[Shelved] Gen IV 3D-Printed Phone Mount

[Crampy]

So over the last few weeks, I've had a project come to mind lately inspired by all the Nexus 7 Installs and similar projects.I'm pretty much just going to mock up a few things in a CAD for now, and have a poke around, size everything up, and see how it goes. For now, it'll just be a weekend project, so it may not end up going anywhere, we'll have to see.
It starts with the centre dash, as always.

<img>Image Coming Soon.jpg</img>

The basic idea is to be able to mount a phone in a removable (Or non-removable) manner into the flap that drops down over the storage box between the two centre air vents, allowing you to still use the storage box behind for sunglasses etc. Into the trim piece on either side of the stereo head unit assembly

For what I'm thinking, there's two ways for this to work. I could either have the phone clip in to the front so the phone sits against the front of the fascia, or have the mount submerged so the screen of the phone is flush with the surface of the fascia, and I'm leaning towards the latter, as a purely aesthetic decision - also that would be the most complicated possible option (A worst-case scenario)

For mounting it in (For either case), the micro USB/pain-in-the-neck proprietary port would have to hinge (in a similar way to the buttons) out. There would be some sort of clip on the far side of the phone to hold it in place securely.

Materials I'd be using for the build if it gets to that stage:

• Stainless steel rods for moving/hinge parts; no thicker than 1mm diameter should be enough
• 3D Printer Plastic
• Wiring to suit device and use case

Wish List of (hardware) Features by mount type:

• Removable Phone Car Kit: for when your Phone doubles as a daily driver
  • 3.5mm stereo audio out (To Aux-In) w/ microphone support?
  • USB charging or to connect to Grom USB or aftermarket HU
  • Reversion to stock without much hassle
• Fixed Kit: for when the device to be mounted is supposed to stay in the vehicle
  
  • 3.5mm Stereo Audio out (To Aux-In) w/ microphone support?
  • USB charging or to connect to Grom USB or aftermarket HU
  • Front-mounted USB In - Use USB Flash drives and a file manager to transfer media to/from devices supporting USB OTG (Mostly just Android do this at this point)
  • Reversion to stock without much hassle

Modifications required to the dash assembly:

The existing fascia will have to be removed and replaced with the new fascia plate, cabling will need to be run in to the back of the dash, and from there to different parts of the car as required to make everything work.


If you guys have any suggestions to add to this, feel free to post them up here, I'll check in every now and then with some progress. I've mocked up a basic surround for the iPhone 6 (My current Daily Driver phone), which I can easily expand upon to suit the space available in front of the flap.

[Crampy]

Concept 1


It's for the iPhone 6, for if it was to be mounted with the screen flush against the front of the flap. The small piece would pivot on two metal rods, as would the buttons. The separable pieces would be glued together, with the volume buttons on a single rod. I haven't got the full dimensions for the flap at the moment, so this is pretty much the most thought I can put into the project until I get back home...

[Crampy]

As it turns out, some serious rethinking is in order, since the iPhone 6 barely fits with a normal-sized charger plugged in, and since the iPhone is a mid-size phone, I would have next to no hope of fitting any major Android phones in the same space - which are more likely to be used for something like this (For those who don't know, Android brings OBDII Read capability (USB or Bluetooth), better customisation, and more to the table over iDevices) So on to the next possible spot... The trim panel beside the passengers' knee, This piece of trim pops out relatively easily, it's just a matter of designing and making a replacement piece, without dropping any of the target functionality...



it would sit about here:


As always, your input is welcome.

This project is intended to be for smaller devices, yes, I'm well aware there are already builds involving 7" tablet devices that have come to fruition in the spot I was originally planning, however this is all about using mobile phones and other small devices instead, aiming to be mostly reversible and flexible.

I'll also be looking into making up a gauge pod for each side, for those extra kWs.

[xyz]

Have you seen these?

http://www.holdmyphone.com.au/mounts/ca ... ?mode=grid

I use their Angled mount which sits exactly where you are planning to put yours. They cost quite a bit though

[Crampy]

I hadn't actually seen those. Thanks xyz...

Heh.

Most of the removable stuff now seems pointless. Oh well. I might keep kicking away at it, purely as a small-screen alternative to the Nexus install.

[Crampy]

After further toying, I've ended up with what is probably the single dodgiest DIY car cradle installation ever.

Prototype, as built for first full-size test run:


First Full-size Prototype being built:

It took about five hours on the 3D printer all up.
Mount point:


The mount point itself is a 25mm radius hose clamp.
Yes the sort you'd see on the side of a house for PVC piping.

Yes it is bent round to sit behind the existing fascia.
Yes the paint is flaky as from being bent with a multitool.
The finished product is quite a lot bigger than I anticipated; so I am glad I stopped thinking about the flap as a potential spot.

Plusses with this:
Total outlay has been less than $20, excluding printer plastic
Zero screw holes or damage to existing panels.
Four identical points to mount it behind the panels:

• Passenger side High
• Passenger side Low(Pictured)
• Drivers side High
• Drivers side Low

Minuses:
Probably a lot easier to just buy a proper mount, and a replacement panel.
3D printers aren't perfect; and even building the thing at 101% scale, it's still a bit tight, and needs lots of refinement before I even put in a Lightning connector and think about a headphone jack...
Panels sometimes don't clip back in properly, and sit slightly out of alignment.

[Flat6Estate]

Adam,

Have a look at the http://www.holdmyphone.com.au website.
The make a base mount that goes over the airvent, or down near the stereo. It is very neat.

Maybe you could screw your phone holder to their mount?

[Flat6Estate]

Adam,

Have a look at the http://www.holdmyphone.com.au website.
The make a base mount that goes over the airvent, or down near the stereo. It is very neat.

Maybe you could screw your phone holder to their mount?

[Crampy]

Cheers mate.

I'm pretty much doing this for the fun of it, and posting progress; as XYZ stated earlier, there are already plenty of options out there for proper made phone cradles.

[Flat6Estate]

Sorry about the double post, and posting the same stuff as above as well.

I'll read the whole thread next time

[Crampy]

Sorry about the double post, and posting the same stuff as above as well.

I'll read the whole thread next time

Haha, all good mate. Thanks for trying to be helpful at least

[Crampy]

So after a few months, and a few prototypes printed, I'm canning this project. The screws I had previously used couldn't handle the weight of the phone and cradle, and over time, it started to strip the bolt out from its hole.

Also, from where it was mounted, it was a choice of having it in my knee, or not being able to see it at all whilst driving.

If anyone is interested in picking up where I left off, I can provide the 3D printing CAD diagrams.

[TheFirstEskimo]

If you could get a 3D print happening for the AV panel that's no longer available on Japanparts, I dare say you'd be the most popular guy on this forum. Just a thought

[Crampy]

Haha, I'm sure I would be

I'm not sure 3D-printing would be the way to go about it though; I imagine it's injection moulded...

It'd be doable, just not pretty