Abstract:
An apparatus for securing an electronic device using, in part, at least one pressable button on the device. A user can slide an electronic device into the apparatus. As the device moves into the apparatus, at least one button on a side of the device enters the locking mechanism where a first section stops the device from sliding further into the apparatus. A second section may stop the device from sliding out in the other direction.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    Not applicable. 
       STATEMENT CONCERNING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
       [0002]    Not applicable. 
       REFERENCE TO SEQUENCE LISTING, A TABLE, OR A COMPUTER PROGRAM LISTING COMPACT DISC APPENDIX 
       [0003]    Not applicable. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0004]    The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for securing an electronic device using at least one of its buttons. 
         [0005]    Smart phones have become mobile computers, which are relied upon for both audio and digital communication. To make these devices more readily accessible to users, various contraptions have been devised. For instance, many users place their smartphones in specialized armbands to use during exercise. These armbands have a fully enclosed pouch into which the smartphone is placed. One side of the pouch is made of clear plastic that allows the user to interact with the touchscreen on his/her device through the clear plastic. 
         [0006]    However, there are disadvantages to these armbands that make them unsuitable for casual use. A first disadvantage is that the smartphone is fully encased in the pouch, making the smartphone hard to remove if the user wants full access to his/her device. A second disadvantage is that because the smartphone is fully encased, the entire mechanism is unnecessarily bulky. A third disadvantage is that because the smartphone is placed on the arm, it is difficult and cumbersome to access for regular use. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0007]    The present invention avoids the pitfalls of the prior art by affixing a device to a strap using a tray that completely secures the device in the upward/downward, left/right and backward directions, and only partially secures the device in the forward direction, such that the device can slide in and out from the front of the tray for easy engagement and disengagement of the device. 
         [0008]    In a preferred embodiment, the present invention provides a tray with a novel locking mechanism that uses the device&#39;s button(s) to secure the device in the forward/backward directions. The locking mechanism is built into a sidewall of the tray and includes at least one sloped region, a recess and one wall. As the device is pushed into the tray, its protruding button(s) enters a recess. In the backward direction of this recess is a wall that stops the protruding button(s) from travelling further in the backward direction. In the forward direction of this recess is a sloped region that causes the button(s) to be pushed into the device as the device is pulled out of the tray. The force exerted by the button(s) onto this slope helps to secure the device in the forward direction and allows a user to disengage the device by exerting sufficient force to overcome this pressure. 
         [0009]    In another preferred embodiment, the present invention provides a tray with the locking mechanism described above, that uses the phone&#39;s buttons to secure the device in the backward direction, and uses the additional pressure/friction caused by the tightness of the tray around the device to partially secure the device in the forward direction. The tray is composed of a floor that covers at least a part of the back of the device, sidewalls that at least partially cover the sides of the device, and lips that extend from the sidewalls such that they only partially cover the front of the device and do not interfere with the use of the input and display components on the device&#39;s face. The tray is measured such that the device can fit within the tray, but that the tray exerts sufficient pressure on the device to keep the device secure in the forward direction. 
         [0010]    In yet another preferred embodiment, the present invention provides a strap that is secured to the tray, so that the tray can be strapped onto a user&#39;s wrist. By strapping the tray of the present invention onto a user&#39;s wrist, the present invention enables the user to wear his/her device like a wristwatch. When worn, a user is able to easily glance at his/her device to view the screen, use his/her device while strapped to the user&#39;s wrist, and to easily remove the device from the tray by pulling the device with sufficient force. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING 
         [0011]      FIG. 1  is an aerial perspective of the prior art. 
           [0012]      FIG. 2  is an aerial perspective of one embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0013]      FIG. 3  is an aerial perspective of one embodiment of the present invention with a device secured. 
           [0014]      FIG. 4A  is a geometric view of a button of a device as the button engages a first sloped section of the locking mechanism in a preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0015]      FIG. 4B  is a geometric view of a button of a device as the button engages a second sloped section of the locking mechanism in a preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0016]      FIG. 4C  is a geometric view of a button of a device as the button engages a third sloped section of the locking mechanism in a preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0017]      FIG. 5  is a perspective of the underside of one embodiment of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0018]      FIG. 2  is an aerial perspective of one embodiment of the present invention. The invention comprises of a floor  12  with sidewalls  14  extending therefrom, and a lip  16  extending from each sidewall  14 . The floor  12  and sidewalls  14  are sized and arranged such that they substantially match the size and shape of a cross-section of the device to be secured. Specifically, the width of the floor  12  should substantially match the width of the device and the height of the sidewalls  14  should substantially match the depth of the device. Each sidewall  14  has a lip  16  that extends from the edge of the sidewall  14  towards the center of the device. The length of each lip  16  is long enough to reliably secure the device without obstructing the active portion of the device, which in most cases is a large, touch-enabled screen. Together, the floor  12 , sidewalls  14  and lips  16  create a tray  10  to secure the device in the upward/downward  18  and left/right directions  20 . 
         [0019]      FIG. 3  is an aerial perspective of one embodiment of the present invention with a device secured. The present invention seeks to secure the device  24  along at least 3 degrees of freedom—forward/backward  22 , upward/downward  18  and left/right  20 . The combination of the floor  12  and the lips  16  secures the device in the upward/downward direction  18 . The sidewalls  14  secure the device in the left/right direction  20 . 
         [0020]    The device  24  is partially secured in the forward/backward direction  22  using pressure and friction. In measuring the exact width of the floor  12  and height of the sidewalls  14 , it is preferable that the width of the floor  12  (the distance between the sidewalls  14 ) be calculated such that the sidewalls  14  touch and put pressure on the sides of the device  24  to be secured. Similarly, it is preferable that the height of the sidewalls  14  (the distance between the floor  12  and the lips  16 ) be calculated such that the floor  12  and lips  16  touch and put pressure on the front and back of the device  24  to be secured. In this way, the pressure put on the device  24 , and the associated friction it creates, can operate to secure the device in the forward/backward direction  22 . 
         [0021]      FIGS. 4A-C  are geometric views of a button of a device as the button engages a locking mechanism of the present invention. The locking mechanism  28  is located within a sidewall  14  of the tray  10 . The locking mechanism  28  secures the device  24  in the backward direction  30  and partially secures the device in the forward direction  32  so that the device  24  can be removed. The below discussion describes a preferred embodiment of the locking mechanism  28  of the present invention in relation to  FIGS. 4A-C  as the device engages the tray  10  (pushed from right to left in  FIGS. 4A-C ). 
         [0022]      FIG. 4A  is a geometric view of a button of the device as the button engages a first sloped section of the locking mechanism in a preferred embodiment of the present invention. A user slides the device  24  into the tray  10  from the front section thereof in the backward direction  30 . The device  24  has at least one button  26  that protrudes from at least one of its sides. As the button  26  reaches the front end of the tray  10 , the button comes into contact with a first sloped section  34  of the locking mechanism  28 . This first sloped section  34  is defined by an obtuse inner sidewall angle  34   a  facing the rear of the tray and an acute opening angle  34   b  facing the front of the tray. As the button  26  is pushed backwards  30  and into contact with the first sloped section  34 , a force is exerted downwards  42  so that the button is pressed into the device  24 . Thus, the first sloped section  34  allows the button  26  to be received into the tray  10 . 
         [0023]      FIG. 4B  is a geometric view of a button of the device as the button engages a second sloped section of the locking mechanism in a preferred embodiment of the present invention. As the device  24  is pushed further backward  30  into the tray  10 , the depressed button  26  is pushed into contact with a second sloped section  36  of the locking mechanism  28 . This second sloped section  36  is defined by an obtuse inner sidewall angle  36   b  facing the front of the tray  10  and an acute opening angle  36   a  facing the rear of the tray  10 . As the button  26  is pushed further backward  30  and into contact with the second sloped section  36 , a springing force within the button  26  (that causes the button  26  to return to its normal position after a usual depression by a user) exerts a force in the upward direction  40  so that the button is pushed back out and protrudes from the device  24 . 
         [0024]      FIG. 4C  is a geometric view of a button of the device as the button engages a third sloped section of the locking mechanism in a preferred embodiment of the present invention. As the device  24  is pushed further backward  30  into the tray  10 , the protruding button  26  is pushed into contact with a third sloped section  38  of the locking mechanism  28 . This third sloping section  38  is defined by an acute inner sidewall angle  38   a  facing the rear of the tray  10  and an obtuse opening angle  38   b  facing the front of the tray  10 . As the protruding button  26  is pushed further backward  30  and into contact with the third sloped section  38  of the sidewall  14 , it is stopped by this third sloped section  38  from proceeding further, blocking the device  24  from any further movement in the backward direction  30 . In an alternate embodiment, the third section  38  may be a wall that is defined by an inner sidewall angle  38   a  that can be up to 90 degrees. 
         [0025]    As described above, the locking mechanism  28  also partially secures the device  24  in the forward direction  32 . The below discussion describes a preferred embodiment of the locking mechanism  28  of the present invention in relation to  FIG. 4B  wherein a device  24  is partially secured in the forward direction  32 . 
         [0026]      FIG. 4B  is a geometric view of a button of the device as it engages a second sloped section of the locking mechanism in a preferred embodiment of the present invention. When the device  24  is fully inserted into the tray  10 , a button  26  comes into contact with the second sloped section  36  of the locking mechanism  28 . This second sloped section  36  is defined by an obtuse inner sidewall angle  36   b  facing the front of the tray and an acute opening angle  36   a  facing the rear of the tray  10 . The second sloped section  36  defines the amount of force that can be exerted in the forward direction  32  before the device  24  will disengage from the locking mechanism  28 . This threshold of force can be calculated as the force needed to push down  42  the button  26 , divided by the tangent of the acute opening angle  36   a  facing the rear of the tray  10  that defines the second sloped section  36 . Thus, the threshold at which the device  24  is secured in the forward direction  32  is defined by the angle of the second sloped section  36 . 
         [0027]    As described above, the locking mechanism  28  also allows the device  24  to be easily disengaged from the locking mechanism  28 . The below discussion describes a preferred embodiment of the locking mechanism  28  of the present invention in relation to  FIGS. 4A-B  as a device  24  is disengaged from the tray  10  (pulled from left to right in  FIGS. 4A-C ). 
         [0028]      FIG. 4B  is a geometric view of a button of the device as the button engages a second sloped section of the locking mechanism in a preferred embodiment of the present invention. As the device  24  is pulled out from the tray  10  in the forward direction  32 , a button  26  comes into contact with the second sloped section  36  of the locking mechanism  28 . Assuming the device  24  is pulled in the forward direction  32  with a force equal to or greater than the threshold force defined above, the button  26  will be pushed downward  42  and into the device  24 . 
         [0029]      FIG. 4A  is a geometric view of a button of a device as it engages a first sloped section of the locking mechanism in a preferred embodiment of the present invention. As the device  24  is pulled further out of the tray  10  in the forward direction  32 , the depressed button  26  is pushed into contact with a first sloped section  34  of the locking mechanism  28  and a springing force within the button  26  (that causes the button  26  to return to its normal position after a usual depression by a user) exerts an upwards  40  force so that the button  26  is pushed back out and protrudes from the device  24 . 
         [0030]      FIG. 5  is a perspective of the underside of one embodiment of the present invention. The tray  10  may be secured to a strap in many ways, as would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art. In a preferred embodiment, the tray  10  is secured to a strap by a loop  44  on the underside of the tray  10 . The loop  44  is preferably the size of a wrist, so that the loop  44  can lie flat on a wearer&#39;s wrist and stop the band from exerting pressure on the upper corners of the wearer&#39;s wrist. 
         [0031]    As illustrated and explained above, in a primary embodiment, the present invention provides a specialized tray that completely secures a device in two and a half degrees of freedom—upward/downward, left/right and backwards—by at least partially encasing the rear, sides and top the device and using the buttons that protrude from the device to stop the device from moving in the backward direction. In addition, in a primary embodiment, the present invention utilizes both the pressure exerted by the tray onto the device and the force needed to push down the device&#39;s button(s) in order to secure the device in the forward direction. These combined forces act to stop the device from inadvertently disengaging from the tray during normal wear. However, these forces are relatively easy for the user to overcome when purposefully attempting to disengage the device from the tray. 
         [0032]    By securing the tray of the present invention to a band or strap, the device can be worn by a user in an everyday context. The device can be inserted into the wearable tray in a single motion, from front to back. When the buttons on the device are completely inserted into the tray&#39;s locking mechanism, the user will feel that the device has been halted and understand that the device is now completely inserted into the tray and secure. The locking mechanism and pressure from the tray will keep the device secure during normal use. Because the tray does not cover the touch-enabled display of the device, the device can be operated fully while worn using the present invention. For instance, a user can use his/her smartphone as a watch and/or view notifications on his/her smartphone. 
         [0033]    The user can also easily disengage the device in order to use it device with two hands by pulling the device towards the front of the tray—the opposite motion that the user used to slide the device into the tray. The user need only exert sufficient force to overcome the pressure exerted by the tray and the additional force exerted by the device&#39;s button(s) to remove the device from the tray.