Portable device case with corner protector

• US 8,073,131 B2
• Filed: 01/04/2007
• Issued: 12/06/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/03/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsonite IP Holdings SARL (Samsonite Sub Holdings SARL)
• Original Assignee: Fellowes Incorporated
• Inventors: Bodkin, Pat, Flender, Gregg, Tracz, Mike
• Primary Examiner(s): Gauthier, Gerald
• Application Number:
  US11/619,920
• Publication Number:
  US 20070225031A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,797 Days
• Field of Search: 224/666, 224/197, 224/198, 224/199, 224/250, 379/406.01, 379/446, 379/426, 379/433.01, 428/34.1, 455/550.1, 455/90.3, 455/347, 455/558, 455/575.8, D14/250, D14/253, 132/309, 248/221.11, 248/231.81, D32/18
• US Class Current: 379/406.01
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 2011/002 for portable handheld communication devices, e.g. mobile phone, pager, beeper, PDA, smart phone
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 3/001 Flexible materials therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A45F 5/02 Fastening articles to the garment
• CPC Class Codes: A45F 5/021 to the belt
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1628 Carrying enclosures containing additional elements, e.g. case for a laptop and a printer
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0214 Foldable telephones, i.e. with body parts pivoting to an open position around an axis parallel to the plane they define in closed position combined with translation movement H04M1/0235
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0283 for providing a decorative aspect, e.g. customization of casings, exchangeable faceplate
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/18 Telephone sets specially adapted for use in ships, mines, or other places exposed to adverse environment H04M1/19 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/13 Hollow or container type article [e.g., tube, vase, etc.]

Abstract

A case for a portable electronic device such as cell phones, cameras, MP3 players and PDAs wherein said case includes material at the corners to provide protection to the electronic device. To reduce bulk at the corners and allow the material forming the case to conform with the contours of the device, the protection at the corners includes strips of material defining apertures there between. The apertures provide reduction in bulk and allow the case to conform to the corners of the device therein. Alternately, the protection at the corners can be provided by other structures co-molded into the corners of the cases. Such structures include material that is of a reduced thickness than other material used in the case, or structures that are formed to conform to the corners of the case. Such structures can be joined to the material forming the panels of the case by co-molding.

Claims

1. A case for portable device, the case being formed of panels of material attached to form a pocket for receiving the device, the case including:

a first panel of material attached to a second panel of material to form a pocket for receiving the portable device, the case including a plurality of apertures at a corner of the device when the device is placed in the case,

wherein the plurality of apertures are defined by strips of material extending across an open corner of the case.

2. The case of claim 1, wherein the strips of material are two in number.

3. The case of claim 1, wherein the strips of material defining the apertures extend from first panel and are attached to the second panel.

4. A case for a portable device, the case including:

a plurality of panels of material, the panels assembled to form a pocket for receiving the portable device, the pocket including a second material incorporated into the pocket, the second material positioned to protect corners of the portable device when the device is in the case,

wherein the second material is thicker than the material forming the panels.

5. The case of claim 4, wherein the second material is co-molded to at least one of the plurality of panels.

6. A case for a portable device, the case including,

a first panel of material shaped to have strips of material extending therefrom, a second panel of material,

the first panel attached to the second panel to form a pocket having an opening for receipt of the portable device,

the strips of material attached to the second panel to form part of the pocket,

wherein the strips of material define a plurality of apertures.

7. The case of claim 6, wherein the strips of material are positioned near corners of the device when the device is in the case.

8. The case of claim 6, wherein the strips of material are co-molded to the first panel.

9. The case of claim 8, wherein the strips of material are thicker than the rest of the first panel.

10. The case of claim 6, wherein the strips of material are thicker than the rest of the first panel.

11. The case of claim 9, wherein the strips of material include an aperture.