Mobile Phone Holder

Abstract

A mobile phone holder is disclosed for mounting a mobile phone to the dashboard of a car. This mobile phone holder is integrated into the back of a mobile phone or is attached to the back surface of the mobile phone through adhesive pads, or suction cups, or is incorporated into accessories of mobile phones such as attachable card holding wallets, and etc. One embodiment of this mobile phone holder creates a closed loop around the air vent bars. Hence, shakes of the car will not cause sudden detachment and falling of the phone. In Addition, this mobile phone holder is portable and is carried by the mobile phone. Hence, the user can readily have it upon using a temporary car. Moreover, since this mobile phone holder is not permanently stayed in the car, it is not exposed to extreme temperatures and thus its wear and tear is lower than conventional phone holders. The loop that is formed by this apparatus can also be used for mounting a mobile phone to the handlebar of a shopping cart, the handlebar of a bike, safety belt of a car, a belt loop, belt of a user, strap of a bag, or other accessories of a user. This apparatus can also be used as a general purpose fastener for fastening two or more objects together, hanging objects from a bar. Such general purpose fastener can be used as a toy, strap of a watch, or bracelet as well.

1 . A general-purpose fastener comprising:
 (a) a bistable spring having two free ends and a middle portion between the two ends, wherein the spring is made in one piece or formed by several pieces connected through one patch or a plurality of patches;   (b) a fastening means for fastening the two free ends of said bistable spring to one another for creating a loop; and   (c) whereby said bistable spring has a first open stable state in which the bistable spring is straight, a second half closed stable state in which the two free ends of the spring are biased toward the opposite free end, and a third locked stable state whereby said fastening means secure said free ends together such that said bistable spring creases a closed loop with said fastening means.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said fastening means is a hole, or a dent, located on one free end of said bistable spring and a hook, an arrow shaped fastener, or a swollen part located on the opposite free end that can be trapped in said hole, or dent, for creating a closed loop with said bistable spring wherein natural forces in the bistable spring that bring the bistable spring back to its half closed loop stable state create outward forces thereby pushing said hook, arrow shaped fastener, or swollen part against an edge, or a side, of said hole, or dent, such that said hook, arrow shaped fastener, or swollen part, stays trapped in said hole, or dent, providing the user control of securing said free ends to each other and opening said free ends from each other. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said fastening means is a plurality of holes, or dents, located on one free end of said bistable spring and a hook, an arrow shaped fastener, or a swollen part located on the opposite free end, wherein a closed loop is formed by trapping the hook, arrow shaped fastener, or swollen part in at least one of the holes, or the dents, and wherein the diameter of the closed loop can be decreased or increased by using at least one hole, or one dent, that is closer to or farther away from the middle portion of said bistable spring. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said fastening means is at least a hole, or a dent, located on one free end of said bistable spring and a plurality of hooks, arrow shaped fasteners, or swollen parts located on the opposite free end, wherein a closed loop is formed by trapping the hooks, arrow shaped fasteners or swollen parts in said hole, or said dent, and wherein the diameter of the closed loop can be decreased or increased by using at least one of the of hooks, arrow shaped fasteners, or swollen parts that is closer to or farther away from the middle portion of said bistable spring. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said fastening means is a pair of magnets, or magnetic snap buttons, or at least one piece of magnet and at least one metallic piece, which are located on the ends of said bistable spring thereby providing force to keep said bistable spring in a closed loop shape and providing the user control of locking said bistable spring and opening said bistable spring. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein a strap, a wire, or a plurality of straps or wires are secured to a back of each of said magnets, or magnetic snap buttons, or said at least one piece of magnet and at least one metallic piece, thereby providing the user means for opening said magnets, or magnetic snap buttons, or at least one piece of magnet and at least one metallic piece from each other through pulling said straps or wires apart from each other. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said bistable spring is coated with an elastic material, wherein the elastic material coating creates friction forces between said bistable spring and an object or a plurality of objects that said bistable spring is fastened around thereby providing additional force for keeping said object or plurality of objects attached to said bistable spring. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said fastening means comprises two metallic plates that are positioned on, or integrated to, one of said free ends of said bistable spring, and a metallic piece that is positioned at, or integrated to, the other free end of said bistable spring, wherein at least one of said metallic plates or said metallic piece is a permanent magnet, wherein said metallic piece is placed between said metallic plates and is attached to said metallic plates through magnetic force thereby keeping said bistable spring in a closed loop shape. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said general-purpose fastener is used for bundling objects together such that said general-purpose fastener creates a closed loop around said objects in said third locked stable state. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said general-purpose fastener is used for hanging an object, or a plurality of objects, from a bar such that said general-purpose fastener creates a closed loop around a hole that is in said object, or holes that are in said plurality of objects, and around said bar in said third locked stable state thereby connecting said object or plurality of objects to said bar. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein said general-purpose fastener is used as a bracelet, strap of a watch, or a name tag such that said general-purpose fastener creates a closed loop around a wrist, limb, or an arm of a user in said third locked stable state. 
     
     
         12 . A bundling fastener for bundling objects together comprising:
 (a) a spring structure, or a curved structure with elasticity capability, having two free ends and a middle portion between the two ends, wherein said spring structure, or said curved structure with elasticity capability, is made in one piece or formed by several pieces connected through one patch or a plurality of patches;   (b) a fastening means for fastening the two free ends of said spring structure, or said curved structure with elasticity capability, to one another; and   (c) whereby said spring structure, or a curved structure with elasticity capability, has a first half closed stable state in which the two free ends of the structure are biased toward the opposite free end, and a second locked stable state in which said fastening means are locked to each other through natural forces in the structure that bring the structure back to its half closed loop stable state whereby said fastening means secure said free ends together such that said spring structure, or a curved structure with elasticity capability creates a closed loop with said fastening means for bundling objects together.   
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein said fastening means is a hole, or a dent, located on one free end of said spring structure, or said curved structure with elasticity capability, and a hook, an arrow shaped fastener, or a swollen part located on the opposite free end that can be trapped in said hole, or said dent, for creating a closed loop with said spring structure, or said curved structure with elasticity capability, wherein natural forces in the structure that bring the structure back to its half closed loop stable state create outward forces thereby pushing said hook, arrow shaped fastener, or swollen part against an edge, or a side, of said hole, or dent, such that said hook, arrow shaped fastener, or swollen part, stays trapped in said hole, or dent, providing the user control of securing said free ends to each other and opening said free ends from each other. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein said fastening means is a plurality of holes, or dents, located on one free end of said spring structure, or said curved structure with elasticity capability, and a hook, an arrow shaped fastener, or a swollen part located on the opposite free end, wherein a closed loop is formed by trapping the hook, arrow shaped fastener, or swollen part in at least one of the holes, or the dents, and wherein the diameter of the closed loop can be decreased or increased by using at least one hole, or one dent, that is closer to or farther away from the middle portion of said spring structure, or said curved structure with elasticity capability. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein said fastening means is at least a hole, or a dent, located on one free end of said spring structure, or said curved structure with elasticity capability, and a plurality of hooks, arrow shaped fasteners, or swollen parts located on the opposite free end, wherein a closed loop is formed by trapping the hooks, arrow shaped fasteners or swollen parts in said hole, or said dent, and wherein the diameter of the closed loop can be decreased or increased by using at least one of the of hooks, arrow shaped fasteners, or swollen parts that is closer to or farther away from the middle portion of said spring structure, or said curved structure with elasticity capability. 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein said fastening means is a hook-and-loop fastener which is located on the ends of said spring structure, or said curved structure with elasticity capability, whereby said fastening means secure said free ends together and whereby the diameter of the closed loop is decreased or increased by using portions of the hook-and-loop fastener that are closer to or farther away from the middle portion of said spring structure, or said curved structure with elasticity capability. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein said spring structure, or curved structure with elasticity capability, is a bistable spring capable of maintaining a straight stable state thereby providing protection to said bundling fastener and saving space when said bundling fastener is being stored. 
     
     
         18 . A ring-shaped fastener for creating a closed loop around a hole in an object, or a plurality of holes in a plurality of objects, comprising:
 (a) a spring structure, or a curved structure with elasticity capability, having two free ends and a middle portion between the two ends, wherein said spring structure, or said curved structure with elasticity capability, is made in one piece or formed by several pieces connected through one patch or a plurality of patches;   (b) a fastening means for fastening the two free ends of said spring structure, or said curved structure with elasticity capability, to one another; and   (c) whereby said spring structure, or said curved structure with elasticity capability, has a first half closed stable state in which the two free ends of the structure are biased toward the opposite free end, and a second locked stable state in which said fastening means are locked to each other through natural forces in the structure that bring the structure back to its half closed loop stable state whereby said fastening means secure said free ends together such that said spring structure, or said curved structure with elasticity capability creates a closed loop with said fastening means.   
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein said fastening means is a hole, or a dent, located on one free end of said spring structure, or said curved structure with elasticity capability, and a hook, an arrow shaped fastener, or a swollen part located on the opposite free end that can be trapped in said hole, or said dent, for creating a closed loop with said spring structure, or said curved structure with elasticity capability, wherein natural forces in the structure that bring the structure back to its half closed loop stable state create outward forces thereby pushing said hook, arrow shaped fastener, or swollen part against an edge, or a side, of said hole, or dent, such that said hook, arrow shaped fastener, or swollen part, stays trapped in said hole, or dent, providing the user control of securing said free ends to each other and opening said free ends from each other. 
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein said fastening means is at least a hole, or a dent, located on one free end of said spring structure, or said curved structure with elasticity capability, and a plurality of hooks, arrow shaped fasteners, or swollen parts located on the opposite free end, wherein a closed loop is formed by trapping the hooks, arrow shaped fasteners or swollen parts in said hole, or said dent, and wherein the diameter of the closed loop can be decreased or increased by using at least one of the of hooks, arrow shaped fasteners, or swollen parts that is closer to or farther away from the middle portion of said spring structure, or said curved structure with elasticity capability. 
     
     
         21 . The apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein said ring-shaped fastener is used as a hanger for hanging said object or said plurality of objects to a bar such that said ring-shaped fastener creates said closed loop around said hole in said object, or said holes in said objects, and around a bar such that said object, or said plurality of objects, and said bar are fastened together through said closed loop. 
     
     
         22 . The apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein said ring-shaped fastener is a key ring and said object or said plurality of objects are keys such that said ring-shaped fastener creates said closed loop around said hole in said object, or said holes in said objects, such that said object, or said plurality of objects, are fastened together through said closed loop.