Hand mounted control apparatus

• US 20030001578A1
• Filed: 06/29/2001
• Published: 01/02/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: People Innovate For Economy Foundation Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Peter Ar-Fu Lam
• Inventors: Lam, Peter Ar-Fu
• Granted Patent: US 6,586,942 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 324/426
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 13/70 having a plurality of operating members associated with different sets of contacts, e.g. keyboard mounting together a plurality of independent switches H02B
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2009/0221 the switches being fixed to the operator's hand, e.g. integrated in a glove or fixed to a ring
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2207/026 Pressure contact
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2223/026 Hook and loop
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2223/04 portable; hand held
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2300/022 Application wake up; switches or contacts specially provided for the wake up or standby shift of a circuit

Abstract

A control apparatus configured to supply power to an article of sales through the finger contact of the article. The embodiment includes interfacing circuit for signals to communicate between the control apparatus and the article of sales when said article is picked up by the fingers of an user.

Claims

1. A control apparatus structured for connecting an external article comprising:

first and second conductive contact terminals,

circuit means connecting between said first and second contact terminals for conducting the electric current flowing through said external article and said first and second conductive contact terminals, when said conductive contact terminals are connected to said external article; and

structural means positioned between said contact terminals and a human hand for controlling the positions of said contact terminals by the finger movement of said human hand.

2. The control apparatus of claim 1 wherein said structural means attach said first and second conductive contact terminals to two fingers of said human hand.

3. The control apparatus of claim 2 wherein said human hand has a thumb and an index finger, said structural means enables the thumb to control the movement of the first conductive contact terminal and the index finger to control the movement of the second contact terminal.

4. The control apparatus of claim 1 wherein said structural means are in the shape of two elongated arms each having a first end and a second end;

wherein the first ends of said elongated arms are connected together and a conductive contact terminal is attached to the second end of each elongated arms.

5. The control apparatus of claim 4 wherein at least one compartment is connected in between the first ends of said elongated arms.

6. The control apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a compartment connected between said conductive contact terminals for sourcing or receiving said electric current.

7. The control apparatus of claim 6 wherein said compartment further comprises a display region to display graphical or data messages.

8. The control apparatus of claim 7 wherein said external article defines the graphic or data messages to be displayed.

9. The control apparatus of claim 6 wherein said compartment further comprising a sound transducer for generating voice message or sound.

10. The control apparatus of claim 9 wherein said external article defines the voice message or sound generated.

11. The control apparatus of claim 6 wherein said compartment is structured to accommodate batteries for powering said external article.

12. The control apparatus of claim 6 further comprising a socket to receive external power.

13. The control apparatus of claim 6 further comprising flexible conductive means to connect said compartment with at least one of said conductive contact terminals.

14. The control apparatus of claim 6 further comprising adjustable conductive means connecting between said compartment and at least one of said contact terminals.

15. The control apparatus of claim 6 wherein said compartment is configured for attaching to a hand, a wrist, a limb or the body of a user.

16. The control apparatus of claim 1 wherein said electric current comprises an analog signal.

17. The control apparatus of claim 1 wherein said electric current comprises digital information.

18. The control apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a current limiter to limit the current flowing through said first and second contact terminals

19. The control apparatus of claim 1 further comprising an A/D converter or a signal comparator.

20. The control apparatus of claim 1 wherein said external article is a battery and said control apparatus further comprising a circuit configured to detect the electrical characteristic of said battery.

21. The control apparatus of claim 1 further comprising stoppers to prevent said conductive contact terminals from touching with each other.

22. The control apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a switch linked to the movement mechanism of any of said contact terminals.

24. The article of claim 23 wherein said finger contact is assisted by providing a third and fourth mating conductive contact terminals, each attached to said first and second fingers of the user.

25. The article of claim 23 wherein said electrical transducer is structured to provide light and/or sound and/or motion.

26. The articles of claim 23 wherein said article is a miniature toy representing a life size article.

27. The article of claim 26 wherein said miniature toy represents a wheeled vehicle, a doll, an animal or an electrical tool.

28. The article of claim 23 wherein said article is a flashlight, a projectile object or a life size electrical tool.

29. The article of claim 23 further comprising energy storage means configured to receive power from said contact terminals when said article is held by said fingers.

30. The article of claim 23 further comprising a switch configured to be triggered by pressing one of said contact terminals.

23. An article of sale comprising:

first and second conductive contact terminals positioned at a distance apart suitable for holding by a first finger and a second finger of a user'"'"'s hand;

electrical circuitry connected to said first and second contact terminals for receiving power through the finger contact of said user.

31. A set of toy comprising a control unit and at least a first toy unit, said control unit comprising:

first and second conductive contact terminals,

structural means enabling a first and a second finger of a human hand to control the position of said first and second conductive contact terminals;

circuit means connecting between said first and second conductive contact terminals for interfacing the electric current flowing through said first toy unit when said first toy unit is connected between said first and second conductive contact terminals;

and said first toy unit comprising;

third and fourth conductive contact terminals positioned at a distance apart suitable for touching by said first and second fingers of a human hand;

circuit means connected to said third and fourth contact terminals for receiving or transmitting electrical current when said third and fourth contact terminals are in contact with said first and second contact terminals respectively.

32. A method to energize an article of sales comprising the steps of:

(1) arranging first and second conductive contact terminals to be positioned by the motion of a human hand;

(2) provide third and fourth conductive contact terminals to said article of sales;

(3) connecting at least one electrical component in between said third and fourth terminals;

(4) arranging said first and second contact terminals to make contact with said third and fourth contact terminals respectively;

(5) provide power to said article of sales through the contact action of step (4).

33. A method to arrange a set of toys comprising the steps of:

(1) providing a first member of said toy set with a first and second conductive contact terminals;

(2) providing third and fourth conductive contact terminals to a second member of said toy set;

(3) providing first circuit means connecting to said first and second contact terminals;

(4) providing second circuit means connecting to said third and fourth contact terminals;

(5) attach said of said first and second conductive contact terminals to a first and second finger of a human hand;

(6) arranging said first and second conductive contact terminals to make contact with said third and fourth conductive contact terminals respectively; and

(7) arranging said first circuit means to interface with the second circuit means through the contact motion of step (6) for producing an electrical response.

35. The method of claim 34 wherein the analyzed result is output by sound.

36. The method of claim 34 wherein the analyzed result is output by a visual indication.

37. The method of claim 34 wherein said electrical circuitry comprises a motor and the torque or running speed of the motor represents the strength of the battery.

38. The method of claim 34 wherein said first structural member enables the thumb of said human hand to control the position of said first conductive contact terminal and said second structural member enables the index finger of said human hand to control the position of said second conductive contact terminal.

34. A method to analyze the characteristic of a battery comprising the steps of:

(1) providing a first and second conductive contact terminals;

(2) providing an electrical circuitry suitable for analyzing the characteristics of a battery;

(3) connecting said contact terminals to the electrical circuitry of step (2);

(4) providing a first structural member enabling a first finger of a human hand to control the position of said first conductive contact terminal;

(5) providing a second structural member enabling a second finger of said human hand to control the position of said second conductive contact terminal;

(6) arranging said first and second conductive contact terminals to touch the positive and negative terminals of a battery;

(7) arranging said electrical circuitry to analyze at least a characteristic of said battery and output said analyzed result.