Abstract:
An apparatus and method for supporting and operating an electronic device upon a user&#39;s forearm for safeguarding the phone and providing immediate and convenient functional access to the phone. The apparatus and method for supporting and operating an electronic device upon a user&#39;s forearm includes an arm mount assembly including a curved arm mount being adapted to fit upon a user&#39;s forearm region, and also having a cushion member being attached to the arm mount, the arm mount assembly also including fastening members for fastening the arm mount to the user&#39;s forearm; a connector assembly in communication with the arm mount; and an electronic device holder rotatably supported by the connector assembly.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     The present application claims the benefit of the U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 61/831,520, filed on Jun. 5, 2013, the disclosure of which is expressly incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the invention 
     The present invention relates to electronic device holders and more particularly pertains to a new apparatus and method for supporting and operating an electronic device upon a user&#39;s forearm for safeguarding the phone and providing immediate and convenient functional access to the phone. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     The use of electronic device holders is known in the prior art. More specifically, electronic device holders heretofore devised and utilized are known to consist basically of familiar, expected and obvious structural configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art which have been developed for the fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements. 
     The prior art includes a wrist-device which comprising a first module such as a personal computer and a second module consisting of a mobile telephone or a wireless telephone terminal which are coupled by means of elements in a bracelet configuration for holding the device to the forearm of the user, and wherein windows are provided in said modules for the passage of electronic connection buses between said modules. Another prior art includes a generally rectangular holder base and a holder configured to secure the mobile device therein. The holder may be removably attachable to the holder base. Another prior art includes an arm harness with a control panel for operating multiple electronic devices contained by the arm harness. In addition, another prior art includes a cell phone holder headband which enables the phone to stay in a normal talking position without having to hold it there with one hand. The cell phone is fit into an elastic band that is looped through a plastic plate. The plate is fitted to a swivel joint that is connected to one end of the headband. Yet, another prior art includes a releasable holder for a portable communication device including a base clip adapted to secure to a carrier such as a belt and an article clip adapted to secure to the portable communication device The base clip includes a channel having a bottom and side walls extending between open opposite ends with overlying flanges on both side walls spaced a selected distance from the channel bottom, and a locking tab extending into an opening in the channel bottom, a biasing member biasing the locking tab into the channel bottom opening. While these devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives and requirements, the aforementioned patents do not disclose a new apparatus and method for supporting and operating an electronic device upon a user&#39;s forearm. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The general purpose of the present invention, which will be described subsequently in greater detail, is to provide a new apparatus and method for supporting and operating an electronic device upon a user&#39;s forearm which has many of the advantages of the electronic device holders mentioned heretofore and many novel features that result in a new apparatus and method for supporting and operating an electronic device upon a user&#39;s forearm which is not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, or even implied by any of the prior art electronic device holders, either alone or in any combination thereof. The present invention includes an arm mount assembly including an curved arm mount being adapted to fit upon a user&#39;s forearm region and also having a cushion member, and also including a swivel assembly having a support member being disposed upon the top side of the curved arm mount, and also having a swivel joint being rotatable upon the support member, and further including an electronic device holder being mounted upon the swivel joint for rotation therewith. None of the prior art includes the combination of the elements of the present invention. 
     There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the apparatus and method for supporting and operating an electronic device upon a user&#39;s forearm in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which will from the subject matter of the claims appended hereto. 
     In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. 
     It is an object of the present invention to provide a new apparatus and method for supporting and operating an electronic device upon a user&#39;s forearm which has many of the advantages of the electronic device holders mentioned heretofore and many novel features that result in a new apparatus and method for supporting and operating an electronic device upon a user&#39;s forearm which is not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, or even implied by any of the prior art electronic device holders, either alone or in any combination thereof 
     Still another object of the present invention is to provide a new apparatus and method for supporting and operating an electronic device upon a user&#39;s forearm for safeguarding the phone and providing immediate and convenient functional access to the phone. 
     Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new apparatus and method for supporting and operating an electronic device upon a user&#39;s forearm that allows the user to position the phone upon one&#39;s arm to facilitate the use thereof. 
     Even still another object of the present invention is to provide a new apparatus and method for supporting and operating an electronic device upon a user&#39;s forearm that is easy to attach to and detach from the user&#39;s arm and is positioned to not be an obstructive hindrance. 
     These together with other objects of the invention, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the invention, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and the specific objects attained by its uses, reference should be made to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there are illustrated preferred embodiments of the invention. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The invention will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a partially exploded perspective view of a new apparatus and method for supporting and operating an electronic device upon a user&#39;s forearm according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the present invention in use. 
         FIG. 3  is another perspective view of the present invention in use with a partial cutaway showing the connector assembly. 
         FIG. 4  is a partially explode perspective view of a second embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 5  is a side cross sectional view of the second embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to  FIGS. 1 through 5  thereof, a new apparatus and method for supporting and operating an electronic device upon a user&#39;s forearm embodying the principles and concepts of the present invention and generally designated by the reference numeral  10  will be described. 
     As best illustrated in  FIGS. 1 through 5 , the apparatus and method for supporting and operating an electronic device upon a user&#39;s forearm  10  generally comprises an arm mount assembly  38  including a curved arm mount  11  made of a rigid material such as plastic and being laterally curved and adapted to fit upon a forearm  35  of a user. The curved arm mount  11  has a bottom side  12  and a top side  13  and also rounded corners. A cushion member  14  may be affixed with adhesive to the bottom side  12  of the curved arm mount  11  and has a dimension that substantially covers the entire bottom side  12  with the cushion member  14  being moisture permeable. A pair of fastening members  15 , 18  or straps or elastic bands are used to secure the curved arm mount  11  to the user&#39;s forearm  35 , and the fastening members  15 , 18  may include first ends  16 , 19  which are securely and conventionally attached to the top side  13  of the curved arm mount  11  near a side edge and at opposed ends of the curved arm mount  11 , and may also include second ends  17 , 20  which are fastenable with hook and loop fasteners to the respective fastening members  15 , 18  to secure the curved arm mount  11  upon the user&#39;s forearm  35 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 1 , the uppercuts for supporting and operating an electronic device upon a user&#39;s forearm  10  also comprises a connector assembly  39  including a support member  21  securely and conventionally attached centrally to the top side  13  of the curved arm mount  11 , and also including a swivel joint  22  being rotatable upon and about the support member  21 . The swivel joint  22  may be freely rotatable upon the support member  21  or the swivel joint  22  may be lockable at selected rotatable positions. The swivel joint  22  and the support member  21  may have a ratcheted assembly such as mateable dimples  23  or slots and nodes  24  conventionally spaced about the circumference of the swivel joint  22  and the support member  21 . The support member  21  may be a disk or a boss having a side wall  21 A with the nodes  24  conventionally attached to and spacedly arranged in a row about an outer side of the side wall  21 A. The swivel joint  22  may be a cap having a top wall  22 A and a side wall  22 B depending from the top wall  22 A with the dimples  23  or slots being disposed in an inner side of the side wall  22 B and spacedly arranged in a row about the side wall  22 B. The swivel joint  22  may also include an annular lip  22 C integral to a bottom edge of the side wall  22 B and being engageable to the support member  21  for retaining the swivel joint  22  to the support member  22 . The spaces between the dimples  23  or slots and the spaces between the nodes  24  are substantially equivalent so that each node  24  will be removably received and engaged in a respective dimple  23  or slot. 
     As illustrated in  FIGS. 1-3 , an electronic device holder  25  is securely and conventionally attached to the swivel joint  22  for rotation therewith. The electronic device holder  25  has a back wall  26 , sides  27 , 28 , a bottom end  29 , an open front  31 , an open top end  30 , and also flanges  32 - 34  or tabs being integral to the sides  27 , 28  and to the bottom end  29  with the flanges  32 - 34  or tabs being spaced from the back wall  26  and extending inwardly from the sides  27 , 28  and the bottom end  29 . The back wall  26  of the electronic device holder  25  is securely and conventionally attached to the swivel joint  22 . The electronic device holder  25  has a dimension which is similar to that of the curved arm mount  11  and is adapted to engageably receive an electronic device  37  preferably an iPhone5 through the open top end  30  between the flanges  32 - 34  or tabs and the back wall  26  of the electronic device holder  25  to securely retain the phone  37  to the electronic device holder  25 . 
     As shown in  FIGS. 2 ,  4  &amp;  5 , a second embodiment of the connector assembly  39  includes the support member  21  having a bottom wall  40  conventionally attached to the topside  13  of the curved arm mount  11  and having a front edge  41 , a convexly curved back edge  42 , and side edges  43 , 44  with a rail  45  conventionally attached to a top of the bottom wall  40  and extending along the curved back  42  and side edges  43  and also with a lip  46  integral to a top of the tail  45  and extending inwardly thus forming a groove  47  between the lip  46  and the bottom wall  40 . The lip  46  also has lugs  48 , 49  integral to and at the ends of the rail  45  at the front edge  41  of the bottom wall  40 . The lugs  48 , 49  project inwardly of the support member  21 . In addition, the support member  21  has ribs  50 , 51  centrally disposed in the top of the bottom wall  40  and longitudinally aligned and spaced from the back edge  42  to the front edge  41  of the bottom wail  40 . A biased and depressible ramp  53  is conventionally secured upon the top side  13  of the arm mount  11  forward of and adjacent to the support member  21  and has a back edge  54  biasedly extending higher than the front edge  41  of the support member  21 , but when depressed, the back edge  54  of the biased ramp  53  aligns with the front edge  41  of the support member  21 . The biased ramp  53  may be made of rigid material and may be a leaf spring. The swivel joint  22  of the second embodiment includes a truncated cylindrical member  55  having a thickness and also having back  56 , front  57  and side edges  58 , 59 . The front and back edges  56 , 57  are convexly curved and the opposed side edges  58 , 59  are truncated. The truncated cylindrical member  55  is conventionally attached to a bottom side of the electronic device holder  25 . The swivel joint  22  further includes a connector member  60  being disc-shaped and made of rigid material and having a planar bottom side  62  and a planar top side  61  and also having a circumferential tapered front edge portion  63  with the taper being from the top side  61  to the bottom side  62  and has a circumferential vertically straight back edge portion  64  which is perpendicular to the planar top side  61  and to the planar bottom side  62  of the connector member  60 . The top side  61  of the connector member  60  is conventionally attached to a bottom side of the truncated cylindrical member  55  and is removably received in the support member  21 . Elongate notches  65 , 66  may be centrally disposed in the bottom side  62  of the connector member  60  with the elongate notches  65 , 66  being longitudinally aligned with one another and spaced from the back edge portion  64  to the front edge portion  63  and is arranged to match the ribs  50 , 51  to effectively retain the connector member  60  in and upon the support member  21  with the longitudinal axis of the electronic device holder being parallel to the longitudinal axis of the curved arm mount  11 . 
     In use as shown in  FIGS. 2 &amp; 3 , the user can rotate the electronic device including the phone  37  to be viewed in a portrait or a landscape position as desired by the user bending one&#39;s arm at the elbow so that the longitudinal axis of the electronic device holder  25  as measured from the bottom end  29  to the open top end  30  is angled relative to the longitudinal axis of the curved arm mount  11  as measured lengthwise of the curved arm mount  11  In addition, when not using the electronic device or phone  37 , the sure can rotate the electronic device or phone  37  so that the longitudinal axis of the electronic device holder  25  is parallel to the longitudinal axis of the curved arm mount  11 . As to the second embodiment, the electronic device holder  25  and the phone  37  can still be rotated as desired and can also be completely removed from the arm mount  11 . To secure the electronic device holder  25  to the arm mount  11 , the user can slide the connector member  60  upon and depressing the biased ramp  53  and into the support member  21  at the front edge  41  of the support member  21  with either the tapered front edge portion  63  of the connector member  60  or the vertically straight back edge  64  facing the support member  21  as the user slides the connector member  60  into the support member  21 . Once the connector member  60  is fully received within the support member  21 , the biased ramp  53  biases upwardly above the front edge  41  of the support member  21  with the vertically straight back edge  64  of the connector member  60  being engageable with the biased ramp  53  to prevent the removal of the connector member  60 . The lugs  48 , 49  also prevent the removal of the connector member  60  from the support member  21  should the user rotate the electronic device holder  25  more or less than 180 degrees with either of the truncated side edges  58 , 58  of the truncated cylindrical member  55  facing or being parallel to the front edge  41  of the support member  21 . To remove the electronic device holder  25  from the arm mount  11 , the user rotates the electronic device holder  25  so that the tapered front edge portion  63  faces the back edge  54  of the biased ramp  53  and the user then slides the connector member  60  out of the support member  21  with the tapered front edge portion  63  of the connector member  60  depressing the biased ramp  53 . 
     As to a further discussion of the manner of usage and operation of the present invention , the same should be apparent from the above description. Accordingly, no further discussion relating to the manner of usage and operation will be provided. 
     With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the invention, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by the present invention. 
     Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the apparatus and method for supporting and operating an electronic device upon a user&#39;s forearm. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.