Apparatus and methods for supporting an article

Abstract

A mount for supportably engaging an article. The mount includes a bulbous member that may include a convexly shaped surface area. The convexly shaped surface area may be supportively contactable with a first interconnect portion of a carrier member. An attachment member that is operatively associable with a device may be removably engageable with a second interconnect portion of the carrier member. The carrier member may be moved throughout a continuum of positions defined by the convexly curved surface area of the bulbous member. Additionally, the bulbous member may be supportably engaged by a variety of embodiments of support structures for supporting or mounting the mount.

1 .- 53 . (canceled) 
     
     
         54 . An apparatus for use in establishing electrical communication between a device and a power source when the device is supportably engaged with a mount, comprising:
 an attachment member attachably associable with the device and removably attachable to a carrier member having at least one electrical connector, wherein the device is supportably engageable by the carrier member when the attachment member is attached to the carrier member; and wherein the attachment member comprises at least one electrically conductive portion disposed for corresponding relation with the electrical connector upon supportive engagement of the attachment member to the carrier member such that the at least one electrically conducive portion is in contactable engagement with the at least one electrical connector when the attachment member is attached to the carrier member; and   an electrically conductive path in electrical communication with the electrically conductive portion, wherein the electrical communication path is in electrical communication with a port of the device;   wherein the attachment member and the carrier member comprise corresponding magnetic portions operable to produce magnetic interaction between the attachment member and the carrier member to establish the removable attachment of the attachment member to the carrier member.   
     
     
         55 . An apparatus according to  claim 54 , wherein a plurality of electrically conducive portions are provided on the attachment member that are disposed in corresponding relation with a corresponding plurality of electrical connectors of the carrier member upon attachment of the attachment member to the carrier member. 
     
     
         56 . An apparatus according to  claim 55 , wherein the electrically conductive portion comprise a connector mateably engageable with the port. 
     
     
         57 . An apparatus according to  claim 56 , wherein the attachment member is attached to the device, and wherein the electrically conducive path extends along at least a portion of the device between the attachment member and the port. 
     
     
         58 . An apparatus according to  claim 57 , wherein the electrically conducive path extends from the attachment member in a direction corresponding to the port of the device. 
     
     
         59 . An apparatus according to  claim 58 , wherein the attachment member, electrically conducive path, and connector are provided in relation to a case conformably engageable with the device. 
     
     
         60 . An apparatus according to  claim 59 , wherein the case, the connector, and the electrically conductive path are preconfigured for interaction with the device. 
     
     
         61 . A mount for supporting a device, the mount comprising:
 a bulbous member that is supportably engageable with a base, the bulbous member comprising a convexly curved surface area, wherein at least a portion of the convexly curved surface area is unobstructed;   a carrier member comprising:
 a first interconnect portion comprising a concave surface area for conformal adjacent engagement with the convexly curved surface area, wherein at least a portion of the concave surface area is supportively contactable with the convexly curved surface area, and wherein the concave surface area is selectively positionable with respect to the convexly shaped surface area throughout a continuum of positions across the unobstructed portion of the convexly shaped surface area, and 
 a second interconnect portion engageable with a device for supportive engagement of the device at the second interconnect portion; 
   wherein the bulbous member and the carrier member each comprises a magnetic portion, at least one of the magnetic portions comprise at least one magnet, wherein magnetic interaction between respective ones of the magnetic portions is operable to selectively establish the supportive contact between the convexly curved surface area and the concave surface.   
     
     
         62 . A mount according to  claim 61 , wherein the magnetic portion of the carrier member comprises the at least one magnet and the magnetic portion of the bulbous member comprises a magnetically interactive portion attractable to the magnet. 
     
     
         63 . A mount according to  claim 62 , wherein the first interconnect portion is disposed on a first end portion of the carrier member and the second interconnect portion is disposed on a second end portion of the carrier member. 
     
     
         64 . A mount according to  claim 63 , wherein the first end portion and the second end portion are disposed on opposite ends of the carrier member. 
     
     
         65 . A mount according to  claim 64 , wherein the at least one magnet is disposed at least partially between the first end portion and the second end portion. 
     
     
         66 . A mount according to  claim 61 , wherein the concave surface area provides for conformal surface to surface contact between the concave surface area and the convexly curved surface area across substantially all of the concave surface area. 
     
     
         67 . A mount according to  claim 61 , wherein the magnetic interaction between the magnetic portions of the bulbous member and the carrier member maintains the concave surface area stationary with respect to the convexly curved surface area. 
     
     
         68 . A mount according to  claim 67 , wherein an external force acting on the carrier member is required to move the carrier member throughout the continuum of positions of the convexly curved surface area 
     
     
         69 . A mount according to  claim 68 , wherein the convexly curved surface area comprises an at least partially spherical surface. 
     
     
         70 . A mount according to  claim 69 , wherein the bulbous member is substantially spherical and the unobstructed portion of the convexly curved surface area comprises at least a majority of the spherical surface area of the at least partially spherical surface. 
     
     
         71 . A mount according to  claim 70 , wherein the second interconnect portion is substantially planar. 
     
     
         72 . A mount according to  claim 71 , wherein the second interconnect portion is operatively attached to a case engageable with the device. 
     
     
         73 . A mount according to  claim 61 , wherein the supportive contact of the concave surface area with respect to the convexly curved surface area is established only by the magnetic interaction between the carrier member and the bulbous member.