Abstract:
A tablet support is provided. In some embodiments the tablet support includes: legs; hook supports located at an end of each leg; a support strap configured to form a loop over a support member; and a fastener attaching the support strap to the legs. A method of assembling a tablet support may be provided. The method may include: providing a support loop; equipping a support strap with the support loop; attaching support legs to the support strap; terminating the support legs with hooks; and attaching a fastening structure on the support strap.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention relates generally to the method and apparatus for holding a tablet device. More particularly, the present invention relates to a support for holding a tablet device inside a vehicle. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    Tablet devices, such as Tablet-Style PCs, iPads or other similar devices are being use for an increased variety of tasks. For example, one task that tablets can be used for is in performing diagnostics on a vehicle such as an automobile. While performing such a task, it may be desirable to attach the tablet device inside the vehicle in such a way that a technician can view the screen, input data and otherwise access the tablet device. It may be desirable to attach the tablet device to a fixed support inside the vehicle. 
         [0003]    Currently, there are no known support devices or apparatuses that allow a technician to attach a tablet device to the interior of the vehicle while the tablet device is used for diagnostic functions of the vehicle. In some instances, it may be desirable to attach the tablet to a fixed support such as a steering wheel or other portions of the vehicle. 
         [0004]    Accordingly, it is desirable to provide a method and apparatus that allows a technician to attach a tablet device to an interior support in a vehicle. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    The foregoing needs are met, to a great extent, by the present invention, wherein in one aspect an apparatus is provided that in some embodiments a method and apparatus is provided that allows a technician to fix a tablet device to a support within the vehicle such as, for example, a steering wheel. 
         [0006]    In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, a tablet support is provided. In some embodiments the tablet support includes: legs; hook supports located at an end of each leg; a support strap configured to form a loop over a support member; and a fastener attaching the support strap to the legs. 
         [0007]    In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, a method of assembling a tablet support may be provided. The method may include: providing a support loop; equipping a support strap with the support loop; attaching support legs to the support strap; terminating the support legs with hooks; and attaching a fastening structure on the support strap. 
         [0008]    In accordance with yet another embodiment of the present invention, a tablet support may be provided. The tablet support may include: legs; means for support located at an end of each leg; means for flexible supporting configured to form a loop over a support; and means for fastening attaching the means for flexible supporting to the legs. 
         [0009]    There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, certain embodiments of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof herein may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are, of course, additional embodiments of the invention that will be described below and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto. 
         [0010]    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 embodiments in addition to those described and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein, as well as the abstract, are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. 
         [0011]    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 DRAWINGS 
         [0012]      FIG. 1  is a front view of a tablet-style PC hanger. 
           [0013]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the tablet-style PC hanger. 
           [0014]      FIG. 3  is a front view of a tablet-style PC hanger attached to a steering wheel within a vehicle. 
           [0015]      FIG. 4  is a front view of a PC tablet-style hanger attached to a steering wheel and supporting a PC style tablet device. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0016]    An embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to the drawing figures, in which like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout. An embodiment in accordance with the present invention provides a hanger for a tablet-style PC. 
         [0017]    As shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , a hanger  10  in accordance with some embodiments of the invention is illustrated. The hanger  10  includes legs  12  and  14 . The legs  12  and  14  include a supporting portion  16 . The supporting portion  16  is dimensioned to provide support for a tablet-style PC computer, such as an iPad or other tablet devices. 
         [0018]    The supporting portion  16  includes a bottom portion  18  and an up turned portion  20 . The bottom portion  18  provides support for the tablet-style device whereas the up turned portion  20  helps to keep the tablet-style device in place on the bottom portion  18 . 
         [0019]    The legs are joined at a joint  22 , which allows the legs  12  and  14  in some embodiments to pivot. The joint  22  may include a fastener  24  and a washer  26 . 
         [0020]    The fastener  24  attaches the legs  12  and  14  to a strap  28 . In some embodiments of the invention, the strap  28  may be a flexible. The strap  28  may be a woven nylon strap  28 . The strap  28  may be made of a variety of materials in accordance with some embodiments of the invention. 
         [0021]    The fastener  24  may include a nut and bolt system used in conjunction with a washer  26  to attach the legs  12  and  14  to the strap  28 . In other embodiments of the invention, the fastener  24  may include a rivet or any other suitable fastener. 
         [0022]    In accordance with some embodiments of the invention, the joint  28  allows the legs  12  and  14  to pivot to move from side to side so that the legs  12  and  14  are a desired space apart in order to provide stable support for a tablet-style device. 
         [0023]    The strap  28  may form a loop  30 . The loop  30  is designed to loop over a support member  32 . The support member  32  may be any structure that may be able to be wrapped around by the strap  28  and has sufficient strength to support the hanger  10  and tablet device supported by the hanger  10 . 
         [0024]    In some embodiments of the invention, the legs  12  and  14  may have a resilient coating  34 . The resilient coating  34  may be rubber or any other sort of resilient coating to protect a finish on a tablet device from being marred by contact with the legs  12  and  14 . 
         [0025]    In some embodiments of the invention, the legs  12  and  14  themselves may be made of aluminum, plastic, nylon or any other suitable substance. In some embodiments of the invention, it may preferable that the legs  12  and  14  may be made of a rigid material as opposed to a flexible materials, such as that used to make the a strap  28 . 
         [0026]    As seen in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the hanger  10  may hang by the support member  32 . The support member  32  is not part of the hanger  10 , but in merely an environmental structure by which the hanger  10  may hang. The user may take the strap  28  and form a loop  30  and loop the strap  28  around itself. This may be done, for example, by use of a hook and loop attaching device  36  such as Velcro. 
         [0027]    In accordance with some embodiments of the invention, one of the hook or loop portions of the attaching device  36  may be located on one side of the loop  30  and the other of the hook and loop attaching device  36  may be located on the other side of the loop  30 . The loop  30  is formed from two ends of the strap  28  as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . The hook and loop attaching device  36  on each end attach to each other. The loop  30  may also be adjusted according to the needs of an individual situation. 
         [0028]    In some embodiments of the invention, the front portion of the strap  38  attaches to the back portion of the strap  30  as described above to form the loop  30  while the hook and loop attaching device  36  has been described. Other fastening type systems may also be used, such as snaps or any other suitable fastening type system. 
         [0029]    In some embodiments in accordance with the invention, the front portion  38  of the strap  28  may include an advertising portion  41 . The advertising portion  41  may be located on the front portion of the strap  38  and may include advertising that may be stitched into the front portion of the strap  38  may be stamped, painted or any other method of marking indicia upon the advertising potion  41  of the strap  28 . 
         [0030]      FIG. 3  illustrates the hanger  10  attached to support member  32 . In this instance, the support member  32  is a steering wheel of a vehicle. The loop  30  of the strap  28  has been looped around the steering wheel support member  32 . The front portion  38  of the strap  28  is shown along with the advertising portion  41 , and the hook and loop attaching device  36 . The legs  12  and  14  are shown in a spread apart position and the supporting portions  16  are also illustrated. The cross members of the steering wheel  42  are located to be behind the legs  12  and  14  to add additional stability support to the hanger  10  to assist the hanger  10  to not swing back and forth. 
         [0031]      FIG. 4  illustrates the hanger  10  supporting a tablet device  44 . As shown in  FIG. 4 , the supporting portions  16  support the tablet device  44 . The tablet device  44  is also partially supported or at least positioned by the cross members of the steering wheel  42  (best shown in  FIG. 3 ). The loop  30  is looped around the support member  32  which is, in this instance, a steering wheel. The tablet device  44  is now supported and positioned so that a user may use the tablet device to perform diagnostic functions of the vehicle or any other function of the vehicle. The tablet device  44  is secured by the hanger  10  in a convenient manner for a technician and allows the technician to use the tablet device  44  for a variety of features while performing maintenance or diagnostics on the vehicle. 
         [0032]    The many features and advantages of the invention are apparent from the detailed specification, and thus, it is intended by the appended claims to cover all such features and advantages of the invention which fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and variations will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation illustrated and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.