Stand for mobile device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10623543-B2
Application number	US-201816038795-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 18, 2018
Priority date	Jul 18, 2018
Publication date	Apr 14, 2020
Grant date	Apr 14, 2020

Abstract

A stand for a mobile device, including a platform and a flexible stand portion. The platform has a front side facing toward the mobile device, and a rear side opposite to the front side and facing away from the mobile device. The flexible stand portion has a sliding end portion that slides back and forth in a sliding direction, and a non-sliding end portion that rotates around a hinge portion. The flexible stand portion switches between a flat state where the non-sliding end portion is arranged against the rear side of the platform and the sliding end portion is arranged at a first locking position, and an curved state where the non-sliding end portion is rotated away from the rear side of the platform and the sliding end portion is arranged at a second locking position so that the flexible stand portion bows outward to form a curve or arch.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A stand for a mobile device, comprising:
a platform having:
a front side that faces toward the mobile device when connected to the stand;
a rear side opposite to the front side and facing away from the mobile device when connected to the stand;
a first piece; and
a second piece attachable to and separable from the first piece;

a flexible stand portion having:
a sliding end portion configured to slide back and forth in a sliding direction; and
a non-sliding end portion that rotates around a hinge portion,

wherein the flexible stand portion is switchable between:
a flat state, wherein the non-sliding end portion is arranged against the rear side of the platform and the sliding end portion is arranged at a first locking position, and
a curved state, wherein the non-sliding end portion is rotated away from the rear side of the platform and the sliding end portion is arranged at a second locking position different from the first locking position so that the flexible stand portion bows outward to form the shape of a curve or arch,

wherein the first piece has a second-piece engaging portion and a second-piece receiving portion, and
wherein the second piece has:
a first-piece receiving portion in which the second-piece engaging portion of the first piece is received and permanently arranged; and
a first-piece engaging portion that is received by and permanently arranged in the second-piece receiving portion of the first piece.

2. The stand for a mobile device according to claim 1 ,
wherein the platform has a recess located on the rear side of the platform, and
wherein the sliding end portion is configured to slide back and forth in the recess in the sliding direction.

3. The stand for a mobile device according to claim 1 , wherein a flat-state retaining portion is formed by one of the first and second pieces, further comprising: an engaging portion arranged at the sliding end portion of the flexible stand portion, wherein the flat-state retaining portion engages with the engaging portion to maintain the sliding end portion at the first locking position when the flexible stand portion is in the flat state.

4. The stand for a mobile device according to claim 3 , further comprising: a curved-state retaining portion configured for engagement with the engaging portion, wherein, in the curved state, the sliding end portion is held securely at the second locking position when the curved-state retaining portion engages with the engaging portion to maintain the sliding end portion at the second locking position.

5. A stand for a mobile device, comprising:
a platform having:
a front side that faces toward the mobile device when connected to the stand;
a rear side opposite to the front side and facing away from the mobile device when connected to the stand; and
a recess located on the rear side of the platform;

a flexible stand portion having:
a sliding end portion configured to slide back and forth in the recess in a sliding direction; and
a non-sliding end portion that rotates around a hinge portion,

wherein the flexible stand portion is switchable between:
a flat state, wherein the non-sliding end portion is arranged against the rear side of the platform and the sliding end portion is arranged at a first locking position; and
a curved state, wherein the non-sliding end portion is rotated away from the rear side of the platform and the sliding end portion is arranged at a second locking position different from the first locking position so that the flexible stand portion bows outward to form the shape of a curve or arch,
wherein a portion of the sliding end portion is arranged underneath a first rear portion of the platform defining a portion of the rear side.

6. The stand for a mobile device according to claim 5 , further comprising: an engaging portion arranged at the sliding end portion of the flexible stand portion; and a curved-state retaining portion configured for engagement with the engaging portion, wherein, in the curved state, the sliding end portion is held securely at the second locking position when the curved-state retaining portion engages with the engaging portion to maintain the sliding end portion at the second locking position.

7. The stand for a mobile device according to claim 6 , further comprising:
a flat-state retaining portion configured for engagement with the engaging portion,
wherein, in the flat state, the flexible stand portion is held securely against the rear side of the platform when the flat-state retaining portion engages with the engaging portion to maintain the sliding end portion at the first locking position.

8. The stand for a mobile device according to claim 6 , wherein the flexible stand portion comprises a single piece of a material that forms the sliding end portion and the non-sliding end portion;
wherein a location of the hinge portion with respect to the platform does not change when the stand portion switches between the flat state and the curved state, and
wherein the engaging portion is formed from a piece that is different from the single piece of the flexible stand portion.

9. The stand for a mobile device according to claim 8 , wherein the flexible stand portion further comprises:
a slider that forms the engaging portion, the slider being connected to the sliding end portion and having a width dimension, in a width direction perpendicular to the sliding direction and to a front-to-back direction of the platform, that is larger than a width dimension, in the width direction, of the single piece of the flexible stand portion.

10. The stand for a mobile device according to claim 9 , wherein the width dimension of the slider is larger than a maximum width dimension of the single piece of the flexible stand portion.

11. The stand for a mobile device according to claim 8 , wherein an entirety of the stand is formed from the single piece of the material.

12. The stand for a mobile device according to claim 1 , wherein the platform comprises:
a first piece; and
a second piece attachable to and separable from the first piece.

13. The stand for a mobile device according to claim 12 ,
wherein the first piece has:
a second-piece engaging portion; and
a second-piece receiving portion, and

wherein the second piece has:
a first-piece receiving portion; in which the second-piece engaging portion of the first piece is received and permanently arranged; and
a first-piece engaging portion that is received by and permanently arranged in the second-piece receiving portion of the first piece.

14. The stand for a mobile device according to claim 12 , wherein the curved retaining portion is formed by one of the first and second pieces, the curved-state retaining portion engaging with the engaging portion to maintain the sliding end portion at the second locking position when the flexible stand portion is in the curved state.

15. The stand for a mobile device according to claim 12 , wherein a flat-state retaining portion is formed by one of the first and second pieces, the flat-state retaining portion engaging with the engaging portion to maintain the sliding end portion at the first locking position when the flexible stand portion is in the flat state.

16. The stand for a mobile device according to claim 5 , wherein a flexible stand portion comprises a single piece of a material that forms the sliding end portion and the non-sliding end portion;
wherein a location of the hinge portion with respect to the platform does not change when the stand portion switches between the flat state and

Assignees

• Samsonite Ip Holdings Sarl

Inventors

• Hummel Mark Gregory
• Hynecek Bryan Lee
• Ledesma Christopher William

Classifications

• F16M13/04

  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

• F16M11/40 Primary

  by means of coilable or bendable legs {or spiral shaped legs} · CPC title

• H04M1/0279

  Improving the user comfort or ergonomics · CPC title

• H04B1/3877

  Arrangements for enabling portable transceivers to be used in a fixed position, e.g. cradles or boosters · CPC title

• H04M1/04 Primary

  Supports for telephone transmitters or receivers · CPC title