CASE FOR HANDHELD DEVICES WITH ONE OR MORE INTEGRAL TOOLS

• US 20110136555A1
• Filed: 12/06/2010
• Published: 06/09/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/04/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: West Incorporated (Safford Brown Automotive Group)
• Original Assignee: West Incorporated (Safford Brown Automotive Group)
• Inventors: Baker, Clay W., Ramies, Thomas M.
• Granted Patent: US 8,483,786 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/575.8
• 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 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 2011/002 for portable handheld communication devices, e.g. mobile phone, pager, beeper, PDA, smart phone
• CPC Class Codes: B67B 7/16 for removing flanged caps, e.g. crown caps
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1626 with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3888 Arrangements for carrying or protecting transceivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0202 Portable telephone sets, e.g. cordless phones, mobile phones or bar type handsets constructional features of telephone transmitters or receivers, e.g. of speakers or microphones H04M1/03
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/185 Improving the rigidity of the casing or resistance to shocks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/21 Combinations with auxiliary equipment, e.g. with clocks or memoranda pads

Abstract

An apparatus comprises a case and additional protective materials within the case for handheld devices. The additional protective materials are metals, plastics, and/or composites. The additional protective materials may be molded into a single case to form a second layer of protection on one side of the device'"'"'s case. Part of the protective housing is an internal rigid tool that, when exposed, is able to be used for opening a bottle.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a rigid shell to contain a handheld device;

a rigid tool slidably mounted within the rigid shell;

means for sliding the rigid tool out of the rigid shell.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the rigid tool has a first end portion configured as a bottle opener when the rigid tool has been slid out of the rigid shell.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the means for sliding comprises a tab formed in the rigid tool and that protrudes through an opening in the rigid shell and is operable to move the rigid tool between a first position and a second position.

4. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the rigid tool is secured within a recess of the rigid shell by a spring and ball bearing.

5. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the rigid tool is secured in the first position and the second position by a locking mechanism disposed within the rigid shell.

6. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the rigid tool is secured by a spring that is in a recess of the rigid shell, and is contiguous with a second end portion of the rigid tool and an inner surface of the recess, and is compressed between the rigid tool and the inner surface when the rigid tool is in the second position, the apparatus further comprising a button operable to allow the spring to decompress to cause the rigid tool to move to the first position.

7. The apparatus of claim 2, further comprising electronic components disposed within the rigid shell and configured to play recorded sound responsive (a) to moving the rigid layer between a first position and a second position or (b) to opening a bottle with the first end portion.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the rigid shell and the rigid tool are a single unit.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the rigid shell is made of at least one of plastic, metal, carbon fiber, composite material, or a combination thereof.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the rigid tool is an integral molded-in component of the rigid shell.

11. An apparatus comprising:

a rigid shell adapted to contain a handheld computing device;

a rigid tool that is attached to the rigid shell and that has a first end portion adapted to function as a bottle opener.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein:

the rigid tool is moveable between a first position and a second position;

the first end portion is operable as a bottle opener when the rigid tool is in the first position; and

the first end portion is encased by the rigid shell when the rigid layer is in the second position.

13. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein:

the handheld computing device is a mobile phone;

the rigid tool comprises metal;

the rigid shell is adapted to allow the metal of the rigid tool to be connected to an antenna of the mobile phone.

14. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising a knob, wherein the rigid tool comprises a region that is adapted to fit around a portion of the knob such that movement of the knob causes the rigid tool to move in unison with the knob.

15. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein:

the rigid shell comprises a top cover, a bottom cover, and an inner cover that is adapted to be disposed between the handheld device and the rigid tool;

the rigid tool is adapted to be disposed between the inner cover and the top cover;

the top cover is adapted to connect with the bottom cover;

the top cover includes groves on opposing sides of the top cover;

the groves are adapted to allow two opposing edges of the inner cover to slide into the top cover along the groves.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, further comprising a knob, wherein:

the inside of the top cover includes tracks;

a portion of the knob is adapted to fit within the tracks and slide along the tracks.

17. The apparatus of claim 15, further comprising a knob that is adapted to be connected to the rigid tool, wherein:

a portion of the knob includes a notch;

the inside cover includes a detent that is adapted to fit within the notch;

when the detent is fit within the notch, the knob is more difficult to slide relative to when the detent is not within the notch.

18. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein:

the inner cover includes one or more springs that are adapted to force the rigid tool away from the handheld device and toward the top cover.

19. A case for a handheld device, the case comprising:

a rigid shell that comprises a top cover and a bottom cover;

a rigid tool that includes a bottle opening end that is operable as a bottle opener;

a knob that is connected to the rigid tool such that the rigid tool moves when the knob is moved; and

an inner cover that is adapted to (a) be disposed between the handheld device and the rigid tool and (b) provide, to the handheld device, protection from the rigid tool when the bottle opening end is used to remove a cap from a bottle.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein:

the bottle opening end is operable as a bottle opener when the rigid tool is in a first position;

the bottle opening end is encased by the top cover and the bottom cover when the rigid tool is in a second position that is different than the first position.

21. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein:

the inner cover includes tracks;

a portion of the knob includes a ridge that is adapted to fit between the tracks.

22. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein:

a portion of the knob includes a notch;

the inside cover includes a detent that is adapted to fit within the notch;

when the detent is within the notch, the knob is more difficult to slide relative to when the detent is not within the notch.

23. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein:

the detent is a first detent that is located at a first position on the inside cover such that when the first detent is within the notch, the rigid tool is in a first position where the bottle opening end is operable as a bottle opener;

the inside cover includes a second detent that is different than the first detent and that is adapted to fit with the notch;

the second detent is located at a second position on the inside cover such that when the second detent is within the notch, the rigid tool is in a second position where the bottle opening end is not operable as a bottle opener.

24. An apparatus comprising:

a case for a mobile computing device;

one or more additional materials within the case that are molded into the case to form a second layer on one side of the case;

a sliding rigid tool in the case;

means in the case configured to cause compressive force exerted from using the tool to be directed into the case and away from the mobile computing device.

25. An apparatus comprising:

a rigid shell adapted to contain a handheld device;

a storage space to store one or more items that are different than the handheld device;

wherein the storage space is an enclosure that is separate from the rigid shell and is attachable to and detachable from the rigid shell.

26. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the enclosure is adapted to store a particular item that is one of a removable credit card swipe, a removable solar panel, or a removable battery;

27. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein:

the particular item is one of the removable solar panel or the removable battery;

when the rigid shell contains the handheld device, the enclosure is adapted to allow the particular item to be connected to the handheld device and, while connected, charge a battery of the handheld device.