Abstract
An improved electronic screen holder device comprising a concave recess for retaining a mobile screen device and, optionally, a sliding connector.
Claims
1. A method of securing a mobile screen device in an electronic screen device holder comprising: opening a retractable cover of an electronic screen holder device to access a recess defined by a body of the electronic screen holder device; attaching the retractable cover to a cover retaining clip for securing one edge of the retractable cover and holding the retractable cover when the retractable cover is in the open position; securing the mobile screen device to electronic screen connector tabs located within the recess; and closing the retractable cover of the electronic screen holder device.
2. The method of claim 1, further comprising: rotating the mobile screen device relative to the recess from a first position to a second position while the mobile screen device is secured to the screen connector tabs.
3. The method of claim 1, further comprising: sliding a first edge of a second mobile screen device into a sliding insert of the electronic screen holder device; and attaching a plurality of retainer clips to a second edge of the second mobile screen device.
4. The method of claim 3 further comprising extending a flexible cover and covering the second mobile screen device with the flexible cover.
5. The method of claim 4, wherein the flexible cover is extended from a recessed compartment for holding the second retractable cover when the second retractable cover is in a recessed position.
6. The method of claim 3, wherein the electronic screen holder device comprises a plurality of storage compartments.
7. The method of claim 6, wherein the electronic screen holder device further comprising a plurality of carrying straps.
8. A children's stuffed animal electronic screen holder device comprising: a body, having a head portion, torso portion, two leg portions, and two arm portions; a recess located in the torso portion; mobile screen device connector tabs located within the recess for securing a mobile screen device to the body; a retractable cover releasably attached to the recess; a cover retaining clip located on the head portion for securing one edge of the retractable cover and holding the retractable cover when the retractable cover is in the open position; a slidable insert for securing an edge of a second mobile screen device to the torso portion.
9. The children's stuffed animal screen holder device of claim 8, wherein the mobile screen device connector tabs are connected to a ratchet located within the recess.
10. The children's stuffed animal screen holder device of claim 8, further comprising second mobile screen device connector tabs located external to the recess for securing a second edge of the second mobile screen device to the torso, wherein the second mobile screen device connector tabs are located on the arm portions.
11. The children's stuffed animal screen holder device of claim 8, further comprising a second retractable cover releasably attached to the slidable insert.
12. The children's stuffed animal screen holder device of claim 8, wherein the body further defines a recessed compartment in the torso portion for holding the second retractable cover when the second retractable cover is in the recessed position.
13. The children's stuffed animal screen holder device of claim 8, wherein the body further defines a plurality of storage compartments in the leg portions.
Description
DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
(1) FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of an embodiment of an improved electronic screen holder device.
(2) FIG. 2 shows another perspective view of the embodiment of FIG. 1 including a mobile screen device.
(3) FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of alternative embodiment of an improved electronic screen holder device.
(4) FIG. 4 shows another perspective view of the embodiment of FIG. 3 including a mobile screen device.
(5) FIG. 5 shows another perspective view of the embodiment of FIG. 4 including a flexible cover in the extended position.
(6) Like reference symbols in the various drawings indicate like elements.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
(7) Referring now to FIG. 1, some embodiments of electronic screen holder device 100 are configured to hold a mobile screen device within a plush or stuffed animal. Although depicted as a stuffed dragon in FIG. 1, electronic screen holder device 100 may be embodied in other stuffed animals or plush characters. In still further embodiments, electronic screen holder device 100 may take the form of a purse, backpack, briefcase, or other carrying device.
(8) As shown in FIG. 1, improved electronic screen holder device 100 may include a concave recess 130. As shown in FIG. 1, concave recess 130 may take the form of a cavity within improved screen holder device 100, and may contain mobile screen device holder 140 for holding a mobile screen device. In some embodiments, concave recess 130 may be roughly the shape of a half sphere, so as to allow mobile screen device holder 140 to hold a mobile screen device in various orientations, such as in either the landscape or portrait orientation. In other embodiments, concave recess 130 may be shaped so as to hold a mobile screen device in only the portrait, or only the landscape orientation.
(9) In some embodiments, electronic screen holder device 100 may further include a cover 110 for covering concave recess 130 during transport or storage. In some embodiments, such as shown in FIG. 1, cover 110 may be hingedly connected to concave recess 130 by hinge 115, so as to allow the user to open and close cover 110 without the risk of losing the cover or having to store the cover elsewhere when it is in the open position. As shown in FIG. 1, cover 110 may be releasably connected to concave recess 130 by a zipper 120 on cover 110 (and corresponding zipper 125 on concave recess 130) to hold cover 110 in the closed position. In other embodiments, cover 110 may affix to concave recess 130 through other means, such as hook-and-loop fasteners, magnets, or clips.
(10) As further shown in FIG. 1, some embodiments of electronic screen holder device 100 may include retainer 105 for holding one edge of cover 110 when cover 110 is in the open position, so as to prevent cover 110 from falling to the closed position or otherwise interfering with a user's operation of improved screen holder device 100. In FIG. 1, retainer 105 is shown as a clip, but in other embodiments retainer 105 may be another suitable retention mechanism, such as a magnet or hook-and-loop fastener. Further, although retainer 105 is shown in FIG. 1 as a portion of the stuffed animal's mouth, it may be located in other positions or orientations as desired, depending on the form of electronic screen holder device 100.
(11) As mentioned above, certain embodiments of electronic screen holder device 100 may include mobile screen device holder 140 within concave recess 130 for holding a mobile screen device. Although shown as phone-sized in FIG. 1, mobile screen device holder 140 may be sized to fit different sizes of mobile screen devices and form factors. In some embodiments, mobile screen device holder 140 may include tabs 135 for connecting to and holding the corners of an electronic device. In other embodiments, tabs 135 may be positioned to hold the sides of an electronic device, rather than the corner. In still further embodiments, tabs 135 may comprise a single tab configured to engage with the perimeter of an electronic device.
(12) In particular embodiments, mobile screen device holder 140 may further comprise a ratchet 145, coupling mobile screen device holder 140 to concave recess 130. In such embodiments, ratchet 145 may be configured to allow rotation of mobile screen device holder 140 from the landscape to portrait orientation, from portrait to landscape orientation, or to other orientations in between. In some embodiments, mobile screen device holder 140 may be constructed from partially transparent materials so as to allow the user (e.g., a child) to see the operation of ratchet 145, or ratchet 145 may be sized such that it is visible to the user when a mobile screen device is connected to mobile screen device holder 140.
(13) Some embodiments of electronic screen holder device 100 may further include pockets 145, 150, and/or 155 for retaining a user's possessions. For example, a user may store accessories such as headphones and charging cables in one of pockets 145, 150, or 155. In some embodiments, pockets 145, 150, and 155 may be releasably closable through use of a zipper, whereas other embodiments may use a magnet, hook-and-loop fastener, or clip. Still further embodiments may omit the closing mechanism and instead leave one or more of pockets 145, 150, and 155 as open. As further shown in FIG. 1, some embodiments of electronic screen holder device 100 may further include carrying strap 160.
(14) FIG. 2 shows an embodiment of electronic screen holder device 100 holding a mobile screen device 205. As shown in FIG. 2, tabs 135 engage with the corners of mobile screen device 205 in this embodiment to hold mobile screen device 205 on mobile screen device holder 140 within concave recess 130.
(15) Referring now to FIG. 3, an alternative embodiment of improved electronic screen holder device 300 is shown. Like the embodiments shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the embodiment depicted in FIG. 3 includes a concave recess 320, with a mobile screen device holder 325 located within. As shown in FIG. 3, electronic screen holder device further includes a cover 330, which is releasably attachable to concave recess 320 by a zipper 335. In FIG. 3, cover 330 is shown in the closed position. When cover 330 is in the open position, it may be retained in that position by retainer 305. In some embodiments, such as shown in FIG. 3, electronic screen holder device 300 comprises pockets 345, 350, and 355, as well as carrying strap 360.
(16) Still referring to FIG. 3, some embodiments of electronic screen holder device 300 may include an additional mobile screen device holder for holding a screen with a larger form factor than can be accommodated by mobile screen device holder 325 within concave recess 320. For example, certain embodiments of electronic screen holder device 300 may include a sliding connector 340 for engaging with one edge of a mobile screen device and holding the mobile screen device against electronic screen holder device 300. Sliding connector 340 may be configured with elastic material or otherwise biased to impart a gripping force against a mobile screen device to hold one edge of the mobile screen device in place. Sliding connector 340 may be sized so as to accommodate mobile screen devices where the user has applied a cover or other carrying device to the mobile screen device.
(17) As shown in FIG. 3, some embodiments of electronic screen holder device 300 may further include one or more screen retainers 315 for engaging with the mobile screen device. For example, a user may slide one edge of a mobile screen device into sliding connector 340, and then engage another edge or corner of the mobile screen device with one or more screen retainers 315 to secure the mobile screen device to electronic screen holder device 300. Although screen retainers 315 are shown as clips in FIG. 3, in other embodiments screen retainers 315 may be tabs, snaps, magnets, or hooks. In some embodiments, screen retainers 315 may be incorporated into a portion of the electronic screen device holder so as to be hidden from view (e.g., incorporated into the hands of a stuffed animal). As described in more detail in connection with FIG. 5, electronic screen holder device 300 may also include a flexible cover stored within pocket 310 for covering a mobile screen device during transport or storage.
(18) FIG. 4 shows an embodiment of electronic screen holder device 300 holding a mobile screen device 405. As shown in FIG. 4, tabs sliding connector 340 is engaged with one edge of mobile screen device 405, and screen retainers 315 are connected to a second edge of mobile screen device 405 to secure mobile screen device 405 against electronic screen holder device 300. Note that the components associated with concave recess 320 and its associated cover 330 are not shown in FIG. 4.
(19) Referring now to FIG. 5, certain embodiments of electronic screen holder device 300 may include flexible cover 505 for covering mobile screen device 405 during transportation and storage. As shown in FIG. 5, pocket 310 contains flexible cover 505, which may optionally be extended from pocket 310. Flexible cover 505 may be elastic, neoprene, or other similar resilient materials. As shown in FIG. 5, flexible cover 505 may be stretched to cover mobile screen device 405. In some embodiments, flexible cover may engage with sliding connector 340 to secure flexible cover in the open position. In other embodiments, flexible cover 505 may be secured in the open position through the use of clips, magnets, or hook-and-loop fasteners.
(20) In use, the embodiments depicted in FIGS. 1-5 can be manipulated by a user to secure, store, and access a mobile screen device. In one example, during operation a user may open a cover 110 of a concave recess 130 and secure the cover in the open position using cover retaining clip 105. A user may then insert a mobile screen device 205 into screen holder 140 of concave recess 130. The user may secure mobile screen device 205 to screen holder 140 with tabs 135. The user may then close cover 110 of concave recess 130 and transport the electronic screen holder device to another location. As another step, the user may further secure a second screen 405 to the electronic screen holder device by sliding a first edge the second screen 405 into sliding connector 340 and securing a second edge of the second screen 405 with screen retainers 315.
(21) A number of embodiments have been described. Nevertheless, it will be understood that various modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the following claims.
