Ergonomic input-device holder

• US 6,726,070 B2
• Filed: 05/20/2002
• Issued: 04/27/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/20/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Robert Lautner
• Original Assignee: Robert Lautner
• Inventors: Lautner, Robert Martin
• Primary Examiner(s): Weaver, Sue A.
• Application Number:
  US10/150,439
• Publication Number:
  US 20030213822A1
• Time in Patent Office: 708 Days
• Field of Search: 224/219, 224/221, 224/222, 224/218, 224/267, 224/165, 224/930, 400/88
• US Class Current: 224/221
• CPC Class Codes: A44C 5/0007 Bracelets specially adapted for other functions or with means for attaching other articles
• CPC Class Codes: A45F 2003/006 Sacks or packs carried on the body by means of straps passing around an arm or a leg
• CPC Class Codes: A45F 2005/008 Hand articles fastened to the wrist or to the arm or to the leg
• CPC Class Codes: A45F 2005/1006 with means embracing the hand article to be carried
• CPC Class Codes: A45F 2200/0516 Portable handheld communication devices, e.g. mobile phone, pager, beeper, PDA, smart phone
• CPC Class Codes: A45F 2200/0525 Personal 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: A45F 5/02 Fastening articles to the garment
• CPC Class Codes: B43L 3/008 with supporting means bracelets with means for attaching a writing instrument or a memo pad A44C5/0046; for attachment to shopping trolleys B62B3/1428
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 224/93 Attached to animate bearer

Abstract

An ergonomic input device holder where a portable input device such as a tablet computer is attached to the top side and the user grips the input device holder by a pistol grip handle on the bottom side. The user'"'"'s hand is furthermore supported by a pair of wrist supports and the wrist may optionally be strapped in place with straps, The handle and the wrist supports can be rotated to fit both right and left handed users as well as to allow for use in both portrait mode and landscape mode.

Claims

1. An input device holder comprising:

a. a board roughly the size and shape of the bottom surface of an input device for which said input device holder is intended for, where said input device is attached to the top side of said board, and a hand of the user of said input device supports the bottom side of said board, where said board is of a shape having 4 corners that are not required to be sharp and where said board is roughly rectangular in shape with 2 longer sides and 2 shorter sides;

b. 2 side supports on the top side of said board that secure said input device to said board each comprised of a rail structure attached to opposite sides from each other along said longer sides of said board;

c. a bottom support on the top side of said board that secures said input device to said board comprised of a rail structure attached to said board along one of said shorter sides of said board;

d. a top support on the top of said board that secures said input device to said board comprised of a rail structure attached to said board along one of said shorter sides of said board;

e. a pistol grip handle on the bottom of said board positioned such that a user can grip said handle at an ergonomically correct angle with the supporting hand leaving the free hand free to operate said input device;

f. 2 wrist supports on the bottom of said board each comprised of a mound structure positioned in such a way that said wrist supports are on 1 side each of the wrist of the supporting hand of the user when the user is gripping said handle with the supporting hand;

g. a strap connection between the 2 said wrist supports that secures the users wrist to said board.

2. The input device holder of claim 1 wherein said handle and said wrist supports are located on a separate bottom plate where said bottom plate has means for attaching to said board at different angles in relation to said board to accommodate both right-handed and left-handed users and also allow for said input device attached to said input device holder to be used at different angles and where a surface of said bottom plate that does not have said wrist supports and said handle attached to said surface is in contact with the bottom side of said board when said bottom plate is attached to said board.

3. The bottom plate of claim 2 wherein said bottom plate is square in shape and attaches to the bottom of said board with 4 different angular possibilities allowing for both left-handed and right-handed users as well as both portrait and landscape orientation of said input device attached to said input device holder.

4. The bottom plate of claim 2 wherein said bottom plate is circular in shape and attaches to the bottom of said board in the geometric center of said bottom plate and can be rotated to and secured at any angle to said board allowing for both left-handed and right-handed users as well as any angle orientation of said input device attached to said input device holder.

5. The input device holder of claim 1 wherein said side supports include means for adjusting sideways along a linear path to allow for different size input devices to be attached to said input device holder.

6. The input device holder of claim 1 wherein said bottom support includes means for adjusting up and down along a linear path to allow for different size input devices to be attached to said input device holder.

7. The input device holder of claim 1 wherein said top support is comprised of a tongue shaped springed member with a ridge on outer tip of said tongue shaped springed member where said ridge holds an input device attached to said input device holder in place and may be pushed down manually by the user to remove or insert said input device attached to said input device holder.

8. The input device holder of claim 1 wherein said handle is hinged so that said handle can be folded down into the space between said wrist supports to allow for smaller size when not in use.

9. The input device holder of claim 1 wherein said strap connection is comprised of 1 strap or 2 straps traversing the entire distance between said wrist supports closing the gap between said wrist supports while being such that the length of the strap connection is adjustable to accommodate different wrist sizes by means of buckles or hook and loop fastener.