Wearable holder pad for a mobile computing device

Abstract

Described is a pad for interposition between a limb of a user and an apparatus to be attached to the limb. The pad comprises a first cushion element extending along a first portion of a first side of the pad and a second cushion element extending along a first portion of a second side of the pad. The first and second cushion elements are separated from one another by a first reduced thickness area which, when the pad is mounted in a desired orientation, extends between the first and second cushion elements substantially along a longitudinal axis of the limb so that, when interposed between the limb and the apparatus attached thereto, the pad bends along the longitudinal axis to maintain the first and second cushion elements and the reduced thickness area in contact with the limb.

Description

BACKGROUND

Conventional mobile terminals are used in a variety of environments. In certain situations, it is advantageous to have the mobile terminals worn on an area of the body, particularly a limb. Conventional technology allows mobile terminals to be worn using straps, clips, etc. However, sometimes, this technology does not allow a user to comfortably wear the mobile terminal. One cause is the differences in shape and circumference of the limb of the user, not only the differences between users, but also within a single user.

Although conventional designs allow for a “one size fits all” scheme, there is usually an optimal size for use of the wearing mechanism. Deviations (e.g., too large or too small) from that optimal size create gaps or spaces that do not allow the mobile terminal to be held flush against the user's skin. FIGS. 1a-b show exemplary arms 10, 20 with a conventional wearing mechanism 30. In FIG. 1a, the wearing mechanism 30 is not flush against the surface of a thin arm 10. This results in outside gaps 40 forming. These outside gaps 40 allow the wearing mechanism 30 and any mechanism attached to it to rotate around or slide up and down the thin arm 10. In FIG. 1b, the wearing mechanism 30 is also not flush against the surface of a thick arm 20. This results in an inside gap 50 forming. In this instance, the wearing mechanism 30 may not be prone to unwanted movement (e.g., rotating, sliding, etc.), but it is uncomfortable for the user. In addition, those skilled in the art will understand that an arm does not maintain a constant radius as the arm extends from the wrist to the elbow. The conventional wearing mechanism 30 may start with the thin arm 10 with outside gaps 40 but may end with the thick arm 20 with the inside gap 50. This combination results in both unwanted movement and discomfort. Thus, there is a need for a wearable holder pad which complements a wearing mechanism for a mobile terminal and which is compatible for all users of differing sizes.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a pad for interposition between a limb of a user and an apparatus to be attached to the limb. The pad comprises a first cushion element extending along a first portion of a first side of the pad and a second cushion element extending along a first portion of a second side of the pad. The first and second cushion elements are separated from one another by a first reduced thickness area which, when the pad is mounted in a desired orientation, extends between the first and second cushion elements substantially along a longitudinal axis of the limb so that, when interposed between the limb and the apparatus attached thereto, the pad bends along the longitudinal axis to maintain the first and second cushion elements and the reduced thickness area in contact with the limb.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIGS. 1a-b shows exemplary arms using a conventional wearing mechanism;

FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of a top side of a wearable holder pad according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of a bottom side of the wearable holder pad according to the exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

FIGS. 4a-d shows component layers of the wearable holder pad shown in FIGS. 2-3;

FIG. 5 shows a cross sectional view of the wearable holder pad shown in FIGS. 2-3;

FIGS. 6a-b shows exemplary arms using the wearable holder pad shown in FIGS. 2-3;

FIG. 7 shows an exemplary use of the wearable holder pad shown in FIGS. 2-3.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present invention may be further understood with reference to the following description and the appended drawings, wherein like elements are referred to with the same reference numerals. The exemplary embodiment of the present invention describes a wearable holder pad (hereinafter “wearable pad”) with extensions (hereinafter “wings”) and thick areas (hereinafter “thickeners”) that complements a wearing mechanism for use with mobile terminals. Those skilled in the art will understand that the wearable pad is interposed between a surface (e.g., a limb) and the wearing mechanism (e.g., apparatus to be attached to the limb). The wearable pad, wings, and thickeners will be discussed in detail below.

It should be noted that the following description will describe the use of the invention with respect to an arm, and, in particular, in the area around the user's wrist. However, those skilled in the art will understand that the use of a wrist is only exemplary and that the present invention may be applied to any surface, whether rounded or not. In addition, a desired orientation of the present invention is on an arm along the length of the arm (i.e., longitudinal axis) instead of circumnavigating the width of it.

FIGS. 2-3 show a perspective view of a top side and a bottom side, respectively, of a wearable pad with wings and thickeners according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. Components of the wearable pad 100, shown in FIG. 2, may include stiffeners 102, a main pad 101, a loop material 104, wings 105, and an edge banding 107. Components of the wearable pad 100, shown in FIG. 3, may include the main pad 101, the wings 105, thickeners 106, and the edge banding 107.

The main pad 101 is a base layer that the other components of the wearable pad 100 may be attached to. In the exemplary embodiments, the main pad 101 exhibits a bow-tie shape. The main pad 101 may be manufactured using a breathable material such as mesh, gauze, perforated polymer, etc. In the exemplary embodiment, the top side of the main pad 101 exhibits a ventilation that is greater than the ventilation allowed by the bottom side of the main pad 101. Those skilled in the art will understand that a higher ventilation may be accomplished using similar materials by using a loosely weaved mesh or gauze or using a perforated polymer with wider and/or more pores. In the exemplary embodiment, the main pad 101 may also be manufactured using a material that allows for the other components to be attached easily using conventional attachment methods (e.g., sewing, adhesives, etc.). Furthermore, the main pad 101 of the exemplary embodiment may be manufactured using a flexible material that is adjustable to be worn on any surface, in particular, a wrist. The flexible material of the main pad 101 allows the wearable pad 100 to conform to the shape of the wrist and the wearing mechanism when interposed in between them. It should be noted that the bow-tie shape of the main pad 101 is only exemplary and that other shapes (e.g., an ellipse, a rectangle, etc.) may be used depending on further applications of the wearable pad 100. It should also be noted that the use of a breathable material to manufacture the main pad 101 is only exemplary and that a non-breathable material or stiffer material such as plastics may be used depending on further applications of the wearable pad 100.

The stiffeners 102 are used to provide a semi-rigid component for the wearable pad 100. The stiffeners 102 are semi-rigid because they allow some bending for the wearable pad 100 to adjust its shape to the surface it is used on. The semi-rigid properties of the stiffeners 102 also allow the wearable pad 100 to substantially hold the shape of the wrist and the wearing mechanism when the wearable pad 100 is interposed between them. The stiffeners 102 are disposed substantially perpendicular to the long side of the wearable pad 100. In the exemplary embodiment, the stiffeners 102 may be manufactured of a flexible rubber. It should be noted that the use of rubber is only exemplary and that other materials may be used to manufacture the stiffeners 102, such as flexible plastics. Those skilled in the art will understand that the use of stiffeners 102 is only exemplary and that the wearable pad 100 may be manufactured without any stiffeners.

The loop material 104 is used for the further applications of the wearable pad 100. In the exemplary embodiment, the loop material 104 is manufactured using the loop side of a hook and loop fastener. The loop material 104 is on top of the main pad 101 of the wearable pad 100 to allow for sufficient grasping of any mechanism (e.g., wearing mechanism) that may attach to it. Thus, depending on the mass and/or size of the mechanism, the loop material 104 is constructed and placed accordingly. It should be noted that the use of the loop material 104 is only exemplary and that other methods for attaching a mechanism to the wearable pad 100 exist such as buttons, snaps, locks, etc.

The wings 105 and the thickeners 106 provide the ability to conform better (conformability) for the wearable pad 100 to be placed flush against any surface (i.e., no gaps between the wearable pad 100 and the surface of the limb). The wings 105 are inherent when the shape of the wearable pad 100 exhibits a bow-tie shape (located on the corners of the main pad 101). The wings 105 include the thickeners 106. Thus, four wings 105 and four thickeners 106 exist. In the exemplary embodiment, the thickeners 106 extend across the length of the wings 105 and create a local protrusion from the bottom side of the wearable pad 100. The thickeners 106 may be manufactured using a compressible material. The compressible material may be, for example, spacer fabric. In the exemplary embodiment, the compressible material is designed to be easily compressed but still maintain its original shape if not subject to a pressure, therefore, functioning similarly to a cushion. In the exemplary embodiments, the thickeners 106 are disposed within the wings 105 (i.e., between the main pad 101 and the breathable material 103). It should be noted that the thickeners 106 disposed within the wings 105 is only exemplary and the thickeners 106 may be placed directly on the bottom side of the wings 105 of the main pad 101, on the top side of the wings 105 of the breathable material 103, etc. By being placed within the wings 105 of the wearable pad 100, a reduced thickness area exists between all the thickeners 106 (i.e., between two thickeners on one short side and between two thickeners on one long side). Those skilled in the art will understand that the reduced thickness areas will extend across the middle of the length and width of the wearable pad 100. Those skilled in the art will also understand that the thickness of the reduced thickness areas will be substantially equal. However, it should be noted that the thickness may be unequal depending on the further applications (e.g., attaching the wearing mechanism) for the wearable pad 100.

In the exemplary embodiment, the edge banding 107 surrounds the border of the wearable pad 100. Thus, the edge banding 107 may be used to hold the components of the wearable pad 100. The edge banding 107 may be manufactured of various materials that are bendable such as materials used for the main pad 101 or the breathable material 103, polymers, plastics, etc. It should be noted that the use of the edge banding 107 is only exemplary and the wearable pad 100 may be manufactured without the edge banding 107. If the wearable pad is designed without the edge banding 107, then the components may be held together using the above described conventional attachment methods.

In the exemplary embodiment, the wearable pad 100 may exhibit a total length of 165 mm. The wearable pad 100 may exhibit a total width of 85 mm. With these dimensions, the length between the two stiffeners should be, at a minimum, 120 mm. It should be noted that these dimensions are exemplary only and that the wearable pad 100 may be designed with a specific mobile computing device that attaches to it.

FIGS. 4a-d show component layers of the wearable pad shown in FIGS. 2-3. The layers of the wearable pad 100 will be described from the top side (e.g., FIG. 2) to the bottom side (e.g., FIG. 3). The wearable pad 100 consists of four layers. FIG. 4a illustrates the first layer 401 which may include the stiffeners 102. FIG. 4b illustrates the second layer 402 which may include the loop material 104. The second layer 402 illustrates a hole in the middle where the top side of the main pad 101 would exist upon assembly. FIG. 4c illustrates the third layer 403 which may include the thickeners 106. FIG. 4d illustrates the fourth layer 404 which may include the main pad 101. The first layer 401 is placed on top of the second layer 402 which is placed on top of the third layer 403 which is placed on top of the fourth layer 404.

FIG. 5 shows a cross sectional view of the wearable pad shown in FIGS. 2-3. The cross sectional view 500 is taken across two wings 105 on the shorter side of the wearable pad 100 and in between the hole of the loop material 104 and the stiffener 102. In the cross sectional view 500, the loop material 104 of the second layer 402 and the main pad 101 of the fourth layer 404 are in contact towards the middle of the wearable pad 100. Towards the ends of the wearable pad 100, the thickeners 106 of the third layer 403 are disposed in between the second layer 402 and the fourth layer 404. In addition, the edge banding 107 are placed at the ends of the cross sectional 401 that holds all the components together at those ends. The inclusion of the thickeners 106 creates the protrusions on the main pad 101. It should again be noted that the cross sectional view 500 is only exemplary and that other designs may exist. For example, the thickeners 106 may extend across the short length of the wearable pad 100 with a thicker region towards the ends (i.e., within the wings 105).

FIGS. 6a-b shows exemplary arms wearing the wearable holder pad shown in FIGS. 2-3. FIGS. 6a-b illustrate a contrast between the same arms of FIGS. 1a-b wearing the wearable holder pad 100 of the present invention. FIGS. 6a-b show the wearable pad 100 attached to the user's wrist. FIGS. 6a-b illustrate a cross section of the arm and the thickeners 106 in use to adjust to the differences in arm girth. Those skilled in the art will understand that the wearable pad 100 is positioned to be bending along the longitudinal axis of the user's wrist (not shown) along the longer side of the wearable pad 100. FIG. 6a shows the thin arm 10 wearing the wearable pad 100. The wearable pad 100 is flush against the surface of the skin on the thin arm 10. The use of the thickeners 106 (that are uncompressed) allows the gaps 40 that would normally exist to be filled in. The wearable pad 100 being flush against the surface of the thin arm 10 also prevents any unwanted movement. The wearable pad 100 is also flush against the surface of the skin on thick arm 20. The use of the thickeners 106 (that are compressed) allows the gap 50 that would normally exist to be filled in. Again, the wearable pad 100 being flush against the surface of the thick arm 20 prevents any unwanted movement and is still comfortable. Those skilled in the art will understand that the wearable pad 100 remains flush against the surface extending along the length of the arm (e.g., increasing radius of arm width), because the wearable pad 100 may adjust to an arm width using the thickeners 106.

FIG. 7 shows an exemplary use of the wearable pad shown in FIGS. 2-3. The exemplary use 700 shows a holder 108 that is placed on top of the wearable pad 100. The holder 108 is attached to the wearable pad 100 using the loop material 104. Those skilled in the art will understand that the holder 108 would use the complementary hook side of the hook and loop fastener. The holder 108 may further be used to attach, for example, a mobile computing device.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications may be made in the present invention, without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Thus, it is intended that the present invention cover the modifications and variations of this invention provided they come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A pad for interposition between a limb of a user and an apparatus to be attached to the limb, the pad comprising:

a first cushion element extending along a first portion of a first side of the pad; and

a second cushion element extending along a first portion of a second side of the pad, the first and second cushion elements being separated from one another by a first reduced thickness area,

wherein, when the pad is mounted in a desired orientation, the first reduced thickness area extends between the first and second cushion elements substantially along a longitudinal axis of the limb, and

wherein, when the pad is interposed between the limb and the apparatus attached thereto, the pad is bent along the longitudinal axis and the first and second cushion elements are compressed so that the first and second cushion elements and the reduced thickness area are in contact with the limb.

2. The pad according to claim 1, further comprising:

a third cushion element extending along a second portion of the first side of the pad; and

a fourth cushion element extending along a second portion of the second side of the pad, the third and fourth cushion elements being separated from one another by a second reduced thickness area which, when the pad is mounted in a desired orientation, extends between the first and second cushion elements substantially along a longitudinal axis of the limb.

3. The pad according to claim 2, wherein the first and second reduced thickness areas extend together to form a combined reduced thickness area extending substantially an entire length of the pad.

4. The pad according to claim 2, further comprising a third reduced thickness area which, when the pad is mounted in the desired orientation, extends substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the limb and a fourth reduced thickness area which, when the pad is mounted in the desired orientation, extends substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the limb, the third reduced thickness area separating the first cushion element from the third cushion element and the fourth reduced thickness area separating the second cushion element from the fourth cushion element.

5. The pad according to claim 4, wherein the third and fourth reduced thickness areas extend together to form a combined reduced thickness area extending substantially an entire width of the pad.

6. The pad according to claim 2, wherein a thickness of the first reduced thickness area is substantially equal to a thickness of the second reduced thickness area.

7. The pad according to claim 4, wherein a thickness of the third reduced thickness area is substantially equal to a thickness of the fourth reduced thickness area.

8. The pad according to claim 2, wherein each of the first, second, third and fourth cushion elements is situated in a corresponding corner of the pad.

9. The pad according to claim 2, wherein each of the first, second, third and fourth cushion elements extend out of a bottom side of the pad.

10. The pad according to claim 2, wherein each of the first, second, third and fourth cushion elements are substantially compressed when the limb is thick, thereby eliminating gaps between the pad and the limb.

11. The pad according to claim 2, wherein each of the first, second, third and fourth cushion elements are slightly compressed when the limb is thin, thereby eliminating gaps between the pad and the limb.

12. The pad according to claim 1, wherein the apparatus is one of permanently and temporarily attached to the pad.

13. A pad for interposition between a limb of a user and an apparatus to be attached to the limb, the pad comprising:

a first cushion element extending along a first corner of the pad;

a second cushion element extending along a second corner of the pad,

a third cushion element extending along a third corner of the pad; and

a fourth cushion element extending along a fourth corner of the pad,

wherein the pad has a substantially rectangular shape so that the first cushion element and the fourth cushion element lie on a first diagonal of the pad and the second cushion element and the third cushion element lie on a second diagonal of the pad, and

wherein, when the pad is interposed between the limb and the apparatus attached thereto, the pad is bent along a longitudinal axis of the limb and the first, second, third and fourth cushion elements are compressed.

14. The pad according to claim 13, wherein the first and second cushion elements are separated by a first reduced thickness area and the third and fourth cushion elements are separated by a second reduced thickness area.

15. The pad according to claim 14, wherein the first and second reduced thickness areas extend together to form a combined reduced thickness area extending substantially an entire length of the pad.

16. The pad according to claim 14, wherein a thickness of the first reduced thickness area is substantially equal to a thickness of the second reduced thickness area.

17. The pad according to claim 13, wherein the first and third cushion elements are separated by a third reduced thickness area and the second and fourth cushion elements are separated by a fourth reduced thickness area.

18. The pad according to claim 17, wherein the third and fourth reduced thickness areas extend together to form a combined reduced thickness area extending substantially an entire width of the pad.

19. The pad according to claim 17, wherein a thickness of the third reduced thickness area is substantially equal to a thickness of the fourth reduced thickness area.

20. A pad for interposition between a limb of a user and an apparatus to be attached to the limb, the pad comprising:

a first side means having a first portion;

a second side means having a second portion, separating the first portion being separated from the second portion by an area; and

a cushioning means extending along the first portion and the second portion,

wherein, when the pad is interposed between the limb and the apparatus attached thereto, the pad is bent along a longitudinal axis of the limb and the cushioning means places the first side, the second side, and the area in contact with the limb.