REMOVABLE COVER FOR A CONTROL UNIT

Abstract

The invention relates to a removable cover for a control unit which has input devices, in particular for a controller for gaming consoles or PCs, wherein the shape of the cover is precisely adapted to the shape of the control unit regions to be covered and the cover consists of a multilayer sheet material which has at least one textile outer cover layer and one elastic and moisture-absorbing layer. The elastic and moisture-absorbing layer is made of spacer mesh or woven fabric. In this matter, the cover according to the invention is improved with respect to comfort of use and in particular with respect to the moisture-absorbing effect in comparison to known covers, and the cover is also designed to be more user-friendly.

Claims

1. A removable cover for a control unit for gaming consoles or PCs, wherein the control unit has input devices and the control unit is comprised of a multi-layered surface material, that has at least a textile outer covering layer and an elastic and moisture-absorbing layer, wherein the cover, with respect to its formation, is adapted in a precisely fitting manner to a form of one or more regions of the control unit that is to be covered by the cover; wherein the elastic and moisture-absorbing layer is formed by a spacer mesh fabric or a spacer woven fabric, that is a fabric product made from threads or filaments, wherein the spacer mesh fabric or the spacer woven fabric is formed by meshing, in particular weaving or knitting, or by weaving technology; wherein the spacer mesh fabric or spacer woven fabric has two woven or meshed layers that are formed planar; and at least one spacer thread which is guided between the layers and connects the layers to one another but also maintains a distance therebetween, and, wherein the cover has a moisture impenetrable layer arranged on a side lying opposite the textile outer covering layer of the elastic and moisture-absorbing layer, and the moisture impenetrable layer is a coating, a film or a membrane.

2. The cover according to claim 1, wherein the textile outer covering layer is formed by a covering layer of the spacer mesh fabric or the spacer woven fabric.

3. The cover according to claim 1, wherein the textile outer covering layer is a separated textile layer that is mounted on an outer surface of the spacer mesh fabric or the spacer woven fabric.

4. The cover according to claim 1, wherein the textile outer covering layer is a textile forming a pile loop.

5. The cover according to claim 1, wherein the cover further comprises an innermost adhering layer lying opposite the textile outer covering layer and the innermost adhering layer prevents slippage of the cover relative to a surface to be covered with the cover.

6. The cover according to claim 1, wherein the cover is formed such that, in a state of being mounted on the control unit, the cover covers a part of an input device of the control unit.

7. The cover according to claim 6, further comprising markings in the regions in which, in the state of being mounted on the control unit, said cover covers the input device of the control unit, wherein the markings identify the covered control unit according to its location.

8. The cover according to claim 1, wherein the spacer mesh fabric or the spacer woven fabric is a spacer knitted fabric or a spacer crocheted fabric.

9. The cover according to claim 7, wherein the marking are colored markings that are recognizable haptically.

10. The cover according to claim 7, wherein the markings identify the covered control unit according to their type.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

[0019] Additional advantages and features of the invention shall emerge from the following description of an exemplary embodiment with reference to the attached figures, in which:

[0020] FIG. 1 shows a schematic three-dimensional view of a control unit in the to form of a controller;

[0021] FIG. 2 shows a view, comparable to the view of FIG. 1, of the control unit with a cover according to the invention;

[0022] FIG. 3 shows the control unit equipped with the cover in a view from the rear;

[0023] FIG. 4 shows the control unit equipped with the cover in a view from below;

[0024] FIG. 5 shows the cover in a view from above;

[0025] FIG. 6 shows the cover in a view from the front;

[0026] FIG. 7 shows the control unit with the cover drawn over it, but before the closure of the cover, in a view from below;

[0027] FIG. 8 shows, arranged next to one another and, in each case, in a three-dimensional view from the top, the control unit (right) and the cover (left), with the cover having markings corresponding to the position of actuation elements on the control unit; and

[0028] FIG. 9 shows, in a schematic manner, a cross section through the layers of the material of the cover.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0029] The figures depict a possible exemplary embodiment, in which the invention described in a general manner above can be realized. This exemplary embodiment shall now be described below with reference to the figures. It should be emphasized at this point that the figures are to be seen as purely schematic drawings and are in no way to scale. The depictions also do not necessarily contain all details required for concrete configuration. Such details will naturally be assumed to be present by the person skilled in the art as a result of his own specialist knowledge and will be understood as being present in the figures and the description below.

[0030] FIG. 1 firstly depicts a three-dimensional view of a controller 1, as is commonly used today for the control of games on gaming consoles or PCs. The controller 1 depicted here has two grips 2 projecting towards the rear in the manner of horns, around which the palms are laid when using the controller 1 in order to thus grasp and hold the controller 1. For the purpose of controlling different gaming functions, the controller 1 is equipped with various input devices. These include in particular two analog sticks 3, which are used by a user of the controller 1 typically with the thumbs of the hands with which the grips 2 are grasped, as well as various control buttons 5 and 10 (compare also FIG. 4). The control buttons 5 can for example be brought together in the manner of a directional pad, as is shown in the arrangement of the control buttons 5 depicted on the left in FIG. 1. Furthermore, other such devices can be provided as input devices, for example a controller 1 shown in FIG. 1 between the arrangements of the control buttons 5 on the left-hand side and a touchpad 6 arranged on the right hand side of the depiction of the figure. A charging socket 4 can additionally be seen, which can be for example a USB charging socket and by means of which an energy store, in particular a battery, arranged in the inside of the controller 1, can be supplied with a charging current.

[0031] Controllers like the controller 1 depicted in FIG. 1 are, as already mentioned, sometimes used by computer gamers and video gamers in a very intensive manner to control and configure play processes in computer games or video games. Such devices are often used over very long periods of time with the users, the gamers, very often getting damp hands and developing hand sweat, whether as a result of increased ambient temperature or due to raised adrenalin levels and increased tension and excitement provoked by the game. This moisture not only compromises the strength of the grip with which the controller 1 can be held at the grips 2, it also results in potential damage to the controller 1 itself.

[0032] In order to now prevent this from happening, the invention envisages a cover 7, as is depicted in FIG. 2 on a controller 1 and positioned around same. It can be seen that this cover 7 surrounds the controller 1 in a tight manner conforming to the form thereof so that said controller still functions with respect to its ergonomic form and can be firmly grasped by the player. It can also be seen that the cover 7 covers both the control buttons 5 depicted in FIG. 1 and the touchpad 6, that only openings 8 are provided, through which openings the analog sticks 3 project, which are not correspondingly covered by the cover 7. A covering in particular of the control buttons 5 ensures that they are likewise protected against any penetration of moisture and against hand sweat, while they can still be easily and comfortably operated by the user through the cover 7 because the cover 7 itself is tightly fitting on the one hand, and on the other hand is designed to be sufficiently thin in terms of its thickness. The analog sticks 3 by contrast can only be sufficiently reliably operated by the gamer when they are not covered by the cover 7.

[0033] As will be explained below with reference to FIG. 9, the cover 7 is formed multi-layered and has, as the illustration in FIG. 2 and also in the additional FIGS. 3 to 8 shows, a textile outer surface, which is provided with a pile projecting transverse to the surface, for example with loops, like in a terry cloth, or also with an open pile, like in a microfiber fabric for example. This textile outer surface is in particular selected such that it has a high absorptive capacity and can easily and efficiently absorb and remove any moisture, in particular hand sweat.

[0034] FIGS. 3 and 4 show the controller 1 equipped with the cover 7 in two additional depictions, namely once from the rear, in other words, viewed from the grips 2 (FIG. 3) and once in a view from below (FIG. 4). These figures additionally show a loop 9which is closed here, and the additional control buttons 10 arranged on a front face side lying opposite the grips 2 can be seen, which control buttons are operated during the use of the controller 1 with the index fingers of the hands contacting the grips 2.

[0035] FIGS. 5 and 6 show the cover 7, wherein said cover is not drawn over a controller 1 and connected to same. It can be seen that the cover 7 is formed in the manner of a bag with an opening into which the controller 1 is introduced and inserted, here with the grips 2 entering first. The cutting pattern of the cover 7 is selected such that it is adapted in a tightly fitting manner to the external form of the controller 1, when the latter is introduced into the cover 7. The insertion opening is closed in this exemplary embodiment by means of the loop 9, with a velcro strip 11 being provided here, which is brought together with the loop 9 and then holds said loop in the closed position. Other types of closure are of course also possible, such as for example buttons, push buttons, a zip fastener or the like. In any case the essential thing is that the cover 7 has an opening, which can be closed and opened in order to mount the cover 7 on a controller 1 or in turn to remove it from said controller, in order to replace it and in particular to clean it following a long period of use (for example for washing). The opening of the cover is, in a typical manner, selected with respect to its position such that said opening or a closure thereof in the state mounted on the controller 1 does not project into the gripping region in which a player grasps the controller 1, and thus is not seen as an obstacle.

[0036] The material from which the cover 7 is produced, preferably has certain surface elasticity, so that it clings tightly in a stretching manner to the controller 1 that it accommodates and surrounds, so that the form of the controller 1 remains the same and can still be perceived by the player. FIG. 7 depicts the controller 1, as inserted into the cover 7 which is opened in the manner of a bag, but without the loop 9 being closed. Clearly visible in this figure are the elements loop 9 and velcro strip 11 which are lying opposite one another, by means of which the cover 7 is closed and secured to the controller 1. Although not depicted here, it is nevertheless preferable that the cover 7 has an additional opening in the region in which the charging socket 4 is arranged, by means of which a charging cable with a connecting plug can be introduced into the charging socket 4. In the exemplary embodiment depicted here, such an opening would be made in the loop 9.

[0037] FIG. 8 shows, arranged next to one another, the cover 7 (left) and the controller 1 (right), with the cover 7 here having visible markings 12 which serve to indicate the input units, the control buttons 5 and also the touchpad 6 in the case of a controller 1 arranged in the cover 7 which are arranged at the corresponding points. These markings can be imprinted, flocked or applied in other ways to the textile surface of the cover. The markings can also be stitched into or woven into/knitted into the textile surface of the cover 7.

[0038] FIG. 9 depicts a schematic cross section through the multilayer constructed material of the cover 7, which illustrates the construction of the cover 7 according to the invention. This cross section depiction is in particular not to scale, but instead is to be seen merely as a schematic diagram.

[0039] The figure shows an outer textile covering layer 13 which is on the outside when the cover is in use, an elastic layer 14 arranged below the covering layer 13, which is elastic in particular also in a direction transverse to the plane of the material of the cover 7 and which is formed in a manner according to the invention by a spacer mesh fabric or spacer woven fabric, and a moisture-impermeable layer 15 formed below the elastic layer 14, in other words, facing an inner side of the cover 7.

[0040] The textile covering layer 13 can be formed as a covering layer of the spacer mesh fabric or spacer woven fabric of the elastic layer 14 and to this extent can likewise be a component of this layer. It can however also be produced separately and be attached to the elastic layer 14, for example by means of lamination. The textile covering layer 13 can furthermore be formed in particular with pile loops or open-type pile threads, for example as a terry cloth or also from microfibers so as to thus be able to particularly effectively absorb and transport moisture. The elastic layer 14 formed according to the invention as a spacer mesh fabric or spacer woven fabric is extremely well suited to absorbing and storing moisture thanks to the special design according to the invention, so that the thus formed cover 7 is efficient with respect to keeping the user's hands dry even in the event of a use of long duration. The moisture-impermeable layer 15, which can be for example a coating with a polymer material, for example polyurethane (PU), but also a laminated film-like layer, an inlaid film or membrane or the like, prevents moisture absorbed into and stored in the elastic, moisture-absorbing layer 14 from penetrating further to the controller 1 covered with the cover 7.

[0041] The moisture-impermeable layer 14 can optionally be added, and is not absolutely necessary for realizing the invention. In addition, in order to prevent the cover 7 from slipping off the controller 1 and to ensure a tight fit of the cover 7 on the controller 1, it is possible to envisage the provision of structures or elements which provide a hold, which serve as slip protection means. This task can for example also be realized by the moisture-impermeable layer 15, but it is also possible for separated structures or elements to be mounted and provided, such as a rubber coating for example, which can be formed in a continuous manner or in the form of nubs, ribs, corrugations or other structures. Such structures are not depicted in FIG. 9, but would be arranged therein at the lowest depicted position, in other words on the inner side of the cover 7.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

[0042] 1 controller [0043] 2 grip [0044] 3 analog stick [0045] 4 charging socket [0046] 5 control buttons [0047] 6 touchpad [0048] 7 cover [0049] 8 opening [0050] 9 loop [0051] 10 control buttons [0052] 11 velcro strip [0053] 12 marking [0054] 13 textile covering layer [0055] 14 elastic layer [0056] 15 moisture-impermeable layer