U.S. Pat. No. 10,456,670

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The aforementioned illustrations and following detailed descriptions are exemplary for the purpose of further explaining the scope of the instant disclosure. Other objectives and advantages related to the instant disclosure will be illustrated in the subsequent descriptions and appended drawings.

[First Embodiment]

Please refer toFIGS. 1 and 2showing perspective views of handheld game controller assembly adapted to combine with a portable electronic device according to the instant disclosure. The present disclosure provides a handheld game controller assembly adapted to combine with a portable electronic device, which includes a game controller10, a receiving receptacle20, and an external retaining device30.

The game controller10has a pair of holding portions12, and a transversal portion14arranged between the pair of holding portions12. Besides, the game controller10has a plurality of operation switches on a top surface thereof, such as multi-directional buttons16a, navigation switches16band controlling buttons16c.

As shown inFIG. 2of this embodiment, the transversal portion14of the game controller10has a concave portion140. The concave portion140is concavely formed at a front surface of the transversal portion14, the receiving receptacle20is arranged in the concave portion140. The height of the concave portion140is substantially equal to the height of the receiving receptacle20.

The receiving receptacle20is fixed and disposed at a front end of the transversal portion14, also the receiving receptacle20is arranged perpendicular to a top surface of the game controller10in this embodiment. The receiving receptacle20of this embodiment can be a metallic plate made by bending, but it is not limited thereto. The receiving receptacle20has a base plate21fixed to the transversal portion14and a pair of side boards22formed at two sides of the base plate21. An inserting slot (not labelled) is formed between the base plate21and the pair of side boards22. The side boards22are substantially L-shaped and extending forward from two sides of the base plate21.

The external retaining device30has an adaptor portion31, a plugging unit32is removably engaged and fixed in the receiving receptacle20, and a clipping unit (elements labelled as33and34) connected to the plugging unit32. The clipping unit is used to clip a portable electronic device40, such as smart mobile phones and tablets. The plugging unit32has a contour corresponding to the inserting slot of the receiving receptacle20.

Please refer toFIG. 1andFIG. 2. In this embodiment, the clipping unit has a first arm33and a second arm34slidably engaged to the first arm33. The first arm33is integrally formed with the adaptor portion31, and has a lower stopper331. The second arm34has an upper holder341. The second arm34is disposed at a bottom surface of the first arm33. The second arm34can be slide upwardly to provide a larger clipping range (as shown inFIG. 5). An angle is formed between the lower stopper331of the first arm33and the plugging unit32, so that the portable electronic device40can be properly disposed thereon in an inclined manner.

As shown inFIG. 2, the clipping unit further includes an elastic element36connected the first arm33with the second arm34. In this embodiment, the elastic element36is a tensioned spring, but it is not limited thereto. The elastic element36has one end fixed to the first arm33, and the other end fixed to the second arm34. When the second arm34is pulled upwardly away from the first arm33, the elastic element36provides the second arm34an elastic force toward the first arm33. In this embodiment, the second arm34has a protruded gripping portion342. The gripping portion342substantially resembled a semi-cylinder, which can be held by user to slide the second arm34upwardly. The elastic element36is disposed in the gripping portion342.

Concerning the way to fix the elastic element36, an example is illustrated as followed. The first arm33has a first fixing part333extended into the gripping portion342of the second arm34to connect the top end of the elastic element36. The second arm34has a second fixing part343to connect the bottom end of the elastic element36. When the second arm34is pulled upwardly, the second fixing part343is moved simultaneously to compress the elastic element36. When the user releases the second arm34, the elastic element36recovers and returns to the original position and a force toward the first arm33is provided to the second arm34. Thus, the portable electronic device40can be clipped between the first arm33and the second arm34. A guiding rod can be put in the elastic element36if necessary.

Please refer toFIGS. 3 and 4, which are perspective views of the handheld game controller assembly of the present disclosure clipped to the portable electronic device40. When the present disclosure is assembled, the plugging unit32of the external retaining device30is inserted into the top portion to the bottom portion of the receiving receptacle20. The external retaining device30can be fixed to the receiving receptacle20by frictional force or a locking mechanism. The first arm33and the second arm34mutually coupled, and the portable electronic device40is clipped by the upper holder341and the lower stopper331. Concerning the electrical connecting manner between the portable electronic device40and the game controller10, they can be connected wirelessly via Bluetooth, NFC, and etc, or connected via a cable such as OTG (On-the-Go).

As shown inFIG. 3, the external retaining device30further includes a locking unit312arranged on the adaptor portion31. The locking unit312fixes the plugging unit32to the receiving receptacle20. The locking unit312has a sliding button3120. The sliding button3120is exposed from the adaptor portion31and arranged adjacent to the plugging unit32. For a preferable embodiment, it is automatically locked and fixed when the plugging unit32of the external retaining device30is inserted into the receiving receptacle20. The fixing manner can be engagement, or tight matched, or inserting. The sliding button3120can be pushed to unlocked, so that the external retaining device30can be removed from the receiving receptacle20.

Please refer toFIG. 5, which is a perspective view of the second arm34sliding upward according to this embodiment. The present disclosure can provide a bigger clipping range for retaining the portable electronic device40in an erected manner. The second arm34is upwardly slid out from the bottom surface of the first arm33. The upper holder341is arranged above and distal from the lower stopper331of the first arm33. The distance between the upper holder341and the lower stopper331can be enlarged to retain a bigger one of the portable electronic device or the portable electronic device40in an erective manner. When the second arm34is pulled out, the elastic element36in the second arm34is simultaneously compressed so as to provide the second arm34an elastic force moving toward the first arm33.

[Second Embodiment]

Please refer toFIG. 6showing a handheld game controller assembly adapted to combine with a portable electronic device of second embodiment according to the present disclosure. The difference between this embodiment and the above embodiment is that the game controller10further has a detecting switch142arranged adjacent to the concave portion140. When the plugging unit32of the external retaining device30is inserted into the receiving receptacle20, the detecting switch142is activated, so as to automatically turn on or activate the electronic element connected to the portable electronic device40via Bluetooth or NFC (Near Field Communication).

Besides, the receiving receptacle20has a plurality of first conductive terminals18which are electrically connected to the game controller10and the first conductive terminals are exposed from the inserting slot (not labeled). The external retaining device30has a plurality of second conductive terminals322fixed in the plugging unit32. When the external retaining device30is fixed in the game controller10, the second conductive terminals322are electrically connected to the first conductive terminals18and could be arranged to electrically connect to the portable electronic device40of the clipping unit. One practical way is set a connector37on the lower stopper331of the first arm33. The connector37of this embodiment is exposed on the top surface of the lower stopper331, and it can be elastic terminals or in other manner, to electrically connect to the portable electronic device40, such as contacts on a periphery cradle arranged at one side of a smart phone or a tablet.

This embodiment also could provide a cable38to electrically connect the second conductive terminals322of the external retaining device30to the game controller10. The cable38can be extended from the bottom of the adaptor portion31outwardly, which can transfer signals or electrical power between the game controller10and the portable electronic device40.

In summary, the present disclosure has the advantages as follows. The external retaining device30of the embodiment is removably assembled to the game controller10, so as to clip the portable electronic device40when it is required. Thus, user can operate the portable electronic device40through the game controller10. To assembly between the external retaining device30and the game controller10is easy and quick. If it is required, the external retaining device30is assembled to the game controller10. The assembly manner between the receiving receptacle20and the plugging unit32can hold a preferred load. Besides, the clipping unit range between the first arm33and the second arm34can be adjustable, so that it can clip various sizes of the portable electronic device40. Moreover, the external retaining device30can be electrically connected to the game controller10.

The descriptions illustrated supra set forth simply the preferred embodiments of the instant disclosure; however, the characteristics of the instant disclosure are by no means restricted thereto. All changes, alternations, or modifications conveniently considered by those skilled in the art are deemed to be encompassed within the scope of the instant disclosure delineated by the following claims.