HANDHELD ELECTRONIC DEVICE WITH GRIPPING ELEMENTS

• US 20180084880A1
• Filed: 09/27/2016
• Published: 03/29/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lenovo PC International Limited (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Lenovo Singapore Pte Limited (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Inventors: Kapinos, Robert James, VanBlon, Russell Speight, Li, Scott Wentao, Kingsbury, Timothy Winthrop
• Granted Patent: US 10,349,714 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• 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 13/00 Details; Accessories
• 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 5/00 Holders or carriers for hand articles; Holders or carriers for use while travelling or camping
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1626 with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1656 Details related to functional adaptations of the enclosure, e.g. to provide protection against EMI, shock, water, or to host detachable peripherals like a mouse or removable expansions units like PCMCIA cards, or to provide access to internal components for maintenance or to removable storage supports like CDs or DVDs, or to mechanically mount accessories mounting of accessories to a computer display G06F1/1607; display hoods G06F1/1603; cooling arrangements for portable computers G06F1/203
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1633 Protecting arrangement for the entire housing of the computer

Abstract

Methods and devices are provided for a handheld electronic device. The device comprises a processor, memory storing program instructions accessible by the processor to operate the electronic device, and a housing including a back surface and a peripheral edge. The housing includes one or more grooves. A gripping element is provided within the groove. The gripping element includes a textured surface that is recessed within the groove.

Claims

1. A handheld electronic device, comprising:

a processor;

memory storing program instructions accessible by the processor to operate the electronic device;

a housing including a back surface and a peripheral edge, the housing including one or more groove;

a gripping element provided within the groove, the gripping element including a textures surface that is recessed within the groove.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the housing is hermetically encloses the processor and memory.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the housing forms a removable case detachably mounted to the handheld electronic device, the case having a form factor to be held in a user'"'"'s hand.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the back surface and the peripheral edge collectively define an external envelope of the housing and wherein the gripping element is set back within the groove by a predetermined offset from the external envelope of the housing.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the gripping element is elongated to extend along a longitudinal axis, the gripping element rounded to form an arcuate cross section curved about the longitudinal axis.

6. The device of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of the grooves and a corresponding plurality of the gripping elements provided at separate locations on the housing.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the groove and gripping element extend along the peripheral edge of the housing.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the peripheral edge includes a side portion having the groove and gripping element provided therein, the side portion including a pair of rails extending along the side portion with the gripping element located there between, the gripping element recessed by an offset relative to distal ends of the rails.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein the groove is located within the back surface of the housing, the gripping element recessed by an offset relative to the back surface.

10. A housing for a handheld electronic device, comprising:

front and back surfaces and a peripheral edge;

one or more groove provided in one or more of the front and back surfaces and a peripheral edge;

a gripping element provided within the groove, the gripping element including a textured surface that is recessed within the groove.

11. The housing of claim 10, wherein the housing hermetically encloses a processor and memory storing program instructions accessible by the processor to operate the electronic device.

12. The housing of claim 10, wherein the housing forms a removable case having a device retention cavity to detachably receive a handheld electronic device.

13. The housing of claim 10, wherein the recessed groove and gripping element have a width that is dimensioned to enable an individual'"'"'s fingers to engage the knurled surface, while external flexible materials span across the recess without engaging the textures surface.

14. The housing of claim 10, wherein the gripping element is elongated and dimensioned to have a width that is substantially narrower than a length thereof.

15. The housing of claim 10, wherein the external envelope extends flush along each of the front and back surfaces and flush along the peripheral edge.

16. The housing of claim 10, wherein the textures surface represents a knurled surface that has a predetermined pattern of depressed areas and raised areas.

17. A method for providing a housing for a handheld electronic device, the method comprising:

providing a housing that includes a back surface and a peripheral edge;

forming one or more groove in the housing;

providing a gripping element recessed within the groove;

wherein the gripping element including a textured surface.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising hermetically enclosing, within the housing, a processor and memory storing program instructions accessible by the processor to operate the electronic device.

19. The method of claim 17, further comprising recessing the gripping element within the groove by an offset relative to an exterior envelope of the housing, and defining the offset such that a user'"'"'s finger engages the textured surface when gripping the housing.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising defining a width of the groove such that exterior materials span across the groove without engaging the textured surface when the housing is positioned in a constrained area.