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

A clamping device for individually retaining at least one of an electronic device and an electronic device in a case, having at least a first, second and third side, wherein the clamping device comprises:

• a main body having a first surface, a first axis and a pivot axis,
• a first holder member being rotatable about the pivot axis and having a first end,
• a bias member preferentially rotating the first end of the first holder towards the first axis,
• a second holder member having a first surface, such that when the electronic device is held in the retained state, the third side is in at least partial contact with the first surface of the main body, the first end of the first holder portion is in at least partial contact with the first side of the electronic device, the first surface of the second holder portion is in at least partial contact with the second side of the electronic device, and the electronic device is retained due to the clamping force of the bias member that occurs between the first end of the first holder and the first surface of the second holder portion.

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

• a main body having an alignment axis and at least two pivot axes, 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 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 clamping method for individually retaining at least one of an electronic device and an electronic device in a case, wherein the method utilizes a clamping device for retaining an electronic device or an electronic device in a case having at least a first, second and third side, wherein the clamping device comprises:

• a main body having a first surface, a first axis and a pivot axis, a first holder member being rotatable about the pivot axis and having a first end, a bias member preferentially rotating the first end of the first holder towards the first axis, a second holder member having a first surface, such that when the electronic device is held in the retained state, the third surface is in at least partial contact with the first surface of the main body, the first end of the holder portion is in contact with the first side of the electronic device, the first surface of the second holder portion is in contact with the second side of the electronic device, and the electronic device is retained due to the clamping force of the bias member that occurs between the first end of the first holder and the first surface of the second holder portion, wherein the method compromises the steps of:
• retracting the first holder portion away from the first axis of the main body,
• placing the third surface of the electronic device in at least partial contact with the first surface of the main body,
• releasing the first holder portion such that it can move towards the first axis of the main body.