| CPC A45F 5/10 (2013.01) [H04M 1/04 (2013.01); A45F 2200/0516 (2013.01); A45F 2200/0525 (2013.01)] | 18 Claims |
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1. An expandable grip apparatus to assist in holding a handheld device, the expandable grip comprising:
a base member having a substantially flat contact surface for securing to a surface of the handheld device;
a top member that is spaced from the base member; and
an expandable center section that connects between the base member and the top member, the expandable center section comprised of a series of integral foldable pleats;
wherein the expandable center section has an expanded configuration and a collapsed configuration, and wherein the series of integral foldable pleats include adjacently disposed foldable pleats that define a living hinge between the adjacently disposed foldable pleats to enable the expandable center section to selectively nest onto each other in at least a partially collapsed configuration;
wherein the expandable center section also has a depending base shaft that connects the center section to the base member;
wherein the base member has a centrally disposed through opening for receiving the base shaft so as to interlock the base shaft with the base member;
wherein the base member has an upper planar surface and further includes an upwardly extending post that extends above the upper planar surface of the base member and that is disposed at and forms a part of the through opening;
wherein said upwardly extending post defines a gap that is formed between the upper planar surface of the base member and a lower planar pleat surface, said gap enabling limited rotation of the expandable center section with respect to the base member.
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