CROSS REFERENCE

The application claims the priority rights of US provisional application No. 62/875,528 entitled“Cellular phone/multimedia screen sunshade” filed by the present inventor in July 18, 2019.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Field of the invention

The disclosed invention is in the field of accessories for cellular phones and multimedia devices, and especially theses accessories that make the use of cellular phones inside a vehicle more convenient for the users and more secure for the devices.

BACKGROUND

Inside a vehicle, the use of a cellular phone or a multimedia device may be impaired due to glare from sunlight during daytime and due to dazzling light from other vehicles during night that interfere with the sight of the device screen content. During daytime, a device may be heated excessively by direct sunlight impinging its rear side. Thus, there is a need for a shading element that prevents the glare and excessive heat.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is disclosed a shading support for placing a device inside a vehicle. The shading support includes a flat surface having a front side and a rear side and is bounded at three edges by walls erected from the front side in a vertical direction to the flat surface. The device dimensions are compatible with the wall locations. The shading support has structural features which enable receiving the device and coupling it to a dashboard or window of the vehicle.

In some embodiments the flat surface is rectangular.

In some embodiments the side walls are connected to the respective edges by curved surfaces. In some embodiments the shading support is colored black or decorated in a non-distracting manner.

In some embodiments, the flat surface is thin enough to allow penetration of magnetic attraction between a magnetic coupler attached to a rear surface of the device to a magnetic mount connected to the internal part of the vehicle, a dashboard or a window, for example.

In some embodiments, the shading support receives a cellular phone, a tablet or a multimedia device.

In some embodiments, the flat surface is corrugated or grooved.

In some embodiments, the shading support includes an electric connection to a vehicle power socket, a wireless audio system, a plug charger, or a wireless charger.

In some embodiments the shading support includes a front coupler for coupling the front side of the flat surface and the device, and a rear coupler for coupling the rear side of the flat surface and the dashboard. Preferably, a front magnetic coupler is connected to the front side of the flat surface and a compatible magnetic coupler is attached to the device to enable their magnetic coupling. Similarly, a rear magnetic coupler may be connected to the rear side of the flat surface and a compatible magnetic coupler is attached to dashboard. Preferably, the front coupler is thick enough to leave a space between most of a rear surface of the device and the flat surface, thus allowing air flow in between.

It is also disclosed a method for placing a device inside a vehicle. The method includes connecting a mount to an internal part of the vehicle, attaching a shading support to the mount whereas a front coupler is attached to the front side of the shading support, and attaching the device to the front coupler.

In some embodiments, the method includes attaching the shading support to the mount using a rear coupler connected to the rear side of the flat surface.

In some embodiments, the method includes a step of magnetically attaching the device to a magnetic internal coupler connected to the front side, and a step of magnetically attaching the shading support to a magnetic mount connected to the internal part of the vehicle.

In some embodiments, the method includes a step of connecting the shading support to an electric power socket of the vehicle, a step of charging the device by a charger included in the shading support, or a step of connecting the device to a wireless audio system included in the shading support.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The subject matter regarded as the invention is particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed in the concluding portion of the specification. The invention, however, both as to system organization and method of operation, together with features and advantages thereof, may best be understood by reference to the following detailed description when read with the accompanied drawings in which:

Fig. la is a front view of a shading support according to a preferred embodiment of the invention.

Fig. lb is a front view of the shading support with a cellular phone therein.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the shading support of Fig. la, showing a thick front magnetic coupler which allows air flow between the device and the shading support.

Fig. 3 is a front view of a corrugated shading support in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 4 is a schematic block diagram of a shading support according to a preferred embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 5a is a rear perspective view of a shading support and an attached mount.

Fig. 5b is an upper perspective view of the mount.

Fig. 5c is a side perspective view of the rear side of the shading support of Fig. 5a.

Fig. 6 is a flow chart of a method for placing a device inside a vehicle.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention will now be described in terms of specific example embodiments. It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the example embodiments disclosed. It should also be understood that not every feature of the methods and systems handling the described game is necessary to implement the invention as claimed in any particular one of the appended claims. Various elements and features of devices are described to fully enable the invention. It should also be understood that throughout this disclosure, where a method is shown or described, the steps of the method may be performed in any order or simultaneously, unless it is clear from the context that one step depends on another being performed first.

Before explaining several embodiments of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and the arrangement of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments or of being practiced or carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein is for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting.

Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs. The systems, methods, and examples provided herein are illustrative only and not intended to be limiting.

In the description and claims of the present application, each of the verbs "comprise", "include" and "have", and conjugates thereof, are used to indicate that the object or objects of the verb are not necessarily a complete listing of members, components, elements or parts of the subject or subjects of the verb.

A shading support for receiving a device inside a vehicle (Figs la. lb.

A shading support 10 for placing a device 15 inside a vehicle 19 is presented in the front view of Fig. la. Fig. lb shows the device 15 supported by the shading support 10. The shading support 10 includes a rectangular flat surface 18 limited by edges 20, 22, 24 and 26, bounded thereof by respective walls 30, 34 and 36 erected towards a vertical position relative to the flat surface. The dimensions of device 5 are compatible with the dimensions of the rectangular flat surface 18 and the walls 30, 34 and 36.

The shading support 10 has structural features which enable receiving the device 15 and coupling it to a dashboard or window 90 of the vehicle. In one preferred embodiment, the shading support 10 is thin enough, at least in flat surface 18, to allow coupling of a rear magnet 17 which is attached to a rear surface of the device 15 to a magnetic mount 85, which is connected in turn to a dashboard 90 of the vehicle 19. The rear magnet 17 and the magnetic mount 85 are shown schematically in Fig. 4. Alternatively, a front magnetic coupler 40 provides, together with additional features, coupling of the device 15 to the vehicle 19, as further elaborated in the next section.

The front magnetic coupler 40 may include or be disposed on a thick disk substrate 42 as shown in the perspective view of Fig. 2, to allow air flow between the rear side of device 15 and the front side of the flat surface 18.

The side walls 30 and 34 are connected to the respective edges 20 and 24 by curved surfaces as shown by edges 26 and 27 in the perspective view of Fig. 2.

The shading support 10 may be colored black or decorated in a non-distracting manner.

In a preferred embodiment, the flat surface 46 of a shading support 48 is corrugated or grooved, as shown in Fig. 3.

In the embodiment of Fig. 4, the shading support 10 includes, in its main body 50 or elsewhere, a power socket interface 55 connectable to the standard power socket 60 of the vehicle 19. The shading support 10 may also include a plug charger 65 connectable to the device 15. Rather than by a wire, a wireless charger 70 may charge the device 15 wirelessly, as known in the art.

In addition, the shading support 10 may include a wireless audio system 75 to provide the device 15 a speaker and a microphone empowered by the vehicle electric power system, thus saving the device battery.

Coupling the device and the vehicle (Figs. 4. 5a. 5b. 5c)

A coupling system for connecting the device 15 to the vehicle is described in the block diagram of Fig. 4 and in Figs. 5a, 5b and 5c. Starting from the device 15, it has a rear magnet 17 connectable to a front coupler 40 which is attached to the front side of the shading support 10, as shown in Figs la and 2.

Continuing in the rear side of the shading support 10, Fig. 5a shows a rear magnetic coupler 80 connected to the mount 85, which is connectable in turn to the dashboard 90 using leaflets 95, for example, or by other technique known in the art. Fig. 5b is an upper perspective view of the mount 85. Fig. 5c is a side perspective view of the rear side of the shading support 10, showing the rear magnetic coupler 80. A method for placing a device inside a vehicle (Fig. 6)

A method for placing a device 15 inside a vehicle 19 is outlined in the flow chart of Fig. 6. The method includes a step 105 of connecting a mount 85 to the dashboard 90 of the vehicle 19, a step 110 of attaching a shading support 10 to the mount 85, and a step 115 of attaching the device 15 to a front coupler 40 connected to the front side of shading support 10.

The method 100 may include a step of attaching the shading support 10 to the mount 85 using a rear coupler 80 connected to the rear side of the shading support.

The method 100 may include a step 110 of magnetically attaching the shading support 10 to a magnetic mount 85 connected to the dashboard 90 of vehicle 19, and a step 115 of magnetically attaching the device 15 to an internal magnetic coupler 40 connected to the front side of the shading support 10

The method 100 may include a step 120 of using a rear coupler 80 to attach the shading support to the mount 85.

The method 100 may include a step 125 of connecting the shading support 10 to an electric power socket 60 of the vehicle 19, a step 130 of charging the device 10 by a wired charger 65 or a wireless charger 70 included in the shading support 10, and a step 135 of connecting the device 15 to a wireless audio system 75 included in the shading support 10.

Although the invention has been described in conjunction with specific embodiments thereof, it is evident that many alternatives, modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, it is intended to embrace all such alternatives, modifications and variations that fall within the spirit and broad scope of the appended claims. In particular, the present invention is not limited in any way by the described examples.