Bistable spring stand and housing for a handheld device

Abstract

An accessory for supporting a handheld electronic device includes a bistable spring to position and support the handheld device. The accessory includes a housing coupled to the handheld device and a bistable spring moveable between a first position and a second position. In the first position the bistable spring is substantially flat and in the second position the bistable spring defines a longitudinal curve away from the housing. The curvature of the bistable spring in the second position can support the handheld device on a surface e.g. table and in a slot such as CD player or air vent in a vehicle. The longitudinal curve of the bistable spring easily deflects to a reduced curvature to be received in and retained with a slot and consistently actuates to same radius in the second position providing proper viewing angle of screen for handheld device.

1 . An accessory for supporting a handheld device by at least one of a surface and a slot, comprising:
 a housing having a first side and a second side, the first side of the housing coupled to the handheld device, and the housing defining a mounting surface; and   a bistable spring having a first edge and a second edge, a first end and a second end, and a first notch defined along the first edge and a second notch defined along the second edge, a cross-section of the bistable spring between the first and second edge reduced between the first and second notches, and the first end coupled to the mounting surface; and   wherein the bistable spring is moveable between a first position and a second position, in the first position the bistable spring is substantially flat between the first and second end and defines a lateral curve between the first and second edge, and in the second position the bistable spring defines a longitudinal curve outward from the housing.   
     
     
         2 . The accessory of  claim 1 , wherein the second end of the bistable spring rotates through greater than 90 degrees in moving from the first position to the second position. 
     
     
         3 . The accessory of  claim 1 , wherein the second end of the bistable spring rotates through between 110 degrees to 140 degrees in moving from the first position to the second position. 
     
     
         4 . The accessory of  claim 1 , wherein the second end of the bistable spring rotates through about 125 degrees in moving from the first position to the second position. 
     
     
         5 . The accessory of  claim 1 , wherein the bistable spring is pretensioned to repeatedly actuate to a consistent second position. 
     
     
         6 . The accessory of  claim 1 , wherein the bistable spring defines in the second position a radius of longitudinal curvature nearest the second end that retains the second end between opposite members defining the slot. 
     
     
         7 . The accessory of  claim 1 , wherein the mounting surface of the housing is curved to retain the lateral curve of the bistable spring adjacent the first end. 
     
     
         8 . The accessory of  claim 1 , wherein the bistable spring is substantially flat between the first edge and the second edge in the second position. 
     
     
         9 . The accessory of  claim 1 , wherein the second end of the bistable spring in the second position is located laterally beyond the midpoint defined by the first and second ends in the first position. 
     
     
         10 . An accessory for supporting a handheld device, comprising:
 a housing having a first side and a second side, the first side of the housing coupled to the handheld device, and the housing defining a mounting surface; and   a bistable spring having a first edge and a second edge, and a first end and a second end, the first end coupled to the mounting surface of the housing; and   wherein:   the second end of the bistable spring is moveable between a first position in which the bistable spring is longitudinally straight and a second position in which the bistable spring is longitudinally curved away from the housing; and   in translating from the first position to the second position the second end rotates through greater than 90 degrees.   
     
     
         11 . The accessory of  claim 10 , wherein the second end rotates through greater than 120 degrees. 
     
     
         12 . The accessory of  claim 10 , wherein the second end rotates through between about 110 to 140 degrees. 
     
     
         13 . The accessory of  claim 10 , wherein the bistable spring is pretensioned to repeatedly return the second end between consistent locations in the first position and in the second position of the bistable spring. 
     
     
         14 . The accessory of  claim 13 , wherein the first and second edges of the bistable spring each define at least one notch. 
     
     
         15 . The accessory of  claim 14 , wherein the at least one notch is located closer to the first end than to the second end. 
     
     
         16 . The accessory of  claim 10 , further comprising a flexible plastic cover encapsulating the bistable spring. 
     
     
         17 . An accessory for supporting a handheld device, comprising:
 a housing having a first side and a second side, the first side of the housing coupled to the handheld device, and the housing defining a mounting surface; and   a bistable spring having a first edge and a second edge, and a first end and a second end, the first end coupled to the mounting surface of the housing, and the first and second edge each defining at least one notch; and   wherein the bistable spring is moveable between and stable in each of a first position in which the bistable spring is longitudinally straight and a second position in which the bistable spring is longitudinally curved away from the housing such that the second end translates through a rotation of at least 110 degrees.   
     
     
         18 . The accessory of  claim 17 , wherein in the second position the second end of the bistable spring is located beyond the midpoint defined between the first end and the second end in the first position such that in the second position the second end is closer to the first end than it is to its own location in the first position. 
     
     
         19 . The accessory of  claim 17 , wherein the bistable spring is pretensioned to repeatedly move the second end between consistent locations in the first and in the second positions. 
     
     
         20 . The accessory of  claim 20 , further comprising a plastic cover encapsulating the bistable spring.