ENCASEMENTS FOR AN ELECTRONIC DEVICE HAVING A BIOMETRIC SCANNER

• US 20140217862A1
• Filed: 01/31/2014
• Published: 08/07/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/01/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Treefrog Developments Incorporated (Otter Products LLC)
• Original Assignee: Treefrog Developments Incorporated (Otter Products LLC)
• Inventors: Rayner, Gary A.
• Granted Patent: US 8,915,361 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 312/223.1
• CPC Class Codes: A45F 2003/142 Carrying-straps
• CPC Class Codes: A45F 2003/146 Pack-carrying harnesses
• CPC Class Codes: A45F 2005/006 comprising a suspension strap or lanyard
• CPC Class Codes: A45F 2005/008 Hand articles fastened to the wrist or to the arm or to the leg
• CPC Class Codes: A45F 2200/0516 Portable handheld communication devices, e.g. mobile phone, pager, beeper, PDA, smart phone
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1601 Constructional details related to the housing of computer displays, e.g. of CRT monitors, of flat displays constructional details related to flat displays integrated in a portable computer, e.g. laptop, handheld computer G06F1/1637; constructional details related to television receivers H04N5/64
• 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: H05K 5/0221 Locks; Latches
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 206/811 Waterproof

Abstract

This disclosure relates generally to an apparatus for retaining an electronic device as well as for methods for using the device for the purpose of doing the same. In various instances, the electronic device includes a housing including top and bottom members, and having a membrane region configured to facilitate interaction with a biometric scanner on the electronic device. In certain instances, the housing for the electronic device is adapted for protecting the device from one or more of shock, liquid, dust, snow, and the like. The electronic device may be any suitable electronic device, such as a computer, mobile computer, notebook computer, tablet computer, telephone, personal digital assistant, or the like.

Claims

1. A water resistant housing for an electronic device having an interactive touchscreen and a biometric scanner, the water resistant housing comprising:

a top member having a front surface surrounded by a top member perimeter portion, the top member perimeter portion defined by a proximal end portion, a distal end portion, and opposing side portions, wherein the proximal end portion, the distal end portion, and the opposing side portions define an interior portion of the top member to receive the electronic device, the top member perimeter portion having a first clasping mechanism;

a bottom member for removably coupling with the top member to form the water resistant housing, the bottom member having a bottom member perimeter portion corresponding to a shape of the top member perimeter portion, the bottom member perimeter portion having a second clasping mechanism for interfacing with the first clasping mechanism of the top member to couple the bottom member to the top member to enclose the electronic device within the water resistant housing; and

a membrane in the front surface of the top member, the membrane configured to permit interaction with the electronic device from outside the water resistant housing when the electronic device is enclosed within the water resistant housing, the membrane having a first region for interacting with the interactive touchscreen of the electronic device from outside the water resistant housing, and having a second region for interacting with the biometric scanner of the electronic device from outside the water resistant housing, the second region of the membrane having a thickness that is less than a thickness of the first region of the membrane.

2. The water resistant housing of claim 1 wherein the biometric scanner includes a fingerprint scanner, and the thickness of the second region permits a fingerprint of a user to be scanned by the fingerprint scanner through the second region of the membrane.

3. The water resistant housing of claim 2 wherein the thickness of the first region of the membrane is greater than a maximum membrane thickness through which the fingerprint scanner is capable of scanning the fingerprint.

4. The water resistant housing of claim 1 wherein the membrane includes at least one optically transparent region and wherein first membrane region is at least partially within the at least one optically transparent region.

5. The water resistant housing of claim 1 wherein the second region of the membrane includes a coating to facilitate operation of the biometric scanner.

6. The water resistant housing of claim 1 wherein the first and second clasping mechanisms of the respective top and the bottom members extend along the respective top member perimeter portion and bottom member perimeter portion.

7. The water resistant housing of claim 1 wherein one of the top member perimeter portion and the bottom member perimeter portion comprises a channel and a gasket for engaging the other of the top member perimeter portion and the bottom member perimeter portion to couple the top member to the bottom member.

8. The water resistant housing of claim 7 wherein the channel includes a groove in a side of the channel, and wherein the other of the perimeter portion of the top member and the perimeter portion of the bottom member includes a lip for engaging the groove when the top member and bottom member are coupled.

9. A liquid resistant housing for an electronic device having a biometric scanning device and an interactive touchscreen, the liquid resistant housing comprising:

a top member having a front surface surrounded by a perimeter portion, the perimeter portion defined by a proximal end portion, a distal end portion, and opposing side portions, wherein the proximal end portion, the distal end portion, and the opposing side portions define an interior portion of the top member configured to receive the electronic device, the perimeter portion having a first clasping mechanism; and

a bottom member for removably coupling to the top member to form the liquid resistant housing, the bottom member having a bottom member perimeter portion corresponding to a shape of the perimeter portion of the top member, the bottom member perimeter portion having a second clasping mechanism for interfacing with first clasping mechanism of the top member to couple the bottom member to the top member to enclose the electronic device within the liquid resistant housing;

a first membrane region in the top member or bottom member of the liquid resistant housing configured to facilitate interaction with the interactive touchscreen of the electronic device through the membrane when the electronic device is inside the liquid resistant housing; and

a second membrane region configured to facilitate interaction by a user with the biometric scanning device of the electronic device through the membrane when the electronic device is inside the liquid resistant housing, the second membrane region having a thickness less than a thickness of the first membrane region.

10. The liquid resistant housing of claim 9 wherein the biometric scanning device includes a fingerprint scanner and the thickness of the second region facilitates scanning of a fingerprint of a user by the fingerprint scanner through the second region of the membrane.

11. The liquid resistant housing of claim 9 wherein the membrane includes at least one optically transparent region and wherein the first membrane region is within the one optically transparent region.

12. The liquid resistant housing of claim 9 wherein the clasping mechanisms of the top and the bottom members extend along respective perimeter portions of the top and the bottom members.

13. The liquid resistant housing of claim 9 wherein the bottom member comprises a channel and a gasket for engaging the top member to couple the top member to the bottom member.

14. The liquid resistant housing of claim 13 wherein the clasping mechanism of the bottom member includes a groove in a side of the channel, and wherein the clasping mechanism of the top member includes a lip for engaging the groove when the top member and bottom member are coupled together.

15. A waterproof protective case for an electronic device having a fingerprint scanner and an interactive touchscreen, the waterproof protective case comprising:

a first member including a surface and a first perimeter portion surrounding the surface, the first perimeter portion being defined by a proximal end portion, a distal end portion, and opposing side portions, the proximal end portion, the distal end portion, and the opposing side portions defining an interior portion of the first member to receive the electronic device, the first perimeter portion having a first clasping mechanism;

a second member for removably coupling to the first member to form the waterproof protective case, the second member including a second surface and a second perimeter portion, the second perimeter portion having a shape corresponding to a shape of the first perimeter portion of the first member, the second perimeter portion of the second member having a second clasping mechanism for interfacing with the first clasping mechanism of the first member to couple the second member to the first member to enclose the electronic device inside the protective case; and

a membrane in the first or second surface of the first member or the second member, respectively, to facilitate user interaction with the electronic device inside the waterproof protective case, the membrane having a first region and a second region, the first region allowing the user interaction with the interactive touchscreen of the electronic device through the membrane, the second region allowing the user interaction with the fingerprint scanner of the electronic device through the membrane, the second region of the membrane being thinner than the first region of the membrane.

16. The waterproof protective case of claim 15 wherein the clasping mechanisms of the first and the second members extend along respective perimeter portions of the first and the second members.

17. The waterproof protective case of claim 15 wherein the perimeter of one of the first member and the second member includes a channel and a gasket for engaging the other of the first member and the second member to couple the first member and the second member to form the waterproof protective case.

18. The waterproof protective case of claim 17 wherein the channel includes a groove and wherein the clasping mechanism of the other of the first member and the second member includes a lip for engaging the groove when the first member and the second member are coupled to form the protective case.

19. The waterproof protective case of claim 15 wherein the second region of the membrane includes a coating to facilitate operation of the fingerprint scanner.