Personal Accessories Carrier And Storage Device For Laptop Computer

Abstract

Removably securable personal accessories carrier and storage device for securely holding articles, including mobile technology accessories, in a secure manner, for storage or transport, for removable attachment to a laptop computer. The personal accessories carrier includes a main compartment pouch. The carrier is shaped to fit onto the backside of a standard laptop screen. The carrier includes a closure mechanism for opening and closing the compartment pouch. The carrier is removably secured to the back of the laptop screen via a releasable securing mechanism such as via hook-and-loop type fasteners, commonly referred to as Velcro®.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED ART

This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/856,565 filed Nov. 3, 2006, the entire content of which is hereby incorporated by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates generally to accessories for computers, and more specifically to a personal accessories carrier, transport, and storage device for removable attachment to a laptop computer. Moreover, the invention pertains specifically to an apparatus for holding articles, including mobile technology accessories, in a secure manner, for storage or transport, by means of attaching the apparatus to a laptop.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In recent years, the laptop computer has become a vital component in the lives of many people. For example, in a student's life many lessons are started on the laptop in school and are completed at home. Therefore, the laptop must be carried by students to and from school on a daily basis. The student is not only required to carry the laptop to school but also gym equipment, books, and their lunch as well. For the daily bus or train commuter, the laptop is an accessory that saves valuable time by transforming there commute into time spent working. This equates to less time spent at the office. But during this commute, personal space is at a premium so the more compact the laptop the easier it is for the commuter to use the laptop in a bus or train seat. For the business traveler, the laptop connects the business person to their permanent office. The business traveler needs a lightweight laptop so that the traveler will expend less energy during their many treks to and from an airport or train station.

As if a laptop was not cumbersome in its own right, laptop accessories, such as power cords, mouses, and CD ROMs to name a few, are needed to allow the laptop function properly. And since the popularity of the laptop continues to grow, computer companies now market a wide range of hardware components that make the laptop more user friendly, e.g. back-up drives and CD Burners.

To transport the laptop and all its accessories, laptop bags are used to store the laptop with its accessories. These bags are usually a basic shoulder bag having a compartment for the laptop itself with other compartments for the laptop accessories.

The disadvantage of the above laptop bag is two-fold. First, the laptop bag is an additional bag that the user must carry, and second, the wire components that are stored in the bag are easily tangled making the set-up for the laptop difficult.

A need thus exists for a laptop component holder that: (1) lightens the load of a user, (2) allows for easy set-up of the laptop, (3) stores a collection of computer components and/or personal items onto the backside of a laptop computer thereby enabling a user to have the accessories within close range, (4) prevents items from getting misplaced, (5) renders items easily accessible and (6) allows a user to be organized without having to drag around a whole laptop bag.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

To overcome the short-comings of the prior art, the present invention offers a personal accessories carrier and storage device. Specifically, the present invention provides a personal accessories carrier and storage device for attachment to a laptop computer and which is more universally functional and versatile in operation than existing products.

The personal accessories carrier includes at least one pocket, at least one closure for the opening and closing of the pocket, and at least one fastener for removably attaching the pocket to a surface of the laptop computer.

The at least one closure may be a zipper, a hook-and-loop type fastener, a button, a snap, and/or a plastic zip-lock type closure, while the fastener may be a hook-and-loop type fastener, double-sided tape or a combination thereof. The fasteners are applied on a back surface of a laptop screen and on the back surface area of the carrier so that the mating of the fastener allows for the secure but removable attachment of the carrier to the laptop. The carrier is sized to cover an entire back surface of the laptop computer, but may only partially cover the back surface of the laptop.

Also located on a back surface area of the carrier is at least one wire access hole or slit. This access slit allows items such as the power cord to be threaded through the access slit so that the computer may be easily plugged into an outside power source.

The front surface area of the carrier may include an elastic strip and a plastic pocket. The elastic strip holds items, such as, pens, pencils and erasers, to name just a few, while the plastic pocket allows a user to insert and store business cards, ID cards into the plastic pocket.

The carrier may be used to store a collection of personal items thereby making the items readily available, e.g., laptop power cords, computer mouses, additional disk drives, CDs, diskettes, etc. The carrier also helps prevent these items from getting misplaced.

The carrier is not limited to attachment to laptop computers as the carrier may be attached to any flat surface where storage of computer components are needed, e.g., personal computers, entertainment systems, art supplies carrier, beauty supplies carrier, etc. The carrier may be fabricated from any durable material capable of holding and retaining accessories within a pocket.

In use, the personal accessories carrier and storage device removably attaches to a laptop computer. This is accomplished by first providing a user with a carrier having at least one pouch, at least one closure and at least one fastener. The carrier is then removably attached to a surface of the laptop computer via the at least one fastener. In order to store the computer components, the carrier is opened and computer components and/or personal items are placed in the carrier. The carrier is then closed thereby allowing the carrier: (1) to store a collection of computer components and/or personal items, (2) to prevent the items from getting misplaced and (3) to make computer components readily available.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the apparatus and methods of the present invention will become better understood with regard to the following description and accompanying drawings where:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a personal accessories carrier and storage device, in use, according to a first embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2a is a rear face view of a personal accessories carrier and storage device according to the first embodiment shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 2b is a front face view of a personal accessories carrier and storage device according to the first embodiment shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a top view of an opened personal accessories carrier and storage device according to the first embodiment shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a front face view of a personal accessories carrier and storage device according to a second embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a rear face view of a personal accessories carrier and storage device according to the second embodiment shown in FIG. 4;

FIG. 6a is a side view of a personal accessories carrier and storage device according to the second embodiment shown in FIG. 4;

FIG. 6b is a top view of a personal accessories carrier and storage device according to the second embodiment shown in FIG. 4;

FIG. 6c is a top view of a personal accessories carrier and storage device according to the second embodiment shown in FIG. 4;

FIG. 7 is a front face view of a divider panel for a personal accessories carrier and storage device according to the second embodiment shown in FIG. 4;

FIG. 8a is a rear view of a laptop computer according to the first embodiment shown in FIG. 1; and

FIG. 8b is a rear view of a laptop computer according to the second embodiment shown in FIG. 4.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present invention enhances the characteristics of laptop carriers by providing a personal accessories carrier and storage device for removable attachment to a laptop computer.

As shown in FIGS. 1-3, the carrier 10 includes a front surface area 12, a back surface area 13 and at least one main compartment, pouch or pocket 14. The carrier 10 is closed on three sides 15-17, with a zipper closure 20 on a fourth side 18 that opens to the compartment, pouch or pocket 14. The zipper closure 20 faces up when the laptop 11 is an open position.

The carrier 10 is shaped to fit onto the backside 22 of a standard laptop computer screen 21. That is, the back surface area 13 is advantageously attached to the laptop computer 11 via hook-and-loop type fasteners 23, 80 wherein at least one of the hook-and-loop type fastener 80 is applied on the back surface 22 of the laptop screen 21 (shown in FIG. 8a). The mating hook-and-loop type fastener 23 is applied on the back surface area 13 of the device 10 so that the mating of the hook-and-loop fastener 23, 80 allows for the secure but removable attachment of the device 10 to the laptop 11.

Importantly, when device 10 is attached to the back surface 22 of the screen of a laptop computer 11, the device 10 will not intrude in any way upon the use of the laptop computer 11. Although the device 10 is advantageously sized to cover the entire back surface 22 of the screen of the laptop computer 11, the device 10 is not limited in this respect and may only partially cover the back surface of the laptop screen.

The pocket 14 may store a collection of computer components and/or personal items onto the backside 22 of a laptop computer 11, thereby preventing items, such as a laptop power cord, from getting misplaced, and rendering such items easily accessible. As an example, the pocket 14 can also be utilized to hold a computer mouse, additional disk drives, CDs, diskettes, MP3 players, mobile devices, etc. The invention is not limited to a single compartment or pouch as other embodiments, described below, may include a plurality of pockets, which may be of the same or different sizes than the above embodiment.

FIGS. 4-6c show a second embodiment of the present invention. The second embodiment, like the first embodiment, offers a personal accessories carrier and storage device 40 that provides a personal accessories carrier and storage device for removable attachment to a laptop computer 11 and which is simple in construction, more universally functional and versatile in operation than existing products. The second embodiment offers three pockets 49, 55, 56 and two closures 42, 54 for opening and closing a front pocket 49, a deep pocket 55 and a shallow pocket 56.

The personal accessories carrier 40 of the second embodiment has an outer area having a front surface 41, a rear surface 51 and four sides 70-73.

The front surface 41 as shown in FIG. 4 has a zipper closure 42, a plastic pocket 46 and an elastic band 45. The zipper closure 42 opens a front pocket 49. The front pocket 49 is the approximate size of the area below the zipper closure 42. The front pocket 49 is ideal for the storage of thin items such as CD ROMs, instruction manuals and/or other reading materials.

The elastic band 45 is sewn to the front surface 41 at various intervals along the band 45. The band 45 may provide a little more shape to the overall carrier 40. The band 45 is made from a flexible and elastic material capable of storing items on the outside of the carrier 40, e.g., the band 45 may hold papers external to the bag. The individual sections 74a-g of the band 45 may also have dimensions ranging from a few centimeters to a few inches. The smaller sections 74b-74d may store items such as pens and pencils 47, whereas the larger sections 74a and 74e-g may store larger items such as pencil erasers 48.

The plastic pocket 46 is a clear, storage device that can be either internal or external to the carrier 40. In this embodiment, the pocket is located on the front surface 41 of the carrier and can hold a security pass, an ID card, business cards, or any other card that needs to be readily available. The pocket 46 may be sewn to the front surface 41 on three sides with the fourth side being left open so that a business card, name plate or some other type of identification can be stored in the pocket 46.

The back of the carrier 51 may have one or more fasteners 52 on the back thereof. In this embodiment, the carrier 40 has two fastener strips 52 attached and sewn into the material of the carrier. These fasteners strips 52 are used to removably adhere the carrier 40 to the computer. In this embodiment, the laptop 11 has round fasteners 80 attached to back surface of a laptop computer 11 (see FIG. 8b) but any shaped fasteners may be used. These fasteners are attached to the laptop via an adhesive backing. Mating of the fastener strips 52 and round fasteners 80 allows for the secure but removable attachment of the carrier 40 to the laptop 11.

The back of the carrier 51 also has access slits 53. These slits 53 are used so that wires stored in the deep pocket 55 of the carrier 40 may extend through the back section of the carrier 40. An example would be a power cord. The power cord may be stored in the deep pocket 55 of the carrier 40 but may have both ends extending from the inside of the deep pocket 55 to the outside of the carrier 40 via the access slits 53. This way the computer terminal end of the power cord may be plugged in the computer at all times and the electrical outlet side of the plug is easily accessible so that a user merely tugs on the cord and plugs the cord into an outside power source. Searching for the power cord within the compartment is no longer necessary.

The carrier 40 has four sides 70-73, namely the upper side 73, the lower side 71, the left side 72 and the right side 70. The lower side 71 is on the bottom section of the carrier 40 and is sewn shut but may have an embroidered trademark tag 50 sewn into the seam. The right and left sides 70,72 are also sewn shut but not fully sewn as these sides transition from being sewn into a zipper closure 54 that spans from the right side 70 fully across the upper section 73 and terminates at the left side 72, shown in FIGS. 6a-c. This configuration allows the mouth of the closure 54 to open more widely than the closure 20 of the first embodiment.

FIG. 6a illustrates the closure 54 in a closed position and FIG. 6c illustrates the closure 54 in a fully opened position. In the opened position, the opening will have two pockets 55, 56 being split by divider 60. The first pocket 55 is deep and can easily store things such as power cords and back-up drives. The second pocket 56 is shallow and can store smaller items (e.g., an MP3 player and mobile devices) that if stored in the deep pocket 55 would become lost.

As mentioned above, the deep pocket and the front and shallow pockets are split by a divider 60 shown in FIG. 7. The front top portion of the divider 60 provides the shallow pocket 56 with a rear facing wall, the front bottom portion of the divider 60 provides the front pocket 49 with a rear facing wall and the rear portion of the divider provides a front wall for the deep pocket 55.

On the rear facing wall of the shallow pocket a heavy-gauge, plastic sleeve 57 with notches 57a, 57b may be sewn into the divider 60. This sleeve 57 may be used to wrap a headphone cord around the notches 57a-b so headphones may be stored in this compartment without getting tangled. The sleeve 57 may also have an opening incorporated into the sleeve 57 that allows the storage of ID cards, business cards, credit cards, etc.

The divider 60 may also have a number of access slits 58, 59. These slits 58, 59 allow for wire access from the front pocket 49 and shallow pocket 56 into the deep pocket 55 and vice versa. The divider 60 may also have an elastic band, as explained above in reference to the front surface 41, incorporated into the divider 60 so that items may be secured to the divider 60 within the front pocket 49.

In use, the personal accessories carrier and storage device 10, 40 removably attaches to a laptop computer 11. For example, a user is first provided with a carrier 10 having at least one pouch, at least one closure and at least one fastener. The carrier 10 is then removably attached to a surface of the laptop computer 11 via the at least one fastener 23, 80. When the carrier 10 is opened, the user may place computer components and/or personal items in the carrier 10. The carrier 10 is then closed thereby allowing the device to store a collection of computer components and/or personal items, to prevent the items from getting misplaced and to make the items readily available.

The carrier 10, 40 is not limited to attachment of laptop computers but may be attached to any flat surface where storage of wires is needed, e.g., a personal computer, an entertainment system, art supplies carrier, beauty supplies carrier, etc. Further, the carrier 10, 40 may be fabricated from any durable material capable of holding and retaining accessories within the pocket, such as, nylon, leather, etc.

While there has been shown and described what is considered to be preferred embodiments of the invention, it will, of course, be understood that various modifications and changes in form or detail could readily be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. It is intended that the invention be not limited to the exact forms described and illustrated, but should be constructed to cover all modifications that may fall within the scope of the appended claims. For example, it will also be understood that device is not limited in any way: (1) to attachment to a laptop computer and can be used to attach the carrier to any flat surface where storage is needed, (2) with respect to the composition of device, the device may be fabricated from any durable material capable of hold and retaining accessories within the carrier, (3) to the number, size or width of hook-and-loop type fastener strips applied on the back of the laptop screen and the back surface area of the device as long as the hook-and-loop type fasteners provide a secure attachment of the device to the laptop, (4) to the use of hook-and-loop type fasteners as other securing means are contemplated and (5) to a zipper closure, as other known closure mechanisms are contemplated, such as, but not limited to, hook-and-loop type fasteners (commonly known as Velcro®, from Velcro USA Inc, Manchester, N.H.), buttons, snaps, plastic zip-lock type closures and the like.

It is further intended that any other embodiments of the present invention that result from any changes in application or method of use or operation, method of manufacture, shape, size, or material which are not specified within the detailed written description or illustrations contained herein are considered apparent or obvious to one skilled in the art and are within the scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A personal accessories carrier and storage device for removable attachment to a laptop computer comprising:

at least one pocket;

at least one closure for the opening and closing of the at least one pocket; and

at least one fastener for removably attaching the carrier to a surface of the laptop computer, the at least one fastener being located on a back surface area of the carrier.

2. The personal accessories carrier and storage device of claim 1, wherein the carrier is shaped to fit onto a back surface of a standard laptop computer screen.

3. The personal accessories carrier and storage device of claim 1, further comprising:

an elastic strip for holding items, the elastic strip being located on a front surface area of the carrier.

4. The personal accessories carrier and storage device of claim 1, further comprising:

at least one access slit located on the back surface area of the carrier.

5. The personal accessories carrier and storage device of claim 1, wherein the device includes a plurality of pockets.

6. The personal accessories carrier and storage device of claim 5, wherein the plurality of pockets are the same or different sizes.

7. The personal accessories carrier and storage device of claim 1, further comprising:

a divider for dividing the carrier into a plurality of pockets.

8. The personal accessories carrier and storage device of claim 1, wherein the at least one closure is a zipper, a hook-and-loop type fastener, a button, a snap, and/or a plastic zip-lock type closure.

9. The personal accessories carrier and storage device of claim 1, wherein the at least one fastener is a hook-and-loop type fastener, double-sided tape or a combination thereof.

10. The personal accessories carrier and storage device of claim 1, wherein the at least one fastener is applied on a back surface of a laptop screen and on the back surface area of the carrier so that the mating of the fastener allows for the secure but removable attachment of the carrier to the laptop.

11. The personal accessories carrier and storage device of claim 2, wherein the carrier is sized to cover the entire back surface of the standard laptop computer screen.

12. The personal accessories carrier and storage device of claim 2, wherein the carrier is sized to partially cover the back surface of the standard laptop computer screen.

13. The personal accessories carrier and storage device of claim 1, wherein the carrier stores a collection of personal items thereby preventing items from getting misplaced and making the items readily available.

14. The personal accessories carrier and storage device of claim 1, wherein the carrier stores laptop power cords, computer mouses, additional disk drives, CDs, diskettes, etc.

15. The personal accessories carrier and storage device of claim 1, wherein the carrier is used to attach to any flat surface where storage is needed.

16. The personal accessories carrier and storage device of claim 1, wherein the carrier is fabricated from any durable material capable of holding and retaining accessories within the pocket.

17. The personal accessories carrier and storage device of claim 1, further comprising:

a plastic pocket for storage of ID cards, business cards, security passes and combinations thereof.

18. A method for using a personal accessories carrier and storage device for removable attachment to a laptop computer comprising the steps of:

providing a carrier having at least one pouch, at least one closure and at least one fastener;

removably attaching the personal accessories carrier and storage device to a surface of the laptop computer via the at least one fastener;

opening the at least one closure on the carrier;

placing personal items in the carrier; and

closing the at least one closure on the carrier thereby allowing the carrier to store a collection of personal items, to prevent the items from getting misplaced and to make the items readily available.

19. The personal accessories carrier and storage device of claim 18, wherein the carrier stores laptop power cords, a computer mouse, additional disk drives, CDs, diskettes, etc.

20. The personal accessories carrier and storage device of claim 18, wherein the carrier is used to attach to any flat surface where storage is needed.