Earbud charging case for mobile device

• US 8,891,800 B1
• Filed: 06/17/2014
• Issued: 11/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/21/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Alpha Audiotronics, Inc. (Panacos Pharmaceuticals, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Alpha Audiotronics, Inc. (Panacos Pharmaceuticals, Inc.)
• Inventors: Shaffer, Jonathan Everett
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, TUAN DUC
• Application Number:
  US14/306,736
• Time in Patent Office: 154 Days
• Field of Search: 381/370, 381/182, 381/384, 381/395, 379/430, 379/437, 379/451, 455/575.1, 455/575.2, D14/205, D14/206, D14/240, D14/251
• US Class Current: 381/384
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6058 involving the use of a headset accessory device connected to the portable telephone
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/02 Casings; Cabinets ; Supports therefor; Mountings therein H04R1/28 takes precedence ; attachments for microphones H04R1/08; mounting of transducers in earpieces H04R1/1075
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1016 Earpieces of the intra-aural type
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1025 Accumulators or arrangements for charging secondary cells per se H01M10/00; charging in general H02J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2420/07 Applications of wireless loudspeakers or wireless microphones

Abstract

A case for a mobile device includes a rear panel, a plurality of walls extending around the rear panel, a base portion having a jack configured to receive a power cord input, a first aperture configured to receive a first earbud, a first electrical contact of the first aperture configured to engage a first corresponding charging contact of the first earbud, a second aperture configured to receive a second earbud, a second electrical contact of the second aperture configured to engage a second corresponding charging contact of the second earbud, a first electrical connection configured to engage the jack with a power input port of the mobile device, and a second electrical connection configured to engage the jack with the first electrical contact and the second electrical contact.

Claims

1. A case for protecting a mobile electronic device, the case comprising:

a housing;

protectors extending around a plurality of sides of the housing;

a base portion having a jack configured to receive a power cord input;

a plurality of earbud receiving apertures, wherein each earbud receiving aperture is configured to receive an earbud and comprises one or more electrical contacts configured to engage a rechargeable battery of the earbud when the earbud is positioned within the aperture;

a first electrical connector configured to engage the jack with a power input port of a mobile electronic device when placed in the housing;

a second electrical connector configured to engage the jack with the one or more electrical contacts; and

a conductive element that, when the power cord input is connected to a power source, enables a simultaneous charge of the batteries when placed in the apertures and the mobile electronic device when placed in the housing.

2. The case of claim 1, wherein the housing comprises a panel that substantially covers a rear face of the mobile device when the mobile electronic device is placed in the housing.

3. The case of claim 1, wherein the housing comprises a bumper, a front aperture for a display face of the mobile device, and a rear aperture for a rear face of the mobile device.

4. The case of claim 1, wherein each earbud receiving aperture comprises a magnetic ring positioned to engage and secure the earbud when the earbud is positioned within the aperture.

5. The case of claim 1, wherein the one or more electrical contacts in each aperture receiving aperture comprise a magnet that secures the earbud to the aperture when the earbud is positioned within the aperture.

6. The case of claim 1, further comprising a charging device.

7. The case of claim 6, wherein the charging device comprises a charging cable, wherein the charging cable is configured to connect to the jack and to plug into a power source.

8. The case of claim 1, wherein the charging device comprises a data cable, wherein the data cable is configured to connect to the jack and to plug into a computing device and convey charge and data to the case from the computing device.

9. The case of claim 1 further comprising:

a first magnet positioned to magnetically retain a first earbud in a first one of the earbud retaining apertures; and

a second magnet positioned to magnetically retain a second earbud in a second one of the earbud retaining apertures.

10. A case for protecting a mobile electronic device, the case comprising:

a panel;

a plurality of sidewalls walls extending around the panel;

a base portion having a jack configured to receive a power cord input;

a first aperture configured to receive a first earbud, the first aperture comprising a first electrical contact configured to engage a first corresponding charging contact of the first earbud;

a second aperture configured to receive a second earbud, the second aperture comprising a second electrical contact configured to engage a second corresponding charging contact of the second earbud;

a first electrical connection configured to engage the jack with a power input port of a mobile electronic device; and

a second electrical connection configured to engage the jack with the first electrical contact and the second electrical contact.

11. The case of claim 10, further comprising:

a first magnet positioned to magnetically retain the first earbud in the first aperture; and

a second magnet positioned to magnetically retain the second earbud in the second aperture.

12. The case of claim 10, further comprising:

a third aperture configured to receive a third earbud, the third aperture comprising;

a third electrical contact configured to engage a third corresponding charging contact of the third earbud, and

a third magnet positioned to magnetically retain the third earbud; and

a fourth aperture configured to receive a fourth earbud, the fourth aperture comprising;

a fourth electrical contact configured to engage a fourth corresponding charging contact of the fourth earbud, and

a fourth magnet positioned to magnetically retain the fourth earbud.

13. The case of claim 11, wherein the first earbud includes a first earbud magnet that, together with the first magnet of the first aperture, retains the first earbud in the first aperture via magnetic attraction.

14. The case of claim 13, wherein the first earbud magnet is a magnet of a speaker in the first earbud.

15. The case of claim 10, wherein the panel comprises a rear panel that substantially covers a rear face of the mobile electronic device when the mobile electronic device is placed in the housing.

16. The case of claim 10, wherein the sidewalls form a front aperture for a display face of the mobile electronic device, and a rear aperture for a rear face of the mobile electronic device, and the panel comprises a bumper that is positioned at a lower end of the rear aperture.

17. A kit for protecting a mobile electronic device and charging wireless earbuds, the kit comprising:

a first earbud;

a second earbud;

a case for a mobile electronic device, the case comprising;

a plurality of sidewalls;

a base portion having a jack configured to receive a power cord input;

a panel having a first aperture configured to receive the first earbud;

a first electrical contact of the first aperture configured to engage a first corresponding charging contact of the first earbud;

a first magnet positioned to magnetically retain the first earbud in the first aperture;

a second aperture in the panel, wherein the second aperture is configured to receive the second earbud;

a second electrical contact of the second aperture configured to engage the second corresponding charging contact of the second earbud;

a second magnet positioned to magnetically retain the second earbud in the second aperture;

a first electrical connection configured to engage the jack with a power input port of the mobile device when placed in the case; and

a second electrical connection configured to engage the jack with the first electrical contact and the second electrical contact.

18. The kit of claim 17, further comprising:

a first earbud magnet in the first earbud; and

a second earbud magnet in the second earbud;

wherein;

magnetic attraction between the first magnet of the first aperture and the first earbud magnet substantially maintains the first earbud in the first aperture, and

magnetic attraction between the second magnet and the second corresponding magnet substantially maintains the second earbud in the second aperture.

19. The kit of claim 18 wherein the each earbud magnet is a component of a speaker in a corresponding earbud.

20. The kit of claim 17, wherein the panel comprises a rear panel that substantially covers a rear face of the mobile electronic device when the mobile electronic device is placed in the housing.

21. The kit of claim 17, wherein the sidewalls form a front aperture for a display face of the mobile electronic device, and a rear aperture for a rear face of the mobile electronic device, and the panel comprises a bumper that is positioned at a lower end of the rear aperture.