Mount for portable device

Abstract

A portable electronic device case mounting apparatus includes a housing having an internal cavity and a front side having an aperture therethrough to the internal cavity. A first hook and a second hook protrude from within the housing outward through the aperture. A bias contained within the housing urges the first and second hooks in a direction away from one another to an expanded configuration. A lever extends external the housing and communicatively coupled to the first and second hooks, wherein upon depression of the lever the first and second hooks contract toward one another from the expanded configuration to a contracted configuration thereby overcoming the urging force of the bias.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A portable electronic device case mounting apparatus comprising:
 a housing having an internal cavity and a front side having an aperture therethrough to the internal cavity;   a first hook and a second hook protruding from within the housing outward through the aperture;   a bias contained within the housing urging the first and second hooks in a direction away from one another to an expanded configuration; and   a lever extending from the housing, the lever communicatively coupled to the first and second hooks, wherein upon depression of the lever the first and second hooks contract toward one another from the expanded configuration to a contracted configuration thereby overcoming the urging force of the bias.   
     
     
         2 . The mounting apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the first and second hooks each have an external sloping surface, the external sloping surfaces are shaped such that upon engagement of a surface with the external sloping surfaces, the first and second hooks are contracted toward one another to a contracted configuration. 
     
     
         3 . The mounting apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein a rear side of the housing comprises a mounting device couplable to at least one of an armband, a bicycle mount, a wall mount, or an automobile vent mount. 
     
     
         4 . The mounting apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the housing further comprises a magnetic element. 
     
     
         5 . The mounting apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a portable electronic device case, the case having a generally planar backing with an edge forming sidewalls to receive a portable electronic device therewithin, 
       the backing having a backing aperture sized to receive the first and second hooks. 
     
     
         6 . The mounting apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the backing has receiving surfaces proximate the edge of the backing aperture for the first hook and the second hook. 
     
     
         7 . The mounting apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the first and second hooks have flanged portions which in the expanded configuration catch and engage the receiving surfaces and resistively secure the housing to the casing. 
     
     
         8 . The mounting apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the backing aperture is sized to permit removal of the first and second hooks when the first and second hooks are in a contracted configuration. 
     
     
         9 . The mounting apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the first and second hooks have an external sloping surface, and 
       the external sloping surfaces are shaped such that upon engagement of edges of the backing aperture with the external sloping surfaces, the first and second hooks are contracted toward one another to a contracted configuration and are inserted within the backing aperture. 
     
     
         10 . The mounting apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the backing comprises a magnetizable element. 
     
     
         11 . The mounting apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the first hook is attached to and moves together with a first frame component contained within the housing, and the second hook is attached to and moves together with a second frame component contained within the housing. 
     
     
         12 . The mounting apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the first and second frames are communicatively interconnected by a spur gear, wherein movement of one of the first or second frames transfers movement to the other frame in a reverse direction. 
     
     
         13 . The mounting apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the first and second frames each comprise teeth for engagement with teeth of the spur gear forming a rack and pinion interconnection. 
     
     
         14 . The mounting apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the lever is attached to the first frame, and
 whereupon depression of the lever the first frame moves toward the second frame and by the communicative interconnection of the spur gear the second frame moves toward the first frame, thereby the first and second hooks contract toward one another.   
     
     
         15 . A portable electronic device case and mounting system comprising:
 a case for a portable electronic device, the case having a generally planar backing with an edge forming sidewalls to receive a portable electronic device therewithin; and   a mounting apparatus comprising:
 a housing having an internal cavity and a front side having an aperture; 
 a first hook and a second hook protruding from within the housing outward through the aperture; 
 a bias contained within the housing urging the first and second hooks in a direction away from one another in an expanded configuration; and 
 a lever extending from within the housing to a distance external the housing and communicatively coupled to the first and second hooks, wherein upon depression of the lever the first and second hooks contract toward one another to a contracted configuration, 
   wherein the backing comprises a backing aperture sized to receive the first and second hooks which are insertable therein when in a contracted configuration.   
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the first and second hooks each have an external sloping surface, the external sloping surfaces are shaped such that upon engagement of edges of the backing aperture with the external sloping surfaces, the first and second hooks are contracted toward one another to the contracted configuration. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the backing has receiving surfaces proximate the edge of the aperture for the first hook and the second hook. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the first and second hooks have flanged portions which in the expanded configuration catch and engage the receiving surfaces and resistively secure the mounting apparatus to the case. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the backing has a magnetizable element, and the housing has a magnetic element, the magnetizable element and the magnetic element magnetically interacting upon insertion of the first and second hooks within the backing aperture.