Interchangeable socket accessory for a portable electronic device

Abstract

An expandable socket includes a body having a first end, a second end, and a longitudinal axis. The body is movable between an expanded configuration and a collapsed configuration. A platform has a bore sized to receive the second end of the body. The bore is axially aligned with the longitudinal axis of the body. A locking member is disposed between the body and the platform and rotatably and releasably couples the body to the platform. The locking member is movable between an unlocked configuration, in which the body is removable from the platform, and a locked configuration, in which the body is secured to the platform.

What is claimed: 
     
         1 . An expandable socket accessory for a portable device, the accessory comprising:
 a body including a first end, a second end, and a longitudinal axis, the body movable between an expanded configuration and a collapsed configuration;   a platform having a bore sized to receive the second end of the body, the bore axially aligned with the longitudinal axis of the body; and   a locking member arranged to rotatably and releasably couple the body to the platform, the locking member movable between an unlocked configuration, in which the body is removable from the platform, and a locked configuration, in which the body is secured to the platform.   
     
     
         2 . The accessory of  claim 1 , wherein the locking member is removably coupled to the platform. 
     
     
         3 . The accessory of  claim 1 , wherein the locking member includes a first mating portion and a second mating portion, the first mating portion rotatably coupled to the platform when the locking member is in the locked configuration and removable from the platform when the locking member is in the unlocked configuration, the second mating portion configured to engage the body. 
     
     
         4 . The accessory of  claim 3 , wherein the first mating portion of the locking member is deformable, wherein the first mating portion deforms as the locking member moves from the unlocked configuration to the locked configuration. 
     
     
         5 . The accessory of  claim 3 , where in the platform includes a connecting member configured to engage the first mating portion of the locking member. 
     
     
         6 . The accessory of  claim 5 , wherein the first mating portion is configured to slide against the connecting member of the platform and to deform when the locking member moves between the unlocked configuration and the locked configuration. 
     
     
         7 . The accessory of  claim 1 , wherein the first end of the body is adapted to receive a removable button and the second end of the body is fixedly attached to the locking member. 
     
     
         8 . The accessory of  claim 1 , wherein the platform includes a wall surrounding a cavity at least partially defined by the bore and a shelf extending away from the wall and into the cavity, the shelf configured to engage the locking member when the locking member is in the locked configuration. 
     
     
         9 . The accessory of  claim 8 , wherein the shelf includes a ramp and a groove, the groove sized to receive the locking member when the locking member is in the locked configuration. 
     
     
         10 . The accessory of  claim 9 , wherein the ramp of the shelf is angled to slidingly receive a portion of the locking member as the locking member moves from the unlocked configuration to the locked configuration, the ramp configured to abut the portion of the locking member when the locking member is in the locked configuration. 
     
     
         11 . An expandable socket for a mobile electronic device, the socket comprising:
 a body having a first end, a second end, and a collapsible wall extending between the first end and the second end;   a platform; and   a locking member disposed between the body and the platform to removably and rotatably couple the body to the platform, the locking member comprising:
 a first mating portion configured to removably engage the platform; and 
 a second mating portion configured to engage the body. 
   
     
     
         12 . The socket of  claim 11 , wherein the second mating portion of the locking member is fixedly attached to the second end of the body. 
     
     
         13 . The socket of  claim 12 , wherein the first mating portion includes a wing extending outwardly from the second mating portion of the locking member, and wherein the platform includes a groove sized to receive the wing of the locking member. 
     
     
         14 . The socket of  claim 11 , wherein the platform includes a bore, a wall surrounding the bore, and a shelf protruding away from the wall and into a cavity of the bore, wherein the first mating portion of the locking member rotatably and releasably couples to the platform. 
     
     
         15 . The socket of  claim 14 , wherein the first mating portion comprises a detent and the platform comprises a protrusion extending into the cavity of the platform, the detent sized to receive the protrusion of the platform. 
     
     
         16 . The socket of  claim 14 , wherein the shelf includes a first end having a sloped surface, the sloped surface engaging the first mating portion of the locking member when the locking member moves from an unlocked configuration to a locked configuration. 
     
     
         17 . The socket of  claim 16 , wherein the shelf includes a second end having a sloped surface, the sloped surface of the second end separated from the sloped surface of the first end by a groove. 
     
     
         18 . The socket of  claim 16 , wherein the shelf includes a second end having a stop spaced from the sloped surface of the first end by a groove. 
     
     
         19 . The socket of  claim 14 , wherein the shelf includes a first side and a second side, the second side including an inclined surface, a declined surface, and a groove disposed between the inclined and declined surfaces of the shelf, and wherein the groove is sized to receive the first mating portion of the locking member. 
     
     
         20 . The socket of  claim 11 , wherein the second mating portion of the locking member includes a bore and a wall surrounding the bore of the locking member, wherein the bore is sized to receive the second end of the body. 
     
     
         21 . The socket of  claim 20 , wherein the first mating portion includes a deformable wing extending outwardly from the wall of the second mating portion, the wing adapted to slide against the platform and deform. 
     
     
         22 . The socket of  claim 11 , wherein the second mating portion of the locking member includes an flange extending inwardly relative to a longitudinal axis of the locking member, the flange adapted to removably couple to the second end of the body. 
     
     
         23 . The socket of  claim 14 , wherein the groove is formed in the wall of the platform. 
     
     
         24 . A method of attaching an expandable socket to a portable device or a case for the portable device, the method comprising:
 attaching a platform to a surface of a portable device or a case for the portable device;   rotatably coupling a first socket body to the platform via a locking member disposed between the first socket body and the platform;   removing the first socket body from the platform; and   rotatably coupling a second socket body, different from the first socket body, to the platform via the locking member.   
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 24 , further comprising attaching the locking member to an end of the first socket body prior to rotatably coupling the first socket body to the platform. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein attaching the locking member to the first socket body includes snap-fitting an end of the first socket body to a flange of the locking member. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein rotatably coupling the first socket body includes first coupling the first socket body to the locking member, sliding a wing of the locking member through a bore of the platform, and rotating the first socket body relative to the platform to dispose the wing of the locking member into a groove of the platform. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein rotatably coupling includes rotating the first socket body in a first direction about the longitudinal axis. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 28 , further comprising removing the first socket body from the platform by rotating the first socket body in a second direction about the longitudinal axis, wherein the second direction is opposite the first direction. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 28 , further comprising removing the first socket body from the platform by rotating the first socket body in the first direction about the longitudinal axis. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 24 , further comprising attaching a button to the first end of the first socket body. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 31 , further comprising removing the button from the first end of the first socket body and attaching a different button to the first end of the first socket body.