Electronic device holder for a vehicle seat

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016167587-A1
Application number	US-201414565749-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 10, 2014
Priority date	Dec 10, 2014
Publication date	Jun 16, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

An electronic device holder includes a mounting surface configured to receive and retain an electronic device. First and second doors are disposed on opposite sides of the mounting surface and are gearingly engaged to one another on a rear side of the mounting surface for synchronized lateral movement between open and closed positions. An actuator is disposed on either the first or second door for actuating the doors to the open position from the closed position. A detent lever is pivotally coupled to either the first or second door and is configured to detent the doors in the open position. A detent release lever is pivotally coupled to the mounting surface, and is configured to release the detent lever such that the doors automatically move from the open position to the closed position.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An electronic device holder, comprising:
a mounting surface configured to receive an electronic device; first and second doors disposed at opposite sides of the mounting surface and gearingly engaged to one another on a rear side of the mounting surface for synchronized lateral movement between open and closed positions; and an actuator disposed on one of the first and second doors for actuating the doors to the open position.

2 . The electronic device holder of claim 1 , wherein the first and second doors include mounting portions operably coupled to one another by one or more biasing mechanisms, wherein the one or more biasing mechanisms are configured to bias the first and second doors towards the closed position.

3 . The electronic device holder of claim 1 , including:
a mounting portion disposed on the first door having a rack portion; and a mounting portion disposed on the second door having a rack portion, wherein the rack portions of the first and second doors are operable coupled to a spur gear rotatably mounted on the rear side of the mounting surface.

4 . The electronic device holder of claim 1 , including:
a mounting portion disposed on the first door having a rack portion; and a mounting portion disposed on the second door having a upper and lower rack portions, wherein the rack portion of the first door and the lower rack portion of the second door are operable coupled to a spur gear rotatably mounted on the rear side of the mounting surface, and further wherein the upper rack portion of the second door is operably coupled to a damper mechanism rotatably mounted on the rear side of the mounting surface.

5 . The electronic device holder of claim 1 , including:
a detent lever pivotally coupled to one of the first and second doors between at-rest and actuated positions, wherein the detent lever is configured to detent the first and second doors in the open position when moved to the actuated position.

6 . The electronic device holder of claim 5 , wherein the detent lever is engaged with a retention feature disposed on the rear side of the mounting surface when in the actuated position to retain the first and second doors in the open position.

7 . The electronic device holder of claim 5 , including:
a detent release lever pivotally coupled to the mounting surface between a release position and an extended position, wherein the detent release lever is configured to urge the detent lever from the actuated position to the at-rest position when the detent release lever is in the release position, thereby releasing the first and second doors for movement from the open position to the closed position.

8 . The electronic device holder of claim 7 , wherein the detent release lever is configured to move from the extended position to the release position as the electronic device is received in an upright position on the mounting surface.

9 . An electronic device holder, comprising:
first and second doors slideably coupled to a mounting surface between open and closed positions; a detent lever pivotally coupled to one of the first and second doors and configured to detent the doors in the open position; and a detent release lever pivotally coupled to the mounting surface, wherein the detent release lever is configured to release the doors from the open position for movement to the closed position.

10 . The electronic device holder of claim 9 , wherein the detent lever is operable between at-rest and actuated positions and includes an abutment portion.

11 . The electronic device holder of claim 10 , wherein the abutment portion of the detent lever is configured to engage a retention feature disposed on a rear side of the mounting surface when the detent lever is in the actuated position.

12 . The electronic device holder of claim 11 , including:
a cammed surface disposed on the detent lever; and a cammed surface disposed on the detent release lever, wherein the cammed surface of the detent lever and the cammed surface of the detent release lever are configured to engage one another as the detent lever moves to the actuated position, thereby urging the detent release lever from a release position towards an extended position.

13 . The electronic device holder of claim 12 , including:
an ejector pin mounted on the mounting surface, the ejector pin having a retractable plunger, wherein the retractable plunger urges the electronic device from an upright retained position to a forward tilt position when the first and second doors are moved to the open position.

14 . The electronic device holder of claim 13 , including:
a lower frame member extending outwardly from the mounting surface and configured to support the electronic device in the forward tilt position.

15 . The electronic device holder of claim 12 , wherein the detent release lever is moved from the extended position to the release position as the electronic device is moved from the forward tilt position to the upright position.

16 . The electronic device holder of claim 15 , wherein the first and second doors are operably coupled to one another and configured for synchronized lateral movement between the open and closed positions, and further wherein the first and second doors are configured to automatically move to the closed position when the detent release lever is in the release position.

17 . A mounting system, comprising:
a seatback frame having a mounting bracket supported thereon; a cover disposed over the mounting bracket having a seatback dock, wherein the seatback dock includes one or more access apertures aligned with one or more receiving apertures disposed on the mounting bracket; a locking plate slideable supported on the mounting bracket between locked and unlocked positions, the locking plate having one or more locking apertures aligned with the one or more receiving apertures of the mounting bracket; an electronic device holder having a mounting portion configured to detachably mount to the mounting bracket, wherein the mounting portion includes one or more mounting members configured to be received in the one or more receiving apertures of the mounting bracket, and further wherein the one or more mounting members are locked into place on the mounting bracket by the locking plate as received in the one or more receiving apertures of the mounting bracket.

18 . The electronic device holder of claim 17 , including:
a release button slideably disposed on the mounting portion of the electronic device holder, wherein the release button is configured to slide the locking plate along the mounting bracket towards an unlocked position to selectively release the one or more mounting members.

19 . The electronic device holder of claim 18 , wherein the one or more mounting members are configured to load one or more biasing mechanisms as the one or more mounting members are received in the one or more receiving apertures, and further wherein the one or more biasing mechanisms are configure to bias the one or more mounting members outward from the one or more receiving apertures when the locking plate is in the unlocked position.

20 . The electronic device holder of claim 19 , wherein the one or more mounting members are configured to engage the locking apertures to slide the locking plate towards the unlocked position as the one or more mounting members are received in the one or more receiving apertures.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Dry Alan George
• Groesbeck Gunnar
• Talamonti Joe S

Classifications

• B60R2011/0015

  Back-rests · CPC title

• B60R11/02 Primary

  for radio sets, television sets, telephones, or the like; Arrangement of controls thereof · CPC title

• B60R11/0252

  for personal computers, e.g. laptops, notebooks · CPC title

• B60R2011/0075

  using a containment or docking space · CPC title

• B60R2011/0082

  collapsible, e.g. for storing after use · CPC title