Patent Application
20140342786
The present invention relates to a holding means, which is formed for holding a portable communication device—for instance a mobile phone—to a vehicle component, in particular to a windscreen of a motor vehicle. The holding means has a basic carrier, which serves for carrying the portable communication device, such that the portable communication device extends parallel to a front face of the basic carrier.
Holding means for attaching a mobile phone to the windscreen of a motor vehicle are already known from the prior art in a plurality of designs. Such holding means as a rule contain a basic carrier, to which the mobile phone can be fixed, namely for instance by means of a snap-on connection, a plug-in connection, or the like. On the other hand, the holding means also include fasteners serving for fastening the basic carrier to the windscreen. For this purpose as a rule a suction cup—it is a suction element made of rubber—is employed by means of which the holding means can be temporarily and releasable mounted to the surface of the windscreen. If such suction cup is pressed against the surface of the windscreen, the air is sucked out of a clearance between the windscreen and the suction cup, and the air volume between the windscreen and the suction cup decreases. This has the effect that a pressure on the part of the ambient air acts on the suction cup so that the suction cup remains in contact with the windscreen.
Presently, the interest is focussed on the attaching of a mobile phone to the basic carrier of the holding means. The basic carrier serves as a holder or a cradle for holding the mobile phone. For attaching the mobile phone to the holding means in the prior art already numerous concepts have been developed: The mobile phone may for instance be attached by means of a snap-on connection or a plug-in connection. All these known concepts have the disadvantage that the holding means is exclusively suited for holding a single type of mobile phone. Thus, a holding means for a mobile phone of a certain company cannot hold a mobile phone of another company. This particularly because the mobile phones of different manufacturers each have different sizes. Even if the electronic connections for mobile phones are standardized, one and the same holding means due to the different sizes—in particular to the different widths—of the mobile phones cannot be employed for mobile phones of different manufacturers.
The document US 2010/0286904 A1 describes a device assembly for performing a driver assistance function. The device assembly includes a mobile terminal as well as a holder removable installed in the vehicle for temporarily receiving the mobile terminal. An image recording device is connected to the holder, which is connectable to the mobile terminal via an image signal line and an electrical interface provided on the holder. The holder can be designed as a section attachment device and can be attached to a vehicle windshield. The holder can receive the mobile terminal via a receptacle arm, in which the appropriate interface for transmitting the image signals and for the power supply are positioned.
The document WO 2005/090124 A1 discloses that an image processing module for processing camera image data of the environment of a motor vehicle on the one hand and a display for displaying the images on the other hand can be formed by a micro-computer, in particular a palmtop, a personal digital assistant or a mobile telephone. The integration of the image processing module in the vehicle interior guarantees that the image processing module is not exposed to large temperature variations or extremely high temperatures.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a solution as how to employ a holding means of the initially mentioned kind for portable communication devices, which have different sizes, in particular different widths. This means that the holding means should be designed for holding portable communication devices of different manufacturers, namely independently of the size of the portable communication device.
According to the invention, this object is solved by a holding means with the features of patent claim 1. Advantageous implementations of the invention are the subject matter of the dependent claims, of the description and of the figures.
A holding means according to the invention is designed for holding a portable communication device to a vehicle component, in particular to a windscreen of a motor vehicle. The holding means comprises a basic carrier, which is designed for carrying the portable communication device. The basic carrier has a front face. If the portable communication device is fixed to the basic carrier, the portable communication device extends parallel to the front face of the basic carrier. The basic carrier comprises a pair of holding arms arranged on opposite sides of the front face of the basic carrier and extending perpendicular to the front face and parallel to each other. The holding arms are arranged for accommodating the portable communication device between them. The basic carrier furthermore comprises an elastic coupling element, by means of which the holding arms are joined to each other.
The invention is based on the realization that the holding means for portable communication devices of different manufacturers can be employed, when two holding arms designed for accommodating the portable communication device between them are coupled to each other by means of an elastic or spring-mounted element. In this way, the two holding arms are flexibly arranged relative to each other so that the orientation and the position of the holding arms can adjust themselves to the elasticity of the coupling element depending on the size—in particular on the width—of the portable communication device. Therefore, the maximum distance between the two holding arms will adapt itself to the size of the portable communication device such that an opposite compressive force of the holding arms to each other acts on the portable communication device gripping it on the basic carrier. Thus, the holding means according to the present invention is based on a mechanism adapted to be used for different kinds of portable communication devices, in particular for different kinds of smart phones. Thus, the portable communication device independently of its size may be mounted to the basic carrier of the holding means. This means that for instance mobile phones of different manufacturers can be attached to the basic carrier of the holding means. For this purpose, the user merely needs to press the portable communication device between the holding arms which are arranged on opposite sides of the front face of the basic carrier such that the portable communication device is accommodated between the holding arms.
The portable communication device may be for instance a mobile phone (smart phone). But it may equally be a navigation device, a PDA (Personal Digital Assistant) or the like.
It turns out to be particularly advantageous if the coupling element is formed from elastic plastic and/or elastic rubber. In this way, the position of the holding arms can reliably adjust itself due to the elasticity of the used material such that portable communication devices of different sizes can efficiently be held on the basic carrier. On the other hand, the opposite compressive force of the holding arms is sufficient for holding the portable communication device between the holding arms.
Also, the holding arms can be formed from an elastic material, in particular from elastic plastic and/or elastic rubber. In this embodiment the holding arms also can adjust themselves to the size and the shape of the portable communication device due to the elasticity of the used material of the holding arms.
A compact and robust holding means can be provided if the holding arms and the coupling element are formed in a single piece.
In one embodiment, the coupling element is arranged parallel to a plane defined by the front face of the basic carrier. Particularly, the coupling element can be arranged in the plane of the front face of the basic carrier. Thus, the basic carrier is a flat part, which needs not much space in the direction perpendicular to the front face. In this way, more space can be dedicated to a fastening unit provided behind the basic carrier and serving for fastening the basic carrier to the vehicle component.
It turns out to be particularly advantageous if the coupling element has the shape of a ring segment which at least partially surrounds a central region of the basic carrier. By using a ring segment, a large range of sizes of the portable communication device can be covered such that the basic carrier can hold a large range of different types of portable communication devices. This is because the ring segment can be stretched while inserting a portable communication device having a great width between the holding arms.
Preferably, the holding means comprises a fastening unit, which serves for fastening the basic carrier to the vehicle component. The fastening unit can be a separate part from the basic carrier. The fastening unit may include a suction cup, by means of which the holding means can be attached to the vehicle component, in particular to the windscreen. In this way, the holding means can reliably be attached to the vehicle component.
In one embodiment, the holding means comprises an adapter detachably connected to the basic carrier in a plane defined by the front face of the basic carrier. The adapter can be formed for supporting the portable communication device. This means that on the one hand the portable communication device can be held by means of the two holding arms—i.e. between the holding arms—and on the other hand can be supported or held up by means of the adapter. The adapter, which can be coupled to the basic carrier and can be removed from the basic carrier, allows to adapt the holding means to different kinds of the portable communication device and improves the stabilisation of the portable communication device when it is fixed to the vehicle component. Namely, the adapter avoids sliding off the portable communication device. Different kinds of adapters can be used for different kinds of portable communication devices.
In summary, the holding means according to the present invention serves for fastening a smart phone of any width to a vehicle component, in particular to the windscreen. The advantage of using a pair of holding arms arranged on opposite sides of the front face of the basic carrier and connected to each other by means of an elastic coupling element is to avoid using complex mechanisms. The holding is achieved thanks to mechanical distortion which is simple and cost-efficient.
Further features of the invention derive from the claims, the figures, and the description of the figures. All of the features and feature combinations mentioned above in the description as well as the features and feature combinations mentioned below in the description of the figures and/or shown in the figures alone are usable not only in the respectively specified combination, but also in other combinations, or else alone.
Now, the invention is explained in more detail by way of individual preferred embodiments as well as with reference to the attached drawings.
Therein show:
In
The fastening unit 2 also comprises a fastening arm 6 through which a main body 7 holding the suction cup 5 is coupled to the basic carrier 3. The fastening arm 6 is pivotally arranged on the main body 7 and can be pivoted between a use position shown in
On a free end 9 of the fastening arm 6, a mounting mechanism is provided for coupling the fastening arm 6 on the one hand with the basic carrier 3 on the other hand. The coupling mechanism 10 comprises a ball joint having a sphere and a socket.
The basic carrier 3 comprises a pair of holding arms 11, 12 which are designed for accommodating a smart phone between them. In
As shown in
The holding arms 11, 12 rise from the coupling element 18 and extend perpendicular to the front face 24 of the basic carrier 3. Since the front face 24 is parallel to the surface of the mobile phone, the holding arms 11, 12 extend perpendicular to the main surface of the mobile phone and parallel to each other. The mobile phone can be inserted and accommodated between the holding arms 11, 12. While inserting or pressing the mobile phone between the holding arms 11, 12, the orientation and the position of the holding arms 11, 12 can adjust themselves to the width of the smart phone due to the elasticity of the coupling element 18. Therefore, the maximum distance between the holding arms 11, 12 will adapt itself to the width of the smart phone such that an opposite compressive force of the holding arms to each other acts on the smart phone gripping it on the holding means 1. This is achieved by using the elastic ring segment comprising the two holding arms 11, 12.
Preferably, the basic carrier 3 is formed in a single piece. This means that the central region 16, the coupling element 18 as well as the holding arms 11, 12 are formed in a single piece.
Furthermore, the holding arms 11, 12 each have a nose 26, 27 pointing towards one another. Thus, the portable communication device can reliably be held by means of the holding arms 11, 12.
As already explained, the adapter 4 can be detachably connected to the basic carrier 3. This means that the adapter 4 can be coupled to and removed from the basic carrier 3. In dependence on the used mobile phone, different adapters can be used.
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind | 371c Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/EP11/65768 | 9/12/2011 | WO | 00 | 6/18/2013 |
