Expandable sockets for use with portable media players

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10215329-B2
Application number	US-201815906920-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 27, 2018
Priority date	Aug 17, 2016
Publication date	Feb 26, 2019
Grant date	Feb 26, 2019

Abstract

An expandable socket for attachment to a portable media player or a portable media player case. The expandable socket generally includes a platform, a skin coupled to the platform, a button coupled to the skin opposite the platform, and a biasing element. The skin includes an outer wall, an inner wall spaced radially inward of the outer wall, and a cavity defined by the inner wall, wherein the skin is deformable between a collapsed configuration and an expanded configuration. The biasing element is arranged within the cavity of the skin between the platform and the button, such that the biasing element is at least partially surrounded by the inner wall of the skin. The biasing element is configured to bias the skin into the expanded configuration.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An expandable socket for attachment to a portable media player or a portable media player case, the expandable socket comprising:
a platform adapted to engage a portion of the portable media player or the portable media player case;
a skin coupled to the platform, wherein the skin comprises an outer surface, an inner surface spaced radially inward of the outer surface, and a cavity defined by the inner surface, wherein the skin is deformable between a collapsed configuration and an expanded configuration;
a button coupled to the skin opposite the platform;
a biasing element arranged within the cavity of the skin between the platform and the button, such that the biasing element is at least partially surrounded by the inner surface of the skin, the biasing element configured to bias the skin into the expanded configuration; and
a lock configured to releasably secure the skin in the collapsed configuration, wherein the lock comprises a first projection carried by the button and arranged to engage a second projection carried by the platform when the lock releasably secures the skin in the collapsed configuration.

2. The expandable socket of claim 1 , wherein the skin comprises an elastomeric material.

3. The expandable socket of claim 1 , wherein the skin comprises a tapered conical shape.

4. The expandable socket of claim 1 , wherein the skin comprises at least one folding section.

5. The expandable socket of claim 4 , wherein the skin comprises a plurality of folding sections.

6. The expandable socket of claim 4 , wherein the at least one folding section has an accordion shape.

7. The expandable socket of claim 1 , wherein the biasing element comprises a conical coil spring.

8. An expandable socket for attachment to a portable media player or a portable media player case, the expandable socket comprising:
a platform adapted to engage a portion of the portable media player or the portable media player case;
a skin coupled to the platform, wherein the skin comprises an outer surface, an inner surface spaced radially inward of the outer surface, and a cavity defined by the inner surface, wherein the skin is deformable between a collapsed configuration and an expanded configuration;
a button coupled to the skin opposite the platform;
a biasing element arranged within the cavity of the skin between the platform and the button, such that the biasing element is at least partially surrounded by the inner surface of the skin, the biasing element configured to bias the skin into the expanded configuration; and
a lock configured to releasably secure the skin in the collapsed configuration, wherein the lock comprises a recess defined by the platform or the button, and a protrusion defined by the other of the platform or the button, the recess configured to receive the protrusion when the lock releasably secures the skin in the collapsed configuration.

9. The expandable socket of claim 1 , further comprising a third projection carried by the platform and a space between the second and third projections, wherein the first projection is configured to be disposed in the space as the skin is deformed from the expanded configuration to the collapsed configuration.

10. An expandable socket for attachment to a portable media player or a portable media player case, the expandable socket comprising:
a platform adapted to engage a portion of the portable media player or the portable media player case;
a skin coupled to the platform, wherein the skin is deformable between a collapsed configuration and an expanded configuration;
a button coupled to the skin opposite the platform;
a biasing element arranged between the platform and the button, the biasing element configured to bias the skin into the expanded configuration; and
a first projection carried by the button and arranged to engage a second projection carried by the platform to releasably secure the button to the platform,
wherein the first projection extends outward from the button in a first direction and the second projection extends outward from the platform in a second direction opposite the first direction.

11. The expandable socket of claim 10 , further comprising a recess defined by the platform or the button, the recess configured to receive the first or second projection when the button is releasably secured to the platform.

12. The expandable socket of claim 10 , wherein the first projection has an outer diameter that is less than a diameter of the button.

13. The expandable socket of claim 10 , wherein the second projection has an outer diameter that is less than a diameter of the platform.

14. The expandable socket of claim 10 , wherein the first projection has an outer diameter that is less than a diameter of the button, and wherein the second projection has an outer diameter that is less than a diameter of the platform.

15. The expandable socket of claim 10 , wherein the skin surrounds the biasing element.

16. The expandable socket of claim 10 , wherein the biasing element comprises a conical coil spring.

17. An expandable socket for attachment to a portable media player or a portable media player case, the expandable socket comprising:
a platform adapted to engage a portion of the portable media player or the portable media player case;
a skin coupled to the platform, wherein the skin comprises an outer surface, an inner surface spaced radially inward of the outer surface, and a cavity defined by the inner surface, wherein the skin is deformable between a collapsed configuration and an expanded configuration;
a button coupled to the skin opposite the platform;
a biasing element arranged within the cavity of the skin between the platform and the button, such that the biasing element is at least partially surrounded by the inner surface of the skin, the biasing element configured to bias the skin into the expanded configuration; and
first and second projections carried by the platform, a third projection carried by the button, and a space between the first and second projections, wherein the third projection is configured to be disposed in the space as the skin is deformed from the expanded configuration to the collapsed configuration.

18. An expandable socket for attachment to a portable media player or a portable media player case, the expandable socket comprising:
a platform adapted to engage a portion of the portable media player or the portable media player case;
a skin coupled to the platform, wherein the skin is deformable between a collapsed configuration and an expanded configuration;
a button coupled to the skin opposite the platform;
a biasing element arranged between the platform and the button, the biasing element configured to bias the skin into the expanded configuration;
a first projection carried by the button and arranged to engage a second projection carried by the platform to releasably secure the button to the platform; and
a recess defined by the platform or the button, the recess configured to receive the first or second projection when the button is releasably secured to the platform.

19. The expandable socket of claim 1 , wherein the button has a flat outer surface and a flat inner surface opposite the flat outer surface, and wherein the first projection extends from the flat inner surface toward the platform.

20. The expandable socket of claim 1 , wherein the button has a generally uniform thickness.

21. The expandable socket of claim 1 , wherein the skin is deformable

Assignees

• Popsockets Llc

Inventors

• Hobbs Molly M
• Barnett David B

Classifications

• F16M11/04

  Means for attachment of apparatus; Means allowing adjustment of the apparatus relatively to the stand · CPC title

• F16M13/04 Primary

  for supporting on, or holding steady relative to, a person, e.g. by chains {, e.g. rifle butt or pistol grip supports, supports attached to the chest or head (apparatus or arrangements for taking photographs or for projecting or viewing them G03B)} · CPC title

• F16M13/02

  for supporting on, or attaching to, an object, e.g. tree, gate, window-frame, cycle · CPC title

• H04M1/12

  Adjustable supports, e.g. extensible · CPC title

• F16M2200/08

  Foot or support base · CPC title