# US 2019/0245960 A1 · Spinning Accessory for a Mobile Electronic Device > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2019/0245960 A1 - Document ID: US20190245960A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 16/248,339 - Filed: 2019-01-15 - Published: 2019-08-08 - Earliest claimed: 2018-01-08 - Assignees: Popsockets LLC - Applicants: Popsockets LLC - Inventors: Altan Nahum; David B. Barnett; Tony L. Torrance - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190245960A1 ## CPC - H04M 1/04: Supports for telephone transmitters or receivers - A45F 5/00: Holders or carriers for hand articles; Holders or carriers for use while travelling or camping - A45F 5/1533: {Holders or carriers for cameras} - F16M 11/041: {Allowing quick release of the apparatus} - F16M 11/046: {adapted to upward-downward translation movement} - F16M 11/08: around a vertical axis {, e.g. panoramic heads (F16M11/12 takes precedence)} - F16M 11/16: Details concerning attachment of head-supporting legs, with or without actuation of locking members thereof - F16M 11/2014: {around a vertical axis (F16M11/2035 takes precedence)} - F16M 11/38: by folding {, e.g. pivoting or scissors tong mechanisms} - F16M 13/00: Other supports for positioning apparatus or articles (heads thereof F16M11/02 {; undercarriages thereof F16M11/20} ; adapted to be stuck in the ground A45F3/44 {; sockets or holders for poles or posts E04H12/22}); Means for steadying hand-held apparatus or articles {(supports for measuring instruments G01D11/30; supports for casings of remote control switching devices H01H9/025)} - A45F 5/1508: {Holders or carriers for portable audio devices, e.g. headphones or digital music players} - A45F 5/1516: {Holders or carriers for portable handheld communication devices, e.g. pagers or smart phones} - A45F 5/1525: {Holders or carriers for portable computing devices, e.g. laptops, tablets or calculators} - A45F 2005/008: {Hand articles fastened to the wrist or to the arm or to the leg} - H04B 1/3888: Arrangements for carrying or protecting transceivers - H04M: TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION (circuits for controlling other apparatus via a telephone cable and not involving telephone switching apparatus G08) - A45F: TRAVELLING OR CAMP EQUIPMENT: SACKS OR PACKS CARRIED ON THE BODY - F16M: FRAMES, CASINGS OR BEDS OF ENGINES, MACHINES OR APPARATUS, NOT SPECIFIC TO ENGINES, MACHINES OR APPARATUS PROVIDED FOR ELSEWHERE; STANDS; SUPPORTS - H04B: TRANSMISSION ## Abstract A spinning accessory for use with a socket accessory attached to a mobile electronic device. The spinning accessory includes a bearing assembly sized to receive the socket accessory, and a gripping member carried by an inner surface of the bearing assembly. The bearing assembly facilitates rotation of a portion of the spinning accessory relative to the socket accessory. The gripping member is adapted to securely engage a portion of the socket accessory. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A spinning accessory for use with a socket accessory attached to a mobile electronic device, the spinning accessory comprising: an inner ring defining a central opening sized to receive the socket accessory; an outer ring surrounding the inner ring; one or more balls arranged between the inner ring and the outer ring, the one or more balls configured to facilitate rotation between the inner ring and the outer ring such that the mobile electronic device is rotatable relative to a portion of the spinning accessory; and a gripping member carried by an inner surface of the inner ring, the gripping member adapted to securely engage a portion of the socket accessory. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The spinning accessory of claim 1, wherein the outer ring is fixed and the inner ring is rotatable relative to the outer ring. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The spinning accessory of claim 1, further comprising a gripping rim carried by the outer ring. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The spinning accessory of claim 1, wherein the gripping member comprises at least one of a gripping surface, one or more projections, one or more magnets, or one or more annular recesses. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The spinning accessory of claim 1, wherein the gripping member comprises a gripping surface. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The spinning accessory of claim 5, wherein the gripping surface is made of a rubber or gel material. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The spinning accessory of claim 1, wherein the one or more balls comprise a plurality of balls arranged circumferentially around the inner ring. ### Claim 8 A spinning accessory for use with a socket accessory attached to a mobile electronic device, the spinning accessory comprising: a bearing assembly sized to receive the socket accessory, wherein the bearing assembly facilitates rotation of a portion of the spinning accessory relative to the socket accessory; a gripping member carried by an inner surface of the bearing assembly, the gripping member adapted to securely engage a portion of the socket accessory; and a gripping rim carried by an outer surface of the bearing assembly. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The spinning accessory of claim 8, wherein the bearing assembly comprises a ball bearing assembly including: an inner ring sized to receive the socket accessory; an outer ring surrounding the inner ring, wherein the inner ring and the outer ring are rotatable relative to one another such that the spinning accessory is rotatable relative to the socket accessory; and a plurality of balls arranged between the inner ring and the outer ring, the plurality of balls configured to facilitate rotation between the inner ring and the outer ring, wherein the gripping member is carried by an inner surface of the inner ring and the gripping rim is carried by the outer ring. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The spinning accessory of claim 8, wherein the gripping member comprises at least one of a gripping surface, one or more projections, one or more magnets, or one or more annular recesses. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The spinning accessory of claim 8, wherein the gripping member comprises a gripping surface. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The spinning accessory of claim 11, wherein the gripping surface is made of a rubber or gel material. ### Claim 13 An assembly of accessories for a portable media player, the assembly comprising: a socket accessory for attachment to the portable media player or a case for the portable media player, the socket comprising: a platform for attaching the socket accessory to the portable media player or the case for the portable media player; and a button spaced relative to the platform; and a spinning accessory attachable to the button of the socket accessory, the spinning accessory comprising: a bearing assembly configured to facilitate rotation of a portion of the spinning accessory relative to the socket accessory; and a gripping member carried by an inner surface of the bearing assembly and configured to securely engage a surface of the button to attach the spinning accessory to the socket accessory. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The assembly of claim 13, wherein the button is movable relative to the platform such that the socket accessory is extendable. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The assembly of claim 13, wherein the socket accessory is extendable along an axis, and wherein the spinning accessory is rotatable relative to the socket accessory about the axis. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) The assembly of claim 13, wherein the socket accessory further comprises a skin coupled to the platform, wherein the skin is deformable between a collapsed configuration and an expanded configuration. ### Claim 17 (depends on 13) The assembly of claim 13, wherein the button is coupled to the skin opposite the platform. ### Claim 18 (depends on 13) The assembly of claim 13, wherein the bearing assembly comprises: an inner ring defining a central opening sized to receive the button of the socket accessory; an outer ring surrounding the inner ring, wherein the inner ring and the outer ring are rotatable relative to one another; one or more balls arranged between the inner ring and the outer ring, the one or more balls configured to facilitate rotation between the inner ring and the outer ring, and wherein the gripping member is carried by an inner surface of the inner ring. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The assembly of claim 18, wherein the outer ring is fixed and the inner ring is rotatable relative to the outer ring. ### Claim 20 (depends on 18) The assembly of claim 18, further comprising a gripping rim carried by the outer ring. ### Claim 21 (depends on 13) The assembly of claim 13, wherein the gripping member comprises at least one of a gripping surface, one or more projections, one or more magnets, or one or more annular recesses. ### Claim 22 An expandable spinning accessory for a portable media player, the accessory comprising: a platform for attaching the spinning accessory to the portable media player or a case for the portable media player; a skin coupled to the platform, wherein the skin is deformable between a collapsed configuration and an expanded configuration; a button coupled to the skin opposite the platform; a bearing assembly coupled to the skin and to the button, the bearing assembly configured to facilitate rotation of the button relative to the skin. ### Claim 23 (depends on 22) The expandable spinning accessory of claim 22, further comprising a frame coupled to the skin, wherein the bearing assembly is carried by the frame. ### Claim 24 (depends on 22) The expandable spinning accessory of claim 22, wherein the bearing assembly comprises: an inner ring defining a central opening sized to receive the button of the socket accessory; an outer ring surrounding the inner ring, wherein the inner ring and the outer ring are rotatable relative to one another; and one or more balls arranged between the inner ring and the outer ring, the one or more balls configured to facilitate rotation between the inner ring and the outer ring. ### Claim 25 (depends on 24) The expandable spinning accessory of claim 24, wherein the outer ring is fixed and the inner ring is rotatable relative to the outer ring. ### Claim 26 (depends on 24) The expandable spinning accessory of claim 24, further comprising a frame coupled to the skin, wherein the outer ring of the bearing assembly is coupled to the frame.