Mobile Case-Mount Coupling for Secure Low-Vibration Attachment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional mobile device mounts are not secure enough for motion-sensitive activities, often causing the device to fall or slip, and existing action mounts are bulky, uncomfortable, and complex to use.
Innovation Solution
A mount design featuring first and second coupling members with undercuts and overhangs for secure attachment, along with rotatable mechanisms and user-actuable buttons for easy connection and disconnection, ensuring stability and comfort while minimizing vibration and bulkiness.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional mounts are used for mobile devices, then the device can be mounted to objects, but the connection is not secure enough and the device may fall or slip during motion-sensitive activities
Solution Approach 1:
The coupling members incorporate curved or rounded geometries that complement the shape of corresponding features on the case, creating a more secure fit. The undercut structure with curved surfaces allows the coupling members to engage more effectively with the case features, preventing slippage while maintaining ease of attachment and detachment.
Solution Approach 2:
The design modifies geometric parameters of the coupling members, specifically creating undercuts with specific depth and angle measurements. These parameter changes optimize the engagement between the coupling members and case features, providing secure connection during motion-sensitive activities while allowing simple attachment and detachment operations.
2Reliability
If action mounts with stronger attachment are developed, then the connection security is improved, but the mount becomes large and obtrusive
Solution Approach 1:
The mount system is divided into separate components: a case with integrated coupling features and a mount with corresponding coupling members. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently - the case maintains its normal thin profile while the mount provides the necessary attachment strength through its coupling members, avoiding the need for a bulky integrated design.
Solution Approach 2:
The coupling members are designed to nest within or alongside corresponding features on the case. The undercut structure allows the coupling members to engage deeply with the case features without adding significant external dimensions to either the case or mount, achieving strong attachment while minimizing overall size and obtrusiveness.
3Reliability
If the protective case is made thicker to accommodate action mounts, then the attachment security is improved, but the case becomes uncomfortable to hold when disconnected from the mount
Solution Approach 1:
The coupling features are segmented into discrete coupling members on the mount that engage with corresponding features on the case. This segmentation allows the case to maintain its original thin, comfortable profile when the mount is not attached, while still providing the necessary engagement features for secure mounting when needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The case incorporates localized coupling features (such as recesses or protrusions) only at specific locations where mounting is required. The majority of the case maintains its original thin design for comfort, while the local features provide the necessary engagement points for the coupling members, achieving secure attachment without compromising overall holding comfort.
4Ease of operation
If thin cases and small mounts are achieved, then the holding comfort is improved, but stability and vibration become issues because the connection is not strong enough
Solution Approach 1:
The coupling members and case features incorporate curved surfaces that provide mechanical interlocking. The undercut geometry with specific curvature allows the coupling members to engage deeply with the case features, creating a stable connection that resists vibration and movement while maintaining a thin overall profile for comfort.
Solution Approach 2:
The design optimizes geometric parameters of the coupling members, including undercut depth, angle, and surface curvature, to maximize connection stability within the constraints of thin case and small mount dimensions. These parameter adjustments ensure adequate vibration resistance and connection strength without requiring increased size or thickness.
Data Source
AI summary
There is provided a mount and a case for attaching a mobile device to a further object. The mount comprises first and second coupling members and a body having a front face between the coupling members and that faces the case when the mount is attached to the case. The first and second coupling members define an undercut, for receiving part of the case. The case has an attachment for attaching the case to the mobile device, a cover for covering part of the mobile device, first and second openings in the cover, and first and second overhangs that define undercuts in the cover for mating with corresponding respective overhangs of the mount.