Wearable sled system for a mobile computer device

• US 10,136,715 B2
• Filed: 08/25/2017
• Issued: 11/27/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hand Held Products Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hand Held Products Incorporated (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Inventors: Oberpriller, Mark Lee, Bruffey, Robert, Phillips, Marcus Charles
• Primary Examiner(s): Nash, Brian D
• Application Number:
  US15/686,311
• Publication Number:
  US 20180000212A1
• Time in Patent Office: 459 Days
• Field of Search: 224222
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 11/00 Receptacles for purposes not provided for in groups A45C1/00-A45C9/00 specially adapted for toiletry or cosmetic equipment A45D29/20, A45D44/18; travelling sewing kits A45F3/48
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 2011/002 for portable handheld communication devices, e.g. mobile phone, pager, beeper, PDA, smart phone
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 2011/003 for portable computing devices, e.g. laptop, tablet, netbook, game boy, navigation system, calculator
• CPC Class Codes: A45F 2005/008 Hand articles fastened to the wrist or to the arm or to the leg
• CPC Class Codes: A45F 2200/0516 Portable handheld communication devices, e.g. mobile phone, pager, beeper, PDA, smart phone
• CPC Class Codes: A45F 5/00 Holders or carriers for hand articles; Holders or carriers for use while travelling or camping
• CPC Class Codes: A45F 5/021 to the belt
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/163 Wearable computers, e.g. on a belt
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1633 Protecting arrangement for the entire housing of the computer

Abstract

A wearable sled system for a mobile computer device includes an open-ended sled housing, a removable end cap, and a mounting assembly for mounting the sled housing onto a user'"'"'s arm or belt. A mobile computer device is slidably received into the sled housing, and the end cap is received on the sled housing'"'"'s open end to form a complete enclosure. The mounting assembly includes a rigid mounting plate having a front side configured to receive the back side of the sled housing. The mounting plate and the sled housing include locking formations for selectively securing the sled housing to the mounting plate. The mounting assembly further includes an attachment device secured to the back side of the mounting plate for removably mounting the system on the user.

Claims

1. A device, comprising:

a housing having a front side, a back side, a bottom end, and a top end that cooperatively form a cavity to slidably receive an electronic device when inserted into the cavity at the top end of the housing; and

a mounting assembly comprising a mounting plate having a front side and a back side, said front side of said mounting plate being configured and arranged to receive said back side of said housing, said mounting plate and said housing including corresponding interfitting locking formations for securing said housing to said mounting plate via the formations;

wherein said interfitting locking formations comprise spring latches formed on said mounting plate and corresponding tabs formed on said housing.

2. The device of claim 1, comprising an attachment device secured to said back side of said mounting plate for removably mounting the device to a user of the electronic device.

3. The device of claim 2, wherein said attachment device comprises a belt clip securable to said back side of said mounting plate.

4. The device of claim 2, wherein said attachment device comprises (i) a strap assembly having a body portion securable to said back side of said mounting plate and (ii) two spaced pairs of elastomeric, coacting straps extending from said body portion of said strap assembly, said coacting straps being configured and arranged to encircle a user'"'"'s limb, wherein each pair of said coacting straps includes a buckle on one coacting strap and plurality of apertures on the opposing coacting strap, said buckle and apertures cooperating to releasably and adjustably secure said coacting straps to each other in one of a plurality of positions.

5. The device of claim 4, wherein said front side of said housing is open to provide access to an input screen of the electronic device.

6. The device of claim 4, wherein each pair of said coacting straps includes at least one pleated expansion area on at least one of said coacting straps.

7. The device of claim 4, wherein said mounting plate includes opposing strap retaining arms for retaining the free ends of said apertured coacting straps.

8. The device of claim 1, comprising an end cap wherein the end cap is removably received at the top end of the housing.

9. The device of claim 8, wherein said end cap includes a passage configured and arranged to receive an audio headset cable.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein said bottom end of said housing includes a passage configured and arranged to receive a peripheral connector plug.

11. The device of claim 1, wherein said front side of said housing is closed.

12. A mounting assembly, comprising:

a mounting plate having a front side and a back side, said front side being configured and arranged to receive a back side of a housing that slidably receives a mobile device, wherein said mounting plate comprises an interfitting locking formation for securing said housing to said mounting plate, and wherein to secure said housing to said mounting plate, the interfitting locking formation engages with an engagement on said housing;

wherein said interfitting locking formation comprises spring latches formed on said mounting plate, and wherein said engagement comprises corresponding tabs formed on said housing.

13. The mounting assembly of claim 12, comprising an attachment device secured to said back side of said mounting plate for removably mounting the housing to a user.

14. The mounting assembly of claim 13, wherein said attachment device comprises a belt clip securable to said back side of said mounting plate.

15. The mounting assembly of claim 13, wherein said attachment device comprises (i) a strap assembly having a body portion securable to said back side of said mounting plate and (ii) two spaced pairs of elastomeric, coacting straps extending from said body portion of said strap assembly, said coacting straps being configured and arranged to encircle a user'"'"'s limb, wherein each pair of said coacting straps includes a buckle on one coacting strap and plurality of apertures on the opposing coacting strap, said buckle and apertures cooperating to releasably and adjustably secure said coacting straps to each other in one of a plurality of positions.

16. A device, comprising:

a housing having a front side, a back side, a closed bottom end, and an open top end that cooperatively define an interior cavity configured and arranged to slidably receive a mobile computer device;

an end cap configured to be received at the top end of the sled housing for securing the mobile device within the housing; and

a mounting assembly comprising (i) a rigid mounting plate having a front side and a back side, the front side of the mounting assembly being configured and arranged to receive the back side of the housing, the mounting plate and the housing including corresponding interfitting locking formations for selectively securing the housing to the mounting plate, and (ii) an attachment device secured to the back side of the mounting plate for removably mounting the device to a user of the mobile computer device;

wherein the housing and/or the end cap include a passage configured and arranged to receive and secure a portion of a peripheral connector in engagement with the mobile computer device.

17. The device of claim 16, wherein the passage of the housing comprises a pivoting connector tray.

18. The device of claim 16, wherein the passage of the end cap is configured and arranged to encircle a portion of a peripheral connector.