Crail [base] Mounts - Where Others Don’t Stick…

Votes: 1
Views: 1844

Built around base rails and locking clips, CRAIL is a mounting system designed for reliable and accurate attachment of devices in a large variety of environments. Its functional and aesthetic characteristics however make it particularly efficient for locations with challenging installation requirements such surfaces that cannot be modified through drilling, are not appropriate for suction cup mounting and where attaching multiple individual mounting bases is undesirable.

Rail-based mounting plays a major role in the firearms industry through systems like Picatinny, Weaver and KeyMod but the concept has never really picked up beyond that market. The CRAIL mounts extend those benefits into the mainstream consumer mounting using a simplified construction, straightforward installation and use.

Specifically, the CRAIL mounts were developed in response to the lack of solutions for everyday usage scenarios such as:
• Carrying a laptop with a connected portable hard drive. This is very common particularly among software developers. It is also a cumbersome and possibly dangerous undertaking considering the loss of data that may occur due to accidental cable disconnects. With the exception of a couple of DIY hacks, there are no devices that can be used at securing an external drive to a laptop.
• Listening to music on a smartphone connected to a computer for file sharing and charging. With no good ways of mounting the phone conveniently above the desk, this situation often results in a complete cable mess and not unheard of drink spilling disasters.
• Customizing a gaming monitor and optimizing/freeing desk space. There is no better place on a computer desk for setting up speakers, webcams, smartphones and other multimedia devices than the computer monitor. Yet, most monitors have no stands, brackets nor any other kind of support or adapters for mounting anything. Some manufacturers, particularly those making higher end webcams, have recognized this problem and provide mounts and mounting interfaces on their devices.

An analysis of the device mounts market shows that most efforts are geared toward keeping up the pace with the latest device types and models. Little if any energy is spent developing new or improving the existing bases of those mounts. We think that this is at least one of the reasons why issues like those pointed above are still left unsolved.

With the CRAIL system, mounting is done on rails rather than directly on the installation area. Some general advantages are of rail-based mounting are:
• CRAIL rails are simple fixtures complementing most installation settings as they easily integrate in the overall geometry and look of the host. They can be manufactured to any length. Installation is a one-time formality and requires no tools.
• Device mounting can occur anywhere along the rail, it is effortless, repeatable, and entirely manual. Multiple mounts can be attached on a single rail.

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  • ABOUT THE ENTRANT

  • Name:
    Gabriel Olariu
  • Type of entry:
    individual
  • Profession:
    Engineer/Designer
  • Number of times previously entering contest:
    never
  • Gabriel's hobbies and activities:
    product design, software development
  • Gabriel is inspired by:
    User driven solutions for simplified daily activities.
  • Patent status:
    pending