BISTABLE SPRING STAND AND HOUSING FOR A HANDHELD DEVICE
An accessory for supporting a handheld electronic device includes a bistable spring to position and support the handheld device. The accessory includes a housing coupled to the handheld device and a bistable spring moveable between a first position and a second position. In the first position the bistable spring is substantially flat and in the second position the bistable spring defines a longitudinal curve away from the housing. The curvature of the bistable spring in the second position can support the handheld device on a surface e.g. table and in a slot such as CD player or air vent in a vehicle. The longitudinal curve of the bistable spring easily deflects to a reduced curvature to be received in and retained with a slot and consistently actuates to same radius in the second position providing proper viewing angle of screen for handheld device.
This application claims priority from U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/169,235 filed on Jun. 1, 2015, titled Bistable Spring Stand And Housing For A Handheld Device, which is incorporated by reference in its entirety.
FIELD OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention relates to handheld devices, for example smart phones, cell phones, electronic music players, data storage devices, and tablets, and more particularly to accessories for handheld devices.
BACKGROUNDMany handheld devices are held in an upright position in a vehicle with bulky and expensive mounting devices that remain fixed in place when the handheld device is removed. Some prior art handheld devices include a case for the handheld device with an integral extendable stand or ‘kick stand’ on the side opposite the screen. This extendable stand is used to position the handheld device upright on a table or to hold between fingers. However, in a vehicle this extendable stand does not securely hold the handheld device in an upright position, with the screen at the proper viewing angle for the driver to use the handheld device for tasks such as navigation or receiving a call. This extendable stand is more straight than curved, which does not retain the handheld device securely within a slot, e.g. vent or CD player slot in a vehicle, especially when driving a vehicle down a bumpy or windy road. For some users there is a need to releasably mount a handheld device in a vehicle without requiring a bulky and expensive mounting device.
The vehicle mounting device industry for handheld devices can reduce safety concerns related to not retaining these devices while a vehicle is in operation. If these devices are not retained a driver may become distracted from driving if, for example, the device falls or moves causing the driver to focus on finding or adjusting the device, than safely driving the vehicle. If the handheld device was securely retained while the driver operates a vehicle, the driver's focus could be more on driving, thus providing a safer driving environment.
SUMMARYThe present invention may comprise one or more of the features recited in the attached claims, and/or one or more of the following features and combinations thereof.
An accessory for supporting a handheld electronic device includes a bistable spring to position and support the handheld device. The accessory includes a housing coupled to the handheld device and a bistable spring moveable between a first position and a second position. In the first position the bistable spring is substantially flat and in the second position the bistable spring defines a longitudinal curve away from the housing. The curvature of the bistable spring in the second position can support the handheld device on a surface e.g. table and in a slot e.g. CD player or air vent in a vehicle. The longitudinal curve of the bistable spring easily deflects at a distal end to a reduced curvature to be received in a slot and consistently actuates to same radius in the second position providing proper viewing angle for the screen of the handheld device.
An illustrative embodiment of an accessory for supporting a handheld device on at least one of a surface and a slot according to the present disclosure comprises a housing having a first side and a second side, the first side of the housing coupled to the handheld device and the housing defining a curved mounting surface. A bistable spring having a first edge and a second edge, a first end and a second end, a first notch defined along the first edge and a second notch defined along the second edge, and a cross-section of the bistable spring between the first and second edges reduced between the first and second notches. The bistable spring moveable between a first position and a second position, in the first position the bistable spring is substantially flat between the first and second end and defining a lateral curve between the first and second edge, in the second position the bistable spring defining a longitudinal curve outward from the housing and is substantially flat between the first and second edge. The first end of the bistable spring coupled to the curved mounting surface such that the first end defines the lateral curve when the bistable spring is in the first and the second position. The curvature of the bistable spring structure in the second position can support the handheld device on at least a surface or from an air vent or CD player slot in a vehicle. The longitudinal curve radius of the bistable spring in the second position is set during the manufacturing process with a curve setting machine so that the bistable spring consistently actuates to the desired curve radius to securely hold the handheld device in an air vent or CD player slot in a vehicle.
Additional features of the disclosure will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the following detailed description of the illustrative embodiment.
The detailed description particularly refers to the accompanying figures in which:
For the purposes of promoting and understanding the principals of the invention, reference will now be made to one or more illustrative embodiments shown in the drawings and specific language will be used to describe the same.
Referring to
The longitudinal curvature of bistable spring 22 in the second position can support a handheld device on a surface 14 (
The bistable spring 22 includes a first notch 32 along the first edge 36, a second notch 34 along the second edge 38, a first end 40 and a second end 42 (shown in
The first end 40 of the bistable spring 22 is attached to a curved mounting surface 28 of housing 20 (shown in
While the invention has been illustrated and described in detail in the foregoing drawings and description, the same is to be considered as illustrative and not restrictive in character, it being understood that only illustrative embodiments thereof have been shown and described and that all changes and modifications that come within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the claims and summary are desired to be protected.
Claims
1. An accessory for supporting a handheld device by at least one of a surface and a slot, comprising:
- a housing having a first side and a second side, the first side of the housing coupled to the handheld device, and the housing defining a mounting surface; and
- a bistable spring having a first edge and a second edge, a first end and a second end, and a first notch defined along the first edge and a second notch defined along the second edge, a cross-section of the bistable spring between the first and second edge reduced between the first and second notches, and the first end coupled to the mounting surface; and
- wherein the bistable spring is moveable between a first position and a second position, in the first position the bistable spring is substantially flat between the first and second end and defines a lateral curve between the first and second edge, and in the second position the bistable spring defines a longitudinal curve outward from the housing.
2. The accessory of claim 1, wherein the second end of the bistable spring rotates through greater than 90 degrees in moving from the first position to the second position.
3. The accessory of claim 1, wherein the second end of the bistable spring rotates through between 110 degrees to 140 degrees in moving from the first position to the second position.
4. The accessory of claim 1, wherein the second end of the bistable spring rotates through about 125 degrees in moving from the first position to the second position.
5. The accessory of claim 1, wherein the bistable spring is pretensioned to repeatedly actuate to a consistent second position.
6. The accessory of claim 1, wherein the bistable spring defines in the second position a radius of longitudinal curvature nearest the second end that retains the second end between opposite members defining the slot.
7. The accessory of claim 1, wherein the mounting surface of the housing is curved to retain the lateral curve of the bistable spring adjacent the first end.
8. The accessory of claim 1, wherein the bistable spring is substantially flat between the first edge and the second edge in the second position.
9. The accessory of claim 1, wherein the second end of the bistable spring in the second position is located laterally beyond the midpoint defined by the first and second ends in the first position.
10. An accessory for supporting a handheld device, comprising:
- a housing having a first side and a second side, the first side of the housing coupled to the handheld device, and the housing defining a mounting surface; and
- a bistable spring having a first edge and a second edge, and a first end and a second end, the first end coupled to the mounting surface of the housing; and
- wherein:
- the second end of the bistable spring is moveable between a first position in which the bistable spring is longitudinally straight and a second position in which the bistable spring is longitudinally curved away from the housing; and
- in translating from the first position to the second position the second end rotates through greater than 90 degrees.
11. The accessory of claim 10, wherein the second end rotates through greater than 120 degrees.
12. The accessory of claim 10, wherein the second end rotates through between about 110 to 140 degrees.
13. The accessory of claim 10, wherein the bistable spring is pretensioned to repeatedly return the second end between consistent locations in the first position and in the second position of the bistable spring.
14. The accessory of claim 13, wherein the first and second edges of the bistable spring each define at least one notch.
15. The accessory of claim 14, wherein the at least one notch is located closer to the first end than to the second end.
16. The accessory of claim 10, further comprising a flexible plastic cover encapsulating the bistable spring.
17. An accessory for supporting a handheld device, comprising:
- a housing having a first side and a second side, the first side of the housing coupled to the handheld device, and the housing defining a mounting surface; and
- a bistable spring having a first edge and a second edge, and a first end and a second end, the first end coupled to the mounting surface of the housing, and the first and second edge each defining at least one notch; and
- wherein the bistable spring is moveable between and stable in each of a first position in which the bistable spring is longitudinally straight and a second position in which the bistable spring is longitudinally curved away from the housing such that the second end translates through a rotation of at least 110 degrees.
18. The accessory of claim 17, wherein in the second position the second end of the bistable spring is located beyond the midpoint defined between the first end and the second end in the first position such that in the second position the second end is closer to the first end than it is to its own location in the first position.
19. The accessory of claim 17, wherein the bistable spring is pretensioned to repeatedly move the second end between consistent locations in the first and in the second positions.
20. The accessory of claim 20, further comprising a plastic cover encapsulating the bistable spring.
Type: Application
Filed: Jun 1, 2016
Publication Date: Dec 1, 2016
Inventor: John Stagge (Noblesville, IN)
Application Number: 15/170,770