Patent Publication Number: US-2015076299-A1

Title: Vacuum mount type support structure

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to support devices and more particularly, to a vacuum mount type support structure, which is detachably mountable at a flat surface of an object to support an electronic device, allowing adjustment of the elevation and angular position of the supported electronic device directly and conveniently. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     Many vacuum mount type and plug type support devices are commercially available for mounted on the windshield or rear-view mirror of a motor vehicle or a flat surface of an object to support a an electronic device such as smart phone, car video recorder, computer, or LCD display device. When going to adjust the direction or angle of the supported electronic device, the user must dismount the support device and then mount the support device at the selected location in the selected angular position. This adjustment procedure is complicated. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The objective of the present invention is to provide a vacuum mount type support structure, which is detachably mountable at a flat surface of an object to support an electronic device, allowing adjustment of the elevation and angular position of the supported electronic device directly and conveniently. 
     To achieve this and other objects of the present invention, a vacuum mount type support structure of the present invention comprises a bracket, a vacuum mount peripherally sealed to the bracket and attachable to a flat surface and partially movable up and down relative to the bracket to produce a vacuum in between the vacuum mount and the attached flat surface, an operating device comprising an actuation member made in the form of a driving screw or cam wheel and rotatable to move the vacuum mount up and down relative to the bracket, and a support arm mounted at the bracket around the operating device and adapted to hold an external electronic device. 
     Further, the support arm is formed of multiple segments that are pivotally coupled to one another and adjustable to change the elevation and angular position of the supported electronic device. 
     Other advantages and features of the present invention will be fully understood by reference to the following specification in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference signs denote like components of structure. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is an elevational view of a vacuum mount type support structure in accordance with the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is an exploded view of the vacuum mount type support structure in accordance with the present invention. 
         FIG. 3  is a sectional view of the vacuum mount type support structure in accordance with the present invention. 
         FIG. 4  is an elevational view of an alternate form of the vacuum mount type support structure in accordance with the present invention. 
         FIG. 5  is an exploded view of the vacuum mount type support structure shown in  FIG. 4 . 
         FIG. 6  is a sectional view of the vacuum mount type support structure shown in  FIG. 4 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1-4 , a vacuum mount type support structure in accordance with the present invention is shown comprising a vacuum mount  1 , a bracket  2 , an operating device  3 , and a support arm  4 . 
     The vacuum mount  1  comprises a polygonal supporting bar  10  disposed at a top side thereof, and a rubber suction disk  11  located at a bottom side thereof. The rubber suction disk  11  is peripherally sealed to the bracket  2 . The polygonal connection bar  10  is inserted through a center through hole  20  of the bracket  2 . The bracket  2  is a dome-like hard frame shell. The operating device  3  is mounted at the top side of the bracket  2 , comprising an actuation member  30  operable to carry the polygonal connection bar  10  up and down. The support arm  4  is mounted at the bracket  2  around the operating device  3 , comprising a device holder  40  adapted to hold an electronic device. Further, the support arm  4  can be formed of multiple segments that are pivotally coupled to one another and can be adjusted to change the elevation and angular position of the supported electronic device. 
     Further, in the embodiment shown in  FIGS. 1-4 , the actuation member  30  is a screw member horizontally rotatable to move polygonal connection bar  10  upward or downward relative to the bracket  2 . In the embodiment shown in FIGS,  5  and  6 , the actuation member  30  is a cam wheel vertically rotatable in reversed directions to move polygonal connection bar  10  of the vacuum mount  1  upward or downward relative to the bracket  2 . 
     Because the polygonal connection bar  10  of the vacuum mount  1  is inserted through a center through hole  20  of the bracket  2  and connected to the operating device  3 , the user can operate the operating device  3  to rotate the actuation member (screw member or cam wheel)  30  conveniently and to further move the polygonal connection bar  10  up and down. When pulling the polygonal connection bar  10  upwardly toward the bracket  2  after attachment of the rubber suction disk  11  of the vacuum mount  1  to a flat surface of a ceramic wall, glass, or any other object, a vacuum is produced between the rubber suction disk  11  and the flat surface, causing the vacuum mount  1  to be fixedly secured to the flat surface. On the contrary, when the polygonal connection bar  10  is moved downwardly in direction away from the bracket  2 , the vacuum is disappeared, allowing removable of the rubber suction disk  11  from the flat surface. 
     Although particular embodiments of the invention have been described in detail for purposes of illustration, various modifications and enhancements may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the invention is not to be limited except as by the appended claims.