IP Library Granted Patent US 8,528,798
Granted Patent B2
US 8,528,798 · App. 12/875,387 · Granted Sep 10, 2013

Electronic mobile device support apparatus

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,528,798
App. No.
12/875,387
Granted
Sep 10, 2013
Kind
B2
Abstract

An electronic mobile device support apparatus includes a plurality of generally tubular finger receivers disposed adjacent a rear surface of an electronic mobile device. Each of the plurality of finger receivers defines a passageway configured to receive a corresponding finger of an electronic mobile device user such that the electronic mobile device is supportable thereby.

Claims (31)

1. An electronic mobile device support apparatus comprising:

a plurality of generally tubular finger receivers disposed adjacent a rear surface of an electronic mobile device, each of the plurality of finger receivers defining a passageway configured to receive a corresponding finger of an electronic mobile device user such that the electronic mobile device is supportable thereby;

wherein the plurality of finger receivers are movable from a standing position to a collapsed position and vice versa, in the standing position each of the plurality of finger receivers being configured to receive the corresponding finger of the electronic mobile device user and in the collapsed position each of the plurality of finger receivers being flattened toward the rear surface of the electronic mobile device; and

wherein at least one of the plurality of finger receivers includes a first connection surface that faces outwardly and away from the passageway defined by the at least one of the plurality of finger receivers, and at least another of the plurality of finger receivers includes a second connection surface that faces outwardly and away from the passageway defined by the at least another of the plurality of finger receivers, and the first connection surface is releasably engageable with the second connection surface to hold the at least one of the plurality of finger receivers in the collapsed position.

2. The electronic mobile device support apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the at least another of the plurality of finger receivers includes a first connection surface, the electronic mobile device support apparatus further comprises a second connection surface disposed adjacent the rear surface of the electronic mobile device, and the first connection surface of the at least another of the plurality of finger receivers is releasably engageable with the second connection surface disposed adjacent the rear surface of the electronic mobile device to hold the at least another of the plurality of finger receivers in the collapsed position.

3. The electronic mobile device support apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of finger receivers includes at least two finger receivers having substantially parallel longitudinal axes, and the plurality of finger receivers further includes at least one finger receiver having a longitudinal axis that is non-parallel to the longitudinal axes of the at least two finger receivers.

4. The electronic mobile device support apparatus of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of finger receivers comprises an elastic section.

5. The electronic mobile device support apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a case defining an internal compartment configured to accommodate the electronic mobile device, the case having a rear surface supporting the plurality of finger receivers opposite the internal compartment.

6. The electronic mobile device support apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the case defines a longitudinal axis and each of the plurality of finger receivers defines a longitudinal axis that is non-perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the case.

7. The electronic mobile device support apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the case includes a top, a bottom, sides, and a front bezel that define, together with the rear surface, the internal compartment.

8. The electronic mobile device support apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of finger receivers are releasably supported adjacent the rear surface of the electronic mobile device.

9. The electronic mobile device support apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the plurality of finger receivers are supported by a first connection pad that is releasably engageable with a second connection pad supported adjacent the rear surface of the electronic mobile device.

10. The electronic mobile device support apparatus of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of finger receivers comprises a deformable material.

11. The electronic mobile device support apparatus of claim 10 , wherein each of the plurality of finger receivers comprises at least one material selected from the group consisting of cloth, a polymer, and leather.

12. An electronic mobile device support apparatus comprising:

a case defining an internal compartment configured to accommodate an electronic mobile device, the case having a rear surface opposite the internal compartment;

a plurality of finger receivers connected to the rear surface, the plurality of finger receivers being movable from a standing position to a collapsed position and vice versa, in the standing position each of the plurality of finger receivers being configured to receive a corresponding single finger of a user and in the collapsed position each of the plurality of finger receivers being flattened toward the rear surface, and the plurality of finger receivers including:

at least one finger receiver including a first connection surface; and

at least another finger receiver including a second connection surface, the first connection surface and the second connection surface being releasably engageable with each other to hold the at least one finger receiver in the collapsed position;

wherein the first connection surface faces outwardly and away from a passageway defined by the at least one finger receiver, and the second connection surface faces outwardly and away from a passageway defined by the at least another finger receiver.

13. The electronic mobile device support apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the at least another finger receiver includes a first connection surface, the electronic mobile device support apparatus further comprises a pad supported by the rear surface and including a second connection surface, and the second connection surface of the pad is releasably engageable with the first connection surface of the at least another finger receiver to hold the at least another finger receiver in the collapsed position.

14. The electronic mobile device support apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the case defines a longitudinal axis and each of the plurality of finger receivers defines a longitudinal axis that is non-perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the case.

15. The electronic mobile device support apparatus of claim 12 , wherein each of the plurality of finger receivers comprises an elastic section.

16. An electronic mobile device support apparatus comprising:

a case defining an internal compartment configured to accommodate an electronic mobile device, the case having a rear surface opposite the internal compartment; and

a plurality of finger receivers releasably supported by the rear surface, the plurality of finger receivers being movable from a standing position to a collapsed position and vice versa, in the standing position each of the plurality of finger receivers being configured to receive a corresponding single finger of a user and in the collapsed position each of the plurality of finger receivers being flattened toward the rear surface;

wherein at least one of the plurality of finger receivers includes a first connection surface that faces outwardly and away from the passageway defined by the at least one of the plurality of finger receivers, and at least another of the plurality of finger receivers includes a second connection surface that faces outwardly and away from the passageway defined by the at least another of the plurality of finger receivers, and the first connection surface is releasably engageable with the second connection surface to hold the at least one of the plurality of finger receivers in the collapsed position.

17. The electronic mobile device support apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the case defines a longitudinal axis and each of the plurality of finger receivers defines a longitudinal axis that is non-perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the case.

18. The electronic mobile device support apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the at least another of the plurality of finger receivers includes a first connection surface, the electronic mobile device support apparatus further comprises a second connection surface disposed adjacent the rear surface of the electronic mobile device, and the first connection surface of the at least another of the plurality of finger receivers is releasably engageable with the second connection surface disposed adjacent the rear surface of the electronic mobile device to hold the at least another of the plurality of finger receivers in the collapsed position.

19. The electronic mobile device support apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the plurality of finger receivers includes at least two finger receivers having substantially parallel longitudinal axes, and the plurality of finger receivers further includes at least one finger receiver having a longitudinal axis that is non-parallel to the longitudinal axes of the at least two finger receivers.

20. The electronic mobile device support apparatus of claim 16 , wherein each of the plurality of finger receivers comprises an elastic section.

Assignments (4)
NUNC PRO TUNC ASSIGNMENT Recorded Jun 19, 2023
From: BLACKBERRY LIMITED
To: MALIKIE INNOVATIONS LIMITED
Reel/Frame 064270/0001 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 16, 2023
From: BLACKBERRY LIMITED
To: MALIKIE INNOVATIONS LIMITED
Reel/Frame 064104/0103 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Aug 8, 2013
From: RESEARCH IN MOTION LIMITED
To: BLACKBERRY LIMITED
Reel/Frame 030982/0708 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 18, 2010
From: CHEN, CHAO
To: RESEARCH IN MOTION LIMITED
Reel/Frame 025154/0346 →