Patent Publication Number: US-2022228707-A1

Title: Apparatuses for holding and mounting mobile devices

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a phone holder and more particularly to a phone holding and mounting apparatus that can hold phone in multitude of positions and can also mount the phone on screens and cups. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     A phone holder/stand always keeps you organized and gives your hands a well-deserved break. Your phone may make you work a lot on its safety, cleanliness and at the same time, you need to work on your comfort and productivity as well. But all of this is made easy by the presence of a phone holder or stand. 
     It can be really tiring for a user to hold up his phone for hours in his hands to watch your favorite videos. As a matter of fact, a cell phone can weigh around 0.3 pounds and may make a user uncomfortable and reduce his productivity if he is not using phone holders or phone stand. 
     Several prior attempts to deal with such problems have been utilized as set forth below. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 9,432,071 B2 to Jaehyun et. al. discloses a smart phone holder that include a docking portion formed on a panel in a vehicle cabin and provided with an electric terminal, a supporter detachably mounted on the docking portion and provided with a power pin corresponding to the electric terminal, a cradle provided with a rear surface mounted on a front surface of the supporter, a supporting cradle disposed at an end of the cradle and configured to support an end of a smart phone, a moving unit mounted in the cradle, and configured to slide the supporting cradle from or to the end of the cradle corresponding to a size of the smart phone. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 10,155,482 B2 to Corso et. al. discloses a combination cup and cellular phone holder assembly for holding and mounting a cellular phone within an automotive cup holder is disclosed wherein the cellular phone is always conveniently located with respect to the driver or passenger within the automotive vehicle cabin. 
     United States Patent Publication No. 2014/0061406 A1 discloses a system that permits various accessories to be attached to a computer monitor, allowing a user to save valuable desk space. The system of the present invention includes one or more accessory holders that can hold, for example, a cell phone, pens, eyeglasses, mirrors, photos, earphones, remote controls, photos, and the like. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 8,706,175 B2 to Cho et. al. discloses a phone and tablet stand that includes a rotatable mounting head that attaches a tablet to the phone and tablet stand, attachment magnets that are evenly disposed on a rotatable mounting head to magnetically attach a tablet to the phone and tablet stand and an adjustable stand that includes a stem and a pair of adjustment knobs. 
     However, cell phone holders currently available to consumers do not provide cell phone stand and cell phone mounting mechanism in one cell phone holder. There is accordingly a need for a cell phone holder that provide both the cell phone stand and cell phone mounting mechanism as one apparatus thus eliminating the need of user of buying cell phone stand and cell phone holder separately. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In an embodiment of the present invention, a light weight and compact phone holder is disclosed which enables user to keep their mobile phone, phablet or tablet on a phone stand stabilized on a flat surface or mount on the top edge of laptop screen for easy viewing and usage while the device is charging. 
     The object of the present invention is to provide a minimalistic phone holding and mounting apparatus that allows a user to mount the phone on upper edge of laptop screen to view and access content or application on phone simultaneously while working on the laptop. 
     It is also an object of the present invention, when two users communicate over a video conference, frontal viewing is very important to promote eye to eye contact therefore this phone mounting apparatus is configured to not to obstruct the webcam of laptop when mounted in the middle of the upper edge of the laptop screen. 
     In an embodiment of the present invention, in order to secure the phone or tablet in place at the top edge of the laptop screen the pair of hooks or forks with the help of magnets present at poles or phone hand grip (in some embodiments) to place the phone or tablet in landscape or portrait format whichever the user wants. 
     It is yet another object of the present invention, to provide a phone holding and mounting apparatus that enables the user to plug the charging cable to the charging receptor of their device regardless of the orientation in which it is held by the phone holder or mounted by it on the laptop screen. 
     In an embodiment of the present invention, the phone holding and mounting apparatus can be folded or unassembled into three individual parts for easy storage to make it compact and travel friendly. 
     In another embodiment of the present invention, the phone holding and mounting apparatus can retract or collapse back within the vent made between the screen and screen back cover of a laptop or a computer monitor. 
     It is an object of the present invention to provide a phone holding and mounting apparatus that can—sit on a platform, allow users to display their photo, favorite team logo, business card etc. on top of phone or tablet with help of mini billboard holder wherein the bill board holder will be made of long wire or spring with the end looking and working like a paper clip, can be used as an American football goal pole for entertainment between work. The phone holder will be provided with a miniature projectile launcher to launch a football to goal between two poles of phone holder. 
     In an embodiment of the present invention, the base of the apparatus is magnetized thus allowing the user to stick it to metal surface also. When phone holder is mounted on upper edge of the laptop screen the magnetized base allows the mounted phone holder to deal with angle with help of an adhesive plate. 
     As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE ACCOMPANYING DRAWINGS 
       The aforesaid as well as other objects and advantages of the invention will appear hereinafter from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of phone holder wherein the base insert is in the base opening according to one or more aspects of an illustrative embodiment of the invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of phone holder wherein the base insert is in the base insert storage according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 3  is a side view of phone holder wherein the base insert is in the base insert storage according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 4  illustrates a front perspective view of phone holder supporting phone in portrait position wherein charging cable is plugged in from the front side according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 5  illustrates a front perspective view of phone holder supporting phone in portrait position wherein charging cable is plugged in from the rear side according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 6  illustrates a front perspective view of phone holder mounted on screen of laptop; 
         FIG. 7  illustrates an exemplary embodiment of phone holder offering billboard facility with help of mini billboard holders inserted in the upper billboard holder slot; 
         FIG. 8  illustrates an exemplary embodiment of phone holder offering billboard facility with help of mini billboard holders inserted in the lower billboard holder slot; 
         FIG. 9  illustrates an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, wherein the phone holder is mounted on cup; 
         FIG. 10  illustrates an exemplary embodiment of the magnetized U-type phone holder slidably disposed in the laptop cover; 
         FIG. 11  illustrates an exemplary embodiment of the magnetized single pole circular type phone holder slidably disposed beneath the laptop cover; 
         FIG. 12  illustrates an exemplary embodiment of the rectangular loop type phone holder slidably disposed beneath the laptop cover; 
         FIG. 13  illustrates an exemplary embodiment of the magnetized swivel bars type phone holder wherein bars are pivotally mounted beneath the laptop cover; 
         FIG. 14  illustrates a perspective view of the miniature ball kicker provided with the phone holder in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 15  illustrates an exemplary embodiment of the miniature ball kicker kicking ball to goal between the vertical poles of phone holder; 
         FIG. 16  illustrates a perspective side view of the phone holder supporting phone equipped with popup grip; 
         FIG. 17  illustrates a perspective rear view of a magnetized single pole circular type phone holder holding a phone equipped with a popup grip having a metallic cap or magnetized cap. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Additional features and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by the practice of the invention. These and other features of the present invention will become more fully apparent from the following description, or may be learned by the practice of the invention as set forth hereinafter. 
     With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to  FIG. 1  to  FIG. 17  thereof, a phone holding and mounting apparatus embodying the principles and concepts of the present invention is described. 
     Reference is made now to  FIG. 1 , illustrating an exemplary embodiment  100  of the phone holder mainly comprising of three parts that are pair of vertical poles, base and base insert which can be assembled or dissembled by user when needed. 
     In an embodiment  100  of the present invention, the phone holder comprises a base  102  that has a cuboidal structure with one flat side surface and a curved opposite side surface wherein the cuboidal base  102  has two base insert openings such that first base opening  106   a  run across the length of the cuboidal base  102  and second base opening  106   b  run across the width of the cuboidal base  102  such that it is perpendicular to the length of the cuboidal base. When phone holder is not in use or it is mounted upon a laptop screen the base insert opening  106   a  provides a storage to slide and store base insert  104  beneath the base  102 . 
     The base  102  has two pole holders—pole holder  108   a  and pole holder  108   b  both affixed upon the top surface of the base  102  for holding the vertical poles. The pole holder  108   a  and pole holder  108   b  have hollow tubular structure configured to accommodate rounded center poles of the vertical poles. As illustrated in  FIG. 1 , the rounded center pole  110   a  of the vertical pole  112   a  is inserted in the pole holder  108   a . Likewise, the rounded center pole  110   b  of the vertical pole  112   b  is inserted in the pole holder  108   b . The rounded center poles  110   a  and  110   b  are rotatably mounted in the pole holders  108   a  and  108   b  to facilitate independent rotation of the vertical poles  112   a  and  112   b  when required by the user. 
     Reference is made now to  FIG. 2 , illustrating an exemplary embodiment  200  of the phone holder wherein the base insert  104  is inserted in the base insert opening  106   b  for placing and stabilizing phone holder  100  on a flat surface. In an embodiment of the present invention, the base  102  is magnetized to facilitate planting and sticking of the phone holder on metal platforms. In an embodiment of the present invention, the base insert  104  will have magnets placed in its magnet slots present at the bottom surface. 
     Reference is made now to  FIG. 3 , illustrating side views embodiment  300  of the phone holder. In an embodiment of the present invention, each vertical pole comprises of first billboard holder slot, first magnet slot, second magnet slot, first stopper, second stopper, hook, second billboard slot, a third stopper that is a thin screen stopper and rounded center pole. 
     As illustrated in the  FIG. 1 ,  FIG. 2  and  FIG. 3 , the vertical pole  112   b  comprises of first billboard holder slot  114   b , first magnet slot  116   b , second magnet slot  116   d , first stopper  118   b , second stopper  118   d , second billboard holder slot  114   d , hook  302   b , third stopper  304   b  and rounded center pole  110   b . The vertical pole  112   a  comprises of first billboard holder slot  114   a , first magnet slot  116   a , second magnet slot  116   c , first stopper  118   a , second stopper  118   c , second billboard holder slot  114   c , hook  302   a , third stopper  304   a  and rounded center pole  110   a.    
     Reference is now made to  FIG. 4 , illustrating a front perspective view of phone holder holding phone in portrait position supported by pair of first stoppers  118   a  and  118   b . In the embodiment  400  the phone  402  placed on phone holder is plugged in with charging cable  404  coming from the front. 
     Reference is now made to  FIG. 5 , illustrating a front perspective view of phone holder holding phone  402  in portrait position supported by pair of first stoppers  118   a  and  118   b . In the embodiment  400  the phone  402  placed on phone holder is plugged in with charging cable  404  coming from the rear side. 
     The phone holder is configured to facilitate charging of smartphone  402  regardless of the orientation in which it is kept. Embodiments  400  and  500  illustrates that the charging cable  404  can be plugged into phone  404  mounted on phone holder from any side. 
     Reference is now made to  FIG. 6 , illustrating an exemplary embodiment  600  of phone holder mounted on screen of laptop  602 . The pair of hooks  302   a  and  302   b  of phone holder and the base  102  facilitates clamping of phone upon the upper edge of the screen of laptop  602 . The structure of phone holder allows the user to place phone holder in middle of the upper edge of the screen of laptop  602  without obstructing the camera of laptop  602  which is required during video conferences as user like to maintain eye contact with the person on the other side instead of looking away elsewhere. Also, being able to mount the phone  402  in middle of upper edge of the screen of laptop helps user in increasing his or her productivity during work as the user would be able to look at both the laptop screen and phone screen simultaneously. The phone mounting position as illustrated in embodiment  600  allows user to charge the phone  402  while it is kept on the phone holder thus allowing the user to also charge his phone while it is mounted upon laptop screen. 
     Reference is made now to  FIG. 7 , illustrating an exemplary embodiment  700  of phone holder offering billboard facility with the mini billboard holder  702  inserted in the upper billboard slot  114   a . The mini billboard holder  702  is a structure made from semi-stiff wire with one straight end for inserting in any billboard holder slot and other end having spiral paper clip  704  for holding variety of objects like business cards, logos, advertisement flyers or a flower. In alternative embodiments, spiral shape may be replaced by other shape of clips. 
     Reference is made now to  FIG. 8 , illustrating an exemplary embodiment  800  of phone holder offering billboard facility with the mini billboard holder  702  inserted in the lower billboard slot  114   c . The phone holder is provided with multiple billboard holder slots wherein  114   a ,  114   b  are upper billboard holder slots and  114   c , 114   d  are lower billboard slots. 
     Reference is made now to  FIG. 9 , illustrating an exemplary embodiment  900  wherein the phone holder is mounted on a cup  902 . The pair of hooks  302   a  and  302   b  with base  102  act as a clamp on the circular edge of the cup  902 . 
     Reference is made now to  FIG. 10 , illustrating an exemplary embodiment  900  wherein the phone holding mechanism is slidably disposed beneath the screen cover of laptop  602 . The laptop is provided with a cavity  1006  between the screen cover of laptop and the screen of laptop such that the U-shaped phone holder can slide in and out of the upper edge of the laptop screen. A stopper  1004  is affixed beneath the screen cover between the two poles  1002   a  and  1002   b  of the phone holder to stop phone holder  1002  from coming out of the laptop screen. The phone holder  1002  is a thin but stiff U-shaped structure with thickness less than the thickness of laptop screens. 
     In an embodiment of the present invention, when the user wants to use the phone holder  1002 , the user just has to grab and pull one of the poles of U-shaped structure, the poles of phone holder will come out to mount phone on it. The U-shaped phone holder has magnetized arms having strong magnetic power to hold phone equipped with a metallic or magnetic popup. In an embodiment of the present invention, a metallic or magnetic disk will be provided with phone holder to change the upper magnetic disk of previous popup grip or the user can also just peel off the glued paper on provided metallic or magnetic disk to stick it to the back of the phone. 
     In embodiments of the present invention, wherein the user doesn&#39;t have magnetic popup grip user can also keep the phone on phone-holder by popping up the normal popup grip of phone and sliding it between the two vertical poles ( 1002   a  and  1002   b ) of the phone holder (as shown in  FIG. 16 ). 
     Reference is now made to  FIG. 11 , illustrating an exemplary embodiment  1100  of the magnetized single pole circular type phone holder slidably disposed beneath the laptop cover. The phone holder  1104  has circular disk on one end and a T-shaped hook on other end. The phone holding mechanism is provided with pair of stoppers  1102   a  and  1102   b  on both side of phone holder  1104  to stop phone holder from coming out of the screen. The phone holder  1104  can be slided back inside the cavity  1006  when not in use. 
     Reference is now made to  FIG. 12 , illustrating an exemplary embodiment  1200  of the rectangular loop type phone holder  1204  comprising a magnet  1206  at upper end of the loop to hold phone  402  by its metallic or magnetic cap equipped popup grip. The rectangular loop type phone holder  1204  is provided with a stopper  1202  affixed between its structure to stop phone holder from coming out from the screen. 
     Reference is now made to  FIG. 13 , illustrating an exemplary embodiment  1300  of the magnetized swivel bar type phone holder wherein bars are pivotally mounted at pivotal mounts  1302   a  and  1302   b  beneath the laptop cover. The magnetic swivel bars  1302   a  and  1302   b  can be swiveled to vertical standing position when user want to mount the phone and swiveled back inside the laptop screen when not in use. 
     Reference is now made to  FIG. 14 , illustrating an exemplary embodiment  1400  of the miniature ball kicker  1402  that will be provided with the phone holder to let user play and time pass when the user is bored. The miniature ball kicker  1402  comprise of tubular body having a rod-shaped piston inserted inside it. The rod-shaped piston has a spring inserted into the back of the rod-shaped piston behind the kicker  1404  which has preferably a triangular shape or may any angular shape. The rod is suspended inside the tubular body by inserting its ends to two circular holders present inside the ball kickers  1402  body. The two internal circular holders that receives the rod and allow the rod to slide back and forth. 
     In order to use the ball kicker, the user has to hold on to the kicker and drag it back forcing the spring to compress. The kicker will catapult in forward direction resulting in kicker punching the ball  1406  forward (as shown in  FIG. 15 ). 
     Reference is now made to  FIG. 15 , illustrating an exemplary embodiment  1500  wherein the ball kicker  1402  kicks the ball  1406  when kicker button  1404  is pressed to goal between the vertical poles  112   a  and  112   b  of phone holder. The gap between the vertical poles  112   a  and  112   b  can be increased by swiveling them on the pole holders  108   a  and  108   b  affixed on base  102 . 
     Reference is now made to  FIG. 16 , illustrating an exemplary embodiment  1600  wherein the phone  402  equipped with popped-up grip  1602  is placed on the phone holder. The popped-up grip  1602  is hooked between the vertical poles  112   a  and  112   b  to keep phone  402  stuck in its place. 
     Reference is now made to  FIG. 17 , illustrating an exemplary embodiment  1700  wherein the phone  402  equipped with popup grip or metallic disk or magnetic disk on its back surface is placed on the single pole phone holder  1104 . The magnetic circular disk of the single pole phone holder  1104  facilitates sticking of popup grip/metallic disk/magnetic disk present at the back surface of the phone to stick phone on the single pole phone holder  1104 . 
     By virtue of implementing the above embodiments, the invention provides a cell phone holder that can work as both cell phone stand and cell phone mounting mechanism. Specific advantages of the phone holder include:
         providing cell phone holding and mounting mechanism in one apparatus, providing the facility of using mini billboard holders;   providing pair of multiple of stoppers for accommodating bigger smart devices like phablets and tablets;   providing an apparatus that can clamp perfectly on both thin and thick screens;   providing an apparatus that can clamp on coffee cup;   providing swivel mechanism in the stand to tilt the view of phone sitting upon it;   providing an apparatus that can hold phone in both portrait and landscape orientation;   providing an apparatus that allows charging of phone regardless of the orientation and configuration in which the phone is kept on phone holder;   providing an apparatus that is able to mount phone with or without popup grip;   providing a phone mounting mechanism that is slidably disposed between the laptop&#39;s screen and screen cover;   providing a ball kicker that works in combination with the phone stand for entertainment.       

     While the exemplary embodiments of the present invention are described and illustrated herein, it will be appreciated that they are merely illustrative. It will be understood by those skilled in the art that various modifications in form and detail may be made therein without departing from or offending the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. Additionally, the invention illustratively disclosed herein suitably may be practiced in the absence of any element which is not specifically disclosed herein—and in particular embodiment specifically contemplated, is intended to be practiced in the absence of any element which is not specifically disclosed herein.