Protective Case for Portable Electronic Device

• US 20140190974A1
• Filed: 01/03/2014
• Published: 07/10/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/04/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mattel Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Mattel Incorporated
• Inventors: STUCKE, Donald W. Jr., DAMON, Daniel J., RUMFOLA, Ross III, ECKLER, Travis William, FAVORITO, Anthony, WIATROWSKI-PARDI, Rachel A.
• Granted Patent: US 9,141,138 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 220/324
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2009/0012 the other object being a container or part thereof
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2009/241 Touch screen
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2009/2458 LCD's
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2009/2486 the computer being an accessory to a board game
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 9/24 Electric games; Games using electronic circuits not otherwise provided for video games A63F13/00; computerized gaming systems G07F17/32
• 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 2200/1633 Protecting arrangement for the entire housing of the computer

Abstract

A protective case for an electronic device includes a cover with a cavity and a back plate that fits within the cavity of the cover. The cover has an aperture that displays either the back plate or an electronic device, if an electronic device is housed in the protective case. The cover may contain at least one locking latch with three orientations, the locking latch includes a tab. In the first orientation, the tab protrudes into the cavity, engages the back plate, holding the back plate within the cavity of the cover. The locking latch may slide across a portion of the cover to the second orientation, where the tab continues to protrude into the cavity and engage the back plate. Once in the second position, the locking latch is free to rotate to the third position, where the tab no longer protrudes into the cavity, allowing the back plate to be removed from the cavity.

Claims

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

a cover comprising

a top surface,

a bottom surface, and

a cavity disposed in the bottom surface;

a back plate having a depression configured to receive an electronic device, the back plate being configured to fit within the cavity of the cover; and

at least one latch member rotatably and slidably disposed in the bottom surface of the cover proximate the cavity, the at least one latch member including a tab, wherein the latch member has a first position and a second position, the second position causing the tab of the latch member to protrude into the cavity, locking the back plate into the cavity of the cover.

2. The protective case of claim 1, wherein the cover further comprises an aperture disposed on the top surface of the cover, the portable electronic device being viewable through the aperture when the electronic device is positioned within the cavity.

3. The protective case of claim 2, further comprising a protective sheet that extends across the aperture on the top surface of the cover.

4. The protective case of claim 3, further comprising an ornamental design disposed on the top surface and around the aperture of the cover, the ornamental design including at least one moveable member configured to interact with the portable electronic device.

5. The protective case of claim 1, wherein the back plate further comprises at least one receptacle that is engagable by the tab of the at least one latch member when the at least one latch member is in the second position.

6. The protective case of claim 1, wherein the depression of the back plate includes a plurality of resilient members.

7. A protective case for a portable electronic device, comprising:

a cover comprising

a top surface,

a bottom surface, and

a cavity disposed in the bottom surface;

a back plate having a first side and a second side, the second side including a depression configured to receive a portable electronic device, the back plate being configured to fit within the cavity of the cover in a first position, where the second side is placed within the cavity and encloses the portable electronic device between the cover and the back plate, and a second position, where the first side is placed within the cavity; and

at least one latch member rotatably and slidably disposed on the cover, the at least one latch member including a tab, wherein the latch member has a first position and a second position, the second position causing the tab of the latch member to protrude into the cavity, locking the back plate into the cavity of the cover.

8. The protective case of claim 7, wherein the cover further comprises an aperture disposed on the top surface of the cover.

9. The protective case of claim 8, further comprising a protective sheet that extends across the aperture on the top surface of the cover.

10. The protective case of claim 8, wherein when the back plate is placed in the cavity in the first position, the portable electronic device is viewable through the aperture when the portable electronic device is positioned within the depression of the back plate.

11. The protective case of claim 8, wherein when the back plate is placed in the cavity in the second position, the first side of the back plate is viewable through the aperture.

12. The protective case of claim 11, wherein the first side of the back plate includes ornamental designs.

13. The protective case of claim 7, further comprising an ornamental design disposed on the top surface and around the aperture of the cover, the ornamental design including at least one moveable member configured to interact with the portable electronic device or the first side of the back plate.

14. The protective case of claim 7, wherein the at least one latch member is disposed in the bottom surface of the cover proximate the cavity.

15. The protective case of claim 14, wherein the back plate further comprises at least one receptacle disposed between the first side and the second side, the at least one receptacle is engagable by the tab of the at least one latch member when the at least one latch member is in the second position.

16. A protective case for a portable electronic device, comprising:

a cover comprising

a top surface,

a bottom surface, and

a cavity disposed in the bottom surface;

a back plate having a depression configured to receive the portable electronic device and at least one receptacle, the back plate being configured to fit within the cavity of the cover; and

at least one latch member rotatably and slidably disposed on the cover, the at least one latch member including a tab, wherein the latch member has an unlocked position and a locked position, the locked position enabling the tab of the latch member to protrude into the cavity engaging the at least one receptacle of the back plate and locking the back plate into the cavity of the cover.

17. The protective case of claim 16, wherein the at least one latch member includes an intermediate position, the at least one latch member being placed in the intermediate position when being repositioned from the unlocked position to the locked position and when being repositioned from the locked position to the unlocked position.

18. The protective case of claim 17, wherein the at least one latch member is configured to rotate from the unlocked position to the intermediate position, the tab being rotated to protrude into the cavity when the at least one latch member is rotated.

19. The protective case of claim 18, wherein the at least one latch member is configured to slide from the intermediate position to the locked position, where the at least one latch member is prevented from rotation when the at least one latch member is in the locked position.

20. The protective case of claim 16, wherein the cover further comprises an aperture disposed on the top surface of the cover, the portable electronic device being viewable through the aperture when the portable electronic device is positioned within the cavity.