WO2014207647A1

WO2014207647A1 - Frame for a portable device such as a portable phone

Info

Publication number: WO2014207647A1
Application number: PCT/IB2014/062536
Authority: WO
Inventors: Roland Iten
Original assignee: Outside In, Iten & Co
Priority date: 2013-06-27
Filing date: 2014-06-23
Publication date: 2014-12-31

Abstract

The system for a device such as a mobile phone, said system comprising a part attached to said device for protection of said device and support for at least an additional element that is used to facilitate the manipulation of said device

Description

FRAME FOR A PORTABLE DEVICE SUCH AS A PORTABLE PHONE

CORRESPONDING APPLICATION The present application claims priority to earlier Swiss application N°01 178/13, filed on June 27, 2013, in the name of OUTSIDE IN, ITEN & Co, the content of this earlier application being incorporated by reference in its entirety in the present application. TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention concerns the field of portable devices such as GSM mobile phones and smartphones, tablets and other similar devices. More specifically, the present invention concerns a frame to be used on such devices.

BACKGROUND ART Cases and frames for mobile phones as known per se in the art. For example, the company ELEMENT CASE ® (http://www.elementcase.com/) commercializes frames for mobile phones of different manufacturers (Iphone ®, Galaxy® etc.). One of the frames proposed, as indicated on the website of this company, comprises a multi-link perimeter frame with 8 individual links to create a modular design that allows endless customization or upgrade possibilities. Each of the links is CNC machined from 6061 aluminium billet as well as a proprietary aerospace polymer which maximizes signal strength.

A single screw removal system allows the multi-link design to "unfold" for a quick and easy installation.

Other designs are proposed by ELEMENT CASE ®. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An aim of the present invention is to improve the known devices and products. In particular, an aim of the present invention is to provide system that may be mounted on devices such as mobile phones and that allows a certain protection of said devices.

Another aim of the present invention it to propose a system that allows a customisation by the user and an easy and safe handling and use of such devices with the different functions allowed by the customization.

A further aim of the present invention is to provide a system that may be easily mounted on mobile devices and dismounted and adapted to such devices.

In one embodiment, the invention concerns a system for a device such as a mobile phone, said system comprising a part attached to said device for protection of said device and support for at least an additional element that is used to facilitate the manipulation of said device.

In one embodiment, the part is a chain or a frame.

In one embodiment, the additional element is for holding the device by a user of in a stable position.

In one embodiment, the additional element is a ring.

In one embodiment, the additional element is for acting on buttons or other physical commands of the device.

In one embodiment, the additional element is a lever acting on volume buttons of the device. In one embodiment, the additional element further comprises a ring attached to a lever. In one embodiment, the additional element is a lever acting on the one/off button of the device.

In one embodiment, the lever comprises a lock. In one embodiment, the additional element is used to close the chain on the device.

In one embodiment, the part and elements are made of metals, alloys, precious metals or alloys, plastic materials and/or combination of said materials.

In one embodiment, the invention concerns an object with a system as defined in the present application.

In one embodiment, the object may be a phone, such as a smart phone, a tablet or a computer hand held device.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Figures 1A to 1 C illustrate the problem encountered with smartphones of the art;

Figures 2A to 2E illustrate an embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 3 illustrates several views of a known mobile phone on which the system of the invention may be mounted;

Figures 4A to 4F illustrate different views of an embodiment of the invention; Figures 5A to 5C illustrate a part of the invention;

Figures 6A to 6D illustrate an embodiment of the invention;

Figures 7A to 7E illustrate details of a feature of an embodiment of the invention;

Figures 8A to 8E illustrate further details of a feature of an embodiment of the invention;

Figures 9A to 9E illustrates another use of the features of the invention; Figures 10A to 10D illustrate another embodiment of the invention;

Figures 1 1 A to 1 1 E illustrate another embodiment of the lever of the invention; Figures 12A to 12C illustrate another embodiment of the invention; Figures 13A to 13G illustrate another embodiment of the invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The invention will be explained now by reference to the figures. As described herein, an idea of the present invention is to provide a system that may be mounted on the concerned device (for example a mobile phone, but not limited thereto) and whereby said system allows the addition of features helping the operation of the device. Figures 1A to 1 C illustrate a current situation that happens daily with a mobile phone. Such a phone P is held in one hand H of a user (see figurelA) and the thumb T is used to operate the phone P, access menus and functions as is quite standard with actual smartphones (see figure 1 B). Often it happens during such manipulation that the phone P is not properly held by the user and then it falls to the ground as illustrated in figure 1 C. To overcome this problem, the present invention proposes a series of custom elements that allow a protection and a safe and easy handling of portable devices such as smartphones and other similar devices such as tablets etc.

In figures 2A to 2E, a first embodiment is illustrated. The device (for example a phone or a smart phone) P is held in the hand H of a user but without the help of the thumb T (figure 2A) but by the use of a ring 10 (figure 2B) which is placed behind the phone P. The ring 10 is attached to the phone by means that will be described later herein. As illustrated in figures 2C to 2E, the device P may be manipulated with the thumb T with no risk of said device falling to the ground as it happens with known devices. In the example of figure 2D, a side lever 20 may be actuated and in figure 2E a second ring 30 may be manipulated. The use of said elements 20 and 30 will be explained later herein in reference to further embodiments of the invention. Figure 3 illustrates a typical example of a smartphone, here an iphone ® as commercialized by Apple Inc. in different views (front, side, back, top and bottom) as a possible smartphone to be used with the present invention. In this example, the different buttons and functions of this smartphone will be referenced in the following description to get a better understanding of the invention. Of course this example is not to be construed in a limiting manner and the present invention may be used with other smartphones or tablets or similar devices, with possible adaptation to take account of the shape and size of the device under consideration. Figures 4A to 4F illustrate an embodiment of the present invention. It comprises a part 100 that encircles the phone P. Said part 100 is for example made of a chain with several segments 101 , 102, 103 and 104 (see figure 4F) with connection elements 105, 106 and 107 between said segments. The connection elements 105-107 are designed to correspond and take account of the parts of the phone P that are present on such phone P (for example the volume buttons for 106, the camera/flash for 105, the electrical connection and loudspeakers for 107) in order to precisely adapt the part 100 to the phone on which it is to be mounted. The part 100 may also be a frame or any other equivalent system, such as, but not limited thereto, a combination of chain and frame etc.

Preferably, the system further includes a back cover part 108 (see figures 4D and 4E).

This embodiment of the present invention is the simplest one with said part 100, such as a chain, encircling the device. The chain may be used alone as a protection, or it may be used as a support for additional element, for example the rings 10, 30 and the lever 20 illustrated in figures 2A-2E previously discussed.

Figures 5A and 5B illustrate detailed views of elements of the chain 100. Such elements may comprises a chain bloc 1 10 and a connecting part 1 1 1 , the chain 100 being made of a succession of blocs 1 10 attached to each other by respective connecting parts 1 1 1 through pins 1 12. Pins 1 12 may be mounted on springs (not shown) to allow their retraction and the easy building of a chain at the proper size for the intended phone P or other device on which the chain is to be mounted.

Figure 5C illustrates an embodiment of a chain 100 with support parts 1 14, 1 15 attached between chain parts, for supporting additional features such as ring 10, 30. 1 13, 1 13' indicated a closing system for the chain 100 on a device P. Figures 6A to 6D illustrate a more detailed embodiment of the invention. In Figure 6A, on sees several views (front, side, top and bottom) of a device P on which a chain 1 00 is mounted with additional features such as rings 10, 30 and lever 20. Ring 10 is mounted on a slit 1 14 which allows its movement and positioning as illustrated in figures 2A and 2B. Typically, the ring 10 is mounted on the slit via an arm 1 1 which allows a longitudinal movement (up and down) of the ring 10 and also its rotation to reach the position of figure 2B. Ring 30 is mounted on a moving lever 31 which allows an actuation of the volume buttons +/- of the iphone® in this configuration via thumb (see figure 2E) while remaining in the same zone of the phone P.

Lever 20 is also articulated on the chain 100 and is used to easily manipulate the on/off button of the phone (in the illustrated case an iphone®).

The lever 20 has a security lock 21 to block the actuation of the lever 20.

The levers 20 and 31 may be placed at another position to take account of the construction of the device on which the system according to the invention is mounted in order to actuate the buttons/commands of said device on which they are used.

Figure 6B shows a device P from the back without cover 108 and Figure 6C illustrates the view from the back with cover 108 with features of the device P such as camera lens and flash light (reference 5) being not covered.

Figure 6D illustrates the chain 1 00 in a developed state. Figure 7 A illustrates three position of the ring 10 between the undeployed state (lower position), half deployed (middle position) and deployed (upper position) of the ring 10.

Figures 7B and 7D illustrate how the device P may be carried by a hand H in a first position, figure 7B illustrating the relative position of the device P with respect to the hand H in a first configuration, and figure 7D the position of the ring in the configuration of figure 7B and figure 7C illustrating the relative position of the device P with respect to the hand H in a second configuration, and figure 7E the position of the ring in the configuration of figure 7C. These two configurations may be reached by moving the arm 1 1 in the slit 1 14. Figure 8A shows similar positions as figure 7A.

Figures 8B to 8E illustrate the deployment of ring 10 on the device P. The ring 10 is moved upwards (compare figures 8B and 8C), and then moved away from the device P (figure 8D) and then to the back of the device P (figure 8E).

Figures 9A to 9E illustrates another use of the features of the invention. Rather than being held by a finger, the ring 10 may be used in a different manner illustrated in these figures. Figure 9A illustrates three possible positions of the ring (as in figure 8A).

The deployed ring 10 in the position of figure 9C allows the device to be placed in the position of figure 9B for example on a table or another surface and the deployed ring 10 in the position of figure 9E allows the device to be placed in the position of figure 9D for example on a table or another surface.

Figures 10A to 10D illustrate another embodiment of the invention in which the functioning of the lever 20 is detailed. As indicated previously, the lever 20 is used to manipulate a button of the device P, in the present example the on/off button. As shown in figure 10A, the button via lever 20 may be actuated directly by the thumb T of the user.

Figures 10B and 10C illustrate the lever 20 and its lock 21 in two positions: figure 10B is an unlocked position and figure 10C a locked position not allowing the lever 20 to move. Figure 10D illustrates the lever 20 without the chain 100, to see the cooperation of the lever 20 with the button B. Figure 1 1 A to 1 1 E illustrate another embodiment of the lever 20 of the invention where it is used as a closing/locking element for the chain 100.

Figure 1 1 A illustrates a general view of the device P with the chain. Figure 1 1 B illustrates a closed position of the lever 20 as in figure 1 1 A. Figure 1 1 C illustrates an open position of the lever 20 with an end 22 of the chain 100 comprising a hook that attaches to a corresponding part 23 of the lever 20. Figure 1 1 D illustrates the lever 20 in a half closed position and figure 1 1 E in a nearly totally closed position. Of course, other elements described herein may be used to close the chain on the considered device. Specific means may be used, or levers 20, 31 as described herein, or a combination of means.

Figures 12A to 12C illustrate another embodiment of the invention, wherein a cover 108 may be added on the device P. The device P with a chain 100 is illustrated in figure 14B and then with the cover 108 added in figure 12C. The cover may be attached via disk 6 and support 107.

Figures 13A to 13G illustrate another embodiment of the invention showing the manipulation of the ring 30 which actuates the volume buttons of the device P (as an example). Figure 13A illustrates the side view of a smartphone, typically an iphone® with its two volume buttons V+ and V-. Figure 13 is a partial front view of the same device and figure 13C again the same device with a chain according to the invention which here comprises the lever 31 actuated by the ring 30. The principle of actuation by a thumb T is illustrated in figure 13G.

The result is shown in figures 13D to 13 F. In figure 13D, the ring 30 is in a middle position not acting on V+ or V-. In figure 13E, the ring 30 is in a lower position such that the lever 31 is also pulled downwards. At the top of the lever 31 , in the region of the buttons V+/V-, there is a bump 32 formed on the inside of the lever 31 . In figure 13C/D, the bump 32 is in between the two buttons V+/V-. In figure 13E (see the side view) the bump 32 is pulled downwards with the lever 31 (by ring 30) and is put into contact with the bottom button V- which is used to reduce the volume of the device. In figure 13F, the ring is pushed upwards by the thumb T, and the lever 30 with the bump 32 are also moved upwards towards the top button V+ which is used to increase the volume.

Accordingly, with one longitudinal movement of the thumb T, it is possible for a user to adjust the volume of the device P (see figure 13G).

The examples given in the present specification are only for illustrative purposes only and should not be construed in a limiting manner. Other constructions are possible using equivalent means and within the spirit and scope of the present invention.

As mentioned, the present invention may be used for any device, typically for portable devices such as mobile and smart phones, tablets and hand held computers. Other uses are of course possible. Also, it is possible to add many other functions with mechanical parts mounted on the chain as a support for said parts, according to the teaching of the present invention. The latter is thus not limited to the examples given herein and many combinations and customization may be envisaged in accordance with the principles of the present invention.

The parts of the present invention may be made in any suitable materials: metals, alloys, precious metals or alloys, plastic materials etc. and any combination thereof.

Claims

1 . A system for a device such as a mobile phone, said system comprising a part attached to said device for protection of said device and for support of at least an additional element that is used to facilitate the manipulation of said device.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein said part is a chain or a frame.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the chain of frame is adaptable to the size of the device.

4. The system of one of claims 1 to 3, wherein said additional element is for holding said device.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein said additional element is a ring (10).

6. The system of one of the preceding claims, wherein said additional element is for acting on buttons of said device.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein said additional element is a volume lever (31 ) acting on volume buttons (V+, V-).

8. The system of claim 7, wherein said additional element further comprises a ring (30) attached to said volume lever (31 ).

9. The system of one of the preceding claims, wherein said additional element is an on/off lever (20) acting on the one/off button of the device.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein said on/off lever (20) comprises a lock (21 ).

1 1 . The system of one the preceding claims 6 to 10, wherein said additional element is used to close the chain on the device.

12. The system of one of the preceding claims, wherein said part and additional elements are made of metals, alloys, precious metals or alloys, plastic materials.

13. An object in combination with a system as defined in one of the preceding claims.

14. The object of claim 13 wherein said object is phone, such as a smart phone, a tablet or a computer hand held device.