Self-centering mechanism, a clamping device for an electronic device and means for their integration

A self-centering mechanism to align and retain an object having a central axis, wherein the self-centering mechanism comprises:

• a main body having an alignment axis and at least a first pivot axis, a second pivot axis, and a third pivot axis, such that at least the first pivot axis, the second pivot axis and the third pivot axis are rotationally asymmetric relative to the alignment axis,
• a first arm rotatable about the first pivot axis, and having at least a first end and at least one non-planar surface,
• a second arm rotatable about the second pivot axis, and having at least a first end and at least one non-planar surface,
• a third arm rotatable about the third pivot axis, and having at least a first end and at least one non-planar surface,
• wherein at least the first non-planar surface of at least the first arm and second arm move tangentially to actuate the mechanism such that the object is retained to the main body with the central axis aligned to the alignment axis.

An optical adapter for retaining an optical device or optical object to at least one of an electronic device and an electronic device in a case having at least a first, second and third side and an optical axis, the optical adaptor having at least a self-centering mechanism that is releasably biased to retain the optical device or optical object in a self-centering manner, and a clamping portion for individually retaining at least one of the electronic device and the electronic device in a case, wherein a combination of the self-centering mechanism and clamping portion comprises:

• a main body having an alignment axis, at least a first pivot axis, a second pivot axis and a third pivot axis, such that at least the first pivot axis, the second pivot axis and the third pivot axis are rotationally asymmetric relative to the alignment axis, and at least a first surface,
• a first arm rotatable about the first pivot axis, and having at least one tangential member and at least one end,
• a second arm rotatable about the second pivot axis, and having at least one tangential member and at least one end,
• a first tangential member, such that the first tangential member moves in a tangential manner with the tangential member of the first arm,
• a second tangential member, such that the second tangential member moves in a tangential manner with the tangential member of the second arm,
• a third arm having at least one end, said third arm being mechanically connected to or a part of said first tangential member,
• a first holder member being rotatable about the third pivot axis and having a first end,
• a bias member preferentially rotating the first end of the first holder towards the alignment axis,
• a second holder member having at least a first surface, such that when the electronic device is held in the retained state, the third side of the electronic device or the electronic device in a case is in at least partial contact with at least the first surface of the main body, the first end of the first holder member is in contact with at least the first side of the electronic device or the electronic device in a case, the first surface of the second holder portion is in contact with at least the second side of the electronic device or the electronic device in a case, and the electronic device or the electronic device in a case is retained due to the clamping force of the bias member that occurs between the first end of the first holder member and at least the first surface of the second holder member;
• wherein the geometry of the tangential members of the first and second arm, and first and second tangential members, are selected such that the ends of at least the first, second and third arm releasably engage with an optical device in a self-centering manner, such that when the electronic device is held in the retained and aligned state so that the optical axis of the electronic device is aligned to the alignment axis of the main body, the electronic device can releasably engage with an optical device or object in a self-centering manner relative to the optical axis of the electronic device.

A self-centering method to retain an object, wherein the self-centering mechanism comprises:

• a main body having an alignment axis and at least a first pivot axis, a second pivot axis, and a third pivot axis, such that at least the first pivot axis, the second pivot axis and the third pivot axis are rotationally asymmetric relative to the alignment axis, a first arm rotatable about the first pivot axis, and having at least one surface and at least one end, a second arm rotatable about the second pivot axis, and having at least one surface and at least one end, a first member, a second member, a first tangential member, having at least one surface, said surface of the first tangential member being in tangential contact with the said surface of the first member, a second tangential member, having at least one surface, said surface of the second tangential member being in tangential contact with the said surface of the second member, a third arm having at least one end, said third arm being mechanically connected to or a part of said first tangential member, and at least one bias member, and wherein the bias member preferentially rotates at least one end of a member towards the central axis, wherein the shapes of the surfaces of the first and second arm, and first and second tangential members, are selected such that the ends of at least the first, second and third arm releasably engage with an object in a self-centering manner, wherein the method compromises the steps of:
• pressing the first and second arms in conjunction, such that pressing both arms causes the ends of at least the first, second and third arms to move away from the alignment axis in a self-centering manner,
• inserting the object into the self-centering mechanism,
• releasing both the first and second arms, such that the ends of at least the first, second and third arms to move towards the alignment axis in a self-centering manner, and then releasably engage with the object in a self-centering manner.

A self-centering method to retain an object having a center, wherein the self-centering mechanism comprises:

• a main body having an alignment axis and at least a first pivot axis, a second pivot axis, and a third pivot axis, such that at least the first pivot axis, the second pivot axis and the third pivot axis are rotationally asymmetric relative to the alignment axis, wherein the fixed alignment axis is parallel to at least one of the first pivot, second pivot axis, or third pivot axis, and at least the first pivot, second axis and third axis are all mutually parallel, a first arm rotatable about the first pivot axis, and having at least one first arm tangential member and at least one end, a second arm rotatable about the second pivot axis, and having at least one second arm tangential member and at least one end, a third arm rotatable about the third pivot axis, and having at least one third arm tangential member and at least one end, wherein the geometry of at least the first of the first arm tangential member, second arm tangential member and third arm tangential member are such that at least the first end of each of at least the first, second, and third arm move in a self-centering manner about the fixed alignment axis to retain and align an object, wherein the method comprises the steps of:
• pressing the first and second arms in conjunction, such that pressing both the first and second arms causes at least the first end of each of at least the first, second and third arms to rotate away from the alignment axis in a self-centering manner,
• inserting the object into the self-centering mechanism, releasing both the first and second arms, such that at least the first end of each of at least the first, second and third arms to rotate towards the alignment axis in a self-centering manner, to releasably retain and align the object.