DISPLAY SCREEN MAGNIFIER

A magnifier; the magnifier is configured for removable attachment to an electronic-device including a display-screen. The magnifier includes a lens and a fastener which is used to attach the lens to the electronic-device and over the display-screen such that a user can view the display-screen of the electronic-device through the lens. The magnifier is useful for enlarging an appearance of the display-screen so that the user can view the display-screen without having to wear glasses or contact lenses.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to the field of electronic devices and more specifically relates to a magnifying means for attachment to an electronic device.

2. DESCRIPTION OF RELATED ART

An electronic visual display, informally a screen, is a display device for presentation of images, text, or video transmitted electronically, without producing a permanent record. Electronic visual displays include television sets, computer monitors, and digital signage. They are also ubiquitous in mobile computing applications like tablet computers, smartphones, and information appliances. Often people have a hard time reading a text printed on pages of a book, or a text displayed on displays of their devices such as mobile devices, laptops, computers, and the like. Whether needing to see who is calling via caller I.D. or wanting to check e-mail through the phone, the user is typically required to use spectacles or even corrective lenses and still have difficulty seeing the information on the screen. Thus, a suitable solution is desired.

U.S. Pub. No. 2015/0362736 to Dana Conrad Kowasic relates to a magnified screen cover protector for electronic devices. The described magnified screen cover protector for electronic devices includes a magnified surface layer with a top protective layer and a bottom adhesive layer. The invention magnifies the screen of an electronic device with diopter and/or magnification power ranges so that the user may comfortably use the electronic device without the aid of wearing prescription eyewear, contact lenses, reading glasses or other visual aids. The touch screen sensitivity and functionality of the electronic device is unaffected by the magnified screen cover protector, so usability of the electronic devices touch and sensitivity functions are not compromised.

The present invention's additional benefit is protecting the glass and/or plastic surface of an electronic devices main viewing screen from scarrings shattering, debris and breakage. Other embodiments of the magnified screen cover protector would include a three dimensional (3D) magnification layer for viewing text images, and video in a three dimensional (3D) visual simulation on an electronic devices screen.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known electronic devices art, the present disclosure provides a novel smartphone screen magnifier. The general purpose of the present disclosure, which will be described subsequently in greater detail, is to provide a magnifying-means for attachment to an electronic device and for magnifying a display screen of the electronic device in an efficient and effective manner

A magnifier is disclosed herein. The magnifier includes a lens which may include a front-surface and a rear-surface relative to an electronic-device when the magnifier may be attached to the electronic-device. The lens may be configured for placement over a display-screen of the electronic-device and include a magnifying-means configured to enlarge an appearance of the display-screen when the lens may be placed over the display-screen. Further, a fastener may be fixedly attached to the lens and configured to removably attach the lens to the electronic-device as desired.

A method of using magnifier is also disclosed herein. The method of using magnifier may comprise the steps of: providing the magnifier as above; attaching the magnifier to the electronic-device via the fastener; positioning the lens over the display-screen of the electronic-device; and viewing the display-screen of the electronic-device through the front-surface of the lens.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

As discussed above, embodiments of the present disclosure relate to electronic devices and more particularly to a smartphone screen magnifier as used to improve the magnifying means for attachment to an electronic device.

Generally, disclosed is a smartphone detachable magnifier or prescription lens for viewing text or smaller objects without the need of wearing prescription eyewear, contact lenses, reading glasses or other visual aids. The lens may be equal in size to a phone screen and can clip on to the phone, be attached by hook and loop fastener such as VELCRO® or by magnets or hinged to the case to move to the back or side of the phone when not needed. The detachable magnifier or prescription lens may be sized and configured for attachment to a plurality of differently sized smartphones. For example, flip/foldable cellphones, touchscreen phones, etc.

Referring now more specifically to the drawings by numerals of reference, there is shown inFIGS. 1-5B, various views of a magnifier100.

FIG. 1shows a magnifier100during an ‘in-use’ condition150, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. As Illustrated, the magnifier100may include a lens110and a fastener120. As shown, the magnifier100may be for removable attachment to an electronic-device5including a display-screen10.

According to one embodiment, the magnifier100may be arranged as a kit105. The kit105may include set of user instructions107. The instructions107may detail functional relationships in relation to the structure of the magnifier100(such that the magnifier100can be used, maintained, or the like, in a preferred manner).

Referring now toFIG. 2showing a front perspective view of the magnifier100ofFIG. 1, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown, the lens110may include a front-surface112and a rear-surface114relative to the electronic-device5when the magnifier100is attached to the electronic-device5. The lens110may be configured for placement over the display-screen10and as shown, the rear-surface114of the lens110may contact the display-screen10when placed.

Further, the lens110may include a magnifying-means116configured to enlarge an appearance of the display-screen10when the lens110is placed over the display-screen10. In one embodiment, the magnifying-means116may include magnifying glass. In this embodiment, the magnifying glass may include a convex lens110and a magnifying power of the magnifying glass may vary depending on where it is placed between a user's eye and the display-screen10, and the total distance between them. Further, in this embodiment, the magnifying glass may have a focal length of at least 25 cm, or 2× magnification. However, other strengths are contemplated. For example, the magnifying glass may be a Coddington magnifier100configured to provide magnification power as high as 20×, or a Hastings triplet magnifier100configured to provide a clearer image.

In another embodiment, the magnifying-means116may include a prescription lens110. The prescription lens110may include a plurality of lens110strengths and may be customized to the user or standardized with lens110strengths that the user may choose. In the preferred embodiment, the prescription lens110power may be positive and configured to condense light and correct hyperopia/far-sightedness in the user, and in doing so, enlarge the appearance of the display-screen10to the user. In one embodiment, a lens-strength of the magnifying-means116may be at least 10 diopters. In another embodiment, the lens110—strength may be at least 2 diopters. In addition to this, as above, the prescription lens110may include standardized length strengths ranging from 0.25-10 diopters. Higher strengths are also contemplated.

In one embodiment, the lens110may be flexible. In this embodiment, the lens110may be foldable and easily manipulated. This embodiment may be particularly useful for smartphone devices that are flip/foldable such that the user may close their smartphone whilst the magnifier100stays attached to the display-screen10. The lens110may be sized to substantially cover the display-screen10of the electronic-device5. This may be particularly true for the embodiment where the electronic-device5is the smartphone and the lens110sized to substantially cover the display-screen10smartphone. It should be appreciated that the size of the lens110may differ as new electronic-device5designs and styles are realized.

FIGS. 3A-3Bshow front perspective views of the magnifier100ofFIG. 1, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The fastener120may be fixedly attached to the lens110and configured to removably attach the lens110to the electronic-device5as desired. As shown here, the fastener120may be a magnet122attached to the rear-surface114of the lens110. In this embodiment, the fastener120may be one or more magnets122fixedly attached to the rear-surface114of the lens110. The electronic-device5may include a magnetic-means configured to magnetically attach the rear-surface114of the lens110to the display-screen10. Further, as shown, in another embodiment, the fastener120may be a hook and loop fastener126attached to the rear-surface114of the lens110. The hook and loop fastener126contemplated may be VELCRO® and generally consisting of lineal fabric strips or patches attached to the rear-surface114of the lens110and on the electronic-device5to attach the lens110to the display-screen10.

FIG. 4shows a front perspective view of the magnifier100ofFIG. 1, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. As shown, the lens110may further include a lens left-edge111, a lens right-edge113, a lens top-edge115and a lens bottom-edge117. In this embodiment, the fastener120may be a clip124attached to one of the lens left-edge111, the lens right-edge113, the lens top-edge115and alternately the lens bottom-edge117(in this figure it is shown to be attached to the lens left-edge111). In the preferred embodiment, the clip124may be similar to a money clip124typically used to store cash, however, other clips124may be used. For example, a binder clip124. The clip124may be made from plastic or silicone to prevent scratching of the lens110or the electronic-device5. Alternatively, materials such as metal, titanium, carbon fiber, etc. may be used to provide durability.

FIGS. 5A-5Bshow front perspective views of the magnifier100ofFIG. 1, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. In another embodiment, the fastener120may be a hinge128configured to hingedly attach the lens110to the electronic-device5. Again, in this embodiment, the lens110may include the lens left-edge111, the lens right-edge113, the lens top-edge115and the lens bottom-edge117and the hinge128may be attached to one of the lens left-edge111, the lens right-edge113, the lens top-edge115and alternately the lens bottom-edge117(shown here to the lens left-edge111).

In this embodiment, the lens110may be movable between an operative-position127and an inoperative-position129via the hinge128such that the user may remove the lens110from the display-screen10but not from the electronic-device5. In this embodiment, the operative-position127may include the lens110being positioned over the display-screen10of the electronic-device5and the inoperative-position129may include the lens110being positioned away from the display-screen10of the electronic-device5. For example, in one embodiment, the inoperative-position129may include the lens110being folded at a rear of the electronic-device5(the rear being opposite the display-screen10). In another embodiment, the inoperative-position129may include the lens110being positioned to a side of the electronic-device5.

FIG. 6is a flow diagram illustrating a method of using a magnifier for attachment to an electronic-device600, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. As illustrated, the method of using a magnifier for attachment to an electronic-device600may include the steps of: step one601, providing the magnifier100as above; step two602, attaching the magnifier100to the electronic-device5via the fastener120; step three603, positioning the lens110over the display-screen10of the electronic-device5; and step four604, viewing the display-screen10of the electronic-device5through the front-surface112of the lens110.