Mount for interchangeably receiving various expandable accessories attached to a portable electronic device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11303743-B2
Application number	US-202016814265-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 10, 2020
Priority date	Mar 10, 2020
Publication date	Apr 12, 2022
Grant date	Apr 12, 2022

Abstract

A mount configured to removably and interchangeably receive a plurality of different expandable accessories attached to a portable electronic device. The mount includes an attachment mechanism, a receiving member, and a connecting member having a first end coupled to the attachment mechanism and a second end coupled to the receiving member. The receiving member includes a plurality of legs that are adapted to removably receive a first expandable accessory of the plurality of different expandable accessories and to interchangeably and removably receive a second expandable accessory of the plurality of different expandable accessories, where the second expandable accessory is different from the first expandable accessory.

First claim

We claim:

1. A mount configured to removably receive a plurality of different expandable accessories attached to a portable electronic device, the mount comprising:
an attachment mechanism;
a receiving member; and
a connecting member having a first end coupled to the attachment mechanism and a second end coupled to the receiving member,
wherein the receiving member further comprises a body, a first leg of a plurality of legs and a second leg of the plurality of legs, wherein each of the body, first leg and second leg has an inner surface,
wherein the first leg and second leg are adapted to removably receive therebetween a first expandable accessory of the plurality of different expandable accessories, and wherein the first leg and second leg are further adapted to interchangeably and removably receive therebetween a second expandable accessory of the plurality of different expandable accessories, wherein the second expandable accessory having or being in a different configuration from the first expandable accessory, and
wherein the inner surfaces of the body, the first leg and the second leg together form a substantially U-shaped profile such that the first leg extends outwardly from a first end of the body along a first axis, and the second leg extends outwardly from a second end of the body along a second axis offset from and substantially parallel to the first axis.

2. The mount of claim 1 , further comprising a sloped surface disposed on an inner surface of the receiving member.

3. The mount of claim 2 , wherein the sloped surface is disposed between the plurality of legs.

4. The mount of claim 2 , wherein the sloped surface includes at least one concave portion and at least one convex portion.

5. The mount of claim 1 , further comprising a protrusion extending from an inner surface of the receiving member.

6. The mount of claim 5 , wherein the protrusion further includes a concave surface extending between the first and second ends of the protrusion.

7. A mounting system for a plurality of different expandable accessories attached to a portable electronic device, the system comprising:
a first expandable accessory;
a second expandable accessory having or being in a different configuration from the first expandable accessory; and
a mount comprising:
an attachment mechanism;
a receiving member; and
a connecting member having a first end coupled to the attachment mechanism and a second end coupled to the receiving member,
wherein the receiving member further comprises a body, a first leg of a plurality of legs and a second leg of the plurality of legs, wherein each of the body, first leg and second leg has an inner surface,
wherein the first leg and second leg are adapted to removably receive therebetween the first expandable accessory, and wherein the first leg and second leg are further adapted to interchangeably and removably receive therebetween the second expandable accessory, and
wherein the inner surfaces of the body, the first leg and the second leg together form a substantially U-shaped profile such that the first leg extends outwardly from a first end of the body along a first axis, and the second leg extends outwardly from a second end of the body along a second axis offset from and substantially parallel to the first axis.

8. The mounting system of claim 7 , wherein the second expandable accessory has one or more of a different shape, a different size, and different functionality than the first expandable accessory.

9. The mounting system of claim 7 , further comprising a sloped surface disposed on the body between the first leg and the second leg of the plurality of legs.

10. A mounting system for a plurality of different expandable accessories attached to a portable electronic device, the system comprising:
a first expandable accessory adapted to be attached to the portable electronic device and having:
a first platform securable to the portable electronic device;
a first expandable member operably coupled to the first platform; and
a first button operably coupled to the first expandable member opposite the first platform,
wherein the first expandable member is positionable between a first, collapsed configuration and a second, expanded configuration;
a second expandable accessory adapted to be attached to the portable electronic device, the second expandable accessory having or being in a different configuration from the first expandable accessory and having:
a second platform securable to the portable electronic device;
a second expandable member operably coupled to the second platform; and
a second button operably coupled to the second expandable member opposite the second platform,
wherein, the second expandable member is positionable between a first, collapsed configuration and a second, expanded configuration; and
a mount comprising:
an attachment mechanism;
a receiving member; and
a connecting member having a first end coupled to the attachment mechanism and a second end coupled to the receiving member,
wherein the receiving member further comprises a body, a first leg of a plurality of legs and a second leg of the plurality of legs, wherein each of the body, first leg and second leg as an inner surface,
wherein the first leg and second leg are adapted to removably receive therebetween the first expandable accessory, and wherein the first leg and second leg are further adapted to interchangeably and removably receive therebetween the second expandable accessory, and
wherein the inner surfaces of the body, the first leg and the second leg together form a substantially U-shaped profile such that the first leg extends outwardly from a first end of the body along a first axis, and the second leg extends outwardly from a second end of the body along a second axis offset from and substantially parallel to the first axis.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the receiving member includes a sloped surface disposed on an inner surface of the body.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the sloped surface extends between the first leg and the second leg of the plurality of legs.

13. The system of claim 10 , wherein the receiving member further comprises a protrusion extending from the body.

14. The system of claim 13 , wherein the protrusion further includes at least one concave portion and at least one convex portion.

Assignees

• Popsockets Llc

Inventors

• Chen Ivan
• Ridzon James
• Von Bargen Nicholas
• Fong Lawrence Herman
• Kory Michael
• Chiang Randy Yang

Classifications

• G06F1/1607 Primary

  Arrangements to support accessories mechanically attached to the display housing (G06F1/1603, G06F1/1605 take precedence) · CPC title

• H04M1/04 Primary

  Supports for telephone transmitters or receivers · CPC title

• F16M13/022

  repositionable · CPC title

• F16M11/38

  by folding {, e.g. pivoting or scissors tong mechanisms} · CPC title

• F16M11/041

  Allowing quick release of the apparatus · CPC title