Patent Application
20130292530
This application relates to stylus holders.
Many tablets, laptop PCs, smart phones, and other electronic devices have touch screens that can receive input from an object touching their display. Although a finger can be used to touch the display, a stylus may allow for better control when writing, drawing, or the like. Unfortunately, electronic devices often do not have a place to secure a stylus. Also, styluses may vary in size depending on manufacturer. A stylus holder that can be secured to one or more electronic devices may allow for convenient storage of a stylus.
In the illustrated embodiment, the device clasps 120, 150 are substantially U-shaped and each comprise two fingers 122, 124, 152, 154 for engaging with the device. In other embodiments, the device clasps 120, 150 may be C-shaped, J-shaped, or V-shaped. The fingers 122, 124, 152, 154 of each clasp may be parallel, or they may slant outwardly or inwardly. In some embodiments, the size and shape of the device clasps 120, 150 and the angle of the fingers 122, 124, 152, 154 may selected according to the size and shape of one or more electronic devices with which the stylus holder 100 is designed to interface. The width of the device clasp opening at a particular depth may be selected to be as wide as, slightly narrower than, or slightly wider than the width of the device.
The fingers 122, 124, 152, 154 may be selected to be a stiff material that is slightly deformable but returns to its original shape. The deformation of the fingers 122, 124, 152, 154 by an electronic device would then cause the fingers 122, 124, 152, 154 to exert a frictional force against the electronic device. The frictional force would secure the stylus holder to the electronic device. In some embodiments, the device clasps 120, 150 may be a polymer, such as plastic or rubber. In other embodiments, the device clasps 120, 150 may be a metal, such as stainless steel. The device clasps 120, 150 may have cloth, felt, or the like on the inside of the fingers 122, 124, 152, 154 for materials that may scratch or damage the electronic device.
In the illustrated embodiment, the stylus clasp 130 is substantially C-shaped with one finger 132 for engaging the stylus. The stylus clasp 130 may also be J-shaped, O-shaped, U-shaped, V-shaped, or polygon-shaped. For O-shaped and polygon-shaped stylus clasps, the stylus may be slid into stylus clasp from its side. The stylus clasp 130 and device clasp 120 may have openings on opposite sides, resulting in an H-shaped clasping member 110. An opening 136 of the stylus clasp 130 faces the front of the stylus holder 100. In other embodiments, the stylus clasp 130 may face the top, bottom, or back of the stylus holder 100. The illustrated stylus clasp 130 is located on top of the device clasp 120, but in other embodiments, it may be located on front of the front finger 122 or on the back of the back finger 124.
The stylus clasp 130 may also be a stiff, elastically deformable material. The stylus clasp 130 may be a polymer, such as rubber or plastic, or a metal, such as stainless steel. In some embodiments, the clasping member 110 is entirely made from a single material, but more than one material is possible in other embodiments. A circumference of the stylus clasp 130 may be selected to be slightly smaller than a circumference of a stylus. The stylus clasp 130 would then exert a frictional force and mechanical force based on shape against a stylus that was inserted. In other embodiments, the circumference of the stylus clasp 130 is larger than the circumference of the stylus and only the shape of the stylus clasp 130 retains the stylus. The size and shape of the stylus clasp 130 may be selected based on a size and shape of one or more styluses the stylus holder 100 is designed to hold.
Although the illustrated band 160 is a ribbon with a width much larger than its depth, other shaped bands are possible. For example, the band 160 may comprise one or more cords with approximately equal widths and depths. In some embodiments, one or both clasping members 110, 140 may be slideably or removeably coupled to the band 160, such as using a frictional binding. The stylus holder 100 may then be adjusted to fit electronic devices of varying sizes. In other embodiments, ends of the band 160 are permanently affixed to the clasping members 110, 140, such as with an adhesive. In the illustrated embodiment, the band 160 is affixed to the back of the clasping members 110, 140. In other embodiments, the band 160 may be affixed in other locations. There may also be more than one band, such as a band attached to the back of the clasping members and a band attached to the front of the clasping members.
The clasping members 110, 140 can be ¼″, ½″, ¾″, or 1″ wide. In some embodiments, the device clasps 120, 150 are different widths than the stylus clasp 130. The device clasps may be more than 1″ to increase frictional engagement with the electronic device with a stylus clasp that is still ¼″, ½″, ¾″, or 1″ wide. The device clasps 120, 150 may also be different widths from each other.
It will be obvious to those having skill in the art that many changes may be made to the details of the above-described embodiments without departing from the underlying principles of the invention. The scope of the present invention should, therefore, be determined only by the following claims.
