Protective case for mobile electronic communication device

• US 10,484,035 B2
• Filed: 01/29/2018
• Issued: 11/19/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 08/19/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Case-Mate, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Pelican Products Incorporated (Pelican Products Holdings, Inc.)
• Inventors: Flores, Jesse, Lake, Brendan Hingston, McLean, Daniel, Li, Jiacai
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Tuan A
• Application Number:
  US15/883,009
• Publication Number:
  US 20180152218A1
• Time in Patent Office: 659 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1626 with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1656 Details related to functional adaptations of the enclosure, e.g. to provide protection against EMI, shock, water, or to host detachable peripherals like a mouse or removable expansions units like PCMCIA cards, or to provide access to internal components for maintenance or to removable storage supports like CDs or DVDs, or to mechanically mount accessories mounting of accessories to a computer display G06F1/1607; display hoods G06F1/1603; cooling arrangements for portable computers G06F1/203
• 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: 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

Abstract

A protective case for a mobile electronic communication device includes a rear cover including a compressible member and a catch, the compressible member and the catch being spaced from each other to form an alcove; and a front cover including a rim configured to extend into the alcove, the rim having an inner surface configured to contact the compressible member and an outer surface opposite the inner surface configured to engage the catch.

Claims

1. A protective case for a mobile electronic communication device, the protective case comprising:

a rear cover; and

a front cover configured to selectively connect to the rear cover and define a space between the front cover and the rear cover for receiving the mobile electronic communication device, the front cover having an opening surrounded by an annular ledge defining a surface that faces away from the rear cover when the front cover and rear cover are connected together; and

a transparent membrane affixed to the surface of the annular ledge and extending over the opening in the front cover;

wherein the front cover includes an outer body of a first material, and a liner of a second material, and wherein the liner has an upper surface that forms the annular ledge of the front cover.

2. The protective case of claim 1, wherein the outer body of the front cover and the liner of the front cover are a co-molded structure.

3. The protective case of claim 1, wherein the first material is a different material than the second material.

4. The protective case of claim 1, wherein the front cover includes one or more moveable members configured to transmit mechanical movement to an operator on the mobile electronic communication device, when the mobile electronic communication device is received within the space between the front cover and the rear cover.

5. The protective case of claim 1, further comprising an annular fastener located between the transparent membrane and the surface of the annular ledge, that affixes the transparent membrane to the surface of the annular ledge.

6. The protective case of claim 1, further comprising an adhesive located between the transparent membrane and the surface of the annular ledge, that affixes the transparent membrane to the surface of the annular ledge.

7. A protective case for a mobile electronic communication device, the protective case comprising:

a rear cover; and

a front cover configured to selectively connect to the rear cover and define a space between the front cover and the rear cover for receiving the mobile electronic communication device, the front cover having an opening surrounded by an annular ledge defining a surface that faces away from the rear cover when the front cover and rear cover are connected together; and

a transparent membrane affixed to the surface of the annular ledge and extending over the opening in the front cover;

wherein the front cover includes an outer body and a liner, wherein the outer body has an outer peripheral wall and an inner peripheral wall, and wherein at least a first portion of the liner is located between the outer peripheral wall and the inner peripheral wall of the outer body.

8. The protective case of claim 7, wherein a second portion of the liner extends out from the outer body of the front cover, and wherein the second portion of the liner is arranged to engage the rear cover, when the front cover and rear cover are connected together.

9. The protective case of claim 7, wherein a second portion of the liner extends out from the outer body of the front cover, and wherein the second portion of the liner is configured to engage a catch on the rear cover, when the front cover and rear cover are connected together.

10. The protective case of claim 7, wherein the outer peripheral wall and an inner peripheral wall of the outer body are coupled together by a plurality of channels of the same material of the outer peripheral wall and the inner peripheral wall.

11. The protective case of claim 7, wherein the front cover includes one or more moveable members extending at least partially through the outer body of the front cover and configured to transmit mechanical movement to an operator on the mobile electronic communication device, when the mobile electronic communication device is received within the space between the front cover and the rear cover.

12. A protective case for a mobile electronic communication device, the protective case comprising:

a rear cover; and

a front cover configured to selectively connect to the rear cover and define a space between the front cover and the rear cover for receiving the mobile electronic communication device, the front cover having an opening surrounded by an annular ledge defining a surface that faces away from the rear cover when the front cover and rear cover are connected together; and

a transparent membrane affixed to the surface of the annular ledge and extending over the opening in the front cover;

wherein the front cover includes an outer body and a liner, wherein the liner has an upper surface that forms the annular ledge of the front cover, and wherein the upper surface of the liner is recessed relative to an outer peripheral edge of the outer body.

13. The protective case of claim 12, wherein the outer body of the front cover is made of a first material, and the liner of the front cover is made of a second material different from the first material, and wherein the outer body and the liner of the front cover are a co-molded structure.

14. A method of manufacturing a protective case for a mobile electronic communication device, the method comprising:

providing a rear cover;

configuring a front cover to selectively connect to the rear cover and define a space between the front cover and the rear cover for receiving the mobile electronic communication device, the front cover having an opening surrounded by an annular ledge defining a surface that faces away from the rear cover when the front cover and rear cover are connected together;

affixing a transparent membrane to the surface of the annular ledge, to extend over the opening in the front cover; and

configuring the front cover with an outer body of a first material and a liner of a second material, wherein the liner has an upper surface that forms the annular ledge of the front cover.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising co-molding the outer body of the front cover and the liner of the front cover.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the first material is a different material than the second material.

17. The method of claim 14, further comprising providing one or more moveable members in the front cover, to transmit mechanical movement to an operator on the mobile electronic communication device, when the mobile electronic communication device is received within the space between the front cover and the rear cover.

18. The method of claim 14,

wherein the outer body has an outer peripheral wall and an inner peripheral wall, and wherein at least a first portion of the liner is located between the outer peripheral wall and the inner peripheral wall of the outer body;

extending a second portion of the liner out from the outer body of the front cover, the second portion of the liner arranged to engage the rear cover when the front cover and rear cover are connected together.