Abstract:
There is provided a removable holding device for accommodating a mobile terminal and/or a screen in the passenger region of a vehicle. The holding device comprises at least one bar with a first end for insertion into fitments of a vehicle and a second end for accommodating the mobile terminal and/or the screen. That holding device has proven to be advantageous insofar as it is easy to remove/insert.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0002]     The invention relates to holding portable computers in place and more particularly to a holding device for a portable computer that can be placed on the dashboard of an automobile.  
         [0003]     2. Description of the Related Art  
         [0004]     Presently, the maintenance of buildings, structures, and other power installations, such as for example wind power installations, usually requires mobile computer equipment, in particular data processing apparatuses such as for example notebooks, laptops, palmtops or the like. The problem which arises is that of providing for adequately holding stands and stable platforms for mobile computer units. As maintenance and upkeep operations have to be carried out not just when the weather is good, it is desirable for the mobile units which are required for work or building maintenance to be mounted within a vehicle for the duration of the maintenance procedure.  
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0005]     Therefore, one object of the present invention is to provide a holding device for mobile computer units, which makes it possible for mobile computer units to be mounted in a simple fashion in the interior of a vehicle, such as a motor vehicle.  
         [0006]     That object is attained by a holding device as set forth in the claims appended hereto.  
         [0007]     There is provided a removable holding device for accommodating a mobile unit, in particular a data processing apparatus, and/or a screen, in the passenger region of a vehicle. The holding device has at least one holder having a first portion for fixing or for insertion in/on fitments of a vehicle and a second portion for accommodating the mobile unit and/or the screen. That holding device is found to be advantageous insofar as it is easy to remove/insert.  
         [0008]     In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention the first portion of the at least one holder is suited to being inserted or engaged into existing openings in the fitments at the passenger side in the passenger-side region of the console of a vehicle.  
         [0009]     In accordance with a preferred configuration of the invention the holder has a first side and a second side, wherein provided on the second portion of the holder is an edge which is inclined towards the first side. In that way a mobile unit can be laid on the first side of the at least one holder, in which case the unit is prevented by the edge from slipping off the holder.  
         [0010]     In accordance with a further configuration of the invention an angle of less than 180° is included between the second sides of the first and second portions of the at least one holder. In that way a mobile unit can be operated in an ergonomically advantageous position.  
         [0011]     Further configurations of the invention are subject-matter of the appendant claims. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING(S)  
       [0012]     The invention is described in detail hereinafter with reference to the drawing.  
         [0013]      FIG. 1  shows a side view of a holder in accordance with a first embodiment,  
         [0014]      FIG. 2  shows a plan view of the holder of  FIG. 1 ,  
         [0015]     FIGS.  3  to  5  each show views of two holders as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , which are fixed in a dashboard,  
         [0016]      FIG. 6  shows a mobile unit on two holders which are fixed in a dashboard,  
         [0017]      FIG. 7  shows a plan view of a holder in accordance with a second embodiment,  
         [0018]      FIG. 8  shows a side view of the holder of  FIG. 7 ,  
         [0019]     FIGS.  9  to  12  each show a respective holder as illustrated in  FIGS. 7 and 8  which are fixed in a dashboard,  
         [0020]      FIG. 13  shows a side view of a holder in accordance with a third embodiment,  
         [0021]      FIG. 14  shows a plan view of a holder of  FIG. 13 , and  
         [0022]     FIGS.  15  to  20  each show respective holders as shown in  FIG. 13  or  FIG. 14  which are fixed in a dashboard. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0023]      FIG. 1  shows a side view of a bar for holding a mobile terminal and/or a screen in accordance with a first embodiment. The bar has a first end and a second end  10   a ,  10   b  and a first side and a second side, wherein the first side in operation faces upwardly and the second side faces downwardly. Provided between the first and second ends  10   a ,  10   b  is an angle α. The angle α is preferably 170°. An edge  12  is provided at the second end  10   b  of the bar. An angle β is provided between the edge  12  and the second end  10 . The angle β is preferably 100°. A nose  11  is provided on the first side of the bar, at the point at which the first and second ends  10   a ,  10   b  meet.  
         [0024]      FIG. 2  shows a plan view of the bar of  FIG. 1 . A reduction in the bar width is shown at the first end  10   a  of the bar  10 . The nose  15  which results therefrom serves in particular for being inserted into openings in a dashboard.  
         [0025]      FIGS. 3, 4  and  5  each show two bars  10  which are introduced into holes in a dashboard  20  on the passenger side of a vehicle. In particular the first ends  10   a  of the bars or the nose  15  at the first ends of the bar were inserted into holes in the dashboard  20  so the bars  10  are on the dashboard and the computer can be supported on the dashboard.  
         [0026]     Herein, the terms “on” or “onto” are used in the sense of mounting one object to another, such as on a dashboard, and includes attachment with brackets, mounting brackets in holes, mounting brackets with or without fasteners and is not limited solely to being on top of a dashboard.  
         [0027]      FIG. 6  shows a dashboard  20  with two inserted bars  10 . A keyboard  40  is mounted at the second end of the bars and a screen  30  stands upright with its rear side to the dashboard  20  of the vehicle, wherein the lower side of the screen  30  is clamped between the dashboard  20  and the noses  11 . An ergonomic arrangement of the keyboard is afforded by the slight inclination of the second end  10   b  of the bars  10 .  
         [0028]     When the maintenance operations have been concluded the keyboard  40  and the screen  30  can be removed and suitably stowed. The bars  10  can also be readily pulled out and appropriately stowed.  
         [0029]      FIG. 7  shows a plan view and  FIG. 8  shows a side view of a holder in accordance with the second embodiment. In contrast to the holder in accordance with the first embodiment which is formed from two bars, the holder in accordance with the second embodiment is in the form of a single part. The holder in  FIG. 7  has a first portion  10   a  for fixing in a dashboard of a vehicle and a second portion for accommodating mobile units. Provided at the first portion or first end  10   a  of the holder are two noses  15  which can be inserted into openings in a dashboard or a console on the passenger side. A recess is preferably provided in the first portion  10   a . An edge  12  is provided on the second portion  10   b  of the holder. As in the case of the bar in accordance with the first embodiment, a nose  11  is also provided between the first and second portions  10   a ,  10   b . The first and second portions  10   a ,  10   b , the nose  11  and the edge  12  are bent in one piece from a piece of sheet. Angles α 1  and α 2  can be provided between the nose  11  and the first and second portions. Variations in those angles make it possible to adapt the holder to the mobile unit or data processing apparatus to be accommodated. The angle α 1  is preferably 90° and the angle α 2  is preferably 110°. An angle between the nose  15  and the first portion  10   a  is preferably 145°.  
         [0030]     FIGS.  9  to  12  each show a holder which is mounted on the dashboard by being in holes in a dashboard  20  on the passenger side of a vehicle. In this case in particular the first portion  10   a  of the holder or the noses  15  are inserted into holes on the dashboard  20  so the holder  10  is on the dashboard  20 . In this case the arrangement of the holder and of the noses  15  is such that existing holes in the dashboard can be used.  FIGS. 9 and 10  show the inserted holder and a keyboard on the second portion  10   b . As can be seen from those two Figures the keyboard can be mounted between the hook  12  and the nose  11 . In addition to the holders with a keyboard as shown in  FIGS. 9 and 10 ,  FIGS. 11 and 12  show the corresponding holders and a screen which is set up or clamped between the nose  11  and the dashboard  20 .  
         [0031]      FIGS. 13 and 14  show a side view and a plan view of a holder in accordance with a third embodiment. While the bar in accordance with the first embodiment and the holder in accordance with the second embodiment each have a respective nose  15  on the first portion  10   a , the holder in accordance with the third embodiment has a hook  15   a . In addition—as in the first and second embodiments—a hook  12  is provided on a second portion  10   b  of the holder. The holder also has a first portion and a second portion  10   a ,  10   b . A nose is provided between the first and second portions  10   a ,  10   b , as in the case of the holder in accordance with the second embodiment. In contrast to the holder of the second embodiment the first portion  10   a  has a further kink or bend whereby the holder can be better hookingly engaged on or in the dashboard of a vehicle.  
         [0032]      FIG. 15  shows the holder  10  which is mounted or hookingly engaged on a dashboard  20  on the passenger side of a vehicle.  FIG. 16  additionally shows a keyboard which is mounted between the hook  12  and the nose  11 .  FIGS. 17 and 18  show further details as to the way in which the holder  10  is fixed or hookingly engaged by the hook  15   a  on or onto the dashboard of a vehicle.  FIGS. 19 and 20  show the holder which is fixed to the dashboard  20  of a vehicle, with a keyboard and a screen.  
         [0033]     That therefore provides a simple and inexpensive possible way of mounting mobile terminals/screens for example for maintenance operations in the interior of a service vehicle and correspondingly quickly and easily removing them after the maintenance operations are concluded.  
         [0034]     All of the above U.S. patents, U.S. patent application publications, U.S. patent applications, foreign patents, foreign patent applications and non-patent publications referred to in this specification and/or listed in the Application Data Sheet, are incorporated herein by reference, in their entirety.  
         [0035]     From the foregoing it will be appreciated that, although specific embodiments of the invention have been described herein for purposes of illustration, various modifications may be made without deviating from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the invention is not limited except as by the appended claims.