Abstract:
A stand for an electronic device such as a mobile phone retains the electronic device by the device being slid between a front surface and at least four retention points. Some versions have four retention points in essentially a square pattern thus allowing the device to be slid into a retaining position in two distinct orthogonal directions. This provides for both a portrait and a landscape support configuration. Some embodiments have a leg that also acts as a hook or a clip.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 61/584794 filed on Jan. 9 2012. That application is herein incorporated in its entirety. 
     
    
     FIELD 
       [0002]    This relates to holders and stands for electronic devices. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0003]    There are a wide range of stands and holders for electronic devices. There are table stands, gooseneck stands, and stands for securing devices to a wall or dashboard. Some are for temporary use and others are essentially for mounting the electronic device in one place. With the wide range of capabilities and uses portable electronic devices have, it is hard to anticipate the various environments and positions in which it might be desirable to support such devices as smart phones and tablets. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0004]    Embodiments of a holder with a hook that is shaped to also be a leg or prop are presented. Some versions of a holder are presented that accommodate an electronic device to be slidably retained with some allowing slideable retention in two orthogonal directions. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0005]      FIG. 1  shows a first embodiment stand in a front perspective view secured to an electronic device shown in dashed lines; 
           [0006]      FIG. 2  shows the stand of  FIG. 1  in a rear perspective view secured to an electronic device shown in dashed lines; 
           [0007]      FIG. 3  is a front view of the device of  FIG. 1  supporting an electronic device in portrait mode; 
           [0008]      FIG. 4  is a front view of the device of  FIG. 1  supporting an electronic device in landscape mode; 
           [0009]      FIG. 5  is a side view of the device and configuration of  FIG. 4 ; 
           [0010]      FIG. 6  is a side view of the device of  FIG. 1  being supported on a horizontal surface in a 25-degree tilt-back mode; 
           [0011]      FIG. 7  is a side view of the device of  FIG. 1  being supported on a horizontal surface in a 70-degree tilt-back mode; 
           [0012]      FIGS. 8A ,  8 B, and  8 C show a progression of position of an electronic device being slid into the stand of  FIG. 1  from top to bottom into a portrait mode; 
           [0013]      FIGS. 9A ,  9 B, and  9 C show a progression of position of an electronic device being slid into the stand of  FIG. 1  from right to left into a landscape mode; 
           [0014]      FIG. 10  shows a 2 nd  embodiment of a stand from the front; 
           [0015]      FIG. 11  shows the stand of  FIG. 10  from the side; 
           [0016]      FIG. 12  shows the stand of  FIG. 10  FIG. in perspective; 
           [0017]      FIG. 13  shows the stand of  FIG. 10  being supported in a tilted back position on a horizontal surface; 
           [0018]      FIG. 14  shows a 3rd embodiment of a stand in perspective; 
           [0019]      FIG. 15  shows a 4th embodiment of a stand from the side; 
           [0020]      FIG. 16  shows the embodiment of  FIG. 15  in perspective; 
           [0021]      FIG. 17  shows the embodiment of  FIG. 15  from the side being supported leaning backward on a horizontal surface. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0022]    In conjunction with the included drawings this detailed description is intended to impart an understanding of the teachings herein and not to define their metes and bounds. 
       Structure and Operation 
       [0023]    To retain the subject electronic device in a portrait orientation it is slid in from the top. Arms of the four brackets wrap around the right and left edges. The device is held in place by a resilient force of the bracket arms pressing towards the front surface of the base at the perimeter of the front face of the electronic device. 
         [0024]    To retain the subject device in a landscape orientation, it is slid in from the side, between the arms. In this case, the side edges of the electronic device press against the brackets. As seen in  FIG. 2  the contact surfaces of the arm  123  that contact the electronic devices edges have a curvature that is the compliment of the curvature of the device edges. 
         [0025]    The four electronic device positions are achieved by the two stand-to-table options times the two electronic-device-to-stand options. 
         [0026]    In addition, the stand can be turned 180-degrees into a hook mode. As in the stand positions, the electronic device can be inserted into the base in both a portrait and a landscape orientation. 
         [0027]    A first embodiment is seen in  FIGS. 1-9 . This embodiment is mechanically coupled to the electronic device it is sized for by sliding the device in between a back wall and four bracket arms.  FIG. 1  shows a perspective view of this first embodiment stand  100  holding an electronic device  50  shown on a dashed line. The two main parts of the stand are its leg  101  and the base holder  102 . The holder has for retaining arms  104  and a front surface  103  and a back surface  105 . Because of the wide flexibility in use and mounting the “upper” and “lower” extremities will be referred to as the A end  105  and the B end  106 . 
         [0028]    As seen in  FIGS. 1 and 2  the arms  104  have several regions, each with its own function. The inside surfaces of the arms  120  face each other in a left-right direction and provide a part of the retention force to hold a portrait mode device to the holder. The lip  121  of the arm provides additional force in the portrait mode. Those regions can produce a force tending to urge the electronic device to the front surface  103  of the holder. 
         [0029]    As will be seen in  FIGS. 4 and 5  the electronic device, a smart phone for example, can also be retained to the holder in a landscape mode. In that mode the thin surfaced  123  provide the force that retains the phone. 
         [0030]    The second major portion of the stand of this first example is the leg  101 . As seen in  FIGS. 2 and 5  there are three structural features of the leg. There is a short portion  130  attached to the holder. It meets a longer leg portion  132  in an acute angle at a knee  131 . As will be seen in  FIGS. 6 and 7  the leg can be used to hold the stand in two distinct positions. It is also clear that the leg is also usable as a clip or hook. To use it as a clip or hook, the B end  106  would be up and the A end  105  would be down. 
         [0031]      FIG. 6  shows the stand on a horizontal surface  51  resting on the short portion  130  of the leg. This configuration holds a phone at about 70-degrees from the surface.  FIG. 7  is an alternate configuration with the A end  105  and the knee  131  resting on the surface. That results in about a 25-degree tilt up from the surface. 
         [0032]    Both ways of inserting a phone involve sliding. The arms provide frictional and resilient retaining forces to hold in an inserted phone. This works to support both the portrait mode of  FIG. 3  and the landscape mode of  FIG. 4 . There is essentially a square pattern defined by the arms. The distance from a left retaining region  120  and its opposing right retaining region  120  is an interference fit with the width of the phone. To support the landscape mode where the phone is slid in from the side, the A end  105  facing retaining edge  123  is that same distance from its opposing B end  106  facing edge  123 . 
         [0033]      FIGS. 8A ,  8 B and  8 C show a sequence of a downward sliding of a phone  50  into the stand  100  between the arms resulting in a portrait mode configuration. Analogously  FIGS. 9A ,  9 B and  9 C show a sequence of inserting a phone in a right to left direction. This results in  FIG. 9C  with the phone in a landscape configuration. 
         [0034]    These multiple ways of supporting a device are very complimentary with the ability of many of these devices to readily and automatically change the orientation of the material displayed. 
       Second Embodiment 
       [0035]      FIGS. 10-13  show a second embodiment stand  200 . It has a solid rectangular holder base  210  and four identical cylindrical posts  201  in a square pattern. Each post has a retaining cylinder  204  and is topped by a stop disk  203 . The distance between the posts minus the diameter of the retaining cylinder is the width of the intended phone. As seem in  FIGS. 11 and 12  this embodiment has a leg/hook  205  with a knee  206 . Unlike the first embodiment this unit has only one position it can be supported by a horizontal surface  51  as seen in  FIG. 13 . It is resting on the distal length of the leg. The shape of the leg makes it also suitable to use as a hook, although it does not have the clip capability that the first embodiment enjoys. 
       Third Embodiment 
       [0036]    Seen only in  FIG. 14  the third embodiment has two additional posts  201 . This provides a more secure retention but allows the phone only to be slid in from the top or bottom, not the sides. 
       Fourth Embodiment 
       [0037]    The fourth version, as seen in  FIGS. 15 and 16 , has a holder base  310  and retention posts like those of the second embodiment. It differs in its leg arrangement. There are two distinct structures on the back surface of the holder. One is a hook  305  and the other is a foot  306 . This configuration allows for hanging and for standing up relatively straight on a horizontal surface  51  as seen in  FIG. 15 .  FIG. 17  shows this embodiment supported by its foot  306  and its hook  305  laying at a 75 degree angle on a horizontal surface  51 . 
         [0038]    The retaining cylinders of embodiments 2, 3 and 4 can be smooth surfaces at precise distances. Alternatively, they might be made of a foam or other soft surface. A third alternative is that they are rollers. 
         [0039]    Those skilled in the art will be aware of materials, techniques, and equipment suitable to produce the example embodiments presented as well as variations on the those examples. This teaching is presented for purposes of illustration and description but is not intended to be exhaustive or limiting to the forms disclosed. Many modifications and variations will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art. The embodiments and versions help to explain the principles of the invention, the practical application, and to enable others of ordinary skill in the art to understand it. Various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular application contemplated are expected. 
         [0040]    In the following claims, the words “a” and “an” should be taken to mean “at least one” in all cases, even if the wording “at least one” appears in one or more claims explicitly. The scope of the invention is set out in the claims below.