Protective covering for a cell phone or a pager

• US 6,082,535 A
• Filed: 01/20/1999
• Issued: 07/04/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 01/20/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Protex Your Tech LLC
• Original Assignee: Burke H Mitchell
• Inventors: Mitchell, Burke H.
• Primary Examiner(s): FIDEI, DAVID
• Application Number:
  US09/233,895
• Time in Patent Office: 531 Days
• Field of Search: 206/320, 206/497, 206/811, 383/84, 383/112, 383/907, 150/161, 150/162, 150/165, 150/154, 53/441
• US Class Current: 206/320
• 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 2011/003 for portable computing devices, e.g. laptop, tablet, netbook, game boy, navigation system, calculator
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 31/16 of special shape
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 33/20 using pressure-sensitive adhesive
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 9/0242 Protective enclosures; Cushioning means
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 206/811 Waterproof

Abstract

A protective covering for a communications device includes a resilient water-impermeable bag which is of one piece. The bag has a single opening through which the communications device can be inserted in the bag, and a layer of adhesive runs around the opening on the inside of the bag. The adhesive layer is covered by a nonadhesive strip which can be peeled off to expose the adhesive layer. When the bag is closed following removal of the nonadhesive strip, the adhesive layer forms a water-impermeable seal for the opening of the bag.

Claims

1. A one-shot protective covering for a communications device comprising:

a one-piece stretchably deformable bag with a single opening, said bag having an undeformed condition and an expanded condition, and said bag being designed to fully enclose the communications device when said bag is in said expanded condition, said bag being further designed so that the communications device is insertable in said bag only upon expansion of said bag from said undeformed condition; and

a layer of adhesive on said bag arranged to permit substantially complete and permanent sealing of said opening in said expanded condition, said adhesive and said bag being substantially water-impermeable.

2. The covering of claim 1, further comprising a substantially nonadhesive layer on said adhesive layer.

3. The covering of claim 1, wherein said bag has a semitransparent or transparent portion.

4. The covering of claim 1, wherein said bag has a sound-transmitting portion.

5. The covering of claim 1, wherein said bag consists essentially of latex or vinyl.

6. A communications article comprising:

a protective covering free of openings, said covering including a water-impermeable stretchably deformable bag, and water-impermeable bonding material permanently sealing said bag against water; and

a communications device inside said bag, said bag elastically gripping said device.

7. The article of claim 6, wherein said bonding material comprises an adhesive.

8. The article of claim 6, wherein said bag has a semitransparent or transparent portion.

9. The article of claim 6, wherein said bag has a sound-transmitting portion.

10. The article of claim 6, wherein said bag consists essentially of latex or vinyl.

11. A method of protecting a communications device comprising the steps of:

elastically expanding a substantially water-impermeable bag;

inserting said communications device in said bag while performing the expanding step;

elastically gripping said communications device with said bag when said communications device is in said bag; and

permanently sealing said bag with water-impermeable bonding material while performing the gripping step.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein said bonding material comprises an adhesive.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein said bag has a semitransparent or transparent portion.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein said bag has a sound-transmitting portion.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein said bag consists essentially of latex or vinyl.