Apparatus for providing a tablet case for touch-sensitive devices

• US 9,582,033 B2
• Filed: 11/28/2012
• Issued: 02/28/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 11/28/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Change Healthcare Holdings, LLC (UnitedHealth Group Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: McKesson Corp.
• Inventors: Edwards, Cliff
• Primary Examiner(s): Chang, Kent
• Assistant Examiner(s): MORALES FERNANDE, BENJAMIN
• Application Number:
  US13/687,674
• Publication Number:
  US 20140145967A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,553 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1628 Carrying enclosures containing additional elements, e.g. case for a laptop and a printer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0393 Accessories for touch pads or touch screens, e.g. mechanical guides added to touch screens for drawing straight lines, hard keys overlaying touch screens or touch pads
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04886 by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus

Abstract

An apparatus is provided that includes a case for securing an overlay template and a touch-sensitive surface in an aligned relationship. The case is configured to receive an overlay template and a touch-sensitive surface. The case includes at least one opening enabling access to a sensing area of the touch-sensitive surface in which an object comes into contact. The touch-sensitive surface is divided into a plurality of regions associated with respective functions of a software application. The overlay template depicts the regions and a layout of the regions into which the touch-sensitive surface is divided. The case is configured to securely hold the received touch-sensitive surface and the overlay template in place in an instance in which the overlay template is placed on the touch-sensitive surface while inserted in the case.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a touch-sensitive surface that is divided into a plurality of regions associated with respective functions of a software application;

an overlay template placed on the touch-sensitive surface; and

a case constructed to receive the overlay template and the touch-sensitive surface through an opening defined thereby, the case defining at least one other opening enabling access to a sensing area of the touch-sensitive surface with which an object interacts,

wherein the overlay template defines the regions and a layout of the regions into which the touch-sensitive surface is divided,

wherein the overlay template defines a set of one or more uniquely-placed holes which, when the overlay template is placed on the touch-sensitive surface, enable the object to interact with corresponding touch regions of the touch-sensitive surface to trigger execution of a function associated with a respective touch region,

wherein the case is constructed to securely hold the received touch-sensitive surface and the overlay template in an aligned relationship with one another with the overlay template held against the touch-sensitive surface, and

wherein the case is constructed to enable removal of the overlay template from the case through the opening defined thereby by sliding the overlay template from the case while the touch-sensitive surface remains within the case and insertion of another overlay template by sliding the another overlay template into the case through the opening defined thereby so as to be placed on the touch-sensitive surface device that has remained inside the case.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the overlay template comprises a plurality of layers in which a first layer is formed of a paper or plastic material and defines the holes and a second layer is formed of a paper or plastic material that is free from holes and is arranged between the first layer and a top surface of the sensing area of the touch-sensitive surface device.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the case defines an open end to receive the overlay template and the touch-sensitive surface.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the case defines an opening configured to allow access to one or more physical or virtual buttons of the touch-sensitive surface.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the case defines a cutout configured to facilitate a connection between the received touch-sensitive surface and a connector.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the case is configured such that the touch sensitive surface is moved in a first direction to insert the touch sensitive surface into the case, and wherein the case comprises a capped end configured to contact an edge of the touch-sensitive surface to restrict the touch-sensitive surface from being moved further in the first direction.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the case is formed of a plastic material.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the overlay template comprises at least one layer formed of a paper or plastic material.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the touch-sensitive surface device comprises a tablet computing device.

10. An apparatus comprising:

a touch sensitive surface that is divided into a plurality of regions associated with respective functions of a software application;

an overlay template placed on the touch-sensitive surface; and

a case constructed to receive the overlay template and the touch-sensitive surface through an opening defined thereby, the case defining at least one other opening enabling access to a sensing area of the touch-sensitive surface with which an object interacts,

wherein the overlay template defines the regions and a layout of the regions into which the touch-sensitive surface is divided,

wherein the overlay template defines a set of one or more uniquely-placed holes which, when the overlay template is placed on the touch-sensitive surface, are aligned with corresponding touch regions of the touch-sensitive surface, and wherein the overlay template comprises a plurality of layers in which a first layer defines the holes and a second layer is free from holes and is arranged between the first layer and a surface of the sensing area of the touch-sensitive surface,

wherein the case is constructed to securely hold the received touch-sensitive surface and the overlay template in an aligned relationship with one another with the overlay template held against the touch-sensitive surface, and

wherein the case is constructed to enable removal of the overlay template from the case through the opening defined thereby by sliding the overlay template from the case while the touch-sensitive surface remains within the case and insertion of another overlay template by sliding the another overlay template into the case through the opening defined thereby so as to be placed on the touch-sensitive surface device that has remained inside the case.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein

the first layer is formed of a paper or plastic material and the second layer is formed of a paper or plastic material.

12. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein:

the case defines an open end to receive the overlay template and the touch-sensitive surface.

13. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein:

the case defines an opening configured to allow access to one or more physical or virtual buttons of the touch-sensitive surface.

14. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein:

the case defines a cutout configured to facilitate a connection between the received touch-sensitive surface and a connector.

15. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the case is configured such that the touch sensitive surface is moved in a first direction to insert the touch sensitive surface into the case, and wherein the case comprises a capped end configured to contact an edge of the touch-sensitive surface to restrict the touch-sensitive surface from being moved further in the first direction.