Elastomeric Tablet Support Device for One-Handed Grip
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Tablet computers lack a secure and comfortable way to be held with one hand, especially when used in various positions such as standing, walking, or reclining, due to the absence of a suitable back-based support system, leading to interference with the screen and increased risk of dropping.
Innovation Solution
A protective support device with a unitary elastomeric body that stretches to engage the opposing corners of a tablet, providing a secure grip without obstructing the screen and allowing the device to be held vertically or at various angles with one hand.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a tablet is held vertically by gripping the front surface, then the tablet can be held securely, but the hand interferes with the front touch-screen operations
Solution Approach 1:
The support device inverts the conventional gripping approach by supporting the tablet from the back surface instead of the front. The elastomeric body wraps around the back and sides of the tablet, with openings that receive the back surface and side edges, allowing secure one-handed support without any part of the hand interfering with the front touch-screen operations.
2Stability of the object's composition
If a tablet is held horizontally on a flat surface, then the tablet is stable, but the user must hunch over or tilt the tablet creating discomfort
Solution Approach 1:
The support device transforms the static tablet into a dynamic system that can adapt to various user positions and orientations. The elastomeric material allows the tablet to be held at multiple angles (vertical, tilted, or horizontal) while maintaining stability, enabling comfortable viewing and operation whether the user is standing, sitting, or reclining.
3Ease of operation
If a stand is used to support the tablet, then the tablet can be viewed at eye level, but the stand requires a flat surface to rest on
Solution Approach 1:
The support device extracts the support function from the external environment (flat surfaces like tables) and integrates it directly onto the tablet itself. The elastomeric body with its corner-receiving openings creates a self-contained support system that works in any position—standing, walking, sitting, or reclining—without requiring external flat surfaces.
4Weight of moving object
If the tablet is made more portable with smaller size, then the tablet is easier to carry, but it cannot be held and operated like smaller PDAs
Solution Approach 1:
The support device acts as an intermediary between the tablet and the user's hand. The elastomeric body with its strategically positioned openings provides a mediator structure that enables secure one-handed holding of the larger tablet, bridging the gap between tablet size and PDA-like portability and ease of operation.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables secure, comfortable, and interference-free operation of tablets in diverse positions, enhancing portability and usability by providing a reliable one-handed support system that protects both the front and back surfaces.
Implementation Method 1
The body is structured to stretch in all directions so that the end segments can extend in longitudinal length so the openings can engage the opposing corners of the object. This stretching can include expanding or increasing a circumference of the opening in each of the end segments.
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure is directed to a protective support device that includes a planar unitary elastomeric body having a central portion and at least two end segments extending from the central portion, each end segment having an opening formed therein, each opening structured to engage with opposing corners of a tablet computer.