U.S. patent application number 14/030891 was filed with the patent office on 2014-03-27 for attachment for digital control of portable device.
The applicant listed for this patent is Roy M. BROUGHTON, JR., Walter M. BULLOCK. Invention is credited to Roy M. BROUGHTON, JR., Walter M. BULLOCK.
Application Number | 20140084613 14/030891 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 50338129 |
Filed Date | 2014-03-27 |
United States Patent
Application |
20140084613 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
BULLOCK; Walter M. ; et
al. |
March 27, 2014 |
ATTACHMENT FOR DIGITAL CONTROL OF PORTABLE DEVICE
Abstract
A method and apparatus are disclosed for securely holding a
hand-held portable device in a single hand while minimizing the
chance of dropping the hand-held device. The hand-held devices
include but are not limited to cell phones, calculators, personal
digital assistants, electronic tablets such as readers,
I-phones.TM., small cameras, binoculars and other small hand-held
equipment.
Inventors: |
BULLOCK; Walter M.;
(Millbrook, AL) ; BROUGHTON, JR.; Roy M.;
(Opelika, AL) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
BULLOCK; Walter M.
BROUGHTON, JR.; Roy M. |
Millbrook
Opelika |
AL
AL |
US
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
50338129 |
Appl. No.: |
14/030891 |
Filed: |
September 18, 2013 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
61702308 |
Sep 18, 2012 |
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
294/149 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A45F 2005/008 20130101;
A45F 2200/0508 20130101; A45F 5/1026 20130101; A45F 2200/0516
20130101; A45F 5/00 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
294/149 |
International
Class: |
A45F 5/10 20060101
A45F005/10 |
Claims
1. A device for securing a portable hand-held device to a user's
hand, comprising: a generally planar attachment surface for
securing the device to the portable hand-held device, said
attachment surface including at least two spaced and generally
parallel slits therein, each of said slits extending generally
perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of said attachment surface,
said attachment surface further including an opening positioned
between said slits.
2. A device according to claim 1, wherein the said parallel slits
extend inwardly from an edge of said attachment surface forming a
flap.
3. A device according to claim 1, further comprising a third slit,
said a third slit connecting ends of said the parallel slits so as
to form a generally "U"-shaped flap
4. The device according to claim 1, further comprising at least one
additional opening positioned between said slits so that there is a
plurality of openings positioned between said slits.
5. The device according to claim 1, wherein said attachment surface
is made from a fabric.
6. The device according to claim 5, wherein said fabric is a coated
fabric.
7. The device according to claim 5, further comprising a means for
securing said attachment surface to the portable hand-held
device.
8. The device according to claim 7, wherein said means for securing
said attachment surface to the portable hand-held device are
selected from the group consisting of glue, tape, and
VELCRO.RTM..
9. The device according to claim 1, wherein said attachment surface
is part of a case for receiving the portable hand-held device
therein.
10. The device according to claim 9, wherein said case is made from
a molded material, fabric, leather, or faux leather.
11. A device for securing a portable hand-held device to a user's
hand, comprising: a generally planar attachment surface for
securing the device to the portable hand-held device, a flap
pivotally mounted to said attachment surface so that said flap
pivots relative to said attachment surface about a longitudinal
axis of said attachment surface; and an opening located on said
flap.
12. The device according to claim 11, further comprising at least
one additional opening located on said flap so that there is a
plurality of openings located on said flap.
13. The device according to claim 11, wherein said attachment
surface is made from a fabric, leather or faux leather.
14. The device according to claim 13, wherein said fabric is a
coated fabric.
15. The device according to claim 13, further comprising a means
for securing said attachment surface to the portable hand held
device.
16. The device according to claim 15, wherein said means for
securing said attachment surface to the portable hand-held device
are selected from the group consisting of glue, tape, and
VELCRO.RTM..
17. The device according to claim 11, wherein said attachment
surface is part of a case for receiving the portable device
therein.
18. The device according to claim 17, wherein said case is made
from a molded material.
19. The device according to claim 11, wherein said flap is
integrally formed with said attachment surface.
Description
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional
Application Ser. No. 61/702,308 filed Sep. 18, 2012, incorporated
herein by reference in its entirety for all of its teachings.
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The invention relates to an attachment to a small handheld
device which has an opening through which to insert one or more
fingers, of a single hand, and which helps to secure the device
against falling from the grasp of the hand, and at the same time
allows manipulation of buttons, keys and screen icons by use of the
thumb.
BACKGROUND
[0003] Most individuals who own cellular phones have had the
experience of dropping the phone. If lucky, the phone drops
harmlessly to the floor, carpet or ground. If unlucky, the phone
lands on a hard surface and breaks, or in the sink or toilet and
becomes wet and ceases to function. There are also individuals who
have limited or no use of one hand, and for which a secure grip on
a portable, hand-held device would be particularly useful.
DESCRIPTION OF PRIOR ART
[0004] A web search of "finger strap for cell phone" reveals a
number of products on the market that can be added as attachments
to the back of a portable hand-held electronic device to aid in
holding the device and preventing it from slipping from the hand.
Most consist of elastomeric bands affixed to the back of the phone
through which the user inserts one or more fingers. The finger
support allows the user to hold the phone in, and dial with the
thumb of, one hand. The devices are affixed to the back of portable
electronic devices via glue, pressure sensitive adhesive, loop and
hook fasteners, often with the stipulation that the attachment can
be removed without damage to the electronic device. This type of
device is disclosed in one issued patent (U.S. Pat. No. 8,480,144)
issued to Potter et al. and specifically applied to electronic
tablets. The disclosed device has individual finger slots for four
fingers and offers the specific claim that individual finger slots
make the tablet easier to control and balance. References cited in
that patent which describe similar attachments for portable,
hand-held electronic devices include the following patent
applications: [0005] 1. 20050205623 by Buntain--a piece of fabric
glued to the back of a portable electronic device with two parallel
slits defining a band (not glued) which can be raised and a finger
inserted under the band. [0006] 2. 20090219677 by Mori--which has a
belt base attached to the back of a portable electronic device
followed by the subsequent attachment of a belt [0007] 3.
20090283559 by Foggiato discloses a cord or strip of fabric loosely
held on the back or a portable electronic via fixation points
snaps, buckles, hook and loop etc at either end. The suggested
advantage is the ease of putting fingers under the strap. [0008] 4.
20110266316 by Gahlib--which discloses a loop, ring, or cylinder
attached via a mounting pad onto the back of a portable electronic
device.
[0009] Other patent applications (which have not been issued yet)
for gripping aids for hand-held electronic devices include: [0010]
5. 20120299318 by Murphy et al. which discloses a flexible or
elastomeric strip adhered to the back of a hand-held electronic
device via film adhesive or two sided tape. [0011] 6. 20120261930
by Bethea which discloses a hard back which contains one or more
rings mounted within the back that can be rotated to be
perpendicular to the back, providing rings through which to insert
fingers and grip the hand-held device. [0012] 7. 20060279098 by
Shipley which affixes a loop to the back of a hand held electronic
device. Almost any attachment method is described--hook and loop,
adhesive, elastomeric band or hard plastic clip.
[0013] This prior art generally suffers from one or more of several
deficiencies: [0014] 1. It is heavy and/or cumbersome, [0015] 2. It
protrudes too far from the surface of the hand held electronic
device, [0016] 3. It cannot lie flat in a plane with the device and
so catches on holsters or other cases when trying to insert it into
its case, [0017] 4. Difficulty in getting the fingers in the finger
slots without the use of both hands. [0018] 5. Some attachments
with finger insert to hold the device are hard plastic or metal
rings rather than the soft plastic or fabric flap with a hole in
it. The hard plastic or metal ring is less comfortable on the
fingers when supporting the device
SUMMARY
[0019] It is the objective of the current invention to provide a
secure, one-handed grip and use of hand-held electronic devices
while eliminating the deficiencies 1-4 listed above. To meet this
objective, the present invention is directed to an attachment
device, comprising a generally planar attachment surface including
two spaced and generally parallel slits therein. Each of the slits
extends generally perpendicularly to a longitudinal axis of the
attachment surface, and each of the slits also extends inwardly
from an edge of the attachment surface so as to create a flap,
which is integral with the attachment surface and pivotable about
the longitudinal axis of the attachment surface. The flap includes
one or more openings for receiving one or more of a user's fingers
therein.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0020] FIG. 1 shows a picture of a fabric (100) cut in the manner
suitable for the attachment to the back of a portable, hand-held
device such as a cell phone. The flap (101) is free to be raised
from the back of the phone, so that one or more fingers of one hand
can be inserted through the hole (102).
[0021] FIG. 2 shows the fabric of FIG. 1 glued or taped (103) to
the back of a cell phone (104). The glue or tape (103) is placed
between the fabric and cell phone in all areas of the fabric except
for the loose flap (101) with its hole (102) for inserting the
finger(s).
[0022] FIG. 3 shows a molded silicone cell phone back with a flap
(105) containing a hole 102 for inserting one or more fingers.
[0023] FIG. 4 The molded silicone wraps tightly around the edge
(106) of the cell phone to hold it in place on the back of the
phone (107). Other holes may be molded into the back, or cut in the
molded back for I/O connections such as charging (108), earphone
(109), USB connection (110), or camera lens.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION AND DISCLOSED EMBODIMENTS
[0024] Although the most prevalent use of the disclosed invention
is expected to be with cellular phones and personal data
assistants, the invention should function equally well with
calculators, small data tablets, small cameras and other hand held
electronic or optical devices, and these application fall within
the scope of this invention.
[0025] One preferred embodiment of the invention comprises a thin
piece of durable fabric or flexible film cut in the manner shown in
FIG. 1. It is cut in such a size to almost completely cover the
back of a cell phone and is glued onto the cell phone with glue
covering all the area except the flap 101. Various other small
holes may be cut in the fabric to accommodate various I/O ports or
camera lens. In a preferred embodiment, the flap is sufficiently
flexible that it hangs away from the back surface of the device,
when that device is held horizontally with the back facing down.
This allows the user to easily insert his finger(s) through the
hole using only one hand. The flexible fabric can fold flat onto
the back of the device for storage in a holster or other protective
case.
[0026] A second preferred embodiment comprises the flexible
elastomeric backs that stretch sufficiently to fit securely over
the edges of the device. Such backs are most often made of silicone
rubber, but other materials such as thermoplastic elastomers,
polyurathanes, and other soft, slip resistant materials. Cutting
the backing in the manner shown in FIG. 3 allows for one to lift
the flap and insert the finger(s) using a single hand. After use,
the flap easily folds back into the cut opening, flush with the
molded back for insertion into a holster or other protective case.
The device of FIG. 3 is shown in FIG. 4, attached to a cell
phone.
[0027] It is also recognized that some cell phone cases are made of
leather or synthetic leather. Such cases could have the slits and
hole could be cut in these materials to create the geometry of FIG.
3.
[0028] Any of the gripping aids could be imprinted with a design or
advertising to make them useful in promoting commerce.
Various Embodiments/Examples
[0029] 1. A piece of fabric cut in the shape of FIG. 1 is attached
to the back of a cell phone with double sided tape. The hole is
large enough for one or two fingers to be inserted. When so
inserted the fingers hold the phone in a convenient orientation for
dialing or texting with the thumb of the grasping hand or the
fingers of the other hand with little or no danger of the phone
slipping out of the hand. The hole is in an unglued flap of the
fabric which can stand out from the back of the phone when in use
and fold flat to phone back for inserting the phone in a holster
attached to a belt or in a protective case. The fabric is flexible
enough that the flap falls somewhat away from the phone when the
fabric is on the lower surface, thus enabling easy insertion of the
finger(s). [0030] 2. A silicone injection molded backing for a
particular brand and model of cell phone was purchased and cut as
shown in FIG. 3. It was then placed on the phone for which it was
designed (FIG. 4). The flap cut in the backing was easily raised
from the surface of the phone and the fingers easily inserted
through the hole in the flap, without the use of two hands, to
allow a firm grasp and freedom for dialing and texting with the
thumb of the gripping hand, or fingers of the other hand with
little or no danger of the phone slipping out of the hand. The flap
lies flat within the thickness of the molded back when not in use,
which makes it easy to insert the phone in a holster attached to a
belt or in a protective case. [0031] 3. Although the backing shown
in FIGS. 3 and 4 were cut by hand, it will be well understood to
those skilled in the art that the device could be made by die
cutting the molded back or by molding the cutouts into the back
during manufacturing (rather than in a secondary operation). It
will also be understood that the molded flap could be slightly
curved away from the phone back and make the insertion of fingers
easier to accomplish. This could be accomplished without
sacrificing the ability of the flap to flatten flush with the
elastomeric back so that it will not interfere with insertion of
the phone into its holster or protective case.
[0032] The foregoing description of the present invention has been
presented to illustrate the principles of the invention and not to
limit the invention to the particular embodiments illustrated. It
is intended that the scope of the invention be defined by all of
the embodiments encompassed within the following claims and their
equivalents.
* * * * *