Abstract:
A device and a method is provided for protecting a laptop computer or other shock-sensitive electronic devices from impact while being transported within conventional luggage along with personal articles by securing one or more collapsible and lightweight bands of material having external hook and loop fasteners to the laptop computer and securing a plurality of pads along the edges of the electronic device by coupling the pads to the external hook and loop fasteners of the band of material. The pads are secured using a plurality of easily secured and removed straps, such as an elastic band or harness.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention generally relates to methods and apparatus for protecting articles during transport, and more specifically to a device for protecting an electronic device such as a portable personal computer. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     Technological advances have increased the capabilities of portable electronic devices and simultaneously reduced the cost of manufacturing these devices. Consequently, the number of these devices being purchased and carried by consumers has dramatically increased. As portable electronic devices become increasingly favored by consumers, manufacturers continually seek ways of making them even more portable and more durable. 
     Laptop computers contain delicate electronic and mechanical components that are sensitive to impact. A sharp blow to the edge of a laptop computer can cause internal damage to the hard disk drive and render the unit useless or in need of expensive repair. Furthermore, the computer casing itself can be cracked or transfer the load of an impact to internal components that can become damaged. 
     Many carrying cases have been designed to carry, protect and store a laptop computer. The problem with existing carrying cases is that they are designed to accommodate the laptop computer and little else. Existing carrying cases are generally full fabric enclosures with some pockets or compartments for carrying small computer-related items such as compact disks, power adapters, floppy disks or ear-phones. Existing carrying cases are generally designed to be carried as an independent piece of luggage, they usually have their own shoulder straps or handles to facilitate carrying, and they are not designed to carry other personal items. Consequently, a person traveling with both a laptop computer and personal items must either carry two separate pieces of luggage, one specifically designed for the laptop computer and another for the personal items, or the person must carry the laptop computer unprotected within a conventional piece of luggage. In the latter instance, the laptop computer is more likely to be damaged by impact. Also, many airlines allow passengers to carry only one piece of luggage on a flight. Thus, the airline passenger may be forced to decide between checking their personal items or checking their laptop computer, and the passenger may not wish to risk losing either their personal items or their laptop. The only alternative is to carry very large pieces of luggage that can accommodate their personal items and their laptop computer stored inside a conventional protective carrying case, and this large piece of luggage may exceed the airline&#39;s size restriction for carry-on articles. “Conventional luggage,” as that term is used herein, includes backpacks, garment bags, carrying bags, duffel bags, brief cases, purses, suitcases, trunks and the like. 
     Another problem with existing laptop computer carrying cases is that they are targets for thieves. Dedicated laptop computer carrying cases essentially advertise to criminals that the case contains valuable property. Travelers using existing laptop computer carrying cases are increasingly victimized by computer thieves in airports, trains, public restrooms and other places commonly used by travelers. 
     Most protective carrying cases specifically made for portable electronic devices are made of rigid exterior components forming a hard outer shell, or from fabric adapted to form an impact-absorbing enclosure, with padding disposed on the inside or outside of the fabric enclosure. These carrying cases form a full enclosure for storing and transporting an electronic device. 
     What is needed is a device and a method for safely carrying both a laptop computer and personal items in a single piece of conventional luggage. What is needed is a lightweight device designed to secure and protect a laptop computer so that the laptop computer can be inconspicuously carried along with personal articles within a single piece of conventional luggage. It would be desirable if the device was adjustable to fit a variety of electronic articles within a given size range. It would also be desirable if the device could be easily fitted onto the article to be protected, easily removable, lightweight, and collapsible for efficient storage when not secured to the article. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a typical laptop computer in a closed condition. 
     FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a circumferential elastic band-type securing harness having a pair of closure tabs on either side of an opening formed by the band. 
     FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a circumferential elastic band-type securing harness with pad fasteners installed on a laptop computer without the detachable pads applied to the fasteners. 
     FIG. 4 is a perspective view of an elastic band-type securing harness having closure straps on either side of an opening formed by the band. 
     FIG. 5 is a perspective view of an elastic band-type securing harness having two perpendicular elastic bands installed on a laptop computer with detachable pads applied to the elastic bands. 
     FIG. 6 is a perspective view of one embodiment of linked detachable pads. 
     FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the securing harness with the detachable pads coupled to pad fasteners on a securing harness installed on a laptop computer. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The present invention provides a device and a method for protecting a laptop computer from damage when the laptop computer is carried with other articles within a piece of conventional luggage. The present invention allows a laptop computer to be efficiently and safely carried in conventional luggage, and eliminates having to either carry independent pieces of luggage or carry the laptop unprotected. 
     The present invention comprises a securing harness for strategically securing impact-absorbing, cushioning or resilient pads at critical points on a laptop computer. Specifically, the present invention provides a securing harness for securing pads along the edges of a laptop computer in the computer&#39;s closed and inactive position. While pads may be similarly secured over the top and bottom faces of the laptop, it is preferred to leave the top and bottom of the laptop computer to be protected by strategic placement of other items such as soft clothing, magazines, notebooks or files, within the same piece of luggage. Optionally, the pads may be customized, adapted, molded or formed into a channel designed to receive and protect the edge of a laptop computer. The pads maybe permanently coupled to the securing harness, such as by stitching, or they may be detachable from the harness using a fastener, such as a hook and loop fastener (available under the trade name Velcro®). The pads may be made of any resilient cushioning material including rubber, styrofoam, cardboard, solid polymers, bubble-wrap and other fluid-filled bladders. 
     FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of an IBM Think Pad T Series computer  10  in a closed condition. This particular computer has a thickness dimension  1  measuring 1.3 inches, a width dimension  2  measuring about 10.5 inches along the side  24   a  and  24   b , and a length dimension  3  measuring about 13 inches along the front  22   a  and back  22   b , all when in the computer&#39;s closed position. Although the present invention may easily be adapted for use with portable computers of any shape or dimensions, these dimensions for the current model IBM Think Pad™ T Series computer are provided merely to more specifically describe the present invention. 
     FIG. 2 shows one embodiment of a protective device  11  of the present invention for laptop computers, the device having an elastic band-type securing harness  12 . The securing harness  12  generally forms a continuous band of elastic material having two openings  16 , one on each side of an interior space  19  therebetween, and a relaxed hoop length at least slightly smaller than the lengthwise perimeter (or, alternately, the widthwise perimeter) of the laptop computer  10  (See FIG.  1 ). The elastic band-type securing harness  12  may be designed to receive the laptop computer  10  within the interior space  19  and snugly fit onto the laptop computer  10  either lengthwise or widthwise, wherein a securing harness  12  designed to fit the widthwise perimeter of the laptop computer  10  may have a smaller relaxed hoop length than a securing harness  12  designed to fit the lengthwise perimeter. 
     The purpose of the securing harness  12  is to strategically position a plurality of pad fasteners  13  coupled to the outer surface of the securing harness  12  in a manner positionable along the edges of the laptop computer  10 . An elastic band-type securing harness  12  designed to fit the lengthwise perimeter of the laptop computer  10  has a distance from one opening  16  of the band to the other, or across the interior space  19 , that is less than the width dimension  2  of the laptop computer. Conversely, an elastic band-securing securing harness  12  designed to fit the widthwise perimeter of the laptop computer  10  has a distance from one opening  16  to the other that is less than the length dimension  3  of the laptop computer  10 . 
     The interior space  19  is designed to receive and accommodate the inserted laptop computer  10 . The lengthwise perimeter of the IBM Think Pad™ Series T computer is 28.6 inches (13+13+1.3+1.3). Accordingly, the elastic band-type securing harness  12  of the present invention for an IBM Think Pad™ Series T computer would have a relaxed perimeter less than 28.6 inches, and the securing harness  12  must be elastically expanded in the hoop direction to be fitted onto the laptop computer  10 . If the elastic band-type securing harness  12  is made from materials having higher elasticity, the relaxed hoop length of the elastic band-type securing harness  12  may be substantially less than the perimeter of the laptop computer  10  that can be accommodated within the interior space  19 . Accordingly, the use of higher elasticity materials for the elastic band-type securing harness  12  provide securing harnesses that can be used with a greater size range of laptop computer. Optionally, securing harnesses of a single size could be used for a variety of computer sizes and perhaps for both the lengthwise and widthwise dimensions. 
     In the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, the pad fasteners  13  comprise two strips of either hooks or loops (one side or the other of a hook and loop fastener arrangement) coupled to the outer surface of the securing harness  12  at generally opposing positions on the band. Preferably, each of the pad fasteners  13  is oriented generally perpendicular to the hoop direction of the securing harness  12  and generally perpendicular to the plane of at least one opening  16 . In the preferred embodiment, the pad fasteners  13  are secured to the securing harness  12  along a portion of their length by stitching. 
     In the embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. 2, the pad fasteners  13  comprise an elongated strip of hooks or loops that are substantially longer than the distance across the interior space  19  of the securing harness  12 , but are secured to the securing harness  12  along only a portion of their length, the excess portions beyond the opening  16  thereby forming closure tabs  15   a  and  15   b  on each side of opening  16 . The closure tabs  15   a  and  15   b  are formed by the excess end portions of the pad fasteners  13  that extend beyond the plane of opening  16  of the securing harness  12 . 
     The closure tabs  15   a  and  15   b  can be pulled to fit the securing harness  12  onto the laptop computer  10 . The closure tabs  15   a  and  15   b  are adapted to secure one tab to the other tab using hook and loop fasteners, such as Velcro® strips, applied to interfacing sides of end portions  32   a  and  32   b  of closure tabs  15   a  and  15   b , respectively, and to present an outwardly facing pad fastener (either hooks or loops) to facilitate the securing of pads across the edge of the laptop computer  10  adjacent to opening  16 . The outwardly facing pad fastener is provided by, for example, disposing hooks along the outwardly disposed side of end portion  32   a  of the first closure tab  15   a  for securing to loops disposed along the inwardly disposed side of end portion  32   b  of the second closure tab  15   b  that is positioned generally opposite the first closure tab  15   a  across opening  16 . When the hook fastener of the outwardly disposed side of end portion  32   a  of the first closure tab  15   a  is secured to the inwardly disposed side of end portion  32   b  of the second closure tab  15   b , the outwardly disposed side of end portion  32   b  of the second closure tab  15   b  is brought generally into alignment with the interior portion  17   a  of the first closure tab  15   a.    
     A hook or loop fastener is disposed along both the outwardly disposed side of the interior portion  17   a  of the first closure tab  15   a  and along the outwardly disposed side of the interior portion  17   b  of the second closure tab  15   b . FIG. 3 shows a closure tab fastener  18  that is formed by securing the inwardly disposed side of end portion  32   a  to the outwardly disposed side of end portion  32   b . The resulting closure tab fastener  18  thereby provides hooks or loops for receiving and coupling to loops or hooks, respectively, disposed along pads  42  for securing the pads  42  to the securing harness  12 . When the securing harness  12  is installed onto the laptop computer  10  and the end portions  32   a  and  32   b  of the closure tabs  15   a  and  15   b , respectively, are joined one to the other using hook and loop fasteners on end portions  32   a  and  32   b , the pad fasteners  13  and closure tab fastener  18  are strategically positioned to align along the edges of the laptop computer  10  as shown in FIG.  3 . Coupling closure tab  15   a  to closure tab  15   b  across the opening  16  after fitting the securing harness  12  onto the laptop computer  10  secures the pad fasteners  13  and the closure tab fastener  18  to the laptop computer  10  for coupling of pads  42  thereto. 
     Since only one access opening  16  into the interior space  19  of the securing harness  12  is needed for fitting the securing harness  12  onto the laptop computer  10 , a strip of fabric having hooks or loops similar to that disposed along the pad fasteners  13  maybe disposed along the outwardly disposed side of the fabric strip. The fabric strip maybe permanently secured across one of the openings  16  of the securing harness  12 , leaving one opening  16  with closure tabs  15   a  and  15   b  for fitting and removing the securing harness  12 . 
     As shown in FIG. 2, closure tabs  15   a  and  15   b  themselves may have hook and loop fasteners, such as Velcro® strips, disposed along their end portions  32   a  and  32   b  for securing one to the other across the opening  16  and for securing the securing harness  12  onto the laptop computer  10 . Outwardly exposed hooks or loops on the closure tab fastener  18  align with the pad fasteners  13  for securing pads along each edge of the laptop computer  10 . The pad fasteners  13  maybe segmented or substantially continuous. Furthermore, the pad fasteners  13  around the perimeter of the laptop computer  10  maybe coupled to one or more detachable pads  42  having loops (for pad fasteners having hooks) or hooks (for pad fasteners having loops). 
     In an alternate embodiment shown in FIG. 4, the securing harness  12  may be secured to the laptop computer  10  (see FIG. 1) using a plurality of closure straps  27  secured along to the securing harness  12  along the bottom side of opening  16  and an equal number of strap fasteners  24  secured at generally opposite positions therefrom along the top side of opening  16 . After the securing harness is fitted onto the laptop computer  10 , the closure straps  27  extend across the opening  16  to fasten to strap fasteners  24  using hook and loop fasteners. In addition to the fasteners securing closure straps  27  to fasteners  24 , hook or loop fasteners are disposed along the outwardly exposed sides of closure straps  27  such that when the closure straps  27  are fastened across opening  16  to secure the securing harness  12  to the laptop computer  10 , the outwardly exposed hook or loop fasteners may receive and couple to pads having hooks (for closure straps  27  having loops) or loops (for closure straps  27  having hooks). 
     An alternate embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. 5 comprises two continuous elastic band-type securing harnesses  12   a  and  12   b  fitted onto the laptop computer  10 , one installed perpendicular to the other. A widthwise-securing harness  12   a  may position elongated pad fasteners  13  along the front and back of the laptop computer  10 , and a lengthwise securing harness  12   b  may position elongated pad fasteners  13  along the sides of the laptop computer  10 . This arrangement eliminates the need for the closure tabs  15   a  and  15   b  of the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, or closure straps  17  and strap fasteners  24  of the embodiment shown in FIG. 4, in order to position pad fasteners  13  along the front  22   a  and back  22   b  of the laptop computer  10  left exposed by a single band securing harness. The dual band harness shown in FIG. 5 illustrates securing four separate and detachable pads  42 . 
     FIG. 6 shows one embodiment of linked pads  40  that can be used in conjunction with the securing harness  12  (see FIG. 2) to protect the edges of a laptop computer  10  (see FIG. 1) from impact damage. The linked pads  40  comprise four elongated pads  42 , each adapted to protect one or more edges of the laptop computer  10  when the computer is closed and fitted with the securing harness  12 . In this embodiment, a strip  46  of either hooks or loops is stitched generally lengthwise along the back and center of linked pad  40  for coupling to the pad fasteners  13  and/or closure tab fastener  18  of the securing harness  12 . In this embodiment, each pad  42  may be flexibly coupled at one or more ends to at least one other pad  42  by a fabric-linking strap  48 . FIG. 7 shows an elastic band-type securing harness  12  installed on a laptop computer  10  with detachable linked pads  40  coupled to the pad fasteners  13 . 
     In the embodiments described thus far, the pads  42  are detachable from the securing harness  12 . This configuration provides easier installation of the securing harness  12  and easy replacement of detachable pads  42  when worn. Also, the use of detachable pads that are easily bent into a right angle to conform to the corner of a laptop computer  10  affords greater adaptability of the computer padding system of the present invention to laptop computers of different sizes. For example, the elastic band-type securing harness  12  may accommodate only three detachable pads  42  to protect the entire perimeter of a small laptop computer  10 , but may require four detachable pads  42  to protect the entire perimeter of a larger laptop computer  10  fitted with the same securing harness  12 . In an alternative embodiment, the pads  42  are permanently secured to the securing harness  12 , thereby eliminating the need for pad fasteners  13  to detachably secure pads  42  to the securing harness  12 . In this embodiment, the preferred method of securing pads  42  to the securing harness  12  is stitching. 
     It will be understood from the foregoing description that various modifications and changes may be made in the preferred embodiment of the present invention without departing from its true spirit. It is intended that this description is for purposes of illustration only and should not be construed in a limiting sense. The scope of this invention should be limited only by the language of the following claims.