Patent Application
20110303578
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a protective enclosure for a tablet PC, and more particularly to a protective enclosure having a rotatable handle for allowing a user to securely hold and position a tablet PC with one hand.
2. Description of the Related Art
Tablet PC's such as the APPLE IPAD, for example, are quickly replacing traditional laptop and desktop computers in households everywhere. Unlike a traditional computer, a tablet PC uses a touch screen display which negates the need for an external keyboard and mouse.
However, utilizing the device in such a manner has several drawbacks. For example, due to the size of the device, it is common for the user to inadvertently access the touch screen when attempting to grip the body of the TPC. Also, the user can not easily switch between a landscape and portrait mode without shifting their grip on the device. Further, because the device is not secured to the hand of the user, it is not uncommon for the device to be dropped resulting in severe damage. Additionally, when placed on a table the device will rest flat on its back, which makes viewing and typing on the touch screen 12 difficult for most users.
Many different devices have been proposed for use with a tablet PC including U.S. Publication No. 2004/0226973 which describes a holding aid for a tablet PC having a custom tab which can be connected to one side of a TPC to allow a user to grip the device. Additionally, U.S. Pat. No. 6,726,070 describes a device having a handle which can be secured to the wrist of a user. However, none of the above devices overcomes each of the issues described above.
Accordingly, it would be beneficial to provide a protective enclosure capable of allowing a user to securely hold a TPC at any angle without obscuring the screen of the device while simultaneously providing protection to the TPC against damage from accidental impact. Moreover, it would also be beneficial to provide a protective enclosure which is simple to use, is economical to manufacture and allows a TPC to be positioned at an angle for viewing and typing when not being held.
The present invention is directed to a protective enclosure for a tablet pc. One embodiment of the present invention can include a shell configured to enclose a tablet pc having a front, left, right, top, bottom and back surface, and an opening within the front surface for accessing the screen of the TPC. The enclosure can also include a rotating unit for allowing a user to securely hold and rotate the TPC without obscuring the screen of the device.
Another embodiment of the invention can include one or more pegs configured to extend outward, thus allowing the device to rest at an angle for typing and viewing.
Yet another embodiment of the present invention can include several protrusions configured to protect the TPC from inadvertent contact and damage from impact.
Presently preferred embodiments are shown in the drawings. It should be appreciated, however, that the invention is not limited to the precise arrangements and instrumentalities shown.
While the specification concludes with claims defining the features of the invention that are regarded as novel, it is believed that the invention will be better understood from a consideration of the description in conjunction with the drawings. As required, detailed embodiments of the present invention are disclosed herein; however, it is to be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the invention, which can be embodied in various forms. Therefore, specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a basis for the claims and as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to variously employ the inventive arrangements in virtually any appropriately detailed structure. Further, the terms and phrases used herein are not intended to be limiting but rather to provide an understandable description of the invention.
The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the invention. As used herein, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms “comprises” and/or “comprising,” when used in this specification, specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof.
In the embodiments shown herein, the enclosure 20 can encompass a Tablet PC in the form of an APPLE IPAD. However, one of skill in the art will recognize that the inventive concepts described herein can be equally applied to Tablet PC's of other makes and models without deviating from the spirit of the invention. Accordingly, the inventive concepts are not limited to one specific TPC.
As shown in
Additionally, each of the surfaces can include a lip/protrusion (P) along the periphery that forms the opening 22. As such, the opening 22 can have a depth that is greater than that of the TPC. In one embodiment, the lip/protrusion P can be constructed from the same material as the shell, and can be formed as an integral part of the shell. Alternatively, the protrusion P can be constructed from a soft cushion material such as rubber or nylon padding, for example, and may be attached to the end of the shell to form the protrusion. In this regard, when the TPC is inserted into the opening, the screen of the TPC is recessed with respect to the protrusions thus providing protection against inadvertent contact with foreign objects. Moreover, in the event the enclosure is dropped or subjected to impact, each of the protrusions P in conjunction with the hardened sides 21a-21f can flex, thus acting as impact absorption elements in order to protect the TPC.
In another embodiment, shell 21 can include a plurality of I/O openings 22 for accessing the components of the TPC and one or more embossed sections 23 for allowing the buttons of the TPC to be utilized by a user when positioned within the enclosure. Additionally, front surface 21a can further include one or more optional gaps 24 for allowing the top surface of the shell 21d to bend (see arrow A) in order to allow the TPC to be more easily inserted into the opening 22.
In one alternate embodiment (not shown), the inside portion of the shell 21 can be lined with an impact absorbing material such as rubber or neoprene, for example. In this regard, the impact absorbing material can provide additional cushion to the TPC when impacted by a foreign object, or dropped.
As shown, rotating unit 30 can turn 360 degrees (see arrow B) in either direction with respect to the back surface 21f. Moreover, rotating unit 30 can include a plurality of internal stops/indentions (not shown) into which a portion of catch/release button 33 can engage. In this regard, a user can lock the rotating unit 30 to a specified position in order to prevent further movement until desired. Rotating/rotatable units such as element 30 are well known in the art and can include a front side and a back side which can rotate independently of each other and can be constructed from plastic or composite materials. To this end, the rotating unit can be secured to the back surface of the shell by means of a standard rotational joint arrangement and can rotate to any angle and be secured at that angle. Alternatively, rotating unit can be removably secured to the back surface of the shell by a non-permanent means such as a locking groove, VELCRO, magnetic elements and compression fittings, for example. Rotating devices and removable connection devices as described above are well known to one of skill in the art, accordingly no further description is provided.
Although described herein as including an adjustable strap 32, this language is not intended to be limiting as one of skill in the art will recognize that many known materials and configurations can be utilized for securing the hand of a user to the rotating unit.
As can be seen in
Accordingly, a enclosure 20 as described herein can allow a user to securely hold a TPC and transition between a portrait and landscape mode, while providing protection to the TPC against damage from accidental impact. Moreover, the enclosure 20 can allow an enclosed TPC to be positioned at an angle for viewing and typing when not being held.
The corresponding structures, materials, acts, and equivalents of all means or step plus function elements in the claims below are intended to include any structure, material, or act for performing the function in combination with other claimed elements as specifically claimed. The description of the present invention has been presented for purposes of illustration and description, but is not intended to be exhaustive or limited to the invention in the form disclosed.
Many modifications and variations will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. The embodiment was chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention and the practical application, and to enable others of ordinary skill in the art to understand the invention for various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated.
