Privacy Screen Filter

Abstract

A privacy screen filter (1) for mounting on computer screens (2), e.g. laptops and/or tablet pcs. The screen filter (1) includes a filter element (3) in the form of a film sheet and one or more mounting means for releasable fastening of the screen filter (1) along at least one edge of the screen. The mounting means include one or more magnets or hook elements (5) disposed along the upper edge of the film sheet for fastening to the upper edge of the computer screen. The screen filter (1) also includes reinforcing plate-shaped elements (9, 10) along the upper edge and possibly also along the lower edge (15, 16) of the film sheet (3). An aperture (11) in the reinforcing plate-shaped elements (9, 10) allow use of a camera, and the aperture has a slide (12) for covering the aperture. The privacy screen filter (1) is easy to mount and subsequently dismount, is durable and aesthetic, not leaving any visible fastening means on the computer screen (2) when the screen filter (1) is not in use.

Claims

1-11. (canceled)

12. A privacy screen filter for mounting on screens of computers, including particularly computer screens on portable computers such as laptops and/or tablet pcs, on which a camera and/or a sensor is mounted in the computer screen, such as in the edge frame of the computer screen, and wherein the screen filter includes a filter element in the form of a film sheet with means to prevent others than the user to see the contents on the computer screen, such as a film sheet including micro-lamellae and one or more mounting means for releasable fastening of the screen filter along at least one edge of the computer screen, wherein the screen filter additionally includes one or more reinforcing plate-shaped elements mounted along the front side and/or the back side of the upper and lower edges of the film sheet or of the side edges of the film sheet, and preferably across the entire width and height, respectively, of the film sheet for reinforcing the film sheet, wherein the reinforcing plate-shaped elements and the film sheet along at least one edge of the film sheet include a through-going hole, and wherein a movable slide is mounted in connection with the through-going hole as the movable slide can close the through-going hole or allow the through-going hole to be free.

13. The privacy screen filter according to claim 12, wherein the slide is loosely placed in the through-going hole in the film sheet, having a thickness that is less than the thickness of the film sheet, in that the slide preferably also includes an control handle with a height exceeding the thickness of the foremost reinforcing plate.

14. The privacy screen filter according to claim 12, wherein the mounting means include one or more hook elements, where the hook elements engage the upper edge of the film sheet or the reinforcing plate-shaped elements.

15. The privacy screen filter according to claim 14, wherein the hook element includes at least one mounting member in the form of a male part engaging a female part at the side edge of the film sheet, as the female part is designed as a cutout at the upper edge of the film sheet with a shape corresponding to the shape of the male part, and where the female part allows insertion of the male part in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the film sheet, at the same time preventing the male part from being removed from the female part in a direction in the plane of the film sheet when the one or to reinforcing plate-shaped elements are fitted along the front side and/or the back side of the upper edge of the film sheet.

16. The privacy screen filter according to claim 15, wherein two reinforcing plate-shaped elements are applied mounted along the front side and the back side of the upper edge of the film sheet or the side edges of the film sheet such that the mounting member of the at least one hook element is clamped between the reinforcing plates.

17. The privacy screen filter according to claim 12, wherein the mounting means include magnets.

18. The privacy screen filter according to claim 17, wherein two or more magnets are applied embedded in the reinforcing plate-shaped elements, which are mounted along the front side and/or the back side of the edges of the film sheet.

19. The privacy screen filter according to any preceding claim, wherein the at least one reinforcing plate-shaped element is mounted along the front side and/or the back side of the upper edge of the film sheet or the side edges of the film sheet by gluing.

20. The privacy screen filter according to claim 12, wherein the inner side of the hook part, which is adapted to be in contact with the housing of the computer screen, includes a coating.

21. The privacy screen filter according to claim 12, wherein the screen filter furthermore includes at least one and preferably two lower reinforcing plate-shaped elements that are mounted along the front side and the back side of the lower edge of the film sheet, preferably across the entire width of the film sheet, as two lower reinforcing plates can be connected along the lower edge of the screen filter for forming a U-shaped lower reinforcing strip.

22. The privacy screen filter according to claim 12, wherein the upper and/or lower reinforcing plates and/or the film sheet includes cutouts in areas where the edge of the computer screen include control buttons or rubber knobs, projections or locking mechanisms for use when closing a portable computer.

Description

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

[0059] The invention will now be explained below with reference to the drawing, where:

[0060] FIG. 1 shows a schematic drawing of a screen filter according to the invention in a front view;

[0061] FIG. 2 shows a schematic drawing of a screen filter according to the invention in a side view;

[0062] FIGS. 3a-d show mounting of a screen filter according to the invention on a portable computer;

[0063] FIGS. 4a-d show the screening effect of the screen filter in relation to the angle at which the screen is viewed;

[0064] FIG. 5 shows the film sheet of the screen filter, as seen from the front;

[0065] FIGS. 6a-b show variants of the hook elements;

[0066] FIG. 7a shows a possible embodiment of the screen filter according to the invention in perspective view;

[0067] FIG. 7b shows the embodiment on FIG. 7a, as seen from the side;

[0068] FIG. 7c shows a detail of a variant of lower reinforcing edges on the screen filter;

[0069] FIG. 8a shows the aperture for camera with a sliding closure;

[0070] FIG. 8b shows the aperture for camera and/or possible sensors;

[0071] FIG. 9 shows the slide provided in the aperture for camera;

[0072] FIG. 10 shows a schematic drawing of a screen filter according to the invention in a front view; and

[0073] FIG. 11 shows a schematic drawing of a screen filter according to the invention in a side view.

[0074] It is noted that identical elements in the drawings have identical numbers. Details of individual drawings of the invention will therefore not necessarily be mentioned in connection with all drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

[0075] FIG. 1 shows in principle a privacy screen filter 1. The screen filter 1 is adapted for mounting on screens of computers, including particularly screens on portable computers such as laptops and/or tablet pos. FIGS. 3a-3d show how the screen filter can be fitted on and removed from a portable computer and FIGS. 4a-4d illustrate the effect of the screen filter compared to a computed without screen filter (FIG. 4a), viewed directly from the front (FIG. 4b) and viewed from the side at increasing angles (FIGS. 4c-d). The screen filter 1 includes a filter element in the form of a film sheet 3 with means to prevent other than the user to see the contents on the screen, e.g. as described above.

[0076] The screen filter 1 has mounting means in the form of one or more hook elements 5 along the upper edge of the screen filter 1 for releasable fastening of the screen filter on the upper edge of the computer screen. Each hook element 5 is adapted to grip over the upper horizontal edge of the screen with a hook member 6.

[0077] The hook elements 5 engage the upper edge of the film sheet 3 as the hook element 5 includes at least one mounting part in the form of a male part 7 (see FIGS. 6a-b and 7) engaging a female part 8 in the film sheet 3 (FIGS. 5 and 7).

[0078] Preferably at least two, possibly three, four or more hook elements 5 are used, located at the upper edge of the screen filter 1 with equal spacing from each of the vertical side edges of the screen filter, as shown on FIGS. 1 and 7a. Alternatively, there is a single hook element with a width corresponding to at least ¼ or ⅓ of the width of the screen filter, see FIG. 6b, which e.g. includes two or more male parts 7.

[0079] The width between the gripping part 6b of the hook member and the plane of the screen filter is adapted to the relevant screen or computer model on which the screen filter 1 is to be fitted. This can be effected by making hook elements 5 with a spacer part 6a adapted in length to the computer model or screen model.

[0080] Also, the height of the gripping part 6b of the hook member can vary according to screen or computer model.

[0081] The male part 7 is an integrated part of the hook element 5 and parallel or at least substantially parallel with the gripping part 6b of the hook. The male part 7 is preferably designed by the outer and thereby lowermost part 7a of the male part having increased width in at least one, or both lateral directions relative to the uppermost and narrower part 7b of the male part 7, se particularly FIGS. 6a-b and 7a. The shape of the outermost wide part of the male part is not important and can be adapted to the production as mentioned above.

[0082] If a single wide hook element is used, see FIG. 6b, this will preferably include two or more mounting parts 7. These mounting parts 7 are then preferably disposed with uniform spacing.

[0083] The female part in the assembly is designed as a cutout 8 in the upper edge of the film sheet 3 with a shape corresponding to the shape of the male part 7. The female part 8 allows insertion of the male part 8 in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the film sheet, simultaneously preventing that the male part 7 can be taken out of the female part in a direction in the plane of the film sheet.

[0084] The screen filter 1 additionally includes a top strip 4 formed of two reinforcing plate-shaped elements 9, 10 that are mounted along the front side and back side of the upper edge of the film strip 3 for holding the film sheet 3 and the mounting part(s) 7 of the at least one hook element between the reinforcing plates 9, 10.

[0085] The number and disposition of female parts 8 are adapted to the number of male parts 7 and dimensioned relative to the total width of the screen filter 1.

[0086] The upper reinforcing plates 9, 10 preferably have the same width as the width of the film sheet 3 and are fastened as described above.

[0087] In order to ensure that a camera and/or possible sensors are not covered by the upper reinforcing plates 9, 10 of the screen filter and the film sheet 3, the upper reinforcing plates 9, 10 and the film sheet 3 include at least one through-going hole/aperture 11 and respectively, through all three layers. This aperture 11 is disposed in an area in which a camera 18 (see FIGS. 1 and 7a) and/or a sensor (at 11′) is mounted in the edge frame of the computer screen.

[0088] A movable slide 12, see FIGS. 7a, 8a, 9, is preferably mounted in the aperture of the hole in connection with the hole aperture 11. The movable slide 12 can close the aperture or allow the aperture to be free as illustrated by arrows in FIGS. 7a-8a. The slide 12 is arranged to slide back and forth or tip and down in the aperture 11.

[0089] The slide 12 is preferably loosely placed in the hole 11b (see FIG. 5) in the film sheet 3. The slide 12 preferably has a thickness which is less than the thickness of the film sheet 3. The hole in the film sheet 11b is therefore preferably larger than the holes 11 in the front and rear upper reinforcing plates. The hole 11b in the film sheet therefore also has a size and a shape that allows the slide to be slid up/down or sideways back/forth, thereby freeing a substantial part of the aperture in front of camera 18 and/or sensors, or covering the aperture 11 in front of camera and/or sensors 18.

[0090] As a not shown alternative variant, the back side of the foremost upper reinforcing plate can have a depression in the area around the hole 11, allowing the slide 12 to lie in the depression and be pushed back/forth or up/down.

[0091] The slide 12 preferably includes an control handle 17 with a height exceeding the thickness of the foremost reinforcing plate 9.

[0092] It is preferred that the inner side of the gripping part 6b of the hook includes a coating (not shown). The coating serves to reduce or eliminate the risk of the gripping part of the hook scratching the computer screen housing. The coating can be in the form of a layer, stripes or knobs and of a material as described above.

[0093] Additionally, the back side of the upper rear reinforcing plate 10 and lower rear reinforcing plate 16 (see below) can be designed with a corresponding coating in order to reduce the risk of scratches appearing at the edges of the computer screen when using the screen filter.

[0094] The screen filter 1 preferably also includes a bottom strip 14 formed of at least one and preferably two lower reinforcing plate-shaped elements 15, 16, which are mounted along the front side and back side of the lower edge of the film sheet 3, see FIG. 7b. The two lower reinforcing plates 15, 16 are preferably mounted in a corresponding way as described above in connection with the upper reinforcing plates 9, 10.

[0095] Alternatively, the lower reinforcing plates can be connected along the lower edge of the screen filter for forming a U-profile, see FIG. 7c. This U-profile can be mounted in the same way as described above, or possibly the U-profile is squeezed around the lowermost edge of the film sheet 3.

[0096] In order to ensure operation and correct closing, it is therefore preferred that the upper 9, 10 and/or lower 15, 16 reinforcing plates and/or the film sheet 3 include(s) not shown cutouts at the relevant areas of the screen filter 1, corresponding to the areas where such control knobs, locking mechanisms and/or rubber knobs are located on the edge areas of the computer screen.

[0097] FIG. 10 shows in principle a privacy screen filter 1. The screen filter 1 is adapted for mounting on screens of computers, including particularly screens on portable computers such as laptops and/or tablet pes. The screen filter 1 has mounting means in the form of magnets 19 for releasable fastening of the screen filter on the computer screen frame.

[0098] The magnets 19 are shown located at each end of the top strip 4 and the bottom strip 14.

[0099] However, a different number and different location of the magnets in the top and bottom strips can be applied.

[0100] The magnets may thus be disposed at the side edges of top and bottom strips as well, instead of on the side face.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

[0101] 1. screen filter [0102] 2. portable computer [0103] 3. film, filter element [0104] 4. top strip [0105] 5. hook elements [0106] 6. hook member [0107] a. spacer part of hook [0108] b. gripping part of hook [0109] 7. mounting part, male part [0110] a. outer end [0111] b. uppermost narrow part [0112] 8. female part on film, cutout [0113] 9. first reinforcing plate-shaped element of top strip [0114] 10. second reinforcing plated-shaped element of top strip [0115] 11. aperture for camera/sensors [0116] a. in plates [0117] b. in film sheet [0118] 12. slide in aperture for camera [0119] 13. coating on hook element [0120] 14. bottom strip [0121] 15. first reinforcing plate-shaped element of bottom strip [0122] 16. second reinforcing plate-shaped element of bottom strip [0123] 17. control handle on slide [0124] 18. camera in portable computer [0125] 19. magnets