Button mechanisms for electronic device cases
First Claim
1. A removable case for an electronic device that has a button, comprising:
- a housing into which the electronic device is removably inserted, wherein the housing has portions defining a hole;
a button mechanism mounted in the hole, wherein the button mechanism has a given portion that bears against the button in the electronic device when the button mechanism is actuated by a user; and
a sheet spring that biases the button mechanism away from the button in the electronic device, wherein the housing has inner surface regions that surround the hole and wherein, when the button mechanism is not being actuated by the user, the given portion of the button mechanism is approximately flush with the inner surface regions of the housing.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A case for electronic devices having buttons may include button mechanisms that allow the case slide over an electronic device without impacting the buttons. Each button mechanism may include a sheet spring that biases the button mechanism away from the buttons. When a user presses the button mechanism, the button mechanism may transmit force from the user to one of the buttons and actuate that button. One type of button mechanism may transmit force that actuates a single push-button. A second type of button mechanism may transmit forces that actuate a rocker switch with two actuation modes such as a volume rocker with a volume up mode and a volume down mode. The button mechanisms may be configured to provide tactile feedback to the user that is similar to the tactile feedback of the electronic device'"'"'s buttons when the electronic device is not mounted in the case.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A removable case for an electronic device that has a button, comprising:
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a housing into which the electronic device is removably inserted, wherein the housing has portions defining a hole; a button mechanism mounted in the hole, wherein the button mechanism has a given portion that bears against the button in the electronic device when the button mechanism is actuated by a user; and a sheet spring that biases the button mechanism away from the button in the electronic device, wherein the housing has inner surface regions that surround the hole and wherein, when the button mechanism is not being actuated by the user, the given portion of the button mechanism is approximately flush with the inner surface regions of the housing. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A removable case for an electronic device that has a rocker button having a first portion and a second portion, comprising:
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a housing into which the electronic device is removably inserted, wherein the housing has portions defining a hole; a pivoting button mechanism mounted in the hole, wherein the pivoting button mechanism bears against one of the first and second portions of the rocker button in the electronic device when the pivoting button mechanism is actuated by a user; and a spring that biases the pivoting button mechanism away from the button in the electronic device such that the pivoting button mechanism is retracted into the housing and does not scrape against the electronic device as the electronic device is removably inserted into the housing. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A removable case for an electronic device that has a button, comprising:
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a housing into which the electronic device is removably inserted, wherein the housing has portions defining a hole; and a button mechanism mounted in the hole, wherein the button mechanism has given portions that bear against the button in the electronic device when the button mechanism is actuated by a user, wherein the button mechanism comprises first and second opposing metal plates connected together through the hole, wherein the housing has surface regions that lie in a first plane, that surround the hole, and that are adjacent to the electronic device when the electronic device is inserted into the housing, wherein, when the button mechanism is not being actuated by the user, the given portions of the button mechanism lie in a second plane, and wherein the first plane is between the second plane and the electronic device, when the electronic device is being removably inserted into the housing. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
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Specification