Mobile device with cushion devices

• US 8,509,865 B1
• Filed: 11/30/2012
• Issued: 08/13/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Superior Communications (Sinclair Broadcast Group Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Superior Communications (Sinclair Broadcast Group Incorporated)
• Inventors: LaColla, Charlie, Chou, Vivian, Patel, Shraddha, Pan, Jason
• Primary Examiner(s): Arevalo, Joseph
• Application Number:
  US13/691,529
• Time in Patent Office: 256 Days
• Field of Search: 455/575.8, 455/575.1, 455/556.1, 206/592, D14/250
• US Class Current: 455/575.8
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 13/36 Reinforcements for edges, corners, or other parts
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 2011/002 for portable handheld communication devices, e.g. mobile phone, pager, beeper, PDA, smart phone
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3888 Arrangements for carrying or protecting transceivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/04 Supports for telephone transmitters or receivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/185 Improving the rigidity of the casing or resistance to shocks

Abstract

A case for a mobile device including a base wall and a plurality of side walls extending from the base wall to cover side surfaces of the mobile device. A plurality of cushion devices may pass through the side surfaces to cushion the mobile device from a force exerted upon the case.

Claims

1. A case for a mobile device comprising:

a base wall having an inner surface and an outer surface and being configured to cover a surface of the mobile device;

a plurality of side walls each having an inner surface and an outer surface and being configured to cover a side surface of the mobile device, the plurality of side walls extending from the base wall such that the inner surfaces of the plurality of side walls and the inner surface of the base wall form a recess configured to receive the mobile device, the inner surfaces of the plurality of side walls and the inner surface of the base wall configured to face towards the mobile device when the mobile device is received in the recess, and the outer surfaces of the plurality of side walls and the outer surface of the base wall are configured to face away from the mobile device when the mobile device is received in the recess;

each one of the plurality of side walls joining to an adjacent one of the plurality of side walls to form at least four corners of the case, with an aperture at each one of the at least four corners extending from the inner surface of at least one of the plurality of side walls to the outer surface of at least one of the plurality of side walls;

at least four cushion devices, each extending through a respective one of the apertures and being configured to cushion the mobile device from a force exerted upon the case, and being removable from the respective one of the apertures; and

a cushion device fixed to the inner surface of the base wall and being configured to cushion the mobile device from a force exerted upon the case, and extending from the inner surface of the base wall to a distance such that the mobile device contacts the cushion device fixed to the inner surface of the base wall and a gap exists between the mobile device and the inner surface of the base wall when the mobile device is received in the recess;

wherein each of the at least four cushion devices extending through the respective one of the apertures includes an outer flange covering the outer surface of at least one of the plurality of side walls, and an inner flange covering the inner surface of at least one of the plurality of side walls, the outer flange and the inner flange of each of the at least four cushion devices securing the respective cushion device within the respective aperture; and

wherein each of the inner flanges is positioned from the base wall at a distance such that the mobile device contacts each of the inner flanges and a gap exists between the mobile device and the inner surface of the base wall when the mobile device is received in the recess.

2. The case of claim 1, wherein each of the at least four cushion devices extending through the respective one of the apertures is entirely encircled at the respective aperture by at least one of the plurality of side walls.

3. The case of claim 1, wherein the plurality of side walls form a substantially rectangular shape.

4. The case of claim 3, wherein at least a portion of a first one of the plurality of side walls extends in a direction angled at ninety degrees from a direction that at least a portion of a second one of the plurality of side walls extends in.

5. The case of claim 4, wherein the plurality of side walls bound at least four sides of the recess.

6. The case of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of each of the plurality of side walls extends in a direction angled at ninety degrees from a direction that at least a portion of the base wall extends in.

7. The case of claim 1, further comprising a lip positioned at an end of at least one of the plurality of side walls, the lip being configured to retain the mobile device within the recess.

8. The case of claim 1, wherein the base wall includes an interior layer and an exterior layer molded together, the interior layer forming at least a portion of the inner surface of the base wall, and the exterior layer forming at least a portion of the outer surface of the base wall, the interior layer forming at least a portion of each of the plurality of side walls.

9. The case of claim 8, wherein the interior layer forms the interior surface of each of the plurality of side walls and the exterior layer forms the outer surface of each of the plurality of side walls.

10. The case of claim 1, wherein each of the inner flanges is positioned from the inner surfaces of two of the plurality of side walls at a distance such that the mobile device contacts each of the inner flanges and a gap exists between the mobile device and the inner surface of each of the plurality of side walls when the mobile device is received in the recess.

11. The case of claim 10, wherein each of the at least four cushion devices extending through the respective one of the apertures is configured such that the inner flange or the outer flange of the respective cushion device must deform to allow the respective cushion device to be removed from the respective aperture.

12. The case of claim 10, wherein the cushion device fixed to the inner surface of the base wall extends from the inner surface of the base wall to the distance such that no portion of the mobile device contacts the base wall when the mobile device is received in the recess.

13. The case of claim 12, wherein the cushion device fixed to the inner surface of the base wall is fixed to the inner surface of the base wall with an adhesive.

14. The case of claim 1, wherein each of the at least four cushion devices extending through the respective one of the apertures and the cushion device fixed to the inner surface of the base wall is configured to deform to cushion the mobile device from the force exerted upon the case.

15. The case of claim 14, wherein each of the at least four cushion devices extending through the respective one of the apertures and the cushion device fixed to the inner surface of the base wall is made of an elastomeric material.

16. The case of claim 15, wherein each of the at least four cushion devices extending through the respective one of the apertures and the cushion device fixed to the inner surface of the base wall is made of rubber.

17. A case for a mobile phone comprising:

a base wall having an inner surface and an outer surface and being configured to cover a surface of the mobile phone;

a plurality of side walls each having an inner surface and an outer surface and being configured to cover a side surface of the mobile phone, the plurality of side walls extending from the base wall such that the inner surfaces of the plurality of side walls and the inner surface of the base wall form a recess configured to receive the mobile phone, the inner surfaces of the plurality of side walls and the inner surface of the base wall configured to face towards the mobile phone when the mobile phone is received in the recess, and the outer surfaces of the plurality of side walls and the outer surface of the base wall configured to face away from the mobile phone when the mobile phone is received in the recess, the plurality of side walls having a plurality of apertures;

a plurality of cushion devices each extending through a respective one of the plurality of apertures and being configured to cushion the mobile phone from a force exerted upon the case, and being removable from the respective one of the plurality of apertures; and

a cushion device fixed to the inner surface of the base wall and being configured to cushion the mobile phone from a force exerted upon the case, and extending from the inner surface of the base wall to a distance such that the mobile phone contacts the cushion device fixed to the inner surface of the base wall and a gap exists between the mobile phone and the inner surface of the base wall when the mobile phone is received in the recess;

wherein each of the plurality of cushion devices extending through the respective one of the apertures includes an outer flange covering the outer surface of at least one of the plurality of side walls, and an inner flange covering the inner surface of at least one of the plurality of side walls, the outer flange and the inner flange of each of the plurality of cushion devices securing the respective cushion device within the respective aperture; and

wherein each of the inner flanges is positioned from the base wall at a distance such that the mobile device contacts each of the inner flanges and a gap exists between the mobile device and the inner surface of the base wall when the mobile device is received in the recess.

18. The case of claim 17, wherein each of the plurality of cushion devices extending through the respective one of the plurality of apertures is positioned from the base wall at a distance such that the mobile phone contacts each of the plurality of cushion devices and no portion of the mobile phone contacts the base wall, when the mobile phone is received in the recess.