Adjustable support assemblies for portable electronic devices

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016176356-A1
Application number	US-201414906190-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jul 21, 2014
Priority date	Jul 19, 2013
Publication date	Jun 23, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

Described are adjustable support assemblies that include a base ( 16 ), a support platform ( 14 ) elastically coupled to the base, and a slide bar ( 12 ) elastically coupled to a pair of tracks on the base, wherein the adjustable support assembly is positioned within a recess ( 62 ) of a passenger seat back ( 64 ) and at least partially surrounded by a shroud ( 72 ) so that only portions of the support platform and the slide bar extend through the shroud, wherein the adjustable support assembly is configured to securely hold portable electronic devices having a range of heights, widths, and thicknesses.

First claim

That which is claimed is:

1 . An adjustable support assembly comprising:
a base; a support platform comprising a ledge and a lip, wherein the ledge is elastically coupled to the base; and a slide bar a handle and a pair of arms, wherein the pair of arms are elastically coupled to a pair of tracks on the base; wherein the adjustable support assembly is positioned within a recess of a passenger seat back and at least partially surrounded by a shroud so that only portions of the support platform and the slide bar extend through the shroud.

2 . The adjustable support assembly of claim 1 , wherein the adjustable support assembly is configured to securely hold portable electronic devices having a range of heights, widths, and thicknesses.

3 . The adjustable support assembly of claim 2 , wherein the lip is configured not to overlap a screen of the portable electronic device held by the adjustable support assembly.

4 . The adjustable support assembly of claim 1 , wherein the lip is transparent.

5 . The adjustable support assembly of claim 1 , wherein the pair of arms are elastically coupled to the pair of tracks via spring-loaded fasteners that exert a force on the slide bar to pull the handle toward the shroud.

6 . The adjustable support assembly of claim 1 , wherein the ledge is elastically coupled to the base via spring-loaded fasteners that exert a force on the support platform to pull the lip toward the shroud.

7 . The adjustable support assembly of claim 1 , further comprising an electronic connection port positioned within the recess.

8 . The adjustable support assembly of claim 1 , further comprising an accessory holder positioned within the recess.

9 . An adjustable support assembly comprising:
a base; a support platform elastically coupled to the base; and a slide bar elastically coupled to a pair of tracks on the base; wherein the adjustable support assembly is positioned within a recess of a passenger seat back and at least partially surrounded by a shroud so that only portions of the support platform and the slide bar extend through the shroud; wherein the adjustable support assembly is configured to securely hold portable electronic devices having a range of heights, widths, and thicknesses.

10 . The adjustable support assembly of claim 9 , wherein the support platform comprises a lip that is configured not to overlap a screen of the portable electronic device held by the adjustable support assembly.

11 . The adjustable support assembly of claim 9 , wherein the support platform comprises a lip having a cutout design in the center that is configured to minimize the amount of overlap between the lip and a screen of the portable electronic device held by the adjustable support assembly.

12 . The adjustable support assembly of claim 9 , wherein the support platform comprises a lip that is transparent.

13 . The adjustable support assembly of claim 9 , wherein the slide bar is elastically coupled to the base via spring-loaded fasteners that exert a force on the slide bar to pull the slide bar toward the shroud.

14 . The adjustable support assembly of claim 9 , wherein the support platform is elastically coupled to the base via spring-loaded fasteners that exert a force on the support platform to pull the support platform toward the shroud.

15 . The adjustable support assembly of claim 9 , further comprising an electronic connection port positioned within the recess.

16 . The adjustable support assembly of claim 9 , further comprising an accessory holder positioned within the recess.

17 . Retrofitting a passenger seat with an adjustable support assembly comprising a support platform and a slide bar, the method comprising
removing a shroud from a passenger seat back to expose a recess within the passenger seat back; inserting the adjustable support assembly into the recess; coupling the adjustable support assembly to the recess; and installing a replacement shroud over the recess, wherein the replacement shroud at least partially surrounds the adjustable support assembly so that only portions of the support platform and the slide bar extend through the replacement shroud.

18 . The adjustable support assembly of claim 17 , wherein the adjustable support assembly is configured to securely hold portable electronic devices having a range of heights, widths, and thicknesses.

19 . The adjustable support assembly of claim 17 , further comprising installing an electronic connection port within the recess prior to installing the replacement shroud.

20 . The adjustable support assembly of claim 17 , further comprising installing an accessory holder within the recess prior to installing the replacement shroud.

Assignees

• Zodiac Seats Us Llc

Inventors

• Krikorian Aram
• Flores Aguirre Raul Daniel
• Molinar Gutierrez Maria Fernanda
• Hernandez Juan
• Ruiz Lara Oscar
• Allen John
• Vela Hinojos Merardo

Classifications

• B60N2002/905

  the head-rest or seat used as an anchorage point, for an object not covered by groups in B60N, e.g. for a canvas · CPC title

• B60R2011/0075

  using a containment or docking space · CPC title

• B60R2011/0071

  using latches, clips, clamps, straps or the like · CPC title

• B60N3/004

  of foldable trays mounted on the back-rest · CPC title

• B60R11/02 Primary

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