Ring-Shaped Cover for Portable Electronic Device

• US 20110297578A1
• Filed: 06/04/2010
• Published: 12/08/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/04/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Stiehl, Kurt, Frazier, Cameron, Howarth, Richard, Bataillou, Jeremy
• Granted Patent: US 8,655,422 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 206/701
• 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 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: A45F 5/00 Holders or carriers for hand articles; Holders or carriers for use while travelling or camping
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 45/1676 using a soft material and a rigid material, e.g. making articles with a sealing part
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2055/02 ABS polymers, i.e. acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene polymers
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2069/00 Use of PC, i.e. polycarbonates or derivatives thereof, as moulding material
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/3431 Telephones, Earphones
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/3437 Cellular phones

Abstract

An outer cover for an electronic device, such as a portable electronic device, is disclosed. Since portable electronic devices are often portable, they can be damaged, such as scratched, dented, broken, and the like, when transported or used. The outer cover can serve to provide a protective member over part of the housing for the electronic device. The protective member, when placed on the portable electronic device can serve to reduce damage to sides of the portable electronic device. While the outer cover can provide side and/or edge protection, the outer cover need not also provide front or rear protection.

Claims

1. A protective cover for a portable electronic device, comprising:

a middle ring having at least one opening for access to an input component of the portable electronic device;

a top ring integral with or attached to a top portion of the middle ring; and

a bottom ring integral with or attached to a bottom portion of the middle ring.

2. A protective cover as recited in claim 1, wherein the protective cover comprises at least one opening with a depressible actuator for use in activating a user input device of the portable electronic device while the portable electronic device is placed within the protective cover.

3. A protective cover as recited in claim 1, wherein the middle ring is formed from a plastic, and wherein the top ring and the bottom ring are formed from a thermoplastic.

4. A protective cover as recited in claim 3, wherein the thermoplastic comprises silicone.

5. A protective cover as recited in claim 1,

wherein the portable electronic device is able to be attached to the protective cover by inserting the portable electronic device into the protective cover from either a top side or a bottom side of the protective cover, and

wherein the protective cover is configured to match the configuration of the portable electronic device so that the protective cover is removably securable thereto.

6. A protective cover as recited in claim 5, wherein the middle ring includes an alignment feature to assist in forming the protective cover.

7. A ring-shape cover having an opening configured to receive a portable electronic device, the ring-shaped cover comprising:

a center band primarily formed of a first material;

a top band formed of a second material and integral with a top portion of the center band; and

a bottom band formed of the second material and integral with a bottom portion of the center band.

8. A ring-shaped cover as recited in claim 7, wherein each of the center band, the top band and the bottom band surround the opening.

9. A ring-shaped cover as recited in claim 7, wherein the ring-shaped cover is able to be attached to the portable electronic device by inserting the portable electronic device into the opening.

10. A ring-shaped cover as recited in claim 9, wherein the portable electronic device is able to be inserted into the ring-shaped cover by way of either the bottom band or the top band.

11. A ring-shaped cover as recited in claim 7, wherein the first material is less compliant that the second material.

12. A ring-shaped cover as recited in claim 7, wherein the second material is less compliant that the first material.

13. A ring-shaped cover as recited in claim 7, wherein the center band include an alignment feature to assist in forming the ring-shape cover.

14. A ring-shaped cover as recited in claim 7, wherein the center band include a compliant section that facilitates expansion.

15. A ring-shaped cover as recited in claim 7, wherein the compliant section is formed of the second material.

16. A method for forming a cover for a portable electronic device, said method comprising:

forming an inner band structure using a first moldable material;

forming at least one outer band structure using a second moldable material

bonding the at least one outer band structure to the inner band structure.

17. A method as recited in claim 16,

wherein the portable electronic device has a front surface, a rear surface and side surfaces,

wherein the cover is ringed-shaped and wherein the inner band structure and the outer band structure extend around the circumference of the side surfaces of the portable electronic device when the cover is placed around or on the portable electronic device.

18. A method as recited in claim 16,

wherein the forming of the inner band structure comprises molding an inner band structure using a first moldable material, and

wherein the forming of the at least one outer band structure comprises molding at least one outer band structure using a second moldable material, the at least one outer band structure being molded onto and bonded with the inner band structure.

19. A method as recited in claim 18, wherein the second moldable material is more compliant than the first moldable material.

20. A method as recited in claim 16, wherein the forming of the at least one outer band structure comprises:

molding a top band structure using the second moldable material, the top band structure being molded onto and bonded with a top portion of the middle band structure; and

molding a bottom band structure using the second moldable material, the bottom band structure being molded onto and bonded with a bottom portion of the middle band structure.

21. A method as recited in claim 16,

wherein the portable electronic device has a front surface, a rear surface and side surfaces, and

wherein the cover extends around the circumference of the side surfaces of the portable electronic device when the cover is placed around or on the portable electronic device.

22. A method as recited in claim 16, wherein the portable electronic device is a handheld electronic device, wherein the portable electronic device includes a housing having a front surface and a rear surface, and wherein at least the front surface of the portable electronic device is translucent so as to facilitate user interaction.

23. A method as recited in claim 16, wherein the portable electronic device has a front surface, a rear surface and side surfaces, and

wherein the front surface is primarily made of glass.

24. A method as recited in claim 16, wherein the rear surface is primarily made of glass.

25. A method for forming a cover for a portable electronic device, said method comprising:

configuring an injection molding apparatus for a first molding operation;

performing the first molding operation using a first moldable material to form a middle band structure;

subsequently configuring the injection molding apparatus for a second molding operation;

performing the second molding operation using a second moldable material to form a top band structure and/or a bottom band structure onto the middle band structure that has already formed.

26. A method as recited in claim 25,

wherein the portable electronic device has a front surface, a rear surface and side surfaces, and

wherein the cover extends around the circumference of the side surfaces of the portable electronic device when the cover is placed around or on the portable electronic device.

27. A method as recited in claim 25,

wherein the performing of the first molding operation forms the middle band structure with at least one alignment feature, and

wherein the configuring of the injection molding apparatus for the second molding operation relies on the at least one alignment feature to align the middle band structure within the injection molding apparatus so that the top band structure and/or the bottom band structure is able to be formed onto and aligned with the middle band structure.

28. An edge cover for an electronic device, comprising:

a removable peripheral member that surrounds the peripheral sides of an electronic device in order to protect peripheral sides of the electronic device, the removable peripheral member including a middle band and an upper and lower band disposed above and below the middle band,

wherein the middle band primarily has a first material characteristic, and the upper and lower bands having a second material characteristic that is different from the first material characteristic.

29. An edge cover as recited in claim 28, wherein the lower and middle bands are formed as a single part or integrally formed.

30. An edge cover as recited in claim 28, wherein the first material characteristic is substantially rigid, and wherein the second material characteristic is compliant.

31. An edge cover as recited in claim 28, wherein the upper band surrounds an upper edge of the electronic device, and wherein the lower band surrounds a lower edge of the electronic device.

33. An edge cover as recited in claim 28, wherein the removable member include a compliant section that facilitates expansion of the opening in the peripheral member for insertion of the electronic device therein.

32. An edge cover for an electronic device, comprising:

a removable peripheral member that surrounds peripheral sides of an electronic device in order to protect the peripheral sides of the electronic device,

the peripheral member having an opening extending through the peripheral member and configured to receive the electronic device,

wherein the peripheral member forms a band configured to fit around the peripheral sides of the electronic device.

34. An expandable edge cover for an electronic device, comprising:

a first portion in the form of a middle band having a cut out section thereby making it non-continuous; and

a second portion integrally formed with the first portion, the second portion filling the cut out section and forming a continuous upper and lower band, the second portion being formed from a compliant material thereby allowing the edge cover to flex when the electronic device is inserted therein.

35. An expandable edge cover as recited in claim 34, wherein the expandable edge cover serves to cover top, bottom and left and right sides of the electronic device.

36. An expandable edge cover as recited in claim 34, wherein the thickness of the middle band is greater than the thickness of the upper band or the lower band.

37. An expandable edge cover as recited in claim 34, wherein the cut out section includes an opening.

38. An expandable edge cover as recited in claim 34, wherein the electronic device includes middle portion and an upper and lower portion, and wherein the middle band substantially corresponds to the middle portion, and the upper and lower bands substantially correspond to the upper and lower portions, the upper and lower portions of the electronic device being proud relative to the middle portion of the electronic device, wherein the upper and lower portions are formed from material such as ceramics or glass.

39. An expandable edge cover as recited in claim 34, wherein the upper and lower bands include a flange section configured to cover and front and rear face edges of the electronic device.

40. An expandable edge cover as recited in claim 34, wherein the second portion is over molded relative to the first portion

41. An expandable edge cover as recited in claim 34, wherein the first portion is done with a first shot and the second portion is done with a second shot in a double injection molding operation.

42. A kit, comprising:

a portable electronic device; and

a protective cover for the portable electronic device, the protective cover including at least;

a middle ring having at least one opening for access to an input component of the portable electronic device;

a top ring integral with or attached to a top portion of the middle ring; and

a bottom ring integral with or attached to a bottom portion of the middle ring.