Supports – Brackets – Adjustable
Reexamination Certificate
2000-03-29
2001-12-11
Ramirez, Ramon O. (Department: 3632)
Supports
Brackets
Adjustable
C224S558000, C224S929000, C248S288510, C248S289110, C379S449000, C379S455000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06328271
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a holder for a mobile telephone. “Mobile telephone” is to be understood to mean an apparatus having the approximate shape and size of a telephone receiver.
2. Prior Art
Such holders are known per se. They serve to hold a mobile telephone in a position in a motor vehicle that enables a driver to use the mobile telephone without having to hold the mobile phone in one hand. Holders are known that have, for example, a clamping device having adjustable gripping jaws that engage sides of the mobile telephone and are thus suitable for holding different types of mobile telephone. Holders are also known that are especially suited to a particular mobile telephone and can only be used for that mobile telephone. The known holders have a fastening device for mounting the holder, for example, on a dashboard or on a central console of the motor vehicle.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to develop a holder for a mobile telephone that can be used universally.
The holder according to the invention has a three-point fastening having three fastening feet that are attached to the fastening device at the corners of a notional triangle. The fastening feet can be pivoted in any direction, for example, by ball-and-socket articulations. The three-point fastening firstly has the advantage that it is a mechanically defined fastening.
Each fastening foot rests on a fastening surface, that is to say, for example, on the dashboard or on the central console of the motor vehicle. Owing to their ability to pivot in any direction when the holder is being fastened, the fastening feet adapt to the shape of the fastening surface, for example a convexly dr concavely curved fastening surface. This ensures a maximum fastening force of each fastening foot against a fastening surface and stress-free mounting of the holder in the motor vehicle. The holder according to the invention adapts to fastening surfaces virtually of any shape. A further advantage of the three-point fastening is that, owing to the fastening by three fastening feet, it is able to absorb large forces and, owing to the distance between the fastening feet, it is able to absorb high moments, such as occur as a result of loading of the holder by a lever arm to the fastening device. The fastening feet can be mounted in the motor vehicle, for example by being adhesively secured or by means of screws.
In order to be able to direct the mobile telephone towards the driver in such a manner that its keypads can be easily seen and used, a display can be read easily and a microphone and a loudspeaker of the mobile telephone are directed towards the driver, in an embodiment of the invention the holder has a pivot bearing, by means of which a holding portion that receives the mobile telephone can be pivoted relative to the fastening device of the holder. By means of the pivot bearing, the mobile telephone can be directed with respect to the driver to a good position for the driver to use the telephone, irrespective of the spatial position of the fastening surface in the motor vehicle on which the holder is mounted.
In order to fix the mobile telephone in its adjusted position, in a development, the holder according to the invention has an immobilizing device by means of which the pivot bearing can be fixed in any position. The immobilizing device prevents the holder from becoming displaced unintentionally. The adjusted position of the mobile telephone is reliably maintained even under the stresses that occur during the journey.
In a development of the invention, the holder has a safety device for the pivot bearing, which holds the pivot bearing and thus also the holder together, even when the immobilizing device has been released. This prevents the holder from coming apart into several pieces, for example after slackening and full unscrewing of a clamping screw of the immobilizing device. The safety device enables the position of the mobile telephone to be adjusted, by pivoting, after the immobilizing device has been released, and thus ensures that the mobile telephone continues to be held.
The pivot bearing preferably enables the mobile telephone to pivot in any direction in order to provide as many adjustment options as possible for the position of the mobile telephone.
In an embodiment of the invention, a dome-like articulation is provided as pivot bearing, that is to say an articulation having a hollow dome which is engaged from behind through an opening by a plate-like disk or the like, which is connected to the holding portion that receives the mobile telephone, the holding portion resting on the outside of the hollow dome so as to be displaceable along its surface.
In order to increase the range of angled adjustment of the mobile telephone beyond the pivot range of the pivot bearing, in an embodiment of the invention the holding portion that receives the mobile telephone is so constructed as to be able to be mounted on the pivot bearing in various angled positions.
In order to make the holder usable for different types of mobile telephone, an adapter is provided which can be connected to the mobile telephone, for example by being adhesively secured thereto. The adapter is releasably mounted on the mobile-telephone-receiving holding portion of the holder according to the invention. The adapter can also be arranged to be releasably connected to the mobile telephone. The adapter enables the mobile telephone to be removed rapidly from the holder according to the invention and to be mounted thereon rapidly and securely in position. The adapter can be used with a holder having three-point fastening and also with a holder having a different type of fastening.
The holder preferably has a locking device having a so-called push-push mechanism having, for example, a heart-shaped curve. The locking device locks the adapter on the mobile-telephone-receiving holding portion of the holder when the adapter is pressed against the holding portion and releases the adapter when the adapter is pressed against the holding portion again. The locking device has the advantage that the mobile telephone can be mounted on the holder by simply pressing it against the holding portion and can be removed by pressing against the mobile telephone again, additional manual operations for locking or releasing it being unnecessary.
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Haage Manfred
Plocher Bernd
fischerwerke Artur Fischer GmbH & Co. KG
Le Tan
Ramirez Ramon O.
Striker Michael J.
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