Abstract:
A bag for enclosing a handheld electronic device (HED) comprises a flexible sheet material such as a flexible or stretchy fabric. The material is formed into a bag having a main body and a mouth. The mouth has a periphery smaller than the periphery of the main body. The mouth can elastically stretch to allow passage of the HED. First and second loops are attached to and project from the bag adjacent to the mouth to allow a user to support the bag with thumb and forefinger while inserting the HED. In one embodiment, an elastic structure comprises the periphery of the mouth. The unstretched length of such an elastic structure may be adjusted to compensate for the size of the HED.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    Handheld electronic devices (HEDs) have become ubiquitous in the last few years. Cell phones are the most common of these of course, but PDAs, GPS units, and digital cameras are also found in frequent use. 
         [0002]    As electronic devices, HEDs are inherently somewhat fragile. Mechanical shock, dust and dirt, and liquids can all damage these devices. Accordingly, protecting HEDs from these damage agents is important. 
         [0003]    Although protecting HEDs from harm is important, it is also important that a person&#39;s individual HED be quickly accessible. These two requirements are not complementary. That is, the more accessible a HED is to its owner, typically the less well that HED is protected, and vice versa. 
         [0004]    For cell phones, cell phone manufacturers now typically resolve these competing purposes with a belt case. These belt cases attach with a clip to the cell phone owner&#39;s belt. The cases have spring-loaded walls or a flap with a magnetic latch or hook and loop closure to retain the cell phone and yet allow reasonably convenient access to the cell phone. 
         [0005]    Belt cases have a number of deficiencies. Belt clips may unexpectedly detach from the owner&#39;s belt creating the potential for the cell phone to fall to the ground perhaps damaging the cell phone. Or the owner may not securely insert the cell phone into the case, with the same result. Sometimes the owner may not secure the latch, so the cell phone falls out of the case later on. 
         [0006]    And it&#39;s fair to say that a belt case is not a fashion statement. Because of that, women particularly, often keep their cell phones in their purses. Men on the other hand, may keep their cell phones in their pockets. 
         [0007]    Both of these solutions have disadvantages. Carrying a cell phone in either a pocket or purse without a case can lead to damage to it. The jostling that a cell phone experiences in a pocket or purse can scratch or abrade the display. Even worse, pockets and purses are dirty, so that contamination makes the keys stick or cause imperfect contact by the switches the keys. Worst of all, particularly in purses, liquid spills are possible that can damage the cell phone. 
         [0008]    A belt case is not a good holder for a cell phone to be carried in a pocket or purse. The clip is relatively bulky. Many cases expose the cell phone at a number of points to dirt, shock, and abrasion. 
         [0009]    Bags or sleeves are available that solve this problem. These typically are made from a soft fabric thick enough to provide some shock and contamination protection. The bag has a drawstring opening that the owner can close to protect the cell phone. While such a bag provides quite good protection for the cell phone, users find the acts of inserting and removing the cell phone from the bag time-consuming. 
         [0010]    Thus, the current state of the art provides some solutions to the twin problems of both protecting a cell phone from damage and also allowing relatively easy access to the cell phone or other HED. But each solution has at least some flaws. 
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0011]    A bag for enclosing a handheld electronic device (HED) comprises a flexible sheet material such as a flexible or stretchy fabric. The material is formed into a bag having a main body and a mouth sized to accommodate an HED. The mouth has a periphery smaller than the periphery of the main body. The mouth can elastically stretch to allow passage of the HED. 
         [0012]    First and second loops are attached to and project from the bag adjacent to the mouth to allow a user to support the bag with thumb and forefinger while inserting the HED into the bag. In one embodiment, an elastic structure encircles at least a portion of the periphery of the mouth. The unstretched length of such an elastic structure may be adjusted to compensate for the size of the HED. When properly adjusted, the weight of the HED is insufficient to cause the HED to slip from the bag. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0013]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a HED bag comprising a form of the invention particularly suitable for holding a cell phone. 
           [0014]      FIG. 2  is a elevation view of an elastic structure for providing elastic closure for the HED bag. 
           [0015]      FIG. 3  is a cross section of the bag showing its general shape. 
           [0016]      FIG. 4  is a cross section of one finger loop. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0017]      FIG. 1  shows a HED bag  30  suitable for holding a HED  10 .  FIG. 1  shows the HED  10  itself as a cell phone  10 . Cell phone  10  has a screen  13 , earpiece slot (not shown), microphone slot  21 , and a number of control buttons  18 . Control buttons  18  have a wide variety of formats depending on the particular type of cell phone involved. 
         [0018]    Bag  30  has a main body  31  having a bottom  65 . Body  31  has a mouth  32  with a periphery  34 . The shape of mouth  32  is an oval or an elongate rectangle to accommodate the normal cross section of a cell phone  10  or other HED. Mouth  32  has a long or major axis  38  more or less horizontal as shown in  FIG. 1 . A short or minor axis  39  of mouth  32  is perpendicular to the major axis  38  and to the vertical axis of bag  30 . The unstressed circumferential length of periphery  34  is smaller than the rest of main body  31 . 
         [0019]    Body  31  comprises a thin, flexible, sheet material such as sheet plastic, cloth, or fabric. Preferably bag  30  comprises at least in part a type of flexible woven or knit fabric that has a small amount of inherent elasticity or stretchiness. The fabric comprising bag  30  preferably has nap with good frictional characteristics to limit the possibility that a person may inadvertently allow bag  30  to slip from the person&#39;s grasp. Stitching  48   
         [0020]    A certain level of liquid repellence for the fabric forming bag  30  is also advantageous. The bag  30  fabric preferably also has some compression resilience to provide cushioning and protection against shock. In point of fact, cushioning is probably the preferable characteristic if fabrics providing both liquid repellence and cushioning are not feasible, for example because of excessive stiffness or cost. If bag  31  is sewn into the shape shown in  FIG. 1 , the material should be one that needle punctures do not excessively weaken. 
         [0021]    The elasticity of the fabric forming body  31  may be similar to that of various storage bags now available for various types of electronic equipment, say 5-20% elongation for a 1 in. wide strip under a 1 lb. load. The body  31  material may be relatively soft and approximately 0.02-0.08 in thickness when not compressed. Body  31  may also have a double wall construction, with a thin layer or sheet of insulation such as foam between the walls to provide cushioning of a HED for at least short drops onto somewhat resilient surfaces such as rugs. Since bag  30  is to fit easily within a pants pocket, purse, or other small storage space while holding a HED  10 , all of its components should in any case be relatively thin and flexible. 
         [0022]    Bottom  65  has a semi-rectangular or ellipsoidal cross sectional shape, which gives the entire body  31  a similar shape.  FIG. 3  shows the general shape of the body  31  cross section. Understand that bag  30  is made from flexible material that easily folds and molds to the shape of a cell phone  10  that bag  30  holds, so this view is no more than suggestive of the bag  30  shape. 
         [0023]      FIG. 3  also shows alternate structure for the body  31  material. The form of this material may comprise two layers of material as shown for added padding. A thin layer of foam  58  may be sandwiched between two layers of material for still more padding. 
         [0024]    First and second finger loops  36 A and  36 B attach to body  31  near, in the vicinity of, or at the periphery  34  of mouth  32  and preferably near the ends of major axis  38  to form an important feature of bag  30 . Loops  36 A and  36 B may comprise thin, somewhat flexible strip or band material or a heavy cord. The material forming loops  36 A and  36 B preferably has a small amount of stiffness for reasons to be explained. 
         [0025]    Loops  36 A and  36 B each may each have a peripheral (circumferential) length of at least approximately 1.5 in. (4 cm.) and preferably at least 2-2.5 in. (5-6 cm.). The size of each loop  55 A and  55 B should be sufficient to allow a typical user&#39;s forefinger or thumb (shown symbolically by the outline  68 ) to easily enter each of the loops  55 A and  55 B. Loops  36 A and  36 B improve the user&#39;s ability to insert a cell phone  10  into bag  30 . 
         [0026]    The specified small amount of stiffness in the loops  36 A and  36 B material helps to hold loops  36 A and  36 B open, and approximately in the plane of the paper. The stiffness of the loop  36 A and  36 B material preferably holds the loops  36 A and  36 B vertically upright with only minimum sagging from an open, upright shape. This construction for loops  36 A and  36 B allows a user&#39;s thumb and forefinger to more easily enter loops  36 A and  36 B. The stiffness of loops  36 A and  36 B should not be so great as to interfere with pocketing bag  30  with a cell phone  10  in it. 
         [0027]    The cross section of  FIG. 4  shows an embodiment of the loop  36 A material that includes a fine plastic or woven metal stiffening center  51  extending through the entire length of loop  36 A that stiffens loop  36 A sufficiently to hold loop  36 A in the open, projecting shape that  FIG. 1  shows. Loop  36 B may have a similar construction. Loops  36 A and  36 B material may also comprise relatively stiff, tightly woven threads or have some sort of impregnation to provide the desired stiffness. 
         [0028]    Bag  31  may further include a removal tab  47  that may be in the form of a loop attached at a point remote from mouth  32 . The user can pull on tab  47  when removing cell phone  10  from bag  30 . Tab  47  need not have any stiffening center. 
         [0029]    Bag  30  may also include a flexible transparent window  59  that allows the user to view screen  13 . Openings  55  and  56  below and above window  59  may be present with positions that align with the earpiece and microphone  21  respectively of cell phone  10  to allow cell phone  10  use while in bag  30 . 
         [0030]    Typical cell phones  10  may be approximately 3.5-4.5 in. tall, 2-3 in. wide, and 0.5-0.75 in. thick. Approximate dimensions for a bag  30  for such a cell phone  10  may be: height 4.5-6 in. and width 3-4 in. These dimensions are with the bag  30  lying empty on a flat surface. 
         [0031]    One preferred embodiment for bag  30  has a mouth  32  having an elastic periphery  34  whose unstressed peripheral length is perhaps 5-20% smaller than the peripheral length of the cell phone  10  cross section perpendicular to the long dimension. This smaller, elastic periphery  34  of mouth  32  prevents the cell phone  10  from falling out of bag  30  if the user fails to grip bag  30  tightly enough. 
         [0032]    The elastic periphery  34  may be formed simply by inherent elasticity of the body  31  material, and by constructing body  31  with a restricted peripheral dimension at the mouth  32  as  FIG. 1  shows. In this design, a bag  30  will likely be compatible only for a relatively small range of cell phone  10  sizes. 
         [0033]      FIG. 1  shows a design for bag  30  that is compatible with a wider range of cell phone  10  sizes. Periphery  34  includes a tunnel or passage portion  43  passing around at least a portion of periphery  34 . In  FIG. 1 , tunnel  43  extends around nearly the entire periphery  34 . Tunnel  43  may have an interruption or access space  52 . Tunnel  43  may be conveniently formed by stitching  40 . 
         [0034]      FIG. 2  shows an elastic cord structure  50  that fits within tunnel  43 . Cord structure  50  includes an elastic band  33  that when unstressed preferably extends through only a portion of tunnel  43 . Elastic band  33  may comprise an elastic strip or thread. Band  33  may have a coefficient of elasticity of a few ounces of force per inch of elongation. 
         [0035]    Preferably, the unstressed length of structure  50  is adjustable. To provide adjustability, this embodiment of cord structure  50  includes a length adjustment feature comprising ties  44  attached to band  33 . Ties  44  are substantially less elastic than band  33 . By tying ties  44  together at various points on them to form a knot, a user can vary the effective unstressed length of structure  50  within tunnel  43 , and thereby adjust the force required to expand mouth  32  to allow cell phone  10  to pass therethrough. Other ways of adjusting the effective unstressed length of structure  50  are possible as well, and are included in the definition of “length adjustment feature.” 
         [0036]    Structure  50  fits within tunnel  43  with ties  44  projecting from interruption  52 . By tying ties  44  to each other, a user can adjust the overall length of structure  50  when unstretched to accommodate a range of cell phone  10  peripheral sizes. This allows the user to select the amount of force required to expand mouth  32  to a size allowing cell phone  10  to enter and exit bag  30 . 
         [0037]    When bag  30  is suspended by tab  47  with a cell phone  10  within, the tension in periphery  34  should be sufficient to prevent cell phone  10  from falling through mouth  32  under the weight of cell phone  10  only. In fact, a gentle shake of bag  30  by tab  47  should not allow cell phone  10  to fall from bag  30 . The amount of retention force depends on the tension in periphery  34  when stretched almost to the size of cell phone  10 . 
         [0038]    Upon first acquiring a bag  30 , the user will tie ties  44  together so that the overall unstretched periphery of the bag  30  mouth is slightly smaller than the periphery of the cell phone  10  cross section perpendicular to the long dimension. The force required to remove cell phone  10  should be slightly greater than the weight of cell phone  10 , to thereby prevent cell phone  10  from inadvertently slipping from bag  30 . A user may want to experiment with the proper total length of structure  50  within tunnel  43  to maximize convenience. The user can tie structure  50  at several different lengths until the tension in periphery  34  is acceptable to the user. Once achieving that tension, the user can simply cut off the excess length of ties.  44 . 
         [0039]    If a bag  30  is designed for a specific cell phone  30  housing size, structure  50  may be unnecessary, or can be preset as to tension during manufacture. 
         [0040]    A user inserts a cell phone  10  into bag  30  by placing thumb and forefinger into loops  36 A and  36 B respectively. With the other hand, the user presses first one lower corner of the cell phone  10  into mouth  32  to stretch mouth  32  and structure  50  if present between the cell phone  10  corner and the opposite one of loops  36 A and  36 B. Then the user forces the other corner of cell phone  10  into the mouth of bag  30 , whereupon cell phone  10  slides easily and completely into bag  30 . The inherent stiffness of the loop  36 A and  36 B material makes it relatively easy for the user to insert his or her fingers into loops  36 A and  36 B. Surprisingly, users with a wide range of hand sizes can insert a cell phone into bag  30  with little trouble. 
         [0041]    To remove cell phone  10  from bag  30 , the user grasps tab  47  with one hand and cell phone  10  with the other, and simply pulls the cell phone  10  from bag  30 . 
         [0042]    Cell phones are by nature relatively slippery. The nap and friction between a user&#39;s fingers and the material comprising bag  30  reduces the likelihood that a cell phone  10  or bag  30  will inadvertently slip from a user&#39;s fingers. 
         [0043]    One preferred form for the fabric piece forming bag  30  is a simple rectangular piece of fabric perhaps 7-8 in. (height dimension)×8 in. (width dimension). Tunnel  43  is first sewn with stitching  40 , with structure  50  within. Then loops  36 A and  36 B are sewn onto the fabric piece, which is then folded along the height dimension. The bottom and side is sewn, and then the bag  30  is turned inside out to complete bag  30  and provide a finished look. Stitches  48  form a part of the bag  30  construction. Stitching may alternatively be along a side of body  31  rather than extend in the center as stitches  48  do.