Patent Publication Number: US-9427070-B1

Title: Apparatus and method for supporting and operating an electronic device upon a user&#39;s clothing or belt

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to clothing or belt clips and more particularly pertains to a new apparatus and method for magnetically supporting an electronic device upon a user&#39;s clothing or belt for safeguarding the phone and providing immediate and convenient functional access to the phone. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     The use of clothing or belt clips is known in the prior art. More specifically, clothing or belt clips 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 clothing or 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 magnetically supporting a phone upon a user&#39;s arm. 
     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 magnetically supporting an electronic device upon a users&#39;sclothing or belt which has many of the advantages of the clothing or belt clips mentioned heretofore and many novel features that result in a new apparatus and method for magnetically supporting an electronic device upon a user&#39;s a clothing or belt which is not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, or even implied by any of the prior art clothing or belt clips, either alone or in any combination thereof. The present invention may include a clip assembly adapted to clip onto a clothing or belt worn by a user; and a connector assembly including a magnet attached to the clip assembly and also including a metal plate having an outer side and adapted to be attached to an electronic device and magnetically and removably attached to the magnet for supporting the electronic device upon the clip assembly. 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 magnetically supporting an electronic device upon a user&#39;s clothing or belt 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 form 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 magnetically supporting an electronic device upon a user&#39;s clothing or belt which has many of the advantages of the clothing or belt clips mentioned heretofore and many novel features that is not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, or even implied by any of the prior art clothing or belt clips, either alone or in any combination thereof. 
     Still another object of the present invention is to provide a new apparatus and method tor magnetically supporting an electronic device upon a user&#39;s clothing or belt 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 magnetically supporting an electronic device upon a user&#39;s clothing or belt that allows the user to easily remove the phone from the clothing or belt clip for use and to easily reattach the phone to the clothing or belt clip. 
     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. 
    
    
     
       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 an end elevation view of a new apparatus for magnetically supporting an electronic device upon is user&#39;s clothing or belt according to the present invention with the electronic device magnetically attached to the clip assembly. 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the clip with the back of the electronic device showing the metal plate and magnet retainer. 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the clothing or belt clip on a user&#39;s clothing or belt with the electronic device attached to the clothing or belt clip. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to  FIGS. 1 through 3  thereof, a new apparatus and method for magnetically supporting an electronic device upon a user&#39;s clothing or belt 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 3 , the apparatus and method for magnetically supporting an electronic device, upon a user&#39;s clothing or belt  10  generally may comprise a clip assembly  11  adapted to clip onto a clothing or belt  39  worn by a user; and a connector assembly  30  including a magnet  31  conventionally attached with adhesive to the clip assembly  11  and also including a metal plate  34  having an outer side  35  and adapted to be conventionally attached to an electronic device  38  and magnetically and removably attached to the magnet  31  for supporting the electronic device  38  upon the clip assembly  11 . 
     As illustrated in  FIGS. 1 through 3 , the clip assembly  11  may include a planar support member  12 , a biased element  18  conventionally coupled to the planar support member  12  and a lever  21  conventionally coupled to the biased element  18 . The planar support member  12  may include a front side  13  facing away from the lever  21  and a back side  14  facing the lever  21  with the biased element  18  conventionally coupled to the back side  14  of the planar support member  12 . The planar support member  12  may also have a top end  15 , a bottom end  16 , and a top end portion  17  with ribs  28  spaced apart on the top end portion  17  on the front side  13  of the planar support member  12  for a user to grasp to open the clip assembly  11 . The biased element  18  may be a curved leaf spring having opposed ends  19 ,  20 , one of which is conventionally coupled to the planar support member  12  and the other of which is conventionally coupled to the lever  21 . The lever  21  may have a front side  22  facing the planar support member  12  with the biased element  18  conventionally coupled to the front side  22  of the lever  21  and may further have a back side  23 . The lever  21  has a top end  24 , bottom end  25  and a top end portion  26  with a depression  40  in the back side  23  of the lever  21  on the top end portion  26  for the user to grasp to open the clip assembly  11 . The lever  21  may have an extension piece  27  integral to the front side  22  and at the bottom end  25  thereof and extending forwardly of the lever  21  towards the planar support member  12  and biasedly engaged with the planar support member  12 . The biased element  18  may be curved away from the bottom ends  16 ,  25  of the planar support member  12  and the lever  21  to form a clothing or belt receiving slot  29  between the planar support member  12  and the lever  21 . 
     As further shown in  FIGS. 1 through 3 , the magnet  31  may have a flat first side  32  securely and conventionally attached with adhesive flush against the front side  13  of the planar support member  12  and also may have a thickness with the magnet  31  protruding outwardly from the planar support member  12 . The magnet  31  may have a flat second side  33  facing outwardly away from the planar support member  12 . The connector assembly  30  may further include a magnet retainer  36  conventionally attached with adhesive to the metal plate  34  and removably disposed about the magnet  31  upon the electronic device  38  including a phone being magnetically supported upon the clip assembly  11  to restrict movement and prevent sliding of the electronic device  38  upon the clip assembly  11 . The magnet retainer  36  may be a ring  36  having a dimension larger than that of the magnet  31  with the ring  36  conventionally and centrally attached to the metal plate  34  and extending outwardly from the outer side  35  of the metal plate  34  and spaced from a perimeter of the metal plate  34 . The ring  36  may be an open ring  36  which is a C-shaped ring  36  having a narrow width. The flat second side  33  of the magnet  31  may be magnetically attached flush to the outer side  35  of the metal plate  34  with the ring  36  disposed about the magnet  31  upon the electronic device  38  being supported upon the clip assembly  11 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 3 , in use the user may grasp and squeeze together the top end portions  17 ,  26  of the lever  21  and the planar support member  12  which urges the extension piece  27  away from the planar support member  12  to expose the belt-receiving slot  29  and then may move the clip assembly  11  to receive the clothing or belt  39  into the belt-receiving slot  29 . The user then releases the lever  21  with the biased element  18  urging the extension piece  27  into engagement with the planar support member  12  to securely clip the clip assembly  11  to the clothing or belt  39  with the magnet  31  exposed away front the user&#39;s body. The metal plate  34  may be magnetically attached to the magnet  31  to support the electronic device  38 . The magnet  31  may be received within the C-shaped ring  36  with the C-shaped ring  36  disposed about the magnet  31  to restrict movement of the electronic device  38  upon the clip assembly  11 . The electronic device  38  may be removed from the clip assembly  11  as desired. The electronic device  38  may be slid along the clip assembly  11  with the magnet  31  moving through an opening  37  and out of the C-shaped ring  36 . 
     As to a further discussion of the manner of usage and operation of the present invention, the same should be apparent front 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 magnetically supporting a phone upon a user&#39;s arm. 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 restored to, falling within the scope of the invention.