DE102013010796A1 - Holder for using mobile phones, smartphones and cameras with touchscreens in underwater housings. - Google Patents

Abstract

Device (1) for mounting in liquid-tight, at least partially transparent and an elastic wall area (7) having, otherwise predominantly rigid underwater housing (G), which is suitable for devices (PH) of different types and dimensions, such as mobile phones, smartphones and similarly format cameras with optical recording and playback devices as well as pressure-sensitive and / or proximity-sensitive, i.e. also resistive and capacitive-sensitive input and output devices - in particular touchscreens (5) or touchpads (6) - to be held in this housing (G), to be fixed and positioned in such a way that the elastic wall (7) enables the input devices (6) to be operated reliably from outside the housing, even in liquids - such as under water, for example, characterized in that the device is at least two plane-parallel opposing, plate-shaped webs (2 and 3) with each other opposite, inner surfaces (ISLu.ISR) arranged hold-downs (N) and spacers (AH) protruding above them in height (“Z” axis), and with a support or frame element (4) connecting these components, which in the housing (G) is inserted in such a way that it follows the inner structure of the housing (G) in a form-fitting or non-positive manner, is equipped - in such a way - that a, between the inner surfaces (ISLu.ISR) of the webs (2 u. 3) and the almost rectangular device (PH) inserted under the hold-down device (N) is positioned in such a way that when the housing (G) is closed, the inner side (ISB) of an elastic housing wall area (7) rests on the spacers (AH) and provides a gap to the input surface (E) of the input device / touchpad (6) of the device (PH).

Description

TITLE OF DEVELOPMENT

Device for fixing, holding and positioning of mobile phones, smartphones and similarly sized cameras with different dimensions and touchscreens, hereinafter referred to as (recording / playback) devices, so in a predominantly rigid underwater housing that all usually selectable by means of the touch screen functions of the devices can also be selected under water.

STATE OF THE ART

Today's mobile phones and smartphones usually have so-called touch screens consisting of an imaging device and a touch or proximity-sensitive touchpad. By means of these devices, the devices are largely controlled. These touchpads / screens differ by their principle of action in so-called resistive (resistance change), surface-capacitive and projected-capacitive (capacitance change) as well as inductive and - by combination - hybrid systems. In addition, electrical buttons and switches can play a complementary role in the control of such devices. This also applies to current, for example, digital small cameras. Furthermore, such image recording / reproducing devices with at least one optical recording device - usually arranged on the opposite side of the touch screen of the device - provided. For these devices, there are tight-fitting, mainly rigid, at least partially transparent underwater housing to protect them from dust, dirt and other hazardous environments, such as moisture and liquids, especially water. Their task should also be to allow underwater optical images. To operate the touchscreens, these rigid housings have an elastic wall which lies on the input surface of the touchscreen. In addition, this elastic wall takes over by adhesion and pressure the secure fixation of the device within the underwater housing.

DISADVANTAGE OF THE PRIOR ART

Particularly in the case of capacitive and projected-capacitive as well as hybrid touchscreens, in practice a problem arises in a humid environment, especially under water.

Since their touchpad have many sensor points or positions, for example, under water, due to the outside of the mostly elastic control device or Bedienungswandung of the underwater housing adjacent liquid, and thus on the turn there from inside adjacent input surface of the touchpad / screens over the entire surface of the capacitive states changed by many or even all sensors, resulting in a multi-pulse that can no longer be assigned by the evaluation electronics. As a result, the touch screen is no longer usable for controlled control.

Unfortunately, it is precisely the widespread preference for image acquisition / reproduction devices to address this problem today. For this reason, it is not possible with the commercially available, universally usable underwater tanks such mobile phones, smart phones and cameras, and their high-quality touchscreens using the dedicated and applied to these operating devices such as elastic walls reliably. In particular, taking a picture or starting or stopping a movie is impossible. The only option is to start filming outside of the water, then film under water, then emerge and finish filming. This is unsatisfactory for most users and needs improvement.

TASK OF DEVELOPMENT

The aim of the development is to create a suitable for all mobile phones, smartphones and similarly sized cameras uncomplicated, inexpensive as possible device to described underwater housing under the recording / playback devices with touch screens / pads are any function principle under water controlled and reliable to use, in particular are able to take pictures and film. The device should be used both for resistive, as well as surface capacitive or projected capacitive and hybrid systems as well as for conventional buttons and switches. Also, the device is to fix the device in the container.

SOLUTION OF THE TASK

The expedient positioning of devices of different dimensions in an underwater housing is done by means of one of the inner contour of the housing following support / frame element ( 4 ) and at least two, opposing, substantially plate-shaped webs ( 2 u. 3 ), which resiliently on the frame element ( 4 ) are arranged and between their mutually facing plane-parallel inner surfaces (ISLu.ISR) pinch the device (PH) and fix. Located on the described inner surfaces (ISLu.ISR) above the device (PH), at this adjacent each hold down (N) to fix the device (PH) in height. The structural arrangement of these hold-down (N) oriented in height at the einzulegenden device with the smallest thickness (height). If devices with greater thickness (height) are inserted, then the webs move resiliently upwards on the "Z" axis by the difference. To ensure a sufficiently large distance between the sensor surface of the touchscreen / pads ( 5 u. 6 ) and on the elastic wall ( 7 ) of the housing externally applied water (UM), so that it does not come to a switching jump due to, for example, capacitively perceived environmental changes caused by, for example, immersion in liquid at rest, the mostly elastic housing wall ( 7 ) for operating the recording / reproducing apparatus by suitable means of the device are kept at a distance. Only with pressure - for example with the finger - from the outside on the elastic housing wall ( 7 ), in the range of the desired sensor position, the distance to the sensor surface (ES) partially reduced such that in this area a command pulse is perceived as such. As the pressure decreases, the input situation recovers. This accomplish two above the hold-down (N) arranged spacers (AH), which the elastic wall ( 7 ) at a distance to the touch screen ( 5 ) holds.

ADVANTAGE OF DEVELOPMENT

With the use of the developed spacer, it is possible to operate mobile phones, smart phones and similar format cameras, especially those with capacitive sensitive input devices in an underwater housing with a voltage applied to the input and output device elastic wall functionally reliable. This application opens up the possibility to take photos and snapshots under water as well as to start and stop filming as desired as well as to view, save or discard such recordings. Often divide differently sized and provided with different input devices devices the same underwater tank. Since the developed spacer universally adapts to the dimensions of the inserted devices, it allows the underwater housings described here, the use of all the features of their inserted devices under water. The position of the camera lens plays no further role in this embodiment, since almost the entire, claimed by the device and transparent in at least this area housing bottom is freely usable.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1

(Distance) holder / device for fixing and positioning

2

Left Footbridge

3

Right footbridge

4

Support / frame element

5

touchscreen

6

Touchpad (unit of protective / carrier disk and sensors)

7

elastic container wall

8th

Container / housing bottom

9

Container / housing top

10

hinge

11

shutter

12

poetry

13

Imaging device

AH

spacer

ASB

Outer side of the container wall

ASL

outer side of the left bridge

ASR

outer side of the right bridge

BF

operating surface

e

input surface

IT

Level of the switching sensors

FE

spring element

FA

conformability

G

(Underwater) housing

ISB

inner side of the elastic container wall

ISL

inside side of the left bridge

ISR

inside side of the right bridge

N

Stripper plate

O

optical recording device (lens)

PH

Mobile phone (recording / playback device), smartphone, camera

R

Rounding the corner

r

edge radius

S

switch sensors

SS

windscreen

AROUND

ambient medium

W

elastic wall

XY

operation level

Z

Actuation direction perpendicular to XY

DESCRIPTION

1 shows a perspective view obliquely from the front / top of the spacer ( 1 ). The bridges ( 2 u. 3 ) are each by means of two spring elements (FE) on the frame element ( 4 ) arranged. The spring elements (FE) allow the resilient movement of the webs ( 2 u. 3 ) both from the middle of the holder ( 1 ) to the outer contour of the frame element ( 4 ) on the "X" axis to compensate for different width mass of the insertable devices (PH), as well as the height in the direction of "Z" axis to compensate for different device heights. In this embodiment of the development, the spring elements (FE) can be formed from the same material of the environmental components. It goes without saying that different materials can be combined and arranged differently to get to the result presented here. At the footbridges ( 2 u. 3 ) are arranged on the respective inner sides (ISLu.ISR) means for holding down (N) of these adjacent device (PH), which in turn are surmounted by spacers (AH). At the rounded spacers (AH) is at the upper end, when used in the closed underwater container (G) whose elastic wall ( 7 ) and thus keeps a corresponding distance to the input surface (E) of the device (PH).

2 shows a perspective view obliquely from the front / top of the spacer ( 1 ) to 1 and an inserted, mobile phone (PH) with relatively large dimensions and almost flush arranged input surface (E) of the touch screen ( 5 ). Clearly here is the shape adaptation (FA) of the spring elements (FE) in relation to the holder ( 1 ) without inserted device (PH) or with a smaller device.

3 shows a perspective view obliquely from the front / top of the spacer ( 1 ) to 1 and an inserted, mobile phone (PH) with relatively small dimensions and almost flush-mounted input surface (E) of the touch screen ( 5 ). Clearly here is the shape adaptation (FA) of the spring elements (FE) m ratio to the holder ( 1 ) without inserted device (PH) or with a larger device.

4 shows a perspective view of the spacer ( 1 ) from obliquely front / top with the webs ( 2 u. 3 ), their hold-downs (N), the spacers (AH), the spring elements (FE) and the frame element ( 4 ) and an inserted mobile phone (PH) whose touch screen ( 5 ) with the staggered, abstracted illustrated components of the imaging device ( 13 ), the level of the switching sensors (ES) with their sensors (S) and these covering - the input surface (E) forming - carrier and protective plate (SS). This unit is inserted in a unfolded, mainly rigid underwater housing (G) with its components, the housing lower part ( 8th ) and the thereto by means of hinge ( 10 ) attached upper housing part ( 9 ) and its elastic wall ( 7 ), whose inner side (ISB) faces the observer and the closure ( 11 ) and the seal ( 12 ).

5 shows a perspective view obliquely from the front / top according to the

4 with cross-cut, closed illustrated components of the upper housing part ( 9 ) without closure ( 11 ). Clearly visible is the shape adaptation (FA) of the elastic wall ( 7 ). The outer control surface (BF) is deformed in the manner of a pyramid section. This creates a distance between the elastic wall ( 7 ) and the input surface (E) of the touchscreen ( 5 ).

6 shows a front view corresponding to the 5 with closed components of the container upper part ( 9 ) in section and the container lower part ( 8th ) as well as the holder ( 1 ) in half section. By partial pressure on the control surface (BF) of the elastic wall ( 7 ), it is moved in the direction "Z" to the input surface (E) of the touchscreen ( 5 ) to trigger a sensory impulse there. When the pressure decreases, the elastic wall stretches ( 7 ) back to its resting position and the impulse is over. Recognizable is the support of the inner side (ISB) of the elastic wall ( 7 ) at the upper edge of the rounded (R + r) spacers (AH) of the webs ( 2 u. 3 ) and thereby caused, when opening the housing top ( 9 ) resetting shape adaptation (FA). This ensures the use with different mobile phones, smartphones and similarly sized cameras with different height and width and of course length dimensions, as the resulting shape adjustment (FA) adjusts and a distance space between touchscreen ( 5 ) and elastic wall ( 7 ).

Claims (10)

Contraption ( 1 ), for application in liquid-tight, at least partially transparent areas and an elastic wall area ( 7 ), otherwise predominantly rigid underwater housings (G), which is suitable, various and dimensionally different devices (PH), such as mobile phones, smartphones and similarly sized cameras with optical recording and playback devices and pressure-sensitive and / or proximity-sensitive, so also resitive - and capacitive-sensitive input and output devices - especially touchscreens ( 5 ) or touchpads ( 6 ) - in this housing (G) to hold, fix and position so that through the elastic wall ( 7 ) the input devices ( 6 ) from outside the housing, even in liquids - such as under water - are reliably operated, characterized in that the device at least two plane-parallel opposed, plate-shaped webs ( 2 u. 3 ) with at their respective opposite, inner surfaces (ISLu.ISR) arranged hold-down (N) and this in the height ("Z" axis) superior spacers (AH), and with a, these components connecting support or frame member ( 4 ), which in the housing (G) is inserted such that it is the inner Structure of the housing (G) positively or non-positively follows, is equipped, - such - that one, between the inner surfaces (ISLu.ISR) of the webs ( 2 u. 3 ) and under the hold-down (N) inserted, almost rectangular device (PH) is positioned so that when the housing (G), the inner side (ISB) of an elastic housing wall area ( 7 ) rests on the spacers (AH) and a distance to the input surface (E) of the input device / touchpad ( 6 ) of the device (PH). Contraption ( 1 ) according to claim 1, characterized in that the two plate-shaped webs ( 2 u. 3 ) resiliently - in particular to one another ("X" axis) and in height ("Z" axis) movable - on the support or frame element ( 4 ) are arranged. Contraption ( 1 ) according to claims 1 and 2, characterized in that the device ( 1 ) is one-piece and the two plate-shaped webs ( 2 u. 3 ) resiliently - in particular to one another ("X" axis) and in height ("Z" axis) movable - on the support or frame element ( 4 ) are arranged. Contraption ( 1 ) according to claim 1 to 3, characterized in that the spring force results from the specific elasticity and the restoring tendency (memory) of the material used and the technical design suitable for this purpose. Contraption ( 1 ) according to claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the device ( 1 ) is thermally injection molded or similarly produced. Contraption ( 1 ) according to claims 1 to 2, characterized in that the device ( 1 ) is constructed in several parts and the two plate-shaped webs ( 2 u. 3 ) resiliently - in particular to one another ("X" axis) and in height ("Z" axis) movable - on the support or frame element ( 4 ) are arranged. Contraption ( 1 ) according to claim 6, characterized in that the material of the spring elements (FE) is metal or a similar suitable. Contraption ( 1 ) according to the preceding claims, characterized in that all corners and edges, which in direct contact with the inside of the housing (G), in particular to its elastic wall ( 7 ), maximum rounded (R + r) are to limit damage and wear. Contraption ( 1 ) according to the preceding claims, characterized in that on the device ( 1 ) is arranged a device for binding ambient humidity. Contraption ( 1 ) according to the preceding claims, characterized in that the device ( 1 ) is at least partially transparent, colored, in particular luminescent or provided with metallic surface appearance and / or with image and text information in order to clarify their handling and / or to allow the user to personal assignment.

Images