US20080283479A1

US20080283479A1 - Remote control unit organizing device

Info

Publication number: US20080283479A1
Application number: US12/120,632
Authority: US
Inventors: John A. Skille
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2007-05-16
Filing date: 2008-05-14
Publication date: 2008-11-20

Abstract

A remote control unit organizing device (10) consisting of a mounting base (20), a bracket (22) and a rotatable barrel (24). The bracket (22) has a first end (26) affixed to a base member and a second end (28) connected to a wrist rest. A solid body (30) extends between the first end (26) and the second end (28) of the bracket (22). A dowel (32) extends from the bracket (22) at an angle relative to the mounting base (20) to serve as an axle. The barrel (24) is inserted over the dowel (32) and rotates about said dowel (32). A plurality of remote control units (38) can be adhered to the outside of the barrel (24) and when the barrel is rotated, a selected one of the plurality of remote control units can be brought into alignment with a user's hand when the user's wrist is positioned in the wrist rest.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE

This application claims the benefit of Provisional Application No. 60/930,489 filed on May 16, 2007, the benefits of which are hereby incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

I. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a unit for organizing a plurality of remote control devices used for operating electronic entertainment systems, and more particularly to a rotatable unit for holding a plurality of remote control devices.
II. Description of the Prior Art
Remote control units have proliferated in correspondence with the popularity and affordability of home entertainment units. Each component of a home entertainment system comes with its own remote control unit, which adds to the clutter in family rooms across the country. One solution to the problem of remote control proliferation is the use of the so-called “universal remote” unit. The problem with a universal remote control unit is that they are often difficult to program and use. An additional problem is that universal remote control units are expensive.
An alternative to the universal remote is the use of remote control holders such as the one described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,966,528. The '528 patent teaches a platform that is pivotally attached to a bracket coupled to a piece of furniture. The problem with the invention described in '528 patent is that the holder can only hold one remote at a time. Moreover, the device is not discrete and calls a great deal of attention to itself.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,125,516 teaches a portable hand-held apparatus which holds a plurality of electronic remote control devices. The apparatus disclosed in the '516 patent uses an elongated strap member and a plurality of separate, individual sheet members. Each sheet is mated with the strap and the backside of each remote control unit is adhered to one of the sheets. The principle drawback of the apparatus of the '516 patent is that it is bulky and difficult to access different remote control units.
Certainly numerous examples of remote control holders are known in the prior art. While these inventions are useful insofar as they are suitable for their specific individual purposes, these devices do not share the advantages of the present invention as hereinafter described.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is a primary object of this invention is to provide an ergonomic way to control a plurality of remote control units.
A further object of this invention is to provide a convenient way of storing a plurality of remote control units.
An additional object of this invention is to provide quick access to one of a plurality of remote control units.
Another object of this invention is to provide a storage unit for a plurality of remote controls which ensures that the remote control units are facing the device which they are associated with.
The present invention includes a mounting base adapted to rest on the arm of an easy chair, couch or the like. A bracket extends from the mounting base. The bracket has a first end coupled to the mounting base, a second end and a mid-portion extending between the first end and the second end of the bracket. A bore is disposed in the middle portion of the bracket. A dowel pin extends from the bore at an angle from the mounting brace. A cylinder or barrel is disposed on an end of the dowel pin. A plurality of remotes are adhered around the circumference of the barrel. A wrist rest extends from the second end of the bracket. The wrist rest has a stem extending from the bracket to a curved platform for resting one's wrist while using a remote affixed to the barrel. When the barrel is rotated to align a remote with the curved platform, the user can place his wrist on the curved platform and manipulate the buttons on the remote control unit. The user can rotate the barrel to switch between different remotes.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The foregoing features, objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment, especially when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which like numerals in the several views refer to corresponding parts.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a first preferred embodiment of the organizing unit of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a side view of the organizing unit of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a top view of the organizing unit of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a side view of the mount of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a front view of the barrel of the present invention; and

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the present invention in use.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

FIG. 1 shows a side view of the remote control unit organizing device generally designated by the numeral 10. Organizing device 10 consists of a mounting base 20, a bracket 22, and rotatable barrel 24. Bracket 32 has a first end 26 and a second, sloping end 28. Solid body 30 extends between first end 26 and second end 28 of the bracket 22. Bore 29 is drilled into body 30 of bracket 22. Dowel 32 extends through bore 29 and extends out of bracket 22 at an upwardly inclined angle relative to mounting base 20. Dowel 32 has a first end 34 and a second end 36. In FIG. 4 a portion of bracket 22 is broken away to show first end 34 of dowel 32 inside body 30 of bracket 22. Barrel 24 is inserted over second end 36 of dowel 32. A plurality of remote control units 38 are adhered to the outside of barrel 24 by appropriately placed VELCRO® patches 52.
As shown in FIG. 1, the typical remote control unit 38 will have an on off button 40, a volume control button 42 and a series of alpha/numeric buttons 44. All of these buttons are disposed on a front side 46 of the remote control unit's housing 48. The underside of the remote control unit's housing 48 is affixed to the circumference of barrel 24. Remote control unit 38 may be adhered to barrel 24 by any number of known means including an adhesive, a nail, screw, etc. In the preferred embodiment remote control unit 38 is adhered to barrel 24 using VELCRO® patches 52.
Organizing device 10 also has a wrist rest 54. Wrist rest 54, as shown in FIG. 3, has a concave plate 56. The concave plate 56 has atop surface 58 and a bottom surface 60. Wrist pad 62 is affixed to top surface 58. A user 72 places his or her wrist in the arm rest, resting his or her wrist on the wrist pad 62. User 72 can then manipulate buttons 40, 42 and 44 of the remote control unit 38 that is at the top position of barrel 24. As shown in FIG. 2, wrist rest 54 is supported by a post 64 extending from solid body 30 of bracket 22.
Mounting base 20 is a second concave plate 66 which is designed to fit over an arm rest of a couch or an easy chair. Concave plate 66 has a top surface 68 and a bottom surface 70, wherein when bottom surface 70 closely overlays the arm rest of a chair, organizing device 10 is balanced and ready for use. As shown in FIG. 6, a user 72 places his or her wrist in wrist rest 54 and can easily and comfortably tap the buttons 40, 42 and 44 using his or her fingers. Barrel 24 can be rotated on dowel 32 as an axle to bring a desired one of the remote control units 38 he or she needs.
Obviously, many modifications can be made to the present invention and variations are possible in light of the above teachings. It is therefore understood that within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.

Claims

1. A device for organizing remote control units, said device comprising:

(a) a base member adapted to be mounted on an arm rest of an article of furniture;

(b) a bracket having a first end, a second end and a mid-portion, said bracket coupled to the base member at its first end;

(c) a barrel sized to accommodate affixing a plurality of remote control units to an exterior surface, said barrel being rotatably mounted to said bracket at the mid-point; and

(d) a wrist rest extending from the second end of the bracket, wherein the wrist rest is positioned to align the wrist rest with the rotatable barrel.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein the bracket is formed of a solid body between the first end and the second end, and a bore is drilled into the bracket at the mid-portion with an axle member extending out of said bore at an angle relative to the base member and the rotatable barrel rotates about said axle member.

3. The device of claim 1 wherein the barrel further includes VELCRO® patches affixed to the surface of the barrel at circumferentially spaced rows aligned with a rotational axis of the barrel.

4. The device of claim 1 wherein the wrist rest is a concave plate having a top surface and a bottom surface.

5. The device of claim 4 wherein the concave plate has a pad affixed to the top surface.

6. The device of claim 1 wherein the wrist rest is supported by a post member extending from the second end of the bracket.

7. The device of claim 1 wherein the base member comprises a second concave plate having a top surface and a bottom surface wherein said bottom surface is adapted to closely overlay an arm rest of the article of furniture.