GB2485409A

GB2485409A - A support for portable electronic device

Info

Publication number: GB2485409A
Application number: GB1019247.4A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Aaron Bennett
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2010-11-13
Filing date: 2010-11-13
Publication date: 2012-05-16
Also published as: GB201019247D0

Abstract

A one-piece polyethylene foam support 20, for portable electronic device 10 such as a tablet pc, an e-book and a touch screen device, comprises holding means formed as grips 21a, 21b which are shaped so that the device 10 may be inserted between opposing claw elements of each grip 21a, 21b. The grips 21a, 21b allow the device 10 to be moved up or down to adjust an intended viewing angle. A terminating end portion 22 comprises a tapered section having outer side surfaces 23a, 23b which are shaped for cooperating with a front and/or inner thighs of a user which enables the support 20 to stably hold the device 10 on a user s lap just above their knees. The support 20 may include a cut-out section (31, fig 4) which receives headphones and a jack.

Description

Support for Portable Electronic Device The present invention relates to a support for a portable electronic device particularly, but not exclusively, to a support for a so-called "tablet device", such as inter alia tablet PCs, ebooks and touch screen devices.

Tablet devices, particularly those equipped with a touch screen as the primary input mechanism, are becoming increasingly popular and tend to exhibit a substantially planar, one-piece, configuration, although multi-part, foldable, tablet devices are also known which may be adapted for a number of configurations in use.

Whilst tablet and touch-screen devices offer a number of benefits to consumers, in terms of their portability and indeed their electronic functionality or application, they do not typically allow the device to be self-supporting for use. A user must therefore find some way to support the device in use.

Commonly, a user may simply hold the çevice using their hands to simultaneously support and interact with it. However, depending to some extent on the size and weight of the device, there may be instances where it may be difficult to support and interact with the device at the same time. Furthermore, whilst the device may be laid flat on a supporting surface, such as a table top or a person' s lap, this will not necessarily mean that the device is supported in a convenient position for use, e.g. the viewing angle of the screen may be disadvantageous.

There is therefore a need to provide a way to support portable electronic devices, especially tablet and touch devices, in a suitable position for use. The problem of needing to support a portable electronic device in a suitable position for use does not just apply to tablet devices, but also applies to any portable device including foldable laptops etc. This is especially true when wanting to use the device "on the move", e.g. when travelling or at casual locations. Moreover, laptops and other electronic devices are now associated with so-called "laptop leg burn" as a result of users' repeatedly positioning laptops directly on their laps when seated and there is therefore a need to provide a way to insulate and or separate the device from the front of user's upper legs.

According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a support for supporting a portable electronic device in an in-use position with respect to a supporting surface, the support having a holding means configured, in use, to hold the device in a stable position relative thereto and such that the support extends outwardly from a rear surface of the device, wherein the support is configured such that when the device is supported for use on a user's lap, the support extends between the user's legs and the sides of the support cooperate with a contour of a portion of the front and/or inner thighs of the user.

Preferably, a support embodying the present invention is for supporting a portable electronic device, especially a tablet device, at an incline with respect to a supporting surface.

Alternatively, in the case of portable electronic device such as a folding laptop, the device may be used to engage the keyboard portion thereof to thereby distance the laptop from the user' 5 leg in order to alleviate the potential for leg burn, and also to support the laptop securely so as to reduce the risk that the laptop may slip from the user's lap and become damaged.

A key feature of embodiments of the first aspect of the present invention is that the support is configured for extend between and cooperating with a user's legs, in particular for cooperating with the contour of a portion of the front and/or inner thighs of a user. In this way, a portable electronic device S held by the holding means of the device may advantageously be supported safely and steadily for use on a user's lap with the user's legs being able to provide a counter pressure to the support to thereby resist movement of the support.

Preferably, the sides of a section of the support are tapered.

In particular, a support which is configured such that the sides of a section thereof are tapered, i.e. the width of the support gradually decreases from a region at or near the holding means of the support, advantageously allows each side of the support to cooperate with the abutting contour of a portion of the front and/or inner thigh of a user. It will be appreciated that the tapered section may comprise a curved and/or a linear profile.

The holding means of the device is configured to allow the portable electronic device to be held by the support in order to resist any substantial relative movement between the device and the support. Once the holding means has been deployed to hold a given portable electronic device, for example a tablet or touch device, the device may then be advantageously propped at an incline with a resting edge of the portable electronic device being supported by a resting surface and with the support being suitably placed so as to provide the counter force required to support the portable electronic device in the inclined position.

Whilst a beneficial feature of embodiments of the present invention is that they facilitate the support of a portable electronic device on a user' s lap, through cooperation of the sides of the support with the front and/or inner legs of a user, it should be appreciated that a support embodying the present invention will be also suitable for use in a number of different circumstances. For example, a support embodying the present invention may be used to support a portable electronic device, particularly a tablet or touch device, at an incline on any suitable supporting surface. For example, when employed to support a portable electronic device on a substantially flat surface such as a table top, or even the chest or stomach of a user in a reclining or semi-reclining position, both the resting edge of the portable electronic device and a terminating end-portion of the support are in contact with the supporting surface. It is also envisaged that the support may be held by hand so as to allow a user to interact with a portable electronic device using their other hand, for example whilst standing.

According to a second aspect of the present invention there is provided a support for supporting a portable electronic device in an in-use position with respect to a supporting surface, the support having a holding means configured, in use, to hold the device in a stable position relative thereto and such that the support extends outwardly from a rear surface of the device, wherein the support comprises a tapered section which extends between the holding means and a terminating end-portion of the support.

The holding means of the present invention may be implemented in a number of different ways. For example, the holding means may comprise one or more clips which are adapted to engage with the edge(s) of the portable electronic device. Alternatively, the holding means may comprise one or more suction grips which are advantageous in that they minimise the risk of damaging the portable electronic device in use. A holding means comprising one or more foam grips which are each configured so as to substantially engage with an edge of a portable electronic device are particularly beneficial. Preferably, a pair of foam grips may be provided which is spaced so as to engage in use with opposite edges of the portable electronic device.

According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the support is formed of foam, such as closed cell polyethylene foam. An advantage of the support being formed of foam is that is it results in a lightweight product with superior portability.

The use of foam is also beneficial in that it readily facilitates a one-piece construction and, moreover, provides sufficient rigidity to support a portable electronic device and yet minimises the risk of damage to the device at places of contact, iS e.g. at the holding means.

A particularly preferred embodiment of the present invention comprises a one-piece foam construction having a pair of foam grips configured to engage with the opposing side edges of a portable electronic device.

Preferably, the holding means allows adjustment of the angle of inclination of a portable electronic device relative to a supporting surface. According to the particularly preferred embodiment, which comprises a pair of foam grips as the holding means, it is possible to adjust the angle of inclination simply by sliding the portable electronic device up or down between the pair of foam grips of the holding means.

Preferably, but not essentially, the terminating end-portion of the support may comprise a substantially rounded surface.

An advantage of the terminating end portion of the support having a rounded surface is that it provides a more consistent surface area with a flat support surface regardless of the angle of inclination of the portable electronic device with respect to the surface.

The support may be provided to cut-outs in order to accommodate a pair of headphones.

The preferred or alternative features of the present invention described herein may be applied in conjunction with either of 0 the first or the second aspects of the present invention.

For a better understanding of the present invention, and to show how the same may be carried into effect, reference will now be made by way of example to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 shows a rear-view of a device being supported by a support embodying the present invention; Figure 2 shows front-view of a device being supported by a support embodying the present invention; and Figure 3 shows a device being supported on a user's lap by a support embodying the present invention.

Figure 1 shows a support, generally designated 20, according to an embodiment of the present invention which is supporting a tablet device, generally designated 10, on a flat surface.

The support exhibits a one-piece construction and is made of foam, such as closed cell polyethylene foam. The support comprises a holding means in the form of first and second foam grips 21a and 2lb, which are shaped so that the tablet device may be inserted in between opposing claw elements of each grip (not shown) and the device moved up or down within the grips to adjust the intended viewing angle as desired. The terminating end-portion 22 of the support comprises a substantially rounded surface which is in contact with the flat supporting surface.

The support exhibits a tapered section having outer side surfaces 23a and 23b. The tapered section is shaped for cooperating with a portion of each of the front and/or inner thighs of a user when the device is supported for use on a user' s lap. This will be discussed below with reference to Figure 3.

Figure 2 shows a front view of the arrangement shown in Figure 1. The device 10 is shown supported at an incline, with respect to the supporting surface, with a resting edge 11 of the device 10 being in contact with the supporting surface.

Figure 3 illustrates the device 10, held by means of grips 21a and 2lb of the support 20 and positioned on a user's lap such that the tapered section allows the support to rest on a user' s lap, typically on a region of the front of the user's leg just above the knees, and to extend between the user's legs. The resting edge 11 of the device (not shown) will rest forwardly of the device on the user' s lap and the device may be moved up or down within the grips in order to achieve the desired angle of inclination of the device in relation to the slope of the lap.

Figure 4 shows various views of a support embodying the present invention. Specifically, Figure 4A shows a rear view of a support 30 having a cut-out section 31 for receiving headphones and a jack; Figure 48 shows a front view of the support 30; Figure shows a side view of the support 30; Figure 4D shows a top view of the support 30 and Figure 4E shows a rear elevational view of the support 30.

Claims

CLAIMS1. A support for supporting a portable electronic device in an in-use position with respect to a supporting surface, the support having a holding means configured, in use, to hold the device in a stable position relative thereto and such that the support extends outwardly from a rear surface of the device, wherein the support is configured such that, when the device is supported for use on a user' s lap the support extends between the user's legs and the sides of the support cooperate with a contour of a portion of the front and/or inner thighs of the user.
2. A support as claimed in claim 1, wherein the support is for supporting a portable electronic device at an incline with respect to a supporting surface.
3. A support as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the sides of a section of the support are tapered.
4. A support as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the holding means comprises one or more foam grips which are each configured so as to substantially engage with an edge of the portable electronic device in use.
5. A support as claimed in any claim 4, wherein the holding means comprises a pair of foam grips which are spaced so as to engage in use with opposite edges of the portable electronic device.
6. A support as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the support is formed in one-piece.
7. A support as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the support is formed of foam.
8. A support as claimed in claim 7, wherein the foam comprises closed cell polyethylene foam.
9. A support as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein a terminating end-portion of the support comprises a substantially rounded surface.
10. A support for supporting a portable electronic device in an in-use position with respect to a supporting surface, the support having a holding means configured, in use, to hold the device in a stable position relative thereto and such that the support extends outwardly from a rear surface of the device, wherein the support comprises a tapered section which extends between the holding means and a terminating end-portion of the support.
11. A support substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.