Mounting arm

Abstract

The present invention provides for a mounting arm for receiving an electronic component, such as a DVD player that is quickly and easily strapped to the mounting arm and in turn, the mounting arm may be quickly and easily mounted to a support surface, such as a seat back of a vehicle via the mounting means provided by the mounting arm. Apertures may be provided in the mounting arm for receiving rods of a headrest of a vehicle seat for maintaining the mounting arm in a secured position.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An arm for mounting an electronic component comprising:
 an arm including a longitudinal axis, the longitudinal axis bisecting the arm and a an oblong mounting aperture formed along in the arm on the longitudinal axis and an opening formed in the arm in communication with the oblong mounting aperture; 
 a support area for receiving the electronic component thereon, the electronic component having a display screen, the support area attached to the arm; 
 an attachment member for fastening at least a portion of the electronic component to the support area in a generally horizontal orientation and the support area is pivotally attached to the arm to re-orient the position of the support area with respect to the arm; 
 a fastener disposed on the arm at a first side; 
 a pair of rods extending from a support surface; 
 the arm for attaching to the pair of rods extending from the support surface of an upright member having a rod the rods that extends extend from a the support surface, the pair of rods oriented in-line with the longitudinal axis of the arm and the support area, the longitudinal axis extending parallel to a long side of the arm so that the support area is generally positioned in-line or parallel with the longitudinal axis and the support area oriented at a second side of the arm, opposite the first side; and the arm mounted on the support surface so that the rod of the upright member and at least one rod of the pair of rods is capable of being received through the opening and is disposed inside the mounting aperture and the fastener clamping the rod within the mounting aperture to restrict lateral movement of arm with respect to the mounting aperture; and 
 the arm substantially one-piece and the mounting aperture having a generally U-shape and the arm mounted to the support area and receiving a rod and the generally U-shape substantially maintained by the mounting aperture and the fastener latching the rod within the arm. 
 
     
     
       2. The mounting arm of  claim 1 
 wherein the mounting aperture is integrally formed within the arm. 
 
     
     
       3. The mounting arm of  claim 1  wherein the upright member comprises, further comprising:
 the pair of rods supporting a head rest mounted to disposed above the support surface including a seat back and the arm mounted to at least one of the pair of rods. 
 
     
     
       4. The mounting arm of  claim 3  wherein the head rest includes a the pair of rods protruding therefrom and at least one each of the rods received by the aperture provided by the arm and the rod removeably inserted in at least one hole in the support surface. 
     
     
       5. The mounting arm of  claim 1  wherein the attachment member includes a Velcro strap attached to the support area one of an elastic strap having hook and loop fasteners, Velcro® straps, clips, clamps, fingers, magnet, ropes, strings, bungee cords, clamping boards, and hooks. 
     
     
       6. The mounting arm of  claim 1  wherein the arm includes a telescoping arm extension. 
     
     
       7. The mounting arm of  claim 1  wherein the support area includes a clamping member for clamping an electronic component to the support area. 
     
     
       8. The mounting arm of  claim 1  wherein the support area includes a rim protruding from the support area and having a void for receiving a cord of the electronic component. 
     
     
       9. The mounting arm of  claim 1  wherein the attachment member fastener includes an offset member a latch finger. 
     
     
       10. The A mounting arm of  claim 9  comprising:
 an arm including a longitudinal axis and an oblong mounting aperture formed along the longitudinal axis and an opening formed in the arm in communication with the oblong mounting aperture; 
 a support area for receiving the electronic component thereon, the electronic component having a display screen, the support area attached to the arm; 
 an attachment member for fastening at least a portion of the electronic component to the support area and the support area is pivotally attached to the arm to re-orient the position of the support area with respect to the arm; 
 a fastener disposed on the arm; 
 a pair of rods extending from a support surface; 
 the arm for attaching to the pair of rods extending from the support surface of an upright member having the rods that extend from the support surface; and 
 the arm mounted on the support surface and at least one rod of the pair of rods is capable of being received through the opening and is disposed inside the mounting aperture and the fastener clamping the rod within the mounting aperture to restrict lateral movement of arm with respect to the mounting aperture; 
 wherein the offset member fastener includes a resilient band attached to the attachment member arm in order to form a gap between the attachment member and an upper surface of the electronic component pull a first side of the arm toward a second side of the arm. 
 
     
     
       11. The mounting arm of  claim 10  wherein the adjustable arm includes a swivel joint disposed adjacent the arm. 
     
     
       12. The mounting arm of  claim 1  further comprising an adjustable arm disposed between the arm and the support area for adjusting the angle of the arm or the support area. 
     
     
       13. The mounting arm of  claim 1  wherein the support area is hingedly attached to the arm. 
     
     
       14. The mounting arm of  claim 1  wherein the mounting aperture is open on a side and allows for a the rod to be slid therein within the mounting aperture. 
     
     
       15. The mounting arm of  claim 14  wherein the fastener comprises a latch finger member that is located at the opening of the aperture in order to, the latch member to retain the rod within the aperture. 
     
     
       16. The mounting arm of  claim 14  wherein a latch finger latches to a latch member disposed on the arm in order to retain the arm to the rod. 
     
     
       17. The mounting arm of  claim 1  wherein the support area is oriented horizontally with respect to the support surface. 
     
     
       18. The mounting arm of  claim 1  further comprising sizing members disposed on the rod for mounting the arm to the rod. 
     
     
       19. The mounting arm of  claim 1  further comprising a tether member having a proximal end attached to the arm and having a biasing tube for attaching a terminal end of the tether member to the arm in order to lock the rod within the aperture of the arm. 
     
     
       20. The mounting arm of  claim 1  further comprising a second arm mounted directly to the support surface. 
     
     
       21. The mounting arm of  claim 20  further comprising a third arm protruding from the support surface and connected to the platform. 
     
     
       22. The vehicle mount of  claim 1  wherein a portion of the mounting aperture is offset from the longitudinal axis. 
     
     
       23. A mounting apparatus comprising:
 a support area for receiving an electronic component; 
 an arm pivotally attached to the support area, the arm having a an oblong mounting aperture having an opening on a side, the mounting aperture formed in the arm on a longitudinal axis of the arm, the longitudinal axis bisecting the arm and extending parallel to a long side of the arm and the support area extending from the arm generally on the longitudinal axis; and 
 a support surface having a rod protruding therefrom and the arm supported by the support surface and the mounting aperture for receiving the rod through the open side and received within the aperture; and 
 the arm substantially one-piece and the mounting aperture having a generally U-shape and the generally U-shape substantially maintained following the mounting of the arm to the support area and the fastener latching the rod within the arm. 
 
     
     
       24. The mounting apparatus of  claim 23  wherein the support surface has a clamping member mounted thereto and the arm is secured to the support surface by the clamping member. 
     
     
       25. The mounting apparatus of  claim 24  wherein the clamping member comprises a headrest of a vehicle mounted to the support surface via the rod and by sliding of the rod into the support surface the headrest is positioned in order to clap clamp down onto the arm. 
     
     
       26. The mounting apparatus of  claim 23  wherein the mounting aperture arm includes a latch finger fastener located at the opening of the mounting aperture in order to retain the rod within the mounting aperture the opening formed at an end of the arm. 
     
     
       27. A mounting apparatus comprising:
 a support area for receiving an electronic component; 
 an arm pivotally attached to the support area, the arm having a an oblong mounting aperture having an open side, the mounting aperture formed in the arm on a longitudinal axis of the arm, the longitudinal axis bisecting the arm and extending parallel to a long side of the arm and the support area extending from the arm generally on the longitudinal axis and the support area disposed opposite the open side; and 
 a support surface having a rod protruding therefrom and the arm supported by the support surface and the mounting aperture for receiving the rod received through the open side and a latch finger fastener located at the open side and having a latching action in order to retain the rod within the mounting aperture; and 
 the arm substantially one-piece and the mounting aperture having a generally U-shape and the arm mounted to the support area and receiving a rod and the generally U-shape substantially maintained by the mounting aperture and the fastener latching the rod within the arm. 
 
     
     
       28. The mounting apparatus of  claim 27  wherein the latch finger is a hook shaped finger that engages the rod open side is formed on the longitudinal axis. 
     
     
       29. The mounting apparatus of  claim 27  wherein the latch finger fastener partially encloses the open side. 
     
     
       30. A vehicle mount for mounting an electronic component to a seat of a vehicle comprising:
 an arm including a an oblong mounting aperture formed within the arm on a longitudinal axis and a fastener disposed on the arm, the mounting aperture having a generally U-shape; 
 a support area for receiving the electronic component thereon, the support area attached to the arm and the support area extending from the arm generally on the longitudinal axis of the arm, the longitudinal axis bisecting the arm and extending parallel to a long side of the arm; 
 an attachment member for fastening at least a portion of the electronic component to the support area; 
 a headrest of the vehicle having a rod that extends from a support surface of a seat back; 
 the arm substantially one-piece and the generally U-shape mounting aperture substantially maintained when the arm is mounted on the support surface so that the rod of the upright member support surface is disposed within the mounting aperture and receives the rod; and 
 the arm is adjustably connected to the support area in order to provide for adjusting of the angle of the arm with respect to the support area, or for adjusting the angle of the support area with respect to the arm. 
 
     
     
       31. The vehicle mount of  claim 30  wherein the arm is pivotally mounted to the support area. 
     
     
       32. The vehicle mount of  claim 30  wherein the attachment member secures the electronic component to the support area so that a display monitor of the electronic component is oriented in a vertical orientation in the final mounted position. 
     
     
       33. The vehicle mount of  claim 30  wherein the electronic component is a DVD player and the vehicle includes a first seat back oriented adjacent a second seat back and a center area formed between the first and second seat backs and the arm extending toward the center area from the first seat back and the support area disposed in the center area so that multiple occupants of the vehicle located behind the first and second seat backs may easily view the DVD player mounted to support area the fastener latching an open side of the mounting aperture to retain the rod within the arm. 
     
     
       34. The vehicle mount of claim  33  further comprising a second arm extending from the support area and the second arm attached to the second seat back 30 wherein the aperture extends toward an end of the arm and the fastener is disposed at the end of the arm. 
     
     
       35. The vehicle mount of  claim 30  wherein the arm is a coiled, flexible snake-like tube the mounting aperture having an open side that is formed on the longitudinal axis. 
     
     
       36. A mounting apparatus comprising:
 a support area for receiving an electronic component;   an arm pivotally attached to the support area and a support surface having a rod protruding therefrom, the support surface for supporting the arm, the arm having an oblong mounting aperture for receiving a rod and the arm having an opening on a side, the mounting aperture formed in the arm on a longitudinal axis of the arm and the support area extending from the arm generally on the longitudinal axis, the longitudinal axis bisecting the arm and extending parallel to a long side of the arm and the support area disposed opposite the open side;   the mounting aperture capable of receiving a rod through the open side and received within the aperture, the open side of the mounting aperture at least partially blocked by a fastener having a latching action capable of retaining the rod within the mounting aperture; and   the arm substantially one-piece and the mounting aperture having a generally U-shape and the arm mounted to the support area and receiving a rod and the generally U-shape substantially maintained by the mounting aperture and the fastener latching the rod within the arm.   
     
     
       37. The mounting apparatus of claim 36 wherein the aperture extends toward an end of the arm and the fastener is disposed at the end of the arm.