Supporting device for automotive portable electronic instruments

Abstract

A supporting device for automotive portable electronic instruments is formed of a bendable elongated rod with both ends connected to a bracket and a base, respectively. The elongated rod includes plural wheel-like connectors rotatable in vertical and axial directions and plural tubular connecting rods arranged between adjacent connectors. Each connector has two wheel-like casings facing and engaging with each other, and the edge of the connecting surface of each casing is correspondingly provided with waved serrations, such that two wheels can be rotatably engaged with each other and positioned by the serrations. Further, a disc-like knob is connected between the elongated rod and the bracket. The bracket is able to rotate around the knob as the center of rotation. A fixing screw is used to force and fix the position of the bracket. Finally, the base is a bent plate provided with plural screw holes, and both ends of the base are connected to the car body and the elongated rod, respectively, thereby to fix the supporting device in the car.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0001]1. Field of the Invention[0002]The present invention relates to a supporting device, and in particular to a supporting device capable of for being fixed on the bottom of an in-car space and the angle thereof is adjustable.[0003]2. Description of Prior Art[0004]With the development of semiconductor and battery technologies, electronic products are tending to be more and more compact. Further, with the increasing popularization of automotive video, navigation and GPS, portable products such as notebook, pocket PC, color monitor, DVD player or mobile phone are also more and more popular. Thus, many users (e.g. salesman) can even do their business in a car when they leave the office and on the way to visit a client, causing the car to become a mobile office. As a result, there is a tendency to use other electronic products when driving. Normally, when using in a car, the electronic product is temporarily put on the front passenger's seat beside the drive...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0013]Recently, with the development in computer and wireless Internet, a salesman or someone who needs to do his business outside the office can upgrade his car to become a small mobile office. In view of this, present invention is to provide a supporting device for automotive electronic instruments, and especially for such a mobile office. The supporting device of the present invention has a bendable structure, such that the user can adjust the angle and position of the electronic instrument according to his desire to obtain a most comfortable state.

[0014]Another, the present invention is to provide a supporting device for positioning electronic instruments in a running car, even in a vibrating environment. The supporting device of the present invention is especially suitable for heavier electronic instruments, such as a portable computer or compact DVD player. The supporting device of the present invention has a rigid elongated rod, which is not liable to deform when being subjected to a force. Further, in the present invention, the bending positions are formed of two facing circular wheels. One of the circular wheels is provided with waved serrations on a surface corresponding to the other, such that both circular wheels can be engaged with each other at certain positions by the serrations. With such arrangement, the circular wheels will not slide or deform owing to the shake of the running car.

[0015]Further, the present invention is to provide a supporting device, such that the driver can safely use the electronic instrument in the car. Since the electronic instrument is placed on the supporting device near the driving seat, the driver can easily operate the electronic instrument (such as use a keyboard or dial) without greatly swinging his body. Therefore, the drive can still pay attention to the road condition to reduce the possibility of distraction occurred in conventional art in which the electronic instrument is placed on the front passenger's seat.

[0016]Still further, the present invention is to provide a supporting device with high compatibility and is suitable for automotive electronic articles. Since the present invention is locked to a device inherent in the car whose base is a bent plate formed of a slot-like through hole and plural screw holes, the present invention and a sliding rail under the seat can be connected with a common screw, such that the common screw penetrates the slot-like through hole for fixing the present invention. Further, at least three screw holes are provided, such that the user can arbitrarily choose two screw holes to lock to the screw holes of the distal end of the elongated rod. Therefore, the orientation and position of the elongated rod can be varied, such that the user can choose optimal two screw holes to fix the present invention according to the ornaments in the car.

[0017]Therefore, one preferred embodiment of the present invention is a supporting device for placing portable electronic instruments in a car, especially suitable for a notebook. The present invention is provided with a bendable elongated rod. Both ends of the rod are connected to a bracket or a base, respectively. The elongated rod comprises plural wheel-like connectors and plural tubular connecting rods each arranged between adjacent connectors. The connector has two wheel-like casings that are able to rotate in vertical and axial directions and engage with each other at a surface. The edge of the connecting side of the wheel-like connector is correspondingly provided with waved serrations for engaging, such that the two wheel-like casings can change the relative position in engagement to adjust the relative angle of the connecting rod. Thereafter, the serrations on both casings engage with other again to fix the whole shape of the connecting rod.

[0018]Further, a disc-like knob is connected between the elongated rod and the bracket. The thinner end is inserted into the bottom of the bracket, and a screw is used to fix the angle of the bracket. Also, the fixing screw can be loosened to let the bracket to rotate on a horizontal plane. Finally, the base is a bent plate provided with plural screw holes. On end of the base is fixed to the bottom of the seat in the car. The other end is screwed on the end of the elongated rod, such that the elongated rod can be arranged in the car.

Problems solved by technology

However, if someone needs to drive the car and uses the computer on the front passenger's seat at the same time, such action will cause the driver to distract from driving, and even an accident may be happened.

In the case that the car is not running, since the front passenger's seat is not a real desk or bracket, it cannot properly provide the above functions.

As a result, the user has to submit himself to the construction of the front passenger's seat and thus will feels uncomfortable.

In general, a running car produces great vibration.

Such a structure may be able to support a lighter device (e.g. cellar phone), but cannot provide a sufficient force to support a heavier device (e.g. laptop).

Therefore, when the car is running, the electronic device being supported by the above structure may be liable to shake or even fall off.

In general, the greater the rigidity of the joint structure is, the worse the ability for bending is.

However, when the user intends to adjust the length of the rod, he / she needs to loosen all the screws.

Such a procedure is troublesome and thus the movability is low.

However, such a structure will inevitably increase the difficulty in loosening the screws in the future.

Further, those holes cause unrecoverable breaks to the car and thus reduce the aesthetic appearance of the car.

Although the universal joint can allow the angle of the electronic instrument on an upper plane to be arbitrarily adjusted, the supporting force of the ball is not strong enough, such that the ball is liable to loosen and slide after the long-term shake of gravity.

However, the strength in the structure formed by the ball and valve seat is weak, and thus liable to get loosened.

Thus, the above structure is evidently not a good measure.

However, the base thereof is bulky and occupies a large space in the car.

When the elongated rod interferes with the other devices in the car, such interference will cause the difficulty in assembling.

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