Technical Field

The present invention relates to a mount assembly for mounting a device to a surface. In particular, but not exclusively, the present invention relates to a mount assembly for mounting an accessory in a vehicle.

Background

Camera systems for vehicles such as, for example, on-board camera systems, dashboard cameras, in-vehicle systems, etc. are increasing in use and popularity. Such camera systems are sometimes referred to as“Dash Cams” because they are often mounted to a vehicle dashboard. They are often installed into a vehicle after the overall vehicle has been manufactured, as an“after-sales” modification or personalisation of the vehicle by a user and are employed as a means to capture images of an area in and/or around a vehicle. Images captured by such systems may be used as evidence in the case of an accident, damage, or the like. Often, such camera systems are configured to continuously record video footage of a view through a windscreen of a vehicle in which they are mounted. Such camera systems may be attached to the interior of the vehicle windscreen or to the top of the dashboard of the vehicle.

Some known camera systems are operative to capture an image, a sequence of images, and/or record video footage when the vehicle is started, responsive to a user input, and/or automatically responsive to detection of movement of the vehicle.

Typically, a camera is mounted to the superstructure of the vehicle or window by way of an adhesive or suction attachment coupled to the camera through an arm so that the camera field of view is not obstructed by the adhesive or suction attachment or superstructure of the vehicle.

In a typical mount assembly, the arm may be movably attached to one, or both of the attachment or camera. Such an attachment can comprise a ball and socket joint, in which a socket may be tightened around a ball by way of a screw thread and nut arrangement or some other mechanism. This mechanism can serve to prevent movement of the arm so as to maintain its orientation, and thus that of the camera, relative to the surface to which the mount assembly is attached.

A typical mount assembly as described above may be composed of plastic materials. Such materials may degrade over time through repeated heating-cooling cycles, such as experienced in an in-vehicle environment. This may cause the stiffness of an interface between ball and socket joint and a tightening arrangement to lessen over time, which may result in the position of the arm relative to the attachment changing over time, e.g. from a user-set operating position. Such a change may need to be corrected by the user, by repositioning the arm relative to the attachment and by tightening the screw thread and nut arrangement.

A typical mount assembly as described above may not be suitable for a ball and socket joint where the joint comprises a channel therethrough to provide a conduit for routing, for example, an electrical cable to couple electronic circuitry in the attachment to electronic circuitry in a device-coupling element of the assembly. Excessive rotation and/or pivotal movement of the arm relative to the attachment from a factory-designed range of operating positions may be undesirable, because excessive rotation and/or pivotal movement of the arm relative to the attachment may cause damage to the electrical cable.

A typical mount assembly as described above may not be suitable for in-vehicle use, where the assembly may experience vibrations, acceleration forces and deceleration forces. In combination, such vibrations, acceleration forces and deceleration forces may cause a screw thread and nut arrangement to unfasten until, in a potential scenario, the nut is completely uncoupled from the screw thread. This may pose a hazard because, in certain circumstances, the arm may become uncoupled from the attachment, which may result in the arm (and any accessory attached thereto) detaching from the attachment and travelling through a vehicle cabin.

The present invention has been designed with the foregoing in mind.

Summary

According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a mount assembly for mounting a device to a surface, comprising: a socket assembly; a mounting element comprising a mounting ball formation receivable by the socket assembly to pivotally couple the mounting element to the socket assembly, wherein the socket assembly comprises a resilient member configured to define a socket to receive and engage the mounting ball formation, the member configured to permit the mounting ball formation to be urged into the socket against a resilient bias; the mount assembly further comprising a surface interface member configured to provide a frictional interface between the outer surface of the mounting ball formation and an inner wall of the socket defined by the resilient member. In order to produce a frictional force that is capable of maintaining the position of the mounting element via the resilient member alone would require significant contact between the resilient member and the mounting element. This may incur substantial wear on the ball formation of the mounting element, and require a considerable force from the user when altering the orientation of the mounting element. The inclusion of a surface interface member introduces a frictional force into the system that reduces the frictional force required from the resilient member, alleviating the compressive forces acting on the mounting ball formation and potentially reducing the wear experienced by this feature upon reconfiguration.

Optionally, the surface interface member may comprise a non-abrasive material. Reducing the abrasive nature of the surface interface member may reduce the wear experienced by the ball thereby increasing the longevity of the device, whilst still providing a frictional force to promote an element of control over the orientation of the mounting element and therefore orientation of the device.

Optionally, the surface interface member may comprise a resilient material. This may ensure durability of this feature and may potentially improve the size of the frictional force that it is capable of supplying, thus further reducing the inwardly compressive force required of the resilient member and subsequent wear and stress on the mounting ball formation.

Optionally, the surface interface member may comprise an elastic material. Elastic compression of the surface interface member may reduce wear as, by definition, any compression this member experiences does not cause permanent deformation. Configuring the surface interface member to be compliant in this way may improve the mechanical coupling of this feature to the mounting ball formation, further giving rise to a frictional force distributed over a greater region of the mounting ball formation.

Optionally, the surface interface member may comprise a malleable material. This may mitigate against the mounting ball formation slipping within the socket assembly, and potentially may present a greater area over which the frictional force can act, thus improving the ability of the mount assembly to maintain the orientation of a given device.

Optionally, the surface interface member may comprise a silicone type or silicone material. This may further introduce an element of durability as silicone type materials are typically able to maintain many properties at a large range of temperatures.

Optionally, the surface interface member may be disposed on an inner surface of the resilient member, or within the base of the socket defined by the resilient member.

Optionally, the resilient member may comprise a plurality of resilient members. This may aid in the definition of the socket, and in the receiving of the mounting ball formation. The plurality of resilient members may encourage a flexing of the socket upon the insertion of the mounting ball formation reducing wear on this component during installation. The plurality of resilient members may also provide a socket that is able to expand or contract depending on the mounting ball formation size to ensure a better coupling of these two features.

Optionally, the socket assembly may further comprise a biasing element to bias the plurality of resilient features into from the socket. This may ensure the preservation of the socket configuration of the resilient member when placed under stresses such as an increase in temperature or a force acting to dislodge the mounting ball formation.

Optionally, the socket assembly may further comprise a retention element which is configured to supply a resilient bias to limit deflection of the ends of the plurality of resilient features away from the socket. This may provide a method of supporting the configuration of the resilient features into a socket, thus enabling the force required of the biasing element to be reduced. When combined with the retention element, the parameters of biasing element that define the lower limits of the dimensions of the socket may be relaxed, as the retention element provides an inward bias to contribute to this effect, enabling the biasing element to act as a fortifying component rather than the sole definer of the socket size.

Optionally, the retention element may comprise a shroud configured to form a portion of a housing of the socket assembly, the shroud comprising an aperture into which ends of the plurality of resilient members can extend, the aperture defining a limit to which the ends of the plurality of resilient members can be deflected. This may act to simultaneously define the size of the socket for the mounting ball formation, and also to form part of the housing of the socket assembly itself.

Optionally, the mounting element may rotatable with respect to the socket assembly. This may allow for the mounting element to be supported within the device at a range of orientations.

Optionally, the biasing element may comprise a resiliently biased member which in turn may comprise a spring member and/or an elastic material located around the resilient member, e.g. extending around a perimeter of the resilient member. The elastic nature of the spring member and/or elastic material may improve durability of the device, as, by definition, elastic extension does not cause permanent deformation of the spring member/elastic material, thus inward bias produced by this feature may be maintained indefinitely. Optionally, the socket assembly may affix to a surface and the mounting element may affix to a device, providing a mount assembly which enables a device to be mounted upon a given surface.

Optionally, the socket assembly may affix to a device and the mounting element may affix to a surface, providing a mount assembly which enables a device to be mounted upon a given surface.

Brief Description of the Drawings

One or more embodiments of the present invention are described further hereinafter, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 illustrates an isometric projection of a mount assembly comprising a socket assembly and a mounting element in a first position in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present invention;

Fig. 2 illustrates an isometric projection of a mount assembly comprising a socket assembly and a mounting element in a second position in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present invention;

Fig. 3 illustrates an isometric projection of a socket assembly in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present invention;

Fig. 4 illustrates an isometric projection of a first portion of a socket assembly in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present invention;

Fig. 5 illustrates an isometric projection of a second portion of a socket assembly viewed from a first position in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present invention;

Fig. 6 illustrates an isometric projection of a second portion of a socket assembly viewed from a second position in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present invention;

Fig. 7 illustrates an isometric projection of a mounting element viewed from a first position in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present invention;

Fig. 8 illustrates an isometric projection of a mounting element viewed from a second position in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present invention; and

Fig. 9 shows an illustrative sectional view of the mount assembly in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present invention.

Detailed Description of the Invention Fig. 1 shows an isometric projection of a mount assembly 10 comprising a socket assembly 12 and a mounting element 14 in a first position in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present invention. The mounting element 14 is pivotally coupled to the socket assembly 12 by way of a ball and socket joint. In the illustrated example of one or more embodiments of the invention, the socket is located in the socket assembly, and the ball is located on the mounting element.

In one or more embodiments, the mount assembly 10 may be used to removably couple an accessory to the surface of a vehicle in which it is situated. For example, a dash cam, GPS device, satellite navigation system, and the like may be removably coupled to a windscreen, rear windscreen, or side door window of a vehicle.

In the illustrated example, an accessory (not shown) can be mounted on a free-end of the mounting element 14 and the socket assembly 12 is configured to be removably mountable to a surface, thereby providing a mount to mount the accessory to the surface of a vehicle. The socket assembly 12 can be mounted to a surface, for example a vehicle windshield, by way of a surface attachment element 13. The attachment element 13 may comprise a 3M® adhesive pad, a suction cup, or any other material/device that maintains the mount assembly 10 in a position on a surface.

Fig. 2 is an isometric projection of a mount assembly 10 comprising a socket assembly 12 and a device mounting element 14 in a second position in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present invention. In Fig. 2 the socket assembly 12 and mounting element 14 are in a second position relative to each other. It will be apparent that the second position is different to the first position of Fig. 1. The mounting element 14 has been rotated in direction P about a y-axis using the ball and socket joint. The properties of a ball and socket joint confer movement in the directions P, R and Y, i.e. about y, x and z axes respectively (see Figs. 1 and 2). Rotational/pivoting movement about x, y and z axes is referred to as roll (x-axis), pitch (y-axis) and yaw (z-axis) in some fields of technology.

Fig. 3 shows an isometric projection of the socket assembly 12 in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. The socket assembly 12 comprises: a plurality of resilient members 15 arranged to define a socket 16; a shroud portion 18 configured to form an upper part of a socket assembly housing; and a base portion 20 configured to form a lower part (a remaining part) of a socket assembly housing. The shroud portion 18 is coupleable to the base portion 20.

Base portion 20 comprises an aperture 24 to provide access to an electrical connection port (not shown), which is configured to provide a connection to an electronic circuit contained within base portion 20. For example, the aperture 24 provides a space to receive a USB coupling to couple an external device to the electronic circuit (e.g. comprising a GPS circuit) in the base portion 20 of socket assembly 12.

At least one surface interface member 17 is disposed in the socket 16. The at least one surface interface member 17 is configured to provide a frictional interface between the outer surface of a mounting ball receivable in the socket 16 and an inner wall of the socket 16. In this illustrative embodiment the at least one surface interface member 17 comprises a silicon pad and provides an additional frictional contact with the mounting ball of mounting element. The properties of the at least one surface interface member 17 is such that it provides a soft, frictional surface that conforms to the shape of the mounting ball so as to reduce the wear of the outer surface of said ball mounting formation, and to increase resistance to movement of the mounting ball relative to the socket.

The at least one surface interface member 17 may be situated on the inside of one or more resilient members 15 defining the socket 16, or at the base of the socket 16.

Fig. 4 is an illustrative isometric projection of the base portion 20 of socket assembly. In this illustrative example, the shroud (not shown) has been removed to expose the inner elements of the base portion 20 of socket assembly 12. The base portion 20 comprises the plurality of resilient members 15, which comprise four arcuate flanges arranged such that free ends thereof define a circular mount of the socket 16. The plurality of resilient members extend from a surface 26 and define a space therebetween that defines the socket 16. The socket 16 is configured to receive a mounting ball of mount element 14. The arcuate form of the plurality of resilient members 15 and their location with respect to each other is such so as to space therebetween that is complementary to a shape of a mounting ball receivable therein. The resilience of the plurality of resilient members 15 serves to urge the ends of the plurality of resilient members 15 inwards to the space of the socket 16 and to resist deformation of the members 15 and deflection of the ends thereof in an outward direction, away from the space of the socket 16. This configuration can urge a mounting ball located in the socket 16 into the socket 16 to maintain engagement of the mounting ball and the socket 16, and resist disengagement of the mounting ball from the socket 16.

Channels 28, 29 define spaces between neighbouring pairs of the plurality of resilient members 15. A first set of these channels 28 can serve to receive a formation, or formations, located on a surface of the mounting ball of the mounting element, where interaction of the formation(s) with walls of the channels 28 can restrict movement of the mounting element relative to the socket assembly. The base portion 20 also comprises a biasing element 30 disposed so as to exert an inwardly directed force on the plurality of resilient members 15. In the illustrated example of Fig. 4, the biasing element 30 comprises a helical spring disposed as a sleeve around the plurality of resilient members 15, so as to encircle the plurality of resilient members 15. The biasing element 30 provides a force that resists outward movement of said plurality of resilient members 15. Namely, it provides a biasing force inwards so that the plurality of resilient members 15 are biased inwards toward the space within the socket 16. Further, biasing element 30 may maintain a uniformity of coefficient of friction between walls of the socket 16 (i.e. plurality of resilient members 15) and the mounting ball during heat cycles experienced by the mount assembly in a typical environment in which the mount assembly is located. The respective materials of the plurality of resilient members 15 and the mounting ball may be different and so may have different coefficients of thermal expansion and/or the shape and configuration of the plurality of resilient members 15 are different to the shape and configuration of the mounting ball and so may have different coefficients of thermal expansion. In both cases, the presence of the biasing element 30 may inhibit any changes in “tightness” of the assembly caused by potential differing extents of expansion/contraction of the plurality of resilient members 15 and mounting ball during different temperature conditions.

In the bottom of the socket 16 there is a bore 32 extending through the surface 26 to an opposite side (not shown) of the surface. This is provided so as to allow an electrical connection, such as a wire, or cable, to pass between the socket 16 and an opposite side of the base portion 20.

The base portion 20 also comprises holes 34 that extend through the surface 26 to an opposite side (not shown) of the surface. Such holes 34 provide apertures through which fixing elements can pass to be received in corresponding receiving channels in the shroud portion 18. This arrangement serves to secure the shroud portion 18 to the base portion 20. For example, screws, bolts or other fixing elements may be used for this purpose.

Fig. 5 shows an illustrative example of the shroud 18. Fig. 5 shows the shroud portion 18 oriented so that an outer surface thereof is presented. As previously described, the shroud portion 18 can be removably coupled to base portion 20 by locating filing elements to extend through holes 34 of the base portion 20 to be received in corresponding receiving channels in the shroud portion 18. One of the receiving channels 36 is shown in Fig. 5.

The shroud portion 18 comprises an aperture 38 that extends through the shroud portion 18. The aperture 38 comprises two sections having different circumferences. A first section 40 has a circumference that is larger than a circumference defined by outer edges of each of the remote ends of the plurality of resilient members 15. When the shroud portion 18 is coupled to the base portion 20 the aperture 38 is located such that it is concentric with a circle defined by defined by outer edges of each of the remote ends of the plurality of resilient members 15. The first section 40 of the aperture 18 can serve as a retention element to limit deflection of ends of the plurality of resilient members outwardly from the socket (i.e. in a direction away from the socket).

A second section of aperture (not shown in Fig. 5, see 44 in Fig. 6) has a circumference that is larger than that of the first section 40 and is of a size sufficient to receive the biasing element 30 in a push- fit arrangement. That is, the circumference of the second section of aperture 38 is large enough to encircle the biasing element 30.

The difference in circumferences between the first section 40 and the second section (not shown in Fig. 5, see 44 in Fig. 6) is such that the interface between the two sections forms a lip (not shown in Fig. 5, see 42 in Fig. 6) that can provide a blocking surface to prevents the biasing element 30 from being removed from the socket assembly (when the shroud portion 18 and base portion 20 of the socket assembly are in an assembled state).

In combination, the biasing and retention elements may serve to reduce the likelihood of a mounting ball being decoupled, or disengaged, from the socket under exertion of excessive forces on the mount assembly.

Fig. 6 shows an illustrative isometric projection of the shroud portion 18 with the shroud portion oriented so that an inner surface thereof is presented. Fig. 6 shows four fixing element receiving channels 36, which correspond to the holes 34 of the base portion 20. Viewed in this orientation, lip 42 formed by the interface between first section 40 and second section 44 is now visible. The biasing element cannot pass through aperture 38 due to the lip 42.

As described above, walls of the aperture 38 that define the first section 40 provides a retention element that can serve to inhibit movement of the ends of the plurality of resilient members 15. Thus, in combination with the biasing element 30, the retention element increases an inward bias of the resilient members 15 in a direction inwardly into the socket, and so increases a force exerted on a mounting ball located in the socket 16. This provides a system that allows pivotal movement of the mount element 14 relative to the socket assembly 12, but which provides a resistance to prevent movement of the mounting element relative to the socket assembly in the absence of user-applied force. This may allow a user to set a position of the mount element 14 relative to the socket assembly 12 without having to use an additional element to set the position (e.g. tighten a nut). The biasing and retention elements may provide enough resistance to relative movement between the mount element and the socket assembly such that, when the mount assembly is subjected to vibrations and/or acceleration forces, e.g. when a vehicle is in motion, an accessory coupled to the mount assembly does not move after being set by the user. Additionally, decoupling, or disengagement, of the mounting ball from the socket assembly under exertion of excessive forces may be inhibited.

Fig. 7 is an illustrative isometric drawing of the mount element 14 when viewed from a first position. The mount element 14 comprises a mounting ball 46 disposed at one end of an arm 48. The mount element 14 comprises a device engagement element 50 disposed at an opposite end of the arm 48. The mounting ball 46 has a diameter that is of a size to permit a push-fit engagement of the mounting ball 46 with the socket 16 of socket assembly 12, which, as described above, provides a frictional engagement between the mounting ball 46 and the socket 16. Additionally, the device engagement element 50 can be used as an electromechanical coupling between an electronic circuit housed in the mount assembly 10 and electronic circuitry of an accessory coupled to device engagement element 50.

A bore 52 that extends through the mounting ball 46 and arm 48 provides a passage between the mount element 14 and the socket assembly 12 for an electrical connection. This may be provided by use of a wire, or cable that extends therethrough. As described below, this can provide an electrical connection between a first electronic circuit, such as a GPS module, contained within the socket assembly 12 and a second electronic circuit, located in device engagement element 50 of mount element 14.

Mounting ball 46 comprises at least one formation extending from a surface thereof. In the illustrated example, the at least one formation comprises two vanes 54 that extend radially from the surface of the mounting ball 46. When the mounting ball 46 is located in the socket 16 of socket assembly 12, the vanes 54 occupy the channels 28 between the resilient members 15.

Interaction of the vanes 54 with walls of the channels 28 can restrict movement of the mounting element relative to the socket assembly. Thus, the interaction of the vanes 54 with walls of the channels 28 may serve to inhibit pivotal movement in the direction Y (see Fig.1 and 2, i.e. about a yaw axis) to a relatively small amount and inhibit rotational movement in the direction R (see Fig.1 and 2, i.e. about a roll axis) to a relatively small amount, whilst permitting pivotal movement in the direction P (see Fig.1 and 2, i.e. about a pitch axis) to an amount larger than permitted in the Y and R directions. That is to say the vanes 54 are configured to interact to inhibit rotational movement and pivotal movement about a yaw axis of the mounting element 14 relative to the socket assembly 12.

When the mounting element 14 is pivoted in the direction ±R, the side of the vanes 54 engage with the walls of the channels thereby preventing any further movement in that direction. However, and as described above, motion of the mounting element 14 in the direction P is permitted over a much larger range of relative movement because the vanes 54 move through the channels 28 until an end 56 of a vane 54 engages the bottom of a channel 28.

Fig. 8 is an illustrative isometric drawing of the mounting element 14 when viewed from a second position. In Fig. 8, the bore 52 is more clearly visible.

As indicated above, the socket assembly 12 may comprise an electronic circuit, for example a GPS module. An illustrative sectional view of the mount assembly 10 is shown in Fig. 9, which is described below.

A first electronic circuit 58 in the socket assembly 12 can be electrically coupled to a second electronic circuit 60 located in mounting element 14. Data of the first electronic circuit 58 (e.g. data of a GPS module) can be communicated to the second electronic circuit 60 of mounting element 14 by way of an electrical connection 62. The electrical connection 62 passes from the first electronic circuit 58 to the second electronic circuit 60 through the bore 52. The bore 52 provides a conduit from the socket assembly 12 to the mounting element 14.

Furthermore, an electro-mechanical coupling between an accessory and the mounting element 14 can serve to transfer the data from the second electronic circuit 60 to the accessory coupled to the mounting element 14.

Providing a GPS module in the socket assembly 12 may result in the GPS module being positioned closer to the exterior of a vehicle in which it is situated. For example, if the device is a dash cam to be mounted to a windshield of a vehicle, the GPS module contained within the socket assembly 12 of mount assembly 10 is closer to the windshield, which may improve a line-of-sight connection between the GPS module and a remote device. For this reason, a mount assembly 10 with a GPS module 58 located in the socket assembly 12 as described above may provide more accurate measurements from the GPS module 58.

In one or more embodiments of the present invention described above, the socket 16 of socket assembly 12 is described as comprising a plurality of resilient members 15. In the illustrated embodiment there are four resilient members. However, it would be apparent to a person skilled in the art that there may be other arrangements with greater, or fewer resilient members to define the socket 16. In an optional arrangement, the socket 16 may be defined by a single resilient member, which may comprise a circular flange.

In one or more embodiments of the present invention described above, the biasing element 30 comprises a helical spring. In optional arrangements, the biasing element may comprises any other arrangement or device that provides a resistance to the outward movement plurality of resilient members 15, i.e. any other arrangement or device to provide a compressive force acting inwardly on the plurality resilient members 15.

Any references made herein to orientation (e.g. top, bottom, upper, lower, front, back, and rear) are made for the purposes of describing relative spatial arrangements of the features of the apparatus, and are not intended to be limiting in any sense.

As used herein, the terms“comprises,”“comprising,”“includes,”“incl uding,”“has,” “having” or any other variation thereof, are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion. For example, a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements is not necessarily limited to only those elements but may include other elements not expressly listed or inherent to such process, method, article, or apparatus. Further, unless expressly stated to the contrary, “or” refers to an inclusive or and not to an exclusive or. For example, a condition A or B is satisfied by any one of the following: A is true (or present) and B is false (or not present), A is false (or not present) and B is true (or present), and both A and B are true (or present).

In addition, the terms“a” or“an” are employed to describe elements and components of the invention. This is done merely for convenience and to give a general sense of the invention. This description should be read to include one or at least one and the singular also includes the plural unless it is obvious that it is means otherwise.

In view of the foregoing description it will be evident to a person skilled in the art that various modifications may be made within the scope of the invention. For example, embodiments in accordance with the invention are not limited to any of the particular materials disclosed herein. Other materials suitable for performing the function described herein for a particular material may also be utilized in embodiments of the invention.

The scope of the present disclosure includes any novel feature or combination of features disclosed therein either explicitly or implicitly or any generalisation thereof irrespective of whether or not it relates to the claimed invention or mitigate against any or all of the problems addressed by the present invention. The applicant hereby gives notice that new claims may be formulated to such features during prosecution of this application or of any such further application derived therefrom. In particular, with reference to the appended claims, features from dependent claims may be combined with those of the independent claims and features from respective independent claims may be combined in any appropriate manner and not merely in specific combinations enumerated in the claims.