Abstract:
A fastening device is disclosed for attachment to a pole without the need for tools and without the need for excessive force to mount or remove the device from the pole. The device has an interior channel that is open along a side of the fastening device. The opening in the channel along the side of the device is defined by first edges that are uniformly spaced apart and contiguous second edges that are angled away from each other, starting with the spacing of the first edges, until their spacing is equal to the diameter of the pole. To mount the fastening device to the pole its top edge with the widest spacing of the second edges are placed against the pole and pushed on to the pole for a short distance before rotating the bottom of the fastening device on to the pole. This attachment sequence distributes the mounting force timewise making it easier to attach or remove the fastening device to or from the pole.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     This invention relates to a device for attaching and securing an implement or instrument, such as a cellular telephone to a pole.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     Cellular telephones and other small electronic devices such as portable radios are commonly used all over the world. There is a disadvantage that such cellular telephones and other electronic devices are small and too often become misplaced, sat on, or knocked onto the ground or into the water, especially when the telephone or other device is located on a patio, poolside or on a boat and is not carried in a holster or other carrier attached to a person&#39; attire. This is too often the case when people are wearing bathing suits and are outdoors on a patio, poolside or on a boat. There is no way to attach a holster or carrier to a person dressed in such attire. The cellular telephones or other devices can only be placed on tables, chairs, lounges, shelves or other places where they can be sat on, covered, or knocked off where they have been placed.  
         [0003]     Conventional holsters available for use in carrying such cellular telephones are designed for carrying the telephones on a person, such as on their belt. Other holders available for use with cellular telephones are typically attached to a dashboard of a vehicle, a sort of cradle, and the telephone is positioned in the cradle. Most of these cradles are part of a hands-free system for using the cellular telephones in vehicles. These existing holsters or cradles does not work in locations and situations such as described in the previous paragraph.  
         [0004]     On a boat drinks in a glass, bottle, can or other container can, when available, be placed in shallow recesses or wells (cup or glass holders) molded into plastic pieces of the boat. However, too often, such a cup or glass holders are not available or not located in a position that is convenient for a user and they then place these items on various flat surfaces from which they are too easily knocked over, or slide when the boat is in motion. In addition, even when a glass, bottle or can is positioned in such a cup or glass holder, if the container is full and the boat pitches off vertical in a swell from another boat or due to rough water, the contents therein spills because the container does not remain in a vertical position.  
         [0005]     Thus, there is a need in the art for apparatus that safely mounts and secures small devices, particularly small electronic devices such as cellular telephones, in a secure manner exactly where they are needed and prevents them from getting lost, from being sat on, knocked to the ground or into water, in environments such as on a patio, at a poolside or on a boat, while at the same time making the devices easily detachable for immediate use. There is also a need in the art for apparatus that can hold a variety of containers on a boat in a manner that these items will not fall or be lost overboard.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0006]     The need in the prior art for apparatus that safely mounts and secures small devices, particularly small electronic devices such as cellular telephones etc., in a manner that prevents them from getting lost, becoming dislodged, or knocked to the ground or into water, in environments such as on a patio, at a poolside or on a boat, while at the same time making the devices easily detachable for use is satisfied by the present invention. The need in the prior art for apparatus that can hold drink containers or other devices securely on a boat in a manner that they will not fall, spill or be lost is satisfied.  
         [0007]     A base mount is provided that is easily and quickly mounted onto a pole, such as the pole of a sun umbrella on a patio or by a poolside, or to a piece of round tubing of various railings and guards found on a boat or recreational vehicles or in other applications, without the use of tools. The base mount has a first mounting means that is quickly, easily and pivotably mountable to a second mounting means that is attached to a small device such as small electronic devices including cellular telephones, or to a glass, bottle, or can holder. The second mounting means cannot inadvertently be detached from the first mounting means that is part of the base mount. Because the second mounting means is pivotably mounted to the first mounting means, if the second mounting is attached to a drink holder the drink will remain in a generally upright position even when the base mount with its first mounting means are in other than an upright position 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0008]     The invention will be better understood upon reading the following detailed description in conjunction with the drawing in which:  
         [0009]      FIG. 1  shows a front, orthogonal view of the novel fastening device;  
         [0010]      FIG. 2  shows a rear, orthopgonal view of the novel fastening device;  
         [0011]      FIGS. 3A-3C  respectively show isometric views of the top, left side and rear of the novel fastening device;  
         [0012]      FIGS. 4A-4C  respectively show a left side view of the novel fastening device as it is being attached to a pole; and  
         [0013]      FIGS. 5A &amp; 5B  show the novel fastening device attached to a pole in two different orientations with an electronic device attached to the fastening device.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0014]     There are dashed lines shown on the outer surface of the fastening device  10  in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . These dashed lines form no specific part of the fastening device  10  and are only meant to show contours of the surface of device  10 . Novel fastening device  10  is quickly and easily attached or removed from a pole  15  ( FIGS. 5A and 5B ) without the use of tools. Other items such as, but not limited to, cup holders and electronic devices are quickly and conveniently attached to and detached from fastening device  10  as shown in  FIGS. 5A and 5B . In  FIGS. 5A and 5B  a hand-held radio  20  is shown attached to device  10  which in turn is attached to a pole  15 . Pole  15  preferably has a circular cross-section.  
         [0015]      FIG. 1  shows a front orthogonal view of novel fastening device  10 . Device  10  is molded or otherwise fabricated from a plastic material, such as Delrin or nylon, which is strong, tough and will not easily break, yet has a sufficient amount of flexibility. Device  10  may be of any color that is aesthetically pleasing.  
         [0016]     Device  10  has an open, recessed, vertical channel  11  in its front side that has a circular cross section  11  that is also shown in  FIG. 3A . The open front of channel  11  is partially defined by edges  13   a  and  13   b  that extend to the bottom of device  10 . However, the upper portion of the edges are cut back as shown and define edges  12   a  and  12   b . Cut back edges  12   a  and  12   b  are important to quickly and easily attach device  10  to pole  15  as shown and described with reference to  FIGS. 4A through 4C .  
         [0017]     When a piece of double sided tape  21  is placed inside vertical channel  11  in device  11  against its back wall as shown. When fastening device  10  is fully seated and the device snaps fully onto pole  15  tape  21  bonds fastening device  10  to pole  15  so it cannot move along the pole or rotate and cannot be removed from the pole. If it is desired to have device  10  move along pole  15 , rotate or be removed at a later time without extreme difficulty, tape  21  should not be used.  
         [0018]     The top  18   a  and  18   b  respectively of cut back edges  12   a  and  12   b  preferably intersect the top of device  10  at opposite sides of circular cross section channel  11  at its diameter d 1  as shown in both  FIGS. 1 and 3 A. The bottom of cut back edges  12   a  and  12   b  are defined by points  19   a  than  19   b . The wall thickness around vertical channel  11  may vary and be thinnest right at cut back edges  12   a  and  12   b  and edges  13   a  and  13   b , while being thicker at the rear of vertical channel  11 . It is important to note that points  18   a  and  18   b  are positioned further to the rear of vertical channel  11 , closer to point  17 , than points  19   a  and  19   b . The result is that the distance between points  18   a  and  18   b  is greater than the distance between points  19   a  than  19   b.    
         [0019]     On the backside of fastening device  10  is a retaining notch  14  that is used to attach other items  20  such as, but not limited to, cup holders and electronic devices to device  10 . The other items  20  each have a mating T-shaped element fastened thereto (not shown) the T-shaped top of which is slid into notch  14  to attach the items  20  to device  10 , such a shown in  FIGS. 5A and 5B . Retaining notch  14  is better seen in  FIGS. 2 and 3 C. Details of how retaining notch  14  cooperates with a mating T-shaped element fastened to an item  20  to attach the item to device  10  are not presented here because they are not part of the present invention.  
         [0020]     Fastening device  10  is quickly and easily snapped onto a pole having a circular cross-section and a diameter of d 1  as is the ascribed hereinafter with reference to  FIGS. 4A through 4C .  
         [0021]      FIG. 2  shows a rear orthogonal view of fastening device  10 . Channel  11  and cut back edge  12   a  are seen, but not very well in this view. Retaining notch  14  is used to attach items  20  to device  10 , as described above, and as shown in  FIGS. 5A and 5B . Retaining notch  14  is also shown in  FIGS. 3A-3C . As mentioned above details of retaining notch  14  and how it functions with a mating T-shaped element fastened to an item  20  to attach the item to device  10  are not presented here.  
         [0022]      FIGS. 3A-3C  respectively show isometric views of the top, left side and rear of novel fastening device  10 .  FIG. 3A  shows a top view of fastening device  10  showing the circular cross-section of vertical channel  11  having a diameter of d 1 , and cut back edges  12   a  and  12   b . Points  18   a  and  18   b  respectively at the top of edges  12   a  and  12   b  are shown. Also shown is a top view of retaining notch  14  showing its T-shape for accepting a mating T-shaped element (not shown) fastened to the rear of an item  20 . For proper operation of fastening device  10  the diameter of a circular cross-section pole  15  to which it is attached should also have a diameter of d 1 . Optional tapered edges  12   a  and  12   b , and tapered vertical edges  13   a  and  13   b , mentioned above in the description of  FIG. 1  are not shown in this figure.  
         [0023]      FIG. 3B  shows a left side view of fastening device  10 . The vertical dashed line between the top and bottom of device  10  shows the rear of vertical channel  11  with a point  17  at the top. Point  17  is shown in  FIGS. 1 and 4 B and is referenced with the description of the latter figure. The retaining notch  14  is also shown. Most importantly, cut back edges  12   a  and  12   b  and vertical edges  13   a  and  13   b  are shown. As shown in this figure cut back edges  12   a  and  12   b  are straight but they may also be curved outward to the left. Points  18   a  and  18   b  respectively define the top of cut back edges  12   a  and  12   b , and points  19   a  and  19   b  respectively define the bottom of cut back edges  12   a  and  12   b.    
         [0024]      FIG. 3C  shows a rear view of fastening device  10 . This view best shows shape details of retaining notch  14 . As described above a mating T-shaped element (not shown) fastened to an item  20  is slid into notch  14  to attach a device  20  to a device  10  attached to pole  15  as shown only in  FIGS. 5A and 5B . Also shown is the piece of double sided tape  21  mounted inside vertical channel  11  in device  11  against its back wall as shown and described with reference to  FIG. 1 .  
         [0025]      FIGS. 4A through 4C  respectively show a left side view of novel fastening device  10  as it is being attached to a pole  15  in accordance with the teaching of the invention. Cut back edges  12   a  and  12   b  are important to quickly and easily attaching device  10  to pole  15 . Also shown in these three figures is the optional piece of double sided tape  21  mounted inside vertical channel  11  in device  11  against its back wall as shown and described with reference to  FIG. 1 .  
         [0026]     In  FIG. 4A  is shown the first step of attaching novel fastening device  10  to pole  15 . The straight surfaces of cut back edges  12   a  and  12   b  are oriented slightly off parallel to the surface of pole  15  as shown. Points  18   a  and  18   b  are closer to pole  15  than points  19   a  and  19   b . As described above with reference to  FIG. 1 , the distance between points  18   a  and  18   b  is greater than the distance between points  19   a  than  19   b.    
         [0027]     Fastening device  10  is then moved in the direction of arrow W into contact with pole  15  as shown in  FIG. 4B . The distance between points  18   a  and  18   b  being d 1  (shown in  FIG. 3A ), which is also the diameter of pole  15 , the pole seats easily against the top rim of vertical channel  11  between points  18   a  and  18   b  and touches point  17  at the top, rear middle of channel  11  as shown in  FIG. 4B . Thus, cut back edges  12   a  and  12   b  easily guide pole  15  into the top portion of vertical channel  11  in accordance with the teaching of the present invention. Stated another way, vertical channel  11  is thereby held and centered on pole  15  as it is snapped onto the pole. This facilitates the mounting of fastening device  10  to pole  15  without slipping off the side of pole  15  when force is applied to device  10  in the direction of arrow W to snap device  10  onto pole  15 .  
         [0028]     As fastening device  10  is being moved to the left in the direction of arrow W, pole  15  will first contact cut back edges  12   a  and  12   b  someplace between points  18   a  and  18   b  and points  19   a  and  19   b  but very near points  18   a  and  18   b . This will occur because points  18   a  and  18   b  are closest to pole  15  and because the distance between these points is equal to d 1 , the diameter of pole  15 . As device  10  is moved further to the left in the direction of arrow W pole  15  exerts a force against cut back edges  12   a  and  12   b  all along the point of contact between edges  12   a  and  12   b  and pole  15 . These edges and the walls of channel  11  in the area of these edges are deformed outward and will continue to be deformed outward until they pass to the backside of pole  15  as the pole enters the interior of vertical channel  11 . There is still force, but less force, is applied against the edges and channel walls as they pass to the backside of pole  15 .  
         [0029]     As device  10  continues to move to the left in the direction of arrow W other, lower portions of cut back edges  12   a  and  12   b  and portions of edges  13   a  and  13   b  and the walls of channel  11  in the area of these edges are deformed outward as a portion of pole  15  passes between them. The force exerted by pole  15  against the area of contact with edges  12   a  and  12   b , edges  13   a  and  13   b  and the walls of channel  11  in the area of these edges increases as they are deformed outward until they pass to the backside of pole  15  as the pole enters the interior of vertical channel  11 . The key to the invention is that not all of edges  12   a  and  12   b , edges  13   a  and  13   b  and the walls of channel  11  in the area of these edges are in contact with pole  15  at the same time.  
         [0030]     This distribution of force timewise on fastening device  10  during its installation makes it easier to attach device  10  to pole  15 . If, alike the prior art, edges  13   a  and  13   b  were placed in uniform contact with pole  15  a large force would have to be applied at one time to deform all of edges  13   a  and  13   b  and the channel walls in the area of these edges to deform them at the same time to snap device  10  onto pole  15 . Alternatively, to lower this large installation force in the prior art the front opening of the equivalent of channel  11  (width of  19   a  - 19   b ) may be enlarged but this defeats the holding ability of the device.  
         [0031]     When pole  15  contacts point  17  at the rear of vertical channel  11  of fastening device  10  as shown in  FIG. 4B  it&#39;s purely leftward motion is stopped. A downward force in the direction of arrow X is then applied which pivots device  10  about point  17  into closer contact with pole  15 . With this clockwise motion of deice  10  the edges  12   a  and  12   b , edges  13   a  and  13   b  and the walls of channel  11  in the area of these edges change and move toward the bottom of device  10  as described above.  
         [0032]     As previously described, there is a piece of double sided tape  21  that can be placed inside vertical channel  11  in device  11  against its back wall as shown in  FIGS. 4A-4C  and  1 . When fully seated and device is mounted fully onto pole  15  tape  21  bonds fastening device  10  to pole  15  so it cannot rotate or move along the pole and cannot be removed from the pole. If it is desired to have device  10  rotate or move along pole  15  or to be removed at a later time without extreme difficulty, tape  21  should not be used.  
         [0033]      FIGS. 5A and 5B  show the novel fastening device  10  attached to pole  15  in two different orientations with an electronic device  20  attached to device  10 . In  FIG. 5A  fastening device  10  is attached to a generally vertical pole and a hand-held radio  20  is attached to device  10  using retaining notch  14  cooperating with a mating T-shaped element fastened to hand-held radio  20  as very briefly described above.  
         [0034]     In  FIG. 5B  fastening device  10  is attached to an angled pole  15 . As may be seen in this figure retaining notch  14  cooperates with a mating T-shaped element fastened to hand-held radio  20  so that radio  20  can hang generally vertically no matter what the orientation of pole  15 .  
         [0035]     While what is described herein is the preferred embodiment of the invention it will be understood by those skilled in the art that numerous changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. For example, the length of cut back edges  12   a  and  12   b  may be shorter or longer, and the width between edges  13   a  and  13   b  as compared to the diameter of channel  11  and pole  15  may be different. Also, the pole need not be round but may have an oval cross sectional area.