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 .- 60 . (canceled) 
     
     
         61 . A mount system for supporting a device, comprising:
 a carrier member comprising a planar first interconnect portion and a second interconnect portion;   a magnet disposed adjacent to the planar first interconnect portion, wherein the magnet is shaped to define a concentrated magnetic field adjacent to and extending away from the planar first interconnect portion, and wherein an over-molded enclosure is formed about the magnet to define the planar first interconnect portion such that the magnet is enveloped within the over-molded enclosure; and   an attachment member operatively associable with a device and including a planar interface surface, the attachment member comprising a magnetically interactive portion that does not include a magnet that is configured for magnetic engagement between the planar interface surface of the attachment member and the planar first interconnect portion of the carrier member to supportably engage the device at the carrier member, wherein the device is supportably engageable at the planar first interconnect portion by magnetic engagement of the attachment member with the planar first interconnect portion of the carrier member.   
     
     
         62 . The mount system according to  claim 61 , wherein the magnet is operable to register the planar interface surface of the attachment member relative to the planar first interconnect portion. 
     
     
         63 . The mount system according to  claim 62 , wherein the magnet provides repeatable positional registration between the attachment member and the carrier member. 
     
     
         64 . The mount system according to  claim 63 , wherein the repeatable positional registration comprises centered engagement of the attachment member with respect to the carrier member. 
     
     
         65 . The mount system according to  claim 64 , wherein the magnet is disposed in a cup to shape the concentrated magnetic field, and wherein the magnet and the cup are disposed in the over-molded enclosure. 
     
     
         66 . The mount system according to  claim 65 , wherein the over-molded enclosure comprises a rim about the planar first interconnect portion sized relative to the attachment member, wherein the rim is beveled to assist in the centered engagement of the attachment member relative to the carrier member. 
     
     
         67 . The mount system according to  claim 61 , wherein the attachment member is a shape corresponding to a shape of the planar first interconnect portion. 
     
     
         68 . The mount system according to  claim 61 , wherein the attachment member has a shape different than the shape of the planar first interconnect portion such that at least a portion of the attachment member overhangs the planar first interconnect portion when the carrier member is in contact with the attachment member. 
     
     
         69 . The mount system according to  claim 61 , wherein the attachment member comprises an annular disk. 
     
     
         70 . The mount system according to  claim 61 , wherein the attachment member is secured directly to the device. 
     
     
         71 . The mount system according to  claim 70 , wherein the attachment member is secured to the device by an adhesive. 
     
     
         72 . The mount system according to  claim 61 , wherein the attachment member comprises an integrated portion of a case engaged with the device. 
     
     
         73 . The mount system according to  claim 61 , wherein the device comprises an integrated attachment member. 
     
     
         74 . The mount system according to  claim 61 , wherein the attachment member is supportably engaged by the carrier member only by magnetic interaction between the magnet and the magnetically interactive portion. 
     
     
         75 . The mount system according to  claim 61 , wherein the carrier member is supportably engaged by a base member and the carrier member is selectively positionable relative to the base member. 
     
     
         76 . A mount system according to  claim 75 , wherein the second interconnect portion comprises a concave surface area. 
     
     
         77 . A mount system according to  claim 76 , wherein at least a portion of the concave surface area is supportively contactable and conformably engageable with the base member. 
     
     
         78 . The mount system according to  claim 61 , wherein the planar first interconnect portion defines a reference plane, the carrier member is disposed on a first side of the reference plane and the device is disposed on a second side of the reference plane opposite the first side; and no portion of the device is disposed on the first side of the reference plane. 
     
     
         79 . The mount system according to  claim 61 , further comprising:
 a bulbous member comprising a convexly shaped surface area, wherein at least a portion of the convexly shaped surface area comprises an unobstructed portion; and   wherein the second interconnect portion of the carrier member comprising a concave surface area for conformal adjacent engagement with the convexly shaped surface area, and wherein at least a portion of the concave surface area is supportively contactable with the convexly shaped 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.   
     
     
         80 . The mount system according to  claim 79 , further comprising:
 a second magnet disposed adjacent to the second interconnect portion to establish magnetic interaction between the carrier member and the bulbous member, wherein the planar first interconnect portion and the second interconnect portion are disposed on opposite ends of the carrier member, and wherein the magnet and the second magnet produce magnetic fields with different properties such that a strength of the magnetic field at the second interconnect portion is less than a strength of the concentrated magnetic field at the planar first interconnect portion.