Ergonomic hand-held implement

• US 5,470,162 A
• Filed: 02/08/1994
• Issued: 11/28/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/1992
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Burton S. Rubin
• Original Assignee: Burton S. Rubin
• Inventors: Rubin, Burton S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bratlie, Steven A.
• Application Number:
  US08/193,635
• Time in Patent Office: 658 Days
• Field of Search: 401/6, 401/7, 401/88, 15/443, D19/41
• US Class Current: 401/6
• CPC Class Codes: B43K 23/004 Holders specially adapted for assisting handicapped or disabled persons to write B43L15/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B43K 5/005 Pen barrels
• CPC Class Codes: B43K 7/005 Pen barrels

Abstract

A hand-held implement which is sufficiently small so that it does not extend beyond the hand of the user and has forward and side surfaces which are oriented so that the implement in use extends in a direction which is no further toward the thumb of the user than the index finger of the user. The forward and side surfaces can be provided with concave contours which engage the thumb and fingers of the user.

Claims

1. A hand-held implement, comprising:

a bottom portion from which a tool extends;

a forward surface extending upward from the bottom portion, having a smooth first concave contour, the forward surface being adapted to be engaged by and extend in a direction substantially parallel to the index finger of a user;

first and second opposed side surfaces extending upward from the bottom portion and rearward from the forward surface, said first and second side surfaces being provided with opposed smooth concave contours, the concave contour of one of the side surfaces being adapted to engage the thumb of a user, the concave contour of the other of the side surfaces being adapted to engage the side of a third finger of a user, the first concave contour and the concave contours of the side surface being adjacent the bottom portion, the forward and side surfaces being oriented so that in use the forward surface is substantially parallel to the user'"'"'s index finger;

a rearward surface comprising a second concave contour, the concave contours of said first and second side surfaces extending between said first and second concave contours; and

a first convex contour smoothly joining said forward surface and said rearward surface, said second concave contour being smoothly joined to said first convex contour, the first convex contour being adapted to fit within the palm of a user, the forward surface, the first and second side surfaces and the first convex contour defining a bulbous upper portion above the concave contours of the side surfaces.

2. The implement of claim 1, wherein the forward surface comprises a second convex contour extending between the first convex contour and the first concave contour.

3. The implement of claim 1, wherein the tool is a pen or pencil.

4. The implement of claim 1, wherein the width of the implement decreases from the forward surface to the rearward surface along the concave contours of the side surfaces.