WO2015124994A1

WO2015124994A1 - Mounting for a mobile device

Info

Publication number: WO2015124994A1
Application number: PCT/IB2015/000195
Authority: WO
Inventors: Jacob Maria VAN DIJK; Johannes Baptist Jacobus Maria LANEN
Original assignee: Route 66 Switzerland Gmbh
Priority date: 2014-02-21
Filing date: 2015-02-20
Publication date: 2015-08-27
Also published as: RO130497A2

Abstract

The invention relates to a smart kit for mounting a mobile device on a surface comprising a mounting platform (4) having a housing (4.1), a mounting plate (4.2) and a permanent magnet (5), said plate having a first side (4.21) assembled on the housing (4.1) and the opposite side (4.22) with a substantially flat surface, provided with at least two pins, ready to receive a smart case (7) and a smart case (7) with a ferromagnetic element (6) inside, for holding a mobile device, having substantially the same shape and size with the permanent magnet (5) and being provided with cavities, said case (7) being removably mountable to the mounting platform (4) through the mounting plate (4.2) by contacting the ferromagnetic element (6) with the permanent magnet (5) wherein the permanent magnet (5) has a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape and is inserted inside the housing (4.1) with one side protruding outside the housing (4.1 ), through a cavity into the mounting plate (4.2), such that it remains substantially coplanar with said opposite side (4.22) of the mounting plate (4.2) and the magnetic orientation (N-S direction of the magnet) of said magnet is parallel to said opposite side (4.22) and wherein said pins and cavities are arranged symmetrically with respect to said magnet (5) and ferromagnetic element (6) respectively, such that the cavities are adapted to receive the pins. The smart car kit supports a multitude of mobile devices of different size, such as a mobile telephone, smartphone, iPhone, phablet, tablet, iPad, navigation device etc.

Description

MOUNTING FOR A MOBILE DEVICE

The invention relates to a smart kit for mounting a portable electronic device on a surface (windshield, dashboard, desk etc).

There are various types of holders for portable electronic devices known in the art. US 6135408 B1 describes a holder for installing an object, such as a mobile telephone, comprising a housing having a front part with a front wall and a rear part with a rear wall and a permanent magnet disposed in the housing adjacent the front wall thereof, the front wall has a recess formed therein and an iron plate.

US 6366672 B1 describes an improved mobile phone holder including a phone seat body adapted for clamping and holding a mobile phone, an adapter seat provided at a lower end portion of the phone seat body adapted for electrical connection with a car's power source, and a receiving seat coupled onto the phone seat body and being provided with a connector for insertable connection with the mobile phone to permit electrical connection to cause internal paths to charge the mobile phone and to allow use of the mobile phone in a hand-free state.

US 5992807 B1 describes a universal magnetic stand for cell phones which is attached to the dashboard of a vehicle by means of a magnet. The cell phone is removably hold by the magnet (due to the attraction between the magnet and the ; metal parts normally found in the cell phone) and the cell phone may be lifted off ^" manually and manually replaced on the magnet. The magnet has a front face provided with a rubber layer, which prevents the cell phone from slipping down.

EP 1910132 B1 describes a mount for mounting a device, such as a telephone cradle or a navigation device, to a surface. The mount comprises a connection member for connecting the device to the mount, a suction cup, a pull member arranged to pull a central part of the suction cup in a first direction from a first position to a second position. In the second position, the pull member is arranged to exert a friction force to the connection member to fixate the connection member.

US 20020176571 A1 describes a car phone holder has a base for holding a car phone, a reel and a release mechanism. The base has a seat detachably connected with the base for accommodating mobile phones of different dimensions.

CONFIRMATION CGPY US 20120305733 A1 describes a stand assembly for holding handheld electronic devices in a multitude of positions or locations having a first section with a curved end magnetically attached to second section having and indented surface. A high- friction elastomeric material, or similar friction producing material, helps to secure the first and second sections together, or the second section against another flat magnetic surface.

WO 2010/135750 describes a universal stands for portable electronic devices which includes a display platform and a gripping pad attached to the display platform for releasable securing a portable electronic device thereto.

US 2012/0252543 A1 includes a rotatable mounting head that attaches a tablet to the phone and tablet stand, plurality attachment magnets that are evenly disposed on a rotatable mounting head to magnetically attach a tablet to the phone and tablet stand and an adjustable stand that includes a stem and a pair of adjustment knobs. The phone and tablet stand can also include a protective casing that is placed around the back of a tablet and is magnetically attached to the phone and tablet stand and includes a metal disc disposed and centered on the front facing of the protective casing. US 2010/0317418 discloses a magnetic device for the support, in particularly in car of portable electronic equipment including a base that integrates at least two adjoining magnets, fixable on a surface internal to a driver and passenger compartment, and a coupling plate including ferromagnetic material fixable or integrated into the back of the equipment to support or on the intermediate accessory arranged for the support of the equipment.

The installation of a mobile device in the car holders described above is not easy to handle and requires both hands of a user. This may be cumbersome in some situations, for example for a driver that needs at least one hand on the wheel. Also, car holders from the prior art have huge dimensions and may obstruct the view of a rear camera of a mobile device, when viewing the road. In such situation, for example when the road is viewed through a windshield, the reflection into the windshield affects the images displayed or taken from a rear camera. Most of the prior art devices are susceptible to high levels of shock, vibration or other displacement or movement.

The objective of the present invention is to provide a smart kit for mounting a mobile device onto a desired surface, which provides an improved fastening and prevents the slipping down thereof. Also, the car kit is capable of reducing shock and vibration of the mobile device mounted on it. The mobile device inserted into a smart case according to the invention can be very easily attached or removed from the stand of the car kit, by using only one hand. Another objective of the invention is that the smart car kit, when attached to the windshield is perfectly hidden behind the mobile device as seen from the driver.

Also, the car kit according to the invention, may be used together with a mobile device provided with a software that allows the overlay of a GPS map over the actual image of the route as seen by the rear camera of the mobile device, wherein the screen of the mobile device may turn on automatically when it is placed on the stand of the car kit and it turns off automatically when it is detached from the said stand.

The first aspect of the invention provides a smart kit for mounting a mobile device on a surface. The smart kit comprises a mounting platform which itself comprises a housing, a mounting plate and a permanent magnet, the said plate having a first side assembled on the housing and the opposite side with a substantially flat surface, provided with at least two pins, ready to receive a smart case and a smart case with a ferromagnetic element inside, for holding a mobile device, having substantially the same shape and size with the permanent magnet and being provided with cavities, said case being removably mountable to the mounting platform through the mounting plate by contacting the ferromagnetic element with the permanent magnet and wherein the permanent magnet has a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape and is inserted inside the housing with one side protruding outside the housing, through a cavity into the mounting plate, such that it remains substantially coplanar with said opposite side of the mounting plate and the magnetic orientation (N-S direction of the magnet) of said magnet is parallel to said opposite side and wherein said pins and cavities are arranged symmetrically with respect to said magnet and ferromagnetic element respectively, such that the cavities are adapted to receive the pins.

The magnetic field strength is high on the N-S direction of the magnet, thus it results an axial attraction force greater than the normal force tending to center the permanent magnet with the ferromagnetic element. The size of the magnet must be chosen as small as possible but still providing sufficient attraction between the magnet and ferromagnetic element inserted into the case.

The smart kit according to the invention may be used for mounting a mobile device, such as a mobile telephone, a phablet, a tablet, a navigation device or other device on a surface, and further comprises a stand which is a rigid arm provided with a base structure on its distal end for fixing the stand on a desired surface and with said mounting platform on its proximal end.

The base structure of the smart kit according to the invention may comprise a suction cup with a polyurethane gel layer and a suction mechanism, attached to a desired surface such as a windscreen, dashboard or other surface. The suction cup generates under pressure and self-adhesivity between the suction cup and the surface.

The rigid arm has the distal end rigidly connected to the base structure and the proximal end connected to the mounting platform by a ball joint. Preferably, the ball joint is designed for enabling a range of motion of the mounting platform of 80 degrees in pitch direction, around y axis, of 40 degree in yaw direction, around x axis, and of 360 degree in roll direction, around z axis.

Therefore, when the holder is attached to an inclined windshield the ball joint allows the mounting plate with the mobile device always to be oriented in a substantially vertical position - plus up to plus or minus 5 degrees pitch to orient the mobile device to the face of the driver, depending on the placement of the holder in the lower or the upper region of the windshield.

Preferably, the permanent magnet of the smart kit according to the invention is mounted in the center of the flat surface of the mounting plate, and most preferably, the side protruding outside the housing through a cavity into the mounting plate of the permanent magnet has a substantially square shape, to allow easy rotation of a mobile device in both horizontal and vertical orientation (portrait or landscape) while exerting the same attraction force between the case and the mounting plate. It is also preferred that the ferromagnetic element of the smart case is embedded in the center thereof. Also, the smart case is further provided with an opening allowing the light to pass to the rear camera of the mobile device, the camera having a free field of view through the windshield.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the mounting plate of the smart kit comprises four pins symmetrically arranged around the permanent magnet and the smart case comprises four cavities symmetrically arranged on the back surface of the smart case and around the ferromagnetic element to receive the pins. The pins provide more resistance in addition to the attraction by the magnet and prevent the case from slipping down. Preferably the four pins are positioned in the proximity of the permanent magnet.

Preferably the pins are of cylindrical shape and have a convex top surface, with two inclined surfaces facing along a diameter line around the center of the mounting plate and on the top surface of the mounting plate to enable "auto-rotation" after the smart case is centered by the permanent magnet.

In a preferred embodiment, the cylindrical pins have the diameter approximately from 5 mm to 15 mm, preferably 9 mm and the height of the pins is approximately from 0.5 mm to 2 mm, preferably 1 mm.

Further, the asymmetric position of the ball relative to the permanent magnet allows using the smart kit in two main positions: ball down relative to the magnet and ball up relative to the magnet, allowing thus the mounting of the device in portrait or landscape view for various type of vehicles, including passenger cars, sports cars having a small angle of inclination of the windshield, trucks having a big angle of inclination of the windshield etc.

In another preferred embodiment, the diameter of the ball is approximately from 14 mm to 20 mm, preferably 16 mm, the perpendicular distance D1 from the center of the ball joint (8) to the plane E1 is approximately from 40 mm to 70 mm, preferably 60 mm, the distance D2 from the center of the ball joint to the center of the permanent magnet is approximately from 10 mm to 20 mm, preferably 15 mm and the per- pendicular distance D3 from the center of the ball joint to the side of the mounting plate is approximately from 10 mm to 14 mm, preferably 12 mm. Thus, the smart car kit has a small and compact size being capable of reducing shock and vibration of the mobile device, without obstructing the rear camera of the mobile device, allowing the GPS map to be overlaid over the actual image of the route as seen by the rear camera of the mobile device.

In a further aspect of the invention, the smart car kit according to the invention changes the response of navigation software, in function of the user settings. The mobile device may use navigation software, such as navigation software from ROUTE 66 called Navigation. Navigation software may run on a mobile device for Android or iOS. The Navigation software, when running on a mobile device, causes the mobile device to display a navigation mode screen. The Navigation has vector- based maps with textual, vocal and graphical output. The Navigation software will behave differently in function of the user settings with respect to attaching the device to the smart car kit or taking the device from the smart car kit. Some scenarios include:

Putting the device on the smart car kit: opens the Navigation software in Car mode with large buttons with mostly used functions.

Taking the device from the smart car kit while navigating in a traffic jam: shows alternative routes.

Taking the device from the smart car kit while navigating and standing still in the direct vicinity of a gas station: switch the screen off.

Putting the device on the smart car kit while the screen is off and while navigating: switch the screen on and track GPS position.

Putting the device on the smart car kit while showing alternative routes: continue navigation on selected route and track GPS position.

The smart kit according to the invention can be used with a multitude of mobile devices of different size, such as a mobile telephone, smartphone, iPhone, phablet, tablet, iPad, navigation device etc.

Further benefits and advantages of the present invention will become clear after a careful reading of the detailed description.

Detailed description of the drawings Fig. 1 , 2, 3 and 4 are exploded perspective views of mounting the smart kit on the windshield with the mobile device (in phantom) oriented in portrait or landscape view Fig. 5 is exploded perspective view of mounting the smart car kit on the dashboard with the mobile device (in phantom) oriented in portrait view

Fig. 6 is a driver view of the mobile device mounted on the smart kit attached to the windshield in landscape and portrait view

Fig. 7a, 7b, 8a and 8b are perspective views of the smart car kit attached on the front windshield with the device (small size and big size) in portrait or landscape view Fig. 9a, 9b and 9c are perspective views of the smart car kit attached on dashboard with the mobile device (small size and big size) in portrait view

Fig. 10a, 10b, 11a and 1 b are perspective views of the smart car kit attached to a slope surface or windshield showing the not obstructed field of view (9) of the rear camera of the mobile device

Fig. 12 is an exploded views of the smart car kit: 1- base structure, 1.1 - suction cup with polyurethane gel layer, 1.2 - plunger, 1.3 - spring, 1.4 - fixing part, 1.5 - lifting part, 1.6 - screw, 1.7 - base wheel; 2 - rigid arm, 2.1. - distal end of the rigid arm, 2.2 - proximal end of the rigid arm; 3 - ball; 4 -mounting platform, 4.1 - housing, 4.1 - ball seat, 4.2 - mounting plate, 4.21 - first side of the mounting plate, 4.22 - opposite side of the mounting plate, 4.3 - ball support, 4.4 -screw, 4.5 - screws; 5 - permanent magnet, 6 - ferromagnetic element, 7 - smart case for a mobile device Fig. 13 is a cross partial sectional side view of the smart car kit mounted on a sloping surface, showing the asymmetric position of the ball (3), relative to the permanent magnet (5). The ball (3) is oriented up relative to the permanent magnet (5).

Fig. 14 is a cross partial sectional side view of the smart car kit mounted on a sloping surface, showing the asymmetric position of the ball (3), relative to the permanent magnet (5). The ball is oriented down relative to the permanent magnet (5).

Fig. 15 is a perspective section view of the smart car kit, illustrating the magnetic orientation (N-S direction of the magnet) of the permanent magnet

Fig. 16 and 17 are front views of the smart car kit, illustrating two mount orientations of the permanent magnet

Fig. 18, 19, 20 and 21 are side views of the smart car kit, illustrating that the mounting platform is adjustable.

Fig. 22 is detail perspective view of mounting plate, showing the shape of the four pins Fig. 23 is detail perspective view of the smart case, showing the shape of the four holes and the ferromagnetic element

Fig. 24 is a perspective view of the smart car kit, showing that the mounting platform is adjustable in pitch (around y axis), roll (around z axis) and yaw (around x axis) and showing three virtual planes E1 , E2 and E3 passing through the center of the ball joint (8)

Fig. 25 is a cross partial sectional side view of the smart car kit, showing the main design parameters D1 , D2 and D3.

Fig. 26a is a front view and section view of the suction cup with two ears, illustrating the components of the suction cup, such as a suction cup body (1.1a) and a polyure- thane gel layer (1.1b).

Fig. 26b is a front view and section view of the suction cup with one ear, illustrating the components of the suction cup, such as a suction cup body (1.1a) and a polyure- thane gel layer (1.1b).

Fig. 27 is exploded view of the smart car kit with a mounting adaptor for cameras Fig. 28 is a perspective view of the mounting adaptor (9) for mounting a camera

Description of the invention

Referring to the drawings and initially to Figs. 12, 13 and 14, the smart kit according to the present invention comprising, a base structure (1), a rigid arm (2) having the distal end (2.1 ) rigidly connected to the base structure (1) and the proximal end (2.2) connected to a mounting platform (4), by means of a ball joint (8), and a smart case (7) with a ferromagnetic element (6) inside, for holding the mobile device.

The base structure (1) includes a suction cup (11) and a suction mechanism. The suction cup (1.1) includes a suction cup body (1.1 a) and a sticky polyurethane gel layer (1.1b). In a preferred embodiment the suction cup body has one ear, and on a further embodiment the suction cup body has two ears.

The suction mechanism is equipped with a wheel (1.7) connected with the lifting part (1.5). When rotating the wheel (1.7), the lifting part (1.5) and the plunger (1.2) are moved upwards. The plunger (1.2) expands the bottom surface of the suction cup (1.1), and the air pressure of the airtight space becomes lower than the outside at- mospheric pressure. The sticky polyurethane gel layer (1.1. b) generates self- adhesivity between the suction cup (1.1) and the surface to which it is attached.

The base structure (1) is connected to the rigid arm (2) using the fixing part (1.4) by a snap and fit connection.

The mounting platform (4) includes a mounting plate (4.2) having a permanent magnet (5) inside it and a housing (4.1) assembled by screws. Preferably, the permanent magnet (5) is mounted in the center of the flat surface of the mounting plate (4.2), having the magnetic orientation (N-S direction of the magnet) parallel to this flat surface, in order to center the smart case (7) to the mounting plate (4), as shown in the Fig.15.

The ball (3) is mounted on a ball seat (4.11 ) located in the housing (4.1 ) on the upper side and on a rubber ball support (4.3) on the lower side forming thus the ball joint (8). The ball joint (8) is designed in order to enable a range of motion of the mounting platform (4) of 80 degrees in pitch direction, 40 degree in yaw direction and 360 degree in roll direction. The ball (3) is fixed to the rigid arm (2), using a screw.

The mounting plate (4.2) comprises four pins symmetrically arranged on the opposite side (4.22) having a flat surface of the mounting plate (4.2) and around the permanent magnet (5), Fig.22. The smart case (7) comprises four cavities symmetrically arranged on the back surface of the smart case (7) and around of a ferromagnetic element (6) embedded in the case (7), Fig.23. The ferromagnetic element (6) has the shape and size approximately similar to the permanent magnet (5) of the mounting platform (5).

Preferably, the pins have cylindrical shape and have a convex top surface, preferably with two inclined surfaces facing along a diameter line around the center of the mounting plate (4.2) and on the top surface which is the side (4.22) of the mounting plate (4.2), to enable autorotation after the smart case (7) is centered by the permanent magnet (5). The pins provide a friction resistance in addition to the attraction by the magnet and prevent the case from slipping down. The smart car kit may, for example, be removably mounted on a windshield or dashboard in either portrait or landscape view, to a vehicle such as, car, sport car, truck, forestry vehicle, mining equipment, military vehicle, train, aircraft, ship, vessel, watercraft or other vehicle that may require installation of an electronic portable device.

The smart car kit can be also removably mounted on a desk, wall or other surface, allowing other use such as watching a video, selecting music tracks, browsing the web etc. The smart car kit supports a multitude of mobile device sizes, such as a mobile telephone, smartphone, iPhone, phablet, tablet, iPad, navigation device etc.

The smart car kit can be used, also to mount a camera, using a mounting adaptor (13).

Claims

1. Smart kit for mounting a mobile device on a surface comprising

a. a mounting platform (4) comprising a housing (4.1), a mounting plate (4.2) and a permanent magnet (5), said plate having a first side (4.21) assembled on the housing (4.1 ) and the opposite side (4.22) with a substantially flat surface, provided with at least two pins, ready to be attached to a smart case (7)

b. a smart case (7) with a ferromagnetic element (6) inside, for holding a mobile device, having substantially the same shape and size as the permanent magnet (5) and being provided with cavities, said case (7) being removably mounted to the mounting platform (4) through the mounting plate (4.2) by attracting forces between the ferromagnetic element (6) and the permanent magnet (5)

wherein the permanent magnet (5) has a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape and is inserted inside the housing (4.1 ) with one side protruding outside the housing (4.1 ), through a cavity into the mounting plate (4.2), such that it remains substantially coplanar with said opposite side (4.22) of the mounting plate (4.2) and the magnetic orientation (N-S direction of the magnet) of said magnet is parallel to said opposite side (4.22)

and wherein said pins and cavities are arranged symmetrically with respect to said magnet (5) and ferromagnetic element (6) respectively, such that the cavities are adapted to receive the pins.

2. Smart kit according to claim 1 , for mounting a mobile device, such as a mobile telephone, a phablet, a tablet, a navigation device or other device on a surface, further comprising

c. a stand which is a rigid arm (2) provided with a base structure (1) on its distal end (2.1) for fixing the stand on a desired surface and with said mounting platform (4) on its proximal end (2.2).

3. Smart kit according to claim 2, in which

a. the base structure (1 ) comprises a suction cup (1.1 ) with a polyurethane gel layer and a suction mechanism, attached to a desired surface such as a windscreen, dashboard or other surface, by generating under pressure and self- adhesivity between the suction cup and the surface; b. the rigid arm (2) has the distal end (2.1) rigidly connected to the base structure (1) and the proximal end (2.2) connected to the mounting platform (4) by a ball joint (8).

4. The smart kit according to claim 3 wherein the ball joint (8) is designed for enabling a range of motion of mounting platform of 80 degrees in pitch direction, around y axis, of 40 degree in yaw direction, around x axis, and of 360 degree in roll direction, around z axis.

5. The smart kit according to any of the preceding claims wherein the permanent magnet (5) is mounted in the center of the flat surface (4.22) of the mounting plate (4.2).

6. The smart kit according to any of the preceding claims wherein the side protruding outside the housing (4.1 ) through a cavity into the mounting plate (4.2) of the permanent magnet (5) has a substantially square shape.

7. The smart kit according to any of the preceding claims wherein the ferromagnetic element (6) is embedded in the center of the smart case (7).

8. The smart kit according to any of the preceding claims wherein the smart case (7) is further provided with an opening (7.1) allowing the light to pass to the rear camera of the mobile device, the camera having a free field of view (9) through the windshield.

9. The smart kit according to any of the preceding claims wherein the mounting plate (4.2) comprises four pins symmetrically arranged around the permanent magnet (5) and the smart case (7) comprises four cavities symmetrically arranged on the back surface of the smart case and around the ferromagnetic element (6) to receive the pins.

10. The smart kit according to any of the preceding claims wherein the four pins are positioned in the proximity of the permanent magnet (5).

11. The smart kit according to any of the preceding claims wherein the pins have a cylindrical shape and have a convex top surface, preferably with two inclined surfaces facing along a diameter line around the center of the mounting plate (4.2) and on the top surface, side (4.22), of the mounting plate (4.2) to enable autorotation after the smart case (7) is centered by the permanent magnet (5).

12. The smart kit according to claim 1 1 wherein the pins have cylindrical shape and have a diameter approximately from 5 mm to 15 mm, preferably 9 mm and the height of the pins is approximately from 0.5 mm to 2 mm, preferably 1 mm.

13. The smart kit according to any of the preceding claims wherein the asymmetric position of the ball (3) relative to the permanent magnet (5) allows using the smart kit in two main positions: ball (3) down relative to the magnet (5) and ball (3) up relative to the magnet (5) and allows the mounting of the device in portrait or landscape view for various type of vehicles, including passenger cars, sports cars having a small angle of inclination of the windshield, trucks having a big angle of inclination of the windshield etc.

14. The smart kit according to claim 3 or 4, wherein that the diameter of the ball (3) is approximately from 14 mm to 20 mm, preferably 16 mm, the perpendicular distance D1 from the center of the ball joint (8) to the plane E1 is approximately from 40 mm to 70 mm, preferably 60 mm, the distance D2 from the center of the ball joint (8) to the center of the permanent magnet (5) is approximately from 0 mm to 20 mm, preferably 15 mm and the perpendicular distance D3 from the center of the ball joint (8) to the side (4.22) of the mounting plate (4.2) is approximately from 10 mm to 14 mm, preferably 12 mm.

15. The smart kit according to any of the preceding claims, which can be used with a multitude of mobile devices of different size, such as a mobile telephone, smartphone, iPhone, phablet, tablet, iPad, navigation device etc.

16. The smart kit according to any of the preceding claims adapted to change the response of navigation software in function of the user settings.