US20120228346A1

US20120228346A1 - Handheld accessory for tablet computers

Info

Publication number: US20120228346A1
Application number: US13/045,134
Authority: US
Inventors: Cheng-Sung Huang
Original assignee: YU KUEN Tech Ltd CO
Current assignee: YU KUEN Tech Ltd CO
Priority date: 2011-03-10
Filing date: 2011-03-10
Publication date: 2012-09-13

Abstract

A handheld accessory for tablet computers is disclosed, which comprises: a retaining component, configured with an accommodation space, that is formed inside the retaining component, and at least two claws, that are to be used for fixedly holding on to the periphery of a tablet computer; a rotary component, disposed inside the accommodation space of the retaining component while allowing the same to rotation clockwisely and counterclockwisely inside the accommodation space; and two movable brackets, mounted on the rotary component by the use of a plurality of fixing elements while allowing the two movable brackets to sway in a vertical direction and in a horizontal direction on the rotary component.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to handheld accessory for tablet computers, and more particularly, to a handheld accessory that is adapted to be fixed onto the backside of a tablet computer. Moreover, the handheld accessory is configured with movable brackets that are designed for facilitating a user to grasp between his/her fingers, and thereby, to be used as a handle for the tablet computer when the handheld accessory is attached thereto. Consequently, the handheld accessory can be very helpful to a user holding the table computer for a substantial period of time. Moreover, the movable brackets can be retracted into the frame of the handheld accessory for facilitating the storage of the tablet computer when the tablet computer is not in use.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Nowadays, the trend toward smaller, lighter and thinner designs over the years has presented particular challenges for electronic device to become portable devices that can be carried everywhere easily and used in all kinds of settings. Moreover, with the current advance in touch control technology, keyboards are no longer considered to be the essential components for most electronic devices so that the volumes of many such keyboardless electronic devices with touch control panels can be minimized to even half of those equivalent electronic devices using keyboards. For instance, the volume of a tablet computer is about half of that of a notebook computer. Consequently, the tablet computers is becoming more and more popular on the market, resulting that the market share of the notebook computers is decreasing.
The most popular tablet computers today are those tablet computers with 10-inch touch screen and weighted under 1000 g. However, those tablet computers still are too big to be grasped by hand, but most often being held and supported in the palms. Nevertheless, the holding and supporting a tablet computers on the palms for a substantial period of time can be very tiresome, despite that the tablet computer is significantly lighter than conventional notebook computers. Moreover, as the tablet computers are most often being used as video players or digital photo frames, it is not suitable for the tablet computers to be lay flat on the tabletop while being used for playing a video or photos. Therefore, it is in need of a handheld accessory for tablet computers that is capable of overcoming the aforesaid disadvantages.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In view of the disadvantages of prior art, the primary object of the present invention is to provide a handheld accessory that is adapted to be fixed onto the backside of a tablet computer. Moreover, the handheld accessory is configured with movable brackets that are designed for facilitating a user to grasp between his/her fingers, and thereby, to be used as a handle for the tablet computer when the handheld accessory is attached thereto. Consequently, the handheld accessory can be very helpful to a user holding the table computer for a substantial period of time. Moreover, the movable brackets can be retracted into the frame of the handheld accessory for facilitating the storage of the tablet computer when the tablet computer is not in use.
Another object of the invention is to provide a handheld accessory, capable of using its movable brackets as a support to a tablet computer when it is being placed on a desktop. Moreover, since the movable brackets of the handheld accessory are coupled to a rotary component, the tablet computer can be arranged vertically or horizontally while being tilted by an inclination angle, and thereby, facilitating the viewing convenience of a user to the display panel of the tablet computer, especially for a comparatively long period of time.
To achieve the above objects, the present invention provides a handheld accessory for tablet computers, which comprises:

- a retaining component, configured with an accommodation space, that is formed inside the retaining component, and at least two claws, that are to be used for fixedly holding on to the periphery of a tablet computer;
- a rotary component, disposed inside the accommodation space of the retaining component while allowing the same to rotation clockwisely and counterclockwisely inside the accommodation space; and
- two movable brackets, mounted on the rotary component by the use of a plurality of fixing elements while allowing the two movable brackets to sway in a vertical direction and in a horizontal direction on the rotary component

Preferably, the retaining component is configured with four claws.
Preferably, the retaining component further comprises: two concaves, provided for the two movable brackets to be received therein in respectively while being arranged horizontally.
Preferably, the retaining component further comprises: a groove, disposed at a position corresponding to a flange formed on the rotary component that is provided for the flange to inset therein, and thus enable the rotary component to rotate with respect to the retaining component when the rotary component is assembled to the retaining component.
Preferably, the rotary component further comprises: a fixing block, provided for the plural fixing elements to bore therethrough.
Preferably, each of the two movable brackets is configured with a handle, provided for a user to grasp between his/her fingers.
Preferably, each claw has a pad attached to the inner side thereof.
Further scope of applicability of the present application will become more apparent from the detailed description given hereinafter. However, it should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the invention, are given by way of illustration only, since various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description given herein below and the accompanying drawings which are given by way of illustration only, and thus are not limitative of the present invention and wherein:

FIG. 1 is an exploded view of a handheld accessory for tablet computers according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a three dimensional view of a handheld accessory for tablet computers according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing a handheld accessory mounted to a tablet computer that is being arranged in a first working status.

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing a handheld accessory mounted to a tablet computer that is being arranged in a second working status.

DESCRIPTION OF THE EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

For your esteemed members of reviewing committee to further understand and recognize the fulfilled functions and structural characteristics of the invention, several exemplary embodiments cooperating with detailed description are presented as the follows.
Please refer to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, which are an exploded view and a three dimensional view of a handheld accessory for tablet computers according to the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the handheld accessory for tablet computers comprises: a retaining component 1, two movable brackets 2 and a rotary component 3, in which the retaining component is further configured with an accommodation space 11, two concaves 12, four claws 13, a groove 14 and a cushion plate 15; each of the two movable brackets 2 is further configured with a handle 21 and a plurality of via holes 22; and the rotary component 3 is further configured with a plurality of fixing elements 31, a plurality of via holes 32, a fixing block 33 and a flange 34. The aforesaid components can be assembled by mounting the movable brackets 2 on the rotary component 3 for allowing the plural fixing elements 31 to bore through the via holes 32 of the rotary component 3 and the corresponding via holes 22 of the movable brackets 2. In addition, the rotary component is further configured with a fixing block 33 that is arranged for the plural fixing elements 31 to bore therethrough so as to fixedly secured the movable brackets 2 to the rotary component 3 while allowing the two movable brackets 2 to sway in a vertical direction and in a horizontal direction on the rotary component 3, as shown in FIG. 2. Moreover, by the two concaves 12 formed on the retaining component 1, the two movable brackets 2 can be lay flat and thus received respectively into the two concaves 12. As shown in FIG. 1, the groove 14 of the retaining component is formed at a position corresponding to the flange formed on the rotary component 3 for allowing the flange to inset therein, and thus, when the rotary component 3 is assembled to the retaining component 1, the rotary component 3 is received inside the accommodation space 11 while allowing the same rotate clockwisely and counterclockwisely inside the accommodation space 11. Furthermore, each of the two movable brackets 2 is configured with a handle 21 so as to be provided for a user to grasp between his/her fingers.
Please refer to FIG. 3 and FIG. 4, which are a schematic diagram showing a handheld accessory mounted to a tablet computer that is being arranged in a first working status, and a schematic diagram showing a handheld accessory mounted to a tablet computer that is being arranged in a second working status. As shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. 4, the handheld accessory of the present invention is adapted to be fixed onto the backside of a tablet computer 4. Consequently, as the handheld accessory is configured with movable brackets 2 that are designed for facilitating a user to grasp between his/her fingers, and thereby, to be used as a handle for the tablet computer 4 when the handheld accessory is attached thereto, the handheld accessory can be very helpful to a user holding the table computer for a substantial period of time when the handheld accessory is arranged at its second working status, as shown in FIG. 4. Moreover, when the handheld accessory is arranged at its first working status, the movable brackets 2 are retracted into the handheld accessory for facilitating the storage of the tablet computer 4 when the tablet computer is not in use. In addition, in a condition when the tablet computer is placed on a desktop, the movable brackets 2 that are arranged in its second working status can be used as a support for enabling the tablet computer 4 to stand on the desktop while being tilted by an inclination angle. It is noted that since the movable brackets 2 of the handheld accessory are coupled to the rotary component 3, the tablet computer 4 can be arranged vertically or horizontally while being tilted by an inclination angle, and thereby, facilitating the viewing convenience of a user to the display panel of the tablet computer, especially for a comparatively long period of time.
With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the invention, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by the present invention.
The invention being thus described, it will be obvious that the same may be varied in many ways. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention, and all such modifications as would be obvious to one skilled in the art are intended to be included within the scope of the following claims.

Claims

1. A handheld accessory for tablet computers, comprising:

a retaining component, configured with an accommodation space, that is formed inside the retaining component, and at least two claws, that are to be used for fixedly holding on to the periphery of a tablet computer;

a rotary component, disposed inside the accommodation space of the retaining component while allowing the same to rotation clockwisely and counterclockwisely inside the accommodation space; and

two movable brackets, mounted on the rotary component by the use of a plurality of fixing elements while allowing the two movable brackets to sway in a vertical direction and in a horizontal direction on the rotary component.

2. The handheld accessory for tablet computers of claim 1, wherein the retaining component is configured with four claws.

3. The handheld accessory for tablet computers of claim 1, wherein the retaining component further comprises:

two concaves, provided for the two movable brackets to be received therein in respectively while being arranged horizontally.

4. The handheld accessory for tablet computers of claim 1, wherein the retaining component further comprises:

a groove, disposed at a position corresponding to a flange formed on the rotary component that is provided for the flange to inset therein, and thus enable the rotary component to rotate with respect to the retaining component when the rotary component is assembled to the retaining component.

5. The handheld accessory for tablet computers of claim 1, wherein the rotary component further comprises:

a fixing block, provided for the plural fixing elements to bore therethrough.

6. The handheld accessory for tablet computers of claim 1, wherein each of the two movable brackets is configured with a handle, provided for a user to grasp between his/her fingers.

7. The handheld accessory for tablet computers of claim 1, wherein each claw has a pad attached to the inner side thereof.