Patent Application Titled “Handheld Controller With Safety Harness Assembly” Published Online (USPTO 20220175123): Patent Application

2022 JUN 29 (NewsRx) -- By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Insurance Daily News -- According to news reporting originating from Washington, D.C., by NewsRx journalists, a patent application by the inventor Hertel, Kevin (San Francisco, CA, US), filed on December 9, 2021, was made available online on June 9, 2022.

No assignee for this patent application has been made.

Reporters obtained the following quote from the background information supplied by the inventors: “This section provides background information related to the present disclosure which is not necessarily prior art.

“The use of electric personal mobility devices (EPMDs) has become both a popular recreational activity and a necessity for disabled persons. Government and non-profit organizations assistance, tax incentives, financing options, and health insurance coverage have made EPMDs more economically accessible. With the increase in production volume, the cost of EPMDs has decreased. With the proliferation of EPMDs, such as electric skateboards, various manufacturers have introduced conventional handheld controllers with basic functionality. However, there is room for improvement at least in terms of rider safety, flexibility, adaptability, ease of use, user access to the controller, and fitting to the user, the controller, and the EPMD.

“There is need in the art for a controller that operates with different types of EPMDs, improves rider safety, improves the use and control of EPMDs, and a harness with additional safety features that improves rider safety, improves the use and control of EPMDs, and is adaptable to work with the many different styles of handheld controllers.”

In addition to obtaining background information on this patent application, NewsRx editors also obtained the inventor’s summary information for this patent application: “This section provides a general summary of the disclosure, and is not a comprehensive disclosure of its full scope or all of its features.

“A harness assembly for securing safety accessories to a handheld controller for electric personal mobility devices generally includes a flexible strap that is perforated along its length, at least one connector that cooperates with a perforation in the flexible strap to releasably secure the flexible strap about the controller, and headlight and taillight mounts on the flexible strap. The flexible strap is adjustable in length or tightness about the controller to secure the headlight mount in a forward position and the taillight mount in a rearward position on the controller.

“The flexible strap, which may comprise two or more pieces, conforms to at least three sides of an asymmetrically shaped handheld controller, and has an oblong aperture sized to allow access through the strap to a thumb control on the handheld controller. A headlight and taillight may be placed on their respective mounts.

“A stabilizing side member may connect to the flexible strap and span the handheld controller from side to side, thus securing an accessory to the flexible strap and to the controller. Accessories include horns, bells, and mirrors, among others.

“A handheld controller and harness assembly for securing accessories to the handheld controller generally includes a flexible strap structured to conform to at least three sides of an asymmetrically shaped handheld controller and perforated along its length, at least one connector that cooperates with a perforation in the strap to secure the strap about the handheld controller, and a wireless module inside the handheld controller. The handheld controller may include a display, a speaker, a camera, and/or a microphone, which may be wired or wirelessly coupled to the handheld controller and/or mechanically coupled to (or uncoupled from) either the handheld controller or the harness assembly.

“The strap of the handheld controller and harness assembly, which may comprise two or more pieces, at least one of which is flexible, conforms to at least three sides of an asymmetrically shaped handheld controller, and has an oblong aperture sized to allow access through the strap to a camera and/or a thumb control on the handheld controller. A headlight and taillight may protrude from the controller, be placed on their respective mounts on the strap and/or the controller, or emit light through openings in the strap. The taillight may operate as a brake light of the EPMD.

“The handheld controller generally has a computer device inside, which includes a processor, memory, and input/output module, and a wireless module. The modules are wired or wirelessly connected to wired and/or wireless cameras, sensors including microphones and biosensors, displays, speakers, mobile devices, lights, buttons, controls, the internet, and/or the like. The speaker may be configured to operate as a horn or a bell, or may be a headphone or earphone or head-mounted audio device wired or wirelessly coupled to the handheld controller through the corresponding module. The wireless module inside the handheld controller is generally configured to wirelessly communicate with an electronic personal mobility device (EPMD) and/or to other devices via Bluetooth®, Wi-Fi®, and/or the like.

“A kit for securing accessories to a handheld controller generally includes at least one flexible strap that is perforated along its length with an oblong aperture sized to allow access through the at least one strap to a thumb control on the handheld controller, at least one connector that cooperates with a perforation in the flexible strap to secure the strap about the handheld controller, a headlight assembly, and a taillight assembly. The kit may also include a horn or bell mount, a mirror mount, and a variety of horns, bells, and mirrors.

“Further areas of applicability will become apparent from the description provided herein. The description and specific examples in this summary are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure.

“Corresponding reference numerals indicate corresponding parts throughout.”

The claims supplied by the inventors are:

“1. A harness assembly for securing accessories to a handheld controller, the harness assembly comprising: (a) a strap that is perforated along its length, with at least part of the strap being flexible; (b) at least one connector that cooperates with a perforation in the strap to secure the strap about the handheld controller; © a headlight mount on the strap; and (d) a taillight mount on the strap; wherein the strap is adjustable in length or tightness about the handheld controller to secure the headlight mount in a forward position and the taillight mount in a rearward position on the handheld controller.

“2. The harness assembly of claim 1, wherein the strap of claim 1 is structured to conform to at least three sides of an asymmetrically shaped handheld controller.

“3. The harness assembly of claim 1, wherein the strap of claim 1 comprises at least two straps, at least one of which is flexible.

“4. The harness assembly of claim 1, further comprising a headlight and a taillight.

“5. The harness assembly of claim 1, further comprising an oblong aperture on the strap sized to allow access through the strap to a thumb control on the handheld controller.

“6. The harness assembly of claim 1, further comprising a stabilizing side member that connects to a first perforation on a first portion of the strap that corresponds to a first side of the handheld controller and connects to a second perforation on a second portion of the strap that corresponds to a second side of the handheld controller, wherein after the strap is fitted to the handheld controller the stabilizing side member spans the handheld controller from the first side to the second side.

“7. The harness assembly of claim 1, further comprising a stabilizing side member that secures an accessory to the strap.

“8. The harness assembly of claim 1, further comprising a horn or bell mount or a mirror mount.

“9. The harness assembly of claim 1, further comprising rings or other projections on the strap that function as finger grips.

“10. The harness assembly of claim 1, wherein the connector releasably secures the strap about the handheld controller.

“11. A handheld controller and harness assembly for securing accessories to the handheld controller, the handheld controller and harness assembly comprising: (a) a strap structured to conform to at least three sides of an asymmetrically shaped handheld controller and perforated along its length; (b) an oblong aperture on the strap sized to allow access through the strap to a camera on the handheld controller; (b) at least one connector that cooperates with a perforation in the strap to secure the strap about the handheld controller; and © a wireless module inside the handheld controller, the wireless module configured to wirelessly communicate with an electronic personal mobility device (EPMD).

“12. The handheld controller and harness assembly of claim 11, wherein the strap of claim 11 comprises at least two straps, at least one of which is flexible.

“13. The handheld controller and harness assembly of claim 11, wherein the handheld controller further comprises a display and a speaker.

“14. The handheld controller and harness assembly of claim 13, wherein the speaker is a wireless headphone, earphone, or head-mounted audio device wirelessly coupled to the handheld controller.

“15. The handheld controller and harness assembly of claim 13, wherein the speaker is configured to operate as a horn or a bell.

“16. The handheld controller and harness assembly of claim 11, further comprising a taillight that emits light in the rearward direction of the handheld controller, wherein the taillight is protruding from the rear of the handheld controller or mounted on a taillight mount on the strap.

“17. The handheld controller and harness assembly of claim 16, a taillight mount on the strap; wherein the strap is adjustable in length or tightness about the handheld controller to secure the taillight mount in a rearward position on the handheld controller; and wherein the taillight protruding from the rear of the handheld controller or mounted on a taillight mount on the strap is mounted on the taillight mount on the strap.

“18. The handheld controller and harness assembly of claim 16, wherein the taillight is configured to operate as a brake light of the EPMD.

“19. A kit for securing accessories to a handheld controller, the kit comprising: (a) at least one flexible strap that is perforated along its length, including an oblong aperture sized to allow access through the at least one strap to a thumb control on the handheld controller; (b) at least one connector that cooperates with a perforation in the at least one flexible strap to secure the at least one flexible strap about the handheld controller; © a headlight assembly; and (d) a taillight assembly; wherein the flexible strap is adjustable in length or tightness about the handheld controller to secure the headlight assembly in a forward position and the taillight assembly in a rearward position on the handheld controller.

“20. The kit of claim 19, further comprising a horn or bell mount and/or a mirror mount.

“21. A harness assembly for securing accessories to a handheld controller, the harness assembly comprising: (a) a flexible strap structured to conform to at least three sides of an asymmetrically shaped handheld controller and perforated along its length; (b) an oblong aperture on the flexible strap sized to allow access through the strap to a thumb control on the handheld controller; © at least one connector that cooperates with a perforation in the flexible strap to secure the flexible strap about the handheld controller; (d) a headlight mount on the flexible strap; and (e) a taillight mount on the flexible strap; wherein the flexible strap is adjustable in length or tightness about the handheld controller to secure the headlight mount in a forward position and the taillight mount in a rearward position on the handheld controller.

“22. The harness assembly of claim 21, wherein the flexible strap of claim 1 comprises at least two straps, at least one of which is flexible.

“23. The harness assembly of claim 21, further comprising a headlight and a taillight.

“24. The harness assembly of claim 21, further comprising a stabilizing side member that connects to a first perforation on a first portion of the flexible strap that corresponds to a first side of the handheld controller and connects to a second perforation on a second portion of the flexible strap that corresponds to a second side of the handheld controller, wherein after the flexible strap is fitted to the handheld controller the stabilizing side member spans the handheld controller from the first side to the second side.

“25. The harness assembly of claim 21, further comprising a stabilizing side member that secures an accessory to the flexible strap.

“26. The harness assembly of claim 21, further comprising a horn or bell mount or a mirror mount.

“27. The harness assembly of claim 21, further comprising rings or other projections on the flexible strap that function as finger grips.

“28. The harness assembly of claim 21, wherein the connector releasably secures the flexible strap about the handheld controller.”

For more information, see this patent application: Hertel, Kevin. Handheld Controller With Safety Harness Assembly. Filed December 9, 2021 and posted June 9, 2022. Patent URL: https://appft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO1&Sect2=HITOFF&d=PG01&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsrchnum.html&r=1&f=G&l=50&s1=%2220220175123%22.PGNR.&OS=DN/20220175123&RS=DN/20220175123

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