Patent Description:
A wireless charging mount in accordance with the present disclosure and described in claim <NUM> includes a wireless charger, an attachment portion, and a base portion. The wireless charger is coupled to the attachment portion, and the attachment portion is coupled to the base portion to support the wireless charger on the base portion. The base portion can attach with a movable or stationary object for supporting the mount thereon. The attachment portion supports a handheld electronic device on the mount, and the wireless charger selectively provides power to the handheld electronic device.

The attachment portion includes a head and a post. The head is coupled to the post, and the post is coupled to the base portion. The head engages with a receptacle on the handheld electronic device for attachment of the handheld electronic device with the mount.

The wireless charger is movable along the attachment portion between a raised position adjacent to the head and spaced apart from the base portion and a lowered position adjacent to the base portion and spaced apart from the head. The lowered position allows connection of the head with the receptacle. The wireless charger engages with the receptacle in the raised position to block rotation of the receptacle relative to the attachment portion at the selection of a user.

The post extends through the wireless charger to engage with the head. A fastener extends into the head and through the post to engage with the base portion to hold the attachment portion on the base portion. A biasing member is positioned between the post and the wireless charger to bias the wireless charger toward the raised position. The head is blocked against rotation relative to the post. The wireless charger is blocked against rotation relative to the post.

Additional features of the present disclosure will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon consideration of illustrative embodiments exemplifying the best mode of carrying out the disclosure as presently perceived.

The detailed description particularly refers to the accompanying figures, and like reference characters designate the same or similar parts throughout the figures, of which:.

The exemplification set out herein illustrates embodiments of the disclosure that are not to be construed as limiting the scope of the disclosure in any manner. Additional features of the present disclosure will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the following detailed description of illustrative embodiments exemplifying the best mode of carrying out the disclosure as presently perceived.

A wireless charging mount <NUM> in accordance with the present disclosure is shown in <FIG>. The mount <NUM> is configured for attachment with a vehicle, such as a motorcycle, and to engage with a case <NUM> for positioning a handheld electronic device <NUM>, such as a smartphone, tablet, GPS unit, or monitor, relative to the vehicle. The mount <NUM> includes a wireless charger <NUM>, an attachment portion <NUM>, and a base portion <NUM>. A cable <NUM> provides power to the wireless charger <NUM>. The wireless charger <NUM> is coupled to the attachment portion <NUM>, and the attachment portion <NUM> is coupled to the base portion <NUM> to support the wireless charger <NUM> on the base portion <NUM>. The base portion <NUM> is configured for attachment to a vehicle, such as the handle bars of a motor cycle or bicycle. The attachment portion <NUM> can be coupled with other base portions for a variety of connections to movable and stationary objects without departing from the present disclosure. In some embodiments, no base portion is used and the attachment portion <NUM> engages with an object for supporting the case <NUM> and handheld electronic device <NUM> on the object. The wireless charger <NUM> moves relative to the attachment portion <NUM> to allow attachment of the case <NUM> to the mount <NUM>, and engages with the case <NUM> to block removal of the case <NUM> from the mount <NUM> at the selection of a user.

In the illustrative embodiment, the attachment portion <NUM> is configured to engage with the case <NUM> coupled to the handheld electronic device <NUM> for supporting the handheld electronic device <NUM> on the mount <NUM> as shown in <FIG>. The case <NUM> includes a frame <NUM> coupled to the handheld electronic device <NUM> and a receptacle <NUM> coupled to the frame <NUM>. The receptacle <NUM> includes a cavity <NUM> formed into the frame <NUM> and a plurality of arcuate projections <NUM> extending inward from a perimeter of the cavity <NUM>. Four projections <NUM> are illustratively shown, but more or less projections can be used without departing from the present disclosure. The attachment portion <NUM> of the mount <NUM> extends into the cavity <NUM> of the case <NUM> and engages with the projections <NUM> to hold the case <NUM> and attached handheld electronic device <NUM> on the mount <NUM>. A similar mounting arrangement is disclosed in <CIT>. In some embodiments, the receptacle <NUM> can be used without the frame <NUM> and attached to the handheld electronic device <NUM> with an adhesive, for example or other attachment means. In some embodiments the case <NUM> and/or receptacle <NUM> are part of a mounting system with mount <NUM>.

The wireless charger <NUM> includes a housing <NUM>, a transmission coil <NUM>, and a control circuit <NUM> as shown in <FIG> and <FIG>. In the illustrative embodiment, the housing <NUM> includes an upper shell <NUM> and a lower shell <NUM>. The transmission coil <NUM> and control circuit <NUM> are arranged inside the housing <NUM> between the upper and lower shells <NUM>, <NUM>. A plug <NUM> is coupled to the control circuit <NUM> for connection of the cable <NUM>. A switch <NUM>, such as a push button, allows a user to activate the wireless charger <NUM>. In some embodiments, an indicator <NUM>, such as an LED, and a lens <NUM> provide a signal to a user when the wireless charger <NUM> is activated, among other possible signals contemplated by the present disclosure. The cable <NUM> delivers power from a power source, such as a battery of a vehicle, to the control circuit <NUM> through the plug <NUM>.

The control circuit <NUM> selectively delivers power to the transmission coil <NUM> for wireless charging of the handheld electronic device <NUM> coupled to the mount <NUM> as suggested in <FIG>. For example, the control circuit <NUM> can be configured to produce electromagnetic radiation through the transmission coil <NUM> for inducing a responsive current to be formed in a receiver coil in the handheld electronic device <NUM>. In some embodiments, the wireless charger <NUM> includes a spacer <NUM> and a plate <NUM> as shown in <FIG> and <FIG>. The control circuit <NUM> is positioned between the plate <NUM> and the lower shell <NUM>, and the spacer <NUM> is positioned between the transmission coil <NUM> and the plate <NUM>. Gaskets <NUM>, <NUM> are configured to provide a seal between the upper and lower shells <NUM>, <NUM> around the control circuit <NUM> as shown in <FIG>. Gaskets or other sealing elements can also be provided around the plug <NUM> and switch <NUM> for sealing the housing <NUM> against water, debris, or other contaminants that the wireless charger <NUM> may be exposed to during use. In some embodiments, the lower shell <NUM> can be formed from a heat conductive material, such as metal, and formed to define a heat transfer structure <NUM>, such as a plurality of fins, to allow dissipation of heat produced by the wireless charger <NUM> during operation as shown in <FIG>.

The attachment portion <NUM> includes a head <NUM> and a post <NUM> as shown in <FIG>. In the illustrative embodiment, a fastener <NUM>, such as a bolt, extends into the head <NUM> and through the post <NUM> to engage with the base portion <NUM> and hold the attachment portion <NUM> on the base portion <NUM>. The head <NUM> includes a plurality of tabs <NUM> extending outward from a perimeter of the head <NUM> and one or more detents <NUM> extending toward the post <NUM> as shown in <FIG>. One or more lugs <NUM> extend from the housing <NUM>, such as from the upper shell <NUM>, toward the head <NUM> and are circumferentially offset from the tabs <NUM>. The post <NUM> includes a foot <NUM> and a shaft <NUM> extending from the foot <NUM> toward the head <NUM>. One or more keyways <NUM> are formed into the foot <NUM>, and one or more notches <NUM> are formed into the shaft <NUM>. The shaft <NUM> extends through an opening <NUM> of the wireless charger <NUM> to engage with the head <NUM>, and the detents <NUM> engage with the notches <NUM> to block rotation of the head <NUM> relative to the post <NUM> when assembled. In the illustrative embodiment, the transmission coil <NUM> extends around the opening <NUM> such that the shaft <NUM> extends through the transmission coil <NUM> as suggested in <FIG>. The control circuit <NUM> can also extend around the opening <NUM> such that the shaft <NUM> extends through the control circuit <NUM>. A recess <NUM> is formed into the housing <NUM>, such as into the lower shell <NUM>, and arranged to receive the foot <NUM> of the post <NUM> as shown in <FIG>. One or more keys <NUM> extend into the recess <NUM> and engage with the keyways <NUM> to block rotation of the housing <NUM> relative to the post <NUM> when assembled. A biasing member <NUM>, such as a coil spring, is arranged in the recess <NUM> between the housing <NUM> and the post <NUM>.

The fastener <NUM> engages with the head <NUM> to block the fastener <NUM> from passing through the head <NUM> as shown in <FIG>. The base portion <NUM> illustratively includes an arm <NUM> and a clamp <NUM>. The arm <NUM> is coupled to the clamp <NUM> for attachment with the handlebars of a vehicle, for example. A complementary fastener <NUM>, such as a nut, is coupled to the arm <NUM> and configured to engage with the fastener <NUM> for holding the attachment portion <NUM> on the base portion <NUM>. The fastener <NUM> extends through a bore <NUM> of the post <NUM> to engage with the fastener <NUM>. Mating sets of teeth <NUM>, <NUM> on the arm <NUM> and post <NUM>, respectively, block rotation of the attachment portion <NUM> relative to the base portion <NUM> when assembled. The teeth <NUM>, <NUM> allow adjustment of a rotational position of the attachment portion <NUM>, around fastener <NUM>, relative to the base portion <NUM>. A similar arrangement is shown in <CIT>.

The wireless charger <NUM> is movable relative to the attachment portion <NUM> (e.g., along the attachment portion <NUM> in a direction substantially parallel to the fastener <NUM>) between a raised position, shown in <FIG>, and a lowered position, shown in <FIG>. The biasing member <NUM> biases the wireless charger <NUM> toward the raised position. In the illustrative embodiment, the housing <NUM> is adjacent to the head <NUM> and spaced apart from the base portion <NUM> in the raised position. The housing <NUM> is adjacent to the base portion <NUM> and spaced apart from the head <NUM> in the lowered position. The transmission coil <NUM> is positioned at a first height H<NUM> relative to a lower end of the post <NUM> and second height H<NUM> relative to the tabs <NUM> of the head <NUM> in the raised position. In the lowered position, the first height H<NUM> is decreased and the second height H<NUM> is increased compared to the raised position. In some embodiments, the wireless charger <NUM> engages with the head <NUM> in the raised position blocking removal of the wireless charger <NUM> from the attachment portion <NUM>. In some embodiments, an underside of the wireless charger <NUM> engages with the foot <NUM> of the post <NUM> in the lowered position to limit movement of the wireless charger <NUM> away from the head <NUM>.

Claim 1:
A wireless charging mount (<NUM>) comprising:
a base portion (<NUM>);
an attachment portion (<NUM>) including a post (<NUM>) coupled to the base portion (<NUM>) and a head (<NUM>) coupled to the post (<NUM>), the head (<NUM>) configured to engage with a receptacle (<NUM>) on a handheld electronic device (<NUM>) to support the handheld electronic device (<NUM>) on the base portion (<NUM>); and
a wireless charger (<NUM>) coupled to the attachment portion (<NUM>) to support the wireless charger (<NUM>) on the base portion (<NUM>), the wireless charger (<NUM>) configured to selectively provide power to the handheld electronic device (<NUM>),
wherein the wireless charger (<NUM>) is movable along the post (<NUM>) between a raised position adjacent to the head (<NUM>) and spaced apart from the base portion (<NUM>) and a lowered position adjacent to the base portion (<NUM>) and spaced apart from the head (<NUM>),
characterised in that the post (<NUM>) extends through the wireless charger (<NUM>) to engage with the head (<NUM>),
the lowered position allows connection of the head (<NUM>) with the receptacle (<NUM>), and
wherein the wireless charger (<NUM>) is configured to engage with the receptacle (<NUM>) in the raised position to block rotation of the receptacle (<NUM>) relative to the attachment portion (<NUM>) at the selection of a user.