Rail-Mounted Phone Holders

prusaprinters

Your smartphone camera is likely to outperform any external or built-in webcam you may be using with your computers.Banking on people’s temptation to put their formidable phone cameras to work beyond casual use, several software vendors compete in delivering apps that integrate the phone video and audio streams with popular video conferencing and online collaboration applications. As the ranks of remote workers grew over the past couple of years, these applications only became more popular.The application software is required when using the phone camera as a webcam, but so is a convenient method of mounting the phone for hands-free operation. Although phone mounts are ubiquitous household devices, the monitor mounts category makes for only a tiny percentage of the market. In fact, only a handful of models are available and each of them appear to target specific phone models and/or monitor configurations. Consequently, users resort to car mounts and tripods, and while these may work well for some, a strong argument for improvement can be made.Addressing the gap, the Rail-Mounted phone holder attempts to improve usability and aesthetics and changes the status-quo of the manufacturing approach.GalleryRail-Mounts on LaptopsRail-Mounts on PC MonitorsComponentsThe components of the mount are shown in the exploded view rendering below. Features Ease of operationThere are no clamps or knobs to struggle with. The mount uses a magnetic holder to keep the phone in place and friction joints to adjust the viewing angle.The vertical position is adjustable which is particularly useful to prevent small laptops from flipping backwards.The phone may be attached with either the screen or the camera facing the user.The mount may be removed and reused among any number of devices. Only the low-profile mounting rail remains behind on each of them.Improved AestheticsVarious colors and color combinations are used throughout contrasting with the boring monochromatic choices of today.Branding stickers on the magnetic holder add personality and convey the desired message.Agile ManufacturabilityThe manufacturability method for this phone mount is 3d printing. In contrast with the common fabrication methods of injection molding and machining, 3d-printing allows for unexpensive and quick turnaround redesign cycles. The quality and durability of the printed parts, even when using FDM printers, compare very well with the injection molded ones.The body of the mount consists of several parts, all of which are 3d-printed on an Original Prusa i3 MK3S+ 3D printer using Prusament filament. The frame of the mount is made of PC Blend to ensure durability under mechanical stress. The rest of the plastic parts are printed in PETG on smooth steel sheets for a perfect finish.The fasteners are widely available on the consumer market. All the other non-plastic components are repurposed from commonly used things. A binder clip pin is used as locking mechanism and a silicone hair tie is used as anti-slip material.Components and AssemblyAll parts are designed to print without supports. The STL files are sliced in PrusaSlicer. For the parts printed in PC Blend, raft is used to guarantee adherence to the hot bed. The PETG parts are printed directly on the smooth sheet, without a raft.ComponentsPC Blend Printed PartsThe holder and slider brackets and the joint components are printed using PC Blend filament.PETG Printed PartsThe rails, holder inserts and the slider are printed in PETG filament.MagnetsThe magnets used are ½" in diameter and 1/8" in thickness. The magnet type is N52 with Nickel finish.Silicone RingsNo slip, colorful silicone hair ties are used in the magnetic holder. Binder ClipsPins removed from the binder clips shown below are used for locking the mount onto the rail. MiscellaneousPhone and magnet plates, mounting tape and fasteners are the only other components.AssemblyFor assembling the components, a 1/16" hex wrench is needed. Also, a pair of scissors and Exacto knife may come in handy for trimming the mounting tape.   The assembly sequence is shown below:Future PlansAmong plans for the future development are:Embed wireless charger into the holder.Improve the rail design.Experiment with more complex joints.