Abstract:
A securing arrangement for a portable electronic device comprises a wrist receiving loop a first end of which is permanently coupled to a first location on the device and an anchoring member coupled to a second end of the wrist receiving loop in combination with a coupling member including a first anchoring loop coupled to the device at a second location separated from the first location, the first anchoring loop and the wrist receiving loop being sized so that the anchoring loop may be passed over the anchoring member to releasably couple the securing arrangement in a first configuration.

Description:
BACKGROUND  
       [0001]     Over time, mobile computing devices have become more heavily relied on by businesses and are being used in an increasing number of applications. Many of these applications require an employee to use the device, in certain situations, using one hand and, in other situations, using two hands or grasping the device differently in one hand, etc. At the same time, it is important that the device be securable to the employees hand or in a convenient location on the body so that the device is protected from falls and readily available for use.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     The present invention is directed to a securing arrangement for a portable electronic device comprising a wrist receiving loop a first end of which is permanently coupled to a first location on the device and an anchoring member coupled to a second end of the wrist receiving loop in combination with a coupling member including a first anchoring loop coupled to the device at a second location separated from the first location, the first anchoring loop and the wrist receiving loop being sized so that the first anchoring loop may be passed over the anchoring member to releasably couple the securing arrangement in a first configuration.  
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0003]      FIG. 1  shows a front view of an outer wrist pad of a securing arrangement according to the present invention;  
         [0004]      FIG. 2  shows a side view of the outer wrist pad of  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0005]      FIG. 3  shows a front view of a connecting button of the securing arrangement of  FIGS. 1 and 2 ;  
         [0006]      FIG. 4  shows a perspective view of a back of a mobile device with a securing arrangement according to the invention attached thereto;  
         [0007]      FIG. 5  shows a perspective view of the mobile device of  FIG. 4  with the securing arrangement thereof in a first configuration;  
         [0008]      FIG. 6  shows a perspective view the mobile device of  FIG. 4  from an opposite side thereof with the securing arrangement in the first configuration;  
         [0009]      FIG. 7  shows a front view of the mobile device of  FIG. 4  with the securing arrangement in the first configuration;  
         [0010]      FIG. 8  shows a perspective view of the mobile device of  FIG. 4  with the securing arrangement in a second configuration;  
         [0011]      FIG. 9  shows a side view of an outer wrist pad of a securing arrangement according to a further embodiment of the invention; and  
         [0012]      FIG. 10  shows a front view of a button according to a further embodiment of the invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0013]     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 present invention will be described in regard to a securing arrangement for a personal digital assistant (“PDA”). However, those skilled in the art will understand that the securing arrangement according to the present invention is equally suited for any mobile electronic device such as, for example, a barcode scanner, a cellular telephone, blackberry, digital music player, etc., requiring a securing member which allows the device to be held in a variety of positions.  
         [0014]     As shown in  FIGS. 1-8 , a securing arrangement  10  includes a flexible connection member  12  one end of which is coupled to a back of a mobile device  14  while the other end is coupled to a wrist receiving loop  15  formed of an outer wrist pad  16  and an inner wrist pad  20 . Those skilled in the art will understand that the flexible connection member  12  is preferably formed of a sturdy material such as, for example, canvas or nylon and is attached to the mobile device  14  by, for example, wrapping around an anchoring member in a housing  18  of the mobile device  14 . Although the other end of the flexible connection member  12  is shown coupled to one end of the outer wrist pad  16  by stitching, those skilled in the art will understand that the flexible connection member may be coupled to any portion of the outer wrist pad  16  by, for example, mechanical means such as rivets, adhesive or any other method producing a suitably strong bond. An inner wrist pad  20  is coupled to each end of the outer wrist pad  16  by mechanical means such as rivets, stitching, adhesive, or any other sufficiently strong attachment to form a loop through which an user of the mobile device  14  may insert his or her hand. Alternatively, one end of the inner wrist pad  20  may be coupled directly to the flexible connection member  12  or to both the outer wrist pad  16  and the flexible connection member  12 . The inner wrist pad  20  is preferably formed of a material such as, for example, elastic which is stretchable longitudinally while the outer wrist pad  16  may be formed, for example, of leather, plastic or other suitable, substantially inelastic material.  
         [0015]     In addition, a first lanyard  22  is coupled to the end of the outer wrist pad  16  opposite the end connected to the flexible connection member  12  and extends outward therefrom. The first lanyard  22  forms a loop  24  with opposite sides of the loop  24  passing through eyes  26  of a button  28  as shown in  FIG. 3 . An end of the first lanyard  22  is preferably received within the outer wrist pad  16  so that an outer surface of the outer wrist pad  16  remains substantially smooth. As seen in  FIG. 2 , the thickness of the outer wrist pad  16  increases near the end in which the first lanyard  22  is received.  
         [0016]     As seen in  FIGS. 5 and 6 , the mobile device  14  includes a second lanyard  30  and an optional third lanyard  32  mounted to a pistol grip  34  of the mobile device  14 . For example, the second lanyard  30  may be mounted to a rear surface of the pistol grip  34  adjacent to a lower end  36  thereof by, for example, passing a first loop  38  of the second lanyard  30  around a bar and passing the second lanyard  30  back through the loop  38 . In a first configuration shown in  FIGS. 5 and 6 , the second lanyard  30  is coupled to the first lanyard  22  by slipping a second loop  40  of the second lanyard  30  over the button  28 . In this configuration, the loop formed by the outer and inner wrist pads  16 ,  20 , respectively, is coupled to both the back of the mobile device  14  and to a lower end of the pistol grip  34 . In this configuration the device  14  is held in a ready position for use of the pistol grip  34 , for example, to operate a trigger  35  which actuates a scanner  37  or other accessory of the device  14 . The third lanyard  32  which may, for example, be coupled to a stylus (not shown) removably received within the pistol grip  34 , may be used to removably secure the stylus to the mobile device  14 . That is, the third lanyard  32  may be slipped over the button  28  so that if dropped, for example, the stylus will not be lost.  
         [0017]     As shown in  FIG. 5 , the button  28  of the preferred embodiment is substantially elliptical with a major axis of the button  28  extending substantially perpendicular to the first lanyard  22 . Thus, the user can easily disengage the button  28  from the second loop  40  of the second lanyard  30  by rotating the button  28  so that the major axis of the button  28  aligns with the second lanyard  30  with a narrow end  29  of the button  28  entering the second loop  40  to disengage the button  28  and the second lanyard  30 . For example, in one embodiment the button  28  has a major axis between 1.4 and 1.5 times the length of its minor axis. More specifically, in one preferred embodiment the button  28  may have a major axis of 0.8 to 0.95 inches and a minor axis of 0.5 to 0.7 inches.  
         [0018]     Those skilled in the art will understand that the button  28  may be of any shape and may be replaced by any rigid structure which may be slipped through an opening in a line tethered to the pistol grip  34  or any other structure of a mobile device which orients the loop formed by the outer and inner wrist pads  16 ,  20  into a desired configuration. For example, any rigid structure suitable for anchoring a loop which is slipped therearound may be used. Such an anchoring structure may, for example, include lateral projections extending from a central member so that, when a loop is slipped over the lateral projections, the loop pulls against the central member and is maintained in that position.  
         [0019]     In use, a user inserts his hand between the outer and inner wrist pads  16 ,  20 , respectively, to grasp the pistol grip  34 . Thus, when the pistol grip  34  is released by the user of the device  14 , the pistol grip  34  is maintained accessible to the user&#39;s hand even if the user is performing another task with that hand. Thus, when the task is finished, the user can re-grip the pistol grip  34  without using his other hand. Of course, in the first configuration as well as the second configuration described below, the device is also protected from falls at all times as, upon release of the pistol grip  34 , the loop formed by the outer and inner wrist pads  16 ,  20 , respectively, is retained on the user&#39;s wrist.  
         [0020]      FIGS. 7 and 8  show the mobile device  14  with the securing arrangement  10  in a second configuration. In the second configuration, the user has pushed the button  28  out of the second loop  40  of the second lanyard  30  to release the loop formed by the outer and inner wrist pads  16 ,  20 , respectively, is released from the pistol grip  34  so that the mobile device  14  can rotate about the point at which the flexible connection member  12  is coupled to the housing  18  of the device  14 . In this configuration, the user can grasp the rearward extending keyboard portion  42  of the device  14  for one handed operation thereof. The user can then return the device  14  to the first configuration by simply slipping the button  28  back into the second loop  40  of the second lanyard  30 .  
         [0021]     In addition, the button  28 , or another component of the securing arrangement  10  may be made to fail at a predetermined force level to provide a release for the securing arrangement  10  if, for example, the device  14  or part of the securing arrangement  10  becomes caught in machinery, etc. Specifically, a member  27  separating the eyes  26  may be designed to fail and release the second lanyard  30  there from when subjected to a force above a threshold level selected to avoid injury to the user. Alternatively, the flexible connection member  12  or the second lanyard  30  may be made to fail when subjected to a force in the same range.  
         [0022]     As shown in  FIG. 9 , an outer wrist pad  16 ′ according to a second embodiment of the invention includes a more robust connection between the first lanyard  22  and the outer wrist pad  16 ′ with a latch  44  surrounding the first lanyard  22  and the end of the outer wrist pad  16 ′. Those skilled in the art will understand that the button  28  or other anchoring structure need not be coupled to the loop formed by the outer and inner wrist pads  16 ,  20  by a lanyard as described above. It is only necessary that the button  28  or other anchoring structure be securely fastened to this loop. Furthermore, any or both of the second and third lanyards  30 ,  32 , respectively, may be replaced by any sufficiently sturdy loop of material. Preferably both of these loops will be formed of flexible material so that the loop formed by the outer and inner wrist pads  16 ,  20  may move relative to the device  14 .  
         [0023]      FIG. 10  shows a button  28 ′ according to a further embodiment of the invention. The button  28 ′ functions substantially similarly to the button  28  except that the eyes  26 ′ of the button  28 ′ are not completely separated from one another. Rather, the eyes  26 ′ are joined by a thin channel  31 ′ which extends between opposed ends of a separating member  27 ′ of the button  28 ′. Those skilled in the are will understand that the size of the channel  31 ′ and the thickness of the second lanyard  30  are selected relative to one another based on a resilience of the material of which the button  26 ′ is formed so that the second lanyard  30  will not be pulled through the channel  31 ′ until the desired force level is reached.  
         [0024]     It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made in the structure and the methodology of 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.