Flexible Dashboard Mount Using Friction Instead of Suction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing mounting devices for electronic devices in vehicles face issues such as loss of suction, damage to surfaces from adhesives or fasteners, and excessive weight and bulk, leading to instability and space occupancy.
Innovation Solution
A flexible base with a bendable frame that conforms to mounting surfaces, using materials like aluminum or rubber to provide friction and support, and utilizing the weight of the electronic device itself for stability, along with a cover plate and attachment mechanism for secure positioning.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If suction cup mounts are used to position electronic devices within vehicles, then the devices can be conveniently positioned, but the suction cups invariably lose suction over time and fall from their mounting surfaces
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the suction cup component entirely from the mounting system and replaces it with a weight-based retention mechanism. The mounting device uses a base with sufficient weight to resist movement on the mounting surface, eliminating the unreliable suction mechanism while maintaining ease of positioning through the same adjustable arm structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs a weight-based mounting base that uses gravitational force to counteract the tendency of the device to move or fall from the mounting surface. The base is designed with sufficient weight to provide stable retention without requiring suction, effectively using weight as a counterbalancing force against instability.
2Reliability
If adhesives or fasteners are used to securely attach mounting devices to vehicle surfaces, then the mounting becomes more secure, but the adhesives or fasteners often damage and/or leave residue on the mounting surfaces
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a weight-based mounting base that relies on gravitational force and friction to secure the device to the mounting surface. This approach provides reliable attachment without requiring adhesives or fasteners that could damage or leave residue on the surface. The weighted base creates sufficient frictional force to prevent movement while being easily removable.
Solution Approach 2:
The mounting base is designed to be self-retaining through its weight and friction characteristics, requiring no additional adhesives or fastening mechanisms. The device secures itself to the mounting surface through the interaction between the weighted base and the surface friction, eliminating harmful attachment methods while maintaining security.
3Stability of the object's composition
If mounting devices use lead pellets, rocks, or other weights to resist undesired movement, then stability is improved, but the mounts become relatively expensive to manufacture and costly to transport due to their weight
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes the weight parameter of the mounting base to achieve the minimum necessary weight for stability on the mounting surface. Rather than using excessive weight from lead pellets or rocks, the base is designed with sufficient weight to provide friction-based retention while minimizing overall mass to reduce manufacturing and transportation costs.
Solution Approach 2:
The mounting base is constructed from composite materials that provide sufficient weight for stability without the extreme density of lead. The base may incorporate various materials that balance weight, cost, and manufacturing considerations, achieving stable mounting without the need for expensive or excessively heavy components.
4Stability of the object's composition
If mounting devices use lead pellets, rocks, or other weights to resist undesired movement, then stability is improved, but the mounts become relatively large and bulky and occupy a great deal of space on their mounting surfaces
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes the dimensional parameters of the mounting base to achieve the minimum necessary surface area contact with the mounting surface while maintaining stability. The base is designed with sufficient weight and appropriate surface area to provide friction-based retention without being excessively large or bulky.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses a weight-based mounting base that relies on gravitational force and friction to secure the device to the mounting surface. This approach provides stable retention without requiring excessive surface area contact, as the weight creates sufficient frictional force with a minimized contact footprint.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution provides stable and secure mounting while minimizing weight, thickness, and contact area, using the device's weight for stability and accommodating various surfaces and device sizes, thus addressing the issues of previous mounting technologies.
Implementation Method 1
The base is preferably at least partially formed of a material that provides sufficient friction between its lower surface and the mounting surface to resist unwanted movement
Implementation Method 2
a bendable frame attached to or otherwise coupled with the base to permit the base to be shaped to at least partially conform to contours on the mounting surface
Data Source
AI summary
A mounting device that securely supports an electronic device to a surface such as a vehicle dashboard. The mounting device comprises a flexible base for placement on a mounting surface and a bendable frame attached to or otherwise coupled with the base to permit the base to be shaped to at least partially conform to contours on the mounting surface. The base may be partially formed of a material that provides sufficient friction between its lower surface and the mounting surface to resist unwanted movement. The frame may be formed of aluminum and may include a central portion and a plurality of appendages each independently movable about at least two axes of movement. Each of the appendages may include a connecting link joined to the central portion and a pair of arms extending from the connecting link and movable relative to one another and relative to the central portion.