PROTECTIVE COVER FOR PORTABLE ELECTRONIC DEVICE AND ASSOCIATED SYSTEMS AND METHODS

• US 20130279096A1
• Filed: 06/18/2013
• Published: 10/24/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/08/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ZAGG Inc. (Evercel, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: ZAGG Intellectual Property Holding Co., Inc. (Evercel, Inc.)
• Inventors: Gengler, David
• Granted Patent: US 11,134,580 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 361/679.01
• 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 1/1669 Detachable keyboards
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1679 for locking or maintaining the movable parts of the enclosure in a fixed position, e.g. latching mechanism at the edge of the display in a laptop or for the screen protective cover of a PDA G06F1/1681 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1633 Protecting arrangement for the entire housing of the computer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0231 Cordless keyboards
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 13/00 Apparatus or processes specially adapted for manufacturing or adjusting assemblages of electric components
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/00 Constructional details common to different types of electric apparatus casings, cabinets, drawers H05K5/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49002 Electrical device making

Abstract

A protective cover is provided to protect a portable electronic device, including a display surface that includes a display screen. The protective cover may include a computing accessory such as a keyboard. One or more magnets in the protective cover may be configured to align with magnets located in the portable electronic device. Upon placing the protective cover over the display surface, an attraction force between magnets can secure the protective cover, including the computing accessory, over the display surface. The magnets may be located proximate edges of the protective cover a portable electronic device, and the attraction force may be the primary or only mechanism for securing the protective cover in place. Optionally, the attractive forces pass through the display surface without also passing through a side or peripheral surface of the portable electronic device.

Claims

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

a housing having a size and configuration that correspond to a size and configuration of a display surface of a portable electronic device, the housing including;

an interior surface configured to be positioned over a display surface of the portable electronic device; and

first and second attachment elements associated with the interior surface and located proximate to opposite edges of the protective cover, wherein each of the first and second attachment elements is configured to mutually engage an attachment element associated with the display surface of the portable electronic device through the display surface; and

a keyboard carried by the housing, the keyboard accessible from the interior surface, outer surfaces of keys of the keyboard substantially coplanar with the interior surface of the interior surface or recessed beneath the interior surface.

2. The protective cover of claim 1, wherein each of the first and second attachment elements includes a magnet configured to magnetically engage its corresponding attachment element of the portable electronic device.

3. The protective cover of claim 2, configured to be secured to be secured to the display surface of the portable electronic device without extending substantially over a peripheral edge of the portable electronic device.

4. The protective cover of claim 2, wherein the first attachment element includes a series of magnets.

5. The protective cover of claim 4, wherein the first attachment element includes magnets of different polarities.

6. The protective cover of claim 5, wherein the magnets of different polarities are arranged in alternating polarities.

7. The protective cover of claim 1, further comprising:

a support element for supporting the portable electronic device in an at least partially upright working position.

8. The protective cover of claim 7, wherein the support element includes a slot configured to receive a peripheral edge of the portable electronic device.

9. The protective cover of claim 7, wherein the support element includes a support attachment element configured to engage an attachment element of the portable electronic device when the portable electronic device is in the at least partially upright working position.

10. The protective cover of claim 9, wherein the support attachment element is configured to mutually engage the attachment element associated with the display surface of the portable electronic device.

11. The protective cover of claim 10, wherein the support attachment element includes one or more magnets.

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

a housing having a size and configuration that correspond to a size and configuration of a display surface of a portable electronic device, the housing including;

an interior surface configured to be positioned over a display surface of the portable electronic device; and

first and second attachment elements associated with the interior surface and located proximate to opposite edges of the protective cover, wherein each of the first and second attachment elements is configured to mutually engage an attachment element associated with the display surface of the portable electronic device through the display surface;

a support element comprising a slot formed in the interior surface, configured to receive a peripheral edge of the portable electronic device and configured to support the portable electronic device in an at least partially upright orientation; and

a keyboard carried by the housing, the keyboard accessible from the interior surface, outer surfaces of keys of the keyboard substantially coplanar with the interior surface of the interior surface or recessed beneath the interior surface.

13. The protective cover of claim 12, wherein each of the first and second attachment elements includes a magnet configured to magnetically engage its corresponding attachment element of the portable electronic device.

14. The protective cover of claim 13, configured to be secured to be secured to the display surface of the portable electronic device without extending substantially over a peripheral edge of the portable electronic device.

15. The protective cover of claim 13, wherein the first attachment element includes a series of magnets.

16. The protective cover of claim 15, wherein the first attachment element includes magnets of different polarities.

17. The protective cover of claim 16, wherein the magnets of different polarities are arranged in alternating polarities.

18. The protective cover of claim 12, wherein the support element includes a support attachment element configured to engage an attachment element of the portable electronic device when the portable electronic device is in the at least partially upright working position.

19. The protective cover of claim 18, wherein the support attachment element is configured to mutually engage the attachment element associated with the display surface of the portable electronic device.

20. The protective cover of claim 19, wherein the support attachment element includes one or more magnets.

21. A method for protecting a portable electronic device, comprising:

positioning a protective cover over a display surface of a portable electronic device, an interior surface and a keyboard of the protective cover positioned against the display surface;

aligning the protective cover with the display surface; and

magnetically securing the protective cover to the portable electronic device through the display surface.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein positioning and aligning comprise assembling the protective cover with the portable electronic device without any portion of the protective cover extending substantially over a peripheral edge of the portable electronic device.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein aligning comprises engaging a corner between a peripheral edge of the portable electronic device and the display surface with an engagement feature at a periphery of the portable electronic device.

24. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

disassembling the protective cover from the portable electronic device;

orienting the portable electronic device in an at least partially upright orientation over the interior surface of the protective cover;

inserting a peripheral edge of the portable electronic device into a support element recessed in the interior surface of the protective cover.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein inserting the peripheral edge into the support element completely supports the portable electronic device in the at least partially upright orientation.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein inserting the peripheral edge into the support element comprises magnetically securing the peripheral edge of the portable electronic device in the support element.

27. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

operating the portable electronic device, including using the keyboard.