Tether arrangement for portable electronic device, such as a laptop computer

Abstract

A laptop computer assembly has a belt which is adapted to encircle the waste of a user, a fastener for releasably joining the ends of hte belt togetehr around the user and two tethers running from the belt to the laptop computer. Lockable length adjusters are provided for the tethers.

1 . A laptop computer assembly, comprising: 
 a belt adapted to encircle a waist of a user and provided with a fastener for securing ends of the belt together;    a pair of tethers connected to said belt and extending away therefrom; and    a laptop computer engaged by said tethers for retaining the laptop computer on the lap of the user.    
   
   
       2 . The assembly defined in  claim 1 , further comprising a length adjuster on said belt for varying a waist size accommodated by the belt.  
   
   
       3 . The assembly defined in  claim 2 , further comprising a length adjuster on at least one of said tethers for varying an effective distance of said laptop computer from said belt.  
   
   
       4 . The assembly defined in  claim 3  wherein said length adjuster on said one of said tethers is disposed at a location at which said one of said tethers adjoins said belt.  
   
   
       5 . The assembly defined in  claim 3  wherein said length adjuster on said one of said tethers is located between ends of said tether connected to said belt and said laptop computer.  
   
   
       6 . The assembly defined in  claim 3  wherein said length adjuster on said one of said tethers is disposed at said laptop computer.  
   
   
       7 . The assembly defined in  claim 3  wherein each of said tethers is provided with a respective length adjuster.  
   
   
       8 . The assembly defined in  claim 7  wherein each of the length adjusters of said tethers is lockable independently.  
   
   
       9 . A laptop computer assembly comprising: 
 a laptop computer having a case with a bottom adapted to rest upon a lap of a user, a pair of sides, and a computer structure within said case;    a belt that can encircle a user of said laptop computer at the waist, said belt having a means of securely closing belt to form a closed continuous circuit around the waist, said belt also being associated with a means to adjust the length of said belt;    a pair of flexible tethers, each having two ends, each tether attached at one of its ends to a point on the belt, with the other end of each tether being engageable to an opposite side of said laptop computer case;    a pair of length adjusters, each length adjuster associated with one of said flexible tethers, each length adjuster being locale, enabling the user to securely determine the effective length of each tether;    whereby the user can set the effective lengths of the two tethers to be equal or unequal to one another, thereby allowing for the computer to be positioned on the lap in either a square or off-square position.    
   
   
       10 . The laptop computer assembly defined in  claim 9  wherein said flexible tethers are associated with retraction mechanisms, allowing said tethers to be stored in a retracted position.  
   
   
       11 . The laptop computer assembly defined in  claim 9  wherein said belt is associated with a retracting mechanism capable of retracting said belt and storing said belt in a retracted state.  
   
   
       12 . A belt arrangement for securing and positioning a laptop computer to a user of said laptop computer, comprising: 
 a belt that can encircle a user of a laptop computer at the waist, said belt having a means of securely closing belt so as to form a continuous circuit around the waist, and being associated with a means to adjust the length of said belt;    a pair of flexible tethers, each having two ends, each tether attached at one of its ends to a point on the belt, with the other end of each tether being engage able to an opposite side fo said laptop computer case;    a pair of length adjusters, each length adjuster associated with one of said flexible tethers, each length adjuster being locale, enabling the user to securely determine the effective length of each tether;    whereby the user can set the effective lengths of the two tethers to be equal or unequal to one another, thereby allowing for a computer to positioned on the lap in either a square or off-square position.    
   
   
       13 . The belt arrangement defined in  claim 12  wherein each of said flexible tethers is associated with a retraction mechanism, allowing said tethers to be stored in a retracted position.  
   
   
       14 . The belt arrangement defined in  claim 12  wherein the belt is associated with a retracting mechanism capable of retracting said belt and storing said belt in a retracted state.