Portable electronic device case with battery

• US 7,782,610 B2
• Filed: 10/16/2009
• Issued: 08/24/2010
• 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:
  US12/580,977
• Publication Number:
  US 20100124040A1
• Time in Patent Office: 312 Days
• Field of Search: 361/679.56, 361/679.41, 206/308.3
• US Class Current: 361/679.56
• 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 2011/001 for portable audio devices, e.g. headphones or MP3-players
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 2011/003 for portable computing devices, e.g. laptop, tablet, netbook, game boy, navigation system, calculator
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1628 Carrying enclosures containing additional elements, e.g. case for a laptop and a printer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/189 Power distribution
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3883 Arrangements for mounting batteries or battery chargers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0262 for a battery compartment
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/04 Supports for telephone transmitters or receivers
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 13/00 Apparatus or processes specially adapted for manufacturing or adjusting assemblages of electric components
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49002 Electrical device making
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining

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 first 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 first 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 of the first case portion, coupled through the electronic circuitry to the battery and inner connector; and

a second case portion comprising;

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

an open side end, opposite of the upper sidewall, wherein the second case portion slides onto the first case portion through the open side end,

wherein when the second case portion is seated against the first case portion, the first and second case portions meet at and form a seam which extends across a back of the case, and

when the second case portion is seated against the first case portion, a first open-shaped opening for the first case portion merges with a second open-shaped opening for the second 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 outer connector is positioned on an outside bottom side of the first case portion.

3. The case of claim 1 wherein the outer connector comprises a USB micro connector.

4. The case of claim 1 wherein the first case portion comprises a metallic shield, positioned between the electronic circuitry and the base surface.

5. The case of claim 1 wherein the battery has a nominal output voltage of about 3.7 volts and a battery capacity of at least about 1150 milliamp-hours.

6. The case of claim 1 wherein electronic components of the electronic circuitry are provided on at least three printed circuit boards, enclosed within the first case portion.

7. The case of claim 1 wherein the first case portion comprises at least four light emitting diodes coupled to the electronic circuitry, wherein the light emitting diodes reside on a first printed circuit board of the electronic circuitry, the inner connector resides on a second printed circuit board of the electronic circuitry, and the first and second printed circuit boards are enclosed within the first case portion.

8. The case of claim 7 wherein the second printed circuit board is arranged perpendicularly to the first printed circuit board.

9. The case of claim 1 wherein the electronic circuitry implements a charging mode during which the battery can be charged via the outer connector, and a sync mode during which an electronic device when coupled to the inner connector can be synchronized with another electronic device coupled to the outer connector.

10. The case of claim 9 wherein the electronic circuitry implements a battery status mode during which a plurality of light emitting diodes, visible on the back of the case, display an indication of a battery strength.

11. The case of claim 1 wherein the first open-shaped opening comprises a U shape and the second open-shaped opening comprises a reverse U shape, and the closed shape comprises generally a rounded rectangle shape.

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

providing a first 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, wherein the electronic circuitry implements a charging mode during which the battery can be charged via the outer connector, and a sync mode during which an electronic device when coupled to the inner connector can be synchronized with another electronic device coupled to the outer connector; and

providing a second case portion for the electronic device case that slides onto the first case portion, wherein when the second case portion is seated against the first case portion, the first and second case portions form a seam which extends across a back of the case, and

when the second case portion is seated against the first case portion, a first open-shaped opening for the first case portion merges with a second open-shaped opening for the second 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 first open-shaped opening comprises a U shape and the second open-shaped opening comprises an upside-down U shape.

14. The method of claim 12 comprising:

positioning a metallic shield between the electronic circuitry and the base front surface.

15. The method of claim 12 comprising:

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

providing electronic components of the electronic circuitry on at least three printed circuit boards that are enclosed within the first case portion.

16. The method of claim 12 wherein the electronic circuitry comprises a first printed circuit board having first and second sides, and the metallic shield is positioned between the first side of the first printed circuit board and the base front surface.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the electronic circuitry comprises a second printed circuit board, and the method comprises:

orientating the second printed circuit perpendicularly to the first printed circuit board, wherein the second printed circuit board comprises the inner connector.

18. The method of claim 16 comprises:

positioning at least four light emitting diodes on the second side of the first printed circuit board.

19. The method of claim 12 wherein the battery has a nominal output voltage of about 3.7 volts and a battery capacity of at least about 1150 milliamp-hours.

20. A case for an electronic device comprising:

a first 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 first case portion;

a first printed circuit board comprising 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, wherein the inner connector is coupled to a second printed circuit board, and the second printed circuit board is coupled to the battery through the first printed circuit board;

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

a metallic shield, positioned between a first side of the first printed circuit board and the base surface; and

a plurality of light emitting diodes, positioned on a second side of the first printed circuit board, opposite of the first side of the first printed circuit board; and

a second case portion comprising;

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

an open side end, opposite of the upper sidewall, wherein the second case portion slides onto the first case portion through the open side end,

wherein when the second case portion is seated against the first case portion, the first and second case portions meet at and form a seam which extends across a back of the case, and

when the second case portion is seated against the first case portion, a first open-shaped opening for the first case portion merges with a second open-shaped opening for the second 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.