Abstract:
A handle/strap device is disclosed that is suitable for original or retrofit installation onto edge surfaces of portable devices such as notebook computers and portable DVD players and the like. The handle/strap is made up of a base plate to which a pair of complementary upper and lower channel shaped leaf elements are pivotally attached at respective ends thereof. A longitudinal cavity is created in between the folded channel shapes when the device is in the shape of a handle. However, the upper channel can be unlatched from the lower channel so as to release the extendable/adjustable strap contained therein.

Description:
[0001]    This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional application 61/020,073, filed Jan. 14, 2008. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0003]    The present invention relates to a strap to carry briefcase-like objects such as a notebook computer, covered writing pad, etc. 
         [0004]    2. Background 
         [0005]    The present invention is directed at improving upon existing ways of carrying briefcase-like objects, most notably notebook computers. The great advantage of notebook computers is their convenient portability. However, there hasn&#39;t been a satisfactory device to carry notebook computers to this date, forcing people to make an extra purchase of a shoulder bag, or other much bulkier surround, with which to carry them around. While a carrying handle such as those used for brief cases would be convenient, and some notebook computer includes such single fold handles, carrying a notebook computer by an extended handle is not a style that goes well with the image of notebook computer. A shoulder strap would be more acceptable style to carry notebook computers especially for young people who seem to have many things to carry. But, having a permanent shoulder strap that is cumbersome when not in use also destroys the neat and brief image of notebook computers, therefore rendering it undesirable. A retractable shoulder strap similar to the mechanism used for tape rulers could be considered. However, this design will take up much of the precious inner space of the notebook computer in the same way as a single fold handle. 
         [0006]    The purpose of this invention is to provide method and apparatus to carry notebook computers that is convenient to use and yet acceptable in style. A further purpose of this invention is to provide such a device without sacrificing the precious inner space of the computer, and at an affordable manufacturing cost. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0007]    The present invention relates to a collapsible shoulder strap that attaches externally to a notebook computer shell and conveniently folds/unfolds against the shell. 
         [0008]    According to the preferred embodiment of the present invention, a handle assembly is secured to the body of a notebook computer, on any one of its front, rear, or side edge surfaces. The handle assembly comprises a base plate, a bottom leaf, a top leaf, a latch mechanism and a shoulder strap that connects the open ends of the bottom leaf and the top leaf. The top leaf can be unlatched to allow the handle to unfold to form a loop to function as a carrying shoulder strap. The shoulder strap can be easily folded back and latched to form a handle. As a simple handle, it can be readily used for short and brief movements of the computer. For a longer distance carrying of the notebook computer, the handle can be easily unfolded to be used as a shoulder strap. 
         [0009]    The foregoing summary of the invention is only a brief introduction of the invention. In order to fully appreciate the objects of the invention and the invention itself and also manifest other advantages and features of the invention, the following detailed description and claims should be read with reference to the accompanying drawings. The drawings shown illustrate a preferred structural embodiment of the present invention. This invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided by way of illustration only and so that this disclosure will be thorough, complete and will fully convey the full scope of the invention to those skilled in the art. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0010]      FIG. 1  is a side elevation view of a notebook computer with a handle/strap according to the present invention. 
           [0011]      FIG. 2  is a side elevation view of a notebook computer according to the present invention with its handle unfolded to form a shoulder strap. 
           [0012]      FIG. 3  is a cross sectional view taken along line  3 - 3  in  FIG. 5 . 
           [0013]      FIG. 4  is an exploded view of the handle assembly according to the present invention. 
           [0014]      FIG. 5  is a cross sectional view taken along line  5 - 5  in  FIG. 1 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0015]    The present invention is directed to a handle/strap that can be retrofit to an otherwise self-contained portable device such as a notebook computer, portable DVD player, enclosed writing notebook, etc. 
         [0016]    Referring to the drawings wherein like reference numbers refer to the identical or similar parts throughout the several views: A notebook computer equipped with a handle/strap in accordance with the present invention is shown in  FIG. 1 , and is designated generally by the reference number  10 . As shown in  FIG. 3  and  FIG. 4 , a handle assembly is secured to the body of the notebook computer  10  either on the front edge surface or the rear edge surface by suitable means such as rivets or securing screws  12 . Alternatively, the handle/strap could be secured to edge surfaces of the device as well and even placed within a shallow recess along an edge of the device. 
         [0017]    As shown in  FIG. 4  as well as in  FIG. 3 , the handle assembly comprises a base plate  14 , a generally upwardly directed channel-like bottom leaf  16 , a generally downwardly directed channel-like top leaf  18 , a first intermediate strap  20  and a second intermediate strap  22 . A first protrusion  24  and a second protrusion  26  are integrally made on each end of the base plate  14  to accommodate mounting of hinging/pivoting hardware for the respective top and bottom leaf elements. 
         [0018]    As shown in  FIG. 3  and  FIG. 4 , a circular bore  28  is made in the top portion of the first protrusion  24  along the length of the base plate  14  to receive a compression spring  30  and a latch  32 . The latch  32  is generally cylindrical in shape and has a generally rectangular protrusion  34  integrally made along its length. One end of the rectangular protrusion  34  has a slanted surface  36  whose function will be described later. The latch  32  is made by similar manufacturing process and of similar material as bolts for door locks. The top end of the circular bore  28  has an open slot  38  along its length to receive the rectangular protrusion  34  of the latch  32 . After the compression spring  30  and the latch  32  are inserted into the circular bore  28 , a securing pin  40  is pressure-fit through openings  42  across the circular bore  28  to keep the compression spring  30  and the latch  32  in their places. The first protrusion  24  also has parallel side surfaces  44  to receive the tail ends  46  of parallel sidewalls  48  of the bottom leaf  16 . A securing pin  50  is provided to rotatably mount the bottom leaf  16  on the first protrusion  24 , and extends through the clearance bores in the tail ends  46  and the body of the first protrusion  24 . 
         [0019]    The second protrusion  26  also has two parallel side surfaces  52  to receive the tail ends  54  of parallel sidewalls  56  of the top leaf  18  ( FIG. 3 ). A securing pin  58  is provided to rotatably mount the top leaf  18  on the second protrusion  26 , and extends through the clearance bores in the tail ends  54  and the top portion of the second protrusion  26 . A platform  60  is provided in the second protrusion  26  for the open end  62  of the bottom leaf  16  to rest on when the shoulder strap is folded to form a handle ( FIG. 3 ). 
         [0020]    The first intermediate strap  20  and the second intermediate strap  22  are secured to the bottom leaf  16  and the top leaf  18  respectively by suitable means such as rivets  64 . A length adjustment clip  66  is provided at the end of the second strap  22  in this preferred embodiment of the present invention although it could be on the first strap  20  instead. The open end of the second strap  22  goes through a rectangular clearance bore  68  and comes out of another rectangular clearance bore  70 . The open end of the second strap  22  is then sewed to the body of the second strap  22 . The open end of the first strap  16  tightly goes through the rectangular clearance bore  68  and again tightly comes out of the other clearance bore  70 . As it is well known, the length adjustment clip  66  serves to maintain and adjust the total length of the shoulder strap to the individual user&#39;s body structure. Semi stiff strips  72  are secured to the first strap  20  and the second strap  22  by suitable means such as rivets or glue. The semi stiff strips  72  serves the first and second straps  20  and  22  so as to be easily and readily folded at the right places when needed. 
         [0021]    To fold the handle assembly to form a handle, the lower leaf  16  is rotated toward the second protrusion  26  until its open end  62  rests on the platform  60  of the second protrusion  26 . Approximately the first half of the first intermediate strap  20  with its semi stiff strip  72  is then folded into the bottom leaf  16  upwardly directed channel between its opposed side walls  48 . The approximately second half of the first intermediate strap  20  will be folded onto its first half. Likewise, the second strap  22  with its semi stiff strip  72  will be folded onto the second half of the first strap  20 . Afterwards, the top leaf  18  will be rotated toward the first protrusion  24  until its open end  74  comes in contact with the slanted surface  36  of the latch  32 . Further rotation of the top leaf  18  will force the slanted surface  36  of the latch  32  to retreat against the compression spring  30 . After the open end  74  clears the slanted surface  36  and rests on the flat top surface of the first protrusion  24 , the latch  32  comes back over the open end  74  of the top leaf  18  by the resilience of the compression spring  30  to keep the top leaf  18  from moving upwards ( FIG. 3 ). The bottom corner ends  76  of the tail ends  54  of the top leaf  18  comes in contact with the top surface of the open end  62  of the bottom leaf  16  to keep it from moving upwards. It should be noted that there are more than one way of folding a given shoulder strap into the longitudinal cavity created between the complementary channel shapes of the respective top and bottom leaf elements. 
         [0022]    When it is desired to unfold the handle assembly for long carrying of the notebook computer, the rectangular protrusion  34  of the latch  32  is pushed manually against the compression spring  30  to clear the open end  74  of the top leaf to allow the first strap, the second strap and the bottom leaf to readily and rapidly unfold. 
         [0023]    The handle/strap herein described could also be shaped to form an edge extension of an underlying portable device. The respective protrusions could be styled as continuations of the overall style and shape of the so equipped portable device with the upper channel or top leaf appearing as the actual edge of the device. However, upon release of the latch  32 , the top leaf  18  would pivot outwardly and the contained folded strap would be revealed. In addition to the foregoing, the strap may take many forms including somewhat elastic versions, foamed rubber shoulder elements, Velcro length adjustment, etc. I.e., all of the characteristic knowledge and applicable features of conventional straps could likewise be incorporated. 
         [0024]    The present invention is not limited to the particular features or to the details of the preferred embodiment specified in the foregoing. It is therefore understood that upon reading and understanding the specifications and claims of this invention, those skilled in the art can make numerous modifications, omissions, changes, and substitutions in the preferred embodiment, in the forms and details of the instrument, and in its operation, as long as they fall within the scope of present invention.