Protective case system

• US 10,058,155 B2
• Filed: 12/22/2016
• Issued: 08/28/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 07/19/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Otter Products LLC
• Original Assignee: Otter Products LLC
• Inventors: Guerdrum, Jonathan H., Goldfain, Russell J., Caster, Greg D., Bloor, Cory R., Glanzer, Matthew M.
• Primary Examiner(s): SKURDAL, COREY NELSON
• Application Number:
  US15/388,113
• Publication Number:
  US 20170099922A1
• Time in Patent Office: 614 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 11/00 Receptacles for purposes not provided for in groups A45C1/00-A45C9/00 specially adapted for toiletry or cosmetic equipment A45D29/20, A45D44/18; travelling sewing kits A45F3/48
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 13/001 Accessories
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 15/00 Purses, bags, luggage or other receptacles covered by groups A45C1/00 - A45C11/00, combined with other objects or articles A45C1/08, A45C3/14, A45C11/321, A45C13/28 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 2011/001 for portable audio devices, e.g. headphones or MP3-players
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 2011/002 for portable handheld communication devices, e.g. mobile phone, pager, beeper, PDA, smart phone
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 2011/003 for portable computing devices, e.g. laptop, tablet, netbook, game boy, navigation system, calculator
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 2011/007 Receptacles for personal medical or care products, e.g. drugs, condoms or patches; Small first-aid kits
• CPC Class Codes: A45F 2005/002 combined with other objects
• CPC Class Codes: A45F 2200/0516 Portable handheld communication devices, e.g. mobile phone, pager, beeper, PDA, smart phone
• CPC Class Codes: A45F 2200/0525 Personal portable computing devices, e.g. laptop, tablet, netbook, game boy, navigation system, calculator
• CPC Class Codes: A45F 5/00 Holders or carriers for hand articles; Holders or carriers for use while travelling or camping
• CPC Class Codes: A45F 5/021 to the belt
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1613 for portable computers cooling arrangements therefor G06F1/203; constructional details or arrangements for pocket calculators, electronic agendas or books G06F15/0216; constructional details of portable telephone sets: with several bodies H04M1/0202
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1628 Carrying enclosures containing additional elements, e.g. case for a laptop and a printer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1633 Protecting arrangement for the entire housing of the computer
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3888 Arrangements for carrying or protecting transceivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2001/3894 Waterproofing of transmission device
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0264 for a camera module assembly
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0266 for a display module assembly
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/04 Supports for telephone transmitters or receivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/185 : Improving the rigidity of the casing or resistance to shocks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724092 : Interfacing with an external cover providing additional functionalities
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/0221 : Locks; Latches

Abstract

A protective case system includes a mounting accessory and a protective case. The mounting accessory includes a dovetail rail member with a snap feature and an engagement feature. The protective case includes an inner liner for receiving and at least partially enclosing the electronic device when the electronic device is installed in the protective case; an outer shell extending around at least a portion of the inner liner; and a mount adapter removeably attached to the outer shell.

Claims

1. A protective case system for use with an electronic device, the protective case system comprising:

a mounting accessory attachable to an object, the mounting accessory having a dovetail rail member with a snap feature and having an engagement feature; and

a protective case comprising;

an inner liner for receiving and at least partially enclosing the electronic device when the electronic device is installed in the protective case;

an outer shell extending around at least a portion of the inner liner; and

a mount adapter removeably attached to the outer shell, the mount adapter being removably attachable to the mounting accessory to removably attach the protective case to the object through the mounting accessory, the mount adapter including a receiver channel adapted to slidably receive the dovetail rail member of the mounting accessory to removably attach the outer shell of the protective case to the mounting accessory, the receiver channel including a snap feature having an interference fit with the snap feature of the rail member of the mounting accessory to removably lock the rail member into the receiver channel when the rail member is inserted into the receiver channel, the mount adapter further including an engagement feature for engaging the engagement feature of the mounting accessory to further removably attach the mount adapter to the mounting accessory.

2. The protective case system of claim 1, wherein the mount adapter includes an arm extending from a central hub, the arm including the receiver channel.

3. The protective case system of claim 2, wherein the mount adapter includes a lip at least partially surrounding the central hub, the lip including a plurality of projections extending away from the central hub.

4. The protective case system of claim 3, wherein the outer shell includes a receiver for removably attaching the mount adapter to the outer shell, the receiver having an interference fit with the plurality of projections of the mount adapter.

5. The protective case system of claim 4, wherein the receiver includes a lip and a plurality of extending ledges at least partially surrounding a mounting aperture, the lip and plurality of extending ledges defining a plurality of gaps configured to receive the plurality of projections of the mount adapter.

6. The protective case system of claim 4, wherein the mount adapter is rotatable from a first position having a first interference fit with the plurality of projections of the mount adapter and the receiver to a second position having a second interference fit with the plurality of projections of the mount adapter and the receiver.

7. The protective case system of claim 1 wherein the receiver channel of the mount adapter includes a second snap feature to engage a second snap feature of the dovetail rail member of the mounting accessory.

8. The protective case system of claim 1 wherein the engagement feature of the mount adapter includes a slot in a top edge of the outer shell and the engagement feature of the mounting accessory includes a ridge that engages the slot.

9. The protective case system of claim 1 wherein the receiver channel has a cross sectional size at a first end of the receiver channel that differs from a cross sectional size of the receiver channel at a second end of the receiver channel.

10. The protective case system of claim 1 wherein the receiver channel includes a draft.

11. The protective case system of claim 1, wherein the outer shell includes a second receiver channel in proximity to a first end of the outer shell, the second receiver channel adapted to slidably receive a dovetail rail member of a second mounting accessory to removably attach the outer shell of the protective case to the second mounting accessory, the second receiver channel including a second snap feature having an interference fit with a snap feature of a rail member of the second mounting accessory to removably lock the rail member of the second mounting accessory into the second receiver channel when the rail member of the second mounting accessory is inserted into the second receiver channel.

12. A mount adapter for removably mounting an object to a protective case system for use with an electronic device, the mount adapter comprising:

a hub including a lip at least partially surrounding the hub, the lip including a plurality of projections configured to be received by a receiver of the protective case system to form an interference fit; and

an arm extending from the hub, the arm including a first lip and a second lip defining a receiver channel configured to receive a mounting accessory attached to the object, the mounting accessory having a dovetail rail member with a snap feature and having an engagement feature, the receiver channel adapted to slidably receive the dovetail rail member of the mounting accessory to removably attach the outer shell of the protective case to the mounting accessory, the receiver channel including a snap feature having an interference fit with the snap feature of the rail member of the mounting accessory to removably lock the rail member into the receiver channel when the rail member is inserted into the receiver channel, the receiver channel further including an engagement feature for engaging the engagement feature of the mounting accessory to further removably attach the mount adapter to the mounting accessory.

13. The mount adapter of claim 12, wherein the lip of the hub is substantially arcuate in shape and projects downwardly from the hub to engage a receiver of the protective case.

14. The mount adapter of claim 12, further comprising a second snap feature having an interference fit with a second corresponding snap feature of the rail member of the mounting accessory to further removably lock the rail member into the receiver channel when then rail member is inserted into the receiver channel.

15. The mount adapter of claim 12, the receiver channel having a cross sectional size at a first end of the receiver into which the rail member is insertable that differs from a cross sectional size of the receiver channel at an opposite second end of the receiver channel.

16. A protective case for use with an electronic device and an object attachable to the protective case, the object having a rail member with a snap feature, the protective case comprising:

a mount adapter configured to removably attach the object to the protective case, the mount adapter including an arm extending from a central hub, the arm including a receiver channel in proximity to a first end of the arm, the receiver channel configured to slidably receive the rail member of the object to removably attach the protective case to the object, the receiver channel including a snap feature configured to have an interference fit with the snap feature of the object to removably lock the rail member of the object into the receiver channel of the mount adapter when the rail member of the object is inserted into the receiver channel of the arm of the mount adapter; and

an inner liner and an outer shell for receiving and at least partially enclosing the electronic device, the inner liner attached to the outer shell and configured to permit access to a touchscreen of the electronic device when the electronic device is installed in the protective case, wherein the mount adapter is rotatably coupled to at least one of the inner liner and the outer shell.

17. The protective case of claim 16, wherein the mount adapter includes a lip at least partially surrounding the central hub, the lip including a plurality of projections extending away from the central hub.

18. The protective case of claim 17, wherein the outer shell includes a receiver for removably attaching the mount adapter to the outer shell, the receiver having an interference fit with the plurality of projections of the mount adapter.

19. The protective case of claim 17, wherein the mount adapter is rotatable from a first position having a first interference fit between a first projection of the plurality of projections of the mount adapter and a first extending ledge of the receiver to a second position having a second interference fit between the first projection of the plurality of projections of the mount adapter and a second extending ledge of the receiver, wherein the first extending ledge and the second extending ledge are spaced apart by at least one gap.

20. The protective case system of claim 17, wherein the receiver includes a lip and a plurality of extending ledges at least partially surrounding a mounting aperture, the lip and plurality of extending ledges defining a plurality of gaps configured to receive the plurality of projections of the mount adapter.