Collapsible and expandable spring-loaded discs
View Patent ↗Two circular rings or discs which are somewhat rotatable with respect to one another. They are connected by a foldable cover which houses a spring inside. The spring, when collapsed, pushes the discs away from each other while the foldable cover is semi-flexible. When the accessory is collapsed, the foldable cover folds over itself, whereas when the accessory is expanded, the foldable cover becomes unfolded with a smaller-circumference center ridge which is less flexible or non-flexible, and situated between two larger circumference areas. Flanges on the inner and outer rings abut each other, keeping the spring collapsed and discs locked into each other in some embodiments. When the rings are rotated with respect to one another, the flanges become unlocked and the spring separates the discs such that one or both of the foldable cover or spring become the limiting factor in how far apart the discs spread from another.
1. An expandable and collapsible accessory comprising:
an outer circular disc with a circular wall rising therefrom and a plurality of flanges extending inwards from said circular wall of said outer circular disc;
an inner circular disc with a circular wall rising therefrom and a plurality of flanges extending outwards from said circular wall of said inner circular disc;
a spring positioned between said outer circular disc and said inner circular disc;
a flexible cover attached to said outer circular disc at a first end and said inner circular disc at a second end opposite said first end, said flexible cover enveloping said spring
wherein said flexible cover is bifurcated at a narrow region between two wider regions, said two wider regions terminating, respectively, where said flexible cover is attached to said outer circular disc and said inner circular disc, and
wherein said expandable and collapsible accessory is removably attached to one of a phone case or a phone.
2. The expandable and collapsible accessory of claim 1 , further comprising:
a circular disc covering at least a majority of one side of one of said outer circular disc and said inner circular disc with indicia thereupon, said cover circular disc having two identically sized circular sides and a width there-between less than a width of a widest region of said outer circular disc.
3. A method of using the expandable and collapsible accessory of claim 1 , comprising a step of rotating said inner circular disc with respect to said outer circular disc until at least some of said plurality of flanges of said circular wall of said outer circular disc are aligned with at least some of said plurality of flanges of said circular wall of said inner circular disc.
4. The method of using the expandable and collapsible accessory of claim 3 , wherein said rotating is until said flanges of said inner circular disc situated between said outer circular disc and said flanges of said circular wall of said outer circular disc causing said outer circular disc and said inner circular disc to remain in a stationary, first-retracted position.
5. The method of using the expandable and collapsible accessory of claim 4 , comprising a further step of rotating said inner circular disc with respect to said outer circular disc until said flanges of said wall of said inner circular disc are situated adjacent to spaces between said flanges of said circular wall of said outer circular disc causing said outer circular disc and said inner circular disc to be pushed away from each other by said spring until reaching a stationary second expanded position.
6. The expandable and collapsible accessory of claim 1 , wherein said expandable and collapsible accessory is bistable and:
in a first of two bistable configurations said inner circular disc and said outer circular disc are closer together, compared to a second of said two bistable configurations, and said flexible cover has sections which are folded past one another;
in said second of two bistable configurations, said inner circular disc and said outer circular disc are further away from each other, compared to said first of said two bistable configurations, and said flexible cover and said sections are unfolded with respect to one another.
7. An expandable and collapsible accessory, comprising:
a complimentary pair of first and second discs, said first disc rotatable within said second disc each having a set of alternating flanges and spaces there-between said flanges, said flanges extending perpendicular to walls of each said first and second disc;
a spring exerting force on each of said first and second discs;
a cover extending between said first and second disc which completely surrounds said spring;
wherein said cover is bifurcated at a narrow region between two wider regions, said two wider regions terminating, respectively, where said cover is attached to said first disc and said second disc, and
wherein said expandable and collapsible accessory is removably attached to one of a phone case or a phone.
8. The expandable and collapsible accessory of claim 7 , wherein:
said spring is held in a collapsed state; and
said set of said alternating flanges of said first disc exert pressure against said set of said alternating flanges of said second disc due to said spring.
9. The expandable and collapsible accessory of claim 7 , wherein:
said spring is an expanded state, and
said set of alternating flanges of said first disc are spaced apart from said alternating flanges of said second disc.
10. The expandable and collapsible accessory of claim 7 , wherein a removable third disc without flanges is attached to a circular side of said first disc.
11. The expandable and collapsible accessory of claim 10 , wherein a circular side of said second disc is removably attached to a phone or phone case, said third disc being in parallel with a side of said phone or said phone case which is attached to said second disc.
12. The expandable and collapsible accessory of claim 7 , wherein said cover folds over itself when said complimentary pair of first and second discs are brought closer together, and is unfolded when said complimentary pair of first and second discs are brought away from each other.
13. The expandable and collapsible accessory of claim 12 , wherein said cover has a circular central region which is less flexible than regions of said cover which fold over each other, and in said unfolded condition, has a smaller circular circumference than adjacent regions of said cover.