Mobile Device Accessory With Pivot Plates For One-Handed Deployment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current mobile device accessories lack versatility, requiring multiple fingers for deployment, having difficult hinges, and failing to serve as both a mounting and holding apparatus, while also not allowing for quick one-handed use or proper propping up of devices.
Innovation Solution
A mobile device accessory comprising a frame, pivot plates, and a sliding plate with a nub for easy deployment, allowing the accessory to transition from a compact undeployed configuration to a deployed configuration where the pivot plates flex outward, enabling one-handed use and propping up of devices on a surface.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the accessory uses traditional hinge designs, then the structure is stable, but the hinge is difficult to pull away from the device
Solution Approach 1:
The accessory is divided into multiple pivot plates (first pivot plate, second pivot plate) connected by hinges, allowing independent movement of each segment. This segmentation enables the accessory to deploy in stages, making it easier to pull away from the device while maintaining structural stability through the distributed hinge system.
Solution Approach 2:
The accessory transitions from a static, fixed structure to a dynamic, multi-position structure through the introduction of hinges connecting the pivot plates. This dynamic design allows the accessory to move between deployed and undeployed configurations, improving ease of operation while maintaining stability in each configuration state.
2Ease of operation
If the accessory is designed for one-handed deployment, then the ease of operation is improved, but the structural stability may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The first pivot plate and second pivot plate are nested together through the first hinge connection, creating a compact structure that can be easily manipulated with one hand. The nested design allows both plates to move together as a unit during deployment while maintaining structural integrity through their interconnected hinge joint.
Solution Approach 2:
The first pivot plate and second pivot plate are combined into a single deployed configuration where they work together to support the device. This merging of components allows one-handed operation to achieve a stable, functional position that provides both ease of deployment and structural reliability.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the accessory provides versatile functionality for both mounting and holding, then the adaptability is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The accessory is designed with universal functionality to serve as both a mounting apparatus (when deployed to prop up the device) and a holding apparatus (when used to support the device in the user's palm). The same pivot plates and hinges enable both functions, providing adaptability without requiring separate specialized components for each use case.
4Volume of moving object
If the accessory components are aligned in a common plane in undeployed configuration, then the compactness is improved, but the deployment range is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The accessory transitions from a two-dimensional common plane alignment in the undeployed state to a three-dimensional deployed configuration where the pivot plates extend outward at angles. This dimensional change allows the accessory to achieve both compact storage and wide deployment range, as the hinges enable movement out of the original plane into spatial configurations that provide versatile positioning options.
Data Source
AI summary
An accessory for use with a mobile device is provided. The accessory may include a first pivot plate, a second pivot plate, a sliding plate, and a frame enclosing the plates. The first pivot plate may be coupled to the second pivot plate at a first hinge. The sliding plate may be coupled to the second pivot plate at a second hinge. The second pivot plate may have a nub at the first hinge configured to accommodate a finger of a user. The accessory may have an undeployed configuration and a deployed configuration in which the sliding plate is translated along the frame such that the first pivot plate and the second pivot plate flex outwardly from the frame. In the deployed configuration, a portion of the first pivot plate may sit within a portion of the second pivot plate at the first hinge.