Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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KEY PALETTE IMPROVEMENTS
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The disclosed invention pertains to body-worn computers, data entry devices,
PDA's
(personal digital assistants) and display monitors as well as other electronic
and audio-visual
equipment, such as wireless and cellular
phones, cameras, microphones, bar-code scanners, remote controls and
digitizing tablets. A
primary object of the invention is to provide enhanced mobility to users of
information
1o technology.
The prior art described in the Key Palette patent application by Harrison
still represents
the only relevant prior art with which we are familiar at this time, and we
hereby incorporate
those previous discussions by reference. While prior arm-wearable technologies
afford users
enhanced mobility, they are more obtrusive than ideal because most of them
must fit over a
15 user's sleeve, which is inconvenient for someone wearing a long-sleeve
shirt or a jacket.
The original key palette disclosure by Harrison includes embodirtients which
provide
under-sleeve phones, tape recorders and remote controls. The embodiments
herein take the
undersleeve concept a step farther by enabling under-sleeve mounting to be
used in conjunction
with larger display monitors which can also be used as a case for the
electronic device it
2o supports when said device is not in use.
SUMMARY OF THE I1WENTION
The improved key palettes disclosed herein include generally three main
features: ( 1 )
25 the user-accessed, interfaceable device (hereinafter, "IFD") which may be
any of number of
devices, including a display monitor, electronic keyboard, microphone,
speaker, PDA (such as
the 3Com Palin Pilot), pen-input digitizer or "pen tablet," magnetic strip
reader, modem, cellular
phone, bar-code scanner, or other device; (2) a cantilever mechanism; and (3)
an arm-mounting
mechanism. The arm-mounting mechanism typically includes an arm-wrap which
fits
30 directly around the user s forearm and is thin enough to fit under the user
s shirt sleeve. This
wrap is constructed of a breathable, flexible fabric so as to allow a
comfortable but snug fit.
Also typically included in this mechanism is a sheath which is attached to the
arm-wrap and
designed to accommodate the cantilever mechanism described below. The sheath
and arm-wrap
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may be reinforced with another layer of material, such as a semi-flexible
plastic, to lend extra
stability to the arm-mounting mechanism.
The cantilever mechanism juts out of the wrist end of the sheath of the arm-
mounting
mechanism. Several different cantilever mechanisms are contemplated and
disclosed. Which
cantilever mechanism is preferable depends upon the use to which the unit as a
whole will be
put. Generally speaking, the cantilever mechanism is a U-shaped, rigid shaft
which projects
from the arm-attachment mechanism, curves around the end of the user s shirt
sleeve, and then
extends back over the user s forearm, where it serves as a rack upon which the
IFD can be
removably mounted.
to The IFD includes a socket or slot which accommodates the cantilever
mechanism so as
to attach thereto. The attachment of the IFD and the cantilever mechanism may
additionally
incorporate one of a variety of joints, such as a ball-and-socket joint,
thereby providing for
additional freedom of movement of the IFD relative to the cantilever
mechanism. Alternately,
the IFD may mount upon a Velcro-covered plate which is in turn mounted upon
the cantilever
15 mechanism.
One alternative embodiment is the flip-over cantilever mechanisni. This
cantilever
mechanism is collapsible and can be retracted into the arm-mount or IFD when
not in use. It
can then be pulled out when desired and flipped back over the user s sleeve
where it serves to
support the IFD as in other embodiments.
2o Another important variation is the T-stick cantilever mechanism. This
device allows for
rotation of the IFD around the user s arm by virtue of a curved track which is
set on the end of
an otherwise typical cantilever mechanism. Rotation around the user s arm is
also achieved in
the rotating pin cantilever mechanism and the collar cantilever mechanism.
In the Landing Gear cantilever mechanism, the cantilever shaft is actually
built into an
25 IFD so that it folds invisibly into the IFD when not in use. A spring-
loaded version of this
embedded cantilever mechanism is also disclosed.
A mechanism for mounting rollable or foldable displays is also shown. Since
weight is
an issue, we also disclose a computer cage which is lighter weight than a
solid casing.
Another disclosed embodiment is that in which the arm-mounting mechanism
3o also doubles as a case for the IFD. The case feature is achieved simply by
wrapping the arm-
mounting strap around the IFD in a manner which is similar to how this strap
wraps around the
user's arm when worn. In the example of PDA's ("Personal Digital Assistants"
like the 3Com
Palm Pilot), users typically already have a case in which their PDA's are
carried when not in
use.
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The joint upon which the IFD swivels in the preferred embodiment is simply a
rubber
gmmmet which is squeezed between a plastic plate built into the arm-mounting
strap and
another plastic plate upon which the user-accessed device rests. While the
preferred
embodiment provides for a strap which folds over the user-accessed device in a
vertical fashion,
the same basic design can be used for horizontal fold-over.
The arm-mounting strap in one key alternative embodiment is threaded through
the
attached strap loop in such a way as to rest in ready-to-wear position.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION WITH REFERENCE TO DRAWINGS
i0
FIGURE 1 shows in side view the essential features of the simplest of the Key
Palette
improvements disclosed herein. The arm-wrap (11), constructed of a breathable,
flexible fabric,
fits snugly around the user s arm. Mounted on the surface-of this arm-wrap is
a sheath (12)
which surrounds one prong of the U-shaped cantilever shaft (13). This sheath
is stabilized by
15 two epaulets (14). The arm-wrap attaches to itself around the user s arm by
hook and loop
fastener as in typical known removable arm braces. Enhanced stabilization of
the sheath can be
accomplished by providing additional ribs or epaulets which hold the sheath to
the arm-mount
more strictly. Such ribs may be of plastic or other somewhat bendable but non-
stretchable
material.
2o The IFD is not shown in FIG. 1, but is to be mounted upon the exposed prong
of the
cantilever shaft (13) by insertion of this prong into a sheath on the
underside of the IFD. The
shaft (13) may be removed from either or both sheaths. Instead of a sheath, a
hook-and-loop
fastener, a snap-together attachment mechanism or other means of attachment
can be used to
secure the IF'D to the exposed prong of the cantilever shaft. When a ball-and-
socket
25 joint is used in conjunction with the attachment of the user-accessed
device to the exposed prong
of the cantilever shaft, the IFD is thereby enabled to swivel and tilt with
respect to the cantilever
shaft and the arm-mounting mechanism as a whole.
The sheath is typically a sandwich of two aluminum or plastic slats which
surround the
shaft to be sheathed therein. This sheath is in turn sewn between an outer
layer of leather and
3o the arm-wrap to which it is to be attached.
FIG. 2 shows in side view the essential features of another embodiment. This
embodiment provides an arm-wrap (21), a sheath (22), and a cantilever pin (23)
which is
mounted upon a ring (24) within a collared ring (25). The IFD (26) is mounted
upon the
cantilever pin (23). The mechanism of concentric rings, one ring (24) which is
held irLplace
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around a second ring (25) by collars, which mechanism allows for independeilt
rotation of the
two rings, is essentially like the double layer tube design of earlier key
palettes. The benefit of
this embodiment versus the one in FIG. 1 is that it allows the IFD to rotate
around the user's arm
without turning the whole arm-attachment mechanism. Alternately, the
cantilever pin may be
mounted so that it floats in a track or groove within a curved track, as in
certain embodiments of
the original Key Palette invention or in the T-stick mechanism described
below.
FIG. 3 depicts an expandable key palette which has been arm-mounted. The
handpiece
(31) has been removed from the keyboard of the remainder of thekey palette
(32) and removably
mounted upon a slightly angled cantilever shaft (33) on one side of the arm-
attachment
to mechanism (34). The remainder of the key palette has been mounted on a U-
shaped cantilever
shaft (35) which is like the cantilever shaft (13) depicted in FIG. 1.
FIG. 4 depicts a shortened U-shaped cantilever shaft (41) which curves upwards
and
terminates in a solid sphere (42). When the IFD (not shown) is mounted upon
this sphere,
which serves as the ball of a ball-and-socket joint, the IFD can swivel with
respect to the user's
arm by virtue of this joint.
FIG. 5 depicts a shortened cantilever shaft (51) mounted upon an arm-
attachment
mechanism (52) with sheath (53).
FIG. 6A depicts a T-stick cantilever mechanism. This mechanism provides a
normal U-
shaped cantilever shaft (61 ) of which one end (62) is a shaft portion which
is perpendicular to
2o the remainder of the cantilever shaft. This crossbar portion (62), which
makes the exposed
portion of the cantilever mechanism resemble a capital T, is curved so as
partially to encircle the
user s forearm. This crossbar portion (62) is fitted with a track groove (63)
in which a pin (64)
which supports the IFD is set so that this pin can travel back and forth along
the prescribed path.
On some embodiments, the crossbar provides a concave pad projecting from the
surface which
faces toward the user s arm; this pad rests against the user s forearm when
the IFD is in d tente
position (i.e., when it is running parallel to the user's forearm).
FIG. 6B depicts a cross section of the crossbar of a T-stick cantilever
mechanism. The
crossbar track itself (62) encircles the pin (64) upon which the IFD (66) is
to be mounted (this
device has been cut away in the drawing). The pin (64) terminates in a ball
which is mounted in
a socket protruding from the pedestal (65) which rests in the track described
by the crossbar
(62).
FIG. 7A depicts a flip-over cantilever mechanism. This flip-over cantilever
mechanism
is collapsible and expandable by virtue of its being constructed in three
interlocking, hinged
parts (71a, 71b and 71c). Interlocking and hinging so as to be collapsible can
be achieved by a
4
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variety of known means, of which one is depicted. In the depicted version, the
external shaft
segment (71c) fits inside the middle segment (71b) which in turn fits inside
the base segment
(71a). This base segment remains immobilely housed inside a sheath on the arm-
mounting
mechanism but can be removed from this sheath when the arm-mount is to be
washed, etc.
Braking means can be attached to the joints of the flip-over cantilever
mechanism so that it can
be locked in place when in use. A rounded, spring-loaded pin (72) protrudes
from either side of
the two external shaft segments; this pin rides in a groove when the unit is
in motion (i.e., being
expanded or compressed) and then snaps into a socket (73) when the unit
reaches full extension.
This socket and pin form the joint upon which the shaft segments pivot.
to FIG. 7B depicts the flip-over cantilever mechanism in perspective view
after it has been
fully extended and flipped back over so as to resemble in shape a typical U-
shaped cantilever
shaft. The base segment (71 a) is ready to be inserted into a sheath on an arm-
mounting
mechanism, while the external segment (71 c) is ready to serve as a rack upon
which to mount a
IFD, as in other models. Alternately, this same design can be used in a model
in which the
15 external shaft segment (71 c) itself is a pager, cell phone or other device
which the user would
like to access or view.
FIG. 8 depicts a two piece instead of three-piece flip-over cantilever
mechanism, which
consists of two shafts (81 a and 81 b) which are curved at the ends by which
they are connected
by a joint (82). This curve allows the two shafts to form a U shape as in
other cantilever
20 mechanisms when they are closed in towards one another.
FIG. 9A shows the collar cantilever mechanism. In this model, two stabilizing
shafts
(91) are attached to a rigid cantilever track (92) which is shaped roughly
like a semi-circle. Two
legs (93) fit into grooves on this track so that they can travel back and
forth along the path
prescribed thereby. The user IFD (94) is then mounted on these legs. The two
stabilizing shafts
25 (91) fit into sheaths on an arm-attachment mechanism as in former
embodiments.
FIG. 9B demonstrates the unit depicted in FIG 9A in use. The landing gear
cantilever
mechanism works as depicted in several alternative embodiments.
FIG. l0A depicts the back of a PDA or personal digital assistant (101 ) the
shell of
which includes a hollow trough (102) which is shaped so as to accommodate a
special version of
3o the U-shaped cantilever shaft. The electronics of this PDA are housed in
other areas of the
casing so as to make room for this trough on the back of the PDA's shell.
FIG. lOB depicts the special built-in shaft (103) as it projects from the back
of the PDA,
to which it is connected by ball-and-socket joint. When the PDA is to be used
as an ann-
mounted device, this shaft is simply inserted into the arm-mount as in other
models. however,
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when the PDA is not to be used in arm-mounted fashion, the cantilever shaft
{103) folds down
into its trough so that no portion of the shaft breaks the back plane surface
of the unit; thus the
PDA can rest stably on its back without any interference from the shaft when
it is tucked away.
FIG. l OC shows the PDA in side view when the cantilever shaft is deployed for
arm-
mounting of the unit. An L-shaped cantilever shaft (104) can also be attached
to the end of the
PDA by a swiveling joint (105) and fold-out as depicted in FIGS. lOD andlOE.
Previously
depicted embodiments have typically relied upon ball-and-socket joints to
enable the swiveling
and tilting features of the invention.
In FIG. 11A, swiveling and tilting have been separated as functional elements.
The
io depicted U-shaped cantilever shaft (111) is fitted with a cradle mount
(112); the two are attached
by a small lazy susan joint (113) that enables the cradle mount (112) to
swivel with respect to
the cantilever shaft ( 111 ).
FIG. 11B depicts a PDA (114) which has been suspended by pins (115) in between
the
two prongs of the cradle mount so that it can tilt back and forth.
Alternately, a tray (not
15 pictured) can be mounted as the PDA is mounted in FIG. 11B wherein this
tray is equipped with
a variable cinching mechanism that accommodates different sizes and shapes of
PDA s, thereby
allowing a single cradle mount with such a tray to hold a variety of different
PDA s.
Also not pictured is a U-shaped cantilever shaft upon which a tilting monitor
as
depicted in the first Key Palette patent documents is mounted. This embodiment
would
2o similarly allow separation of the tilting and swiveling functions, since
the case of the tilting
monitor could be mounted to the cantilever shaft by way of lazy susan joint.
FIGS. 12A through 12I disclose a spring-loaded variation of the cantilever
mechanism.
First, FIG. 12A depicts a collapsible tube (121) in two different positions,
compressed and
expanded. This tube is designed like known collapsible cups or antennas as a
series of
25 concentric, hollow cylinders that fit inside one another and can move with
respect to one another
so as to form an expanded tube when desired. FIG. 12B depicts the back of a
PDA (122) in
which a cantilever mechanism is set; the PDA's display (not visible) is in the
front of the unit.
The portion (123) of the cantilever shaft which is to be inserted in the
sheath of the arm-
mounting mechanism is visible; it rests in the plane of the back of the PDA so
that this PDA can
30 rest on its back side stably and appears to be a standard PDA. The visible
portion (123) of the
cantilever mechanism is mounted to the PDA on a pedestal (124) which is a
collapsible tube,
which is spring-loaded so that it expands to its maximum height when a catch
mechanism is
released (by manual switch, lever, etc.). FIG. 12C shows this PDA in side
view, as the
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position of the pedestal (124) is more easily viewed from this angle. The
expansion of this
collapsible pedestal projects the entire cantilever mechanism out away from
the PDA, as shown
in FIG. 12D so that the unit as a whole is ready to be arm-mounted by
insertion of the shaft
(123) into the sheath of an arm-mounting mechanism. The collapsible tube may
also be
replaced simply by a solid (non-collapsible) pedestal which is mounted on a
spring that pushes
the entire pedestal out when a catch is released as above.
FIGS. 12E, 12F and 12G show in side view a variation of the spring-loaded
mechanism
which is particularly suited to very small electronic devices, such as a Rex
PC Companion or a
pager: In this device, a housing (125) is mounted against the forearm of the
user as in the arm-
to mounted under-sleeve phones of the original Key Palette invention by
Hamison. Out of this
housing, a tray (126) pops out upon demand of the user (either by action of
spring-loading and
release of a catch mechanism or simply by the user's pulling the tray out
manually). Set in this
tray is a display-bearing device (127) -- i.e., a pager, a Rex PC Companion,
etc. -- which is
spring-loaded in a way which is similar to the spring-loaded PDA above. By
action of this
15 second spring (128), the display-bearing device (127) is projected out of
the tray when the catch
mechanism on the spring mechanism is released; this action is typically done
automatically
when the display-bearing device clears the confines of the housing. When the
tray is collapsed
back into the housing from whence it came, as shown in FIG. 12G, the display
remains visible
and can rest over the user s sleeve while the housing and tray remain under
the sleeve. FIG.
2o I2H shows the device mounted on the arm. Note that the housing (125) has a
window (129)
through which the display can be viewed when not ejected. FIG. 12I shows this
device in use
when the user s sleeve is pulled down so as to cover basically everything but
the display-bearing
device (127). Note that the display-bearing device can be compressed back into
its tray with
manual pressure, and the tray in turn can be collapsed with manual pressure
back into the
25 housing when the user wants to put the device away. Also, note that the
outermost edge of the
tray and the display-bearing device should be rounded and smooth so it does
not hang .on the
user s sleeve when popping out from under it.
FIG. 13 shows a roll-up display (131) ready for arm-mounting. Right now, this
device is
for mounting rollable paper, a projector screen or electronic fabric. It is
ideally suited for
30 mounting roilable, foldable monitors, as in the electronic paper which is
still being developed
currently at MIT and elsewhere.
FIG. 14A depicts a cage or screen computer casing. Such a casing minimizes the
weight of a computer. As seen in FIG. 14B, in such a mechanism, the computer
casing includes
a rigid frame (141 ) which provides most of the strength of the casing in the
places whexe
7
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strength is most needed: the corners and edges. Upon this frame are mounted
thinner,
perforated rigid walls which are much lighter (142). These walls are then
internally lined with a
water- and dust-proof fabric (143). Such a combination protects the computer
from typical
blows by virtue of the rigid housing frame, from intrusion by larger, rigid
objects by virtue of
the walls, and from excess internal dust build-up and exposure to foreign
objects by virtue of the
lining.
FIGURE 15A depicts a typical PDA (151), specifically, a 3Com Palm Pilot,
mounted
upon another embodiment, hereinafter called a Fold-Over Case Palette. This
Fold-Over Case
Palette includes an arm-mounting strap (152), rigid plastic strap loop (153),
and two patches of
1o Velcro (154a and 154b). When the strap (152) is pulled over the face of the
PDA (151), as
depicted by the motion arrow, the extreme patch (154b) of Velcro fastens to a
complimentary
patch of Velcro on the back of the strap (154c in FIG. 16B). When in case
position, the strap
(152) encases the PDA (151) and the loop (153) as pictured in FIG. 15B,
leaving only the side
of the PDA partly exposed.
15 FIG. 16A presents a more detailed view of the surface of the strap (152)
which faces the
PDA (not pictured) when a PDA is mounted upon it. The loop (153) and two
Velcro patches
(154a and 154b) can be seen. Also visible is a plastic plate (165) which is
also covered in
Velcro. It is upon this plate (165) that the PDA (not pictured) can be
mounted, provided that the
back of the PDA has been equipped with a patch of complimentary Velcro. This
plate (165) is
2o attached to the arm strap (152) by a screw post (166), the head of which is
visible in this
illustration. FIG. 16B shows the opposite surface of the strap. The other side
of the screw post
(166) can be seen, as can another patch (154c) of Velcro. This patch (154c)
receives the
extreme patch (154b in FIG. 16A) when the strap is wrapped around the PDA as
depicted in
FIG. 15B.
25 FIG. 17 presents a separated view of each of the parts of the Fold-Over
Case Palette.
The two halves of the screw post (176a and 176b) connect through holes in and
hold together
the following parts: the Velcro-covered plastic plate (175), a rubber grommet
(177), an
embedded plastic plate (178), and the arm-mounting strap (172). As described
earlier, the
Velcro covered plastic plate (175) is the part to which the PDA or other user-
accessed device is
3o mounted. Sandwiched between the Velcro-covered plate (175) and the embedded
plastic plate
(178) is the rubber grommet (177), which provides friction between the two
plates (175 and
178) while also allowing them to swivel with respect to each other around the
axis described by
the screw post (176a and 176b) when enough torque is applied to overcome the
friction between
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the rubber grommet (177) and the Veicro-covered plate (175). The embedded
plastic plate (178)
is sewn into the strap (172) so as to remain stationary with respect to the
strap, and
thus stationary with respect to the user's arm when the strap is being worn.
Swiveling of the
Velcro-covered plate (175) relative to the embedded plate (178) and strap
(172) allows
swiveling of the PDA with respect to the user's arm when unit is worn.
FIGS. 18A and 18B present side views of a "pre-threaded" embodiment of the
invention,
which will be called a Threaded Case Palette. This device provides a strap
(182), a loop (183), a
rubber grommet (187), and a Velcro-covered plate (185). This model, however,
is designed so
that the strap (182) can remain threaded through the loop (183) whether the
unit is being used
for its atm-mounted purpose or its case function. In arm-mounted position,
slack is let out in the
strap (182) to form a space (called "[arm space]" in FIG. 18A) for the user's
arm to be encircled
by the strap (182), as shown in FIG. 18A. Tightening of the strap once the
user's arm has been
inserted into the space is achieved by pulling back on the end of the strap
(182) as per the arrow
in FIG. 18A and attaching said strap to itself by Velcro. In case position, as
shown in FIG. 18B,
the slack is taken out of the strap (182) so that the arm space collapses and
effectively
disappears while the fold yet remains in the strap ready to expand again into
an arm-space again
when necessary. To finish forming a case, the strap (182) is moved from its
prior position and
brought over the face of the PDA (181) as per the arrow in FIG. 18B. Again the
strap (182)
attaches to itself by Velcro, forming a case around the PDA (181).
Note that in the Threaded Case Palette embodiment, the placement of the Velcro
patches
and the length of the strap will differ from those features of the Fold-Over
Case Palette in
accordance with the different strap-folding patterns used in these respective
models.
The essential features of the inventions disclosed herein can be readily
combined with
other elements from prior key palettes as well. For instance, instead of an
embedded plastic
plate, the strap can be mounted with a sheath to house any of the various
removable cantilever
mechanisms depicted above. Also, a unit can be constructed so that the PDA is
not removable
from the arm-mounting means. In such a model, no Velcro is used to attach the
PDA and the
plastic mounting plate; rather the back of the PDA itself is mounted directly
on the rubber
grommet.
While the depicted embodiments use leather straps, other materials are
contemplated,
including neoprene straps and straps which are composed of several semi-rigid
slats of plastic
which are jointed together with a flexible material such as rubber.
The Velcm-covered, swiveling plastic plate can also be equipped with an
additional
plastic appendage which fits into the slot normally designed to house the palm
pilot st3clus in
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3Com Palm Pilots. Resting in this slot, this appendage provides extra
stability in the fastening
of the Palm Pilot to the plastic plate.
Everything but the PDA itself is a kit which can be used to mount almost any
PDA,
palmtop computer or similarly sized device.
Substitute materials can be used, different fasteners substituted for Velcro,
and
modifications made to the size, shape and proportions of the various elements
of the disclosed
embodiments without exceeding the scope of the invention contemplated herein.
