Mirror Mount Shelf Geometry for Stable Phone Support
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing mounts for handheld electronic devices, such as cell phones, fail to securely hold devices in various orientations and sizes while accommodating charging cords, especially when not attached vertically, and do not minimize device displacement during use.
Innovation Solution
A mount with a vertically oriented base and spaced-apart suction cups for attachment to glossy surfaces, featuring a concave upper shelf surface and offset suction cup attachment sections to support devices in portrait or landscape orientations, and allow for misalignment, with a notch for charging cables, reducing torque on suction cups and minimizing device displacement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the mount uses a flat shelf surface, then it is simple to manufacture, but it cannot securely hold devices of different sizes and orientations
Solution Approach 1:
The shelf surface incorporates a concave curved section that conforms to the corners of rectangular electronic devices. This curvature allows the mount to securely hold devices of various sizes by adapting to their corner geometry, solving the problem of device compatibility without requiring multiple different shelf configurations.
2Reliability
If the suction cups are attached directly to the base, then the structure is simple, but torque on suction cups increases when mounted at angles
Solution Approach 1:
The suction cups are offset from the base axis, transitioning from a planar attachment arrangement to a three-dimensional configuration. This offset positioning creates a geometric arrangement where the suction cups are distributed around the base perimeter, reducing rotational torque when the mount is installed at non-vertical angles and improving attachment reliability.
3Stability of the object's composition
If the shelf lip is positioned close to the base, then the structure is compact, but it does not provide adequate support for device corners
Solution Approach 1:
The shelf lip is positioned at an optimized distance from the base, pre-calculated to provide the ideal leverage and support angle for holding electronic devices. This preliminary positioning ensures that when a device is placed on the shelf, its weight creates sufficient normal force on the suction cups through the offset geometry, securing the device before any adjustment or interaction occurs.
4Adaptability or versatility
If the mount is designed for vertical attachment only, then the design is simple, but it cannot accommodate misaligned or angled mounting scenarios
Solution Approach 1:
The mount design incorporates asymmetric elements including offset suction cup positions and a concave shelf section that is not symmetrically aligned with the base axis. These asymmetric features allow the mount to function effectively at various angles of attachment, accommodating misaligned mounting scenarios while maintaining device support stability.
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 mount securely holds devices of different sizes in various orientations, including non-vertical attachments, with reduced torque on suction cups and minimal device displacement, ensuring stability and ease of use while allowing for charging.
Implementation Method 1
A plurality of spaced-apart suction cups extend rearwardly from the base. Each of the suction cups is adapted to be affixed to a flat, glossy, substantially vertical environmental surface
Data Source
AI summary
A mount for a handheld electronic device is adapted to be attached to a flat vertical glossy environmental surface, such as a mirror, with suction cups. A shelf with an upwardly concave center section holds electronic devices of various sizes and will hold an electronic device in a vertical orientation even if the mount is attached to the mirror at a small angle to the vertical. The shelf may hold the electronic device in either portrait or landscape orientation. The shelf permits a cable to be plugged into the bottom of the electronic device by being routed through a central notch in the shelf and an opening in a lip.