iPad Mount for BMW 6 Series
Multi-directional mount for a safe and easy use
Multi-directional mount for a safe and easy use
The client asked for an iPad mount for his own BMW 6 series car. It had to integrate with the existing design of the interior and it needed to be able to hold the iPad in both landscape and portrait position. It had to provide a solid support, but also an easy way to swich from driver to passenger view.
The general shape of the mount has been designed in order to resemble a classical ballerina. It leans forward in order to leave space for an easy movimentation of the device
The upper plate has been realized laser cutting a 3mm steel sheet. The steel has then been covered with a layer of polyurethane foam, in order to avoid damages to the tablet. The structure is very solid, but aethereal in appearance, with most of it surface being actually cut out. The shape presents a coexistence of straight lines and curved non-circular splines.
The three-point-based support is very reliable, interacting with the iPad's tapered edges to give a firm hold in both landscape and portrait position. The three asymmetrical points are positioned in order to not interfere with any of the tablet's inputs or outputs.
The twisted columns have been designed using advanced 3D CAD techniques. They present an alternation of flat but twisted and smooth, curved surfaces, connected by rounded edges. At the top of the mount, all this surfaces smoothly connect in a functional cylindrical shape. The overall shape has been designed in order to match the fluid interior of the car.
The top element of the mount consists in a spherical joint, giving the iPad the possibility to rotate on its axis and to move from driver to passenger. Inside the joint, a calibrated spring offers stability during travel and easy movimentation of the device.
The mount integrates with the existing cockpit, snapping in a hole originally designed for a beverage holder
The product has been designed as a one-off for a private client. The actual prototype has been realized with stereolithography. An enhanced model is ready for mass production in die-cast aluminium.
