FR3095359A1 - Device for gripping, holding in the hand and handling the boxes of visualization input devices. - Google Patents

Abstract

Device for gripping, holding in the hand and handling the boxes of input-visualization devices. The invention relates to a device for taking with one hand the boxes (3) of devices in one or two flaps on the back (31) of which it is fixed, and in a housing (2) from which it can be retracted. . It consists of two "T" parts (1), a rod (12) fitting between the fingers of the hand coming to rest flat on the back (31) of the housing (3) on which said rod (12) ) is fixed, and a second, the head (11), which is found against the top of the hand, which results in a securing of the device and the hand dispensing it from any effort, while making it available for additional tasks. The device according to the invention is particularly intended for the use of tablets, electronic books and microcomputers. Figure for the abstract: fig. 17

Description

Device for gripping, holding in the hand and handling the housings of input-visualization devices

The present invention relates to a device facilitating the gripping, holding in the hand and handling of small manufactured objects, particularly those in the form of boxes and used for viewing and/or entering information.

Traditionally, devices that the size of their cases does not allow them to be held in the palm of the hand, such as small mobile phones, mobilize the two upper limbs. When they have relatively small display screen sizes (this is what is decisive), in one or even two sections, such as tablets, e-readers, etc. they are handled like traditional books, most often one-handed help. When their size increases, when they become microcomputers, they are seized with both hands and are quickly placed on the table, knees, suspended against the stomach and chest... The needs for practicality and mobility then require to the adoption of devices in a single pane, with the disadvantages linked to the reduction in size.

The device is therefore grasped like a traditional book and held like it, for reading and writing (on a touch surface, with a stylus, etc.). Generally, its reader immobilizes it between the thumb at the front, and the other fingers at the back, minimizing the front grip surface so as not to hide the bottom of the displayed text and then interfere with reading and typing. This leads to fatigue from the effort made to counter a leverage effect that is all the greater as these devices are heavy (much more than the paper book) and as the margins around the screens are increasingly narrow. When the reader is standing or sitting, the device tends to fall forward and to the ground. When he is lying on his back, the fall is backwards and onto him. The problems are similar for those lying on either side. In all cases of fall, there are risks of deterioration that did not exist with the classic book (moreover much less expensive).

There is also the use of a ring placed on the back of the case and in which you have to slide your finger as in a ring, which has many disadvantages:

- the size of the ring does not adjust to that of the fingers, resulting in an uncertain grip;

- all the weight of the device is exerted on a single place with a single finger, resulting in discomfort;

- it is not so easy and quick to remove this ring-ring. In the event of an impact (falling object on the device, movement of the supporting hand suddenly stopped by an obstacle, etc.), the concentration of the forces acting in a single place of a hindered finger can cause disarticulation or a fracture of the finger in question. and prevented.

The device according to the invention makes it possible to remedy these drawbacks:

- it adjusts to the size of the fingers;

- it distributes the effort (the thumb having cleared the front of the case, it is possible to rest it, partially, on the wrist region, which improves the stability of the device);

- it reduces muscle fatigue (the hand is simply placed on the back of the device, flat and at rest);

- it protects against accidents, as well as those affecting the hand, which can always be instantly released in case of risk, because it suffices (and it is not always necessary, thus in the case where the force in question is directed in the direction of the interdigital line), to spread the fingers to free themselves from the device and get out of danger;

It also gives the possibility of handling, with one hand, two-panel devices, whether they are two screens or a screen and a keyboard.

In addition, freeing the fingertips, it allows them various manipulations: thus that of the “previous page” and “next page” buttons, that of a touch surface… installed on the back or the sides of the device.

The device according to the invention uses the principle of the nail to fix the hand, between the fingers of which it passes, to the device, while leaving it a certain latitude of movement. Also it presents itself, according to a first characteristic, in an aspect reminiscent, indeed, that of the nail, of the “T” nail more precisely. It is made up of two convex parts, vertices with rounded points, blunt-edged edges and volumes with flattened surfaces, for a contact that does not attack the skin, two parts perpendicular to each other to form a device which, seen "from the front" and not always necessarily from this precise angle, presents the appearance of a "T". It therefore comprises "a body", a rod, in the form of an elongated elliptical cylinder, which insinuates itself into the inter-phalanx space of two neighboring fingers of the hand placed flat on the case, body whose base is fixed on the box. It also has “a head”, again cylindrical in shape, “a hat” which is found above both the stem and the hand to apply it against the back of the case, by the palm.

In the case of a single-pane unit, the rod attachment point is around the center of the case back. In the case of a two-part case, this center is that of the assembly and it is located near the middle of the hinge. If necessary (size and weight of the device, etc.), two and up to four devices are used (one for each of the four interdigital intervals). Several lengths of rods of the device are provided and several fixing points are provided from which it is possible to choose, for adjustment to its manual conformation, and symmetrical locations with respect to a vertical axis are provided, to suit both left-handed and right-handed, as well as for using one hand instead of the other to relieve fatigue. The multiplicity of devices offers the advantage of stabilizing the grip (the device can no longer rotate around the vertical rod, which can no longer be an axis of rotation when it is no longer unique) and of ensure against the fall of the device occurring if the device yielded since one (the) other (s) will replace it (in) t.

Thus the device is seized, firmly held and with maximum comfort, before it is rested, on its screen side, and released by the fingers spreading around the vertical rod, the hand removing from under the other part (the head, horizontal) of the device.

According to particular embodiments:

- the body of the device can be fixed to the case, with single or double flap, by a simple screwing in various places provided for this purpose, in order to adapt this implantation to the width of the hand, but also to secure both the device that the device(s) by unscrewing and removing it(these) after use, or even to deal with the failure of one if at least one other is installed for another(s) pair(s) of fingers;

- the body and the head of the device can be in the form of elliptical cylinders.

- the stem and the cap of the device can be in the form of elliptical cylinders, elongated for the body, unlike the head, flat, of small length relative to the axes or the diameter.

- the body of the device can be adjusted in length thanks to a set of sections attaching (and detaching) to each other to give, in the end, a combination of length corresponding to the diameter of the fingers and to the thickness of the user's hands;

- the body of the device can be telescopic for this same adaptation to the fingers and the hand;

- the device can be folded up in a retractable housing on the back of the device, for safety, in order to remain there when it is not in use;

- the device can be removed, with its rod prevented from unfolding more than 90 degrees, its optimal angle of use;

- two gutters can hold the rod of the device horizontally (when it is buried in its housing) or vertically (when it is taken out for use at the right angle);

- the lateral parts of the horizontal bar of the "T" can be in half-cylinders, or even reduced to simple slats, and can rotate, around a horizontal axis passing through the center of the horizontal cylinder surmounting the rod, axis perpendicular in the direction of the interdigital lines, so as to present their flat part to the back of the hand;

- the head can be connected to the rod by a ball joint so that the latter can rotate around the two horizontal axes to apply more closely to the back of the hand and in order, if necessary, to be reoriented perpendicular to the direction of the fingers as soon as it has rotated around the vertical axis.

The accompanying drawings illustrate the invention:

FIG. 1 represents, from the front, the device of the invention fixed to the back of an input-visualization device housing.

Figure 2 depicts two-pronged, non-single-device devices, one held by a left hand and the other by a right.

FIG. 3 represents the constitution of a rod of varying length using sections.

Figure 4 shows a telescopic rod.

Figure 5 shows the use of a section carrying a ball joint.

Figure 6 shows a shortened cylinder head but relayed, on both sides, by two inner cylinders having the possibility of rotating independently, inner cylinders ending in half-cylinders whose flat part is in contact with the top of the hand.

FIG. 7 represents a head in a shortened cylinder but relayed, on both sides, by two interior cylinders having the possibility of rotating independently, interior cylinders ending in strips, one flat of which comes into contact with the top of the hand.

Figure 8 shows a shortened cylinder head containing a cylinder of comparable length, having a fixing point on each side, not visible in this figure, to which a large round and flat strip is attached, the underside of which comes into contact with the top. from the hand.

Figure 9 shows, seen in profile, the device with the flattened cylinder head turned so as to be aligned with the rod, before the assembly is itself folded down to be retracted into the housing provided for this purpose in the back of the case.

FIG. 10 represents, seen from above, the device straightened in the housing provided on the back of the case, stabilized vertically, for use.

FIG. 11 represents, seen from above, the device stabilized horizontally, stored inside the housing.

Figure 12 shows the housing, in section along its plane of symmetry.

FIG. 13 represents the narrow part of the housing, in section along the interface plane between its part with a hemispherical base and its parallelepipedal part.

Figure 14 shows the rod prevented from rotating more than 90 degrees when leaving its housing.

Figure 15 shows the rod stabilized in its two extreme positions of 0 and 90 degrees.

Figure 16 shows the installation operation of the device in the housing.

Figure 17 shows the device installed in the housing.

Referring to these drawings, Figure 1, the device (1) comprises a head (11) placed at the top of a rod (12), a body itself fixed to the housing (3) of an input device- visualization, back side (31), a box placed on the screen side (32) when the device is not in use.

Located in the region of the center of gravity of the case, the fixing points are distributed in various places between which it is up to the user to choose to place the devices in the event that the dimension of the device, which can be in two flaps (33) and (34), requires the use of more than one device (1), as shown in Figure 2. This in order to adapt the location of the devices to the width of the hand, besides the fact that this adaptation is also done by the choice of engaged fingers: for a small hand, the devices will be placed between distant fingers (for example between the thumb and the index for a device, and between the ring finger and the little finger for another) and between neighboring fingers for a large hand. In addition, the articulation of the two phalanges of the thumb can replace the use of the junction between the thumb and the index finger. Figure 2 shows attachments arranged symmetrically to accommodate handling of the device by either hand. One of the devices (1), all seen from above, has been shown in dotted lines for the purpose of explanation: in fact, it will have been either removed or folded into one of the housings (not shown in this figure 2) which will have been arranged in the back of the boxes for this purpose, so as not to interfere with the hand in action.

To these possibilities of adaptation to the size of the hand, is added that of the modulation of the length of the rod of the device (1). One means of this adaptation is the use, illustrated in FIG. 3, of simple sections (14), of variable lengths, attaching to each other and to the number of copies desired for obtaining a stem of the desired length.

A second means of adapting the device (1) to the diameter of the fingers is that, illustrated in Figure 4, of telescopic sections as (15).

There is also, FIG. 5, a means of dynamic adjustment, during use of the device, of the position of the head (11), which is that of a joint carried by a ball joint section (16) which allows this head (11) to fit better over the hand with which it is in contact.

In the same idea of adjustment in use, FIG. 6 shows a head (11) truncated on both sides, to make room for two cylinders, inside it (17) and rotating therein independently, cylinders of the same dimensions terminating, each on its side, in a half-cylinder whose flat part, in contact with the top of the hand, adjusts to it permanently because of this rotation, all parts which, in total, reconstitute a elongated head to the device.

In the same idea of adjustment in use, it appears in Figure 7, a head (11) truncated on both sides to make room for two cylinders, inside it (18) and rotating therein independently, cylinders of the same dimensions ending, each on its own side, with a lamella in contact with the top of the hand, a lamella which permanently adjusts to the latter due to this rotation, all parts which, in the end, reconstitute an elongated head on the device.

In the same idea of adjustment in use, Figure 8 shows a head (11) truncated on both sides containing a cylinder (19) of comparable length, having a fixing point on each side, not visible on this figure, to which a large round and flat slat is attached, the underside of which comes into contact with the top of the hand, the large slat adjusting to it permanently due to the rotation of the inner cylinder, all parts which, in the end, constitute a flattened cylinder head to the device. A recess in the shape of a parallelepiped (4), one side of which has a curvilinear profile, has been made in this lamella.

By virtue of this recess, this slat, which has a round and flattened head (11), can be turned until it is in the extension of the rod (12) as is apparent from FIG. 9, which makes it possible to fold it up solidly with it, its size having been greatly reduced when it is presented in profile.

FIG. 10 represents the head (11), seen from above and therefore concealing the rest of the device (1), the latter having been straightened for use, turned around an axis of rotation essentially concealed inside the housing ( 2) arranged in the back (31) of the housing, axis installed across the narrow part (21) of the housing (2), the wide part (22) remaining empty. The stability of the device in this position will be explained later. According to a variant not shown, the front and rear edges of the wide part of the housing will have a curvature adapted to a round device head.

Figure 11 shows the device (1) deployed to its maximum length and folded into the housing, the rod (12) occupying the narrow part (21) of the housing, as well as the wide part (22) concurrently with the head (11) . The explanation of the stability of the device in this position, due to the presence of metal restraint plates (5), of which the horizontal parts (51) appear, plates fixed by screws (55) to the back of the case, will be detailed. further away.

Figure 12 is a section of the housing along its vertical plane of symmetry. There appears the wide part (22) and the narrow part (21) of the housing with, for said narrow part (21), a flat vertical wall (25) extended, in this section, by half of the semi-cylindrical base (24 ) of the narrow part (21), flat vertical wall (25) extending, both in width and in depth, in the parallelepipedal part (23) of the housing. The horizontal part of the support plate (51) is extended by a vertical part (52) folded over the flat vertical wall (25) of the narrow part (21) of the housing. Cut into the vertical part of the support plate (52), a horizontal gutter (53) and a vertical gutter (54) intersect in a region where a hole (61) pierces the vertical part of the support plate (52) and, through it, the flat vertical part (25) of the narrow part (21) of the housing. Lower down, the hole (61) also pierces both the hemispherical part (24) and the parallelepipedal part (23) of the housing. At the interface between the narrow part (21) of the housing and its parallelepipedal part (23), there are two facets in the form of isosceles right triangles with curvilinear hypotenuses (26).

In the embodiment according to FIG. 13, a section of the housing along the interface plane between its narrow part with a hemispherical base and that of parallelepiped shape, the hole (62) appears to be made in a moving part, in an "implant" ( 4) carrying the axis of rotation (6) of the device introduced into this hole (62), implant (4) in duplicate being placed on either side of the narrow part (21) of the housing, bays having been opened for this purpose. The back (31) of the box (3) has also been hollowed out to make room for the contention plates (5) and the screws (55) which hold them while the plates themselves hold the implants (4).

Figure 14 shows that the base of the rod is also crossed by a hole (63) drilled around the segment defined by the intersection of the three entities which are the quarter-sphere part (13), the semi-cylindrical part (71) and the cylindrical part (72) surmounting the two previous ones. This hole (63) is located opposite that which is made in the implant (4) bearing axis of rotation. When the stem has been pulled out of the housing and straightened up to 90 degrees, its curvilinear hypotenuse triangle facets (70) contact the curvilinear hypotenuse triangle facets (26) of the narrow portion (21) of the housing, which then stop. Still obstruct, at a rotation greater than 90 degrees, the contention plates at the junction of their horizontal part (51).

Figure 15 shows first, in a section of the housing along the vertical plane transverse to the narrow part of the housing and plane of longitudinal symmetry of the holes (62) in the implants, the appearance that the vertical parts (52) of the restraint plates in the absence of the installation of the rod in the housing: they are not vertical but, in fact, oblique, having been bent only at an angle of less than 90 degrees. This implies that when it is put in place, the rod (12) forces these vertical parts (52) of the contention plates, which are supposed to be made of elastic metal, vertically. In return and as it appears in this figure 15, the rod receives a force which causes it to "fall" into the gutters and to remain in contact with the bottom of said gutters, the bottom (74) of the horizontal gutter where the rod falls when it approaches the horizontal position, and the bottom (75) of the vertical gutter where said rod (12) falls when it approaches the vertical position. The rod (12) is then horizontal or vertical, depending on whether it has been retracted into the housing or whether it is in the position of use, while the vertical parts (52) of the compression plates adopt an intermediate position between their constituent obliqueness and the verticality (76) required by the diameter of the rod and the width of the housing.

Figure 16 describes the assembly of the device itself (1) in its housing (2), an operation during which the axis of rotation (6) is introduced at the base of the device (1), an assembly to which are attached the axle-carrying implants (4), the whole going to occupy the implant bays (73) located on either side of the narrow part (21) of the housing (here, one of the bays is shown already occupied by a implant, for the purpose of illustration) before its immobilization by the contention plates (5) (whose gutters have not been shown in this figure) fixed by the screws (55).

Figure 17 shows the device (1), head (11) and rod (12), installed in the housing (2) arranged in the back (31) of a case (3) of an input-visualization device, ready to use.

By way of non-limiting example, the device will have dimensions of the order of 3 cm for the length, or the diameter, of the head depending on its shape as an elongated and narrow or wide and flat cylinder. Its stem will also have these same 3 cm between the top of the case and the bottom of the head, and about 0.5 cm for its diameter.

The device according to the invention is particularly intended for the use of tablets, electronic books and microcomputers.

Claims (10)

Device for picking up, holding and handling the housings of input-visualization devices characterized in that it consists of two parts, convex, perpendicular to each other and taking the form of a "T" when it is seen "from the front", a first part consisting of a stem, or "body", of elongated shape, which insinuates itself into the inter-phalanx space of two neighboring fingers of the hand that has just been lay, flat, on the case, body whose "foot" is fixed on the case, and a second part, normal to the first, and which is a "head" and/or a hat, being found above of the back of the hand, the latter thus pressed against the case, until it is released by spreading the fingers around the rod, before removing it by sliding it between the head of the device and the back of the the device. Device according to Claim 1, characterized in that the head and the body are in the form of elliptical cylinders. Device according to Claim 1, characterized in that the head and the body are in the form of elliptical cylinders, elongated for the body and, for the head, of small length relative to the axes or to the diameter. Device according to Claim 2 or Claim 3, characterized in that the rod consists of sections of variable lengths, which are fixed to each other so as to adjust the length of the rod to the size of the fingers. Device according to Claim 2 or Claim 3, characterized in that the rod is telescopic. Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it folds up, in a horizontal position, in a retracting housing arranged on the back of the device. Device according to Claim 6, characterized in that on leaving its housing, it unfolds by a maximum of 90 degrees. Device according to Claim 6 or 7, characterized in that two gutters hold the rod horizontally, when it is retracted and stored in the housing, or vertically, when it is taken out for use. Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the lateral ends of the head are in half-cylinders rotating around a horizontal axis perpendicular to the direction of the fingers. Device according to any one of the preceding claims, claim 2 or 3, characterized in that the head is connected to the rod by a ball joint.