ELECTRONIC DEVICE & ACCESSORY SUPPORT

Abstract

An electronic device & accessory support is a sash shaped structure which enables a user to “put on” and “wear” an electronic device & its connectivity accessories as easily as wearing a shoulder bag. The electronic device & accessory support securely holds a small electronic device and connected wire sets which extend through and exit the support from the upper end of the loop near the shoulder. The overall “sash” configuration stabilizes the support and the shoulder exit for ear bud speakers.

Description

Continuation of Provisional Patent No. 61/389,387 filed Oct. 4, 2010.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to improvements in the field of support structures for both supporting and organizing electronic devices and their accessories, and which will enhance the user's utility in the electronic devices and accessories by providing support for conductors and for other objects commonly supported with such electronic devices.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The provision of support and organization of electronic devices and their accessories has included a balance between miniaturization of the devices to permit a smaller storage footprint, and providing a rigid body support structure which permits ease of deployment and use. For example, most music listening devices are small and rectangular and provide ear buds for insertion into the ear canal, and with a cord set which may be about three to four feet long. However, the cord set can easily snag on clothing or backpack structures, especially when walking, biking, traveling or handling other objects such as students handling books. Where structures are present which can dislodge the ear bud and pull against the ear bud's connecting cord, the ear buds and cord set can become easily damaged as they are typically slender and light. It is not unusual for a user of electronic devices to have to replace the ear bud cord sets in their entirety due to damage from inadvertent pulling and catching on other structures.

Another issue is the random support which electronic devices and their accessories have while deployed. Carriage in a clothing pocket or belt carrier prevents ease of manipulative operation. The electronics housing typically has to be removed from a clothing pocket so that it can be seen, and then manipulated (to adjust volume or change channel or track) and then replaced in its clothing pocket. In the case of a belt support, the electronic device is similarly awkward to both view and manipulate and usually must be removed from the belt, either with or without its support, and then manipulated and replaced. Both of these methods of carriage will require two handed engagement for viewing and operation in order to safely reposition the electronic housing in the hand for manipulation.

Another issue is a combination of privacy and quick access. Persons who walk around with an electronic device in an exposed fashion, such as either carried in the hand or exposed on the belt are potentially attracting thieves and robbers. The electronic device needs to be in easy reach for direct grasp and physical manipulation, and yet have its presence minimized. Ear bud wires dangling vertically down the front of a wearer make the person carrying electronics easy to spot. Further, access to the electronics at a level away from the user's normal hand position will either cause the user to “signal” to others that they are carrying electronic equipment, or in other situations draw the user's attention away from their surroundings by requiring attention to dig out their electronics for manipulation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An electronic device & accessory support is a sash shaped structure which enables a user to “put on” and “wear” an electronic device & its connectivity accessories as easily as wearing a shoulder bag. The electronic device & accessory support securely holds a small electronic device and connected wire sets which extend through and exit the support from the upper end of the loop near the shoulder. The overall “sash” configuration stabilizes the support and the shoulder exit for ear bud speakers, while providing an angular joinder of the ends of a loop to stabilize the support on a person. Instead of hunting for a random place to support the device, such as a pocket or belt support, followed by stringing the wire sets randomly across the user's front upper body, a user of the electronic device & accessory support simply puts on the sash shape, attaches the ear buds which extend from the upper portion of the sash shape a short distance from the user's ears, and then grasps the end of the support with one hand to view the electronics housing through a touch sensitive display pocket and turns the device on. For any activity below the level of active sports, the support stably secures the electronics housing and facilitates one handed viewing and manipulation of the supported electronic device.

An electronic device & accessory support is provided which has a wide range of advantages. First, it can be formed by joining the ends of a flattened length of material, having some tubular character, in a parallel plane to form a sash shape. Second, since it may rely upon a necktie shaped material, it is possible for use to form the overall sash shape of the support from neckties thus making the supply of raw material for construction virtually endless. One of the unexpected results from using a tie shaped material is that the resulting sash shape has a major width near its broad end which easily accommodates most electronic devices and a minor width near the tapering attachment end which does not provide significant obstruction when the major end is manipulated to be viewed by the user or to be manipulated and viewed by the user, especially with one hand.

The electronic device & accessory support may hold an MP3 or other media player, telephone or computing device as a manipulation assisting support and carrying case. The display pocket in which the electronic device is secured allows it to be accessed and operated without removal from the support. The support may preferably provide a touch sensitive material to form a touch sensitive electronic device display pocket. The display pocket may have a closure which can be Velcro, magnetic, button, zipper or more, and which will be effective in securing the electronic device within the display pocket.

An electronic device & accessory support may include a sash shape which can be most preferably worn over the shoulder and across the user's neck. A storage pouch and cord set guide may be included adjacent the major width end of the elongate planar length of material and may be arranged to help contain any un-needed lengths of cord. An expanse of touch sensitive material may be provided over the storage pouch and cord set guide in a pocket shape with a closured opening for entry and removal of the electronic device to be supported. It may be preferable for the storage pouch and cord set guide to have a storage pouch closured opening along a side of the storage pouch and cord set guide that may or may not be coextensive with the opening of the pocket shaped expanse of touch sensitive material.

The miscellaneous storage pouch and cord set guide may preferably be a zippered pouch having the zippered opening along its longer length, arranged to open in a generally upward direction when the support is worn, and may have reinforced button slot openings at the top and bottom for facilitating routing the cord sets in a first or opposite second direction with respect to the flattened length of material. Once a cord set is routed through the zippered miscellaneous storage pouch, it can be routed into the upper portion of the sash shaped structure and out of a button reinforcement which should be located close to the user's upper body to make ear bud access to the user's ears much more organized and to make the free conductor paths much shorter and less prone to interference. Excess lengths of cord can be stored between the main structure and the storage pouch.

The inventive process for constructing the electronic device & accessory support may include the step of attaching a first end of an elongate length of material to its second end, preferably by an overlapping sewn attachment, and preferably at an approach angle. It is also preferable to attaching at least one of a privacy pocket material or a touch sensitive display pocket material over the second end of the elongate length of material so that the overlap will be hidden. As will be shown, the front, normally exposed side when worn can have decorative structure or an external pocket or a decorative button, or left with the normally decorative material exposed. Where the base material structure forming the bulk of the support can be selected from a very large and inexpensive supply of old neckties as a starting material, the cost of the overall electronic device and accessory support will be low.

Further, kits for creating a electronic device and accessory support can be provided including possibly sewing materials, storage pouch and cord set routing guide, touch sensitive display pocket material or possibly a storage pouch and cord set routing guide with touch sensitive display pocket material already attached. The process of producing the electronic device & accessory support from a conventional necktie involves a possible opening and reinforcement of a seam to form a cord opening, then the step of joinder of the narrower end of the necktie structure to the broader end possibly at the same time that one or both of a touch sensitive display pocket material and a storage pouch and cord set routing guide is attached onto the necktie support.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention, its configuration, construction, and operation will be best further described in the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a reverse side of a necktie illustrating a midline seam, end openings, and added reinforcement stitching along the midline seam;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of a front side of a necktie illustrating a midline seam and end openings;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of an expanse of pocket material and is shown as having a shape roughly matching the angled shape of the broader end of the necktie of FIGS. 1 and 2, and may be made of material which is touch sensitive and see-through or display material;

FIG. 4 is a plan view of one embodiment of a storage pouch and cord set routing guide and may be used opposite the expanse of see-through pocket material of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along line 5-5 of FIG. 4 and illustrates further configurational details of the storage pouch and cord set routing guide;

FIG. 6 is an exploded view of an electronic device and accessory support showing the layered construction and overlap of the narrower end of the necktie 21 structure within a portion of the broader end;

FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken along line 7-7 of FIG. 6 and illustrates one view of entry of the narrower end of the necktie structure into the broader end of the necktie structure seen in FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a rear perspective view of the assembled electronic device and accessory support as seen in FIGS. 1-7;

FIG. 9 is a rear perspective view of a simplified embodiment of the assembled electronic device and accessory support having simply a drop in pouch for holding the electronic device;

FIG. 10 is a front perspective view of the assembled electronic device and accessory support as previously seen in FIG. 9 and further illustrating a larger pocket and flap attached to an external surface; and

FIG. 11 is a front perspective view of a user wearing the assembled electronic device and accessory support as previously seen in any of the foregoing figures and illustrating the ease of manual access and somewhat concealed nature of both the privacy pocket and touch sensitive display pocket.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to FIG. 1, a plan view of a reverse side of a flexible support seen generally has having a necktie shape and referred to as a necktie 21. Necktie 21 may have a tapering tube shape joined along seam 23. Neckties 21 need not have a broader and a narrower end, but the necktie 21 illustrated has a broader end 25 having a broader end opening 27. Similarly, necktie 21 has a narrower end 29 having a narrower end opening 31. So long as any blocking stitching from attachment of tags or decorative stitching is not present, an object can pass through from the broader end opening 27 to the narrower end opening 29, as the necktie 21 is structurally a tube. Reinforcement stitching 33 is shown along the length of tie 21 to hold the seam 23 together especially where steps for the construction of the invention facilitate entry into a tube space within the necktie 21.

Referring to FIG. 2, a plan view of a front side of a necktie 21 of FIG. 1 shows it to have an opening 35 which may be a reinforced button hole opening typically formed with thickened stitching on either side of a center cut slot. Formation of the opening may require an opening or separation of the seam 23 most closely adjacent the opening 35 in order to properly perform the side stitching needed to form the opening 35 and may have reinforcement stitching 33 on one or both sides of any section of seam 23 which needed to be opened.

Referring to FIG. 3, an expanse of pocket material 41 is shown as having a shape roughly matching the angled shape of the broader end 25 of the necktie 21 so that it can be sewn to the broader end 25 of the necktie 21 and preferably onto the reverse side of necktie 21. Expanse of pocket material 41 is also and perhaps partially attached, as by sewing or welding, closely adjacent one or more edges 43. Expanse of pocket material 41 to lie over the seam 23 if such a seam exists. The expanse of pocket material 41 may have a reinforcement band 45 which may be either a sewn addition of material or a folding of the material from which the expanse of pocket material 41 is constructed. The reinforcement band 45 is used to combat wear across the entrance of a display pocket which will be formed upon a stitching of all edges of expanse of pocket material 41 except for at least part of an outer edge along reinforcement band 45. Also seen in FIG. 3 is a looped pull tab 47 which can be grasped to help manipulate reinforcement band 45. Also seen is an area of hook and loop fastener material 49 which may be utilized as a closure member. Other closures can be used including buttons, snaps, magnetic fasteners, button loops, zippers and hooks, naming but a few.

Referring to FIG. 4, a plan view of one embodiment of a storage pouch and cord set routing guide 53 is seen. The overall shape of the routing guide 53 generally matches and may be smaller than the shape of the broader end 25 of the necktie 21 seen in FIGS. 1 and 2. The routing guide 53 need not be made from see-through or touch sensitive material, but can be. In the embodiment shown, the routing guide 53 is made from two layers of material sewn together (or folded) at their edges, or otherwise joined using a length of zipper material 57 having a zipper 59, to form a closed utility or privacy pocket into which any object may be carried including or in addition to a primary electronic housing. Routing guide 53 has edges 55 that may preferably match the edges of the necktie 21 structure when the routing guide 53 is aligned with the broader end 25 of the necktie 21 structure. Routing guide 53 has an angled end 60 which generally matches or follows the angled end 51 of the expanse of pocket material 41, and will preferably, though not necessarily, match the shape of the broader end 25 of the necktie 21 structure.

In the embodiment shown, the expanse of pocket material 41 will be mounted directly over a portion of the routing guide 53 generally allowing the matching or following of the angled end 51 and 60, although other configurations are possible. Thus, the expanse of pocket material 41 and an exterior part of routing guide 53 will form an inside of display pocket with any electronic device within the formed display pocket being amenable to viewing and touch manipulation. Zipper 59 will operate the length of zipper material 57 to permit introduction of other objects into a privacy pocket even when electronic housings are supported by the display pocket formed by expanse of pocket material 41.

Also seen in FIG. 4, surrounded by button hole stitching 61, is a first routing opening 63 and a second routing opening 65. These may preferably be slits into the material which are reinforced along with edges with stitching like a button hole and may be similar in construction to opening 35 seen in FIG. 2. Also seen is an area of hook and loop fastener material 67 which is most preferably complementary to area of hook and loop fastener material 49 to enable the partial closure of a formed touch sensitive display pocket when periphery of a greater portion of the expanse of pocket material 41 is attached to the periphery of the storage pouch and cord set routing guide 53.

Referring to FIG. 5, a sectional view taken along line 5-5 of FIG. 4 illustrates further configurational details of the storage pouch and cord set routing guide 53 and especially the existence of the possibility of through opening sets. As can be seen, the area of hook and loop fastener material 67 is supported by a first layer 69 of the storage pouch and cord set routing guide 53 and that the first and second routing openings 63 and 65 extend through that first layer 69. A second layer 71 of the storage pouch and cord set routing guide 53 can be seen as having third and fourth routing openings 73 and 75 extend through second layer 71. First, second, third and fourth routing openings 63, 65, 73 & 75 may all preferably include button hole type reinforcing stitching 61. The space inside the storage pouch and cord set routing guide 53 is shown as a privacy pocket 77. Also seen is some edge stitching 79 which may, with or without any folding, form a part of the boundary closure for the storage pouch and cord set routing guide 53.

Referring to FIG. 6, an exploded view of an electronic device and accessory support 101. The narrower end 29 of the necktie 21 is attached adjacent a portion of the broader end 25 of the necktie 21 and secured into the side of the broader end 25 by one or more securing stitches 103 which preferably extend through both of portions of the broader end 25 and narrower end 29 to securely bind them together. Further, securing stitches 103 may preferably extend along the edge so as to not obstruct the front side of the necktie 21 structure so that there is minimum disruption of either the cloth pattern at the front side of the electronic device and accessory support 101. The necktie 21 which is a support for the electronic device and accessory support 101 may be made from conventional neckties as well as specially constructed necktie 21 structures which may have added structural integrity. When the necktie 21 support is formed by modifying a conventional necktie, it may be remembered that many have a three layer structure, including a decorative outer layer, a strong core layer and a rear layer which may be a separate covering layer or simply an extension of the decorative outer layer.

In attaching narrower end 29 to a position away from the front, decorative side of the broader end 25, the narrower end 29 can be attached overlapping the rear side of the necktie structure of FIG. 1, or the decorative outer layer of necktie 21 can optionally be slit open and the narrower end 29 inserted into the decorative outer layer and between the decorative outer layer and a strengthened layer, either forward or rearward of the reinforcing layer (not shown in the Figures). The engagement of the securing stitches 103 with the much stronger, inner layer will enable the resulting electronic device and accessory support 101 has much more stability and strength.

An illustration of the position of attachment of the narrower end 29 onto the broader end 25 of the necktie 21 and is shown with the storage pouch and cord set routing guide 53 overlying both for both aesthetic covering and to enable a sandwich stitching attachment is seen in FIG. 7 which is a sectional view taken along line 7-7 of FIG. 6. The angle of approach of the narrower end 29 into the broader end 25 may preferably be parallel to one of the angled ends of the broader end 25 of the necktie 21 structures so that one of the edges of the main length of the narrower end 29 is continuous with one of the angled ends of the broader end 25 of the necktie 21 structure. Since the necktie 21 structure may be generally consistent along its length, both of the sectional views of the narrower end 29 and broader end 25 are generally consistent with each other. Broader end 25 has one or more covering layers including a front covering layer 111 and a rear covering layer 113 which may be continuous with each other or separate. The covering layers 111 and 113 surround a strength core layer 115. The narrower end 29 is seen as having the same structures, including front covering layer 111, rear covering layer 113, and surrounded strength core layer 115. The seam 23 is seen as the view is looking in parallel to the direction of the seam 23.

Referring to FIG. 8, a rear perspective view of the assembled electronic device and accessory support 101 previously seen in exploded format of FIG. 6, is shown. The view shown is that looking into the rear of the support 101 and viewing the surfaces which would face inward and toward a user's body when the electronic device and accessory support 101 is worn. An electronic device 125, having a cord set 129, is shown supported within the expanse of pocket material 41 which is now formed as a touch sensitive display pocket 131 with the numbered arrow showing the display pocket 131 entry.

Cord set 129 is shown as extending from the electronic device 125, out of the display pocket 131 near the electronic device 125 entry opening and back through the first routing opening 63 and although not directly seen, through the third routing opening 73 and through some permissible entry past the seam 33 and out through the opening 35. At the end of the cord set 129, a set of personal earphones, or ear buds 135 are seen as emerging from opening 35. Note that they need have only enough exposed length to comfortably reach the user's ears from opening 35, typically positioned just atop a user's shoulder. Any additional length of cord set 129 can be stored in any available space, and especially between the guide 53 and rear covering layer 113, but the excess may be stored anywhere.

Referring to FIG. 9, a rear perspective view of another embodiment of the assembled electronic device and accessory support is seen as support 151. A view of the expanse of pocket material 41 and touch sensitive display pocket 131 is seen but the routing of the cord set 129 is seen, for example, to be into the seam 23 by virtue of a broken line indication with seam 23 being omitted from FIG. 9 for clarity. Length of zipper material 57 is seen, and a privacy pocket 77 (not shown in FIG. 9) may be attached onto or formed into the broader end 25. Details of the connection of the narrower end 29 to the broader end 25 are also not shown, and can be accomplished in any fashion.

Referring to FIG. 10, a front perspective view of the assembled electronic device and accessory support 151 as previously seen in FIG. 9 is illustrated. The front of the broader end 25 is seen which may normally assume the appearance of its front covering layer 111 cloth pattern, or used as a support for decorative items, can support a visible storage pocket 155 with a closure flap 157.

Referring to FIG. 11, a front perspective view of a user 161 wearing the assembled electronic device and accessory support 101, which would wear similarly to support 151 as previously seen in any of the foregoing figures. FIG. 11 illustrates the ease of manual access and somewhat concealed nature of both the privacy pocket 77 and touch sensitive display pocket 131 which are not readily seen in FIG. 11. As can be seen, the electronic device and accessory support 101 is expected to be worn on one side of the neck and extend across near the opposite side at elbow length, with the broader end 25 and joined narrower end 29 resting near the user 161 elbow. It can be worn over clothing or underneath outer wear such as a coat or jacket. With one hand, for example the right hand, the user 161 can grasp the broader end 25 with thumb over the expanse of pocket material 41 and fingers on the outside of the front covering layer 111 and turn it ninety degrees to place the electronic device 125 subtly into view. The user 161 can view electronic device 125 at a level just above belt level, or can lift the electronic device 125 and broader end 25 closer within the user's visual field.

While the present invention has been described in terms of a storage pouch and cord set routing guide, and in particular a sash-style clothing accessory which can be used to provide organized support to both electronic devices and personal items, the structure and process of the invention can be realized in many different types of embodiments and combination.

Although the invention has been derived with reference to particular illustrative embodiments thereof, many invention changes and modifications may become apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the broad spirit and scope of the invention. Therefore, included within the patent warranted hereon are all such changes and modifications reasonably and properly be included within the scope of this contribution to the art.

Claims

1. An electronic device and accessory support comprising:

a length of tubular flexible support having a first end and a second end attached adjacent the first end to form a sash shape, the length of tubular flexible support having a first side to face outwardly from a user and a second side to face toward a user, the flexible support having an opening about midway between the first and second end of the tubular flexible support;

an expanse of pocket material attached to the second side of the tubular flexible support for supporting an electronic device having a cord set, the expanse of pocket material and the length of tubular flexible support for facilitating routing of the cord set from adjacent the expanse of pocket material, through the tubular flexible support and through the opening about midway between the first and second end of the tubular flexible support.

2. The electronic device and accessory support as recited in claim 1 and further comprising a storage pouch and cord set routing guide interposed between the second side of the tubular flexible support and the expanse of pocket material and including openings for cord set routing.

3. The electronic device and accessory support as recited in claim 2 and wherein the storage pouch and cord set routing guide includes a first layer opposite a second layer and defining a privacy pocket.

4. The electronic device and accessory support as recited in claim 2 and wherein the openings are through openings to enable cord sets to be routed through the first and second layers of the electronic device and accessory support.

5. The electronic device and accessory support as recited in claim 1 and wherein the second end is overlapped with the first end and wherein a securing stitch binds the second end with the first end.

6. The electronic device and accessory support as recited in claim 1 and wherein the tubular flexible support is predominantly flattened and has a pair of main edges and wherein the first end has pair of angled edges and wherein the second end is located adjacent the first end such that one of the pair of main edges near the second end is generally parallel and continuous with the pair of angled edges of the first end.