Elastomeric back with rails for mobile device

• US 8,781,541 B2
• Filed: 10/09/2013
• Issued: 07/15/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/05/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Dearden, Jonathan Joshua
• Primary Examiner(s): Gonzalez, Amancio
• Application Number:
  US14/049,313
• Publication Number:
  US 20140045555A1
• Time in Patent Office: 279 Days
• Field of Search: 455/575.1, 455/575.4, 455/575.6, 455/575.8, 455/90.3, 224/196, 224/663, 361/679.42
• US Class Current: 455/575.4
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 2011/002 for portable handheld communication devices, e.g. mobile phone, pager, beeper, PDA, smart phone
• CPC Class Codes: A45F 2200/0516 Portable handheld communication devices, e.g. mobile phone, pager, beeper, PDA, smart phone
• CPC Class Codes: A45F 5/00 Holders or carriers for hand articles; Holders or carriers for use while travelling or camping
• CPC Class Codes: A45F 5/02 Fastening articles to the garment
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0279 Improving the user comfort or ergonomics
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/04 Supports for telephone transmitters or receivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/724092 Interfacing with an external cover providing additional functionalities
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 52/0251 using monitoring of local events, e.g. events related to user activity
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/0217 Mechanical details of casings covers, lids, hoods or members for covering apertures H05K5/03

Abstract

A mobile device has a front face and a back face opposite the front face. The back face includes an elastomeric layer. A pair of longitudinal sides are coupled to the front face and back face, and a pair of latitudinal sides are also coupled to the front face and back face. The back face or the longitudinal sides define a recessed slot extending along a longitudinal length of the back face or longitudinal sides, respectively. The recessed slot defines an open end at at least one of the latitudinal sides. The recessed slot has a recessed slot surface that has a low-friction material. A holster includes a pocket defining an open top end configured to receive the mobile device. A rail extends longitudinally along an interior side of the pocket. The rail is configured to correspond with and slidably engage the slot on the mobile device.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a handheld device comprising a first side defining a first longitudinal slot having an open end and a second side opposite the first side and defining a second longitudinal slot having an open end;

said first and second sides comprising surfaces formed of a slide resistant material having a high coefficient of friction disposed about the slots;

each of said slots having a depth and being formed of a material having a low coefficient of friction, and

a receiving structure defining a pocket for receiving the handheld device and having an opening, said receiving structure comprising opposite rails extending from the opening, each rail being disposed to slidingly engage one of said slots through the open end thereof,

each rail being formed of a material having a low coefficient of friction to facilitate sliding within said slot and having a height greater than the depth of the slot by a distance sufficient to space the side apart from the receiving structure.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the receiving structure comprises side walls disposed to be adjacent the first and second sides of the handheld device, and wherein the rails are affixed to the walls and project into the pocket.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein each slot has a bottom surface that is adapted to contact the respective rail to space the respective side of the device away from an adjacent side wall of the pocket.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the handheld device includes a back face having a slide resistant material having a high coefficient of friction, and wherein the pocket includes a back wall configured to face the device'"'"'s back face when the device is received by the receiving structure and to be spaced apart therefrom when the rails are received in the slots.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the handheld device has front and rear surfaces and top and bottom surfaces, and further has two opposite side surfaces that are at the first and second sides and that extend in a longitudinal direction from the top surface to the bottom surface and in a lateral direction from the front surface to the rear surface.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein the slots extend in the longitudinal direction and are recessed laterally inward respectively from the two side surfaces.

7. The system of claim 6 wherein each open end is at the bottom surface of the device for the respective rail to enter the slot through the open end.

8. The system of claim 6 wherein each open end is a bottom open end, and the device further includes, for each slot, a top open end at the top surface of the device for the respective rail to enter the slot through the top open end, thereby enabling the device to be inserted into the pocket in either of two opposite orientations.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein the device is configured to automatically perform a function when received in the pocket.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein the function is to go into sleep mode.

11. The system of claim 9 wherein the function is to shut down.

12. The system of claim 1 wherein the device is configured to automatically perform a first function when received in the pocket in a first orientation and to automatically perform a different second function when received in the pocket in an opposite second orientation.

13. The system of claim 12 wherein the first function is to go into a sleep mode, and the second function is to shut down.

14. The system of claim 12 wherein the receiving structure includes a magnet configured to interact with the device differently depending on the orientation of the device to selectively trigger the first function or the second function.

15. A system comprising:

a handheld device that includes;

opposite side surfaces spaced apart in a lateral direction and formed of a high-friction slide resistant material for resisting sliding when grasped, each said side surface defining a slot formed of a material having lower friction than the slide resistant surface section;

a receptacle that includes;

a pocket having an opening and opposite pocket sides extending from the opening, each said side comprising a rail projecting into the pocket and configured to be slidingly received by one of said slots to guide the device as the device is moved through the top opening into a received position in the pocket and having a height sufficient to keep the slide resistant material spaced away from the adjacent pocket side as the device is moved into the received position.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein the device is configured to be inserted into the structure in either of two opposite orientations with the rails slidingly received by the slots in either orientation, and wherein the device is further configured to automatically perform a first function when received in the pocket in one of the orientations and to automatically perform a different second function when received in the pocket in the other orientation.

17. The system of claim 16 wherein the first function is to go into a sleep mode, and the second function is to shut down.

18. The system of claim 15 wherein the handheld device includes a back between the side surfaces and wherein the back includes the high-friction slide resistant material.

19. The system of claim 15 wherein the receptacle includes a magnet configured to interact with the device differently depending on the orientation of the device to selectively trigger the first function or the second function.