PROTECTIVE CASE WITH SWITCH COVER

• US 20140239916A1
• Filed: 02/21/2014
• Published: 08/28/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/25/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mophie Incorporated (Evercel, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Mophie Incorporated (Evercel, Inc.)
• Inventors: To, Nguyen, Nguyen, Hien, Hasbrook, William Benjamin, Stuck, Sean Michael
• Granted Patent: US 9,755,444 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 320/137
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 2011/002 for portable handheld communication devices, e.g. mobile phone, pager, beeper, PDA, smart phone
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2221/014 Slide selector
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2221/082 Superimposed actuators
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2231/022 Telephone handset
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 9/0214 Hand-held casings
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0042 characterised by the mechanical construction
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/342 The other DC source being a battery actively interacting with the first one, i.e. battery to battery charging with circuits for polarity protection H02J7/0034
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3888 Arrangements for carrying or protecting transceivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/185 Improving the rigidity of the casing or resistance to shocks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/236 including keys on side or rear faces
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0296 switching to a backup power supply

Abstract

A protective case can house a portable electronic device. The portable electronic device can have a switch (e.g., for switching an operational mode of the portable electronic device). The protective case can have a switch cover that engages the switch of the portable electronic device when the portable electronic device is in the protective case. The switch cover can be moved between positions corresponding to positions of the switch of the portable electronic device. As the switch cover is moved, the switch cover correspondingly moves the switch.

Claims

1. A cover for a switch, the cover comprising:

a switch base having a first surface facing toward the switch and a second surface facing away from the switch;

an internal switch capture guide, on the first surface, with a first guide rail that corresponds to a first side of the switch and a second guide rail corresponding to a second side of the switch when the switch is disposed in the cover; and

an external feature on the second surface approximately corresponding to the position of the switch.

2. The cover of claim 1, wherein an imaginary line from the first guide rail to the second guide rail aligns with a direction that the switch is configured to move.

3. The cover of claim 2, wherein the internal switch capture guide has at least one open side.

4. The cover of claim 3, wherein the internal switch capture guide approximates a U-shape.

5. The cover of claim 3, wherein the first and second guide rails are slightly divergent such that when the internal switch capture guide is slid over the switch, the cover will move to match a position of the switch.

6. The cover of claim 3, wherein the first and second guide rails are substantially parallel, but ends of the first and second guide rails are angled in a way that when the internal switch capture guide is slid over the switch, the cover will move to match a position of the switch.

7. The cover of claim 1, wherein the switch base is disposed in a cavity in a shell.

8. The cover of claim 7, wherein a portion of the switch base is sandwiched between an internal wall and an external wall of the shell.

9. The cover of claim 8, wherein the portion of the switch base is an entire outline of the switch base.

10. The cover of claim 7, wherein the switch base can move relative to the shell in a direction that the switch is configured to move.

11. The cover of claim 10, wherein the switch base incorporates a directional guide feature.

12. The cover of claim 11, wherein the directional guide feature is a raised portion on the switch base that corresponds to a path in the shell.

13. The cover of claim 12, wherein the path in the shell is parallel to the direction that the switch is configured to move.

14. The cover of claim 1, wherein the external feature mirrors a shape of the switch.

15. The cover of claim 1, wherein the switch base is substantially planar.

16. The cover of claim 1, wherein the internal switch capture guide adjusts to fit over the switch regardless of switch orientation.

17. A case for a mobile device incorporating the cover of claim 1, wherein the switch is attached to the mobile device.

18. The case of claim 17, wherein the internal switch capture guide adjusts to fit over the switch regardless of switch orientation when the mobile device is inserted into the case.

19. The case of claim 18, further incorporating a battery.

20. The case of claim 19, wherein the battery can charge the mobile device.