Frictional holding pad
View Patent ↗A frictional holding pad for removably attaching items, such as a cell phone, to a surface, such as a dash, to allow storage of items on the pad to prevent the items from shifting or sliding due to the movement of the support surface. A bottom surface of the pad is tacky to cling to the surface and a top surface is tacky to cling to the item. A lowermost contact surface of the pad can have a greater surface area than an uppermost contact surface. Indicia can be formed on the pad. The pad can be translucent or transparent. The pad can include an expanded vinyl material or a polyurethane material.
1. A frictional holding device in combination with a dashboard or console of a vehicle and receives and secures an item thereon, the combination comprising:
a) a dashboard or console of a vehicle;
b) a pad having different top and bottom surfaces, the bottom surface is disposed on and frictionally clings to the dashboard or console of the vehicle;
c) at least a substantial portion of the top surface is a contoured top surface with a plurality of protrusions or indentations; and
d) an item, removably disposed on and frictionally clings to the top surface of the pad, the item is selected from the group consisting of: a cell phone, a personal digital assistant, a writing instrument, a pen, a pencil, sunglasses, eye glasses, a global positioning system, a radio, a two-way radio, a citizens band radio, a walkie-talkie, a camera, a video recorder, a cassette player/recorder, a mini-cassette recorder, a DVD player, a mini-disk player, and a portable television.
2. A device in accordance with claim 1 , wherein:
the bottom surface includes a contoured bottom surface with a plurality of protrusions or indentations, and with a lowermost contact surface configured to contact and frictionally cling to the dashboard or console of the vehicle; and
the contoured top surface has an uppermost contact surface that is less than the lowermost contact surface.
3. A device in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the contoured top surface defines an item receiving area extending at least substantially across the top of the pad.
4. A device in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the bottom surface has a lowermost contact surface; and the contoured top surface has an uppermost contact surface that is less than the lowermost contact surface.
5. A device in accordance with claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the pad is at least translucent.
6. A device in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the pad is at least translucent.
7. A device in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the pad is formed of polyurethane.
8. A device in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the bottom surface has a lowermost contact surface that is flat.
9. A device in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the top surface has an uppermost contact surface that is flat; and wherein the contoured top surface includes indentations.
10. A device in accordance with claim 1 , further comprising:
indicia, formed on the top surface of the pad, the indicia being selected from the group consisting of: a logo, an advertisement, an instruction, a promotion, a company name, and a product name.
11. A device in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the top surface includes at least two sections, including a first section that is substantially flat and has indicia thereon, and a second section that is contoured and configured to receive the item thereon.
12. A device in accordance with claim 1 , further comprising:
a removable backing layer, removably coupled to the bottom surface of the pad, prior to the pad being disposed on the dashboard or console of the vehicle.
13. A device in accordance with claim 12 , further comprising:
a removable wrapper, formed around the pad and the backing layer prior to the pad being disposed on the dashboard or console of the vehicle, the removable backing layer resisting the bottom surface of the pad from coupling to the wrapper.
14. A frictional holding device in combination with a dashboard or console of a vehicle and receives and secures an item thereon, the combination comprising:
a) a dashboard or console of a vehicle;
b) a pad having different top and bottom surfaces, the bottom surface is disposed on and frictionally clings to the dashboard or console of the vehicle;
c) at least a substantial portion of the top surface is a contoured top surface with a plurality of protrusions or indentations defining an uppermost contact surface;
d) the bottom surface including a contoured bottom surface with a plurality of protrusions or indentations defining a lowermost contact surface;
e) the lowermost contact surface having a greater surface area than the uppermost contact surface; and
f) an item, removably disposed on and frictionally clings to the top surface of the pad, the item is selected from the group consisting of: a cell phone, a personal digital assistant, a writing instrument, a pen, a pencil, sunglasses, eye glasses, a global positioning system, a radio, a two-way radio, a citizens band radio, a walkie-talkie, a camera, a video recorder, a cassette player/recorder, a mini-cassette recorder, a DVD player, a mini-disk player, and a portable television.
15. A device in accordance with claim 14 , wherein the contoured top surface defines an item receiving area extending at least substantially across the top of the pad.
16. A device in accordance with claim 14 , wherein at least a portion of the pad is at least translucent.
17. A frictional holding device in combination with a dashboard or console of a vehicle and receives and secures an item thereon, the combination comprising:
a) a dashboard or console of a vehicle;
b) a pad having different top and bottom surfaces, the bottom surface is disposed on and frictionally clings to the dashboard or console of the vehicle;
c) the pad being at least translucent;
d) at least a substantial portion of the top surface is a contoured top surface with a plurality of protrusions or indentations defining an uppermost contact surface;
e) the bottom surface including a contoured bottom surface with a plurality of protrusions or indentations defining a lowermost contact surface;
f) the lowermost contact surface having a greater surface area than the uppermost contact surface; and
g) an item, removably disposed on and frictionally clings to the top surface of the pad, the item is selected from the group consisting of: a cell phone, a personal digital assistant, a writing instrument, a pen, a pencil, sunglasses, eye glasses, a global positioning system, a radio, a two-way radio, a citizens band radio, a walkie-talkie, a camera, a video recorder, a cassette player/recorder, a mini-cassette recorder, a DVD player, a mini-disk player, and a portable television.
18. A device in accordance with claim 17 , wherein the contoured top surface defines an item receiving area extending at least substantially across the top of the pad.
19. A method of releasably securing an item on a dashboard or console of a vehicle without marring or altering the dashboard or console of the vehicle, comprising the steps of:
a) placing a frictional holding pad on the dashboard or console of the vehicle surface with a contoured bottom surface of the frictional holding pad contacting and frictionally clinging to the dashboard or console of the vehicle without marring or altering the dashboard or console of the vehicle, the contoured bottom surface including a plurality of protrusions or indentations defining a contoured lowermost contact surface;
b) placing the item on an uppermost contact surface of a contoured top surface of the frictional holding pad with the uppermost contact surface of the frictional holding pad frictionally clinging to the item, the uppermost contact surface is formed by indentations or protrusions in the contoured top surface, the contoured top surface extending substantially across a top of the frictional holding pad, the lowermost contact surface having a greater surface area than the uppermost contact surface;
c) removing the item from the uppermost contact surface of the frictional holding pad while the frictional holding pad remains on the dashboard or console of the vehicle; and
d) the item is selected from the group consisting of a cellular phone, sun glasses, eye glasses, a global positioning system, a two-way radio, a personal digital assistant, a writing instrument, a citizens band radio, a walkie-talkie, a camera, a video camera, a video recorder, a CD player, a DVD player, a portable television, and a portable radio.
20. A method in accordance with claim 19 , further comprising the step of:
viewing the dashboard or console of the vehicle through at least a portion of the frictional holding pad that is at least translucent.