Mobile device holder

Abstract

A mobile device holder includes a holding portion having a pair of opposed holding portion arms, a lower edge at a base of the holding portion, an upper pivot assembly affixed to the holding portion and configured to pivot about an upper axis extending through a plane defined between the pair of opposed holding portion arms, a lower pivot assembly affixed to the upper pivot assembly and configured to pivot about a lower axis generally perpendicular to the upper axis, and a base affixed to the lower pivot assembly, wherein the holding portion, lower edge and upper pivot assembly are pivotable about the lower axis relative to the base.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A mobile device holder comprising:
 a holding portion having a pair of opposed holding portion arms;   a shelf at a base of the holding portion;   an upper pivot assembly affixed to the holding portion and configured to pivot about an upper axis extending through a plane defined between the pair of opposed holding portion arms;   a lower pivot assembly affixed to the upper pivot assembly and configured to pivot about a lower axis generally perpendicular to the upper axis; and   a mount affixed to the lower pivot assembly, wherein the holding portion, shelf and upper pivot assembly are pivotable about the lower axis relative to the mount.   
     
     
         2 . The mobile device holder according to  claim 1 , wherein the upper axis perpendicularly extends through the plane defined between the pair of opposed holding portion arms. 
     
     
         3 . The mobile device holder according to  claim 1 , wherein each arm of the pair of opposed holding portion arms is a generally U-shaped channel. 
     
     
         4 . The mobile device holder according to  claim 1 , wherein each arm of the pair of opposed holding portion arms is generally L-shaped. 
     
     
         5 . The mobile device holder according to  claim 1 , further comprising a ramp depending from the shelf. 
     
     
         6 . The mobile device holder according to  claim 5 , wherein the ramp depends from the shelf from an opposite side of the shelf as the pair of opposed holding portion arms. 
     
     
         7 . The mobile device holder according to  claim 1 , wherein the mount is attachable to a shopping cart. 
     
     
         8 . The mobile device holder according to  claim 7 , wherein the mount is attachable to a collapsible basket of the shopping cart. 
     
     
         9 . The mobile device holder according to  claim 1 , further comprising a front section and a rear section defined between the pair of opposed holding portion arms, wherein one of the front section and the rear section is open. 
     
     
         10 . The mobile device holder according to  claim 9 , wherein the other of the front section and the rear section is generally closed. 
     
     
         11 . The mobile device holder according to  claim 1 , further comprising an arm spring connected to one holding portion arm of the pair of opposed holding portion arms, the arm spring configured to bias the mobile device toward the other holding portion arm of the pair of opposed holding portion arms. 
     
     
         12 . The mobile device holder according to  claim 1 , further comprising a pair of arm springs respectively connected to the pair of opposed holding portion arms such that the pair of arm springs inwardly biases the pair of opposed holding portion arms toward each other. 
     
     
         13 . The mobile device holder according to  claim 12 , further comprising a spring assembly insertable between the pair of opposed holding portion arms, the spring assembly comprising the pair of arm springs. 
     
     
         14 . The mobile device holder according to  claim 12 , where the pair of arm springs is a pair of tape springs. 
     
     
         15 . The mobile device holder according to  claim 5 , wherein the ramp is generally V-shaped. 
     
     
         16 . The mobile device holder according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one wall of both holding portion arms of the pair of opposed holding portion arms extends in a direction oblique to the plane defined between the pair of opposed holding portion arms. 
     
     
         17 . The mobile device holder according to  claim 1 , wherein the pair of opposed holding portion arms is parallel. 
     
     
         18 . The mobile device holder according to  claim 1 , further comprising a support shaft affixing the lower pivot assembly to the upper pivot assembly. 
     
     
         19 . The mobile device holder according to  claim 18 , wherein:
 the support shaft comprises a bend dividing the support shaft into upper and lower ends;   the upper end and lower end in parallel; and   the support shaft aligns a pivot axis of the upper pivot assembly with a center of an axial length of the lower pivot assembly.   
     
     
         20 . The mobile device holder according to  claim 1 , wherein the upper pivot assembly provides for the pivoting of the holding portion between a range of approximately 0 degrees and approximately 90 degrees. 
     
     
         21 . The mobile device holder according to  claim 5 , wherein the ramp depends from the shelf at an angle oblique to the plane defined between the pair of opposed holding portion arms. 
     
     
         22 . The mobile device holder according to  claim 1 , further comprising an expansion holding portion removably insertable in the holding portion, the expansion holding portion comprising:
 a pair of opposed inner expansion holding portion walls configured be removably held between the pair of opposed holding portion arms;   a body depending from each inner expansion holding portion wall of the pair of expansion holding portion walls;   a first support depending from the body;   a second support depending from an opposite side of the body as the first support, wherein the first and second support are configured to hold a mobile device therebetween.   
     
     
         23 . The mobile device holder according to  claim 22 , where the first support and second support extend parallel to each other and in a direction parallel to a direction in which the pair of opposed inner expansion holding portion walls extends. 
     
     
         24 . The mobile device holder according to  claim 22 , wherein at least one of the first support and second support is resiliently biased toward the body. 
     
     
         25 . The mobile device holder according to  claim 22 , wherein:
 the first support comprises a pair of first prongs on opposite sides of the pair of opposed inner expansion holding portion walls; and   the second support comprises a pair of second prongs on opposite sides of the pair of opposed inner expansion holding portion walls, wherein the first and second pair of prongs are configured to hold a mobile device therebetween.   
     
     
         26 . The mobile device holder according to  claim 25 , wherein at least one of the pair of first prongs and the pair of second prongs is slidable toward the other of the pair of first prongs and the pair of second prongs, such that a distance between the pair of first prongs and the pair of second prongs is adjustable. 
     
     
         27 . The mobile device holder according to  claim 26 , wherein both the pair of first prongs and the pair of second prongs is slidable toward each other. 
     
     
         28 . The mobile device holder according to  claim 26 , further comprising a prong spring configured to inwardly bias the at least one of the pair of first prongs and the pair of second prongs, such that a distance between the pair of first prongs and the pair of second prongs is narrowed. 
     
     
         29 . The mobile device holder according to  claim 28 , wherein the prong spring is a tape spring. 
     
     
         30 . The mobile device holder according to  claim 22 , wherein:
 the body comprises a central lower contact having an irregularly-shaped surface; and   an underside of the shelf has a complimentary irregularly-shaped surface configured to matchingly engage with the irregularly-shaped surface of the body when the expansion holding portion is inserted in the holding portion.   
     
     
         31 . A mobile device holder comprising:
 a holding portion;   a pair of opposed holding portion arms each attached to an opposite side of the holding portion;   a shelf affixed to a base of the holding portion and configured to support a mobile device;   an upper pivot assembly affixed to the holding portion and configured to pivot the holding portion about an upper axis extending through a plane defined between the pair of opposed holding portion arms;   a mount affixed to the upper pivot assembly;   an edge ramp depending from the shelf;   a lower pivot assembly connected to the upper pivot assembly and configured to pivot about a lower axis generally perpendicular to the upper axis, wherein the holding portion, the pair of opposed holding portion arms, the ramp and the lower edge are pivotable together about the lower axis relative to the mount.   
     
     
         32 . The mobile device holder according to  claim 31 , wherein the holding portion, mount and edge ramp are integrally unitarily formed. 
     
     
         33 . The mobile device holder according to  claim 31 , wherein each holding portion arm of the pair of opposed holding portion arms comprises:
 an engagement portion configured to engage the mobile device; and   a wing portion depending from the engagement portion in a direction away from the holding portion.   
     
     
         34 . The mobile device holder according to  claim 33 , wherein the wing portion generally forms a 90 degree angle with the engagement portion. 
     
     
         35 . The mobile device holder according to  claim 31 , further comprising a magnet configured to magnetically engage the mobile device. 
     
     
         36 . The mobile device holder according to  claim 31 , further comprising padding affixed to each holding portion arm of the pair of opposed holding portion arms, the padding configured to engage the mobile device. 
     
     
         37 . The mobile device holder according to  claim 31 , wherein at least one holding portion arm of the pair of opposed holding portion arms is slidable along the plane defined between the pair of opposed holding portion arms, such that a distance between the pair of opposed holding portion arms is adjustable. 
     
     
         38 . The mobile device holder according to  claim 37 , further comprising a spring configured to inwardly bias the at least one holding portion arm slidably along the plane defined between the pair of opposed holding portion arms, such that a distance between the pair of opposed holding portion arms is narrowed. 
     
     
         39 . The mobile device holder according to  claim 31 , wherein the pair of opposed holding portion arms is slidable along a plane defined between the pair of opposed holding portion arms, such that a distance between the pair of opposed holding portion arms is adjustable. 
     
     
         40 . The mobile device holder according to  claim 39 , further comprising a spring configured to inwardly bias the pair of holding portion arms slidably along the plane defined between the pair of opposed holding portion arms, such that a distance between the pair of opposed holding portion arms is narrowed. 
     
     
         41 . The mobile device holder according to  claim 31 , wherein:
 the mount comprises a pair of vertical arms; and   the lower pivot assembly comprises a rotation shaft supported between the pair of vertical arms and pivotable about the lower axis.   
     
     
         42 . The mobile device holder according to  claim 31 , wherein each vertical arm of the pair of vertical arms comprises a protruding bumper. 
     
     
         43 . A shopping cart comprising:
 a main basket;   a secondary basket configured to swing upward relative to the main basket when the shopping cart is nested with another shopping cart; and   a mobile device holder comprising:
 a holding portion having a pair of opposed holding portion arms; 
 a lower edge at a base of the holding portion; 
 an upper pivot assembly affixed to the holding portion and configured to pivot about an upper axis extending through a plane defined between the pair of opposed holding portion arms; 
 a lower pivot assembly affixed to the upper pivot assembly and configured to pivot about a lower axis generally perpendicular to the upper axis; and 
 a base affixed to the lower pivot assembly and attached to the secondary basket, wherein the holding portion, lower edge and upper pivot assembly are pivotable about the lower axis relative to the base. 
   
     
     
         44 . The shopping cart according to  claim 43 , further comprising a handle for pushing the shopping cart, wherein the mobile device holder further comprises a ramp depending from the lower edge such that when the secondary basket swings upward, the ramp is engageable with the handle to pivot the holding portion, the ramp and the lower edge are pivotable about the lower axis relative to the base. 
     
     
         45 . A mobile device holder comprising:
 a holding portion;   a pair of opposed holding portion arms each attached to an opposite side of the holding portion and configured to hold a mobile device therebetween, at least one holding portion arm of the pair of opposed holding portion arms being slidable along a plane defined between the pair of opposed holding portion arms, such that a distance between the pair of opposed holding portion arms is adjustable;   a shelf affixed to a base of the holding portion; and   a mount affixed to the base.   
     
     
         46 . The mobile device holder of  claim 45 , further comprising an upper pivot assembly affixed to the holding portion and configured to pivot the holding portion about an upper axis extending through the plane defined between the pair of opposed holding portion arms. 
     
     
         47 . The mobile device holder of  claim 45 , further comprising a lower pivot assembly connected to the mount and configured to pivot about a lower axis extending parallel to the plane defined between the pair of opposed holding portion arms, wherein the holding portion, the pair of opposed holding portion arms, and the lower edge are pivotable together about the lower axis relative to the mount. 
     
     
         46 . The mobile device holder of  claim 45 , further comprising:
 an upper pivot assembly affixed to the holding portion and configured to pivot the holding portion about an upper axis extending through a plane defined between the pair of opposed holding portion arms; and   a lower pivot assembly connected to the upper pivot assembly and configured to pivot about a lower axis generally perpendicular to the upper axis, wherein the holding portion, the pair of opposed holding portion arms, and the lower edge are pivotable together about the lower axis relative to the mount.