Abstract:
A wearable terminal holder device includes a curved body, a first D-ring and a second D-ring. The curved body has a first side and a second side with a longitudinal axis bisecting the first and second sides. The first D-ring is pivotally coupled to the first side of the body. The second D-ring is pivotally coupled to the second side of the body.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
   Conventional mobile terminals are used in a variety of environments. In certain situations, it is advantageous to have the mobile terminals worn on an area of the body, particularly a limb. Conventional technology allows mobile terminals to be worn using straps, clips, etc. However, sometimes, this technology does not allow a user to comfortably wear the mobile terminal. One cause is the differences in width of the limb of the user, not only the differences between users, but also within a single user. For example, within a single user, those skilled in the art will understand that the girth of an arm generally increases from the wrist to the elbow. 
   Although conventional designs allow for a “one size fits all” scheme, there is usually an optimal size for use of the wearing mechanism. Conventional technology employs straps to circumnavigate an arm to hold the mobile terminal in place. Often, these straps are adjustable to fit a user&#39;s arm width. In addition, these straps are usually connected to the wearing mechanism at right angles. Conventional designs usually limit the arm with which the wearing mechanism may be worn or are designed with a standard architecture that is not compatible with every user&#39;s arm specifications. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention relates to a wearable terminal holder device which includes a curved body, a first D-ring and a second D-ring. The curved body has a first side and a second side with a longitudinal axis bisecting the first and second sides. The first D-ring is pivotally coupled to the first side of the body. The second D-ring is pivotally coupled to the second side of the body. 

   
     DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  shows a bottom view of a wearable terminal holder with pivoting D-rings according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
       FIG. 2  shows a top view of the wearable terminal holder with pivoting D-rings shown in  FIG. 1 . 
       FIG. 3  shows a perspective view of the wearable terminal holder with pivoting D-rings shown in  FIG. 1 . 
       FIG. 4  shows a first side view of the wearable terminal holder with pivoting D-rings shown in  FIG. 1 . 
       FIG. 5  shows an opposite side view of the wearable terminal holder with pivoting D-rings shown in  FIG. 4 . 
       FIG. 6  shows a second side view of the wearable terminal holder with pivoting D-rings shown in  FIG. 1 . 
       FIG. 7  shows an opposite side view of the wearable terminal holder with pivoting D-rings shown in  FIG. 6 . 
       FIG. 8  shows a cross sectional view of the wearable terminal holder with pivoting D-rings shown in  FIG. 1 . 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
   The present invention may be further understood with reference to the following description and the appended drawings, wherein like elements are referred to with the same reference numerals. The exemplary embodiment of the present invention describes a wearable terminal holder (hereinafter “terminal holder”) with pivoting D-rings. The terminal holder and D-rings will be discussed in detail below. 
   It should be noted that the following description will describe the use of the invention with respect to an arm, and, in particular, in the area around the user&#39;s wrist. However, those skilled in the art will understand that the use of a wrist is only exemplary and that the present invention may be applied to any rounded surface, both cylindrical and conical. In addition, the present invention is used on an arm so that it runs along the length of the arm. 
     FIG. 1  shows a bottom view of a terminal holder  100  with pivoting D-rings  160 ,  170 ,  180 ,  190  according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. In the exemplary embodiment, the terminal holder  100  includes a body  105 , pivoting D-rings  160 ,  170 ,  180 ,  190 , a window  135 , connection points  140 - 155 , attachment points  130 , D-ring bars  162 ,  172 ,  182 ,  192 , break away points  164 ,  174 ,  184 ,  194 , and a terminal lock  200 . 
   The body  105  of the terminal holder  100  is a central unit to which the other components of the terminal holder  100  may attach. In the exemplary embodiment, the body  105  may be manufactured of a rigid plastic. It should be noted that the use of a rigid plastic is only exemplary and that other materials may be used to manufacture the body  105 . For example, the body  105  may be manufactured using tightly woven fabrics, bendable plastics, rubber, various polymers, etc. 
   The body  105  exhibits a substantially rectangular shape with rounded corners. The body  105  has four sides  110 ,  115 ,  120 ,  125 . The side  110  exhibits a longer length than the opposite side  115 . For example, in the exemplary embodiment, the length of side  110  is 5 inches while the length of the side  110  is 4.75 inches. However, it should be noted that the sides  110 ,  115  exhibiting different lengths is only exemplary and that the length of the sides  110 ,  115  may be equal. The sides  120  and  125  are widths of the body  105 . In the exemplary embodiment, the sides  120 ,  125  exhibit lengths that are shorter than the length of the sides  110 ,  115 . For example, the length of the sides  120 ,  125  may be about half the length of the side  110 . It should be noted that the relative lengths of the sides  110 - 125  of the body  105  may depend on the use of the terminal holder  100 . For example, for use with longer attachments, it may be preferable to allow the terminal holder  100  to extend the length of the arm, e.g., from the wrist to the elbow. In such an embodiment, the length of sides  120 ,  125  may be smaller than half the length of the side  110 . In the exemplary embodiment, the lengths of sides  120 ,  125  are substantially equal. However, those skilled in the art will understand that the lengths of the sides  120 ,  125  may be unequal, e.g., length of side  125  is slightly greater than length of side  120 . It should also be noted that the rectangular shape is only exemplary and that other shapes may exist such as symmetrical shapes (e.g., an ellipse, a square, etc.). 
   The sides  110 - 125  exhibit a curvature. The sides  120 ,  125  have a slight, convex curvature extending across its length. The middle of the sides  120 ,  125  is substantially linear and the curvature is exhibited toward the ends. The curvature creates the rounded corners of the substantially rectangular shape of the body  105 . The sides  110 ,  115  also contribute to the rounded corners as the ends of those sides also exhibit a curvature toward the ends. The sides  110 ,  115  exhibit a concave curvature across its length. The side  110  has a concave curvature that is similar in steepness to the sides  120 ,  125 , except in an opposite direction. The side  115  has a concave curvature that is steeper than the side  110 . The steepness of the side  115  may depend on, for example, the terminal lock  200 . It should be noted that the curvature of the sides  110 - 125  is not necessary and the body  105  may have sides that are linear. However, in a preferred embodiment, the corners of the body  105  exhibit a rounded shape to provide comfort for a user. The curvature of the sides  110 - 125  is not limited to a lateral curvature. The sides  110 - 125  also exhibit a depth curvature. The depth curvature will be discussed in more detail below. 
   In the exemplary embodiment, the body  105  includes the window  135  in a center of the body  105 . The applications of the window  135  may be, for example, to provide a ventilation port for a mobile terminal that is placed on top of the terminal holder  100  using the terminal lock  200 . In the exemplary embodiment, the window  135  is a substantially rectangular shape. The sides of the window  135  exhibit similar properties to the body  105 . For example, the side of the window  135  parallel to the side  115  of the body  105  is slightly shorter than the side of the window  135  parallel to the side  110  of the body  105 . The sides of the window  135  parallel to the sides  120 ,  125  are substantially equal in length. The sides of the window  135  also exhibit a curvature. The curvature of the sides of the window  135  is similar to the curvature of the sides  120 ,  125  of the body  105 , e.g., steepness, convex. The resulting widths of the body  105  are created from the window  135 . The widths between the sides  120 ,  125  and the window  135  are substantially equal and greater than the widths between the sides  110 ,  115  and the window  135 . The width between the window  135  and side  110  is substantially equal to the width between the window  135  and side  110  towards the middle. However, due to the steeper curvature of the side  115 , the width between the window  135  and side  115  increases towards the ends. It should be noted that the use of the window  135  is only exemplary and that the body  105  may be solid or perforated. 
   The attachment points  130  are located on the body  105 . Specifically, each attachment point  130  is on the body between the sides  120 ,  125  and the corresponding parallel side of the window  135 . It should be noted that the location of the attachment points  130  shown in  FIG. 1  is only exemplary and that the attachment points  130  may be placed anywhere on the body  105  to provide an attachment site with the terminal lock  200 . The attachment points  130  provide a means to attach the terminal lock  200  onto the terminal holder  100 . The attachment points  130  may be, for example, rivets, snaps, hook and loop fasteners, etc. 
   The pivoting D-rings  160 ,  170 ,  180 ,  190  are placed at each rounded corner of the body  105 . The pivoting D-rings  160 ,  170 ,  180 ,  190  are attached to the body  105  at the connection points  140 - 155 , respectively. In the exemplary embodiment, the connection points  140 - 155  are shoulder screws. The use of the shoulder screws allows the pivoting D-rings  160 ,  170 ,  180 ,  190  to be replaced if necessary. As illustrated, the bottoms of the connection points  140 - 155  are the bottoms of a screw body. It should be noted that the use of shoulder screws as the connection points  140 - 155  for the pivoting D-rings  160 ,  170 ,  180 ,  190  to the body  105  is only exemplary and that other methods may be used. For example, the connection points  140 - 155  may be snaps, a cylinder with tapered edges, rivets, etc. 
   At the bottom of the pivoting D-rings  160 ,  170 ,  180 ,  190  are D-ring bars  162 ,  172 ,  182 ,  192 , respectively, and break away points  164 ,  174 ,  184 ,  194 . The D-ring bars  162 ,  172 ,  182 ,  192  allow a uniform wall thickness across the bottom of the pivoting D-rings  160 ,  170 ,  180 ,  190 . In the exemplary embodiment, the D-ring bars  162 ,  172 ,  182 ,  192  are rounded semi-circular extensions. The ends of the D-ring bars  162 ,  172 ,  182 ,  192  are the location of each pair (one on each end) of the break away points  164 ,  174 ,  184 ,  194 , respectively. The break away points  164 ,  174 ,  184 ,  194  are divots that exhibit a lesser wall thickness than the D-ring bars  162 ,  172 ,  182 ,  192 . This allows the break away points  164 ,  174 ,  184 ,  194  to snap and break away when, for example, too much weight is applied to the terminal holder. This prevents any potential harm that may be inflicted upon the user if excessive weight or improper use is performed using the terminal holder. The connection points  140 - 155 , the D-ring bars  162 ,  172 ,  182 ,  192 , the break away points  164 ,  174 ,  184 ,  194 , and the pivoting D-rings  160 ,  170 ,  180 ,  190  may be manufactured using similar materials as the body  105 . For example, the pivoting D-rings  160 ,  170 ,  180 ,  190  may be manufactured using a rigid plastic or metal to maintain its shape despite any use. In another example, the pivoting D-rings  160 ,  170 ,  180 ,  190  may be manufactured using a semi-rigid plastic to bend towards the surface the terminal holder  100  attaches. In another example, the D-ring bars  162 ,  172 ,  182 ,  192  may be manufactured using a rubber. The break away points  164 ,  174 ,  184 ,  194  may be manufactured of a less rigid material that is more prone to breaking away than the material used for the pivoting D-rings  160 ,  170 ,  180 ,  190 . It should be noted that the less rigid material would still allow a user to use the terminal holder up to the predetermined capacity (e.g., weight) allowable. The connection points  140 - 155  and the pivoting D-rings  160 ,  170 ,  180 ,  190  will be discussed in more detail below. It should be noted that the placement of the pivoting D-rings  160 ,  170 ,  180 ,  190  at the rounded corners of the body  105  is only exemplary and that they may be placed on any part of the body  105 , such as the middle. It should also be noted that the use of four pivoting D-rings  160 ,  170 ,  180 ,  190  is only exemplary and that the terminal holder  100  may use more or fewer D-rings depending on the size and mass of the mobile terminal that attaches. 
     FIG. 2  shows a top view of the wearable terminal holder  100  with pivoting D-rings  160 ,  170 ,  180 ,  190  shown in  FIG. 1 . The top sides of the body  105 , the terminal lock  200 , the attachment points  130 , the pivoting D-rings  160 ,  170 ,  180 ,  190 , and the connection points  140 - 155  are shown. As discussed above, the connection points  140 - 155  are shoulder screws. Those skilled in the art will understand that shoulder screws may be fully tightened with a small cylindrical body disposed between the screw head and the screw body, as illustrated in  FIG. 8 . The small cylindrical body allows the pivoting D-rings  160 ,  170 ,  180 ,  190  to freely rotate with minimal inadvertent loosening of the shoulder screw. As illustrated in  FIG. 2 , the visible portions of the connection points  140 - 155  are the heads of the screws. A circular head is used in the exemplary embodiment. The exemplary embodiment also illustrates that the screw heads are designed for use with flat-head screwdrivers. However, it should be noted that this is only exemplary and that other designs are possible, e.g., Philips head, hex-tool, etc. 
     FIG. 8  shows a cross sectional view of the wearable terminal holder  100  with pivoting D-rings  160 ,  170 ,  180 ,  190  shown in  FIG. 1 . Specifically,  FIG. 8  shows a cross sectional view across the connection point  140 . It should be noted that this cross sectional view applies to all the connection points  140 - 155 . The connection point  140  is shown as the shoulder screw, as discussed above. The top portion of the pivoting D-ring  160  is placed on the body  105 . These two components are attached using the connection point  140 . The connection point  140  traverses the width of the body  105  and extends slightly on the other side of the body  105 . It should be noted that the connection point  140  extending past the width of the body  105  is only exemplary. Those skilled in the art will understand that the connection point  140  may only traverse a portion of the width of the body  105 . However, the amount the connection point  140  traverses should be sufficient to guarantee that the pivoting D-ring  160  stays attached to the body  105 . 
     FIG. 3  shows a perspective view of the wearable terminal holder  100  with pivoting D-rings  160 ,  170 ,  180 ,  190  shown in  FIG. 1 . In  FIG. 3 , the curvatures of the sides  110 - 125  are visible. The curvature of the sides  110 ,  115  will be described in more detail below with reference to  FIGS. 4-5 . The depth curvature of the sides  120 ,  125  will be described in more detail below with reference to  FIG. 6 .  FIG. 3  also shows another feature of the pivoting D-rings  160 ,  170 ,  180 ,  190 . Slots  165 ,  175 ,  185 ,  195  are located towards the bottom of each pivoting D-ring  160 ,  170 ,  180 ,  190 , respectively. The slots  165 ,  175 ,  185 ,  195  are flat, substantially rectangular windows. The longer sides of the window of the slots  165 ,  175 ,  185 ,  195  run parallel to the flat side of the pivoting D-rings  160 ,  170 ,  180 ,  190 , respectively. The windows are designed to accept a fastening device. For example, the fastening device may be a strap. The strap would feed through slot  165  towards slot  195 . Another strap would feed through slot  175  towards slot  185 . In one exemplary embodiment, the strap loops back towards the originating slot and fastens. In another exemplary embodiment, the strap is fastened at the end slot. It should be noted that the straps may also be used in a cross pattern (e.g., feed through slot  165  towards  185 , feed through slot  175  towards slot  195 ). The strap may include a fastener such as hook and loop fasteners, buckles, snaps, buttons, etc. The strap may be adjustable to accommodate different arm thicknesses. The strap may be manufactured using, for example, a flexible woven fabric, flexible plastics, cloths, etc. With a strap, if a break away point  164 ,  174 ,  184 ,  194  is needed, the break away point  164 ,  174 ,  184 ,  194  would snap, thereby releasing the strap from the terminal holder. 
     FIGS. 4-5  show side views of the wearable terminal holder  100  with pivoting D-rings  160 ,  170 ,  180 ,  190  shown in  FIG. 1 . Specifically,  FIG. 4  shows the side view with the side  110  of the body  105 .  FIG. 5  shows the side view with the side  115  of the body  105 . As discussed above, the side  110  exhibits a slight curvature across the length while side  115  exhibits a steeper curvature across the length. The curvature of sides  110 ,  115  in conjunction with the above discussed curvature of sides  120 ,  125  allow the pivoting D-rings  160 ,  170 ,  180 ,  190  to rotate around the connection points  140 - 155 , respectively. In addition, the curvatures of the sides  110 - 125  allow the rounded corners of the body  105  to extend slightly which further allows a rotation of the pivoting D-rings  160 ,  170 ,  180 ,  190 . The body of the connection points  140 - 155  (either screw body or cylinder) is substantially round to allow the free range of rotation. In the exemplary embodiment, the pivoting D-rings  160 ,  170 ,  180 ,  190  may rotate around the connection points  140 - 155 , respectively, approximately 120°. Those skilled in the art will understand that the shape of the pivoting D-rings  160 ,  170 ,  180 ,  190 , the curvature of the body  105 , etc. prevent a full 360° rotation around the connection points  140 - 155  in the exemplary embodiment. However, those skilled in the art will also understand that the terminal holder  100  may be designed to incorporate a greater or lesser degree of rotation for the pivoting D-rings  160 ,  170 ,  180 ,  190  around the connection points  140 - 155 , respectively. The rotation around the connection points  140 - 155  allow the terminal holder  100  to adjust to the shape of the surface it is attached, especially around the wrist of a user. The connection points  140 - 155  allow conical surfaces as well. For example, the pivoting D-rings  160 ,  190  located near a thick area of an arm may stay perpendicular to the body  105  while the pivoting D-rings  170 ,  180  located near a thin area of the arm rotates slightly to adjust to the difference in thickness. As discussed above, using, for example, an octagonal screw head, the pivoting D-rings  160 ,  170 ,  180 ,  190  may rotate at 45°. 
     FIGS. 6-7  show side views of the wearable terminal holder  100  with pivoting D-rings  160 ,  170 ,  180 ,  190  shown in  FIG. 1 . Specifically,  FIG. 6  shows the side with the side  125  of the body  105 .  FIG. 7  shows the side with the side  120  of the body  105 . As discussed above, sides  120 ,  125  exhibit a curvature along the length but also exhibit a depth curvature. These depth curvatures of sides  120 ,  125  are visible on  FIGS. 6-7 . The depth curvatures allow the terminal holder  100  to conform more easily to a wrist or other rounded surface to which the terminal holder  100  attaches. However, it should be noted that the depth curvature of the exemplary embodiments is only exemplary and the terminal holder  100  may have a flat body  105 . 
   The wearable terminal holder  100  according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention may be used in conjunction with a wearable pad (not shown). The wearable pad may face an inner surface of the body  105 , to be disposed in between the surface to which the terminal holder  100  attaches and the terminal holder  100 . The wearable pad may, for example, attach directly to the inner surface of the body  105  or be a wholly separate device that is merely placed on the surface to which the terminal holder  100  attaches. The wearable pad may function to add comfort for a user using cushions, prevent rotation of the terminal holder  100 , etc. 
   It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications may be made in the present invention, without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Thus, it is intended that the present invention cover the modifications and variations of this invention provided they come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.