Water-resistant case for electronic devices

• US 7,060,921 B2
• Filed: 08/10/2005
• Issued: 06/13/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/25/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Kubo, Takashi
• Primary Examiner(s): LEE, KYUNG S
• Application Number:
  US11/200,149
• Publication Number:
  US 20060042920A1
• Time in Patent Office: 307 Days
• Field of Search: 2003021-3023, 200/293, 206/316.2, 206/320, 206/811, 396/6, 396 25- 29
• US Class Current: 200/302.1
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/08 Waterproof bodies or housings

Abstract

The index finger of the right hand of the user is applied to a front surface of a fixed knob, the thumb of the right hand is applied to a rear surface of a movable knob, and the movable knob is slid by the thumb forwardly toward the fixed knob. When the movable knob is slid, a locking member moves forwardly in unison with the movable knob away from engaging surfaces of walls, whereupon opposite ends of the locking member disengage from the engaging surfaces of the walls. A buckle is now swingable out of a cavity about a pivot shaft. Then, the user grips the fixed knob and the movable knob and lifts the free end of the buckle to erect the buckle, and thereafter opens a front case member and a rear case member away from each other.

Claims

1. A water-resistant case for accommodating an electronic device, comprising:

a first case member having a mating portion;

a second case member having a mating portion;

said first case member and said second case member jointly providing a space for accommodating the electronic device therein when the mating portion of said first case member and the mating portion of said second case member mate with each other;

said first case member and said second case member having respective ends swingably coupled to each other, wherein said mating portion of said first case member and the mating portion of said second case member mate with each other when said first case member and said second case member swing relatively to each other about said ends;

said first case member having a side wall disposed on a free end of said first case member which is opposite to said end of said first case member, said side wall being disposed outwardly of the mating portion of said first case member, said side wall extending away from the mating portion of said first case member in the direction in which a free end of said second case member which is opposite to said end of said second case member mates with said free end of said first case member;

a buckle swingably mounted on said free end of said second case member outwardly of the mating portion of said second case member;

a first engaging and disengaging member disposed on said side wall for disengageably engaging said buckle;

a second engaging and disengaging member mounted on said buckle for disengageably engaging said first engaging and disengaging member to keep said first case member and said second case member in mating relation to each other when the mating portion of said first case member and the mating portion of said second case member mate with each other and said buckle engages said side wall;

a fixed knob mounted on said buckle at a position spaced from a mounted portion of said buckle which is swingably mounted on said free end of said second case member, in a direction away from said mating portions when the mating portion of said first case member and the mating portion of said second case member mate with each other and said buckle engages said side wall; and

a movable knob mounted on said buckle closely to a side of said fixed knob which faces said mounted portion, said movable knob being movable toward and away from said fixed knob and normally biased to move toward said mounted portion, wherein when said movable knob is moved toward said fixed knob, said movable knob releases said first engaging and disengaging member and said second engaging and disengaging member out of engagement with each other.

2. The water-resistant case according to claim 1, wherein said buckle has an inner surface which faces said side wall when said buckle engages said side wall and an outer surface positioned opposite to said inner surface, said fixed knob and said movable knob being disposed on said outer surface, said second engaging and disengaging member being disposed on said inner surface for movement in unison with said movable knob into and out of engagement with said first engaging and disengaging member.

3. The water-resistant case according to claim 1, wherein said buckle has an inner surface which faces said side wall when said buckle engages said side wall and an outer surface positioned opposite to said inner surface, said fixed knob and said movable knob being disposed on said outer surface, said second engaging and disengaging member being disposed on said inner surface, said side wall having a cavity for accommodating said buckle therein, said first engaging and disengaging member being disposed on a bottom surface of said cavity, wherein when said buckle is accommodated in said cavity, the outer surface of said buckle lies flush with an outer surface of said side wall.

4. The water-resistant case according to claim 1, wherein said fixed knob is disposed closely to an end of said buckle which is remote from said mounted portion.

5. The water-resistant case according to claim 1, wherein said fixed knob has a surface facing said mounted portion and having a housing recess which is open toward said mounted portion for housing said movable knob therein, and said movable knob has a surface facing said mounted portion, wherein when said first engaging and disengaging member and said second engaging and disengaging member are released out of engagement with each other, said movable knob is housed in said housing recess, said surface of said movable knob is positioned in said housing recess and spaced from said surface of said fixed knob in a direction away from said mounted portion.

6. The water-resistant case according to claim 1, wherein said first engaging and disengaging member is arranged to allow said buckle to swing away from said side wall and prevent said buckle from moving toward said mounted portion when said first engaging and disengaging member is released out of engagement with said second engaging and disengaging member in response to movement of said movable knob toward said fixed knob, and also to allow said buckle to move toward said mounted portion when said buckle is swung away from said side wall while said first engaging and disengaging member is being released out of engagement with said second engaging and disengaging member.

7. The water-resistant case according to claim 1, wherein said buckle has an inner surface which faces said side wall when said buckle engages said side wall and an outer surface positioned opposite to said inner surface, said fixed knob and said movable knob being disposed on said outer surface, said second engaging and disengaging member being disposed on said inner surface, said side wall having a cavity for accommodating said buckle therein, said first engaging and disengaging member being disposed on a bottom surface of said cavity, wherein said inner surface of said buckle and said bottom surface of said cavity have engaging walls disposed respectively thereon, said engaging walls engage each other to prevent said buckle from moving toward said mounted portion when said buckle engages said side wall and is accommodated in said cavity, and said engaging walls disengage from each other when said buckle is swung away from said bottom surface of said cavity.

8. The water-resistant case according to claim 1, wherein the mating portion of one of said first case member and said second case member has a ridge projecting therefrom and extending fully along said mating portion, the mating portion of the other of said first case member and said second case member has a groove defined therein and extending fully along said mating portion for receiving said ridge inserted therein, with a seal member inserted in and extending fully along said groove, wherein when the mating portion of said first case member and the mating portion of said second case member mate with each other, said seal member is compressed by said ridge to joint said mating portions to each other in a water-tight manner, said groove being defined by a wall having two recesses defined therein at a spaced interval along said groove, leaving a wall portion between said recesses, said groove being open into said other case member through said recesses, wherein said seal member comprises a main body inserted in and extending fully along said groove and a knob having two arms spaced from each other along said main body and projecting from said main body respectively through said recesses into said other case member and a joint arm interconnecting respective distal ends of said arms.