Waterproof case for portable device

• US 7,613,386 B2
• Filed: 03/29/2005
• Issued: 11/03/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/21/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Inventors: Shimamura, Takashi
• Primary Examiner(s): PICKETT, JOHN G
• Application Number:
  US11/091,475
• Publication Number:
  US 20050167304A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,680 Days
• Field of Search: 206/316.2, 206/316.1, 206/316.3, 206/37, 206/775, 206/776, 206/811, 206/305, 206/320, 220/833, 220/835, 220/849, 396/27, 396/25, 396/6, 294/139, 294/908, 224/908
• US Class Current: 396/27
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/08 Waterproof bodies or housings
• 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 2200/1633 Protecting arrangement for the entire housing of the computer
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3833 Hand-held transceivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3888 Arrangements for carrying or protecting transceivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2001/3894 Waterproofing of transmission device

Abstract

A waterproof case for containing a portable device including at least one operation part offset in a direction perpendicular to an inserting direction of the portable device into the case body of the waterproof case, includes at least one operation part that operatively cooperates with the at least one operation part of the portable device, and a moving and holding device that moves the portable device in a direction perpendicular to the inserting direction of the portable device after the portable device is inserted into the case body and that holds the portable device in a moved position so as to operatively cooperate the at least one operation part of the portable device with the at least one operation part of the case body.

Claims

1. A portable device waterproof case comprising:

an opening configured to receive a portable device including a device operation part being inserted therethrough in an inserting direction;

a case operation part provided on a first surface of the waterproof case that is substantially perpendicular to the inserting direction and configured to operatively cooperate with the device operation part of the portable device when the case operation part and the device operation part are engaged with each other;

a moving and holding device configured to move the portable device to a moved position in a direction substantially perpendicular to the inserting direction and to hold the portable device at the moved position so as to cause the case operation part of the case and the device operation part of the portable device to be engaged with each other, the moving and holding device including;

a push-up member configured to push up the portable device through a through hole provided on a second surface of the waterproof case that substantially faces the first surface and to engage with the through hole to generate engagement force, the engagement force allowing the moving and holding device to hold the portable device at the moved position and allowing the waterproof case to be watertight;

a support shaft configured to connect the push-up member with the second surface of the waterproof case so as to cause the push-up member to rotate around the support shaft; and

a fixing device provided on the second surface of the waterproof case and configured to fix the push-up member at a pushed-up position of the push-up member.

2. The waterproof case according to claim 1, wherein:

the push-up member is configured to be inserted into the through hole provided on the second surface of the waterproof case,

and wherein the fixing device is configured to fix the push-up member being inserted into the through hole at the second surface of the waterproof case.

3. The waterproof case according to claim 1, wherein the portable device is a camera, and the push-up member further includes a support for receiving a tripod used for the camera.

4. The waterproof case according to claim 1, wherein the push-up member is formed of elastic material.

5. The waterproof case according to claim 1, wherein the moving and holding device further includes:

a positioning guide provided on at least one of inner surfaces of the waterproof case and configured to cause the portable device to stay at the moved position when the portable device is moved in the inserting direction.

6. The waterproof case according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the case operation part of the waterproof case and the device operation part of the portable device includes a liquid crystal display panel.

7. The waterproof case according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the case operation part of the waterproof case and the device operation part of the portable device includes a zoom operation lever.

8. A portable device waterproof case comprising:

an opening configured to receive a portable device including a device operation part being inserted therethrough in an inserting direction;

a case operation part provided on a first surface of the waterproof case that is substantially perpendicular to the inserting direction and configured to operatively cooperate with the device operation part of the portable device when the case operation part and the device operation part are engaged with each other;

a moving and holding device configured to move the portable device to a moved position in a direction substantially perpendicular to the inserting direction and to hold the portable device at the moved position so as to cause the case operation part of the case and the device operation part of the portable device to be engaged with each other, the moving and holding device including;

a push-up member configured to push up the portable device through a through hole provided on a second surface of the waterproof case that substantially faces the first surface and to engage with the through hole to generate engagement force, the engagement force allowing the moving and holding device to hold the portable device at the moved position and allowing the waterproof case to be watertight;

a bias force applying member provided on the push-up member and configured to apply a bias force to the push-up member in the direction opposing the inserting direction;

a fixing device provided on the second surface of the waterproof case and configured to fix the push-up member at a pushed-up position by applying a force opposing the bias force of the bias force applying member; and

a stop member provided on the push-up member and configured to prevent the push-up member from separating from the waterproof case when the force of the fixing device is not applied.

9. A portable device waterproof case comprising:

an opening configured to receive a portable device including a device operation part being inserted therethrough in an inserting direction;

a case operating means provided on a first surface of the waterproof case that is substantially perpendicular to the insertion direction and configured to operatively cooperate with the device operation part of the portable device when the case operation means and the device operation part are engaged with each other;

a moving and holding means for moving the portable device to a moved position in a direction substantially perpendicular to the inserting direction and to hold the portable device at the moved position to cause the case operating means of the case and the device operation part of the portable device to be engaged with each other, the moving and holding means including;

a push-up means configured to push up the portable device through a through hole provided on a second surface of the waterproof case that substantially faces the first surface and to engage with the through hole to generate engagement force, the engagement force allowing the moving and holding means to hold the portable device at the moved position and allowing the waterproof case to be watertight;

a supporting means connecting the push-up means with the second surface of the waterproof case for causing the push-up means to rotate around the supporting means; and

a fixing means provided on the second surface of the waterproof case for fixing the push-up means at a pushed-up position of the push-up means.