Patent Publication Number: US-7584841-B2

Title: Holding device for holding and positioning a portable object

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates generally to holding devices, and relates more particularly to holding devices for holding and positioning portable electronic devices. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Electronic devices small enough to be used outside of a home or office environment are commonplace. Early versions of such electronic devices generally included only control surfaces, e.g., buttons and wheel controls. Modern versions of these, however, include graphical displays imparting information to the user and in many instances allowing for viewing of video or motion picture content. These devices are often so small and light that they can easily be carried in a pocket or purse, encouraging the use of cellular telephones, personal digital assistants (PDAs), digital music players, portable videogame systems, and similar electronic devices in almost any location. 
     Quick viewing of the graphical display of such portable devices is easily accomplished by holding the portable device in the hand and positioning for convenient viewing. However, holding the portable device in one&#39;s hand in this position for long periods of time is not convenient and is tiresome. Moreover, in the case where many people are viewing the graphical display, e.g., when viewing video or motion picture content, it can be difficult for one person to hold the portable device in hand and find a position where all of the viewers have a clear view of the graphical display. Moreover, holding the portable device in the hand interferes with the viewer&#39;s ability to undertake other tasks with the hands, e.g., note taking or typing. Accordingly, there exists a need for a holding device for holding a portable object, such as a portable electronic device, that allows for positioning of the portable object in a position that allows for hands-free operation and that is convenient for viewing the graphical display. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The invention will be better understood from a reading of the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying figures in the drawings in which: 
         FIG. 1  is an isometric view of a holding device in a closed position according to an embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a view of the holding device of  FIG. 1  in the closed position from the back. 
         FIG. 3  is a view of the holding device of  FIG. 1  in an open position from the top. 
         FIG. 4  is an isometric view of the holding device of  FIG. 1  in the open position, where the holding device is holding a portable object. 
         FIG. 5  is a view of the holding device of  FIG. 1  in the open position from the left side, where the device is holding the portable object. 
         FIG. 6  is a flowchart illustrating a method of manufacturing a holding device according to an embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 7  is a flowchart illustrating a method of using a holding device according to an embodiment of the invention. 
     
    
    
     For simplicity and clarity of illustration, the drawing figures illustrate the general manner of construction, and descriptions and details of well-known features and techniques may be omitted to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the invention. Additionally, elements in the drawing figures are not necessarily drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions of some of the elements in the figures may be exaggerated relative to other elements to help improve understanding of embodiments of the present invention. The same reference numerals in different figures denote the same elements. 
     The terms “first,” “second,” “third,” “fourth,” and the like in the description and in the claims, if any, are used for distinguishing between similar elements and not necessarily for describing a particular sequential or chronological order. It is to be understood that the terms so used are interchangeable under appropriate circumstances such that the embodiments of the invention described herein are, for example, capable of operation in sequences other than those illustrated or otherwise described herein. Furthermore, the terms “include,” “have,” and any variations thereof, are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements is not necessarily limited to those elements, but may include other elements not expressly listed or inherent to such process, method, article, or apparatus. 
     The terms “left,” “right,” “front,” “back,” “top,” “bottom,” “over,” “under,” and the like in the description and in the claims, if any, are used for descriptive purposes and not necessarily for describing permanent relative positions. It is to be understood that the terms so used are interchangeable under appropriate circumstances such that the embodiments of the invention described herein are, for example, capable of operation in other orientations than those illustrated or otherwise described herein. The term “coupled,” as used herein, is defined as directly or indirectly connected in an electrical, mechanical, or other manner. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     In one embodiment of the invention, a holding device for holding and positioning a portable object comprises: a case having six sides, each side having an exterior and an interior surface; a first side of the case coupled only to a second side of the case; an elongate flap coupled to the first side of the case; a slot through the elongate flap; a tongue coupled to the exterior surface of the second side of the case at a first end and free at the second end with a length from the first end to the second end; and a fastener. The tongue passes though and frictionally engages the slot in the elongate flap. When closed, the first side of the case is positioned to form, with the five other sides of the case, a rectangular prism adapted to enclose the portable object; the elongate flap covers a side of the case that does not intersect with the second side of the case; the portion of the tongue from the point it is coupled to the exterior surface of the second side of the case to the point where the tongue passes through the slot in the elongate flap lies flat on or otherwise conforms to the shape of the exterior surface of the case; the portion of the tongue from the point it passes through the slot in the elongate flap to the free end lies flat on or otherwise conform to the interior surface of the case; and the fastener maintains the first side of the case and the elongate flap in the closed position. When open, the portion of the tongue from the slot to the free end is increased relative to when the case is in a closed position; the first side of the case and the elongate flap is folded to form an angle of less than 180 degrees and greater than 0 degrees with the second side of the case; this angle is maintained by the frictional engagement of the tongue by the slot; and when rested on a surface, the first side of the case and the elongate flap and the second side of the case form a platform on which the portable object is in a position not parallel to the surface. 
       FIG. 1  is an isometric view of a holding device  100  in the closed position, and  FIG. 2  is a view of the holding device in the closed position from the back according to an embodiment of the invention. As illustrated in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the holding device  100  comprises a case with six sides, i.e., a top  110 , a bottom  120 , a front  130 , a back  140 , a left side  150 , and a right side  160  coupled to form a rectangular prism adapted to receive a portable object  1000  ( FIGS. 3 ,  4 , and  5 ). The left side  150  is coupled to the back  140  of the case. An elongate flap  170  is continuous with the left side  150  of the case. There is a slot  180  through the elongate flap  170 . In the illustrated embodiment, the slot  180  is substantially parallel to the left side  150 . A tongue  190  is coupled to the back  140  of the case at an attachment point  200 . The tongue  190  passes through the slot  180  in the elongate flap  170 . The tongue  190  and the slot  180  are such that the tongue  190  frictionally engages the  180  slot using a friction mechanism. That is, the tongue  190  does not freely move through the slot  180 , but rather, a force greater than the combined weight of the holding device  100  and the portable object  1000  ( FIGS. 3 ,  4 , and  5 ) is required to move the tongue  190  through the slot  180 . In an embodiment of the invention, the friction mechanism includes one or more pliable ridges  240  disposed on the surface of and perpendicular to the length of the tongue  190 , which provide the frictional engagement with the slot  180 . 
     Attached to a fastener portion  210  of the elongate flap  170  opposite the left side  150  of the case are the male halves  220  of two fasteners, i.e., snaps. The male halves  220  of the snaps engage the female halves  230  of the fasteners, which are disposed on the right side  160  of the case, thus securing the left side  150  of the case and the elongate flap  170  when in the closed position. The bottom  120  of the case has a port  250  to allow access to a connection point on the portable object  1000 . 
     The holding device  100  may be formed of any material capable of being molded or manufactured to enclose a portable object. Examples of materials useful in forming the holding device  100  include, but are not limited to polyurethane, rigid plastic, leather, canvas, nylon, metal, and combinations thereof. An embodiment of the holding device  100  of the invention is polyurethane. 
     The holding device  100  may be of any dimension useful to enclose a portable object  1000 . Obviously, then, the dimensions of the portable object  1000  will dictate the dimensions of the holding device  100 . Portable objects that can be used with the holding device  100  may be as small as the smallest cell phone or MP3 player and as large as or larger than a laptop computer. In an embodiment of the invention, the holding device is for an MP3 player, e.g., an iPod®. 
     The holding device  100 , may also have one or more ports  250  in one or more of the sides of the holding device  100 . Most portable objects will have numerous connection points, e.g., earphone jacks, charger jacks, data transfer jacks, universal serial bus (USB) ports, etc., control surfaces, e.g., scroll wheels, volume controls, on/off buttons, numeric pads, etc., and graphical displays. The holding device  100  may have ports  250  for any or all of these. The placement and size of the ports  250  will be dictated by the configuration of the portable object  1000 . 
     The holding device  100 , may employ any useful fastener. Fasteners useful in the holding device  100  include, but are not limited to, snaps, hook and loop fasteners, button and button holes, zippers, and magnetic closures. In an embodiment of the invention, the fastener is a snap ( 220 / 230 ). 
     In an embodiment of the invention, a first half of the fastener is disposed on a fastener portion  210  on an interior surface of the elongate flap  170  opposite the left side  150  of the case. The second half of the fastener is disposed on the exterior surface of the right side  160  of the case. Thus, when the holding device  100  is in the closed position, the first half of the fastener disposed on the fastener portion  210  of the elongate flap  170  may engage the second half of the fastener on the right side  160  of the case, securing the left side  150  of the case and the elongate flap  170  in the closed position. 
     Now turning to the embodiment of the holding device  100  in the open position,  FIG. 3  is a view of the holding device  100  in the open position from the front;  FIG. 4  is an isometric view of the holding device  100  in the open position; and  FIG. 5  is a view of the holding device  100  in the open position from the left side. In the open position, the male and female snaps  220 / 230  are disengaged and the elongate flap  170  and the left side  150  of the case are freed. The elongate flap  170  and the left side  150  of the case are opened and folded towards the back  140  of the case. The elongate flap  170  and the left side  150  of the case and the back  140  of the case are positioned to form an angle A that is less than 180 degrees and greater than 0 degrees. The tongue  190  is moved through the slot  180  in the elongate flap  170  until taut (see  FIG. 5 ). Thus, the frictional engagement between the tongue  190  and slot  180  maintains the desired angle A. 
     The friction mechanism of the present invention may be any interaction between the tongue  190  and the slot  180  that maintains the angle A against the force generated by the combined weight of the holding device  100  and the portable object  1000 . The friction mechanism may, for example, may be provided by the choice of the width or height of the tongue  190  and the width or height of the slot  180 , respectively. If these dimensions are almost the same, then the tongue  190  will directly frictionally engage the slot  180  without the need for any additional friction mechanism. Alternatively, a separate friction mechanism may be provided. For example, a pliable material may be disposed on one or both of the surfaces of the tongue  190 . The height of the slot  180  may then be selected such that the pliable material must be compressed if the tongue  190  is to pass through the slot  180 . Thus, without external force the tongue  190  is “stuck” in the desired position. 
     In an embodiment of the holding device  100 , the pliable material is in the form of one or more ridges  240  perpendicular to the length of the tongue  190 . Accordingly, the slot  180  may be trapped against one of the ridges  240 , thereby maintaining the angle A against the weight of the holding device  100  and the portable object  1000 . In addition, the pliable material may be continuous along the length of the tongue, thus providing for the choice of any angle A between 0 and 180 degrees. 
     The free end of the tongue  190  includes a stop  260  which has a height or width greater than the height or width, respectively, of the slot  180 . Thus, the free end of the tongue  190  is unable to pass through the slot  180  and ensuring that the tongue  190  remains disposed in the slot  180 . In an embodiment of the holding device  100 , the height of the stop  260  is greater than the height of the slot  180 . Preferably, the stop  260  is less pliable and more rigid than ridges  240 . 
     The structure formed by the elongate flap  170  and the left side  150  of the case and the back  140  of the case when the holding device  100  in the open position provides a stable platform on which the portable object  1000  may be rested on a surface for hands-free operation and/or viewing. The graphical display  1010  may be positioned for optimum viewing or the control surfaces  1020  may be positioned for operation with only one hand. Moreover, the holding device  100  allows for the adjustment of the position of the portable object  1000 , i.e., adjustment of angle A, if circumstances change, e.g., the light in the room changes and creates glare on the graphical display  1010 , the portable object  1000  is moved to another place requiring a different position for comfortable viewing, or the function of the portable object  1000  is changed, for example, from a video or motion picture viewer to PDA or a phone. 
     In this embodiment, when the holding device  100  is in the open position, one side of the case is open. The side continuous with the elongate flap  170  is pulled out of the closed position exposing an entire side of the portable object  1000  when it is disposed in the holding device  100  and also allowing for removal of the portable object  1000 . In addition, the portable object may be rotated within the holding device to provide the optimum position for the desired function. For example,  FIG. 4  shows a portable object  1000  that has been rotated 90 degrees counterclockwise to place the graphical display  1010  in the upright position for viewing. 
     Moreover, any side of the case may be continuous with the elongate flap  170 . Thus, the holding device  100  may be designed to hold the portable object  1000  in any desired position when open. For example, the figures illustrate a design in which the elongate flap  170  is continuous with the left side  150  of the case. When open and rested on a surface, this embodiment puts the right side  160  of the case facing downward with the front  130  of the case facing the user. In an alternative embodiment of the holding device  100 , the elongate flap  170  may be continuous with the top  110  of the case. In such an embodiment, the bottom  120  of the case would face downward, and the front  130  of the case and the portable object would face the viewer in an upright position when open and rested on a surface. 
       FIG. 6  is a flowchart illustrating a method  600  of manufacturing a holding device  100  according to an embodiment of the invention. A step  610  of the method  600  is to provide a case for a portable object with a first side of the case coupled to a second side of the case. As an example, the case can be similar to that shown in  FIGS. 1-5 . 
     A step  620  of the method  600  is to provide an elongate flap  170  coupled to the first side of the case. As an example, the elongate flap  170  can be similar to that shown in  FIGS. 1-5 . 
     A step  630  of the method  600  is to provide a slot  180  through the elongate flap  170 . As an example, the slot  180  can be similar to that shown in  FIGS. 1 ,  3 , and  5 . 
     A step  640  of the method  600  is to provide a tongue coupled to an exterior surface of the second side of the case at a first end, free at the second end, and passing through the slot  180 . As an example, the tongue  190  can be similar to that shown in  FIGS. 1-5 . 
       FIG. 7  is a flowchart illustrating a method  700  holding and positioning a portable object  1000  ( FIGS. 3-5 ) using an embodiment of the invention. A step  710  of the method  700  is to provide a holding device  100  for a portable object enclosing the portable object  1000  ( FIGS. 3-5 ), comprising a case having a first and second sides, the second side of the case having an exterior surface, and the first side of the case coupled to the second side of the case; an elongate flap  170  coupled to the first side of the case and having a slot  180 ; and a tongue  190  coupled to the exterior surface of the second side of the case at a first end, free at the second end with a length from the first end to the second end. As an example, the holding device  100  can be similar to that shown in  FIGS. 1-5 . 
     A step  720  of the method  700  is to fold the elongate flap  170  toward the second side of the case. As an example, the folded position of the elongate flap  170  can be similar to that shown in  FIGS. 3-5 . 
     A step  730  of the method  700  is to pull the tongue  190  through the slot  180  thereby increasing a portion of the tongue  190  from the free end of the tongue  190  to the slot  170 . As an example, the portion of the tongue  190  from the free end of the tongue  190  to the slot  180  can be similar to that shown in  FIG. 5 . 
     A step  740  of the method  700  is to pull the tongue  190  through the slot  180  thereby decreasing the portion of the tongue  190  from the free end of the tongue  190  to the slot. As an example, the portion of the tongue  190  from the free end of the tongue  190  to the slot  180  can be similar to that shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . 
     A step  750  of the method  700  is to unfold the elongate flap  170  away from the second side of the case. As an example, the unfolded position of the elongate flap  170  can be similar to that shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . 
     Although the invention has been described with reference to specific embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Various examples of such changes have been given in the foregoing description. Accordingly, the disclosure of embodiments of the invention is intended to be illustrative of the scope of the invention and is not intended to be limiting. It is intended that the scope of the invention shall be limited only to the extent required by the appended claims. For example, to one of ordinary skill in the art, it will be readily apparent that the holding device discussed herein may be implemented in a variety of embodiments, and that the foregoing discussion of certain of these embodiments does not necessarily represent a complete description of all possible embodiments. Rather, the detailed description of the drawings, and the drawings themselves, disclose at least one preferred embodiment of the invention, and may disclose alternative embodiments of the invention. As another example, the spacing between different ones of the ridges  240  can vary. 
     All elements claimed in any particular claim are essential to the invention claimed in that particular claim. Consequently, replacement of one or more claimed elements constitutes reconstruction and not repair. Additionally, benefits, other advantages, and solutions to problems have been described with regard to specific embodiments. The benefits, advantages, solutions to problems, and any element or elements that may cause any benefit, advantage, or solution to occur or become more pronounced, however, are not to be construed as critical, required, or essential features or elements of any or all of the claims. 
     Moreover, embodiments and limitations disclosed herein are not dedicated to the public under the doctrine of dedication if the embodiments and/or limitations: (1) are not expressly claimed in the claims; and (2) are or are potentially equivalents of express elements and/or limitations in the claims under the doctrine of equivalents.