Mechanism for attaching accessory devices to handheld computers

• US 6,532,148 B2
• Filed: 12/14/2000
• Issued: 03/11/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Palm, Inc. (TCL Technology Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Jenks, Kenneth A., Hulick, Troy
• Primary Examiner(s): Schuberg, Darren
• Assistant Examiner(s): DATSKOVSKIY, MICHAIL V
• Application Number:
  US09/738,283
• Publication Number:
  US 20010036058A1
• Time in Patent Office: 817 Days
• Field of Search: 361/679-683, 361/686, 361/727, 361/755, 361/741, 206/320, 206/576, 206/38, 206/214, 206/232, 206/472, 206/471, 220/581, 220/836, 220/843, 220/845, 220/848, 220/811, 220/813, 220/815, 220/4.22, 163/19, 162/84, 162/92, 163/17, 162/97, 162/23, 162/35, 402/4, 402/4.01, 402/70, 402/79, 402/502, 345/179, 345/180, 345/173, 455/90, 455/575, 343/702, 343/720
• US Class Current: 361/679.56
• 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 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1698 the I/O peripheral being a sending/receiving arrangement to establish a cordless communication link, e.g. radio or infrared link, integrated cellular phone details of antennas disposed inside a computer H01Q1/2266
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1632 Pen holder integrated in the computer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1633 Protecting arrangement for the entire housing of the computer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1634 Integrated protective display lid, e.g. for touch-sensitive display in handheld computer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03545 Pens or stylus

Abstract

An attachment mechanism is provided to couple an accessory device with a handheld computer. The attachment mechanism includes a spine adapted to detachably couple to an accessory slot of the handheld computer. The spine includes a deformable layer that deforms as the spine inserts into the accessory slot. The deformable layer expands within the accessory slot to couple the accessory device to the handheld computer.

Claims

1. An attachment mechanism for coupling an external device to a handheld computer, the attachment mechanism comprising:

a spine adapted to detachably couple to a slot of the handheld computer, the spine including a deformable layer that deforms to enable the spine to insert and be retained within the slot.

2. The attachment mechanism of claim 1, wherein the deformable layer inserts to be biasely retained within the slot.

3. The attachment mechanism of claim 1, wherein the spine comprises a core member that is clad by the deformable layer.

4. The attachment mechanism of claim 3, wherein the core member is flexible about a length of the rigid member.

5. The attachment mechanism of claim 1, further comprising an enlarged end piece extending from the spine.

6. The attachment mechanism of claim 5, wherein the enlarged end piece is formed from a molded material.

7. The attachment mechanism of claim 1, wherein the deformable layer is configured to deform in a first direction, the first direction being orthanormal to a second direction corresponding to a length of the spine.

8. The attachment mechanism of claim 7, wherein the spine includes a thickness measured along the first direction, the thickness being sufficient to include an extension extending to a body of the attachment mechanism.

9. The attachment mechanism of claim 8, wherein the spine is oriented to engage the slot in the second direction.

10. An external device for a handheld computer, the external device comprising:

a spine adapted to detachably couple to a slot of the handheld computer, the spine including a deformable layer that deforms to insert into the slot so as to couple the external device to the handheld computer; and

a body that extends from the spine.

11. The external device of claim 10, wherein the body includes:

a flex member extending from the spine; and

a cover portion extending from the flex member.

12. The external device of claim 11, wherein the cover portion is dimensioned to cover a display of the handheld computer when the spine is coupled to the handheld computer.

13. The external device of claim 11, wherein the spine includes a core member, wherein the deformable layer is formed over the core member.

14. The external device of claim 13, wherein the core member is formed from a metal, and is flexible about a length of the core member.

15. The external device of claim 14, wherein the cover portion is formed from a tensile material.

16. The external device of claim 15, wherein the cover portion is formed from a leather material.

17. The external device of claim 15, wherein the cover portion is formed from a fabric.

18. The external device of claim 14, wherein the cover portion is formed from a material selected from metal, plastic, vinyl, and rubber.

19. The external device of claim 14, wherein the cover is formed from neoprene.

20. The external device of claim 14, wherein the cover portion is formed from a rigid material.

21. The external device of claim 10, wherein the deformable layer is dimensioned so that at least a portion of the deformable layer relaxes within the slot when the spine is inserted into the slot.

22. A detachable assembly comprising:

a handheld computer including a front face, a back face opposing the front face, a top and a bottom, first lateral side and a second lateral side, the handheld computer including a display positioned to be accessible from the front face and extending between the top and bottom, and an accessory slot extending lengthwise on or adjacent to the first lateral sides; and

an external device including a spine that engages the accessory slot to couple the external device to the handheld computer, the spine including a deformable layer that deforms to enable the spine to insert and be retained within the accessory slot.

23. The detachable assembly of claim 22, wherein the deformable layer deforms to enable the spine to be biasely retained within the accessory slot.

24. The detachable assembly of claim 22, wherein the accessory slot extends along a portion of a length of the handheld computer.

25. The detachable assembly of claim 22, wherein the deformable layer is formed from leather.

26. The detachable assembly of claim 22, wherein the spine includes a bottom end piece and a top end piece, the top end piece being enlarged relative to the bottom end piece, and wherein the spine further includes a member extending between the bottom end piece and the top end piece, the member including the deformable layer.

27. The detachable assembly of claim 26, wherein the member includes a core that is clad by the deformable layer.

28. The detachable assembly of claim 26, wherein the core is shaped so that a width of the core is greater than a thickness of the core, wherein the width of the core member is oriented to extend inward into the handheld computer when the external device couples to the spine.

29. The detachable assembly of claim 26, wherein the accessory slot includes an entrance recess positioned on the lateral side a distance away from the top of the handheld computer, the entrance recess being shaped to receive the spine from an end of the spine first.

30. The detachable assembly of claim 29, wherein the spine is insertable into the accessory slot from the bottom end piece, and the top end piece positions at least partially in the entrance recess when the spine is inserted into the accessory slot.

31. The detachable assembly of claim 22, wherein the accessory slot extends a depth into a casing of the handheld computer from the first lateral side.

32. The detachable assembly of claim 31, wherein the handheld computer further includes a second accessory slot positioned on or adjacent to the second lateral side of the handheld computer.

33. The detachable assembly of claim 31, wherein the second accessory slot includes an entrance opening that is engageable from the top of the handheld computer.

34. The detachable assembly of claim 22, wherein the deformable layer and accessory slot are each dimensioned so that at least a portion of the deformable layer relaxes after being inserted into the accessory slot.

37. The external device of claim 25, further comprising a body extending from the spine to be moveable over a display of the handheld computer when the spine is inserted into the slot of the handheld computer.

35. An external device coupleable to a handheld computer, the external device comprising:

a spine dimensioned to be received within a slot of a handheld computer,

a deformable layer retained on at least a portion the spine, the deformable layer deforming when the spine is inserted into the slot of the handheld computer to retain at least a portion of the spine within the slot.

36. The external device of claim 35, wherein the deformable layer extends a majority of a length of the spine.

38. An external device coupleable to a handheld computer, the external device comprising:

a spine dimensioned to be received within a slot of a handheld computer, and

a frictional contact surface formed continuously on at least a majority of the spine;

wherein the spine is dimensioned to slide within the slot of the handheld computer with the frictional contact surface contacting an interior surface of the slot so as to resist withdrawal of the spine from the slot.

39. The external device of claim 38, further comprising a body extending from the spine to be moveable over a display of the handheld computer when the spine is inserted into the slot of the handheld computer.

40. The external device of claim 38, wherein the spine has a rectangular cross-section.

41. The external device of claim 39, wherein the spine and the body form a T-shaped cross-section.

42. The external device of claim 38, wherein the frictional contact surface is deformable.

43. A stylus for use with a handheld computer, the stylus comprising:

an elongated member having a length and a cross-section, the elongated member being dimensioned to engage and be received within a slot of the handheld computer;

a core of the elongated member extending a majority of the length and forming part of the cross-section; and

a deformable layer formed continuously about the core along the majority of the length of the elongated members the deformable layer deforming when the stylus engages the slot to retain the stylus within the slot.