Holster for a Portable Communication Device
A holster for a portable device is described that comprises a dispensing mechanism coupled to the housing comprising a reservoir defining an interior volume for holding a substance to be dispensed and an applicator for dispensing a portion of said substance from the interior volume of the reservoir to a portion of a surface of said portable device. The holster may be used to dispense a substance such as a disinfecting liquid or a cleaning gel onto a surface of the portable device.
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The present disclosure relates generally to portable devices and in particular to holsters for portable devices.
BACKGROUNDPortable devices have become common. Users often carry one or more portable devices, including for example cell phones, media players and other portable communication, media and/or entertainment devices. The portable devices generally have a display screen and keyboard or keypad on a front surface of the portable devices. Portable devices do not require the keypads or keyboards on the front surface, which may be comprised substantially of a display screen. The display screen, as well as the front surface more generally, can become dirty from use, especially if the display screen is a touch screen.
Often users use a holster to carry the portable devices around. The holster may include a belt clip for carrying the portable device on a user's clothing. The holster may include an interior lining for preventing scratches on the surface of the portable devices. Other holsters can include soft cloth pouches or solid pouches or similar pockets.
Although holsters may have soft linings, or be fabricated from a similar cloth material, they do not provide a way to dispense a cleaning or disinfecting agent on a surface of the portable device.
A holster is described with reference to the drawings, in which:
There is provided a holster for a portable device. The holster comprises a housing comprising a support member comprising an interior surface; and a retaining means for retaining said portable device adjacent at least a portion of said interior surface. The housing further comprises a dispensing mechanism coupled to the housing comprising a reservoir defining an interior volume for holding a substance to be dispensed; and an applicator for dispensing a portion of said substance from the interior volume of the reservoir to a portion of a surface of said portable device.
There is further provided a holster for a portable device. The holster comprises a housing comprising a support member comprising an interior surface; a retaining means for retaining said portable device adjacent at least a portion of said interior surface; and an attachment mechanism for coupling a dispensing mechanism, for dispensing a substance onto at least a portion of a surface of said portable device, to the housing.
Previous holsters for portable electronic devices have not included a means for dispensing a liquid or other substance onto a surface of the device. Various embodiments of holsters are described herein that include a dispensing means for dispensing a substance onto a surface of the device, or portion thereof. As described further with reference to the various illustrative embodiments, the dispensing mechanism includes a reservoir defining an interior volume for holding the substance to be dispensed and an applicator for dispensing a portion of said substance from the interior volume of the reservoir to a portion of the surface of said device.
Referring to
The holster 100 comprises a housing having a support member 102 that has an interior surface 104 and an exterior surface 110 and a retaining means for retaining the device 500 within the holster 100. The retaining means may include a retaining member 106 that comprises a member substantially parallel to the support member 102 and coupled to the support member 102 by a connecting web 108. The support member 102, connecting web 108 and retaining member 106 may define a space or pocket that the device may be retained in. It will be appreciated that other retaining means may be used, for example frictional fit, clips, etc. A belt clip 112 may be attached to the exterior surface 110 of the support member 102 for attaching the holster 100 to a belt or other article of clothing.
The interior surface 104 includes a dispensing mechanism 114 for dispensing a substance onto a surface of the portable device 500 when it is inserted and or removed from the holster 100. The dispensing mechanism 115 may comprise a reservoir 116 that defines an internal volume for holding the substance to be dispensed. The substance may comprise, for example, a liquid or gel. Furthermore the liquid or gel may be a cleaning agent or a disinfecting agent. The dispensing mechanism 115 also includes an applicator 118 for dispensing the liquid onto the surface of the portable device 500. The applicator 118 may comprise a roller as depicted in
As depicted in
It will be appreciated that although various embodiments of a holster with a dispensing mechanism have been described in detail, further modifications and changes may be made to the holster without departing from the scope of protection of the appended claims. Furthermore, various elements of the holster have been described with respect to particular embodiments, it will be appreciated that the elements may be incorporated into other embodiments of the holster. Furtherstill, although the holster and cleaning mechanism are described together, it will be appreciated that they may be individual and separate components.
Claims
1. A holster for a portable device, the holster comprising:
- a housing comprising a support member comprising an interior surface; and a retaining means for retaining said portable device adjacent at least a portion of said interior surface; and
- a dispensing mechanism coupled to the housing comprising: a reservoir defining an interior volume for holding a substance to be dispensed; and an applicator for dispensing a portion of said substance from the interior volume of the reservoir to a portion of a surface of said portable device
2. The holster as claimed in claim 1, wherein the dispensing mechanism comprises:
- a plurality of reservoirs, each defining a respective interior volume for holding a respective substance; and
- a corresponding plurality of applicators, each for dispensing a portion of said respective substance from the respective interior volume of the reservoir.
3. The holster as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:
- a plurality of dispensing mechanisms, for holding and dispensing a respective substance to said portion of said portable device.
4. The holster as claimed in claim 1, wherein the dispensing mechanism further comprises a housing enclosing said reservoir and a portion of the applicator, the dispensing mechanism housing comprising an attachment means for releasably coupling the dispensing mechanism to the housing of the holster.
5. The holster as claimed in claim 4, wherein the attachment means comprises a left groove or track and a right groove or track extending down a respective side of the hosing of the dispensing mechanism, the grooves or tracks co-operating with corresponding tracks or grooves on the housing of the holster.
6. The holster as claimed in claim 5, wherein each groove or track extending down each side of the dispensing mechanism comprises a bump or detent for co-operating with a corresponding detent or bump on the respective track or groove of the housing of the holster.
7. The holster as claimed in claim 4, wherein the interior surface of the support member comprises a recessed portion sized to receive the housing of the dispensing mechanism, and wherein the attachment means comprises a bump or detent on at least a side of the housing for co-operatively engaging a corresponding detent or bump on at least a side surface of said recessed portion.
8. The holster as claimed in claim 4, wherein the dispensing mechanism housing comprises one or more drying heads arranged substantially parallel to the applicator for absorbing at least a portion of the substance dispensed on to said surface of said portable device.
9. The holster as claimed in claim 1, wherein the interior surface of the support member comprises a recessed portion sized to receive the dispensing mechanism with a friction fit.
10. The holster as claimed in claim 1, wherein the applicator comprises at least one of:
- a roller; or
- a stationary absorbent material.
11. The holster as claimed in claim 1, wherein said substance comprises a liquid or gel.
12. The holster as claimed in claim 5, wherein said substance is capable of cleaning, disinfecting or both, a surface of said portable device.
13. A holster for a portable device, the holster comprising:
- a housing comprising a support member comprising an interior surface; a retaining means for retaining said portable device adjacent at least a portion of said interior surface; and an attachment mechanism for coupling a dispensing mechanism, for dispensing a substance onto at least a portion of a surface of said portable device, to the housing.
14. The holster as claimed in claim 13, wherein the attachment mechanism comprises a recessed portion in the interior surface sized to receive said dispensing mechanism in a frictional fit.
Type: Application
Filed: May 28, 2010
Publication Date: Dec 1, 2011
Applicant: Research in Motion Limited (Waterloo)
Inventor: Claudio Gil SA (Kitchener)
Application Number: 12/789,849
International Classification: A47L 13/10 (20060101); A45C 15/00 (20060101);