Cell phone case having an interchangeable bracelet

• US 10,441,064 B2
• Filed: 07/17/2017
• Issued: 10/15/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 07/18/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Brynne M. Watkins
• Original Assignee: Brynne M. Watkins
• Inventors: Watkins, Brynne M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Newhouse, Nathan J
• Assistant Examiner(s): Theis, Matthew T
• Application Number:
  US15/652,142
• Publication Number:
  US 20180014630A1
• Time in Patent Office: 820 Days
• Field of Search: 224219, 224217, 224218, 224164-180, 36167959
• CPC Class Codes: A44C 5/0007 Bracelets specially adapted for other functions or with means for attaching other articles
• CPC Class Codes: A44C 5/0053 Flexible straps
• CPC Class Codes: A44C 5/0084 Bracelets in the form of a ring, band or tube of rigid material C-spring-type bracelets A44C5/12
• 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: A45F 2005/008 Hand articles fastened to the wrist or to the arm or to the leg
• CPC Class Codes: A45F 2200/0516 Portable handheld communication devices, e.g. mobile phone, pager, beeper, PDA, smart phone
• CPC Class Codes: A45F 5/00 Holders or carriers for hand articles; Holders or carriers for use while travelling or camping

Abstract

The present invention relates to various cell phone cases that are designed to include one or more interchangeable bracelet elements. In one embodiment, the cell phone case of the present invention is comprised of a phone case element designed to hold a cell phone and/or provide protection to a cell phone and a coupling portion that is operatively located on the backside of the phone case element, where the coupling portion of the present invention is designed to engage at least one or more interchangeable bracelet elements (the bracelet elements being designed to be worn around a user'"'"'s wrist and/or forearm).

Claims

1. A cell phone case comprising:

a phone case element having front surface and a back surface;

a coupling portion, wherein the coupling portion is designed to couple to, or engage with, at least a portion of the back surface of the phone case element, the coupling portion having formed therein at least one centrally located hinge, the centrally located hinge being formed from at least one notch, channel or thinned portion located on at least one surface of the coupling portion; and

a bracelet element, the bracelet element being sized for an adult wrist,

wherein the phone case element and the coupling portion can be coupled to, or engaged with, one another in order to removably capture only a partial portion of the bracelet element when the cell phone case is in use.

2. The cell phone case of claim 1, wherein the phone case element of the coupling portion are integrally formed so as to be permanently affixed to one another.

3. The cell phone case of claim 1, wherein at least one of the back surface of the phone case element or an inner surface of the coupling portion has formed therein a bracelet channel or bracelet depression in order to permit a bracelet element having a thicker cross-section to be removably captured therein.

4. The cell phone case of claim 1, wherein both the back surface of the phone case element and an inner surface of the coupling portion have formed therein a bracelet channel or bracelet depression in order to permit a bracelet element having a thicker cross-section to be removably captured therein.

5. The cell phone case of claim 1, wherein one end of the coupling portion is permanently affixed to the back surface of the phone case element by a hinge.

6. The cell phone case of claim 1, wherein the coupling portion is removably affixed to the back surface of the phone case element by a plurality of clips or flanges.

7. The cell phone case of claim 1, wherein the hinge of the coupling portion permits the coupling portion to bend or flex.

8. The cell phone case of claim 1, wherein the cell phone case further comprises a locking mechanism formed in from a combination of a tab and an engagement channel.

9. The cell phone case of claim 1, wherein the cell phone case comprises two or more bracelet portions elements where each individual bracelet element can be interchangeably used in conjunction with the cell phone case.

10. A cell phone case comprising:

a phone case element having front surface and a back surface;

a coupling portion, wherein the coupling portion is designed to couple to, or engage with, at least a portion of the back surface of the phone case element, the coupling portion having formed therein at least one centrally located hinge, the centrally located hinge being formed from at least one notch, channel or thinned portion located on at least one surface of the coupling portion; and

a bracelet element, the bracelet element being sized for an adult wrist,

wherein the phone case element and the coupling portion can be coupled to, or engaged with, one another in order to removably capture only a partial portion of the bracelet element when the cell phone case is in use,

wherein the at least one hinge permits the coupling portion to bend or flex, and

wherein the phone case element and the coupling portion are integrally formed so as to be permanently affixed to one another.

11. The cell phone case of claim 10, wherein at least one of the back surface of the phone case element or an inner surface of the coupling portion has formed therein a bracelet channel or bracelet depression in order to permit a bracelet element having a thicker cross-section to be removably captured therein.

12. The cell phone case of claim 10, wherein both the back surface of the phone case element and an inner surface of the coupling portion have formed therein a bracelet channel or bracelet depression in order to permit a bracelet element having a thicker cross-section to be removably captured therein.

13. The cell phone case of claim 10, wherein one end of the coupling portion is permanently affixed to the back surface of the phone case element by a hinge.

14. The cell phone case of claim 10, wherein the cell phone case further comprises a locking mechanism formed in from a combination of a tab and an engagement channel.

15. The cell phone case of claim 10, wherein the cell phone case comprises two or more bracelet portions elements where each individual bracelet element can be interchangeably used in conjunction with the cell phone case.