Mobile Wrist Strap
DESCRIPTION:
The handheld mobile phone was first demonstrated in 1973. The demonstration was conducted by John Mitchell and Martin Cooper of the corporation Motorola. The handset weighed almost four and a half pounds. Nippon Telegraph and Telephone (NTT) were responsible for creating the first cellular network in the country of Japan in 1979. The mobile phone was not commercially available to the public until the DynaTAC 8000x was presented to the market. Since 1983 the mobile phone market grew to astronomical size to billions of subscriptions worldwide. Currently, almost 100% of the global population owns or uses cell phones. The iPhone introduced by Apple in June 2007 revolutionized the cell phone industry by creating a Smart-phone that was capable of a variety of functions by integrating the computer technology known as “apps.”. The top manufacturers of smart cell phones are Samsung, Apple, and Huawei. Feature phones (non-smart phone) are produced by Samsung, Nokia, and Alcatel.
The current smart-phone features an electronic visual display that is based on capacitive sensing technology and is the most preferred type of all the smart-phones. A capacitive screen consists of an insulator, such as glass, coated with a transparent conductor, usually indium tin oxide. The human body is an electrical conductor so by touching a capacitive screen it disrupts the screen’s electrostatic field. This disruption is measurable as a change in capacitance. There are different technologies used by manufacturers to determine the location of the disruption depending on the particular brand of phone.
The most popular electronic visual display screen on the phone uses an insulator constructed of glass. Glass is found to be superior to most other types of screens because of hardness and durability qualities found in the glass. The qualities of glass make it the ideal product for smart-phone screens except for its significant drawbacks of brittleness and inability to withstand significant impact. The screen of a smart-phone can be shattered by impact, pressure or most commonly, falling to a hard surface such as concrete. Phones are small, and the user can easily lose their grip and let it drop. Many current phones are waterproof or water-resistant, but if a phone is dropped in deep water from a boat or dock, for instance, it is unlikely to be recovered even if the phone resists the intrusion of water into its inner workings. Persons engaged in multitasking are the most likely to drop their phone if the phone is involved in their undertaking.
The Mobile Wrist Strap is a product designed to reduce the possibility of the phone falling from the user especially while performing other tasks. The Mobile Wrist Strap is a comfortable accessory for the phone and when wearing will keep the phone safe from falling and the probable disastrous consequences resulting in the phone hitting the hard surface. Consisting of a variety of colorful and practical straps that slip easily over the hand and on to the wrist. The Mobile Wrist Strap attaches directly to the phone utilizing the adhesive attachment module that features a cord that runs through an opening in the module. The module is about the size of a nickel and the cord attached is the base for the Mobile Wrist Strap where the variety of strap styles can be attached. The cord extends from the attachment module and terminates with a clip that accepts the opposite clip end on the strap sections. The strap section attaches to the lower section with a secure clip system that allows different strap designs to be interchanged while using the same lower section that is attached to the phone. The strap sections styles include a floating version for use over water for quick recovery of the phone if dropped in water.
The Mobile Wrist Strap will allow users a to operate their phone without danger of dropping while using or while performing other tasks when talking on the device.
SPECIFIC, UNIQUE FUNCTIONS OF INVENTION:
- Prevents the phone from falling to the ground
- Attaches directly to the phone
- Adhesive attachment module
- Attachment module is extremely thin and will fit under most phone cases
- Lower section attaches to phone
- Upper strap section can be detached and interchanged
- Variety of straps available in color and materials
- Small size of attachment module can be placed anywhere on phone
- Special secure clip attached upper and lower sections
- Cords and straps are flexible
- Floating straps available for water safety
- Works with any style of phone
PRODUCT COMPONENT CLARIFICATION:
The “Mobile Wrist Strap” is an innovative cellular phone accessory product that has been designed to prevent dropping of the phone and damaging its delicate sub-components. The product consists of decorative and functional wrist band that is sewed to vibrantly colored suspension cord and a plastic connector with a metal attachment disk for the phone back. The comfortable band loops loosely around the wrist and is connected to the phone using an approximately 18” suspension cord. This band fits over the wrist that is holding the phone and if the phone is inadvertently dropped, the suspension cord interrupts the fall before the phone can impact the ground. If the phone is to be stored or charged, the connector can be released, leaving just one half the connector and approximately 6” of suspension cord attached to the phone.
Currently, if the user is speaking on the phone up by their head and the phone is inadvertently dropped, it can fall from 4’ to 6’. If the impact is on a hard surface, like a wood floor, tile, or concrete patio can severely damage the phone, requiring significant cost and time to repair. If the damage is too severe, the phone has to be replaced, with a large cost and a potential loss of contacts, apps, and data items. When boating or swimming, the phone can slip from the hand and sink into the deep water for a complete loss.
The “Mobile Wrist Strap” resolves almost all of these problems by providing a comfortable and decorative strap and suspension cord on the phone preventing drop shock damage or loss in deep water. The wrist band is fabricated from soft to the touch fabric or foam and the colorful suspension cord is small diameter but has a large parting strength. The connectors are reinforced and will support a significant weight before inadvertent release. With most cellular phones, even the plus sizes, weighing less than 8 ounces, the system has significant margin to resist drops without degradation. The product can be supplied in almost any vibrant color, so a distinctive color, (or color combination), may be chosen to enhance the product recognition factor, which can dramatically improve the market adoption of the product.
- As an option: The user can buy a commercially available wrist strap including the colorful wrist band, suspension cord, and snap connector. The bottom end of the suspension cord can be fed through the stamped steel disk adhesively bonded to the phone case or the protective outer case. This commercially available wristband will work similarly to the invention described in this document.
The metal disc: The thin metal disk is stamped from 4130 steel sheet that is 0.032” thick (0.81 mm). After stamping, the disks are vibrationally deburred, and then is nickel plated to reduce corrosion and provide the optimum bonding strength. After plating, the disks are then coated with high energy adhesive, and shielded using brown silicone treated paper. The adhesive bond delivers exceptional peel and shear strength while providing very high resistance to solvents and humidity.
- In use, after cleaning the back of the phone with the supplied alcohol wipe, the shield is stripped off, and the disk applied to the back of the phone with bar parallel to the short side. After the disk is installed, the short cord looped end is slipped under the disk’s bar and the connector is passed through the looped end to lock it into the disk.
The wrist band: This part of the invention is fabricated from woven nylon strap, leather, various types of fabric, Naugahyde, Neoprene, or EVA foam.
- The woven nylon web strap is already in the shape of a tube. The suspension cord is dipped in adhesive, is slipped into the tube, and then is sewn into the tube using 3 lateral stitches.
- All of the flat fabric materials are cut to shape using rolling cutters, folded over inside out, sewed along the mating edge, and then turned inside out to make a tube. If desired, a single stitch can be run down each edge to make a more decorative product. The suspension cord is dipped in adhesive, is slipped into the tube, and then is sewn into the tube using 3 lateral stitches.
- The EVA foam is extruded in a large enough diameter to support 1 pound in water. This allows wrist band to float partially submerged, easily located, and allows the phone to be retrieved. The EVA foam band is supplied with a hole in each end, the suspension cord is dipped in waterproof adhesive, is slipped into the hole, and then is staked using 3 wires, pinning the cord into place.
The suspension cord: This thin, woven nylon cord is supplied in many colors. It is cut to length and flame treated to prevent subsequent fraying. Its parting strength is 110 pounds and it is required to support an 8-ounce device maximum, which provides significant margin. The cord can be supplied in many standard colors, but is not limited to, the following.
| Standard Colors | ||
|---|---|---|
| Purple | Ivory | Gold |
| Light Green | Burgundy | Red |
| Turquoise | Pink | Violet |
| Green | Navy Blue | Light Pink |
| Dark Green | Royal Blue | Yellow |
The plastic parts: These sub-components are injection molded using FRP (fiberglass reinforced polypropylene) plastic.
- The connector sections are molded with locking teeth and a hole in the end to accept the cords. In use, the pair of cods are fed into one of the 2 mating connectors, the plastic washer installed, the cords pulled through, and then are tied in a square knot. After tensioning the knot, it is flame treated to prevent loosening during use.
- The plastic washer is fabricated to not pull through the end hole in the snap connector yet has a hole in the center large enough to take two cords side by side.
The Mobile Wrist Strap is designed to be aesthetic and effective in the application. The relative ease of manufacture and the moderately inexpensive components provide good marketability for the manufacturer. The user benefits from dramatically reduced drop shock damage and colorful, yet comfortable wear, which should provide considerable market interest in the product.
The invention is illustrated in the following drawings of the essential points as explained to us in the documentation.
Drawing 1, Block 1: Mobile Wrist Strap – Assembled And Bonded To The Cellular Phone
(1) Standard plus size cellular phone with the disk adhesively bonded to the back and the suspension cord looped through the disk.
(2) The injection molded connector snaps together and can easily be disengaged using the two side release buttons.
(3) The suspension cord is 0.8 mm (0.031”) diameter woven nylon cord that has a parting strength of approximately 110 pounds.
(4) The wrist band comfortably loops around the rear edge of the hand and restricts the from dropping onto the floor and being damaged. The suspension cord is the correct length to restrain the phone if dropped from a seated height as well.
(5) The suspension cord has a molded plastic washer slipped over the ends, which are then tied using a square knot and the ends of the cord are flame treated to prevent loosening and fraying, also preventing it from being pulled out of the upper or lower snap connector.
(6) If the invention becomes soiled, it can be unsnapped and machine washed followed with a line dry, and then put back into service.
(7) If the user wants to exchange wrist bands, they can just unsnap the phone section and then snap on the wrist band they wish to use, for instance switching to the foam flotation device.
Drawing 1, Block 2: Mobile Wrist Strap – Wrist Band Detail
(8) The cord is dipped in adhesive, inserted in the nylon strap, and then is sewn 3 times to secure it in place.
(9) The wrist bands can be supplied using various colors of woven nylon strap, using fabric, leather, neoprene, or even EVA foam.
(10) The strap is an open tube that has been flattened to provide a comfortable support for the phone while providing a color statement.
(11) All of the fabrics are looped over sewn down both sides to make a tube.
Drawing 1, Block 3: Mobile Wrist Strap – Attachment Disk Detail
(12) The thin disk is stamped from 4130 alloy steel sheet, is vibrationally deburred, and then nickel plated for good corrosion resistance and an optimum adhesive bond.
(13) The center bar is raised to allow the suspension cord to be slipped under and looped over to attach to the phone.
(14) The back of the disk is coated with high energy adhesive and then is shielded using silicone impregnated paper.
(15) The back of the phone is cleaned using he supplied alcohol wipe, the shield is stripped off the disk, and then it is applied to the cleaned area on the phone.
Although a single embodiment of the invention has been illustrated in the accompanying drawings and described in the above detailed description, it will be understood that the invention is not limited to the embodiment developed herein, but is capable of numerous rearrangements, modifications, substitutions of parts and elements without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.
This document has been prepared for the manufacturer’s elucidation. The manufacturer’s decision makers should consider this product for licensing (providing intellectual property protection for their sales of the product in return for a royalty payment for a period of years) or an outright purchase of the patent for a negotiated fee. The inventor and his team are standing by to consider offers for licensing or outright purchase of the patent.
