EXPANDING ACCESSORY FOR MOBILE ELECTRONIC DEVICES
An expandable socket for attachment to a mobile electronic device. The expandable socket includes a platform adapted to engage a portion of the portable media player, a skin coupled to the platform, wherein the skin is deformable between a collapsed configuration and an expanded configuration. The expandable socket includes a button coupled to the skin opposite the platform. The expandable socket also includes a biasing element arranged within the skin between the platform and the button, the biasing element configured to bias the skin into the expanded configuration.
1 . An expandable socket for attachment to a portable media player or a portable media player case, the expandable socket comprising:
a platform adapted to engage a portion of the portable media player or the portable media player case;
a skin coupled to the platform, wherein the skin is deformable between a collapsed configuration and an expanded configuration;
a button coupled to the skin opposite the platform; and
a biasing element arranged within the skin between the platform and the button, the biasing element configured to bias the skin into the expanded configuration.
2 . The expandable socket of claim 1 , wherein the skin comprises an elastomeric material.
3 . The expandable socket of claim 1 , wherein the skin comprises a tapered conical shape.
4 . The expandable socket of claim 1 , wherein the skin comprises at least one folding section.
5 . The expandable socket of claim 4 , wherein the skin comprises a plurality of folding sections.
6 . The expandable socket of claim 4 , wherein the at least one folding section has an accordion shape.
7 . The expandable socket of claim 1 , wherein the biasing element comprises a coil spring.
8 . The expandable socket of claim 7 , wherein the coil spring comprises a conical coil spring.
9 . The expandable socket of claim 1 , further comprising a lock configured to releasably secure the skin in the collapsed configuration.
10 . The expandable socket of claim 9 , wherein the lock comprises a first projection carried by the button and arranged to engage a second projection carried by the platform when the lock releasably secures the skin in the collapsed position.
11 . The expandable socket of claim 9 , wherein the lock comprises a recess defined by the platform or the button, and a protrusion defined by the other of the platform or the button, the recess configured to receive the protrusion when the lock releasably secures the skin in the collapsed position.
12 . An expandable socket for attachment to a portable media player or a portable media player case, the expandable socket comprising:
a platform adapted to engage a portion of the portable media player or the portable media player case;
a button that is spaced from and movable relative to the platform;
a biasing element disposed between the platform and the button, the biasing element arranged to bias the button away from the platform; and
a lock configured to releasably secure the button to the platform.
13 . The expandable socket of claim 12 , further comprising a skin arranged between the platform and the button, wherein the skin surrounds the biasing element.
14 . The expandable socket of claim 13 , wherein the skin comprises an elastomeric material.
15 . The expandable socket of claim 14 , wherein the skin comprises at least one folding section.
16 . The expandable socket of claim 12 , wherein the biasing element comprises a coil spring.
17 . The expandable socket of claim 16 , wherein the coil spring comprises a conical coil spring.
18 . The expandable socket of claim 12 , wherein the lock comprises a first projection carried by the button and arranged to engage a second projection carried by the platform when the lock releasably secures the button to the platform.
19 . The expandable socket of claim 12 , wherein the lock comprises a recess defined by the platform or the button, and a protrusion defined by the other of the platform or the button, the recess configured to receive the protrusion when the lock releasably secures the button to the platform.
20 . An expandable socket for attachment to a portable media player or a portable media player case, the expandable socket comprising:
a platform adapted to engage a portion of the portable media player or the portable media player case;
a button that is spaced from and movable relative to the platform; and
a biasing element disposed between the platform and the button, the biasing element arranged to bias the button away from the platform.
21 . The expandable socket of claim 20 , further comprising a skin arranged between the platform and the button, wherein the skin surrounds the biasing element.
22 . The expandable socket of claim 21 , wherein the skin comprises an elastomeric material.
23 . The expandable socket of claim 22 , wherein the skin comprises at least one folding section.
24 . The expandable socket of claim 20 , wherein the biasing element comprises a coil spring.
25 . The expandable socket of claim 24 , wherein the coil spring comprises a conical coil spring.
26 . The expandable socket of claim 20 , further comprising a first projection carried by the button and arranged to selectively engage a second projection carried by the platform to releasably secure the button to the platform.
27 . The expandable socket of claim 20 , further comprising a recess defined by the platform or the button, and a protrusion defined by the other of the platform or the button, the recess configured to selectively receive the protrusion to releasably secure the button to the platform.
28 . An expandable socket for attachment to a portable media player or a portable media player case, the expandable socket comprising:
a platform adapted to engage a portion of the portable media player or the portable media player case;
an elastomeric skin coupled to the platform and having a hollow shape, the skin including at least one folded section and being deformable between a collapsed configuration and an expanded configuration;
a button coupled to the skin opposite the platform, the button being disposed a first distance from the platform when the skin occupies the collapsed configuration and a second distance greater than the first distance from the platform when the skin occupies the expanded configuration;
a spring arranged within the skin between the platform and the button, the spring biasing the button away from the platform to urge the skin into the expanded configuration; and
a lock for selectively coupling the button to the platform such that the skin occupies the collapsed configuration when the button and platform are coupled.
29 . The expandable socket of claim 28 , wherein the lock comprises a first projection carried by the button and arranged to engage a second projection carried by the platform when the lock releasably couples the button to the platform.
30 . The expandable socket of claim 28 , wherein the lock comprises a recess defined by the platform or the button, and a protrusion defined by the other of the platform or the button, the recess configured to receive the protrusion when the lock couples the button to the platform.