Ring Stylus

Abstract

The invention provides a ring stylus comprising a fore knuckle shank, an aft knuckle shank, the fore knuckle shank and the aft knuckle shank being in connected, with the fore knuckle shank comprising a stylus head.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/459,841, filed 17 Apr. 2023, and to U.S. Design patent application Ser. No. 29/889,795, filed 17 Apr. 2023.

BACKGROUND

Technical Field

The present disclosure relates to styluses and wearable jewelry with additional functions. More specifically, the invention relates to a fashionable ring that allows interaction with push button selections of all types (e.g., elevator panels, ATMs, keypad entry, etc.), including use as a stylus for touchscreen devices such as mobile phones, point-of-sale terminals, electronic signature touchscreens, and more.

Discussion of Related Art

The use of a stylus for interfacing with or making selections on computer devices or other button or key entry interfaces is common and well documented. Traditionally, the stylus is similar look, style, and function to a writing pen. There are instances of styluses that have been developed to cap over or extend from the distal end of a finger or fingertip.

As touchscreens have reduced in size as well as proliferated in society, having a personal stylus conveniently at hand is desirable. A wearable stylus that covers or extends beyond the fingertip interferes with the typical use of the finger for other purposes throughout the day. While literally at one's fingertip, dressing the distal end of a finger in a stylus is not tenable for everyday multitasking. Another typical drawback to wearable styluses is that they are seldom fashionable.

A drawback to traditional pen styluses is that they must be stored on the person or, in some instances, in another device, for use when needed. This requires the use of pockets, bags, purses, etc., or for the user to carry the device housing the stylus. Finding and removing the stylus from storage can often take longer than it would take to employ the stylus for most uses which renders it too inconvenient.

Although traditional styluses are often stored on or near the device for public use when needed, for example, at point-of-sale terminals, they suffer a great deal of wear and tear; are often misplaced or missing; and being pen-shaped, erroneously signify that a writing pen is an acceptable substitute device so users employ an ink pen and damage the screen.

Further, styluses provided for public use can become unsanitary or seem unsanitary. Users may employ wipes or gel sanitizers to a pen stylus handle, but continued and repeated use of cleaners lead to unintended damage to computer screens, displays, and the styluses themselves.

Although touch-free technology exists that allows interfacing with public devices for wireless financial transactions at point-of-sale terminals, additional customer interfacing may be required to complete all aspects of the transaction, including but not limited to entering a PIN; providing a signature; adding a gratuity; and/or responding to prompts concerning mailing lists, menu selections, receipts, or other add-on services.

Although touch-free technology exists that allows interfacing with personal devices with the use of a fingertip, and/or voice, some users have fat fingers, have long fingernails, or may wear or be wearing gloves that make the use of their fingertips less than ideal or impossible. These users often desire an alternative interface tool.

What is needed is a stylus that has at-your-fingertip convenience but can also be customized with shaping or ornamentation that allows for fashionable and personal expression. What is also needed is a wearable ring stylus that is able to make traditional push-button selections without the need to physically contact the button or buttons. What is also needed is a convenient, wearable stylus that would assist the sanitary-conscious user to interact with buttons, screens, doorbells, and other items that traditionally require physical contact with one's finger or fingertip.

SUMMARY

This disclosure relates generally to a ring stylus. The ring stylus provides an ergonomic mount for a stylus head to be worn on the finger. The ring stylus comprises a V-shaped ring band designed to comfortably straddle the knuckle allowing for uninhibited flexing and pointing of the finger as well as a stable mount for a stylus nib.

The ring stylus further comprises a stylus tip mounted on an elliptical fore-shaft of the ring designed to extend slightly beyond the proximal inter-phalangeal joint (PIP joint) of the wearer. In one embodiment, the interior of the elliptical fore-shaft is helical. When appropriately fitted, all the user needs to do to make the stylus nib available for use is to flex or curl the finger. The ring is then available to be used as a finger-mounted device to make button selections and/or computer input.

In one embodiment, there is a ring stylus comprising: a fore knuckle shank, an aft knuckle shank, the fore knuckle shank and the aft knuckle shank being in connected, the fore knuckle shank comprising a stylus head.

The embodiment may further be further configured with the fore knuckle shank and the aft knuckle shank each having a lower portion and the shanks are joined at said lower portion.

The stylus head may comprise a stylus nib cup and a stylus nib post and, in one embodiment, a knuckle cup on the posterior side of the stylus head.

The ring stylus may have rounded edges on the fore knuckle shank and aft knuckle shank and the shanks may be in a helical conformation.

The ring stylus may have a nib post that is configured to receive a stylus nib and wherein the stylus nib is friction fit onto the nib post.

The ring stylus may also be configured wherein the fore knuckle shank has an upper and a lower portion and the stylus head is located on the upper portion.

The ring stylus may also be configured wherein the fore knuckle shank and the aft knuckle shank are joined at their lower portions at an angle off the center line to form a V-shape.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Various aspects of the present disclosure are described hereinbelow with reference to the drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a depiction of the ring stylus (with a conventional stylus nib in place) as worn when the finger is in an extended position or “at ready.”

FIG. 2 is a depiction of the ring stylus (with a standard stylus nib in place) as worn on a finger when the finger is in a flex position and the stylus is employed.

FIG. 3 is a perspective depiction of the ring stylus with standard stylus nib is shown detached from the ring stylus.

FIG. 4 is a perspective depiction of the ring stylus with the standard stylus nib shown engaged with the ring stylus.

FIG. 5 is a side depiction of the ring stylus showing various potential measurements with the nib removed.

FIG. 6 is a front depiction of the ring stylus showing various potential measurements with the nib removed.

FIG. 7 is a perspective depiction of the ring stylus showing various potential measurements with the nib removed.

FIG. 8 is a top depiction of the ring stylus showing various potential measurements with the nib removed.

FIG. 9 is a detailed depiction of the knuckle cup.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present disclosure will now be described more fully hereinafter with reference to example embodiments thereof with reference to the drawings in which like reference numerals designate identical or corresponding elements in each of the several views. These example embodiments are described so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the disclosure to those skilled in the art. Features from one embodiment or aspect can be combined with features from any other embodiment or aspect in any appropriate combination. For example, any individual or collective features of method aspects or embodiments can be applied to apparatus, product, or component aspects or embodiments and vice versa. The disclosure may be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will satisfy applicable legal requirements. As used in the specification and the appended claims, the singular forms “a,” “an,” “the,” and the like include plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. In addition, while reference may be made herein to quantitative measures, values, geometric relationships or the like, unless otherwise stated, any one or more if not all of these may be absolute or approximate to account for acceptable variations that may occur, such as those due to manufacturing or engineering tolerances or the like.

0031 Referring now to FIG. 1, shown is a side view of a ring stylus 100 having an aft knuckle shank 120, a fore knuckle shank 130, a stylus head 110, a nib cup 150, and a nib post 140. The aft knuckle shank 120 of the ring stylus 100 is intended to be worn in a location proximal to the PIP joint, that is, closer to the user's hand. The fore knuckle shank 130 is intended to be worn in a location distal to the PIP joint, that is, further away from the user's hand.

The aft knuckle shank 120 and fore knuckle shank 130 both have a lower portion and the two are joined together at the lower portion to form a “V”-shaped, two-part ring. In one embodiment, the aft knuckle shank 120 and the fore knuckle shank 130 are in connection and the connecting portion constitutes approximately one-third of their overall circumference. In another embodiment, the connected portion constitutes approximately one-fourth of their overall circumference.

As shown in FIG. 1, the ring stylus is in an “at ready” position, with the user's finger being in an extended position.

Referring now to FIG. 2, shown is a side view of a ring stylus 100 having all the components found in the ring stylus of FIG. 1. However, unlike in FIG. 1, the user's finger is in a flexed position with the stylus in a position ready to use.

Referring now to FIG. 3, shown is a perspective view of a ring stylus 100 having all the components found in the ring stylus of FIG. 1. In addition, the ring stylus 100 shown in FIG. 3 shows a stylus nib 160.

Referring now to FIG. 4, shown is a perspective view of a ring stylus 100 having all the components found in ring stylus of FIG. 1 (as also disclosed and depicted in FIG. 3). However, in FIG. 4 the stylus nib is installed over the nib post.

Referring now to FIG. 5, shown is a side view of a ring stylus 100. In this embodiment, the aft knuckle shank 120 has an inner curve “G” and an outer curve “H.” The aft knuckle shank 120 is joined to the fore knuckle shank 130 at the lower portion of each shank forming a singular lower shank, depicted as “J” as shown in FIG. 5. In one embodiment, the lower combined shank, depicted as “J” in FIG. 5, is approximately 3.66 wide and is formed by melding the fore knuckle shank 130 and the aft knuckle shank 120. The lower shank is preferably rounded to fit comfortably inside the bend or crook of the finger and all edges are slightly rounded for comfort. FIG. 8 depicts the lower combined shank having a width of “J” which is, in one embodiment, 3.66 mm wide.

Also depicted in FIG. 5 is a stylus head 110 and a nib post 140. In one embodiment, the nib post is configured to receive a conventional, standard stylus nib. In one embodiment, the nib post has an outer diameter of 3.1 mm as shown as “M” in FIG. 6.

Also depicted in FIG. 5 is a nib cup 150. In one embodiment, the space between the inner wall of the stylus head, that is, the wall of nib cup 150, and the nib post 140 is approximately 1.5 mm. This distance, depicted as “A” in FIGS. 5 and 6, and allows a standard stylus nib to be friction fitted inside the nib cup 150 and thus holds the stylus nib firmly in place.

Also shown in FIG. 5 is the depth of the nib cup 150, depicted as “B” and, in one embodiment the depth is approximately 4.69 mm. In one embodiment, the nib cup 150 has an inner diameter of 6.1 mm (as shown as “L” in FIG. 6) and is designed to receive a standard 6 mm stylus nib. In one embodiment the nib cup 150 further includes a flange to secure the stylus nib in the nib cup 150.

In one embodiment, the stylus head 110 is an angle of approximately 57.21° from the center line of the ring as depicted by “C” in FIG. 5.

As depicted in FIG. 5, the fore knuckle shank 130 supports the stylus head 110, which is worn so that it is in front of the PIP joint closest to the fingertip. The aft knuckle shank 120 is worn behind the PIP joint to straddle the knuckle and provide stability when the nib is employed.

Also shown in FIG. 5, in one embodiment the fore knuckle shank 130 and the aft knuckle shank 120 are angled at 17.32° to straddle the user's knuckle as depicted as “D” in FIG. 5.

In one embodiment, the shank width is approximately 2.94 mm as depicted by “E” in FIG. 5. To provide a comfortable, ergonomic fit, the shank bands may be curved near the top and bottom edges as shown as “F” on the top of the aft knuckle shank 120.

Also as shown in FIG. 5, the stylus head 110 has a concave curve to accept the knuckle. This provides a comfortable, ergonomic fit as the knuckle presses against the back of the stylus head 110 when the stylus ring is employed.

Also depicted in FIG. 5 is a knuckle cup (depicted as “K” in FIG. 5) which is a concave curve to accept the knuckle. As shown in FIG. 9, the knuckle cup may be, in one embodiment, approximately 7.7 mm wide.

As shown in FIG. 6, in one embodiment, the distance between the inner wall of the nib cup 150 and the nib post 140 is approximately 1.5 mm and is depicted as “A” in FIG. 6. Also depicted, the inner diameter of the nib cup 150 may be approximately 6.1 mm as depicted as “L” in FIG. 6. Also depicted, the outer diameter of the nib post 140 may be 3.1 mm, as shown as “M” in FIG. 6.

As shown in FIG. 7, because the shanks are on a slant to a vertical center line of the ring, the inner surfaces of the shanks may be a helical curve to conform to the user's finger.

The ring stylus disclosed herein may be manufactured in various ring sizes. The entire ring assembly allows for the possibility of ornamentation, such as ornamental materials, finishes, textures, shaping, and/or the setting of precious, semi-precious, or synthetic stones.

While several embodiments of the disclosure have been shown in the drawings, it is not intended that the disclosure be limited thereto, as it is intended that the disclosure be as broad in scope as the art will allow and that the specification be read likewise. Any combination of the above embodiments is also envisioned and is within the scope of the appended claims. Therefore, the above description should not be construed as limiting, but merely as exemplifications of particular embodiments. Those skilled in the art will envision other modifications within the scope of the claims appended hereto.

Claims

1. A ring stylus comprising:

a fore knuckle shank,

an aft knuckle shank,

the fore knuckle shank and the aft knuckle shank being in connected,

the fore knuckle shank comprising a stylus head.

2. The ring stylus of claim 1, wherein the fore knuckle shank and the aft knuckle shank each have a lower portion and the shanks are joined at said lower portion.

3. The ring stylus of claim 1 wherein the stylus head comprises a stylus nib cup and a stylus nib post.

4. The ring stylus of claim 1 further comprising a knuckle cup on the posterior side of the stylus head.

5. The ring stylus of claim 1 further comprising rounded edges on the fore knuckle shank and aft knuckle shank.

6. The ring stylus of claim 1 where in shanks are in a helical conformation.

7. The ring stylus of claim 1 wherein nib post is configured to receive a stylus nib.

8. The ring stylus of claim 7 wherein the stylus nib is friction fit onto the nib post.

9. The ring stylus of claim 1 wherein the fore knuckle shank has an upper portion and a lower portion and the stylus head is located on the upper portion.

10. The ring stylus of claim 1 wherein the fore knuckle shank and the aft knuckle shank are joined at their lower portions at an angle off the center line to form a V-shape.