Patent Abstract:
A support is provided for supporting an electronic device on a supporting surface. The support includes a shell configured to receive the electronic device, a frame rotatably connected to the shell, and two adjusting arms. Top ends of the two adjusting arms and two opposite sides of the shell are configured such that the top ends of the two adjusting arms are slidable along longitudinal directions of the two opposite sides of the shell when a user applies force to the support, and further configured for holding the top ends of the two adjusting arms in stationary positions relative to the two opposite sides of the shell when the user does not apply force to the support. Opposite ends of the two adjusting arms are rotatably connected to the frame.

Full Description:
BACKGROUND 
       [0001]    1. Technical Field 
         [0002]    The present disclosure generally relates to supporting devices, and particularly to a support employed by an electronic device such as a mobile phone. 
         [0003]    2. Description of Related Art 
         [0004]    Mobile phones are not only used for calls or sending and receiving messages these days, but are also used for listening to music, watching television programs and movies, and placing video calls, for example. However, mobile phones are configured for use as hand-held devices, and holding a mobile phone may not always be the most comfortable or convenient way to use its many available functions. 
         [0005]    What is needed, therefore, is an electronic device which can overcome the described limitations. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0006]    The components in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, the emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the present disclosure. Moreover, in the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, and all the views are schematic. 
           [0007]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an electronic device assembly according to one embodiment, the electronic device assembly having a top end and a bottom end and including a support, wherein the support is shown in a folded state. 
           [0008]      FIG. 2  is an exploded, isometric view of the support in  FIG. 1 , wherein the support is upended top-to-bottom and is also flipped over front-to-back. 
           [0009]      FIG. 3  is an exploded, isometric view of the support in  FIG. 1 , wherein the support is upended top-to-bottom. 
           [0010]      FIG. 4  is an enlarged view of a circled part IV of the support in  FIG. 2 . 
           [0011]      FIG. 5  is an enlarged view of a circled part V of the support in  FIG. 2 . 
           [0012]      FIG. 6  is an enlarged view of a circled part VI of the support in  FIG. 2 . 
           [0013]      FIG. 7  is similar to  FIG. 1 , but showing the support in an unfolded state. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0014]    Reference will now be made to the drawings to describe the preferred and exemplary embodiments in detail. 
         [0015]    Referring to  FIG. 1 , a perspective view of an electronic device assembly  1  according to one embodiment is shown. The electronic device assembly  1  includes a support  10  and an electronic device  20 . The support  10  holds and supports the electronic device  20  on a supporting surface of an object, such as a desk or table. The electronic device  20  may be a mobile phone, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a multi-media player, a tablet computer, and the like. 
         [0016]    Referring also to  FIGS. 2 and 3 ,  FIG. 2  shows an exploded, isometric view of the support  10 , wherein the support  10  is upended top-to-bottom and is also flipped over front-to-back; and  FIG. 3  shows an exploded, isometric view of the support  10 , wherein the support  10  is upended top-to-bottom. The support  10  includes a shell  12 , a frame  14 , and two adjusting arms  16 . 
         [0017]    The shell  12  may have a substantially rectangular shape, and includes a rectangular rear plate  120  and four sidewalls  122  perpendicularly extending from four edges of the rear plate  120 . The sidewalls  122  include two opposite longer sidewalls  122  (“long” sidewalls  122 ) and two opposite shorter sidewalls  122  (“short” sidewalls  122 ). The rear plate  120  and the four sidewalls  122  cooperatively define an accommodating cavity  123  to receive the electronic device  20 . An outside surface of each of the long sidewalls  122  defines a holding slot  125 . There are also two guiding rods  126  receivable in the holding slots  125 . Each of the two guiding rods  126  defines a gear slot  128  and a first axial hole  129 . Referring also to  FIG. 4 , the gear slot  128  defines a plurality of gear teeth on each of upper and lower sides thereof. At least the gear teeth are made of elastically deformable material, such as plastic. In the present embodiment, the gear teeth and the guiding rod  126  are integrally made of elastically deformable material. The first axial hole  129  is defined in a top end of the guiding rod  126 . 
         [0018]    The frame  14  may be U-shaped, and includes a first arm  140 , a second arm  142 , and a connection arm  143  interconnecting the first and second arms  140 ,  142 . Two first pivot pins  145  respectively extend from free ends of the first and second arms  140 ,  142 , toward each other. The first pivot pins  145  are receivable in the first axial holes  129  respectively, and allow the frame  14  to rotate relative to the shell  12 . An internal surface of each of the first and second arms  140 ,  142  includes a long, narrow channel  146 . Referring also to  FIG. 5 , a second axial hole  147  is defined in the opposite end of each of the first and second arms  140 ,  142 , adjacent to the connection arm  143 . The second axial hole  147  communicates with the corresponding channel  146 . 
         [0019]    Perpendicularly extending in opposite directions from two opposite ends of each adjusting arm  16  respectively are a toothed gear shaft  160  and a second pivot pin  162 . Referring also to  FIG. 6 , at least the gear teeth of the gear shaft  160  are made of elastically deformable material, such as plastic. In the present embodiment, the gear teeth and the gear shaft  160  are integrally made of elastically deformable material. The gear shafts  160  can rotate relative to the adjusting arms  16 . The gear shafts  160  are receivable (i.e., meshable) in the gear slots  128  respectively, and can move along the gear slots  128  to allow the top ends of the two adjusting arms  16  to slide relative to the shell  12 . The second pivot pins  162  are receivable in the second axial holes  147  respectively, and allow the adjusting arms  16  to rotate relative to the frame  14 . 
         [0020]    In assembly of the electronic device assembly  1 , the two guiding rods  126  are received and limited (e.g., fitted) in the holding slots  125 , respectively. In other embodiments, the two guiding rods  126  can be fixed to the two opposite long sidewalls  122  by screws, or can be integrally formed with the two opposite long sidewalls  122 . The gear shafts  160  are received and meshed in the gear slots  128  respectively, to allow the two adjusting arms  16  to be movable relative to the shell  12 . The second pivot pins  162  are received in the second axial holes  147  respectively, to allow the adjusting arms  16  to rotate relative to the frame  14 . The first pivot pins  145  are received in the first axial holes  129  respectively, to allow the frame  14  to rotate relative to the shell  12 . 
         [0021]    Referring to  FIG. 1  again, this shows an initial position of the electronic device assembly  1 , wherein the support  10  is in a folded state. The gear shaft  160  of each of the two adjusting arms  16  rests at a top end of the gear slot  128  of the corresponding guiding rod  126 , adjacent to the corresponding first axial hole  129 . The two adjusting arms  16  are fittedly received in the channels  146  of the first and second arms  140 ,  142 , respectively. Thus, the two adjusting arms  16  and the first and second arms  140 ,  142  are parallel with an extending direction of the two guiding rods  126 . 
         [0022]    Referring to  FIG. 7 , this shows an operation position of the electronic device assembly  1 , wherein the support  10  is in an unfolded state. To move the support  10  from the folded state to the unfolded state, a user applies a force on the support  10 , to make the frame  14  rotate relative to the shell  12  and form an included angle between the frame  14  and the shell  12 . As a result, the gear shafts  160  are driven to rotate and move down along the gear slots  128 , respectively. In this process, both the gear shafts  160  and the adjusting arms  16  elastically deform slightly to allow the gear teeth of the gear shafts  160  to move over the gear teeth of the gear slots  128 . When the force ceases to be applied on the support  10 , the gear shafts  160  stop rotating, and the gear shafts  160  and the gear slots  128  recover to their original shapes. Therefore the gear shafts  160  are limited in their positions in the gear slots  128  respectively, and the top ends of the two adjusting arms  16  are held stationary in their positions. Thus the support  10  is securely maintained in a desired unfolded state, and the electronic device  20  can be stably supported by the support  10  on a supporting surface of an object. 
         [0023]    When a user wants to use the electronic device  20  in a hands free state, for example when he/she desires to watch television programs, the support  10  can be set in the unfolded state to support the electronic device  20  on a desk or a table. The included angle between the frame  14  and the shell  12  can be adjusted by changing the locations of the gear shafts  160  in the gear slots  128 . In particular, the user can pull (or push) the connection arm  143  away from or closer to the shell  12 , or directly apply force to the top ends of the two adjusting arms  16  to make the gear shafts  160  move to desired locations. 
         [0024]    When the user no longer needs the electronic device  20  in the hands free state, the user can conveniently fold the support  10  away. In particular, the user can pull (or push) the connection arm  143  closer to the shell  12  until the two adjusting arms  16  and the first and second arms  140 ,  142  are parallel with the extending direction of the two guiding rods  126 . Alternatively, the user can directly apply force to the top ends of the two adjusting arms  16  to make the gear shafts  160  move to the top ends of the gear slots  128 . During such process, the two adjusting arms  16  accordingly drag the first and second arms  140 ,  142  to become parallel with the extending direction of the two guiding rods  126 . 
         [0025]    Thus, due to the support  10  being compact and portable and conveniently adjusted, the support  10  is beneficial to the user of the electronic device  20 . 
         [0026]    It is believed that the present embodiments and their advantages will be understood from the foregoing description, and it will be apparent that various changes may be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the embodiments or sacrificing all of their material advantages.

Technology Classification (CPC): 5