCOTCH® adhesives that allows support stand1A to be removably mounted to a car window shield glass or plastic front or to a supporting surface.

FIG. 2shows a vertical front view of support stand1A, with display of location of adhesive base20and tubular body30. Adhesive base20consists of a strong enough adhesive layer that allows support stand1A to securely stick on multiple surfaces and maintain stability, with all impediments encountered by a moving vehicle. Tubular supporting body30may include a decorative groove that consists of a multi-colored light-up feature, indicative of a successful charge.

FIG. 3shows a vertical back view of support stand1A, with display of location of power supply port40and electrical outlet50. Preferably power supply port40is located on the back and towards the bottom of support stand1A. Through power supply port40mounting system1receives its power from an external power source, such as connection to a car charger. Electric outlet50may be connected via external wire cables or internal built-in wires to positive electrode100and negative electrode110to provide charging electricity to a cell phone or other mobile devices.

FIG. 4shows an example front view the magnetic attachment seat/system2, including a magnetic electrode contact board80with thickness less than a coin, a positive electrode column101, and a charging cable90with a male connector head94. The magnetic attachment system2is intended to attach to the back of a portable device, such as a cell phone, an IPAD, as displayed inFIG. 6A. Alternatively, the construct of system2can be a built-in section of a mobile case or a back cover as shown inFIGS. 5A, 5B and 6B.

Magnetic electrode contact board80is configured to match the structure of charging head1C. It includes an electrode column101at the center region and a ferromagnetic ring131that can be made of iron capable of being magnetized or permanent magnetic material at the peripheral area. Ferromagnetic materials include ironic piece, nickel or cobalt materials. Ironic or ferromagnetic ring131also serves as the negative electrode for contacting negative electrode110, and is connected with the negative cable line of90. Between ferromagnetic ring131and electrode101is an insulation ring140. Magnet ring130and ferromagnetic piece131respectively on the charging head1C and on the magnetic attachment seat2preferably match in size and they attract with each other with sufficient magnetic force that is capable of holding a cell phone's weight on support stand1A. But the force is also sufficiently weak enough for a person to separate a phone from the mounting charger support1. The contacting between electrode100of charging head1C and the electrode101of attachment seat2will allow the conduit of electric current and the charging of the battery of an attached phone or mobile device. The strong magnetic attraction force between magnet ring130of charging seat1C and ironic ring131of attachment seat2eliminates the requirement of use of bulky holding case, and enabling a user hands free use of the mobile device. Attachment seat2has an adhesive side that glues or attaches the attachment2to the back of cell phone.

The charging head1C preferably is thin panel or disk, and attachment seat2system preferably is thin panel or disk, ranging in size from 0.5 to 5 cm in diameter, and 0.1 to 1 cm in thickness.

In reference toFIG. 5A, alternatively an embodiment of attachment seat2system is constructed as an integral piece of a mobile device back cover3A where charging head94of cable90sits inside an opening95that matches to a mobile device's charging port.

In reference toFIG. 5B, alternatively an embodiment of attachment seat2system is constructed as an integral piece of a protective holding case a mobile device3B.

Charging cable90may include one or multiple charging heads94, such as, a lightning plug head, or a micro USB plug head, that matches to a smart phone to mobile device's charging port. As shown inFIG. 6A, charging cable90directly plugs into the charger port of mobile device3. Comparing to wireless charging in prior art, wired charging is much more efficient, saves battery source and can be manufactured more cost effectively. With magnetic attachment system2attached to a mobile device3, said mobile device3can magnetically attach to charging seat1C and mounting system1during user driving, effectively reducing safety risks of using a smart phone as a GPS during driving.

In reference toFIG. 6A, expanded view for attaching an example mounting charger1to a cell phone3. The wires160are connected from electric outlet50to the charging electrodes100and110. Magnet ring130attracts attachment board80that is mounted on the back cover of cell phone3. Coupling ring135couples the charging head set with the swivel ball section1B and also holds it at one position until the user rotates the ball and changes the holding direction. Cylindrical support1A includes a printed circuit board165for control and indication of successful charging or other functions.

In reference toFIG. 6B, expanded view for attaching a mounting charger to an attachment seat built-in on the back cover5of a cell phone3. The wires160are connected from electric outlet50to the charging electrodes100and110. Magnet ring130attracts attachment board80that is mounted on the back cover of cell phone3. Coupling ring135couples the charging head set with the swivel ball section1B and also holds it at one position until the user rotates the ball and changes the holding direction. Cylindrical support1A includes a printed circuit board165for control and indication of successful charging or other functions

In further reference toFIG. 4,FIG. 5A, 5B,FIGS. 6A and 6B, magnetic device attachment2and charging head1C will come in varying shapes and sizes, with different charging cables to accommodate different portable devices with V3, V9, or Apple-lightning charger ports, SAMSUNG® cell phones and mobile devices. To note, not all portable devices will have charger ports at the bottom of devices. The present application provides varying magnetic device attachment2dependent of portable device design.

As will be recognized by those skilled in the art, the innovative concepts described in the present application can be modified and varied over a tremendous range of applications, and accordingly the scope of patented subject matter is not limited by any of the specific exemplary teachings given. It is intended to embrace all such alternatives, modifications and variations that fall within the spirit and broad scope of the appended claims.