Portable electronic device case with battery

• US 7,612,997 B1
• Filed: 05/11/2009
• Issued: 11/03/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/17/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Mophie Incorporated (Evercel, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Incase Designs Corporation (Incipio Technologies Incorporated)
• Inventors: Johnson, David, Diebel, Markus
• Primary Examiner(s): Gandhi; Jayprakash N
• Assistant Examiner(s): HAUGHTON, ANTHONY MICHAEL
• Application Number:
  US12/464,059
• Time in Patent Office: 176 Days
• Field of Search: 361/679.56, 361/679.41, 206/308.3
• US Class Current: 361/679.56
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1633 Protecting arrangement for the entire housing of the computer
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0254 comprising one or a plurality of mechanically detachable modules
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0262 for a battery compartment

Abstract

A case for an electronic device protects and extends the battery life of the electronic device. The case has a lower case portion and an upper case portion, which assemble together to protect the top, side, and bottom edges of the electronic device. The lower case portion includes a battery to extend the battery life of the electronic device.

Claims

1. A case for an electronic device comprising:

a lower case portion comprising;

a base surface upon which a back of a housing of the electronic device will be placed against, wherein the base surface comprises a top edge;

a battery, enclosed in the lower case portion;

electronic circuitry, coupled to the battery;

a lower sidewall, connected to the base surface at an end opposite of the top edge, that will be positioned against a bottom side edge of the electronic device;

an inner connector, on the lower sidewall, positioned to connect to a connector of the electronic device, and coupled through the electronic circuitry to the battery; and

an outer connector, positioned on an outside bottom side of the lower case portion, coupled through the electronic circuitry to the battery and inner connector; and

an upper case portion comprising;

an upper sidewall that will be positioned against a top side edge of the electronic device when the upper case portion is seated against the lower case portion; and

an open side end, opposite of the upper sidewall, wherein the upper case portion slides onto the lower case portion through the open side end in a direction along the base surface from the top edge to the lower sidewall, wherein when the upper case portion is seated against the lower case portion, the upper and lower case portions meet at and form a seam which extends across a back of the case, and when the upper case portion is seated against the lower case portion, a first open-polygon-shaped opening for the lower case portion merges with a second open-polygon-shaped opening for the upper case portion to form a front opening of the case through which a screen of the electronic device will be visible, the front opening having a closed shape.

2. The case of claim 1 wherein the upper case portion further comprises a left sidewall having an opening through which buttons on a left side of the electronic device will be accessible.

3. The case of claim 1 wherein the lower case portion further comprises a back surface having a button, coupled to the electronic circuitry, positioned on a side of the seam closer to the outside bottom side of the lower case portion.

4. The case of claim 1 wherein the lower case portion comprises an opening through the base surface against which a camera lens opening of the electronic device will be placed.

5. The case of claim 1 wherein the lower case portion comprises:

a first plurality of openings, positioned on the lower sidewall on a first side from the inner connector, wherein a first speaker opening for the electronic device will be placed against the first openings when the electronic device is connected to the inner connector;

a second plurality of openings, positioned on the lower sidewall on a second side from the inner connector, wherein a second speaker opening for the electronic device will be placed against the second openings when the electronic device is connected to the inner connector; and

a third plurality of openings, positioned on the outside bottom side, wherein each of the third openings is smaller than an opening for the outer connector.

6. The case of claim 1 wherein the lower and upper case portions comprise rigid plastic material.

7. The case of claim 1 wherein the first open-polygon-shaped opening comprises a U shape and the second open-polygon-shaped opening comprises an upside-down U shape.

8. The case of claim 1 wherein when the upper case portion is seated against the lower case portion, to form the back of the case, the upper case portion overlaps at least one portion of the lower case portion to hold the upper case portion to the lower case portion.

9. The case of claim 1 wherein the lower case portion comprises a button, coupled to the electronic circuitry, wherein by using the button, the case is placed in a first mode during which synchronizing with the electronic device will be permitted or in a second mode during which charging of the electronic device will be permitted.

10. The case of claim 9 wherein the lower case portion comprises a plurality of lighting indicators, coupled to the electronic circuitry, and after pressing the button for a first time period, the lighting indicators will specify a level of charge remaining for the battery, and after pressing the button for a second time period, longer than the first time period, the case enters the first mode.

11. The case of claim 1 wherein when connecting a cable to the outer connector of the lower case portion, the cable does not pass through any opening of the upper case portion.

12. A method of making an electronic device case comprising:

providing a lower case portion of the electronic device case comprising a base front surface and base back surface, wherein a housing of an electronic device will be placed against the base front surface;

enclosing a battery between the base front surface and base back surface;

connecting electronic circuitry to the battery and an inner and outer connector; and

providing an upper case portion for the electronic device case that slides onto the lower case portion, wherein when the upper case portion is seated against the lower case portion, the upper and lower case portions form a seam which extends across a back of the case, and when the upper case portion is seated against the lower case portion, a first open-shaped opening for the lower case portion merges with a second open-shaped opening for the upper case portion to form a front opening of the case through which a screen of the electronic device will be visible, the front opening having a closed shape.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the base back surface comprises a base upper back surface and base lower back surface, the base back surface has a first side, a second side, and a first thickness between the first and second sides, and the method comprises:

enclosing the electronic circuitry between the base front surface and the base lower back surface;

making a cavity in the base lower back surface, wherein the cavity extends from the second side toward, but not through to the first side, and a second thickness from an end of the cavity to the first side is thinner than the first thickness; and

positioning a lighting source of the electronic circuitry facing toward the cavity, wherein when turned on, the lighting source emits visible light that passes through the second thickness, but not the first thickness, to the first side.

14. The method of claim 12 comprising:

providing a button in the base back surface, wherein the button is coupled to the electronic circuitry and a surface of the button is flush with a surface of the base back surface;

providing indicator lights in the base back surface, wherein the indicator lights are coupled to the electronic circuitry;

after holding the button for a first time period, using the indicator lights to show a charge level of the battery; and

after holding the button for a second time period, longer than the first time period, entering a sync mode to establish a data path between the inner and outer connectors.

15. The method of claim 14 comprising:

after entering the sync mode, pressing the button causes exiting the sync mode.

16. The method of claim 14 comprising:

after entering the sync mode, using at least one of the indicator lights to indicate the circuitry is in the sync mode.

17. The method of claim 12 comprising:

providing a metal shield between the electronic circuitry and the base front surface.

18. A kit for a case for an electronic device comprising:

a foam tray comprising a first compartment and a second compartment;

a cable, contained within the first compartment; and

the case for the electronic device, contained within the second compartment, wherein the case comprises;

a lower case portion comprising a base front surface and base back surface;

a battery, contained between the base front surface and base back surface, wherein a housing of the electronic device will be placed against the base front surface;

electronic circuitry, coupled to the battery; and

an upper case portion, attached to the lower case portion, wherein a first open-polygon opening for the lower case portion merges with a second open-polygon opening for the upper case portion to form a front opening of the case through which a screen of the electronic device will be visible, the front opening having a closed-polygon shape.

19. The kit of claim 18 wherein the cable is a universal serial bus cable having a first end with a USB type A plug connector and a second end with a USB mini-B plug connector.

20. The kit of claim 18 wherein when the upper case portion is attached to the lower case portion, the upper and lower case portions meet at and form a seam which extends across a back of the case.