Handheld Computer Finger Saddle Ridge Pivot Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
The housings of hand-held computer devices have not kept pace with the increasing complexity and functionality of these devices, lacking ergonomic design that adapts to comfort and ease of use across various applications.
Innovation Solution
A hand-held computer device with a housing featuring a lower surface and a finger saddle ridge that allows the device to pivot, accommodating two fingers for improved maneuverability in decoding barcodes and web browsing, enhancing user control and comfort.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the housing design remains conventional and constant, then manufacturing simplicity is maintained, but ergonomic comfort and ease of use deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The housing is segmented into distinct functional zones: a finger saddle region with upwardly rounded contours for finger placement, a thumb rest region with downwardly rounded contours for thumb support, and a body region connecting these features. This segmentation allows each zone to be optimized for its specific ergonomic function while maintaining manufacturability through standard molding techniques.
Solution Approach 2:
The housing incorporates curved surfaces throughout its design, including upwardly rounded contours in the finger saddle area that conform to finger shapes, and downwardly rounded contours in the thumb rest area that match thumb geometry. These curvatures provide natural ergonomic support without requiring complex assembly of multiple parts.
2Reliability
If the housing is designed for stable operation during image capture, then image quality improves, but device maneuverability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The housing design enables dynamic operation by allowing the device to pivot naturally on the user's fingers when placed in the finger saddle region. This pivot motion facilitates easy maneuverability for scanning bar codes at different angles while the thumb rest provides a stable counterbalance point that maintains overall device stability during image capture operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The ergonomic features work together to provide self-stabilizing operation: the finger saddle contours guide proper finger placement that naturally positions the device for stable holding, while the thumb rest automatically provides counterbalancing support. This self-service mechanism reduces the need for active user effort to maintain stability during bar code decoding and image capture.
Data Source
AI summary
The invention is a hand held computer device having a housing including a top or upper surface, a lower surface and finger saddle ridge protruding downwardly from the lower surface. The finger saddle ridge has two finger receiving surfaces and is sized to accommodate a pair of human fingers such that a first finger contacts the front surface of the finger saddle and a second finger contacts the rear surface of the finger saddle. When an operator's fingers straddle the finger saddle ridge, the hand held computer device pivots about a pivot point defined between the fingers. The device can thus be readily maneuvered into a downward pivoting position, highly useful for decoding bar codes, and an upward pivoting position, highly useful for display viewing and applications involving display viewing such as web browsing and data input.