CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application is a U.S. National Phase of International Patent Application Serial No. PCT/EP2019/054325 entitled “JAW GRIP MOUNT FOR SMARTPHONES OR TABLETS WITH THEFT PROTECTION,” filed on Feb. 21, 2019. International Patent Application Serial No. PCT/EP2019/054325 claims priority to German Patent Application No. 20 2018 000 931.8 filed on Feb. 21, 2018. The entire contents of each of the above-referenced applications are hereby incorporated by reference for all purposes.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The invention relates to a clamping jaw holder for smartphones or tablets, having anti-theft protection means.

BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY

Mounts, configured as clamping jaw holders, for smartphones or tablets are known as universal mounts. They hold the smartphone or tablet between two jaws which can be moved relative to one another with a relatively large adjustment travel, which engage either on the two side edges or on the upper and the lower edge of the smartphone or tablet, and which are suitable for accommodating smartphones or tablets of various sizes on account of the jaw adjustment travel.

In the case of such clamping jaw holders, at least one of the two jaws can be moved, and a mechanism is provided for this purpose which preloads the movable jaw into an open position by way of spring force and, when a device is inserted, makes it possible to close the jaw, by applying pressure counter to the spring force, until it bears against the device, with a ratchet mechanism blocking the return to the open position. A release button can unlock the ratchet mechanism in order to allow the at least one movable jaw to return to the open position thereof.

In the case of conventional clamping jaw holders, anyone can therefore readily remove the device from the clamping jaw holder straightaway by simply actuating the release button, and then the clamping jaw holder opens.

It is the object of the invention to provide a clamping jaw holder for smartphones or tablets, which is equipped with an anti-theft protection means so that a device held therein cannot be readily taken away by someone.

The invention makes it possible, in particular, to equip shopping carts in supermarkets or hardware stores with holders for smartphones or tablets, into which customers can insert their smartphone or tablet while shopping in order to display shopping lists, material lists, lists of dimensions or the like and thus make shopping easier. In this case, the possibility of an interactive advertising and advisory function, as is already practiced at some points of sale, where advertising messages, search help, product-specific advice and information and the like can be communicated, via smartphone or tablet, from the point of sale to the smartphone or tablet, also plays a role, which is why a mount on the shopping cart is particularly expedient, so that the customer can always keep an eye on the smartphone or tablet while shopping and can keep their hands free in the process. However, for such an application, it is important to provide a theft prevention means which at least suffices for preventing a rapid removal of the device in an unobserved moment if the customer is currently occupied with goods on a shelf.

Said object is achieved according to the invention by way of the arrangement specified in claim1. The dependent claims provide advantageous refinements of the invention.

To this end, the clamping jaw holder according to the invention is equipped with a combination locking mechanism, as is known, in principle, from combination locks, which locks the release button and releases the latter, and makes actuation thereof possible, only when the correct combination has been input.

