Abstract:
A method and implementing system are provided for enabling the carrying of a portable computer or similar electronic device along with one or more accessory devices in a single package which uses an accessory device to form a handle by which the electronic device may be carried. In one example, an AC power adapter cord is embedded within a carrying strap and the computer is designed to use attachment devices for securing the carrying strap around the computer casing. The carrying strap is also used to form a handle for carrying the portable computer and the AC power adapter cord together as a single package. In another embodiment, the carrying strap is “U” shaped and comprised of a series of sections to fit snugly around the outside edge of a laptop computer. In another example, a computer security cable is used in a similar manner to form a handle for carrying the computer together with the security cable. In another example, the AC power adapter cord is modified to act as a security cable for the portable computer and is also designed to form a carrying handle for the computer when the computer is being carried.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     The present invention relates generally to portable electronic devices and more particularly to a methodology and implementation for facilitating the carrying of portable computers and related attachments.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     Laptop computers are used extensively today in both business and home situations. One of the most desirable attributes of the laptop computer is its light weight and portability. However, in view of the many attachments and accessories which are designed to enhance the functionality of laptops, most users typically must carry many of the accessories and attachments along with the laptop when the user brings the laptop to a meeting or a workplace. For example, at a minimum, a user must carry the laptop along with a power cord and an AC or power adapter. However, since the adapter and other attachments are bulky and awkward to carry, the user will bring along a separate computer carrying case which is itself an added accessory. Many times the computer case is used to carry papers and a user will carry the laptop under the user&#39;s arm, since most laptops have no handle, while holding the computer case with the user&#39;s hands, thereby risking accidentally dropping and damaging the laptop. Building retractable handles into a laptop is not a satisfactory solution in most cases since a retractable handle takes away from the limited available space inside the laptop which is needed for the electronics. Moreover, even when a handle is built-in, there is no additional padding and the power cord and power adapter are still a problem when trying to carry a laptop computer.  
         [0003]     A security cable lock is another separate accessory which may be useful to bring to a meeting. A laptop or notebook computer security cable is designed to attach at one end to a laptop anchor point or built-in security slot, typically a recess in the laptop casing, and at the other end to an immovable or large object such as the leg of large conference table . This arrangement is designed to secure the laptop computer if the user needs to leave the room without taking along his or her laptop. However, the security cable is another item which must be carried along with the laptop if it is to be used at the meeting.  
         [0004]     Thus, there is a need for an improved methodology and system for facilitating the carrying of a laptop computer or other portable electronic device.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0005]     A method and implementing system are provided for enabling the carrying of a portable computer or similar electronic device along with one or more accessory devices in a single package which uses an accessory device to form a handle by which the electronic device may be carried. In one example, an AC power adapter cord is embedded within a carrying strap and the computer is designed to use attachment devices for securing the carrying strap around the computer casing. The carrying strap is also used to form a handle for carrying the portable computer and the AC power adapter cord together as a single package. In another embodiment, the carrying strap is “U” shaped and comprised of a series of sections to fit snugly around the outside edge of a laptop computer. In another example, a computer security cable is used in a similar manner to form a handle for carrying the computer together with the security cable. In another example, the AC power adapter cord is modified to act as a security cable for the portable computer and is also designed to form a carrying handle for the computer when the computer is being carried. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0006]     A better understanding of the present invention can be obtained when the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment is considered in conjunction with the following drawings, in which:  
         [0007]      FIG. 1  is an illustration showing an exemplary arrangement of an AC adapter, an associated power adapter cord and a laptop computer;  
         [0008]      FIG. 2  is an illustration showing various exemplary attachment points for attaching the AC power cord and adapter around the edge of a laptop computer;  
         [0009]      FIG. 3  is a partial perspective view of one corner of a laptop showing details of one exemplary attachment methodology in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0010]      FIG. 4  is a partial perspective view of one corner of a laptop showing details of a second exemplary attachment methodology in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0011]      FIG. 5  is a partial perspective view of one corner of a laptop showing details of one implementation for embedding an AC power adapter within a padded belt or carrying strap which is selectively attached around the edges of a laptop in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0012]      FIG. 6  is a partial perspective view of one corner of a laptop showing details of a security anchor recess which is built into the laptop;  
         [0013]      FIG. 7  is a partial perspective view of one corner of a laptop showing details of an alternate implementation for placement of the AC power cord or security cable around the edges of a laptop computer;  
         [0014]      FIG. 8  is an illustration showing an exemplary arrangement for modification of the adapter cord to enable the adapter power cord to also be used as a security cable for the laptop;  
         [0015]      FIG. 9  is another embodiment of the present invention in which the carrying strap is made-up of sections of pre-formed “U”-shaped padded material which can be arranged to fit snugly around the outer edge of a laptop computer;  
         [0016]      FIG. 10  is a detailed illustration of the “U” shaped strap around the edge of a laptop computer;  
         [0017]      FIG. 11  is an illustration showing the U-shaped strap when it is extended for connection to a power outlet; and  
         [0018]      FIG. 12  is an illustration showing conductor wires within the padded material. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0019]     It is noted that devices which are shown in block form in the drawings are generally known to those skilled in the art, and are not specified to any greater extent than that considered necessary as illustrated, for the understanding and appreciation of the underlying concepts of the present invention and in order not to obfuscate or distract from the teachings of the present invention. Although the present invention is herein disclosed using a personal laptop computer in the example, it is understood that the invention applies as well to any portable electronic device which may be used with one or more accessory devices.  
         [0020]     In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a laptop computer uses a modified AC power adapter cord which is attachable around the edges of the laptop and forms a handle by which the laptop computer, together with the AC power adapter and cord, may be carried. It is noted that because of recent technology advancements, both the laptop computer and the adapter have been significantly reduced in size and weight. For example some laptops today are close to two pounds in weight and power adapters are approaching the size of a matchbox with a corresponding reduction in weight. Thus, in one exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the AC power adapter and cord are selectively and removably attachable to one or more attachment points along the edge of a laptop computer, and the cord itself is used to form a handle by which the laptop may be carried.  
         [0021]      FIG. 1  is an illustration showing an exemplary arrangement in which an adapter and adapter cord are embedded within a carrying strap which is wrapped around the outer edges of a laptop computer and arranged to form a carrying handle for the laptop. As shown, a laptop computer  101 , includes a top panel, a bottom panel, and four side panels or edges as is well known. Laptop computer  101  is illustrated in phantom lines in  FIG. 1  in order to highlight an exemplary wrapping pattern of the AC power adapter cord around the side panels or edges of the laptop  101 . Throughout this disclosure, even though the example shows the AC adapter cord or cable embedded in a carrying strap to wrap around the laptop, it is understood that the methodology also applies to other cable accessories including, but not limited to, a security cable accessory, a network connection cable accessory or a universal serial bus (USB) cable connector accessory. For example, a security cable, either in place of or in addition to the AC adapter cord, may be used to wrap around the edges of a laptop and form a carrying handle. In  FIG. 1 , a cable accessory which is illustrated as an AC adapter cord  103 , which may or may not be embedded within a carrying strap, is shown plugged into a power input terminal  105 . The cord  103  as shown also includes an attachment  107  which is anchored to a security recess  109  in the laptop  101  and used to provide stress relief for the cord connection  105  and also to secure the adapter cord to the laptop  101 . The adapter cord  103 , which in one example is embedded in a carrying strap as discussed below, is wrapped around and secured to the laptop  101  at various points around the edges of the laptop  101  as illustrated in connection with  FIG. 2 . An AC adapter  111  for the laptop  101  is shown as embedded within the carrying strap adapter cord for the laptop  101 .  
         [0022]     As noted above, in one example, the adapter cord is modified by being embedded within a support or carrying nylon strap which is secured around the edges of the laptop  101 . The carrying strap which includes the power cord, is also padded for added mechanical protection for the laptop. In one example, the first several feet of the power cord from its connection to the laptop is designed to include four nylon-padded “U”-shaped padded material sections which wrap around the edges of the laptop. In another example, the adapter cord is embedded in a continuous nylon belt or carrying strap arrangement designed to wrap around the laptop. Thus, in its modified form, the adapter cord strap performs the functions of support for the laptop as well as providing padding protection and an electrical connection for the computer. When the carrying strap is further reinforced with a security cable, the carrying strap performs the function of providing a security anchor as well.  
         [0023]     As illustrated in  FIG. 1 , the cord  103  wraps around one side or edge of the laptop immediately adjacent to the anchor recess  109 , and then continues along the bottom edge of the laptop  101 . The cord  103  is connected to an AC adapter  111  and the cord on the DC side of the adapter  111  is extended around the edge of the laptop to the top of the laptop where the cord is secured to the laptop before it is routed downwardly  103 A around the bottom of the laptop and up the other side  103 B to the top of the laptop  101  where it forms one portion of a handle-shaped extension  103 C. The cord  103  is then again secured to the laptop after forming the handle-shaped arrangement  103 C and is extended downwardly along the front side  103 D of the laptop. The cord then extends underneath the laptop and up the opposite side  103 E again to the top of the laptop where it forms a second handle-shaped segment  103 F which corresponds to the first handle  103 C. The cord  103  then is again secured to the laptop and extends downwardly where the electrical plug  117  for connection to an AC outlet is secured to the laptop by, for example, a Velcro™ patch, so that it will remain relatively immovable while the laptop is being carried. When the cord  103  is arranged as shown in  FIG. 1 , the laptop may be carried by using the handle sections  103 C and  103 F of the cord  103 , which, in one embodiment, may be embedded within a carrying belt or strap.  
         [0024]     The arrangement of the wrapping around the laptop  101  in  FIG. 1  is only one example of many possible wrapping arrangements and it is understood that the exact wrapping arrangement may be in many other patterns around the laptop in order to provide a handle and provide support for the laptop while it is being carried.  
         [0025]      FIG. 2  illustrates several attachment points along the outer edges of the laptop  101  to which attachment devices may be secured. In the example, the attachment devices are comprised of matching pieces or layers of a hook and loop material such as Velcro™ material. In the example, Velcro™ materials are cemented or otherwise permanently attached to the laptop at the attachment points where corresponding Velcro™ attaching pads, which are part of the adapter cord or carrying strap, will be placed in contact. Velcro™ material is preferred because it is light in weight, relatively inexpensive and readily available and also because its holding strength is sufficient for the purposes disclosed herein. It is understood, however, that other attachment devices or schemes may also be implemented in practicing the present invention. As shown in  FIG. 2 , attachment points  201 ,  203 ,  205 ,  207 ,  209 ,  211 ,  213 ,  215 ,  217  and  219  are generally positioned around the outer edges of the laptop  101  along the path of the adapter cord or carrying strap  103 . In the example, Velcro™ material is placed at the attachment points to hold and secure the cord or carrying strap to the laptop at the attachment points. It is understood that there may be more or fewer attachment points in any particular embodiment of the present invention and the number and location of the attachment points will vary depending upon, inter alia, the size and weight of the laptop, the carrying strap and the adapter, and whether or not a reinforcing security cable is included with the carrying strap.  
         [0026]     The plug end  219  of the cable may also be placed in a straight line and attached by Velcro™ material to the carrying strap or tucked within a pocket on the strap which runs from point  213  to point  207 . with this embodiment, there would be no need to have Velcro™ material placed on the laptop at all and the carrying strap would be arranged around the laptop computer and secured to itself after being wrapped around the computer.  
         [0027]     In  FIG. 3 , there is shown a corner of a laptop computer  301  which illustrates a carrying strap  303 . The carrying strap  303  has an adapter cord  309  embedded within the strap  303 . The carrying strap also includes a Velcro™ pad  305  which is arranged to come into contact with a matching Velcro™ attaching pad  307  positioned on the laptop  301 . In the embodiment of  FIG. 3 , the carrying strap  303  is attached to the laptop  301  by means of a plurality of matching Velcro™ pads placed at various points around the edge of the laptop  301 .  
         [0028]      FIG. 4  illustrates a corner of a laptop  401  including a carrying strap or belt  403  which has an adapter cord  409  embedded therein. Also shown is a first Velcro™ layer  405  permanently attached to the carrying belt  403  and a second Velcro™ layer  407  which is permanently attached to the laptop  401 . The attaching layers are designed to run along the entire edge or edges of the laptop  401 , rather than at separate points as shown in  FIG. 3 , in order to provide added holding strength where needed in certain applications.  
         [0029]     In  FIG. 5 , there is shown a corner section of a laptop computer  501  including a carrying strap  503  and Velcro™ layers  505  and  507 .  FIG. 5  illustrates how the AC adapter  509  is embedded within the carrying strap  503 , which is, in turn, attached to the laptop  501  when the carrying strap and the handle arrangements shown in  FIG. 1  are used to carry the laptop. In certain applications, the layer arrangement of the Velcro™ material may be used to attach to the carrying strap at points proximate to the adapter ( 205 ,  207 ) and also at points adjacent to the carrying handles ( 215 ,  217 ) while the individual pad arrangement of Velcro™ material may be used at other locations along the edges of the laptop where added attachment strength may not be required.  
         [0030]      FIG. 6  illustrates the portion of a laptop computer  601  which includes the electrical connection receptacle  607  which is arranged to receive the DC side of the adapter cord. Also shown is the security anchor recess  609  which is arranged to have a security anchor device (such as  107  in  FIG. 1 ) inserted therein. Velcro™ layers  611  and  613  attach the carrying strap  603 , which includes the adapter cord  605 , to the laptop  601 . It is here noted that, as a design option, a separate security cable could be substituted for or added to the adapter cord  605  within the carrying strap  603 .  
         [0031]      FIG. 7  shows an alternate arrangement in which a laptop computer  701  includes a security anchor recess  705  and an electrical receptacle  703 . Also shown are guide strips of material  709  and  711  which are cemented to or otherwise permanently attached to the sides  713  of the laptop  701  to define a carrying groove or slot  715  in which the adapter cord and/or security cable may be placed. The strips  709  and  711  may be made of any relatively rigid material, including but not limited to a high density foam material, padded nylon strips, or plastic or metal strips which would be rigid enough to hold the adapter cord and/or security cable in the carrying slot  715  when the adapter cord and/or security cable is arranged as shown in  FIG. 1  and used to carry the laptop  701 . It should be noted that for laptop implementations including the guide strips  709  of  FIG. 7  or the Velcro™ layers as shown in  FIGS. 5 and 6  where attachment devices are cemented to the laptop, the placement of the strips and layers on the laptop is determined so as not to interfere with other functional areas on the sides of the laptop such as the disk drive, PCI card devices and/or connector receptacles or sockets. Accordingly, it is preferred that spot patches of ™ materials can be used in certain areas along the edge of a laptop where drives and terminal receptacles are located while layers of limited but continuous extent can be used in other edge areas where there are no interfering devices in order to provide a stronger attachment to the laptop.  
         [0032]      FIG. 8  illustrates an adapter cord  803  including an end plug  817 , similar to that shown as  103  and  117  in  FIG. 1 , and further including a security attachment  819 . The security attachment  819  is a metal locking ring or loop which is permanently attached to the adapter cord  803 . The locking ring or loop  819  includes a hole which is sufficiently large as to allow the adapter cord and adapter to be passed therethrough after being tied around the leg of a conference table for example. The other end of the cord  803  is locked into the anchor or locking recess  109  of the laptop computer. In this manner, the adapter cord/carrying strap is used to form a handle to carry the laptop and is also used to provide a security locking device to secure the laptop when the user needs to leave the room without the laptop. Many other specific implementations are also possible in order to provide the function by which a laptop computer adapter cord may also be used as a carrying handle and also a security device to lock and secure the laptop computer to a relatively stationary object.  
         [0033]     In  FIG. 9 , there is shown a laptop computer  901 , the outer edges of which are enclosed by a padded material U-shaped sleeve  903  which is comprised of, for example, five sections  903 A,  903 B,  903 C,  903 D and  903 E. The five sections are joined together and may be positioned to overlap the edges of the laptop  901  as shown. The AC adapter cord (not shown) is designed into the sectionalized padding  903 . A pocket or compartment  905  is designed into the sleeve section  903 D, or another section as may be desired, and may be used to place the AC adapter and/or the AC power plug and/or a security cable end loop. Carrying straps  907  and  909  are also attached to the carrying sleeve  903  and may be used to carry the laptop. When the present invention is implemented as shown in  FIG. 9 , there is no need to use Velcro™ strips on the outer edges of the laptop computer since the pre-formed U-shaped sleeve will fit snugly around the outer edges of any laptop computer.  
         [0034]     In  FIG. 10 , the pre-formed U-shaped material  903 , including electrical conductors  921  and  923 , is shown schematically as it is placed to overlap the outer edges of a laptop computer  901 .  
         [0035]      FIG. 11  shows the sleeve sections  903 A- 903 E extended away from the laptop  901  and used for connecting to an AC power source. The sleeve includes a terminal at one end  920  for connection to the laptop  901 , and an AC power plug  930  at the other end for connection to an AC power source.  
         [0036]     As shown in  FIG. 12 , the electrical conductors  921  and  923  between the top sleeve cover sections  961  and  963  are longer in length than the sleeve section in which the conductors are placed so that when the sleeve sections are placed on the laptop, the sleeve sections will prevent the imposition of any stress on the electrical conductors.  
         [0037]     The method and apparatus of the present invention has been described in connection with a preferred embodiment as disclosed herein. The disclosed methodology may be implemented in a wide range of implementations using one or more of many available materials suitable for the purposes described to accomplish the desired results as herein illustrated. Although an embodiment of the present invention has been shown and described in detail herein, along with certain variants thereof, many other varied embodiments that incorporate the teachings of the invention may be easily constructed by those skilled in the art. Accordingly, the present invention is not intended to be limited to the specific form set forth herein, but on the contrary, it is intended to cover such alternatives, modifications, and equivalents, as can be reasonably included within the spirit and scope of the invention.