IP Library Granted Patent US 12,453,405
Granted Patent B2
US 12,453,405 · App. 17/377,697 · Granted Oct 28, 2025

Grip for a foldable electronic device

Inventors: Tark Abed (Boulder, CO); Alexander N. Dzigurski (Boulder, CO)
Assignee: POPSOCKETS LLC
A45F5/00F16M13/04H04M1/04A45F5/1516A45F5/1525
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,453,405
App. No.
17/377,697
Granted
Oct 28, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

An expandable device for attachment to a foldable electronic device having first and second surfaces includes a button and a pivotable frame member. The button has a top side, a bottom side, and a coupling portion and is movable between an expanded configuration and a collapsed configuration. The pivotable frame member is operably coupled to the button and includes a device coupling portion that engages a portion of the foldable electronic device. The pivotable frame member is pivotable between a first configuration whereby the button is positioned along at least one of the first surface or the second surface of the foldable electronic device and a second configuration whereby the button is positioned away from the foldable electronic device.

Claims (32)

1. An accessory for attachment to a mobile electronic device, the accessory configured to provide grip and kickstand functionality, the accessory comprising:

a base member having a device-facing surface configured to detachably attach to a rear surface of the mobile electronic device or to a rear surface of a case of the mobile electronic device;

a pivotable member coupled to the base member at a hinge portion, wherein the pivotable member extends from the hinge portion and is pivotable between at least a closed configuration and an open configuration, wherein the pivotable member comprises a base-facing surface and an opposite accessory-facing surface; and

a grip detachably coupled to the accessory-facing surface of the pivotable member, wherein the grip is movable between an expanded configuration and a collapsed configuration,

wherein at least a portion of the grip expands away from the accessory-facing surface of the pivotable member when moving from the collapsed configuration to the expanded configuration, and contracts towards the accessory-facing surface of the pivotable member when moving from the expanded configuration to the collapsed configuration.

2. The accessory of claim 1 , wherein the pivotable member is configurable as a kickstand for the mobile electronic device when in the open configuration.

3. The accessory of claim 1 , wherein the base-facing surface of the pivotable member faces the base member when the pivotable member is in the closed configuration.

4. The accessory of claim 3 , wherein the base-facing surface of the pivotable member further contacts the base member when the pivotable member is in the closed configuration.

5. The accessory of claim 1 , wherein the grip in the expanded configuration is configured to be grasped by a user to securely hold the mobile electronic device when the pivotable member is in the closed configuration.

6. The accessory of claim 1 , wherein the grip comprises a top side, a bottom side, and a coupling portion, and wherein the top side of the grip expands away from the accessory-facing surface of the pivotable member when moving from the collapsed configuration to the expanded configuration, and contracts towards the accessory-facing surface of the pivotable member when moving from the expanded configuration to the collapsed configuration.

7. The accessory of claim 1 , further comprising a securing mechanism configured to retain the pivotable member in the closed configuration.

8. An accessory for attachment to a mobile electronic device, the accessory configured to provide grip and kickstand functionality, the accessory comprising:

a base member having a device-facing surface configured to detachably attach to a rear surface of the mobile electronic device or to a rear surface of a case of the mobile electronic device;

a pivotable member coupled to the base member at a hinge portion, wherein the pivotable member extends from the hinge portion and is pivotable between at least a closed configuration and an open configuration, wherein the pivotable member comprises a base-facing surface and an opposite accessory-facing surface; and

a grip detachably coupled to the accessory-facing surface of the pivotable member, wherein the grip is movable between an expanded configuration and a collapsed configuration,

wherein the grip comprises an expandable mechanism which is configured to resiliently retain the grip in the closed configuration and expanded configuration, respectively.

9. The accessory of claim 8 , wherein the pivotable member is configurable as a kickstand for the mobile electronic device when in the open configuration.

10. The accessory of claim 8 , wherein the base-facing surface of the pivotable member faces the base member when the pivotable member is in the closed configuration.

11. The accessory of claim 10 , wherein the base-facing surface of the pivotable member further contacts the base member when the pivotable member is in the closed configuration.

12. The accessory of claim 8 , wherein the grip in the expanded configuration is configured to be grasped by a user to securely hold the mobile electronic device when the pivotable member is in the closed configuration.

13. The accessory of claim 8 , wherein at least a portion of the grip expands away from the accessory-facing surface of the pivotable member when moving from the collapsed configuration to the expanded configuration, and contracts towards the accessory-facing surface of the pivotable member when moving from the expanded configuration to the collapsed configuration.

14. The accessory of claim 8 , wherein the grip comprises a top side, a bottom side, and a coupling portion, and wherein the top side of the grip expands away from the accessory-facing surface of the pivotable member when moving from the collapsed configuration to the expanded configuration, and contracts towards the accessory-facing surface of the pivotable member when moving from the expanded configuration to the collapsed configuration.

15. The accessory of claim 8 , further comprising a securing mechanism configured to retain the pivotable member in the closed configuration.

16. A combination grip and kickstand accessory for attachment to a mobile electronic device, the accessory comprising:

a base member having a device-facing surface configured to detachably attach to a rear surface of the mobile electronic device or to a rear surface of a case of the mobile electronic device;

a kickstand member coupled to the base member at a hinge portion, wherein the kickstand member extends from the hinge portion and is pivotable between at least a closed configuration and an open configuration, and wherein the kickstand member, in the open configuration, is configured to prop up and/or retain the mobile electronic device in a non-horizontal position; and

a grip detachably coupled to an accessory-facing surface of the kickstand member, wherein the grip is movable between an expanded configuration and a collapsed configuration.

17. The combination grip and kickstand accessory of claim 16 , wherein the kickstand member further comprises a base-facing surface opposite the accessory-facing surface, and wherein the base-facing surface of the kickstand member contacts the base member when the kickstand member is in the closed configuration.

18. The combination grip and kickstand accessory of claim 16 , wherein the grip in the expanded configuration is configured to be grasped by a user to securely hold the mobile electronic device when the kickstand member is in the closed configuration.

19. The combination grip and kickstand accessory of claim 16 , wherein at least a portion of the grip expands away from the accessory-facing surface of the kickstand member when moving from the collapsed configuration to the expanded configuration, and contracts towards the accessory-facing surface of the kickstand member when moving from the expanded configuration to the collapsed configuration.

20. The combination grip and kickstand accessory of claim 16 , wherein the grip comprises a top side, a bottom side, and a coupling portion, and wherein the top side of the grip expands away from the accessory-facing surface of the kickstand member when moving from the collapsed configuration to the expanded configuration, and contracts towards the accessory-facing surface of the pivotable member when moving from the expanded configuration to the collapsed configuration.

21. The combination grip and kickstand accessory of claim 16 , further comprising a securing mechanism configured to retain the kickstand member in the closed configuration.

Assignments (2)
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Jun 13, 2023
From: POPSOCKETS LLC
To: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 063931/0043 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 2, 2021
From: ABED, TARK; DZIGURSKI, ALEXANDER N.
To: POPSOCKETS LLC
Reel/Frame 058267/0899 →
Continuity (3)
Provisional Application 62906361 · Sep 26, 2019
Provisional Application 62794305 · Jan 18, 2019
Related Publication 20230140012A1 · May 4, 2023
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