Clip for mounting external device to electronic device

{
  "publication_number": "US10362154B2",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "B2",
  "title": "Clip for mounting external device to electronic device",
  "abstract": "In an aspect, a device-and-clip system is provided for an electronic device. The system includes an external device that cooperates with at least one electronic device feature on the rear face to perform a selected function. The system includes a clip including a first clip arm having an arm marker thereon and which is engageable with the front face of the electronic device and a second clip arm that is engageable with the rear face of the electronic device. The system further includes an application that is executable to instruct the electronic device to display a screen marker on the display screen in a selected position and in a selected orientation such that positioning and orienting of the first clip arm on the display screen of the smart phone with the arm marker aligned with the position and orientation of the screen marker positions the external device in alignment with the at least one electronic device feature.",
  "claims": [
    "1. A device-and-clip system for an electronic device having a front face with a display screen thereon, a rear face opposite to the front face, and an edge between the front and rear faces, the device-and-clip system comprising: a projector that is separate from the electronic device and which has an aperture therethrough, wherein the projector is cooperable with the electronic device when the aperture is aligned with a light-emitting element on the rear face to pass light through a transparent slide containing an image in the aperture, and to project the image onto a suitable receiving surface; a clip including a first clip arm which is engageable with the front face; a second clip arm that is positioned to hold the projector at the rear face, wherein the first and second clip arms are connected to one another and are movable between an open position to permit removal of the clip from the electronic device and a closed position in which the first and second clip arms clamp the electronic device, wherein the projector is mounted to the clip; and wherein the clip has a clip limit surface that is engageable with the edge of the electronic device to determine a reach of the aperture on the rear face of the electronic device, wherein the clip limit surface is positioned such that, for a first type of electronic device in which the light-emitting element is positioned at a first distance from the edge, the clip is mountable to the first type of electronic device with the aperture aligned with the light-emitting element on the rear face such that the clip limit surface is spaced from the edge, and for a second type of electronic device in which the light-emitting element is positioned at a second distance from the edge that is different than the first distance, the clip is mountable to the second type of electronic device with the aperture aligned with the light-emitting element on the rear face of the second type of electronic device.",
    "2. A device-and-clip system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first clip arm has an arm marker thereon, and wherein the device-and-clip system further comprises an application that is executable by the electronic device so as to instruct the electronic device to display a screen marker on the display screen in a selected position such that positioning of the first clip arm on the display screen with the arm marker aligned with the position of the screen marker positions the external device in alignment with the light-emitting element.",
    "3. A device-and-clip system as claimed in claim 2, wherein the first clip arm includes a transparent portion and the arm marker is positioned in the transparent portion.",
    "4. The image projection device of claim 1, wherein the projector further includes a flash conditioner aligned with the aperture and positioned to condition light passing through the aperture to the transparent slide from the light-emitting element.",
    "5. The image projection device of claim 1 further comprising a focus adjustment mechanism containing the magnifying lens, the focus adjustment mechanism being movable to translate the magnifying lens axially with respect to the aperture.",
    "6. The image projection device of claim 5, wherein the focus adjustment mechanism is any one of a telescoping mechanism and a screw-type mechanism.",
    "7. The image projection device of claim 1, wherein the projector includes a first slide alignment structure that is positioned to engage a second slide alignment feature on a slide frame holding the transparent slide so as to align the transparent slide with the aperture, wherein the first slide alignment structure is one of a detent and a notch, and the second alignment structure is the other one of the detent and the notch."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "The specification relates generally to clips for mounting external devices, such as projectors, to electronic devices, such as smartphones and tablets, and more particularly to a clip that can mount an external device to different models of electronic device, such as a clip that can mount a projector to an Apple iPhone 6, an Apple iPhone SE, an Apple iPad Pro 12.9″, a Samsung Galaxy S8, and a Samsung Galaxy Tab S3.\n\nIt is known to provide mounting systems for mounting devices to smartphones such as camera lens systems which cooperate with the smartphone camera to provide enhanced capability such as the ability to zoom in by more than is possible on the smartphone itself. However, it can be difficult to ensure that the device, when mounted, is in suitable alignment with the feature of the smartphone that it is intended to cooperate with.\n\nIn an aspect, a device-and-clip system is provided for an electronic device such as a smartphone or a tablet having a front face with a display screen thereon, and a rear face opposite to the front face. The device-and-clip system includes an external device that is separate from the electronic device but which cooperates with at least one electronic device feature on the rear face to perform a selected function. The device-and-clip system further includes a clip including a first clip arm having an arm marker thereon and which is engageable with the front face and a second clip arm that is engageable with the rear face.",
  "cpc": [
    "H04M 1/026",
    "B60R 11/0235",
    "B60R 11/0252",
    "F16B 2/10",
    "G02B 15/02",
    "G02B 7/003",
    "G02B 7/026",
    "G03B 21/001",
    "G03B 21/145",
    "G03B 21/54",
    "G03B 21/64",
    "G03B 29/00",
    "G06F 1/1605",
    "G06F 1/1607",
    "G06F 1/1626",
    "G06F 1/1628",
    "G06F 1/1684",
    "H04B 1/3877",
    "H04B 1/3888",
    "H04M 1/0254",
    "H04M 1/0264",
    "H04M 1/0272",
    "H04M 1/0279"
  ],
  "ipc": [
    "B60R 11/00",
    "B60R 11/02",
    "F16B 2/10",
    "G02B 15/02",
    "G02B 7/00",
    "G02B 7/02",
    "G03B 21/14",
    "G06F 1/16",
    "H04B 1/3877",
    "H04B 1/3888",
    "H04M 1/02"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "Spin Master Ltd"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "Natalie R. Rebot",
    "Hamid R. Hashemi",
    "Herman Chan"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2019-02-07",
  "publication_date": "2019-07-23",
  "grant_date": "2019-07-23",
  "priority_date": "2016-06-17",
  "application_number": "US-201916270305-A",
  "family_id": "62243689",
  "cited_by_count": 1,
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}