Portable computing devices, such as tablet personal computers (tablet PCs) and laptop PCs, have become ubiquitous in use. Few of such computing devices may use, as an input device, a pen or a stylus, generally, referred to as a writing instrument. For instance, the writing instrument can allow a user of the computing device to interface with the computing device in a convenient manner, as if the user is using an ink-based writing instrument.
The detailed description is provided with reference to the accompanying figures, wherein:
It should be noted that the description and the figures are merely examples of the present subject matter and are not meant to represent the subject matter itself. Throughout the drawings, identical reference numbers designate similar, but not identical, elements. The figures are not to scale, and the size of some parts may be exaggerated to more clearly illustrate the example shown. Moreover, the drawings provide examples and/or examples consistent with the description; however, the description is not limited to the examples and/or examples provided in the drawings.
Few of such computing devices may use, as an input device, a pen or a stylus, generally, referred to as a writing instrument. For instance, the writing instrument can allow a user of the computing device to interface with the computing device in a convenient manner, as if the user is using an ink-based writing instrument. At the same time, such computing devices provide a mechanism for mounting the writing instrument to the computing device itself for the convenience of the user. For example, one of the more widely used mounting technique employs a magnet provided on a side surface of the computing device, and the writing instrument either has a magnetic body or has a complementary magnet which can cooperate with the magnet on the side surface of the computing device so that the writing instrument can be easily and effortlessly attached to and detached from the computing device.
Examples of an input device holder assembly for cooperating, for instance, holding and removing, a writing instrument, usable with a computing device are provided herein. According to an aspect, the input device holder assembly is designed in a manner that the writing instrument is, firstly, held with adequate force so that the writing instrument does not inadvertently detach from the input device holder assembly. Secondly, the input device holder assembly is so designed that a longitudinal slot is formed which is open ended at both its ends. As a result, the writing instrument can be inserted and/or removed from the longitudinal slot along the slot from either of the open ends of the longitudinal slot.
According to one example, the input device holder assembly includes a first holding element and a second holding element to cooperate with the first holding element to hold the writing instrument. The first holding element has a first receptacle channel and the second holding element has a second receptacle channel, respectively. The receptacle channels are each formed as an open-ended slot extending in a longitudinal direction and the first holding element and the second holding element are positioned relative to each other to align the first receptacle channel and the second receptacle channel. Accordingly, the two receptacle channels together, when positioned in such manner, form between them a slotting structure which is open in two directions, i.e., at both the longitudinal ends of the open-ended slots. With such a design of the input device holder assembly, the writing instrument can be received into and removed from the two receptacle channels along a longitudinal direction of the receptacle channels. Since the slotting structure formed between the two receptacle channels is open at the two longitudinal ends, the writing instrument can be removed or inserted into the slotting structure in two directions.
In addition, with such a design, the input device holder assembly may be accommodated with any type or design of the computing device and may not involve any modification in the computing device. For example, the input device holder assembly can be used with a laptop having a clamshell design as much as it can be used with a hybrid or 2-in-1 convertible laptop or a laptop having a 360 degrees screen-rotation. At the same time, the input device holder assembly can also be used with tablet computers or mobile phones. In any of these applications, the computing device can use the input device holder assembly without any modification and the input device holder assembly, owing to insertion and removal of the writing instrument along two directions, can be adapted to be used with any computing device.
The above aspects are further described in conjunction with the figures, and in associated description below. It should be noted that the description and figures merely illustrate principles of the present subject matter. Therefore, various arrangements that encompass the principles of the present subject matter, although not explicitly described or shown herein, may be devised from the description and are included within its scope. Additionally, the word “coupled” is used throughout for clarity of the description and can include either a direct connection or an indirect connection.
According to the present example, the input device holder assembly 100 can include a first holding element 102 and a second holding element 104 to cooperate with the first holding element 102 to hold the writing instrument. The first holding element 102 can include a first receptacle channel 106 and the second holding element 104 can, similarly, includes a second receptacle channel 108. As an aspect, the input device holder assembly 102 can be designed in such a manner that the first receptacle channel 104 and the second receptacle channel 108, together, form an open-ended longitudinal slot in which the writing instrument can be inserted and removed in two directions. Accordingly, the first receptacle channel 106 and the second receptacle channel 108 are both formed as an open-ended slot extending in a longitudinal direction, i.e., along a direction in which the writing instrument is to be inserted or removed. Further, the first holding element 102 and the second holding element 104 are positioned relative to each other to align the first receptacle channel 106 and the second receptacle channel 108, for instance, to cooperate and form the longitudinal slot, to receive and remove the writing instrument along the longitudinal direction of the first receptacle channel 106 and the second receptacle channel 108.
In the present example, the computing device 200 can include a display portion 202 and an input portion 204 coupled to the display portion 202, for instance, swivelable with respect to the display portion 202. For instance, the display portion 202 can be body portion having a screen or display of the computing device 200 and the input portion 204 can be a body portion having a keyboard or a trackpad or a combination thereof, and the display portion 202 and the input portion 204 can be coupled, detachably or otherwise, to each other. The computing device 200 can further include the input device holder assembly 100 to hold the writing instrument usable with the computing device 200. According to an aspect, the input device holder assembly 100 can be disposed at a junction 206 between the display portion 202 and the input portion 204. For instance, in case of the 2-in-1 convertible-type device having a screen which can be detached from its keyboard, or in case of the clamshell-type device, the input device holder assembly can be provided at an edge of the screen or the keyboard, where the keyboard and the screen are hinged together.
As explained above, the input device holder assembly 100 can include the first holding element 102 and the second holding element 104 to cooperate with the first holding element 102 to hold the writing instrument. The first holding element 102 can include the first receptacle channel 106 and the second holding element 104 can, similarly, includes the second receptacle channel 108 extending in a direction as the first receptacle channel 106 extends. The first receptacle channel 106 and the second receptacle channel 108 are both formed as the open-ended slot extending in the same direction, i.e., along the direction in which the writing instrument is to be inserted or removed. Further, the first receptacle channel 106 of the first holding element 102 faces the second receptacle channel 108, such that the writing instrument can be inserted into and removed from the first holding element 102 and the second holding element 104 along the directions of the first receptacle channel 106 and the second receptacle channel 108, i.e., along the two directions in which the open ends of the first receptacle channel 106 and the second receptacle channel 108 are disposed.
Further, the first holding element 102 and the second holding element 104 of the input device holder assembly 100 are disposed along the edge 402, for instance, displaced from each other at a distance at least a length of the writing instrument 404. As has been explained earlier, the first holding element 102 and the second holding element 104 cooperate to form the longitudinal slot which can extend along a direction which is substantially orthogonal to the edge 402. In one example, the first holding element 102 and the second holding element 104 can be aligned with each other in a manner that the first receptacle channel 106 is substantially parallel to, substantially aligned with, and facing the second receptacle channel 108. Accordingly, the writing instrument 404 can be inserted into or withdrawn from the input device holder assembly 100 in two directions along the longitudinal slot. In other words, the writing instrument 404 can be inserted into or withdrawn from the input device holder assembly 100 towards the edge 402 or away from the edge 402. The directions of insertion X and withdrawal Y of the writing instrument 404 into and from the input device holder assembly 404 is illustrated by arrows X and Y in
As explained previously, the first holding element 102 has the first receptacle channel 106 formed as the open-ended slot extending in a longitudinal direction, for instance, along a direction of a direction of viewing. In other words, the first receptacle channel 106 is open at the two ends of the longitudinal slot for the insertion and removal of the writing instrument 404 therefrom, as is evident from
In an example of the present subject matter, the first receptacle channel 106 can include a first gripping element 512 to clasp a first end of the writing instrument 404. In one case, the first gripping element 512 can include a spring-loaded clasp (not shown) at each of the two opposing walls 502 and 504 of the first receptacle channel. In such a case, the spring-loaded clasps can be disposed on the two opposing walls to be substantially aligned with each other, for instance, their clasping portions being parallel to each, so that the two spring loaded clasps can adequately hold the writing instrument 404.
In another case, the first gripping element 512 can include a plurality of spring-loaded balls 514-1, 514-2 . . . 514-N, collectively referred to as spring loaded balls 514 and individually referred to as spring loaded ball 514. The spring-loaded balls 514 can be provided in two sets, a first set 514-A and a second set 514-B, which can be disposed at each of the two opposing walls 502 and 504, for instance, to operate as the spring-loaded clasps for holding the writing instrument 404. The first set 514-A of the spring-loaded balls 514 can be disposed along the longitudinal direction, for instance, in the direction in which the first receptacle channel 106 extends, on one of the opposing walls 502. Similarly, the second set 514-B of the spring-loaded balls 514 can be disposed along the same longitudinal direction on other wall 504, and the first set 514-A and the second set 514-B can be aligned with respect to each other. In one example, each set 514-A and 514-B can include two spring-loaded balls 514 which can be staggered with respect to each other in the longitudinal direction. In another example, each set 514-A and 514-B can include four spring-loaded balls 514 which can be staggered with respect to each other in the longitudinal direction as well as in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, such that they are able to adequately hold the writing instrument 404. Accordingly, in other examples, the first set 514-A and the second set 514-B can include any number of spring-loaded balls 514 which can suffice for adequately holding the writing instrument 404.
Similarly, for the second receptacle channel 108, in an example of the present subject matter, the second receptacle channel 108 can include a second gripping element (not shown) to clasp a first end of the writing instrument 404. In one case, the second gripping element (not shown) can include a spring-loaded clasp (not shown) at each of the two opposing walls and of the first receptacle channel. In such a case, the spring-loaded clasps can be disposed on the two opposing walls to be substantially aligned with each other, for instance, their clasping portions being parallel to each, so that the two spring loaded clasps can adequately hold the writing instrument 404.
In another case, the second gripping element (not shown) can include a plurality of spring-loaded balls, collectively referred to as spring loaded balls (not shown) and individually referred to as spring loaded ball. The spring-loaded balls (not shown) can be provided in two sets, a first set and a second set, which can be disposed at each of the two opposing walls, for instance, to operate as the spring-loaded clasps for holding the writing instrument 404. The first set of the spring-loaded balls (not shown) can be disposed along the longitudinal direction, for instance, in the direction in which the second receptacle channel 108 extends, on one of the opposing walls. Similarly, the second set of the spring-loaded balls (not shown) can be disposed along the same longitudinal direction on other wall, and the first set and the second set can be aligned with respect to each other. In one example, each set and can include two spring-loaded balls (not shown) which can be staggered with respect to each other in the longitudinal direction. In another example, each set and can include four spring-loaded balls (not shown) which can be staggered with respect to each other in the longitudinal direction as well as in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, such that they are able to adequately hold the writing instrument 404. Accordingly, in other examples, the first set and the second set can include any number of spring-loaded balls (not shown) which can suffice for adequately holding the writing instrument 404.
In another instance, illustrated in
In addition, as shown in
Although aspects of the input device holder assembly 100 and the computing device 200 have been described in a language specific to structural features and/or methods, it is to be understood that the subject matter is not limited to the features or methods described. Rather, the features and methods are disclosed as examples of the input device holder assembly 100 and the computing device 200.
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
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PCT/US2020/025297 | 3/27/2020 | WO |