Protective enclosure for encasing an electronic device

• US 10,178,902 B2
• Filed: 11/17/2016
• Issued: 01/15/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 09/07/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Otter Products LLC
• Original Assignee: Otter Products LLC
• Inventors: Martinez, Alfonso, Lopez, Oscar, McFadden, Stephen James
• Primary Examiner(s): REYNOLDS, STEVEN ALAN
• Application Number:
  US15/354,719
• Publication Number:
  US 20180064222A1
• Time in Patent Office: 789 Days
• Field of Search: 206320
• 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 13/008 for making water- or air-tight
• 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: G03B 17/08 Waterproof bodies or housings
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/56 Accessories carrying-cases A45C11/38
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3888 Arrangements for carrying or protecting transceivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/51 Housings
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/55 Optical parts specially adapted for electronic image sensors; Mounting thereof

Abstract

A protective enclosure for an electronic device includes a top member adapted to be removably coupled to a bottom member to enclose the electronic device. A first back engagement feature is disposed on an inside surface of a perimeter wall portion of the bottom member, and the first back engagement feature is adapted to engage a first front engagement feature disposed on an inner perimeter wall of the top member to removably secure the top member to the bottom member. A second back engagement feature is disposed on an outside surface of the perimeter wall portion of the bottom member, and the second back engagement feature is adapted to engage a second front engagement feature disposed on an outer perimeter wall of the top member to further removably secure the top member to the bottom member.

Claims

1. A protective enclosure for an electronic device having a first audio feature and a second audio feature, the electronic device having a front portion that includes an interactive screen and a back portion opposite the front portion, the protective enclosure comprising:

a top member adapted to receive the front portion of the electronic device,

a bottom member adapted to receive the back portion of the electronic device, the top member being releasably secured to the bottom member so as to form a shell that is adapted to at least partially encase the electronic device such that the electronic device is disposed within an interior volume within the shell,

a seal assembly disposed in an aperture formed in at least one of the top member and the bottom member, the seal assembly comprising;

a seal body that extends along a seal axis from a first end to a second end, the first end of the seal body adapted to be in engagement with a first portion and a second portion of the electronic device when the electronic device is disposed within the shell such that the electronic device compresses the seal body along the seal axis, the first portion of the of the electronic device surrounding the first audio feature and the second portion of the electronic device surrounding the second audio feature,

wherein the seal body defines a first seal aperture extending from the first end of the seal body to the second end of the seal body along the seal axis, the first seal aperture at the first end of the seal body being adapted to surround the first audio feature of the electronic device such that the first end of the seal body is in sealing engagement with the first portion of the electronic device surrounding the first audio feature,

wherein the seal body defines a second seal aperture extending from the first end of the seal body to the second end of the seal body along the seal axis, the second seal aperture at the first end of the seal body being adapted to surround the second audio feature of the electronic device such that the first end of the seal body is in sealing engagement with the second portion of the electronic device surrounding the second audio feature;

a first membrane extending across the first seal aperture, wherein a portion of the first seal aperture between the first end of the seal body and the first membrane defines a first seal body volume; and

a second membrane extending across the second seal aperture and a portion of the second seal aperture between the first end and the second membrane defines a second seal body volume,

wherein a first leak channel extends through the seal body, the first leak channel having a first end open to the second seal body volume and a second end open to the first seal body volume, wherein the first leak channel is sized and configured to allow pressure to be relieved in the second seal body volume without allowing a significant amount of sound from the first seal body volume to travel through the first leak channel and into the second seal body volume.

2. The protective enclosure of claim 1, wherein the seal body is made from a silicone material.

3. The protective enclosure of claim 1, wherein the first seal aperture at the first end of the seal body surrounds the entire first audio feature to form a perimeter around the first audio feature.

4. The protective enclosure of claim 1, wherein the first membrane and the second membrane are each normal to the seal axis.

5. The protective enclosure of claim 1, wherein the first membrane and the second membrane are each liquid impermeable.

6. The protective enclosure of claim 1, wherein the second seal aperture at the first end of the seal body surrounds the entire second audio feature to form a perimeter around the second audio feature.

7. The protective enclosure of claim 1, wherein the second membrane is disposed at or adjacent to the second end of the seal body.

8. The protective enclosure of claim 1, wherein the first membrane extends across the first seal aperture between the first end of the seal body and the second end of the seal body.

9. The protective enclosure of claim 1, wherein the first leak channel has a diameter between 0.25 mm and 0.50 mm.

10. The protective enclosure of claim 1, wherein the first leak channel extends normal to the seal axis.

11. The protective enclosure of claim 1, wherein a second leak channel extends through the seal body, a first end of the second leak channel being open to the second seal body volume and a second end of the second leak channel being open to the interior volume within the shell.

12. The protective enclosure of claim 1, wherein the second end of the seal body abuts a portion of the top member and/or the bottom member to provide support against a compressive force provided by the electronic device.

13. The protective enclosure of claim 5, wherein at least one of the first membrane and the second membrane is air-impermeable.

14. A protective enclosure for an electronic device having a first audio feature, the electronic device having a front portion that includes an interactive screen and a back portion opposite the front portion, the protective enclosure comprising:

a top member adapted to receive the front portion of the electronic device,

a bottom member adapted to receive the back portion of the electronic device, the top member being releasably secured to the bottom member so as to form a shell that is adapted to encase the electronic device such that the electronic device is disposed within an interior volume within the shell,

a seal assembly disposed in an aperture formed in at least one of the top member and the bottom member, the seal assembly comprising;

a seal body that extends along a seal axis from a first end to a second end, the first end of the seal body adapted to be in engagement with a first portion of the electronic device when the electronic device is disposed within the shell such that the electronic device compresses the seal body along the seal axis, the first portion of the of the electronic device surrounding the first audio feature,

wherein the seal body defines a first seal aperture extending from the first end of the seal body to the second end of the seal body along the seal axis, the first seal aperture at the first end of the seal body being adapted to surround the first audio feature of the electronic device such that the first end of the seal body is in sealing engagement with the first portion of the electronic device surrounding the first audio feature,

a first membrane extending across the first seal aperture, wherein a portion of the first seal aperture between the first end of the seal body and the first membrane defines a first seal body volume, wherein the first membrane is air-impermeable; and

wherein a first leak channel extends through the seal body, the first leak channel having a first end open to the interior volume within the shell and a second end open to the first seal body volume, wherein the first leak channel is sized and configured to allow pressure to be relieved in the first seal body volume without allowing a significant amount of sound from the interior volume to travel through the first leak channel and into the first seal body volume.

15. The protective enclosure of claim 14, wherein the seal body is made from a silicone material.

16. The protective enclosure of claim 14, wherein the first seal aperture at the first end of the seal body surrounds the entire first audio feature to form a perimeter around the first audio feature.

17. The protective enclosure of claim 14, wherein the first membrane is normal to the seal axis.

18. The protective enclosure of claim 14, wherein the first membrane is liquid impermeable.

19. The protective enclosure of claim 14, wherein the first membrane is disposed at or adjacent to the second end of the seal body.

20. The protective enclosure of claim 14, wherein the first leak channel has a diameter between 0.25 mm and 0.50 mm.

21. The protective enclosure of claim 14, wherein the second end of the seal body abuts a portion of the top member and/or the bottom member to provide support against a compressive force provided by the electronic device.