Device for retaining optical instruments
A retaining apparatus for retaining an optical device such as a range finder includes an outer skin which is typically mountable within a cup holder typically found on motorized vehicles like golf carts and all terrain vehicles. An interior chamber is formed in the apparatus in which the optical device is removably inserted. The outer skin may be formed as part of the optical device or be a separate member. The outer surface of the outer skin typically includes a portion which tapers downwardly and inwardly to facilitate retention of the apparatus within the cup holder. A mounting mechanism may be included for mounting the retaining apparatus on structures other than the cup holder, such as on an upwardly extending pole or atop an upwardly extending lip or wall. A securing mechanism may be provided for securing the optical device within the interior chamber and typically includes a strap.
This application claims priority from U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/879,278 filed Jan. 8, 2007; the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION1. Technical Field
The present invention relates generally to an optical instrument which is mountable in a cup holder. More particularly, the invention relates to an optical range finder or the like having an outer skin which has a mating configuration with the interior of a cup holder. Specifically, the invention relates to a range finder or the like which may be mounted in a cup holder of a mobile vehicle or on another portion of the vehicle to conveniently retain the range finder thereon.
2. Background Information
It has become relatively common to use optical range finders to determine the distance from the user of the range finder to a remote location. For example, in the sport of golf, optical range finders are used in order to determine the distance from the player to the flag or other portions of the golf course in order to allow the player to have a better knowledge of the distance he is trying to hit a golf ball. While such range finders are relatively small, they nonetheless may be somewhat cumbersome during a golf outing. Some of the range finders are provided with straps which may go around the golfer's neck for carrying the device. However, this is not particularly suitable during the swinging of a golf club.
Hunters also use range finders in order to determine the distance to a remote target. Range finders may also be used by farmers or other individuals measuring the acreage of their property. It is clear that people use range finders in a wide variety of activities and commonly use mobile vehicles such as ATV's, cars, boats, motorcycles and so on either during the activity or en route to the activity. Thus, there is a need in the art to provide a convenient device for carrying and retaining the range finder on the vehicle so that it is always in a convenient location and so that it will not fall off of the vehicle during travel. In addition, various people use range finders during hiking, biking, watching birds or other activities in which they are walking. Thus, there is also a need in the art for a device for conveniently and securely carrying a device on the person's clothing or the like.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention provides a retaining apparatus for retaining an optical device having optics for magnifying a remote image, the apparatus comprising: an outer skin adapted to mount within a cup holder; and an interior chamber formed in the outer skin and having an upwardly opening entrance opening adapted for removably inserting the optical device into the interior chamber.
The present invention also provides an apparatus comprising: an optical device; and an outer skin on the optical device adapted to mount within a cup holder.
The present invention further provides an apparatus comprising: an optical device; an outer skin on the optical device; and a mounting mechanism extending outwardly from the outer skin.
Similar numbers refer to similar parts throughout the drawings.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTIONA first embodiment of the retaining or mounting device is shown generally at 10 in
Device 10 is now described with greater detail with reference to
Lower portion 20 includes a flat front wall 36, a flat rear wall 38 (
Lower portion 27 includes a bottom wall 41 which is connected to and extends inwardly from each of walls 36, 38, 40 and 42. A hole 43 is formed centrally in bottom wall 41. Bottom wall 41 thus has a pair of parallel opposed edges which are connected respectively to lower ends of walls 36 and 38. Bottom wall 412 also includes a pair of arcuate edges which are respectively connected to the lower ends of walls 40 and 42.
Device 10 also includes an alternate mounting mechanism comprising a C-shaped hook 48 which is pivotally mounted on front wall 22 via a mounting bracket 50 attached to front walls 22 and 36. A spring 52 biases hook 48 to a stowed position (
The primary operation of device 10 is now described with reference to
Each of cup holders 4 includes a frustoconical side wall having an frustoconical inner surface 86 defining an interior chamber 88 in which lower portion 20 of device 10 is disposed with the outer surfaces of each of walls 40 and 42 abutting inner surface 86 in a mating fashion so that lower portion 20 typically wedges into cup holder 4. Most preferably, the tapered outer surfaces of side walls 40 and 42 has a substantially identical taper to that of inner surface 86 to provides a secure frictional engagement therebetween to prevent inadvertent removal of lower portion 20 from within interior chamber 88 while allowing said removal with a reasonable amount of force by the user. Especially where this taper is not identical, it is preferred that the lower surfaces of ledge walls 44 and 46 or another outer surface of the skin of device 10 be seated atop an upper surface 90 of cup holder 4 in order to provide additional stability to device 10 when mounted in cup holder 4.
As shown in
While the exemplary embodiment shows that each of side walls 40 and 42 has a frustoconical surface, lower portion 20 may be formed with various outer surfaces which allow it to fit within cup holder 4. Most preferably, such an outer surface tapers downwardly and inwardly in order to provide a wedging engagement with inner surface 86 of a given cup holder 4 in order to increase the frictional engagement therebetween and provide greater stability to device 10 when mounted in cup holder 4. It is also contemplated that various materials may be used to form the outer surface of lower portion which are for example, compressible and expandable or inwardly and outwardly flexible in order to provide a laterally outwardly projecting force against inner surface 86 when the lower portion is inserted therein to provide stability. However, the use of a frustoconical or other outer surface which tapers downwardly and inwardly provides a desirable grip with the inner surface of the cup holder which is simple, durable and cost effective.
With reference to
Device 100 further includes a mounting bracket 136, a hook 138 rotatably mounted on bracket 136 about a first substantially horizontal axis X, and a strap 140 which is rotatably mounted on bracket 136 about a second substantially horizontal axis Y which is substantially perpendicular to axis X. Hook 138 includes substantially horizontal upper segment 142 rotatably mounted within a passage formed by an arch 144 of bracket 136. Hook 138 further includes an offsetting segment 146 which is connected to and extends outwardly in a forward direction from upper segment 142 in order to laterally offset a generally vertical segment 148 which extends downwardly from segment 146. A lower horizontal segment 150 is connected to the lower end of vertical segment 148 with a foot 152 extending upwardly from lower segment 150 distal segment 148. A spring 153 is provided to spring bias lower segment 150 of hook 138 inwardly toward front wall 110.
Strap 140 is mounted on mounting bracket 136 by front and rear snaps 154A and 154B which serve as pivots adjacent opposed ends of strap 140 about which strap 140 rotates about axis Y. More particularly, each snap 154 includes a first snap portion mounted on strap 140 and a second snap portion mounted on bracket 136 so that the snap portion on strap 140 releasably snap fits onto the snap portion on bracket 136 and is rotatably mounted thereon about axis Y. The snap portions of each snap 154 are thus removably mounted on one another so that strap 140 may be removed from bracket 136. In addition, one of the snap fit engagements may be released to move strap 140 to a released position out of contact with the range finder to allow its removal from within device 100.
Thus, strap 140, which forms a closed loop with the housing or outer skin of device 100, is rotatable between the operational securing position shown in
As shown in
Referring to
The present invention thus provides devices 10 and 100 for mounting securely within a cup holder and for removably receiving therein a range finder 5. Thus, devices 10 and 100 are configured for use with present range finders such as range finder 5. Devices 10 and 100 also include alternate mounting mechanisms which allow for the mounting of said devices on various parts of mobile vehicles, belts or other structures as previously described. The present invention further provides device 200 or a range finder which itself is configured for mounting within a cup holder without the need for an additional holder such as device 10 into which range finder may be removably disposed in.
In the foregoing description, certain terms have been used for brevity, clearness, and understanding. No unnecessary limitations are to be implied therefrom beyond the requirement of the prior art because such terms are used for descriptive purposes and are intended to be broadly construed.
Moreover, the description and illustration of the invention is an example and the invention is not limited to the exact details shown or described.
Claims
1. A retaining apparatus for retaining an optical device having optics for magnifying a remote image, the apparatus comprising:
- an outer skin adapted to mount within a cup holder; and
- an interior chamber formed in the outer skin and having an upwardly opening entrance opening adapted for removably inserting the optical device into the interior chamber.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a tapered outer surface on the outer skin which tapers downwardly and inwardly and is adapted to frictionally engage an inner surface of the cup holder.
3. The apparatus of claim 2 further comprising first and second flat upwardly extending parallel walls on the outer skin; and a third wall connected to and extending between the first and second flat walls and defining the tapered outer surface.
4. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the tapered outer surface is frustoconical.
5. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a lower chamber of the interior chamber; and an upper chamber of the interior chamber which is wider than the lower chamber.
6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein each of the lower and upper chambers has a generally rectangular cross sectional shape.
7. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising first and second flat upwardly extending parallel walls on the outer skin.
8. The apparatus of claim 7 further comprising upper and lower ends on the outer skin; and wherein the first and second walls extend from adjacent the upper end to adjacent the lower end.
9. The apparatus of claim 7 further comprising upper and lower segments on each of the first and second walls; and wherein the upper segments are respectively wider than the lower segments.
10. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising an upwardly extending wall on the outer skin adapted to be received in the cup holder; and a ledge wall connected to and extending outwardly from the upwardly extending wall and adapted to be seated on an upper surface of the cup holder.
11. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising an upwardly extending lower wall bounding the interior chamber; an upwardly extending upper wall bounding the interior chamber and spaced outwardly from and extending upwardly of the lower wall; a ledge wall connected to and extending laterally between the lower and upper walls; and an upper surface on the ledge wall adapted for seating thereon a portion of the optical device.
12. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a securing mechanism on the outer skin movable between a securing position for securing the optical device within the interior chamber and a releasing position for releasing the optical device.
13. The apparatus of claim 12 further comprising a strap on the securing mechanism extending upwardly of the entrance opening in the securing position.
14. The apparatus of claim 13 further comprising a pivot on the outer skin at which the strap is pivotally connected to the outer skin so that the strap is pivotally movable between the securing position and the released position.
15. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a mounting mechanism connected to and extending outwardly from the outer skin and adapted to mount the outer skin on a structure other than the cup holder.
16. The apparatus of claim 15 further comprising a C-shaped member on the mounting mechanism defining a pole-receiving space having an entrance opening whereby the space is adapted to receive an upwardly extending pole therein via the entrance opening for mounting the outer skin on the pole.
17. The apparatus of claim 15 further comprising a hook on the mounting mechanism comprising a first segment extending outwardly from adjacent the outer skin and a second segment connected to and extending downwardly from the first segment so that the second segment and the outer skin define therebetween a downwardly opening space adapted to receive an upwardly extend lip for mounting the outer skin on the lip.
18. The apparatus of claim 1 in combination with the optical device; and wherein the optical device is a range finder.
19. An apparatus comprising:
- an optical device; and
- an outer skin on the optical device adapted to mount within a cup holder.
20. An apparatus comprising:
- an optical device;
- an outer skin on the optical device; and
- a mounting mechanism extending outwardly from the outer skin.
Type: Application
Filed: Dec 7, 2007
Publication Date: Jul 10, 2008
Inventors: Victor G. Gramoy (Louisville, OH), William B. Raftery (Canton, OH)
Application Number: 11/999,922
International Classification: B65D 85/38 (20060101);