Supports – Brackets – Article holding means
Reexamination Certificate
2000-03-06
2001-09-25
Ramirez, Ramon O. (Department: 3632)
Supports
Brackets
Article holding means
C248S206500, C379S454000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06293509
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a support device, particularly for installation in a vehicle, for temporarily holding movable articles especially cellular telephones, including a base body with a support plate and at least one magnet for holding an article on the support plate.
Such a support device is known for example from DE 198 00 174 A1 (U.S. Ser. No. 09/045916). The known support device utilizes the fact that most cellular phones include some magnetic material at their backside. It is therefore possible to hold a cellular or mobile telephone on the support surface of the support device by the attraction forces of the magnet. If the cellular telephone does not include any magnetic material at its backside, a self-adhesive sheet metal plate may be attached to the backside of the cellular telephone whereby the telephone can be held on the support device also in this case.
Although the known device operates reliably, it is noted that many cellular phones are now provided with a protective box-like cover. The protective covers are usually provided at their backsides with a strap by way of which the cover with the phone can be attached to a belt. However, if enclosed by such a protective cover the backside of the phone does not come in direct contact with the support plate of the support device such that the magnetic attraction forces effective on the cellular phone are insufficient to ensure the holding of the phone on the support device.
It is the object of the present invention to provide a support device for holding a cellular telephone in such a way that also a telephone disposed in such a protective cover is firmly supported on the support device.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In a support device for temporarily supporting an article, particularly a cellular telephone, which includes a base body with a support plate and a magnet disposed below the support plate for retaining articles on the support plate, a pivotable bracket is mounted on the base body so as to be inwardly and outwardly pivotable and the bracket includes an arm which extends over the support plate in parallel-spaced relationship therefrom when the bracket is in the outwardly pivoted end position.
With the support device according to the invention also a cellular telephone disposed in a protective cover can be firmly held on the support device by way of the strap with which the protective cover is provided. The leg of the bracket only needs to be inserted behind the strap to hold the phone. When the leg is inserted behind the strap, the protective cover is held onto the support device in the same way as it is supported for example on a belt. With the pivotable bracket, the support device according to the invention can be easily adapted for supporting the protective cover of a cellular telephone with the telephone disposed in the protective cover. When the bracket is pivoted back onto the body of the support device, it is hardly noticeable and the cellular telephone without protective cover can be held onto the support device by the magnetic forces.
In a particular embodiment of the invention, the bracket is slightly bent such that the strap of the protective cover of the telephone is retained more securely. In this way, the strap is not unintentionally released so that the protective cover with the telephone is more safely held in position.
It is particularly advantageous if the bracket has a first recess which is preferably somewhat wider than the width of the strap so that the arm of the bracket can be inserted behind the strap with an arresting effect. With the strap received in the recess, the protective cover is firmly retained and will not unintentionally slide off the arm of the bracket.
It is very advantageous if the arm of the bracket has a second recess of a semicircular shape which extends further into arm from the center of the first recess. In this second recess, a rivet-like mounting clip present in many protective covers can be accommodated. In this way, the protective cover is even more firmly engaged with the bracket since the second recess has a second arresting effect.
In another embodiment of the invention, a stop is provided whereby the pivoting range of the bracket is limited to 90°. With the stop, the bracket can be pivoted in a simple manner to a position which is optimal for supporting the protective cover. In still another advantageous embodiment, the bracket includes an embossing by which the bracket is engaged and held in its outwardly pivoted and position. In this way, unintended pivoting of the bracket out of its outward end position is avoided.
Preferably, the base body includes a bottom plate on which the bracket and the arm of the bracket is disposed when the bracket is in its inwardly pivoted end position. For this purpose, the bottom plate projects from the base body at a side thereof which is parallel to the pivot axis of the bracket. The arm of the bracket abuts the bottom plate projection which forms a stop when the bracket is pivoted fully inwardly. The end wall of the base body is slightly curved and the arm of the bracket is correspondingly curved so that it closely joins the end face of the base body when the bracket is pivoted to its inward end position. As a result, the bracket is not obtrusive and hardly noticeable in its inwardly pivoted end position so that the magnetic holding function is not affected by the bracket.
In a preferred embodiment, the support base includes a support surface of a slide resistant support layer preferably of foamed rubber. With the resilient foamed rubber support layer, a telephone is disposed on the layer practically in a recess: As a result of the magnetic forces, the telephone is pulled somewhat into the resilient support layer, whereby a wall structure is formed around the telephone which retains the telephone firmly in place.
It has been found to be particularly advantageous if the bottom plate includes cutouts for receiving engagement members for supporting the support device. The support device can then be easily mounted for example onto a plate which has retaining member arranged thereon so as to be received in the openings and engaging the support device. The support device can therefore easily be mounted at most anyplace in a motor vehicle for example.
Other features and advantages of the device according to the invention will become apparent from the following description thereof on the basis of the accompanying drawing.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3472391 (1969-10-01), Bolognesi
patent: 5630517 (1997-05-01), Maznik
patent: 5703946 (1997-12-01), Chen
patent: 5992807 (1999-11-01), Tarulli
patent: 6076790 (2000-06-01), Richter
patent: 6135408 (2000-10-01), Richter
patent: 6149116 (2000-11-01), Won
patent: 6155523 (2000-12-01), Pitre
Bach Klaus J.
Baxter Gwendolyn
Ramirez Ramon O.
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