U.S. Pat. No. 12,179,092

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In the following detailed description, for purposes of explanation, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the disclosed embodiments. It will be apparent, however, that one or more embodiments may be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known structures and devices are schematically shown in order to simplify the drawing.

In addition, the terms used in the present disclosure, such as technical and scientific terms, have its own meanings and can be comprehended by those skilled in the art, unless the terms are additionally defined in the present disclosure. That is, the terms used in the following paragraphs should be read on the meaning commonly used in the related fields and will not be overly explained, unless the terms have a specific meaning in the present disclosure.

In this embodiment, the game controller includes a connection mechanism, two control handles and two first pads. Moreover, the game controller may further include two second pads, two third pads, two fourth pads, two fifth pads, and an electrical connector. Since the two first pads, the two second pads, the two third pads, the two fourth pads, and the two fifth pad are respectively and symmetrically disposed on the two control handles, for the convenience of the illustration, the figures and the following descriptions merely introduce one of the control handles and the pads thereon; that is, the quantities of the first pads, the second pads, the third pads, the fourth pads, and the fifth pads each are two, but for the convenience of the illustration, the figures and the following descriptions merely introduce one first pad, one second pad, one third pad, one fourth pad, and one fifth pad.

Refer toFIGS.1to4, whereFIG.1is a perspective view of a game controller10according to a first embodiment of the disclosure and a mobile device20,FIG.2is an exploded view of the game controller10and the mobile device20inFIG.1,FIG.3is a partial exploded view of the game controller10inFIG.2, andFIG.4is a partial exploded view of the game controller10inFIG.2when a first pad300is removed from a control handle200.

In this embodiment, the game controller10is configured for the mobile device20. The mobile device20is, for example, a smart phone or a tablet computer. Each of the control handles200, for example, has a plurality of control buttons250for controlling gaming in the mobile device20. The two control handles200are respectively coupled to two opposite sides of the connection mechanism100, and each of the control handles200has an accommodation recess210. The accommodation recesses210are configured to respectively accommodate two opposite sides of the mobile device20for the installation of the mobile device20on the game controller10. Signals between the control handles200can be transmitted via a wire manner or a wireless manner. When the signals between the control handles200are transmitted via a wire manner, wires for transmitting the signals between the control handles200may be arranged in the connection mechanism100.

The first pad300, the second pad400, the third pad500, the fourth pad600, and the fifth pad700are located in the accommodation recess210and are removably mounted on the control handle200. Therefore, by adding or removing pads or modifying the position of the pads can adjust the size of the unoccupied space in the accommodation recess210that is configured to accommodate the mobile device20. Specifically, the control handle200has a bottom surface211, a side surface212, and a top surface213that together form the accommodation recess210, where the side surface212connects the bottom surface211with the top surface213. The first pad300is removably mounted on the side surface212. The second pad400is removably mounted on the first pad300. The third pad500is removably mounted on the bottom surface211. The fourth pad600is removably mounted on the top surface213. The fifth pad700is removably mounted on the third pad500.

In this embodiment, the first pad300is mounted on the control handle200, for example, via an engagement manner. Specifically, the control handle200has a plurality of engagement protrusions214, and the engagement protrusions214protrude from the bottom surface211, the side surface212, and the top surface213. The first pad300has a plurality of engagement recesses310and a plurality of engagement protrusions320. The engagement recesses310of the first pad300are engaged with the engagement protrusions214of the control handle200. Therefore, the first pad300is mounted on the control handle200via a manner similar to the manner assembling two pieces of LEGO. Similarly, the installation of other pads can be done by the same manner.

Note that the installation manner of the first pad300or other pads is not restricted to the engagement manner in the disclosure and may be modified to another manner, such as an adhering manner or a magnetic attraction manner.

The electrical connector800is slidably disposed on one of the two control handles200, and the electrical connector800is slidable relative to the control handle200along a direction S to stick out of the side surface212so as to be partially located in the accommodation recess210or to remove from the accommodation recess210.

In this embodiment, the game controller10includes the first pad300, the second pad400, the third pad500, the fourth pad600, and the fifth pad700, but the disclosure is not limited thereto; in some other embodiments, the game controller may include only one of the first pad to the fifth pad.

Refer toFIGS.5and6,FIG.5shows a side view illustrating that the mobile device20without a protective casing is mounted on the game controller10inFIG.2, andFIG.6shows a side view illustrating that the mobile device20with a protective casing30is mounted on the game controller10inFIG.2.

As shown inFIG.5, when the mobile device20without any protective case is to be mounted on the game controller10, all of the first pad300, the second pad400, the third pad500, the fourth pad600, and the fifth pad700are preliminarily mounted on the control handle200for allowing the unoccupied space in the accommodation recess210to fit the size of the mobile device20. By doing so, the mobile device20without any protective case can be firmly fixed to the game controller10.

As shown inFIG.6, when the mobile device20with a protective case30is to be mounted on the game controller10, the second pad400, the fourth pad600, and the fifth pad700can be removed from the control handle200, and the first pad300and the third pad500are remained to be mounted on the control handle200, such that the unoccupied space in the accommodation recess210can fit the size of the mobile device20with the protective casing30. By doing so, the mobile device20with the protective case30can also be firmly fixed to the game controller10.

As a result, it can be understood that by adding or removing pads or modifying the position of the pads, users can adjust the size of the unoccupied space in the accommodation recess210configured to accommodate the mobile device20. Therefore, the game controller10can satisfy the cases of the mobile device20with or without the protective case30.

Refer toFIG.7, whereFIG.7is a partial exploded view of a game controller10A according to a second embodiment of the disclosure.

In this embodiment, the game controller10A includes a control handle200located at one side of a connection mechanism100. The control handle200includes a first casing201, a second casing202, a slidable component910, an engagement component920, an elastic component930, and a slide button940. The second casing202is assembled with the first casing201. The slidable component910is mounted on the connection mechanism100and slidably disposed on the first casing201, such that the connection mechanism100is slidable relative to the first casing201. The engagement component920is slidably disposed on the control handle200on which the slidable component910is disposed. A slidable direction of the engagement component920is different from a slidable direction of the slidable component910, and an engagement portion921of the engagement component920is configured to be engaged with an engagement recess911of the slidable component910so as to fix the slidable component910in one specific position. The elastic component930is, for example, an extension spring, and one end of the elastic component930is fixed to the first casing201, and another end of the elastic component930is fixed to the engagement component920, such that the engagement component920is maintained in the position where the engagement component920is engaged with the slidable component910when there is no other forces exerted on the engagement component920. The slide button940is fixed to the connection mechanism100and is slidably located in a groove203of the second casing202, such that the slide button940can be operated to move the first casing201and the second casing202.

Refer toFIGS.8to10, whereFIGS.8to10show an operation of the game controller10A inFIG.7. As shown inFIG.8, the engagement component920is engaged with the slidable component910. Then, as shown inFIG.9, the engagement component920is moved along a direction A to disengage the engagement component920from the slidable component910. Then, as shown inFIG.10, when the engagement component920is disengaged from the slidable component910, the slidable component910can be moved along a direction B relative to the first casing201to increase a distance between the control handles200. On the other hand, when the distance between the control handles200is to be shortened, the slide button940can be moved along a direction opposite to the direction B, such that the slidable component910can be engaged with the engagement component920again.

According to the game controllers as discussed in the above embodiments, by adding or removing pads or modifying the position of the pads, users can adjust the size of the unoccupied space in the accommodation recess configured to accommodate the mobile device. Therefore, the game controller can satisfy the cases of the mobile device with or without the protective case.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made to the present disclosure. It is intended that the specification and examples be considered as exemplary embodiments only, with a scope of the disclosure being indicated by the following claims and their equivalents.