You can use Clip-on Straps to mount your keyguard when you’re not using a case:
As well as when you are using a case:
Clip-on straps have the advantage of holding your keyguard securely onto the tablet or case, but not so tightly that it’s overly difficult to remove. If you have a curious student or client, clip-on straps can be the happy medium between slide-in tabs (hard for everyone to remove) and raised tabs (easy for everyone to remove).
The following video shows the clips in action in a variety of settings – with and without a tablet case.
You’ll need some additional measurements to get a proper fit. The following video shows you how to measure your case to get the best fit.
The “case width”, “case height”, “case thickness”, and “case to screen depth” measurements are entered into the “Tablet Case” section. Other measurements will be entered into the “Clip-on Straps Info” section.
Now that you have all the measurements you need, choose “Clip-on Straps” from the “mount keyguard with” pull-down list of the “Mounting Method” category . The following video takes you through the process.
You’ll then need to print 2 to 4 clips to attach the keyguard.
If you choose to add elastic bands, you’ll need some 1/2 inch (15 mm) or 3/8 inch (9 mm) elastic bands, depending on the width of the clip. You can get an elastic band at any fabric store, or we found this product on Amazon, which offers 4.5 yards (4.1 m) of 1/2 inch band for less than $7. You will only need about 2 ft (60 cm) of band for even the largest tablet so this amount will provide banding for many different tablets. A single set of clips and bands can be used for multiple keyguards on the same tablet.
To determine how long the bands should be, take the width of the tablet in cm, divide by 2, and add 14 cm. Cut two bands of that length. Now take the height of the tablet in cm, divide by 2, and add 14 cm. Cut one band that length. My iPad mini is 20 cm wide and 13 cm high, so I cut two bands 20/2 + 14 = 24 cm long and one band 13/2 + 14 = 20.5 cm long.
Finally, to keep the tablet with the clips from sliding on a smooth surface, add some 10 mm silicone bumpers to the bottoms of the clips in the round recesses provided. It’s sufficient to add bumpers only to the clips on either end of the two lengthwise bands, but you can add bumpers to all 6 clips for the greatest stability.
The video below shows how to attach the elastic band to the clips and how to install the clip-on straps on a tablet without a case, but first, here’s an image that shows how to run the elastic band through the two slots in the clip:
Clip-on Straps with Tight Cases
You can use clip-on straps even if your case fits very close to the edge of the screen – so there’s very little plastic around the edge of the keyguard to attach the clip to:
You may need to add a small amount of additional plastic to the sides of the keyguard where the clips will attach. Look for the “height compensation for tight cases” (portrait orientation) or “width compensation for tight cases” (landscape orientation) options under “Tablet Case”. The above keyguard had an additional 4 mm of width compensation (2 mm on each side) added.
You may need to use a clip wider than you would otherwise choose to get a good, stable grip on the keyguard. You may also want to tell the designer that the case is a couple of mm wider than it actually is, so the clip has to stretch slightly further to engage with the keyguard.
Designing for Clip-on Straps
To add clips to your keyguard, expand the Clip-on Straps Info section of options:
Now expand the “clip locations” pull-down list:
Choose whether your clips should be oriented “vertical only” or “horizontal and vertical,” depending on your needs.
Because the case may be thicker or thinner along its vertical edges than along its horizontal edges, you can print the clips independently. To print the clips you need, expand the “Keyguard Basics” section in the options, then expand the “generate” pull-down list. You’ll see options there for you to display the horizontal clips(s) or vertical clip(s) to print based on your case:
Note: if your case has a wider edge on the left versus the right or on the bottom versus the top, enter those values in the “unequal left side of case” and/or “unequal bottom side of case” options. In that instance, you will see two clips of different sizes displayed when you choose to generate a horizontal or vertical clip.
Mini and Micro Clips
You’ll see two additional clip-generation options. We’ve added two different, smaller clips. Mini Clip doesn’t extend under the tablet/case. It is intended for use with a strap that must be secured around another object, such as a tablet mounting system. The most important thing about a Mini Clip is that the force applied to the clip is perpendicular to the surface of the tablet:
A Micro Clip has only the top portion of the clip. It is designed for instances where a strap will be used, with the strap’s force on the clip parallel to the tablet’s surface.
Note: In no case should one rely solely on the clips to suspend the tablet.
If you add plastic to the outside of your keyguard, you’ll need to create pedestals for your clip-on straps manually. Read more about this feature at the bottom of this page.