Apparatus for gripping handheld devices

1. An apparatus for gripping a handheld device, the apparatus comprising:

a base for affixing the apparatus to a first surface of the handheld device;

an extension extending from the base at a first end of the extension;

a first hinged section rotatably connecting the extension to the base at the first end of the extension about a first axis of rotation;

a substantially planar grip extending from the extension at a second end of the extension opposite to the first end of the extension; and

a second hinged section rotatably connecting the grip to the second end of the extension towards a center of the extension about a second axis of rotation, such that a first substantially planar portion of the grip extends outwardly from a first side of the second axis of rotation while a second substantially planar portion of the grip extends outwardly from a second side of the second axis of rotation opposite the first side,

wherein the first and second hinged sections enable rotation of the extension and grip from a closed position through an intermediate position, into an open position, such that, in the closed position, the base, the extension, and the grip are substantially parallel to the first surface of the handheld device, and, in the opened position, the base and the grip are substantially parallel to the first surface of the handheld device and the extension is substantially perpendicular to the first surface of the handheld device, and

wherein, the apparatus is structured to receive two fingers of a user's hand inserted between the grip and the handheld device, such that a user's thumb from the same hand has a range of motion spanning at least a front surface of the handheld device.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein, in the opened position, the extension separates the grip from the base by a distance that ergonomically receives a portion of each of two fingers inserted between the grip and the handheld device at opposite sides of the extension.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein when the grip is at the closed position, an exposed surface of the grip is substantially coplanar with a surface of the handheld device.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the extension comprises a spring that provides a force for automatically pushing the grip from the closed position in a direction away from the base into the open position.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the extension comprises a spring that provides a force for automatically pulling the grip from the open position towards the handheld device into the closed position.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the extension comprises a plurality of telescoping sections such that the telescoping sections are collapsed in the closed position and extended in the open position.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a lock for holding the apparatus in the closed position.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a lock for holding the apparatus in an open position for receiving the at least one finger.

9. An apparatus for gripping a handheld device, the apparatus comprising:

a base for affixing the apparatus to a first surface of the handheld device;

an extension extending from the base at a first end of the extension;

a first hinged section rotatably connecting the extension to the base at the first end of the extension;

a substantially planar grip extending from the extension at a second end of the extension opposite to the first end of the extension; and

a second hinged section rotatably connecting the grip to the second end of the extension towards a center of the extension about a second axis of rotation, such that a first substantially planar portion of the grip extends outwardly from a first side of the second axis of rotation while a second substantially planar portion of the grip extends outwardly from a second side of the second axis of rotation opposite the first side,

wherein the first and second hinged sections enable rotation of the extension and grip from a closed position through an intermediate position, into an open position, such that, in the closed position the base, the extension, and the grip are substantially parallel to the first surface of the handheld device, and, in the opened position the base and the grip are substantially parallel to the first surface of the handheld device and the extension is substantially perpendicular to the first surface of the handheld device, and

wherein the base is integrated into a removable battery cover of the handheld device.

10. An apparatus for gripping a handheld device, the apparatus comprising:

a base for affixing the apparatus to a first surface of the handheld device;

an extension extending from the base at a first end of the extension;

a first hinged section rotatably connecting the extension to the base at the first end of the extension;

a substantially planar grip extending from the extension at a second end of the extension opposite to the first end of the extension; and

a second hinged section rotatably connecting the grip to the second end of the extension towards a center of the extension about a second axis of rotation, such that a first substantially planar portion of the grip extends outwardly from a first side of the second axis of rotation while a second substantially planar portion of the grip extends outwardly from a second side of the second axis of rotation opposite the first side,

wherein the first and second hinged sections enable rotation of the extension and grip from a closed position through an intermediate position, into an open position, such that, in the closed position the base, the extension, and the grip are substantially parallel to the first surface of the handheld device, and in the opened position the base and the grip are substantially parallel to the first surface of the handheld device and the extension is substantially perpendicular to the first surface of the handheld device, and

wherein the base is integrated into a removable sleeve adapted to substantially cover at least one surface of the handheld device.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the base is affixable to a recess in the handheld device such that an exposed surface of the base panel is substantially coplanar with a surface of the handheld device.

12. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the base is integrated to a housing of the handheld device.

13. An apparatus for gripping a handheld device, the apparatus comprising:

a base for affixing the apparatus to a first surface of the handheld device;

an extension extending from the base at a first end of the extension;

a first hinged section rotatably connecting the extension to the base at the first end of the extension;

a substantially planar grip extending from the extension at a second end of the extension opposite to the first end of the extension; and

a second hinged section rotatably connecting the grip to the second end of the extension towards a center of the extension about a second axis of rotation, such that a first substantially planar portion of the grip extends outwardly from a first side of the second axis of rotation while a second substantially planar portion of the grip extends outwardly from a second side of the second axis of rotation opposite the first side,

wherein the first and second hinged sections enable rotation of the extension and grip from a closed position through an intermediate position, into an open position, such that, in the closed position the base, the extension, and the grip are substantially parallel to the first surface of the handheld device, and, in the opened position the base and the grip are substantially parallel to the first surface of the handheld device and the extension is substantially perpendicular to the first surface of the handheld device, and

wherein a lower surface of the grip facing towards the base in the opened position includes two contoured surfaces along the opposite sides of the extension, such that the contoured surfaces are structured to ergonomically receive the user's fingers inserted between the grip and the handheld device.

14. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the grip is positionable to support the handheld device resting on a surface in a viewing orientation.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the grip positionable to support the handheld device resting on the surface in each of a landscape viewing orientation and a portrait viewing orientation.

16. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein, in the opened position, the extension separates the base from the grip by a space that ergonomically receives two of a user's fingers inserted between the grip and the base at opposite sides of the extension.

17. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the extension comprises a spring that provides a force for automatically pushing the grip from the closed position in a direction away from the base into the open position.

18. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the extension comprises a spring that provides a force for automatically pulling the grip from the open position towards the handheld device into the closed position.

19. The apparatus of claim 13 , further comprising a lock for holding the apparatus in the closed position.

20. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the grip is positionable to support the handheld device resting on a surface in a viewing orientation.

21. An apparatus for gripping a handheld device, the apparatus comprising:

a base for affixing the apparatus to a first surface of the handheld device;

an extension extending from the base at a first end of the extension;

a first hinged section rotatably connecting the extension to the base at the first end of the extension;

a substantially planar grip extending from the extension at a second end of the extension opposite to the first end of the extension;

a second hinged section rotatably connecting the substantially planar grip to the second end of the extension towards a center of the extension about a second axis of rotation, such that a first substantially planar portion of the grip extends outwardly from a first side of the second axis of rotation while a second substantially planar portion of the grip extends outwardly from a second side of the second axis of rotation opposite the first side,

wherein the first and second hinged sections enable rotation of the extension and grip from a closed position through an intermediate position, into an open position, such that, in the closed position the base, the extension, and the grip are substantially parallel to the first surface of the handheld device, and, in the opened position the base and the grip are substantially parallel to the first surface of the handheld device and the extension is substantially perpendicular to the first surface of the handheld device, and

wherein the base is integrated into a removable case adapted to substantially cover at least one surface of the handheld device.

22. The apparatus of claim 21 , wherein the extension comprises a spring that provides a force for automatically pushing the grip from the closed position in a direction away from the base into the open position.

23. The apparatus of claim 21 , wherein the extension comprises a spring that provides a force for automatically pulling the grip from the open position towards the handheld device into the closed position.

24. The apparatus of claim 21 , further comprising a lock for holding the apparatus in the closed position.

25. The apparatus of claim 21 , wherein the grip is positionable to support the handheld device resting on a surface in a viewing orientation.

26. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein an underside of the grip facing towards the base includes a respective concave curvature on each side of the grip.