Patent Application
20160124227
Not applicable.
A portion of the disclosure of this patent document contains material that is subject to copyright protection. The copyright owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent document or patent disclosure as it appears in the Patent and Trademark Office, patent file or records, but otherwise reserves all copyright rights whatsoever.
One or more embodiments of the present invention relate generally to mounting devices. More particularly, one or more embodiments of the invention relate to a system and method for mounting heads-up display modules.
The following background information may present examples of specific aspects of the prior art (e.g., without limitation, approaches, facts, or common wisdom) that, while expected to be helpful to further educate the reader as to additional aspects of the prior art, is not to be construed as limiting the present invention, or any embodiments thereof, to anything stated or implied therein or inferred thereupon. It is believed that heads-up display modules may be useful in a variety of applications such as, but not limited to, driving a motorcycle or scooter, skiing, golfing, driving an all-terrain vehicle, hunting, sport shooting, etc. Furthermore, one may expect that a user who desires to use a heads-up display may need to buy specialized goggles or a helmet comprising a heads-up display module. By way of educational background, an aspect of the prior art generally useful to be aware of is that many currently available heads-up display module systems are typically not universally compatible with all goggles and helmets.
In view of the foregoing, it is clear that these traditional techniques are not perfect and leave room for more optimal approaches.
The present invention is illustrated by way of example, and not by way of limitation, in the figures of the accompanying drawings and in which like reference numerals refer to similar elements and in which:
Unless otherwise indicated illustrations in the figures are not necessarily drawn to scale.
Embodiments of the present invention are best understood by reference to the detailed figures and description set forth herein.
Embodiments of the invention are discussed below with reference to the Figures. However, those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that the detailed description given herein with respect to these figures is for explanatory purposes as the invention extends beyond these limited embodiments. For example, it should be appreciated that those skilled in the art will, in light of the teachings of the present invention, recognize a multiplicity of alternate and suitable approaches, depending upon the needs of the particular application, to implement the functionality of any given detail described herein, beyond the particular implementation choices in the following embodiments described and shown. That is, there are numerous modifications and variations of the invention that are too numerous to be listed but that all fit within the scope of the invention. Also, singular words should be read as plural and vice versa and masculine as feminine and vice versa, where appropriate, and alternative embodiments do not necessarily imply that the two are mutually exclusive.
It is to be further understood that the present invention is not limited to the particular methodology, compounds, materials, manufacturing techniques, uses, and applications, described herein, as these may vary. It is also to be understood that the terminology used herein is used for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only, and is not intended to limit the scope of the present invention. It must be noted that as used herein and in the appended claims, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” include the plural reference unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. Thus, for example, a reference to “an element” is a reference to one or more elements and includes equivalents thereof known to those skilled in the art. Similarly, for another example, a reference to “a step” or “a means” is a reference to one or more steps or means and may include sub-steps and subservient means. All conjunctions used are to be understood in the most inclusive sense possible. Thus, the word “or” should be understood as having the definition of a logical “or” rather than that of a logical “exclusive or” unless the context clearly necessitates otherwise. Structures described herein are to be understood also to refer to functional equivalents of such structures. Language that may be construed to express approximation should be so understood unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.
Unless defined otherwise, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meanings as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs. Preferred methods, techniques, devices, and materials are described, although any methods, techniques, devices, or materials similar or equivalent to those described herein may be used in the practice or testing of the present invention. Structures described herein are to be understood also to refer to functional equivalents of such structures. The present invention will now be described in detail with reference to embodiments thereof as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
From reading the present disclosure, other variations and modifications will be apparent to persons skilled in the art. Such variations and modifications may involve equivalent and other features which are already known in the art, and which may be used instead of or in addition to features already described herein.
Although Claims have been formulated in this application to particular combinations of features, it should be understood that the scope of the disclosure of the present invention also includes any novel feature or any novel combination of features disclosed herein either explicitly or implicitly or any generalization thereof, whether or not it relates to the same invention as presently claimed in any Claim and whether or not it mitigates any or all of the same technical problems as does the present invention.
Features which are described in the context of separate embodiments may also be provided in combination in a single embodiment. Conversely, various features which are, for brevity, described in the context of a single embodiment, may also be provided separately or in any suitable subcombination. The Applicants hereby give notice that new Claims may be formulated to such features and/or combinations of such features during the prosecution of the present application or of any further application derived therefrom.
References to “one embodiment,” “an embodiment,” “example embodiment,” “various embodiments,” etc., may indicate that the embodiment(s) of the invention so described may include a particular feature, structure, or characteristic, but not every embodiment necessarily includes the particular feature, structure, or characteristic. Further, repeated use of the phrase “in one embodiment,” or “in an exemplary embodiment,” do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, although they may.
Headings provided herein are for convenience and are not to be taken as limiting the disclosure in any way.
The enumerated listing of items does not imply that any or all of the items are mutually exclusive, unless expressly specified otherwise.
The terms “a”, “an” and “the” mean “one or more”, unless expressly specified otherwise.
Devices or system modules that are in at least general communication with each other need not be in continuous communication with each other, unless expressly specified otherwise. In addition, devices or system modules that are in at least general communication with each other may communicate directly or indirectly through one or more intermediaries.
A description of an embodiment with several components in communication with each other does not imply that all such components are required. On the contrary a variety of optional components are described to illustrate the wide variety of possible embodiments of the present invention.
As is well known to those skilled in the art many careful considerations and compromises typically must be made when designing for the optimal manufacture of a commercial implementation any system, and in particular, the embodiments of the present invention. A commercial implementation in accordance with the spirit and teachings of the present invention may configured according to the needs of the particular application, whereby any aspect(s), feature(s), function(s), result(s), component(s), approach(es), or step(s) of the teachings related to any described embodiment of the present invention may be suitably omitted, included, adapted, mixed and matched, or improved and/or optimized by those skilled in the art, using their average skills and known techniques, to achieve the desired implementation that addresses the needs of the particular application.
It is to be understood that any exact measurements/dimensions or particular construction materials indicated herein are solely provided as examples of suitable configurations and are not intended to be limiting in any way. Depending on the needs of the particular application, those skilled in the art will readily recognize, in light of the following teachings, a multiplicity of suitable alternative implementation details.
One embodiment of the present invention may provide a system and method for mounting heads-up display modules or audio/video capturing devices inside goggles or helmets. Some embodiments may allow for universal mounting of devices to virtually any type, style, or brand of goggles and helmets. Furthermore, some embodiments may enable the viewing angle of a heads-up display module to be adjusted 360 degrees.
In the present embodiment, shaft 105 comprises a ball at one end and a mounting platform for a heads-up display module at the opposite end. The ball of shaft 105 may be placed inside inner housing 104 so that the ball is held within housing 104 yet the ball may be rotated freely, which may enable shaft 105 to achieve an optimized viewing angle of an attached object for the user. In some embodiments the viewing angle can be adjusted 360 degrees. Those skilled in the art will readily recognize, in light of and in accordance with the teachings of the present invention, that a multiplicity of suitable devices may be attached to the mounting device such as, but not limited to, heads-up display modules, audio and/or video recording devices, cameras, display screens, etc. Moreover, various different means may be used to attach these devices to the mounting platform including, without limitation, threaded connectors, clamps, adhesives, suction mounts, hook and loop material, etc. In the present embodiment, the use of strong magnets 102 and 103 may enable a user to attach the mounting device to virtually any type of goggles or helmets for the mounting of heads-up display modules, video capturing devices, or other such devices. Furthermore, the use of magnets 102 and 103 is typically a non-invasive means of mounting that may enable a device to be attached to an object with no permanent alterations to the object. It is contemplated that mounting devices in accordance with some embodiments of the present invention may be used to mount devices to objects other than goggles and helmets such as, but not limited to, glasses or sunglasses.
In typical use of the present embodiment, the attraction between magnets within housings 401 and 403 affixes the device and case 408 onto glass 402. In addition, adjustment means on housing 403 may enable case 408 to rotate 360 degrees to generally achieve an optimized viewing angle for the user. In order to adjust the viewing angle, spring 404 may be compressed so that case 408 and collar 406 move towards glass 402 and away from stopper 407. This typically enables case 408 to be rotated so that the angle of case 408 may be changed. When spring 404 is released, collar 406 returns to its original position around stopper 407. Referring to
Those skilled in the art will readily recognize, in light of and in accordance with the teachings of the present invention, that some embodiments may comprise various different features such as, but not limited to, magnet housings with decorative shapes or colors, stopping points along the path of adjustment, coatings on the magnets or housings to generally prevent scratches on the glass to which the device is mounted, etc. In some embodiments, the parts of the mounting device may be made available separately. For example without limitation, in some embodiments the adjustment means may be built into the object to be mounted while the magnetic mounting means may be offered separately.
All the features disclosed in this specification, including any accompanying drawings, may be replaced by alternative features serving the same, equivalent or similar purpose, unless expressly stated otherwise. Thus, unless expressly stated otherwise, each feature disclosed is one example only of a generic series of equivalent or similar features.
Having fully described at least one embodiment of the present invention, other equivalent or alternative methods of implementing a system and method for mounting heads-up display modules or audio/video capturing devices according to the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Various aspects of the invention have been described above by way of illustration, and the specific embodiments disclosed are not intended to limit the invention to the particular forms disclosed. The particular implementation of the mounting system and method may vary depending upon the particular context or application. By way of example, and not limitation, the mounting systems and methods described in the foregoing were principally directed to helmet or goggle mounted implementations; however, similar techniques may instead be applied to mounting systems for other types of objects such as, but not limited to, eyeglasses, sunglasses, windows, windshields for automobiles, motorcycles, scooters, boats, recreational vehicles, all-terrain vehicles, golf carts, etc., which implementations of the present invention are contemplated as within the scope of the present invention. The invention is thus to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the following claims. It is to be further understood that not all of the disclosed embodiments in the foregoing specification will necessarily satisfy or achieve each of the objects, advantages, or improvements described in the foregoing specification.
Claim elements and steps herein may have been numbered and/or lettered solely as an aid in readability and understanding. Any such numbering and lettering in itself is not intended to and should not be taken to indicate the ordering of elements and/or steps in the claims.
The corresponding structures, materials, acts, and equivalents of all means or step plus function elements in the claims below are intended to include any structure, material, or act for performing the function in combination with other claimed elements as specifically claimed.
The present Utility patent application claims priority benefit of the U.S. provisional application for patent Ser. No. 61/899,212 “A System and Method for Mounting Heads-Up Display Modules”. filed on 2013, Nov. 2, under 35 U.S.C. 119(e). The contents of this related provisional application are incorporated herein by reference for all purposes to the extent that such subject matter is not inconsistent herewith or limiting hereof.
