US20130198924A1

US20130198924A1 - Hand Warmer

Info

Publication number: US20130198924A1
Application number: US13/369,187
Authority: US
Inventors: Scott M. Johnson; Melinda S. Johnson
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2012-02-08
Filing date: 2012-02-08
Publication date: 2013-08-08

Abstract

Disclosed is leather, textile, or other material that holds a computer-human interface device and wraps around the device and a user's hand to create an overarching structure that provides a warm, easy-entry cylinder for a user's hand.

Description

FIELD

The present invention is in the field of hand warming devices.

BACKGROUND

Computers are ubiquitous, and people of all ages and walks of life use them. Computers may have different types of human-computer interface (HCI) devices; which may, for example, include mice, trackballs, keyboards, or game controllers.
Some computer users find a hand they use for controlling the computer interface device may get cold. Various reasons may contribute to this issue, including, for example, circulation issues the user may have, or environmental conditions in which the user is using the device, for example an air conditioning vent that blows cold air toward the user. Several approaches to prevent this problem have been tried, including a square of fleece with a mouse and mouse pad tucked inside, a USB-powered heated mouse, and a USB powered blanket pouch with a mouse and mouse pad tucked inside, which acts like a small electric blanket for a user's hand.

SUMMARY

A Hand Warmer may help a user keep her hand or wrist warm while using a computer-human interface (HCI) device, such as a mouse, trackball, keyboard, game controller, or other device on a computer. This may improve blood flow and increase comfort and reduce pain related to temperature-related conditions.
A Hand Warmer may be made of sheepskin, leather, textiles, or other materials or combinations of materials, and may help keep a user's hand or wrist warm. The material may have different colors or patterns, and may be tanned and prepared if appropriate. A Hand Warmer may attach to a base of a HCI device and wrap around it, and may create an overarching structure that creates a warm, easy-entry cylinder for the user's hand.
A Hand Warmer may attach to a base of an HCI device using, for example, single or multiple attachment strips such as hook and loop fasteners, which adhere to the HCI device. A base attachment strip may be sewn into a Hand Warmer and may keep a compartment securely fastened to the HCI device. This may enable movement of the HCI device as the user desires without the Hand Warmer impeding operation.
The shape and positioning of the seams in conjunction with the attachment strips may enable the Hand Warmer to wrap around the outside of the HCI device. A cavity and a cylindrical structure may be created by connecting a sizing strip that may double as a wrist-rest. This structure may enable a hand to be easily inserted into the Hand Warmer and the user may operate the HCI device in the comfort of a warm and dry environment above the HCI device.
An optional base-notch may be included in a Hand Warmer, which may enable it to be fastened to HCI devices that have wired connections.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a view of an embodiment of a Hand Warmer.

FIG. 2 is a side view of an embodiment of a Hand Warmer.

FIG. 3 is a view of one side of an embodiment of an unsewn Hand Warmer.

FIG. 4 is a view of an opposite side of the embodiment of an unsewn Hand Warmer shown in FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a bottom view of one embodiment of a Hand Warmer.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of one embodiment of a Hand Warmer.

FIG. 7 is a side view of another embodiment of a Hand Warmer.

FIG. 8 is a view of another embodiment of an unsewn Hand Warmer.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

A Hand Warmer may help a user keep her hand or wrist warm while using a computer-human interface (HCI) device, such as a mouse, trackball, keyboard, game controller, or other device on a computer. This may improve blood flow and increase comfort and reduce pain related to temperature-related conditions.
FIG. 1 is a view of an embodiment of a Hand Warmer. A user may place a hand through Hand Opening 110 and into Hand Compartment 130, where the user may operate a HCI Device inside HCI Device Compartment 120. In this embodiment, the HCI Device Compartment 120 may be tall enough to support a joystick or other tall HCI Device as compared to a mouse, for example. Since the material used for Hand Warmer 100 may be soft and flexible, when a user has a hand inside the Hand Compartment 130, the Hand Opening 110 may provide a soft wrist rest for the user.
In one embodiment, Hand Warmer 100 is made from sheepskin, with fur inside the Hand Warmer 100, which may provide a soft, warm, and comfortable place for a user to keep a hand warm while using an HCI Device.
In another embodiment, an HCI Device may be fastened inside HCI Device Compartment with hook and loop fasteners, which may prevent it from easily separating from Hand Warmer 100.
In yet another embodiment, a stiff material, such as plastic or metal, by way of example, may be used to shape HCI Device Compartment 120.
In yet another embodiment, a stiff material may be used to shape Hand Opening 110, which may provide an easy way for a user to insert or remove a hand from Hand Warmer 100.
In one embodiment, the HCI Device Compartment 120 is made from at least one piece of material not used in forming the Hand Compartment 130. In another embodiment, the entire hand warmer is made from one piece of material.
FIG. 2 is a side view of an embodiment of a Hand Warmer 200. This embodiment may have a shorter HCI Device Compartment 220 than the example shown in FIG. 1 to support easy use of a mouse, for example. Hand Opening 210 may allow a user's hand to easily be placed into and removed from Hand Compartment 230. Wrist Rest 240 may provide a comfortable area for a user to rest a wrist on while using an HCO Device. Seams 250, shown as dotted lines, may be placed to avoid interfering with operation of an HCI device and to avoid discomfort for a user. HCI Device Compartment 220 may be open on a bottom so that an HCI Device, a mouse, for example, may be used on a surface below the Hand Warmer.
FIG. 3 is a view of one side of one embodiment of an unsewn Hand Warmer. A Hand Warmer may be made out of sheepskin, for example, with a fur side facing the viewer. It may be rolled to form a body, such that Hook and Loop Fastener 310 may attach to a corresponding Hook and Loop Fastener 340 on an opposite side, thus forming a cylindrical opening. Hook and Loop Fastener 310 coupled to Hook and Loop Fastener 340 may allow for adjustment of the size of Hand Opening 110 and Hand Compartment 130. HCI Device Compartment 120 may also be rolled such that Edge 350 and Edge 360 are adjacent to each other and may be coupled together, by sewing, for example. Similarly, Edge 370 and Edge 380 may be sewn together, forming a top of the HCI Device Compartment 120, as well as forming Hand Compartment 130.
Wire Notch 320 may be used to allow Hand Warmer 100 to be used with a wired HCI Device by providing a place for a wire to enter the HCI Device Compartment without simply causing a bottom of the Hand Warmer to bend over the wire.
Hook and Loop Fasteners 330 may be used to couple the Hand Warmer to an HCI Device, such as a mouse.
FIG. 4 is a view of an opposite side of the embodiment of an unsewn Hand Warmer shown in FIG. 3. Hook and Loop Fastener 340 is on the visible side in this example, and may connect with Hook and Loop Fastener 310 when the Hand Warmer is assembled.
FIG. 5 is a bottom view of one embodiment of a Hand Warmer. HCI Device Compartment 120 may be open to a surface an HCI device may be used on to permit interaction between the surface and the HCI device. For example, a mouse inside a Hand Warmer may be used on a mouse pad on a desk. Hook and Loop Fastener 330 may be used to attach a Hand Warmer to the HCI device.
FIG. 6 is a perspective view of another embodiment of a Hand Warmer. This embodiment may have a HCI Device Compartment 220. Hand Opening 210 may allow a user's hand to easily be placed into and removed from Hand Compartment 230. Wrist Rest 240 may provide a comfortable area for a user to rest a wrist on while using an HCO Device. HCI Device Compartment 220 may be open on a bottom so that an HCI Device, a mouse, for example, may be used on a surface below the Hand Warmer.
FIG. 7 is a perspective view of another embodiment of a Hand Warmer. A user may place a hand through Hand Opening 110 and into Hand Compartment 130, where the user may operate a HCI Device inside HCI Device Compartment 120. In this embodiment, the HCI Device Compartment 120 may be tall enough to support a joystick or other tall HCI Device as compared to a mouse, for example. Since the material used for Hand Warmer 100 may be soft and flexible, when a user has a hand inside the Hand Compartment 130, the Hand Opening 110 may provide a soft wrist rest for the user.
FIG. 8 is a view of another embodiment of an unsewn Hand Warmer. These templates may be fastened together with letters on the smaller template HDI Device Compartment 120 aligned with corresponding letters on the portion of the larger template Hand Compartment 130, which wraps over itself with letter C coupled to letter C and letter E and coupled to letter E the to form Hand Compartment 130.
While the detailed description above has been expressed in terms of specific examples, the examples used should not be construed to be limiting. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that many other configurations could be used. The Hand Warmer may be made from many different materials or combinations of materials, including, for example, sheepskin, wool, leather, or may have layers of various materials, which may be natural or synthetic. For example, an outer layer may be made of plastic, which may keep the Hand Warmer dry, while a soft material such as fur or fake fur is used against a user's hand and wrist. An outer layer may also be made of material with a pattern or particular color as desired by a user. A Hand Warmer may be made of one piece of material, or of several sewn or glued together, or attached by some other means.
Accordingly, it will be appreciated that various equivalent modifications of the above-described embodiments may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.
The foregoing description of various embodiments of the invention has been presented for the purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed. It is intended that the scope of the invention be limited not by this detailed description, but rather by the claims appended hereto. The above specification, examples and data provide a complete description of the manufacture and use of the invention. Since many embodiments of the invention can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, the invention resides in the claims hereinafter appended.

Claims

1. A hand warmer, comprising:

a substantially tubular body large enough to permit a user's hand to fit inside, having a first end and a second end; the first end having a hand opening; the second end closed; the second end having an human-computer interface device compartment opening on a bottom; the second opening sized to allow a human-computer interface device functional access to an outside surface.

2. The hand warmer of claim 1, further comprising a wrist rest, comprising material extending from a bottom of the first end of the tubular body.

3. The hand warmer of claim 1, further comprising hook and loop fasteners attached near the second end configured to allow attachment to a human-computer interface device without interfering with the operation of the human-computer interface device.

4. The hand warmer of claim 1, wherein the hand warmer is made from sheepskin.

5-7. (canceled)

8. The hand warmer of claim 1 wherein the second opening is sized suitably to contain a mouse pointing device.

9. The hand warmer of claim 1 wherein the second opening is sized suitably to contain a trackball pointing device.

10. The hand warmer of claim 1 wherein the second opening is sized suitably to contain a joystick pointing device.

11. The hand warmer of claim 1 wherein the second opening is sized suitably to contain a game controller device.