Grip for a foldable electronic device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12453405-B2
Application number	US-202017377697-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 17, 2020
Priority date	Jan 18, 2019
Publication date	Oct 28, 2025
Grant date	Oct 28, 2025

Abstract

An expandable device for attachment to a foldable electronic device having first and second surfaces includes a button and a pivotable frame member. The button has a top side, a bottom side, and a coupling portion and is movable between an expanded configuration and a collapsed configuration. The pivotable frame member is operably coupled to the button and includes a device coupling portion that engages a portion of the foldable electronic device. The pivotable frame member is pivotable between a first configuration whereby the button is positioned along at least one of the first surface or the second surface of the foldable electronic device and a second configuration whereby the button is positioned away from the foldable electronic device.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An accessory for attachment to a mobile electronic device, the accessory configured to provide grip and kickstand functionality, the accessory comprising:
a base member having a device-facing surface configured to detachably attach to a rear surface of the mobile electronic device or to a rear surface of a case of the mobile electronic device;
a pivotable member coupled to the base member at a hinge portion, wherein the pivotable member extends from the hinge portion and is pivotable between at least a closed configuration and an open configuration, wherein the pivotable member comprises a base-facing surface and an opposite accessory-facing surface; and
a grip detachably coupled to the accessory-facing surface of the pivotable member, wherein the grip is movable between an expanded configuration and a collapsed configuration,
wherein at least a portion of the grip expands away from the accessory-facing surface of the pivotable member when moving from the collapsed configuration to the expanded configuration, and contracts towards the accessory-facing surface of the pivotable member when moving from the expanded configuration to the collapsed configuration.

2. The accessory of claim 1 , wherein the pivotable member is configurable as a kickstand for the mobile electronic device when in the open configuration.

3. The accessory of claim 1 , wherein the base-facing surface of the pivotable member faces the base member when the pivotable member is in the closed configuration.

4. The accessory of claim 3 , wherein the base-facing surface of the pivotable member further contacts the base member when the pivotable member is in the closed configuration.

5. The accessory of claim 1 , wherein the grip in the expanded configuration is configured to be grasped by a user to securely hold the mobile electronic device when the pivotable member is in the closed configuration.

6. The accessory of claim 1 , wherein the grip comprises a top side, a bottom side, and a coupling portion, and wherein the top side of the grip expands away from the accessory-facing surface of the pivotable member when moving from the collapsed configuration to the expanded configuration, and contracts towards the accessory-facing surface of the pivotable member when moving from the expanded configuration to the collapsed configuration.

7. The accessory of claim 1 , further comprising a securing mechanism configured to retain the pivotable member in the closed configuration.

8. An accessory for attachment to a mobile electronic device, the accessory configured to provide grip and kickstand functionality, the accessory comprising:
a base member having a device-facing surface configured to detachably attach to a rear surface of the mobile electronic device or to a rear surface of a case of the mobile electronic device;
a pivotable member coupled to the base member at a hinge portion, wherein the pivotable member extends from the hinge portion and is pivotable between at least a closed configuration and an open configuration, wherein the pivotable member comprises a base-facing surface and an opposite accessory-facing surface; and
a grip detachably coupled to the accessory-facing surface of the pivotable member, wherein the grip is movable between an expanded configuration and a collapsed configuration,
wherein the grip comprises an expandable mechanism which is configured to resiliently retain the grip in the closed configuration and expanded configuration, respectively.

9. The accessory of claim 8 , wherein the pivotable member is configurable as a kickstand for the mobile electronic device when in the open configuration.

10. The accessory of claim 8 , wherein the base-facing surface of the pivotable member faces the base member when the pivotable member is in the closed configuration.

11. The accessory of claim 10 , wherein the base-facing surface of the pivotable member further contacts the base member when the pivotable member is in the closed configuration.

12. The accessory of claim 8 , wherein the grip in the expanded configuration is configured to be grasped by a user to securely hold the mobile electronic device when the pivotable member is in the closed configuration.

13. The accessory of claim 8 , wherein at least a portion of the grip expands away from the accessory-facing surface of the pivotable member when moving from the collapsed configuration to the expanded configuration, and contracts towards the accessory-facing surface of the pivotable member when moving from the expanded configuration to the collapsed configuration.

14. The accessory of claim 8 , wherein the grip comprises a top side, a bottom side, and a coupling portion, and wherein the top side of the grip expands away from the accessory-facing surface of the pivotable member when moving from the collapsed configuration to the expanded configuration, and contracts towards the accessory-facing surface of the pivotable member when moving from the expanded configuration to the collapsed configuration.

15. The accessory of claim 8 , further comprising a securing mechanism configured to retain the pivotable member in the closed configuration.

16. A combination grip and kickstand accessory for attachment to a mobile electronic device, the accessory comprising:
a base member having a device-facing surface configured to detachably attach to a rear surface of the mobile electronic device or to a rear surface of a case of the mobile electronic device;
a kickstand member coupled to the base member at a hinge portion, wherein the kickstand member extends from the hinge portion and is pivotable between at least a closed configuration and an open configuration, and wherein the kickstand member, in the open configuration, is configured to prop up and/or retain the mobile electronic device in a non-horizontal position; and
a grip detachably coupled to an accessory-facing surface of the kickstand member, wherein the grip is movable between an expanded configuration and a collapsed configuration.

17. The combination grip and kickstand accessory of claim 16 , wherein the kickstand member further comprises a base-facing surface opposite the accessory-facing surface, and wherein the base-facing surface of the kickstand member contacts the base member when the kickstand member is in the closed configuration.

18. The combination grip and kickstand accessory of claim 16 , wherein the grip in the expanded configuration is configured to be grasped by a user to securely hold the mobile electronic device when the kickstand member is in the closed configuration.

19. The combination grip and kickstand accessory of claim 16 , wherein at least a portion of the grip expands away from the accessory-facing surface of the kickstand member when moving from the collapsed configuration to the expanded configuration, and contracts towards the accessory-facing surface of the kickstand member when moving from the expanded configuration to the collapsed configuration.

20. The combination grip and kickstand accessory of claim 16 , wherein the grip comprises a top side, a bottom side, and a coupling portion, and wherein the top side of the grip expands away from the accessory-facing surface of the kickstand member when moving from the collapsed configuration to the expanded configuration, and contracts towards the accessory-facing surface of the pivotable member when moving from the expanded configuration to the collapsed configuration.

21. The combination grip and kickstand accessory of cl

Assignees

• Popsockets Llc

Inventors

• Abed Tark
• Dzigurski Alexander N

Classifications

• A45F5/1525

  Holders or carriers for portable computing devices, e.g. laptops, tablets or calculators · CPC title

• A45F5/1516

  Holders or carriers for portable handheld communication devices, e.g. pagers or smart phones · CPC title

• H04M1/04

  Supports for telephone transmitters or receivers · CPC title

• 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

• H04M1/21

  Combinations with auxiliary equipment, e.g. with clocks or memoranda pads · CPC title