Patent ID: 8261954

Claim:
Apparatus for mounting a portable device to a vehicle, comprising: a vehicle mounting element adapted to mount to the vehicle, said vehicle mounting element having a first clamping section, a mating second clamping section, a first bore partially formed in each of said first and second clamping sections and a cross bore extending between said first and second clamping sections which intersects said first bore; a first coupler formed with a first surface and an extension, said extension having a first end portion, a second end portion and a circumferentially extending recess located between said first and second end portions, each of said first and second end portions having a diameter which is greater than the diameter of said recess, said extension being received within said first bore and rotatable therein to any position wherein at least a portion of said recess aligns with said cross bore; a mounting element insertable within said cross bore of said vehicle mounting element and into said portion of said recess which aligns with said cross bore, said mounting element being captured within said recess of said extension between said first and second end portions thereof, said mounting element being effective to urge said first and second clamping sections toward one another to clamp said extension between them; a second coupler formed with a second surface and a third surface engageable within said first surface of said first coupler, one of said first surface of said first coupler and said third surface of said second coupler being formed with at least one first cavity and the other of said first and third surfaces being formed with a first anti-rotation pin, said first and second couplers being connected to one another so that said first anti-rotation pin seats within said at least one first cavity to resist relative rotational movement between said first and second couplers; a device mounting plate which is effective to support the portable device in position for ready access by an operator or passenger of the vehicle, one of said device mounting plate and said second surface of said second coupler being formed with at least one second cavity and the other of said device mounting plate and said second surface of said second coupler being formed with a second anti-rotation pin, said device mounting plate and said second coupler being connected to one another so that said second anti-rotation pin seats within said at least one second cavity to resist relative rotational movement between said second coupler and said device mounting plate.