US20130291280A1

US20130291280A1 - Finger glove for electronics device

Info

Publication number: US20130291280A1
Application number: US13/506,634
Authority: US
Inventors: Randy Cheng
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2012-05-03
Filing date: 2012-05-03
Publication date: 2013-11-07

Abstract

A finger glove for a touch screen of an electronic device includes a finger pocket adapted for being worn by a finger of a wearer, and a touch receptor which is made of electro-conductive material. The finger pocket has a tip portion covering a distal phalanx of the wearer's finger and a finger stall portion extended from the tip portion. The touch receptor is provided at the tip portion of the finger pocket at an outer surface thereof for responsively contacting with the touch screen of the electronic device.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to an electronic device with touch screen configuration, and more particular to a finger glove for the electronic device, wherein the wearer is able to wear the glove to operate the touch screen device.
2. Description of Related Arts
Touch-screen input becomes a mainstream for electronic devices, such as mobile phone and personal computer. In fact, most portable electronic devices, such as “Apple iPhone or iPad” are only operated by the virtual keyboard without any physical QWERTY keyboard. In other words, the users can only use their fingers to operate the electronic devices. Generally speaking, the capacitive touch screen requires bare-handed finger contact to touch on the screen surface. Unlike the conventional resistive screen, the capacitive touch screen does not rely on pressure on the screen surface, such that the capacitive touch screen is more responsive than the resistive screen. However, the capacitive touch screen can only be operated by the touch of a finger and does not respond to a touch with a conventional stylus, gloves or most other objects. For example, when a user wears warm keeping gloves or electrical resisting gloves, the screen surface of the capacitive touch screen will not detect a touch of finger through the gloves.

SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

The invention is advantageous in that it provides a finger glove, wherein the wearer is able to wear the glove to operate the touch screen device.
Another advantage of the invention is to provide a finger glove, wherein the touch receptor, which is made of electro-conductive material, is provided at the tip of the finger glove for responsively contacting with the touch screen of the electronic device.
Another advantage of the invention is to provide a finger glove, wherein the touch receptor has a center high-dense controlling area and a peripheral less-dense regulating area for allowing the wearer to precisely contact with the touch screen of the electronic device.
Another advantage of the invention is to provide a finger glove, which can be embodied as a finger sleeve to fit one finger of the wearer or as a glove to fit the hand of the wearer.
Another advantage of the invention is to provide a finger glove, which does not require to alter the original structural design of the glove, so as to minimize the manufacturing cost of the glove incorporating with the touch receptor.
Another advantage of the invention is to provide a finger glove, wherein no expensive or complicated structure is required to employ in the present invention in order to achieve the above mentioned objects. Therefore, the present invention successfully provides an economic and efficient solution for providing a configuration for the finger glove to operate the touch screen device.
Additional advantages and features of the invention will become apparent from the description which follows, and may be realized by means of the instrumentalities and combinations particular point out in the appended claims.
According to the present invention, the foregoing and other objects and advantages are attained by a finger glove for a touch screen of an electronic device, comprising:
a finger pocket adapted for being worn by a finger of a wearer, wherein the finger pocket has a tip portion covering a distal phalanx of the wearer's finger and a finger stall portion extended from the tip portion; and
a touch receptor, which is made of electro-conductive material, provided at the tip portion of the finger pocket at an outer surface thereof for responsively contacting with the touch screen of the electronic device.
Still further objects and advantages will become apparent from a consideration of the ensuing description and drawings.
These and other objectives, features, and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, the accompanying drawings, and the appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a finger glove according to a first preferred embodiment of the present invention, illustrating the finger glove being worn at the wearer's hand.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the touch receptor of the finger glove according the above first embodiment of the present invention, illustrating the touch receptor formed at one of the finger pocket.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a finger glove according to a second preferred embodiment of the present invention, illustrating the finger glove being worn at the wearer's finger.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the touch receptor of the finger glove according the above first embodiment of the present invention, illustrating the touch receptor formed at the finger pocket.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawings, a finger glove according to a first embodiment of the present invention is illustrated, wherein the finger glove comprises a finger pocket 10 adapted for being worn by a finger of a wearer, and a touch receptor 20 which is made of electro-conductive material.
According to the first embodiment, the finger glove is embodied as a glove comprising a glove body, which is adapted for being worn by a hand of a user, has a dorsal side, a palm portion, and five finger pockets 10. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, each of the finger pockets 10 has a tip portion 11 covering a distal phalanx of the wearer's finger and a finger stall portion 12 extended from the tip portion 11.
The touch receptor 20 is provided at the tip portion 11 of the finger pocket 10 at an outer surface thereof for responsively contacting with the touch screen of the electronic device, especially the capacitive touch screen.
According to the first embodiment, the glove body can be made of leather, wool, or cotton for keeping the wearer's hand warm. Likewise, the glove body can be formed as a work glove, protective glove, or surgical glove depending on the material of the glove body.
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the touch receptor 20 is provided at the tip portion 11 of at least one of the finger pockets 10. Accordingly, the touch receptor 20 is provided at the finger pad of the glove pocket 10 at the tip portion 11 thereof, wherein the touch receptor 20 has a size smaller that the size of the finger pad. In particular, the touch receptor 20 has a center high-dense controlling area 21 and a peripheral less-dense regulating area 22. Accordingly, the center high-dense controlling area 21 and the peripheral less-dense regulating area 22 of the touch receptor 20 have different properties, such as different thickness or different conductivity.
When the wearer wears the finger pockets 10, the finger of the wearer can feel the difference between the center high-dense controlling area 21 and the peripheral less-dense regulating area 22. Therefore, the wearer is able to control the center high-dense controlling area 21 to operate the touch screen of the electronic device. It is worth mentioning that the center high-dense controlling area 21 of the touch receptor 20 is aligned with the finger pad of the wearer allowing the wearer precisely pin-point the particular area on the touch screen of the electronic device. The peripheral less-dense regulating area 22 of the touch receptor 20 enables the wearer to easily interact with the touch screen of the electronic device, such as swipe or tap gesture on the touch screen of the electronic device. Especially for multi-touch control such as pinch to zoom, the peripheral less-dense regulating area 22 of the touch receptor 20 enables the wearer to easily operate the touch screen of the electronic device by two or more fingers.
As shown in FIG. 2, the center high-dense controlling area 21 of the touch receptor 20 is thicker than the peripheral less-dense regulating area 22 thereof. Therefore, the wearer is able to feel the difference between the center high-dense controlling area 21 and the peripheral less-dense regulating area 22. It is worth mentioning that the fingertip of the wearer is extremely sensitive to texture such that the fingertip of the wearer is able to feed the center high-dense controlling area 21 and the peripheral less-dense regulating area 22 of the touch receptor 20.
According to the first embodiment, the touch receptor 20 comprises a plurality of conductive fibers 23 provided at the tip portion 11 of the finger pocket 10. Preferably, the conductive fibers 23 are woven or stitched to the tip portion 11 of the finger pocket 10. Each of the conductive fibers 23 has a predetermined resistance.
Accordingly, each of the conductive fibers 23 can be a silver plated nylon having a resistance about 14 ohms/foot, or Ply HC conductive silver thread having a resistance about 14-30 ohms/foot. The touch receptor 20 is composes of 80% cotton, 14% Elastane, and 7% conductive fiber. Preferably, the conductive fibers 23 are Epitropic fibers, wherein touch receptor 20 is preferably composed of 90% Acrylic, 5% Spandex, and 5% Epitropic fiber.
In order to make different thicknesses at different portions of the tip portion 11 of the finger pocket 10, the number of the conductive fibers 23 at the center high-dense controlling area 21 of the touch receptor 20 is larger than the number of the conductive fibers 23 at the peripheral less-dense regulating area 22 of the touch receptor 20. In other words, more conductive fibers 23 will be formed at the center high-dense controlling area 21 of the touch receptor 20 while less conductive fibers 23 will be formed at the peripheral less-dense regulating area 22 of the touch receptor 20. In addition, more conductive fibers 23 at the center high-dense controlling area 21 of the touch receptor 20 will make this area thicker than the peripheral less-dense regulating area 22 of the touch receptor 20. Preferably, the conductive fibers 23 at the center high-dense controlling area 21 of the touch receptor 20 are made of the same material of the conductive fibers 23 at the peripheral less-dense regulating area 22 of the touch receptor 20.
It should be appreciated that the conductive fibers 23 at the center high-dense controlling area 21 of the touch receptor 20 are made of the different materials of the conductive fibers 23 at the peripheral less-dense regulating area 22 of the touch receptor 20. For example, the conductive fibers 23 at the center high-dense controlling area 21 of the touch receptor 20 are made of relatively high conductive material while the conductive fibers 23 at the peripheral less-dense regulating area 22 of the touch receptor 20 are made of relatively low conductive material.
FIGS. 3 and 4, a finger glove of a second embodiment illustrates an alternative mode of the first embodiment, wherein the finger glove comprises a finger pocket 10′ adapted for being worn by a finger of a wearer, and a touch receptor 20′ which is made of electro-conductive material.
According to the second embodiment, the finger glove is embodied as a single finger sleeve. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, each of the finger pockets 10′ has a tip portion 11′ covering a distal phalanx of the wearer's finger and a finger stall portion 12′ extended from the tip portion 11′. In particular, the finger stall portion 12′ of the glove pocket 10′ is rolled up to form rolled ring and is arranged for being unrolled over the finger of the wearer. Therefore, when the finger glove is worn, the finger of the wearer forms a stylus to operate the touch screen of the electronic device. It is worth mentioning that the wearer is able to wear two or more finger sleeves at different fingers at the same time to operate the touch screen of the electronic device.
FIGS. 3 and 4 further illustrates the alternative mode of the touch receptor 20′, wherein the touch receptor 20′ is provided at the tip portion 11′ of the finger pocket 10′ at an outer surface thereof for responsively contacting with the touch screen of the electronic device.
Accordingly, the touch receptor 20′ is provided at the finger pad of the glove pocket 10′ at the tip portion 11′ thereof, wherein the touch receptor 20′ has a size smaller that the size of the finger pad. In particular, the touch receptor 20′ has a center high-dense controlling area 21′ and a peripheral less-dense regulating area 22′. Accordingly, the center high-dense controlling area 21′ and the peripheral less-dense regulating area 22′ of the touch receptor 20′ have different properties, such as different thickness. When the wearer wears the finger pockets 10′, the finger of the wearer can feel the difference between the center high-dense controlling area 21′ and the peripheral less-dense regulating area 22′.
The touch receptor 20′ comprises an anti-static conductive foam 23′ provided at the tip portion 11′ of the finger pocket 10′. In particular, the anti-static conductive foam 23′ at the center high-dense controlling area 21′ of the touch receptor 20′ is thicker than the anti-static conductive foam 23′ at the peripheral less-dense regulating area 22′ of the touch receptor 20′.
In order to obtain different thicknesses of the anti-static conductive foam 23′ at different areas of the tip portion 11′ of the finger pocket 10′, the anti-static conductive foam 23′ can be configured to have a spherical shape that the center portion of the anti-static conductive foam 23′ is thicker that the circumferential portion of the anti-static conductive foam 23′. Therefore, the center portion of the anti-static conductive foam 23′ will form the center high-dense controlling area 21′ of the touch receptor 20′ while the circumferential portion of the anti-static conductive foam 23′ will form the peripheral less-dense regulating area 22′ of the touch receptor 20′. Preferably, the anti-static conductive foam 23′ has a conical shape defining an apex for precisely contacting with the touch screen of the electronic device. The apex of the anti-static conductive foam 23′ will form the center high-dense controlling area 21′ of the touch receptor 20′. Furthermore, it should be appreciated that the anti-static conductive foam 23′ can be configured as a flat surface at the peripheral less-dense regulating area 22′ of the touch receptor 20′ while the anti-static foam 23′ can be configured as a protrusion protruded out of the flat surface to define the center high dense controlling area 21′ of the touch receptor 20′.
It is worth mentioning that structural configurations of the touch receptors 20, 20′ of the first and second embodiments are interchangeable that the conductive fibers 23 of the first embodiment can be provided at the tip portion 11′ of the finger pocket 10′ of the second embodiment while the anti-static conductive foam 23′ of the second embodiment can be provided at the tip portion 11 of the finger pocket 10 of the first embodiment.
One skilled in the art will understand that the embodiment of the present invention as shown in the drawings and described above is exemplary only and not intended to be limiting.
It will thus be seen that the objects of the present invention have been fully and effectively accomplished. It embodiments have been shown and described for the purposes of illustrating the functional and structural principles of the present invention and is subject to change without departure from such principles. Therefore, this invention includes all modifications encompassed within the spirit and scope of the following claims.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A finger glove for a touch screen of an electronic device, comprising:

a finger pocket adapted for being worn by a finger of a wearer, wherein said finger pocket has a tip portion covering a distal phalanx of the wearer's finger and a finger stall portion extended from said tip portion; and

a touch receptor, which is made of electro-conductive material, provided at said tip portion of said finger pocket at an outer surface thereof for responsively contacting with said touch screen of said electronic device.

2. The finger glove, as recited in claim 1, wherein said touch receptor has a center high-dense controlling area and a peripheral less-dense regulating area.

3. The finger glove, as recited in claim 2, wherein said center high-dense controlling area of said touch receptor is thicker than said peripheral less-dense regulating area thereof.

4. The finger glove, a recited in claim 1, wherein said touch receptor comprises a plurality of conductive fibers provided at said tip portion of said finger pocket.

5. The finger glove, a recited in claim 2, wherein said touch receptor comprises a plurality of conductive fibers provided at said tip portion of said finger pocket.

6. The finger glove, a recited in claim 3, wherein said touch receptor comprises a plurality of conductive fibers provided at said tip portion of said finger pocket.

7. The finger glove, as recited in claim 5, wherein the number of said conductive fibers at said center high-dense controlling area of said touch receptor is larger than the number of said conductive fibers at said peripheral less-dense regulating area of said touch receptor.

8. The finger glove, as recited in claim 6, wherein the number of said conductive fibers at said center high-dense controlling area of said touch receptor is larger than the number of said conductive fibers at said peripheral less-dense regulating area of said touch receptor.

9. The finger glove, as recited in claim 1, wherein said touch receptor comprises an anti-static conductive foam provided at said tip portion of said finger pocket.

10. The finger glove, as recited in claim 2, wherein said touch receptor comprises an anti-static conductive foam provided at said tip portion of said finger pocket.

11. The finger glove, as recited in claim 3, wherein said touch receptor comprises an anti-static conductive foam provided at said tip portion of said finger pocket.

12. The finger glove, as recited in claim 10, wherein said anti-static conductive foam at said center high-dense controlling area of said touch receptor is thicker than said anti-static conductive foam at said peripheral less-dense regulating area of said touch receptor.

13. The finger glove, as recited in claim 11, wherein said anti-static conductive foam at said center high-dense controlling area of said touch receptor is thicker than said anti-static conductive foam at said peripheral less-dense regulating area of said touch receptor.

14. The finger glove, as recited in claim 11, wherein said anti-static conductive foam has a conical shape defining an apex for precisely contacting with said touch screen of said electronic device.

15. The finger glove, as recited in claim 13, wherein said anti-static conductive foam has a conical shape defining an apex for precisely contacting with said touch screen of said electronic device.

16. The finger glove, as recited in claim 1, wherein said glove pocket is a single finger sleeve that said finger stall portion of said glove pocket is rolled up to form rolled ring and is arranged for being unrolled over said finger of said wearer.

17. The finger glove, as recited in claim 8, wherein said glove pocket is a single finger sleeve that said finger stall portion of said glove pocket is rolled up to form rolled ring and is arranged for being unrolled over said finger of said wearer.

18. The finger glove, as recited in claim 13, wherein said glove pocket is a single finger sleeve that said finger stall portion of said glove pocket is rolled up to form rolled ring and is arranged for being unrolled over said finger of said wearer.

19. The finger glove, as recited in claim 1, further comprising a glove body defining five said finger pockets for covering said fingers of said wearer, wherein said touch receptor is provided at said tip portion of at least one of said finger pockets.

20. The finger glove, as recited in claim 8, further comprising a glove body defining five said finger pockets for covering said fingers of said wearer, wherein said touch receptor is provided at said tip portion of at least one of said finger pockets.

21. The finger glove, as recited in claim 13, further comprising a glove body defining five said finger pockets for covering said fingers of said wearer, wherein said touch receptor is provided at said tip portion of at least one of said finger pockets.