Abstract:
Removably securable personal accessories carrier and storage device for securely holding articles, including mobile technology accessories, in a secure manner, for storage or transport, for removable attachment to a laptop computer. The personal accessories carrier includes a main compartment pouch. The carrier is shaped to fit onto the backside of a standard laptop screen. The carrier includes a closure mechanism for opening and closing the compartment pouch. The carrier is removably secured to the back of the laptop screen via a releasable securing mechanism such as via hook-and-loop type fasteners, commonly referred to as Velcro®.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED ART 
       [0001]    This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/856,565 filed Nov. 3, 2006, the entire content of which is hereby incorporated by reference. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    This invention relates generally to accessories for computers, and more specifically to a personal accessories carrier, transport, and storage device for removable attachment to a laptop computer. Moreover, the invention pertains specifically to an apparatus for holding articles, including mobile technology accessories, in a secure manner, for storage or transport, by means of attaching the apparatus to a laptop. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    In recent years, the laptop computer has become a vital component in the lives of many people. For example, in a student&#39;s life many lessons are started on the laptop in school and are completed at home. Therefore, the laptop must be carried by students to and from school on a daily basis. The student is not only required to carry the laptop to school but also gym equipment, books, and their lunch as well. For the daily bus or train commuter, the laptop is an accessory that saves valuable time by transforming there commute into time spent working. This equates to less time spent at the office. But during this commute, personal space is at a premium so the more compact the laptop the easier it is for the commuter to use the laptop in a bus or train seat. For the business traveler, the laptop connects the business person to their permanent office. The business traveler needs a lightweight laptop so that the traveler will expend less energy during their many treks to and from an airport or train station. 
         [0004]    As if a laptop was not cumbersome in its own right, laptop accessories, such as power cords, mouses, and CD ROMs to name a few, are needed to allow the laptop function properly. And since the popularity of the laptop continues to grow, computer companies now market a wide range of hardware components that make the laptop more user friendly, e.g. back-up drives and CD Burners. 
         [0005]    To transport the laptop and all its accessories, laptop bags are used to store the laptop with its accessories. These bags are usually a basic shoulder bag having a compartment for the laptop itself with other compartments for the laptop accessories. 
         [0006]    The disadvantage of the above laptop bag is two-fold. First, the laptop bag is an additional bag that the user must carry, and second, the wire components that are stored in the bag are easily tangled making the set-up for the laptop difficult. 
         [0007]    A need thus exists for a laptop component holder that: (1) lightens the load of a user, (2) allows for easy set-up of the laptop, (3) stores a collection of computer components and/or personal items onto the backside of a laptop computer thereby enabling a user to have the accessories within close range, (4) prevents items from getting misplaced, (5) renders items easily accessible and (6) allows a user to be organized without having to drag around a whole laptop bag. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0008]    To overcome the short-comings of the prior art, the present invention offers a personal accessories carrier and storage device. Specifically, the present invention provides a personal accessories carrier and storage device for attachment to a laptop computer and which is more universally functional and versatile in operation than existing products. 
         [0009]    The personal accessories carrier includes at least one pocket, at least one closure for the opening and closing of the pocket, and at least one fastener for removably attaching the pocket to a surface of the laptop computer. 
         [0010]    The at least one closure may be a zipper, a hook-and-loop type fastener, a button, a snap, and/or a plastic zip-lock type closure, while the fastener may be a hook-and-loop type fastener, double-sided tape or a combination thereof. The fasteners are applied on a back surface of a laptop screen and on the back surface area of the carrier so that the mating of the fastener allows for the secure but removable attachment of the carrier to the laptop. The carrier is sized to cover an entire back surface of the laptop computer, but may only partially cover the back surface of the laptop. 
         [0011]    Also located on a back surface area of the carrier is at least one wire access hole or slit. This access slit allows items such as the power cord to be threaded through the access slit so that the computer may be easily plugged into an outside power source. 
         [0012]    The front surface area of the carrier may include an elastic strip and a plastic pocket. The elastic strip holds items, such as, pens, pencils and erasers, to name just a few, while the plastic pocket allows a user to insert and store business cards, ID cards into the plastic pocket. 
         [0013]    The carrier may be used to store a collection of personal items thereby making the items readily available, e.g., laptop power cords, computer mouses, additional disk drives, CDs, diskettes, etc. The carrier also helps prevent these items from getting misplaced. 
         [0014]    The carrier is not limited to attachment to laptop computers as the carrier may be attached to any flat surface where storage of computer components are needed, e.g., personal computers, entertainment systems, art supplies carrier, beauty supplies carrier, etc. The carrier may be fabricated from any durable material capable of holding and retaining accessories within a pocket. 
         [0015]    In use, the personal accessories carrier and storage device removably attaches to a laptop computer. This is accomplished by first providing a user with a carrier having at least one pouch, at least one closure and at least one fastener. The carrier is then removably attached to a surface of the laptop computer via the at least one fastener. In order to store the computer components, the carrier is opened and computer components and/or personal items are placed in the carrier. The carrier is then closed thereby allowing the carrier: (1) to store a collection of computer components and/or personal items, (2) to prevent the items from getting misplaced and (3) to make computer components readily available. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES 
         [0016]    These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the apparatus and methods of the present invention will become better understood with regard to the following description and accompanying drawings where: 
           [0017]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a personal accessories carrier and storage device, in use, according to a first embodiment of the invention; 
           [0018]      FIG. 2   a  is a rear face view of a personal accessories carrier and storage device according to the first embodiment shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0019]      FIG. 2   b  is a front face view of a personal accessories carrier and storage device according to the first embodiment shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0020]      FIG. 3  is a top view of an opened personal accessories carrier and storage device according to the first embodiment shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0021]      FIG. 4  is a front face view of a personal accessories carrier and storage device according to a second embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0022]      FIG. 5  is a rear face view of a personal accessories carrier and storage device according to the second embodiment shown in  FIG. 4 ; 
           [0023]      FIG. 6   a  is a side view of a personal accessories carrier and storage device according to the second embodiment shown in  FIG. 4 ; 
           [0024]      FIG. 6   b  is a top view of a personal accessories carrier and storage device according to the second embodiment shown in  FIG. 4 ; 
           [0025]      FIG. 6   c  is a top view of a personal accessories carrier and storage device according to the second embodiment shown in  FIG. 4 ; 
           [0026]      FIG. 7  is a front face view of a divider panel for a personal accessories carrier and storage device according to the second embodiment shown in  FIG. 4 ; 
           [0027]      FIG. 8   a  is a rear view of a laptop computer according to the first embodiment shown in  FIG. 1 ; and 
           [0028]      FIG. 8   b  is a rear view of a laptop computer according to the second embodiment shown in  FIG. 4 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0029]    The present invention enhances the characteristics of laptop carriers by providing a personal accessories carrier and storage device for removable attachment to a laptop computer. 
         [0030]    As shown in  FIGS. 1-3 , the carrier  10  includes a front surface area  12 , a back surface area  13  and at least one main compartment, pouch or pocket  14 . The carrier  10  is closed on three sides  15 - 17 , with a zipper closure  20  on a fourth side  18  that opens to the compartment, pouch or pocket  14 . The zipper closure  20  faces up when the laptop  11  is an open position. 
         [0031]    The carrier  10  is shaped to fit onto the backside  22  of a standard laptop computer screen  21 . That is, the back surface area  13  is advantageously attached to the laptop computer  11  via hook-and-loop type fasteners  23 ,  80  wherein at least one of the hook-and-loop type fastener  80  is applied on the back surface  22  of the laptop screen  21  (shown in  FIG. 8   a ). The mating hook-and-loop type fastener  23  is applied on the back surface area  13  of the device  10  so that the mating of the hook-and-loop fastener  23 ,  80  allows for the secure but removable attachment of the device  10  to the laptop  11 . 
         [0032]    Importantly, when device  10  is attached to the back surface  22  of the screen of a laptop computer  11 , the device  10  will not intrude in any way upon the use of the laptop computer  11 . Although the device  10  is advantageously sized to cover the entire back surface  22  of the screen of the laptop computer  11 , the device  10  is not limited in this respect and may only partially cover the back surface of the laptop screen. 
         [0033]    The pocket  14  may store a collection of computer components and/or personal items onto the backside  22  of a laptop computer  11 , thereby preventing items, such as a laptop power cord, from getting misplaced, and rendering such items easily accessible. As an example, the pocket  14  can also be utilized to hold a computer mouse, additional disk drives, CDs, diskettes, MP3 players, mobile devices, etc. The invention is not limited to a single compartment or pouch as other embodiments, described below, may include a plurality of pockets, which may be of the same or different sizes than the above embodiment. 
         [0034]      FIGS. 4-6   c  show a second embodiment of the present invention. The second embodiment, like the first embodiment, offers a personal accessories carrier and storage device  40  that provides a personal accessories carrier and storage device for removable attachment to a laptop computer  11  and which is simple in construction, more universally functional and versatile in operation than existing products. The second embodiment offers three pockets  49 ,  55 ,  56  and two closures  42 ,  54  for opening and closing a front pocket  49 , a deep pocket  55  and a shallow pocket  56 . 
         [0035]    The personal accessories carrier  40  of the second embodiment has an outer area having a front surface  41 , a rear surface  51  and four sides  70 - 73 . 
         [0036]    The front surface  41  as shown in  FIG. 4  has a zipper closure  42 , a plastic pocket  46  and an elastic band  45 . The zipper closure  42  opens a front pocket  49 . The front pocket  49  is the approximate size of the area below the zipper closure  42 . The front pocket  49  is ideal for the storage of thin items such as CD ROMs, instruction manuals and/or other reading materials. 
         [0037]    The elastic band  45  is sewn to the front surface  41  at various intervals along the band  45 . The band  45  may provide a little more shape to the overall carrier  40 . The band  45  is made from a flexible and elastic material capable of storing items on the outside of the carrier  40 , e.g., the band  45  may hold papers external to the bag. The individual sections  74   a - g  of the band  45  may also have dimensions ranging from a few centimeters to a few inches. The smaller sections  74   b - 74   d  may store items such as pens and pencils  47 , whereas the larger sections  74   a  and  74   e - g  may store larger items such as pencil erasers  48 . 
         [0038]    The plastic pocket  46  is a clear, storage device that can be either internal or external to the carrier  40 . In this embodiment, the pocket is located on the front surface  41  of the carrier and can hold a security pass, an ID card, business cards, or any other card that needs to be readily available. The pocket  46  may be sewn to the front surface  41  on three sides with the fourth side being left open so that a business card, name plate or some other type of identification can be stored in the pocket  46 . 
         [0039]    The back of the carrier  51  may have one or more fasteners  52  on the back thereof. In this embodiment, the carrier  40  has two fastener strips  52  attached and sewn into the material of the carrier. These fasteners strips  52  are used to removably adhere the carrier  40  to the computer. In this embodiment, the laptop  11  has round fasteners  80  attached to back surface of a laptop computer  11  (see  FIG. 8   b ) but any shaped fasteners may be used. These fasteners are attached to the laptop via an adhesive backing. Mating of the fastener strips  52  and round fasteners  80  allows for the secure but removable attachment of the carrier  40  to the laptop  11 . 
         [0040]    The back of the carrier  51  also has access slits  53 . These slits  53  are used so that wires stored in the deep pocket  55  of the carrier  40  may extend through the back section of the carrier  40 . An example would be a power cord. The power cord may be stored in the deep pocket  55  of the carrier  40  but may have both ends extending from the inside of the deep pocket  55  to the outside of the carrier  40  via the access slits  53 . This way the computer terminal end of the power cord may be plugged in the computer at all times and the electrical outlet side of the plug is easily accessible so that a user merely tugs on the cord and plugs the cord into an outside power source. Searching for the power cord within the compartment is no longer necessary. 
         [0041]    The carrier  40  has four sides  70 - 73 , namely the upper side  73 , the lower side  71 , the left side  72  and the right side  70 . The lower side  71  is on the bottom section of the carrier  40  and is sewn shut but may have an embroidered trademark tag  50  sewn into the seam. The right and left sides  70 , 72  are also sewn shut but not fully sewn as these sides transition from being sewn into a zipper closure  54  that spans from the right side  70  fully across the upper section  73  and terminates at the left side  72 , shown in  FIGS. 6   a - c . This configuration allows the mouth of the closure  54  to open more widely than the closure  20  of the first embodiment. 
         [0042]      FIG. 6   a  illustrates the closure  54  in a closed position and  FIG. 6   c  illustrates the closure  54  in a fully opened position. In the opened position, the opening will have two pockets  55 ,  56  being split by divider  60 . The first pocket  55  is deep and can easily store things such as power cords and back-up drives. The second pocket  56  is shallow and can store smaller items (e.g., an MP3 player and mobile devices) that if stored in the deep pocket  55  would become lost. 
         [0043]    As mentioned above, the deep pocket and the front and shallow pockets are split by a divider  60  shown in  FIG. 7 . The front top portion of the divider  60  provides the shallow pocket  56  with a rear facing wall, the front bottom portion of the divider  60  provides the front pocket  49  with a rear facing wall and the rear portion of the divider provides a front wall for the deep pocket  55 . 
         [0044]    On the rear facing wall of the shallow pocket a heavy-gauge, plastic sleeve  57  with notches  57   a ,  57   b  may be sewn into the divider  60 . This sleeve  57  may be used to wrap a headphone cord around the notches  57   a - b  so headphones may be stored in this compartment without getting tangled. The sleeve  57  may also have an opening incorporated into the sleeve  57  that allows the storage of ID cards, business cards, credit cards, etc. 
         [0045]    The divider  60  may also have a number of access slits  58 ,  59 . These slits  58 ,  59  allow for wire access from the front pocket  49  and shallow pocket  56  into the deep pocket  55  and vice versa. The divider  60  may also have an elastic band, as explained above in reference to the front surface  41 , incorporated into the divider  60  so that items may be secured to the divider  60  within the front pocket  49 . 
         [0046]    In use, the personal accessories carrier and storage device  10 ,  40  removably attaches to a laptop computer  11 . For example, a user is first provided with a carrier  10  having at least one pouch, at least one closure and at least one fastener. The carrier  10  is then removably attached to a surface of the laptop computer  11  via the at least one fastener  23 ,  80 . When the carrier  10  is opened, the user may place computer components and/or personal items in the carrier  10 . The carrier  10  is then closed thereby allowing the device to store a collection of computer components and/or personal items, to prevent the items from getting misplaced and to make the items readily available. 
         [0047]    The carrier  10 ,  40  is not limited to attachment of laptop computers but may be attached to any flat surface where storage of wires is needed, e.g., a personal computer, an entertainment system, art supplies carrier, beauty supplies carrier, etc. Further, the carrier  10 ,  40  may be fabricated from any durable material capable of holding and retaining accessories within the pocket, such as, nylon, leather, etc. 
         [0048]    While there has been shown and described what is considered to be preferred embodiments of the invention, it will, of course, be understood that various modifications and changes in form or detail could readily be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. It is intended that the invention be not limited to the exact forms described and illustrated, but should be constructed to cover all modifications that may fall within the scope of the appended claims. For example, it will also be understood that device is not limited in any way: (1) to attachment to a laptop computer and can be used to attach the carrier to any flat surface where storage is needed, (2) with respect to the composition of device, the device may be fabricated from any durable material capable of hold and retaining accessories within the carrier, (3) to the number, size or width of hook-and-loop type fastener strips applied on the back of the laptop screen and the back surface area of the device as long as the hook-and-loop type fasteners provide a secure attachment of the device to the laptop, (4) to the use of hook-and-loop type fasteners as other securing means are contemplated and (5) to a zipper closure, as other known closure mechanisms are contemplated, such as, but not limited to, hook-and-loop type fasteners (commonly known as Velcro®, from Velcro USA Inc, Manchester, N.H.), buttons, snaps, plastic zip-lock type closures and the like. 
         [0049]    It is further intended that any other embodiments of the present invention that result from any changes in application or method of use or operation, method of manufacture, shape, size, or material which are not specified within the detailed written description or illustrations contained herein are considered apparent or obvious to one skilled in the art and are within the scope of the present invention.