Case for electronic tablet

• US 8,312,991 B2
• Filed: 03/22/2011
• Issued: 11/20/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/10/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Vinci Brands LLC
• Original Assignee: Incase Designs Corporation (Incipio Technologies Incorporated)
• Inventors: Diebel, Markus, Hong, Hyun
• Primary Examiner(s): Yu, Mickey
• Assistant Examiner(s): CHEUNG, CHUN HOI
• Application Number:
  US13/069,207
• Publication Number:
  US 20120037285A1
• Time in Patent Office: 609 Days
• Field of Search: 206/320, 206/45.24, 206/45.2, 206/701, 206/305, 206/37, 206/38, 206/760, 206/45.23
• US Class Current: 206/45.24
• 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 13/005 Hinges
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 2011/003 for portable computing devices, e.g. laptop, tablet, netbook, game boy, navigation system, calculator
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 2013/025 for holding portable computers or accessories therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 2200/15 Articles convertible into a stand, e.g. for displaying purposes
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 5/02 Materials therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 5/04 Packaging single articles
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 85/00 Containers, packaging elements or packages, specially adapted for particular articles or materials B65D71/00, B65D83/00 take precedence; hand implements or travelling equipment A45C; cosmetic or toiletry equipment A45D; packages for surgical knives, scalpels or blades therefor A61B17/3215; containers specially adapted for medical or pharmaceutical purposes A61J1/00; paint cans B44D3/12; oil cans F16N3/04; containers for carrying small arms F41C33/06; packaging of ammunition or explosive charges F42B39/00; containers for record carriers, specially adapted for cooperation with the recording or reproducing apparatus G11B23/00
• 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 1/1628 Carrying enclosures containing additional elements, e.g. case for a laptop and a printer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1633 Protecting arrangement for the entire housing of the computer
• 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 incorporates a built-in stand for an electronic device, such as an electronic tablet computer, which the case houses. The case protects the electronic device and allows a user to view and access the device without removing it from the case. The built-in stand is adjustable and allows for multiple viewing angles.

Claims

1. A method of making a case for an electronic tablet comprising:

providing a front cover portion having interior and exterior sides, and a first edge, second edge, and third edge;

forming a plurality of grooves on the interior side of the front cover, wherein the grooves extend in a first direction parallel to the first edge of the front cover;

providing a back cover portion having a fourth edge extending in the first direction, wherein the back cover portion comprises two parts, a first back part and a second back part;

providing an inside holder portion, wherein the inside holder portion is adapted to retain the electronic tablet in the case while a screen of the electronic tablet device remains visible;

providing a spine edge portion that joins the front and back cover portions;

coupling a first folding hinge, extending in the first direction, between the first and second back parts of the back cover portion;

coupling a second folding hinge, extending in the first direction, between the front cover and spine edge portions;

coupling a third folding hinge, extending in the first direction, between the back cover and spine edge portions,

wherein a first length of the first edge is longer than a second length of the second edge from the first edge to the second folding hinge and is longer than a third length of the third edge from the first edge to the second folding hinge, and the second and third lengths extend in a second direction, perpendicular to the first direction;

allowing folding of the case into a first stand position by rotating the first folding hinge in a first rotation direction so a bottom of the inside holder portion can be inserted into a first groove of the plurality of grooves,

wherein the first back part of the back cover portion is between the fourth edge and the first folding hinge, and the second back part of the back cover portion is between the first folding hinge and the third folding hinge,

the first back part of the back cover portion is fixedly attached to the inside holder portion,

when in the first stand position, the first back part remains fixedly attached to the inside holder portion, alongside a back of the electronic tablet, while the second back part is rotated away from the back of the electronic tablet, and

the electronic tablet can be inserted or removed from the inside holder portion while the first back part of the back cover portion remains fixedly attached to the inside holder portion; and

allowing folding of the case into a second stand position by rotating the first folding hinge in the first rotation direction, further than for the first stand position, so the bottom of the inside holder portion can be inserted into a second groove of the plurality of grooves,

wherein the second groove is positioned on the interior side of the front cover closer to the first edge than the first groove.

2. The method of claim 1 comprising:

forming a plurality of raised bumps on the interior side of the front cover, wherein between each raised bump is one of the plurality of grooves.

3. The method of claim 1 comprising:

attaching an elastic band to the back cover portion; and

allowing the elastic band to be pulled over the first edge of the front cover portion, so that the elastic band retains the front and back cover portions together, thus preventing the case from opening.

4. The method of claim 1 comprising:

allowing folding of the case into a third stand position by rotating the first folding hinge in the first rotation direction, further than for the second stand position, so a back of the inside holder portion touches the interior side of the front cover, and the bottom of the inside holder portion will not be inserted into any of the plurality of grooves.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the first length is at least about 246 millimeters and the second length is at least about 194 millimeters.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein between the first edge and the second folding hinge, the front cover does not have a folding hinge.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein a fourth length is from the fourth edge to the third folding edge, and

the first folding hinge is coupled to the back cover portion at a point at least 25 percent or greater of the fourth length from the fourth edge.

8. The method of claim 7 comprising:

attaching an elastic band to the back cover portion at points between the first folding hinge and fourth edge, wherein the elastic band extends in the first direction.

9. The method of claim 4 wherein a first viewing angle of the first stand position is greater than a second viewing angle of the second stand position, which is greater than a third viewing angle of the third stand position.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the first viewing angle is about from about 55 to about 80 degrees, the second viewing angle is from about 30 to about 55 degrees, and third viewing angle is from about 5 to about 30 degrees.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein a fourth length is from the fourth edge to the third folding hinge, and the first length is longer than the fourth length.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the back cover, from the fourth edge to the third folding hinge, does not have a folding hinge.

28. The method of claim 1 wherein the first length of the first edge is longer than a length of a sum of the first back part and the second back part.

13. A case for an electronic tablet device comprising:

a front cover portion, comprising interior and exterior sides, wherein the front cover portion is rectangularly shaped, planar, and defined by a first edge, second edge, and third edge, the first edge extending in a first direction and being longer than the second and third edges, and

the interior side of the front cover comprises a plurality of grooves, and the grooves extend in the first direction;

a back cover portion, comprising interior and exterior sides, wherein the back cover portion is rectangularly shaped, planar, and defined by a fourth edge, fifth edge, and sixth edge, the fourth edge extending in the first direction and being longer than the fifth and sixth edges, and

the back cover portion comprises two parts, a first back part and a second back part, and a first folding hinge extending in the first direction, wherein the first folding hinge is between the first and second back parts of the back cover portion;

a spine edge portion, coupling the front and back cover portions together, wherein a second folding hinge separates the front cover and spine portions, a third folding hinge separates the back cover and spine edge portions, the second and third folding hinges extend in the first direction, and

the second edge extends from the first edge to the second folding hinge, the third edge extends from the first edge to the second folding hinge, the fifth edge extends from the fourth edge to the third folding hinge, and the sixth edge extends from the fourth edge to the third folding hinge;

an inside holder portion, coupled to the first back part of the back cover portion, wherein the inside holder portion will retain the electronic tablet device in the case, the electronic tablet can be inserted or removed from the inside holder portion while the first back part of the back cover portion remains fixedly attached to the inside holder portion, and the case can be folded into a plurality of stand positions comprising;

a first stand position when the first folding hinge is rotated in a first rotation direction so a bottom of the inside holder portion is inserted into a first groove of the plurality of grooves, the first back part of the back cover portion remains fixedly attached to the inside holder portion, and the second back part is rotated away from the back of the electronic tablet, and

a second stand position when the second folding hinge is rotated in the first rotation direction so the bottom of the inside holder portion is inserted into a second groove of the plurality of grooves, wherein the second groove is positioned further from the second hinge than the first groove.

14. The case of claim 13 comprising:

a band, coupled to the back cover portion and extending in the first direction, wherein the band can be stretched and pulled over the first edge of the front to hold the front and back cover portions together.

15. The case of claim 13 wherein the screen of the electronic tablet device is a touch screen, and the inside holder portion comprises at most a single opening through which the screen of the electronic tablet device is accessible.

16. The case of claim 13 wherein the plurality of stand positions comprises:

a third stand position when the second folding hinge is rotated in the first rotation direction, further in the first rotation direction than for the second stand position, wherein a back of the inside holder portion touches the interior side of the front cover, and the bottom of the inside holder portion is not inserted into any of the plurality of grooves.

17. The case of claim 13 wherein the first edge is at least about 246 millimeters, the second edge is at least about 194 millimeters, and the fifth edge is at least about 194 millimeters.

18. The case of claim 13 wherein the first folding hinge divides the back cover portion into two parts, a first back part and a second back part,

the first back part of the back cover portion is between the fourth edge and the first folding hinge,

the second back part of the back cover portion is between the first folding hinge and the third folding hinge, and

when in the first stand position, the first back part is attached to the inside holder portion and the second back part is detached from the inside holder portion.

19. The case of claim 18 wherein a length of the first back part from the fourth edge and the first folding hinge is at least 60 millimeters.

20. The case of claim 13 wherein the interior side of the front cover comprises a plurality of raised bumps, wherein between each raised bump is one of the plurality of grooves.

29. The method of claim 13 wherein the first length of the first edge is longer than a length of a sum of the first back part and the second back part.

21. A method of making a case for an electronic tablet comprising:

providing a front cover portion having interior and exterior sides, and a first edge, second edge, and third edge;

forming a plurality of bumps on the interior side of the front cover, wherein the bumps extend in a first direction parallel to the first edge of the front cover;

providing a back cover portion having a fourth edge extending in the first direction, wherein the back cover portion comprises two parts, a first back part and a second back part;

providing an inside holder portion, wherein the inside holder portion is adapted to retain the electronic tablet in the case while a screen of the electronic tablet device remains visible;

providing a spine edge portion that joins the front and back cover portions;

coupling a first folding hinge, extending in the first direction, between the first and second back parts of the back cover portion;

coupling a second folding hinge, extending in the first direction, between the front cover and spine edge portions;

coupling a third folding hinge, extending in the first direction, between the back cover and spine edge portions,

wherein a first length of the first edge is longer than a second length of the second edge from the first edge to the second folding hinge and is longer than a third length of the third edge from the first edge to the second folding hinge, and the second and third lengths extend in a second direction, perpendicular to the first direction;

allowing folding of the case into a first stand position by rotating the first folding hinge in a first rotation direction so a bottom of the inside holder portion can be inserted between a first and second bump of the plurality of bumps,

wherein the first back part of the back cover portion is between the fourth edge and the first folding hinge, and the second back part of the back cover portion is between the first folding hinge and the third folding hinge,

the first back part of the back cover portion is fixedly attached to the inside holder portion,

when in the first stand position, the first back part remains fixedly attached to the inside holder portion, alongside a back of the electronic tablet, while the second back part is rotated away from the back of the electronic tablet, and

the electronic tablet can be inserted or removed from the inside holder portion while the first back part of the back cover portion remains fixedly attached to the inside holder portion; and

allowing folding of the case into a second stand position by rotating the first folding hinge in the first rotation direction, further than for the first stand position, so the bottom of the inside holder portion can be inserted between the second bump and a third bump of the plurality of bumps,

wherein the third bump is positioned on the interior side of the front cover closer to the first edge than the second bump.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein a recessed region is formed on the interior side of the front cover between each of the plurality of bumps.

23. The method of claim 21 comprising:

attaching an elastic band to two attachment points on the back cover portion; and

allowing the elastic band to be pulled over the first edge of the front cover portion, so that the elastic band retains the front and back cover portions together, thus preventing the case from opening.

24. The method of claim 21 comprising:

allowing folding of the case into a third stand position by rotating the first folding hinge in the first rotation direction, further than for the second stand position, so a back of the inside holder portion touches the interior side of the front cover, and the bottom of the inside holder portion will not be inserted between any of the plurality of bumps.

25. The method of claim 21 wherein each of the bumps is a rail.

26. The method of claim 21 wherein a fourth length is from the fourth edge to the third folding edge, and

the first folding hinge is coupled to the back cover portion at a point at least 25 percent or greater of the fourth length from the fourth edge.

27. The method of claim 26 comprising:

attaching an elastic band to the back cover portion at points between the first folding hinge and fourth edge, wherein the elastic band extends in the first direction.

30. The method of claim 21 wherein the first length of the first edge is longer than a length of a sum of the first back part and the second back part.