Telephonic communications – Terminal accessory or auxiliary equipment – Support or stand
Reexamination Certificate
1998-12-31
2001-06-05
Chiang, Jack (Department: 2742)
Telephonic communications
Terminal accessory or auxiliary equipment
Support or stand
Reexamination Certificate
active
06243464
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to mounting brackets and mounting systems for cellular and mobile telephones, and more particularly to a quick attachment and release mounting bracket that is simple to use and operate.
The popularity of mobile, or cellular, telephone systems has increased tremendously over the past few years. Such cellular telephone systems typically have associated mounting hardware that is permanently mounted to a vehicle, such as a cradle or other type of receptacle. This requires a professional installation and also requires that the vehicle body be altered, such as by drilling holes in the sheet metal floor or the dashboard of the vehicle.
Installations of some other mounting system may be effected by the user. These mounting systems are more in the nature of contraptions, ranging from suction cups that are attached to either the dashboard or windshield of the vehicle to adhesive-backed mounting members. Due to the self-installation nature of these systems, they tend to be less stable. The placement of the mounting hardware in these types systems often hampers the ease and the visibility of the occupants and driver of the vehicle.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,392,350, issued Feb. 21, 1995 describes a flexible mount for a mobile telephone that has a baseplate that must be permanently mounted to a vehicle. A mounting bracket slidably engages the baseplate. Although the mounting bracket may be easily removed form the baseplate, bolt holes must still be drilled in the vehicle floor, which holes damage the vehicle. Such a mount cannot be moved from one vehicle to another with ease and without permanently damaging or modifying the structure of the vehicle.
A need therefore exists for a mounting bracket that can be easily installed and removed by a user without causing permanent damage to the vehicle.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is directed to a mounting assembly particularly suitable for use with mobile or cellular telephones that overcomes the aforementioned disadvantages. It is therefore a general object of the present invention to provide a mounting assembly for use with cellular and mobile telephones for mounting such a telephone to a vehicle which mounting assembly is simple to use and install, without permanently damaging the vehicle.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a mounting element that receives a support member for a cellular telephone and that may be easily attached and detached from existing hardware in the interior of a vehicle without permanently damaging any part of the vehicle structure.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a mounting member that is selectively attachable to an existing element in the vehicle interior compartment, such as a vehicle seat anchor bolt, which mounting member may be repeatedly installed and uninstalled from a vehicle without permanently modifying any portion of the vehicle, and further wherein the mounting member includes a hollow socket having two opposing, open ends, one end being adapted to engage a seat anchor bolt of the vehicle and the other end being adapted to receive a telephone support element, the mounting member further having means for firmly affixing the one end of the socket member to the seat anchor bolt.
These objects and more are accomplished through different aspects of the structure of the present invention. In one principal aspect of the present invention and as disclosed in one embodiment thereof, a mounting member is provided that includes a hollow socket element. One end of the socket element is configured to slip over a vehicle seat anchor bolt and as such, preferably includes a hexagonal opening that is configured to receive therein a hexagonal anchor bolt protruding above the floor of the vehicle. The other end of the socket element includes a second opening that receives a support element to which the telephone is attached. The socket element further has a clamping screw associated therewith that extends through two opposing portions of the socket element sidewall. The opposing sidewall portion is threaded and receives the clamping screw so that when the clamping screw is tightened, the socket element sidewall portions are drawn together so that the socket element may, in effect, clamp the seat anchor bolt.
In another principal aspect of the present invention, the sidewall of the socket element may include one or more slots that facilitate the application of the one end to the seat anchor bolt. This slot also facilitates the clamping action of the socket element in that it defines a free space that may be closed upon tightening of the screw and thereby clamp the seat anchor bolt.
In another principal aspect of the present invention, and as exemplified in another embodiment of the present invention, the tightening screw is positioned at a preselected distance from the socket element one end at an elevation equal to almost the elevation of a vehicle anchor bolt above the vehicle floor so that the clamping screw opposes and engages the bolthead of the vehicle anchor bolt.
These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to like parts.
REFERENCES:
patent: 1015034 (1912-01-01), Lapicki
patent: 1194746 (1916-08-01), Keeler
patent: 1333523 (1920-03-01), Williams
patent: 2334557 (1943-11-01), Howard
patent: 3521349 (1970-07-01), Gehring
patent: 3748409 (1973-07-01), Stokes
patent: 5392350 (1995-02-01), Swanson
patent: 5606608 (1997-02-01), Krutke
Andrew Corporation
Chiang Jack
Vedder Price Kaufman & Kammholz
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