High tactility glove system

• US 20090000010A1
• Filed: 06/28/2007
• Published: 01/01/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Sunder, Ashwin, Hotelling, Steven P.
• Granted Patent: US 7,874,021 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 2/163
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 19/01547 with grip improving means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/014 Hand-worn input/output arrangements, e.g. data gloves

Abstract

This invention is directed to a glove system for operating an electronic device. The glove system may include an inner liner and an outer shell. The liner may be formed from any suitable material, including a material that is thin, electrically conductive, has low thermal conductivity, and/or has an “anti-sticky” finish. The outer shell may include at least one aperture through which the inner liner may extend to operate the input mechanism of an electronic device (e.g., on at least one finger tip). In some embodiments, the aperture may be at a finger tip of the outer shell. In some embodiments, a closing mechanism may be used to maintain the aperture closed when the user is not operating the electronic device. For example, an elastic ring may surround the aperture such that, in its non-deformed state, the aperture is substantially closed. The user may elastically deform the ring to allow the liner to pass through the outer shell.

Claims

1. A glove for use with an electronic device, comprising:

an inner liner; and

an outer shell, wherein at least one portion of the outer shell comprises an aperture operative to allow a portion of the inner liner to protrude from the outer shell.

2. The glove of claim 1, further comprising an insulating layer between the inner liner and the outer shell.

3. The glove of claim 1, wherein the aperture is located on a finger portion of the outer shell.

4. The glove of claim 3, wherein the aperture is located substantially at the tip of the finger portion.

5. The glove of claim 1, further comprising an elastic ring surrounding the aperture operative to close the aperture.

6. The glove of claim 1, wherein the liner comprises at least a portion of electrically conductive material.

7. The glove of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the liner has an electrical resistivity substantially similar to that of human skin.

8. A method for using a glove comprising a liner and an outer shell, the method comprising:

peeling back a portion of the outer shell to expose a portion of the liner;

using the liner to interact with an input mechanism of an electronic device; and

after finishing interacting with the input mechanism, retracting the liner into the outer shell.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein peeling back a portion of the outer shell comprises extending the liner through an aperture in the outer shell.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising substantially closing an aperture when the liner has been fully retracted in the outer shell.

11. The method of claim 8, further comprising retaining the outer shell in its peeled back position using an elastic ring.

12. An outer shell of a glove for use with an electronic device, the outer shell comprising:

a palm portion; and

at least one finger portion, wherein the at least one finger portion comprises an aperture through which the user may operate the electronic device.

13. The outer shell of claim 12, wherein the aperture is selectively opened.

14. The outer shell of claim 12, further comprising an elastic ring surrounding the aperture.

15. The outer shell of claim 12, wherein the glove further comprises a liner placed within the outer shell, the liner comprising at least one finger portion that can selectively pass through the aperture.

16. The outer shell of claim 12, wherein the outer shell comprises insulation material.

17. A glove system, comprising

an inner liner;

and

an outer shell comprising a mechanism operative to selectively allow the inner liner to pass through the outer shell.

18. The glove of claim 17, wherein the outer shell further comprises a removable cap.

19. The glove of claim 18, wherein the outer shell further comprises an aperture through which the liner may pass, the aperture covered by the removable cap.

20. The glove of claim 17, wherein the liner comprises at least a portion of electrically conductive material.

21. A glove system, comprising:

an liner comprising at least one electrically conductive portion;

an outer shell comprising at least one electrically conductive portion; and

an electrical coupling electrically coupled to both the at least one electrically conductive portion of the liner and the at least one electrically conductive portion of the outer shell.

22. The glove system of claim 21, wherein the at least one electrically conductive portion of the outer shell is placed at a finger tip of the glove system.

23. The glove system of claim 21, wherein the electrical coupling comprises at least one of flexible wires and an electrically conductive fabric.

24. The glove system of claim 21, further comprising a cap operative to be selectively placed over the at least one electrically conductive portion of the outer shell.