FR3041223A1 - DEVICE FOR SECURING THE MANUAL PRETENSION OF AN OBJECT INTENDED TO BE TAKEN BY HAND, IN PARTICULAR A PORTABLE PHONE - Google Patents

Abstract

This device (1) comprises at least one engagement member (6) for one or more fingers of the hand of a user, a wall (2, 3) connected to the object or adapted to be connected to the object , and means for assembling this engagement member (6) at different locations of this wall (2, 3). According to the invention, said assembly means comprise: - a first circular recess arranged in said wall (2, 3), having a diameter such that two diametrically opposite points of this recess are in locations close to two opposite edges of the wall (2, 3); a first disc (4) engaged in this first recess, comprising a second circular recess of smaller diameter, this second recess being arranged near the peripheral edge of this first disc (4); a second disc (5) engaged in said second recess of the first disc (4), connected to said engagement member (6); and indexing means (27, 37; 28, 38) for holding the first disk (4) and the second disk (5) in a plurality of stable angular positions.

Description

The present invention relates to a device for securing the manual gripping of an object to be held by hand, in particular a mobile phone.

It is common for the user of a mobile phone to manipulate his phone with one hand, especially when he has to tap the phone keypad with his thumb while the other four fingers of his hand hold the phone. phone. This maintenance of the phone is then low and the risk of escape of the phone is important, with the damaging consequences that can result from a fall of the phone on the ground.

To treat this problem, it is known to provide an engagement member of one or more fingers, connected to the telephone, particularly in the form of one or more rings, a sheath, loops or straps, the user engaging one or more of his fingers in this body to ensure an effective connection of the phone by hand. In a number of known devices, the engagement member is fixed on the phone, which can make the use of the phone uncomfortable; indeed, it is impossible to adapt the position of the engagement member to the specificities of the user (size of the hand, right-handed or left-handed user), or to the specific working position of the user. On other devices, the engagement member is connected to a suction pad or Velcro ® type Velcro ®, the other band being secured to the shell of the phone. These means certainly allow an adaptation of the position of the engagement member but are not always very easy to use and do not always ensure a very reliable connection of the phone to the fingers. They are also prone to deterioration, bulky and prominent, thereby generating a risk of snagging when the phone is slipped into a pocket. In addition, they do not have a very attractive visual appearance.

The present invention aims to remedy these disadvantages.

The device it concerns comprises, in a manner known per se, at least one engagement member for one or more fingers of the hand of a user, a wall connected to the object or able to be connected to the object , and means for assembling this engagement member in different locations of this wall.

According to the invention, said assembly means comprise: - a first circular recess arranged in said wall, having a diameter such that two diametrically opposite points of this recess are in locations close to two opposite edges of the wall; a first disc pivotally engaged in this first recess, comprising a second circular recess of smaller diameter than that of this first disc, this second recess being arranged near the peripheral edge of this first disc; indexing means making it possible to maintain the first disk in a plurality of stable angular positions with respect to said wall; a second disk pivotally engaged in said second recess of the first disk, connected to said engagement member; and indexing means for maintaining the second disk in a plurality of stable angular positions relative to the first disk.

The pivoting of the first disk relative to said wall thus makes it possible to place the second disk near one or the other of two opposite edges of the object, and thus to easily adapt the device to the fact that the user either right-handed or left-handed; near each edge of the object, the first disk can be placed in a plurality of predetermined angular positions, which makes it possible to adapt the position of said engagement member to the needs of the user, according to the size of the hand of this one or according to the working position he adopts.

The pivoting of the second disc relative to the first disc makes it possible to adapt the orientation of the engagement member with respect to said wall.

These two disks, integrated with each other and integrated into said wall, do not protrude or protrude with respect to this wall; they do not affect the visual appearance of the object, do not disturb the storage of a phone in a pocket and are not subject to deterioration over time.

Preferably, the indexing means of the first disk relative to said wall comprise: - rounded cavities regularly arranged in the peripheral face of the first disk or in the peripheral face of said wall defining said first recess; a radial finger, arranged on this wall or first disk, which is movable radially between an engagement position in any one of said cavities, allowing said stable position, and a position of disengagement with respect to this cavity; allowing the first disk to pivot relative to said wall; and elastic means associated with the radial finger, which normally hold this finger in said engagement position.

In the same way, preferably, the indexing means of the second disc relative to the first disc, comprise: - rounded cavities regularly arranged in the peripheral face of the second disc; a radial finger arranged on the first disk, movable radially between an engagement position in any one of said cavities, enabling said stable position, and a position of disengagement with respect to this cavity, permitting the pivoting of the second disk relative to the first disk; and elastic means associated with the radial finger, which normally hold this finger in said engagement position.

Preferably, the engagement member is constituted by a ring or by two adjacent rings pivotally connected to said second disk, and is able to pivot between a service position, in which it is substantially perpendicular to the plane of the second disk. , and a storage position, in which it is folded against said wall.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, in this case: said second recess opens at the peripheral edge of said first disk; the second disk has a radial slot extending from the center of this second disk to the peripheral edge of this second disk; said wall has a recess for storing the engagement member, and said wall has a slot communicating said first recess with this storage recess.

The second disk can thus be placed in a position in which the slot it comprises coincides with the slot that the wall has; an assembly pin by which the engagement member is connected to the second disk is thus adapted to engage in these slots in said storage position of the engagement member. The engagement member may, in this way, be integrated with said wall and not protrude from it.

Said wall is in particular the shell of a mobile phone.

This wall may be formed by a plate carrying the first disk, the second disk and the engagement member, and by a shell forming a slide in which the plate is slidably engaged, this engagement allowing a displacement of said plate, and therefore of the engagement organ, along the object.

This displacement, combined with other possibilities of orientation and positioning of the engagement member, allows to perfectly position this engagement member according to the needs of the user.

The device may comprise means for holding the plate in the slideway in a plurality of stable successive positions.

The position chosen by the user is thus stable and preserved.

Advantageously, the device comprises: a housing partially covering the slide, able to receive the plate entirely; at least one resilient means allowing the exit of the plate from this housing, and means for locking the plate in the storage position of this plate in said housing.

The plate, the first disk, the second disk and the engagement member can thus be stored in this housing and be masked.

The device may further comprise at least one sliding cover, connected to said plate, coming to cover the slide when the plate is in the storage position in the housing.

The slide is thus covered, and is therefore hidden in this storage position.

The device may include two successive sliding covers, which overlap each other to a folding position when the plate is in the deployed position.

The device may also include a resilient member interposed between the engagement member and said plate, for automatically deploying said engagement member in a raised position relative to said first and second discs as the plate exits said housing. The finger engaging member may have an expandable structure, allowing it to be adapted to different sizes of fingers. The invention will be better understood, and other features and advantages thereof will appear, with reference to the accompanying drawing, showing, by way of non-limiting example, a preferred embodiment of the device it relates.

Figure 1 is an exploded perspective view; Figure 2 is a view in the mounted state, in longitudinal section taken along the plane of a shell that includes this device; a plate that includes the device is in a storage position; Figure 3 is a longitudinal sectional view in the same storage position of the plate; FIGS. 4A and 4B are very enlarged views of an indexing mechanism that comprises the device, respectively in a non-deformation position of an elastic blade that comprise this mechanism and in a deformation position of this blade; FIGS. 5 and 6 are views of the device respectively similar to FIGS. 2 and 3, said plate being in a partially extended position and a user's finger engaging member, which this plate comprises, being in a service position ; Figure 7 is a simplified view, in perspective, of the device in use; only two fingers of a user are represented; and Figures 8 to 10 are schematic and simplified views, in plan, of the device in three possible positions that can occupy said finger engagement member.

FIG. 1 represents a device 1 for securing the manual gripping of a mobile phone, which comprises a shell 2 intended to be connected to a mobile phone, a plate 3, a first disk 4, a second disk 5, a device 6 engagement of fingers of the hand of a user, a member 7 for controlling a sliding of the plate 3 in the shell 2, and two covers 8, 9 sliding relative to the shell 2.

The device 1 also includes other members, not shown in Figure 1, which are more particularly visible in the other figures and which will be described later.

Referring to Figures 1 and 2, it appears that the shell 2 has a rectangular shape with rounded corners; it is able to be connected to a mobile phone, of which it constitutes the face of back.

The shell 2 forms a slide 10 over its entire length, which opens out on the outside of the shell 2, at one end of this shell, through an opening 11 formed in the edge of the shell 2.

Over approximately a small half of the length of the shell 2, the slide 10 has a width adjusted to that of the plate 3, so as to receive this plate 3 to slide, and is covered by a wall 12 forming, with this slide, a housing 13 adapted to receive entirely the plate 3 in him. Beyond this wall 12 and up to the end of the shell 2 opposite that comprising the opening 11, the slide 10 has an increased width, allowing the reception of the covers 8 and 9, as can be seen in FIGS. and 5.

Beyond the housing 13, the slideway 10 is covered by two lateral flanges 15 protruding horizontally towards each other, then, at the longitudinal end of the shell 2 opposite that comprising the opening 11, is covered by a transverse wall 16 forming a housing 17 for receiving the covers 8 and 9 and a portion of the plate 3 in the fully extended position of this plate.

The plate 3 has a circular recess 20, a rectangular recess 21, a slot 24 through which the recess 20 communicates with the recess 21, a plurality of rounded cavities 22 arranged in one of the longitudinal sides of the slice of the plate 3 , and a locking cavity 23 arranged in the same longitudinal face of the wafer of the plate 3. This longitudinal wafer face being located in the second plane in FIG. 1, the cavities 22 and the cavity 23 are visible in phantom in this figure 1.

Near its end where is the rectangular recess 21, the plate 3 comprises two bosses 14 projecting laterally from its two longitudinal sides of wafer.

It appears in FIG. 2 that the plate 3 furthermore comprises two spring receiving cavities 25 which open into its transverse side of the wafer on the side opposite the bosses 14. It also appears that the shell 2 comprises a shutter wafer 26 of the opening 11, against which these springs 25.

The plate 3 also comprises an indexing mechanism 27 with a movable radial finger, as shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B, which will be described later. This mechanism 27 is housed in an engravure arranged in the thickness of this plate 3, opening into the face of this plate 3 intended to be received against the shell 2.

The locking cavity 23 is intended to cooperate with a finger 30 which comprises the control member 7. With reference to FIG. 1, it appears that this control member 7 comprises a body 31 forming two coaxial lateral bosses 32, which allow its mounting pivoting on the shell 2. The finger 30 is connected to one end of the body 31 and protrudes perpendicularly to this body, and an actuating key 33 is arranged on the end of the body 31 opposite the finger 30.

When the member 7 is mounted on the shell 2, this key 33 is placed above a piece of elastic material, visible in Figures 2 and 5, which allows tilting of the member 7 in the direction of unlocking of the plate 3 but which makes it possible to bring this member 7 into a position of locking the finger 30 with one or the other of the cavities 22 or of the cavity 23.

With reference to FIG. 2, it is understood that a pressure on the key 33 makes the body 31 tilt around the bosses 32, and allows the end of the finger 30 to be extracted from the cavity 23. This extraction has the following effect: effect of releasing the sliding of the plate 3 in the slideway 10, out of the housing 13, under the effect of the springs 25, until engagement of the finger 30 in the first cavity 22. A new tilting of the control member 7 allows to engage the finger 30 in one or the other of the cavities 22 and thus to adjust the position of the plate 3 relative to the shell 2. This control member 7 and these cavities 22 are therefore means of indexing for placing the plate 3 in a plurality of stable positions relative to the shell 2, and thus to adjust the position of the engagement member 6 in the longitudinal direction relative to this shell.

By bringing FIGS. 1 to 3 closer together, it is understood that the first disk 4 is intended to be fitly received in the recess 20 and that the engagement member 6 is intended to be received entirely in the recess 21. The recess 20, and thus the disc 4, has a diameter such that two diametrically opposite points of this recess are at locations close to the two opposite longitudinal edges of the plate 3.

The disc 4 comprises a circular recess 35 arranged therethrough, having a diameter of the order of four to five times smaller than its own diameter, this recess 35 being arranged near the peripheral edge of this disc 4 and communicating with this edge by a space of greater width than that of a T-shaped mounting post 36 that comprises the engagement member 6.

As can be seen in FIG. 2, the disk 4 comprises an engravure arranged in its thickness, which opens into the recess 35 on the side opposite to said space. This engravure receives an indexing mechanism 28 of identical structure to that of the aforementioned indexing mechanism 27, described below, but of smaller dimensions.

At its edge, the disc 4 comprises a plurality of rounded cavities 37 regularly distributed over its circumference, which are able to cooperate with the aforementioned indexing mechanism 27.

The disk 5 is intended to be fitly engaged in the recess 35. The latter forms an upper rim retention of this disk in him.

The disc 5 comprises a radial slot 38 extending from its center to its peripheral edge and has at its edge a plurality of rounded cavities 39 regularly distributed over its circumference, which are able to cooperate with the indexing mechanism 28 above. The disc 5 further comprises a groove 40 perpendicular to the slot 38 and passing through the axis of the disc 5, which is arranged from the face of the disc 5 intended to come against the bottom of the recess 20. This groove 40 is adapted to receive pivotally the end transverse branch of the T that forms the mounting pin 36 of the engagement member 6. One of the indexing mechanisms 27, 28 is shown in Figures 4A and 4B. It comprises an engagement finger 45, a flexible blade 46 and two lateral bosses 47, spaced apart from one another, supporting the blade 46. The finger 45 has a rounded free end adapted to cooperate with a cavity 37 or 38 corresponding and an enlarged base resting against the lamella 46. The latter is made of an elastically deformable material, in particular metal. In its non-deformation state shown in FIG. 4A, it keeps the finger 45 in a radially internal position, in which the free end of the finger is engaged in a corresponding cavity 37 or 38; during the pivoting of the disc 4 or the disc 5, this free end is extracted from this cavity 37 or 38, which causes the finger 45 to move radially back and deform the lamella 46 elastically, to the state of deformation shown on Figure 4B. As soon as a cavity 37 or 38 next comes next to the finger 45, the blade 46 tends to return to its original shape and returns the finger 45 in its radially internal position, thus allowing a new stable position of the disc 4 relative to plate 3 or disc 4 with respect to disc 5.

The covers 8 and 9 comprise flanks engaged in the slide 10. The cover 8 has length and height dimensions slightly greater than those of the plate 3, so that the cover 8 can slide over this plate in position complete output of the plate 3, and the cover 9 has length and height dimensions slightly greater than those of the cover 8, so that the cover 9 can slide above the cover 8 in the engagement position in the housing 17, as visible in Figure 5.

It appears in Figures 1, 2 and 5 that the sides of the cover 8 have two internal bosses engaging behind the bosses 14, and two external bosses located on the opposite side to these bosses 14; the sides of the cover 9 have two internal bosses located on the side of the cover 8, engaging behind the corresponding external bosses of the cover 8. These commitments can in particular be made by snapping, the plate 3 and the covers 8, 9 being made in a material having a slight degree of elastic deformation making such a snap possible, namely a plastic material adapted to the manufacture of mobile phone shells.

It is understood that, thanks to these different bosses, the cover 8 is slidably connected to the plate 3 and the cover 9 and slidably connected to the cover 8, so that the covers 8 and 9 unfold automatically above the cover. slide 10 when the plate 3 is in its storage position (Figure 2) and they fold in the housing 17, totally or partially in the operating position of the plate 3, when the latter is extracted from the housing 13 (Figure 5).

This FIG. 5 shows an intermediate outlet position of the plate 3, the finger 30 of the member 7 being in a cavity 22 located in the middle of the series of cavities 22. It is understood that the plate 3 can slide to bottom of the housing 17. The finger engagement member 6 forms two adjacent rings in which the user of the phone engages two fingers of his hand holding the phone T, as shown in Figure 7. These rings can be opened as shown in Figure 1 or closed as shown in the other figures. They may comprise a flexible liner ensuring a comfortable engagement of these fingers in them. The member 6 may be extensible both laterally, that is to say in the plane of the rings, and in height, that is to say, towards / away from the disc 5.

In addition, the device 1 comprises a pin spring (not shown), engaged on the end branch of the T that forms the pin 36, a branch of this spring bearing against the bottom of the recess 20 and the other against the tenon 36. The member 6 is thus automatically brought into the deployed position with respect to the plate 3 visible in FIG. 5 when this plate leaves the housing 13.

In practice, from the storage position shown in Figures 2 and 3, the user acts on the key 33 of the member 7 to release the sliding of the plate 3 in the slide 10. This sliding exposes the organ engagement 6 on the outside of the housing 13, which unfolds automatically, and causes the covers 8 and 9 to be stored totally or partially in the housing 17, according to the degree of exit of the plate 3.

As it appears in FIGS. 8 to 10, the pivoting of the disc 4 relative to the plate 3 makes it possible to place the disc 5, and thus the member 6, close to one or the other of two opposite edges. of the telephone, and therefore easily adapt the device 1 to the fact that the user is right-handed or left-handed; near each of these edges, the disk 4 can be placed in a plurality of predetermined angular positions, which makes it possible to adapt the position of said engagement member 6 to the needs of the user, depending on the size of the hand of the or according to the working position he adopts.

The pivoting of the disc 5 with respect to the disc 4 makes it possible to adapt the orientation of the engagement member 6 with respect to the shell 2.

These two disks 4, 5, integrated with each other and integrated with the plate 3, do not protrude or project slightly with respect to this plate; they do not affect the visual appearance of the phone, do not disturb the storage of this phone in a pocket and are not subject to deterioration over time.

It appears from the foregoing that the invention provides a device 1 for securing the manual gripping of an object intended to be held by hand, in particular a mobile phone, which has the decisive advantages, mentioned above, in relation to existing peer devices.

Claims (10)

1. Device (1) for securing the manual gripping of an object intended to be held by hand, in particular a mobile phone (T), comprising at least one engagement member (6) for one or more fingers of the hand of a user, a wall (2, 3) connected to the object or adapted to be connected to the object, and means (4, 5, 20, 27, 28, 35) of assembly of this engagement member (6) at different locations of this wall (2, 3); characterized in that said assembly means comprise: - a first circular recess (20) arranged in said wall (2, 3), having a diameter such that two diametrically opposite points of this recess (20) are in close positions two opposite edges of the wall (2, 3); a first disc (4) pivotally engaged in this first recess (20), comprising a second circular recess (35) of smaller diameter than that of this first disc (4), this second recess (35) being arranged at near the peripheral edge of this first disc (4); - indexing means (27, 37) for maintaining the first disk (4) in a plurality of stable angular positions relative to said wall (2, 3); - a second disk (5) pivotally engaged in said second recess (35) of the first disk (4), connected to said engagement member (6); andindexing means (28, 39) for holding said second disk (5) in a plurality of stable angular positions relative to the first disk (4). 2. Device (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the means (27, 37) for indexing the first disk (4) relative to said wall (2, 3) comprise: - rounded cavities (37) regularly arranged in the peripheral face of the first disk (4) or in the peripheral face of said wall (2, 3) which defines said first recess (20); - a radial finger (45), arranged on this wall (2, 3) or the first disk (4), which is movable radially between an engagement position in any of said cavities (37), allowing said stable position , and a disengagement position vis-à-vis this cavity (37), allowing the pivoting of the first disk (4) with respect to said wall (2, 3); and elastic means (46) associated with the radial finger (45), which normally hold the finger in said engagement position. 3. Device (1) according to claim 1 or claim 2, characterized in that the means (28, 39) indexing the second disc (5) relative to the first disc (4), include: - rounded cavities (39) regularly arranged in the peripheral face of the second disc (5); - a radial finger (45), arranged on the first disk (4), movable radially between an engagement position in any one of said cavities (39), allowing said stable position, and a disengagement position vis-à-vis screw of this cavity (39), allowing pivoting of the second disk (5) relative to the first disk (4); and elastic means (46) associated with the radial finger (45), which normally hold the finger in said engagement position. 4. Device (1) according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the engagement member (6) is constituted by a ring or by two adjacent rings pivotally connected to said second disk (5), and in that it is able to pivot between a service position, in which it is substantially perpendicular to the plane of this second disk (5), and a storage position, in which it is folded against said wall (2, 3 ). 5. Device (1) according to claim 4, characterized in that: - said second recess (35) opens at the peripheral edge of said first disk (4); the second disk (5) has a radial slot (38) extending from the center of this second disk (5) to the peripheral edge of this second disk (5); said wall (2, 3) has a recess (21) for storing the engagement member (6), and said wall (2) has a slot (24) communicating said first recess (20) with this storage recess (21). 6. Device (1) according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that said wall (2, 3) is formed by a plate (3) carrying the first disk (4), the second disk (5) and the engagement member (6), and by a shell (2) forming a slide (10) in which this plate (3) is slidably engaged, this engagement allowing a displacement of said plate (3), and therefore of the engagement member (6) along the object. 7. Device (1) according to claim 6, characterized in that it comprises means (7, 22, 30) for holding the plate (3) in the slide (10) in a plurality of stable successive positions. 8. Device (1) according to claim 6 or claim 7, characterized in that it comprises: - a housing (13) partially covering the slide (10), adapted to receive the plate (3) entirely; at least one elastic means (25) allowing the exit of the plate (3) from this housing (13), and - means (7, 23, 30) for locking the plate (3) in the storage position of this plate (3) in said housing (13). 9. Device (1) according to claim 8, characterized in that it comprises at least one sliding cover (8, 9), connected to said plate (3), coming to cover the slide (10) when the plate (3). is in storage position in the housing (13). 10. Device (1) according to claim 8 or claim 9, characterized in that it comprises a resilient member interposed between the engagement member (6) and said plate (3), to automatically deploy this body d engaging (6) in a raised position relative to said first and second disks (4, 5) when the plate (3) exits said housing (13).