Protective enclosure for an electronic device

• US 10,405,623 B2
• Filed: 01/09/2019
• Issued: 09/10/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Otter Products LLC
• Original Assignee: Otter Products LLC
• Inventors: Northrup, Nathan, Witter, Kevin W., Prestien, James M., Russell, David C., Johnson, Erika E., Krajec, Matthew S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Mastrodonato, Margaret G
• Application Number:
  US16/243,194
• Publication Number:
  US 20190159562A1
• Time in Patent Office: 244 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 11/24 Etuis for purposes not covered by a single one of groups A45C11/02 - A45C11/22, A45C11/26, A45C11/32 - A45C11/38
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 13/001 Accessories
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 13/04 Frames
• 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 2200/10 Transparent walls
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3888 Arrangements for carrying or protecting transceivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/185 Improving the rigidity of the casing or resistance to shocks

Abstract

A protective enclosure for an electronic device includes a structural member and a cushioning member permanently attached to the structural member. The structural member has a back portion with an inner surface and an outer surface. The structural member includes a cavity configured to extend between the inner surface of the back portion and the installed electronic device. The cushioning member has a top section configured to be in direct contact with and cover at least a portion of a front surface of the installed electronic device, a bottom section configured to be in direct contact with and cover at least a portion of the back surface of the installed electronic device, and one or more side sections each configured to cover a respective side of the plurality of side surfaces of the installed electronic device. The bottom section of the cushioning member at least partially bounds the first cavity of the structural member.

Claims

1. A protective enclosure for an electronic device having a front surface, a back surface, and a plurality of side surfaces, the protective enclosure comprising:

a structural member having a back portion having an inner surface and an outer surface;

a cushioning member permanently attached to the structural member and including a top section configured to be in direct contact with and cover at least a portion of the front surface of the installed electronic device, a bottom section configured to be in direct contact with and cover at least a portion of the back surface of the installed electronic device, and one or more side sections each configured to cover a respective side of the plurality of side surfaces of the installed electronic device; and

a gap configured to create a space extending between the inner surface of the back portion and the electronic device when the electronic device is installed in the protective enclosure, wherein the bottom section of the cushioning member includes a lower edge defining a perimeter that bounds the gap.

2. The protective enclosure of claim 1, wherein the cushioning member is overmolded to the structural member to form a one-piece construction.

3. The protective enclosure of claim 1, wherein the structural member further includes a right side portion and a left side portion, each of the right side portion and the left side portion including a cutout region configured to allow the protective enclosure to bend towards the back portion of the structural member to allow a portion of the installed electronic device to be exposed and removed from the protective enclosure.

4. The protective enclosure of claim 3, wherein the cushioning member extends across the cutout region in the right side portion and the cutout region in the left side portion.

5. The protective enclosure of claim 1, wherein the cushioning member includes an interior section configured to cover a portion of the back surface of the installed electronic device.

6. The protective enclosure of claim 1, further comprising a slot extending around at least a portion of a perimeter of the protective enclosure between the structural member and the cushioning member.

7. The protective enclosure of claim 1, wherein the structural member comprises a rigid thermoplastic polymer and the cushioning member comprises a flexible silicone elastomer.

8. A protective enclosure for an electronic device having a front surface with a display and a back surface opposite the front surface, the protective enclosure comprising:

a cushioning member including an upper edge configured to extend beyond the front surface of the installed electronic device to protect the display of the electronic device when the electronic device is installed in the protective enclosure and a lower edge configured to be in direct contact with and extend beyond the back surface of the installed electronic device; and

a structural member permanently attached to the cushioning member and configured to cover at least a portion of the back surface of the installed electronic device, the structural member including a plurality of side portions and a back portion having an inner surface and an outer surface;

wherein the lower edge of the cushioning member is configured to create a space extending between the inner surface of the structural member and the back surface of the installed electronic device, the space bounded by the lower edge of the cushioning member.

9. The protective enclosure of claim 8, wherein the structural member is transparent and a color of the structural member is visible through the structural member.

10. The protective enclosure of claim 8, wherein two of the plurality of side portions of the structural member each include a cutout region configured to allow the protective enclosure to bend towards the back portion of the structural member to allow a portion of the installed electronic device to be exposed and removed from the protective enclosure.

11. The protective enclosure of claim 10, wherein the cushioning member extends across each of the cutout regions.

12. The protective enclosure of claim 8, wherein the cushioning member is overmolded to the structural member to form a one-piece construction, the protective enclosure further comprising a slot between the a side portion of structural member and a side section of the cushioning member.

13. The protective enclosure of claim 12, wherein the slot extends around a perimeter of the protective enclosure.

14. A one-piece protective enclosure for an electronic device having a front surface, a back surface, and a plurality of side surfaces, the protective enclosure comprising:

a structural member configured to cover at least a portion of the back surface of the installed electronic device, the structural member including a back portion having an inner surface and an outer surface;

a cushioning member permanently attached to the structural member and including a lower edge configured to extend be in direct contact with and extend beyond the back surface of the installed electronic device; and

a slot extending around at least a portion of a perimeter of the protective enclosure between the structural member and the cushioning member;

wherein the lower edge of the cushioning member is configured to create a space extending between the inner surface of the structural member and the back surface of the installed electronic device, the space bounded by the lower edge of the cushioning member.

15. The one-piece protective enclosure of claim 14, wherein the cushioning member continuously extends from an upper edge to the lower edge, the upper edge of the cushioning member configured to extend beyond the front surface of the installed electronic device, the cushioning member configured to be in direct contact with at least a portion of the front surface and a portion of the plurality of side surfaces of the installed electronic device.

16. The one-piece protective enclosure of claim 14, wherein the structural member further includes a first side portion and a second side portion opposite the first side portion, each of the first side portion and the second side portion including a cutout region configured to allow the protective enclosure to bend towards the back portion of the structural member to allow a portion of the installed electronic device to be exposed and removed from the protective enclosure.

17. The one-piece protective enclosure of claim 16, wherein the cushioning member extends across each of the cutout regions.

18. The one-piece protective enclosure of claim 16, wherein the cutout region of the first side portion is located opposite the cutout region of the second side portion.