Quick connect electronic device mount
AssigneeBrodit AB
InventorCurt Stefan Nyberg
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A frame assembly is configured to retain an electronic device such as a tablet computer between a frame and a back plate to expose the device's female connector. The back plate is positionable to overlie a base plate of a base assembly. A male plug is mounted on a pedestal to extend parallel to the base plate. The back plate and the base plate have a mating sliding connection with a mounting block with portions projecting into an opposed mounting slot. The connection guides the frame assembly to accurately engage the device female connector with the base assembly male plug. A latch releasably secures the frame assembly in its connected position with the base assembly.
Claims21
A mounting assembly for an electronic device comprising:
- a base assembly having a base plate with a first mounting block projecting frontwardly therefrom, and a pedestal extending frontwardly from the base plate and having a male plug projecting above the base plate, the male plug being spaced from the first mounting block in a first direction;
- and
- a frame assembly configured to retain an electronic device therein while exposing a female connector of the electronic device for access, the frame assembly having a frame having a front opening configured to provide access to a display screen of an electronic device and a back plate releasably fastened to the frame for receiving the electronic device between the frame and the back plate, wherein the back plate of the frame assembly is positioned to overlie the base plate, wherein portions of the back plate of the frame assembly have a rearwardly opening first mounting slot, wherein the first mounting slot has an engagement segment which has a first width in a second direction which is perpendicular to the first direction, an entry segment which has a width in the second direction which is greater than the first width, and a converging positioning segment which connects the entry segment to the engagement segment, wherein the first mounting slot is positioned for sliding engagement with the first mounting block, such that once the first mounting block is engaged with the first mounting slot, sliding movement of the frame assembly with respect to the first mounting block in the first direction towards the pedestal engages the frame assembly with the base assembly in alignment with the male plug of the pedestal to thereby mate the female connector of the electronic device with the male plug of the base assembly after the first mounting block has been engaged with the first mounting slot, and once the first mounting block is engaged within the first mounting slot, movement of the frame assembly with respect to the base assembly is limited in directions other than the first direction.
A frame assembly for an electronic device configured for sliding engagement to a base assembly having a projecting first mounting block and second mounting block, the frame assembly comprising:
- a frame having a front opening configured to provide access to a display screen of an electronic device;
- a back plate releasably fastened to the frame for receiving an electronic device between the frame and the back plate, wherein the frame and the back plate define an access opening configured to expose a female connector of the electronic device contained therein for access, wherein the access opening is located at a connection end of the frame assembly;
- wherein the back plate has a rearwardly facing rear surface, and wherein portions of the back plate define a rearwardly facing first mounting slot recessed from the rear surface, and wherein a first direction is defined between the first mounting slot and the connection end, the first mounting slot positioned for sliding engagement with the first mounting block of the base assembly;
- portions of the back plate which define a rearwardly facing second mounting slot which is recessed from the rear surface, and spaced in the first direction from the first mounting slot and the connection end, the second mounting slot positioned for sliding engagement with the second mounting block of the base assembly;
- wherein each of the first mounting slot and the second mounting slot has an entry segment which communicates with an engagement segment, wherein each entry segment is closer to the connection end than the communicating engagement segment, and wherein the entry segment has a width in a second direction which is perpendicular to the first direction, and the engagement segment has a width in the second direction which is less than the entry segment width, wherein each engagement segment has projecting side lips with recesses frontward of the side lips, such that the first mounting slot and the second mounting slot are configured to receive corresponding mounting blocks on the base assembly within the entry segments for sliding engagement into the engagement segments;
- and
- wherein the first mounting slot has a converging positioning segment which connects the entry segment of the first mounting slot to the engagement segment of the first mounting slot.
A mounting assembly for an electronic device comprising:
- a base assembly having a base plate and a pedestal extending frontwardly from a first end of the base plate and having a male plug projecting parallel to the base plate;
- and
- a frame assembly configured to retain an electronic device therein while exposing a female connector of the electronic device for access, the frame assembly having a frame having a front opening configured to provide access to a display screen of the electronic device and a back plate releasably fastened to the frame for receiving the electronic device between the frame and the back plate, wherein the back plate of the frame assembly is positioned to overlie the base plate, the direction between the base plate and the back plate defining a vertical direction;
- a first mounting block having portions projecting in the vertical direction into a first mounting slot, wherein the first mounting block is fixed to one of the base plate and the back plate, and the first mounting slot is positioned on the other of the base plate and the back plate to form a sliding connection between the base assembly and the frame assembly, and wherein the male plug is spaced from the sliding connection in a first direction, and wherein the first mounting slot initially engages the first mounting block at a position where the male plug does not engage the exposed female connector;
- and
- wherein the first mounting slot is positioned for sliding engagement with the first mounting block in the first direction, such that sliding movement of the frame assembly with respect to the base assembly in the first direction towards the pedestal engages the frame assembly with the base assembly in alignment with the male plug of the pedestal to thereby mate the female connector of the electronic device with the male plug of the base assembly;
- a latch which releasably connects the frame assembly and the base assembly, the latch being located on the first end of the base assembly;
- wherein the base plate has a front surface, and wherein the frame assembly when connected to the base assembly has portions which extend sidewardly in a direction perpendicular to the first direction beyond the base plate front surface at the first end of the base assembly.
A base assembly for releasably receiving thereon a frame assembly configured to retain an electronic device therein while exposing a female connector of the electronic device for access, the frame assembly having a back plate which is positioned to overlie the base assembly to present a mounting slot facing the base assembly, the direction between the base assembly and the back plate defining a vertical direction, the base assembly comprising:
- a base plate and a pedestal extending frontwardly from the base plate and having a male plug projecting parallel to the base plate;
- and
- a first mounting element having a first mounting block which extends frontwardly from a mounting block plate, the mounting block plate being fixed to the base plate, the first mounting block having portions projecting in the vertical direction to be received within the first mounting slot in a sliding connection, wherein the male plug is spaced from the first mounting block in a first direction;
- wherein the first mounting block has a first thickness in the vertical direction, and wherein a second direction is defined perpendicular to the first direction, and wherein the first mounting block has two opposed side ridges spaced from one another in the second direction and projecting outwardly in the second direction;
- wherein portions of the first mounting block define block slots extending in the first direction, each block slot spaced in the second direction from one of the two opposed side ridges, thereby defining two deflectable spring members, the opposed side ridges extending outwardly from the two deflectable spring members, wherein the block slots formed in the first mounting block extend entirely through the first thickness, the deflectable spring members being deflectable towards one another when engaged with the first mounting slot;
- and
- wherein the first mounting block is disposed for sliding engagement with the first mounting slot and movement in the first direction, such that sliding movement of the frame assembly with respect to the base assembly in the first direction towards the pedestal engages the frame assembly with the base assembly in alignment with the male plug of the pedestal to thereby mate the female connector of the electronic device with the male plug of the base assembly.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.