Waterproof mobile device case

• US 9,264,089 B2
• Filed: 03/14/2014
• Issued: 02/16/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ballistic Products Limited
• Original Assignee: AG Findings & Manufacturing Company Incorporated
• Inventors: Tages, Fernando
• Primary Examiner(s): Alam, Fayyaz
• Application Number:
  US14/211,182
• Publication Number:
  US 20140274232A1
• Time in Patent Office: 704 Days
• Field of Search: 455/550.1, 455/556.1, 455/556.2, 455/557, 455/575.1, 455/575.8
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3888 Arrangements for carrying or protecting transceivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/185 Improving the rigidity of the casing or resistance to shocks

Abstract

A case for a mobile communication device includes a base that defines an interior and a first surface and is configured to receive at least a portion of the mobile communication device in the interior. A screen protector is configured to releasably engage the base and defines a first surface of the screen protector. The screen protector is configured to retain a gasket, which is releasably engageable to the screen protector, between the first surface of the base and the first surface of the screen protector. A cover is provided that is releasably engageable with the base and is configured to releasably restrain the screen protector when engaged with the base. The cover defines an opening through which at least a portion of the screen protector is accessible.

Claims

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

a base defining an interior, the base defining a first surface and being configured to receive at least a portion of the mobile communication device in the interior, the base including;

sidewalls defining a perimeter of the base and a first surface of the base; and

a plurality of first mating elements, each of the plurality of mating elements being disposed on the perimeter;

a screen protector configured to releasably engage the base, the screen protector defining a first surface of the screen protector, the screen protector including a plurality of second mating elements, at least one of the plurality of second mating elements being configured to releasably connect to a corresponding at least one of the plurality of first mating elements;

a gasket releasably engageable to the screen protector, the screen protector configured to retain the gasket between the first surface of the base and the first surface of the screen protector; and

a cover releasably engageable with the base, the cover being configured to releasably restrain the screen protector when engaged with the base, the cover defining an opening through which at least a portion of the screen protector is accessible.

2. The case according to claim 1, wherein:

the base includes a plurality of first securing elements; and

the cover includes a plurality of second securing elements, at least one of the plurality of second securing elements being configured to releasably engage a corresponding at least one of the plurality of first securing elements.

3. The case according to claim 1, wherein:

the base includes a plurality of tension elements disposed in the interior, the plurality of tension elements being resiliently deformable; and

each of the plurality of tension elements is configured to space the mobile communication device at least a distance from the sidewalls.

4. The case according to claim 3, wherein each of the plurality of tension elements is disposed on at least one of the base and one of the sidewalls.

5. The case according to claim 1, wherein:

the base includes a side, each of the plurality of first mating elements comprising a slotted opening configured to extend a first distance into the side of the base; and

the screen protector including a side, each of the plurality of second mating elements comprising a protuberance extending a second distance away from the side of the screen protector.

6. The case according to claim 5, wherein:

the at least one of the plurality of second mating elements is configured to engage the corresponding at least one of the plurality of first mating elements over a distance with an increasing amount of force;

the screen protector includes a rib disposed on the first surface of the screen protector, the rib having an outside surface; and

a force of compression of the gasket between the at least the portion of the inside surface of the perimeter of the interior and the at least the portion of the outside surface of the rib is based on the distance of engagement between the at least one of the plurality of second mating elements and the corresponding at least one of the plurality of first mating elements.

7. The case according to claim 6, wherein each of the plurality of second mating elements is partially tapered.

11. The case according to claim 1, wherein:

the sidewalls define an accessory port; and

the cover includes an accessory plug, the accessory plug configured to be releasably inserted into the accessory port, the case further comprising;

an accessory plug gasket disposed on the accessory plug, wherein the accessory plug gasket is configured to form an at least substantially watertight seal between the accessory plug and the accessory port when the accessory plug is inserted into the accessory port.

12. The case according to claim 1, wherein the cover defines a plurality of notches on a first surface of the cover, the case further comprising:

a plurality of tabs disposed on a second surface of the screen protector, the second surface being on a side of the screen protector that is opposite the first surface of the screen protector, at least one of the plurality of tabs being configured to engage a corresponding at least one of the plurality of notches when the case is in the engaged configuration.

8. A case for a mobile communication device, the case comprising:

a base defining an interior, the base defining a first surface and being configured to receive at least a portion of the mobile communication device in the interior;

a screen protector configured to releasably engage the base, the screen protector defining a first surface of the screen protector;

a gasket releasably engageable to the screen protector, the screen protector configured to retain the gasket between the first surface of the base and the first surface of the screen protector; and

a cover releasably engageable with the base, the cover being configured to releasably restrain the screen protector when engaged with the base, the cover defining an opening through which at least a portion of the screen protector is accessible;

the screen protector includes a rib, the rib being disposed on the first surface of the screen protector, the rib defining at least a portion of a perimeter of the screen protector and having an outside surface;

the base includes sidewalls defining a perimeter of the base and a first surface of the base and an inside surface of the perimeter; and

the gasket is disposed between at least a portion of the inside surface of the perimeter of the interior and at least a portion of the outside surface of the rib disposed on the screen protector when the screen protector is restrained in the engaged configuration with the base.

9. The case according to claim 8, wherein the gasket is resiliently deformable and configured to form an at least substantially watertight seal between the base and the screen protector.

10. The case according to claim 8, wherein the rib defines a groove configured to retain the gasket on the perimeter of the screen protector.

13. A case for a mobile communication device, the case comprising:

a base defining an interior, the base defining a first surface and being configured to receive at least a portion of the mobile communication device in the interior;

a screen protector configured to releasably engage the base, the screen protector defining a first surface of the screen protector;

a gasket releasably engageable to the screen protector, the screen protector configured to retain the gasket between the first surface of the base and the first surface of the screen protector;

a cover releasably engageable with the base, the cover being configured to releasably restrain the screen protector when engaged with the base, the cover defining an opening through which at least a portion of the screen protector is accessible;

the base includes sidewalls defining a perimeter of the base;

the screen protector includes a rib, the rib being disposed on the first surface of the screen protector, the rib defining at least a portion of a perimeter of the screen protector, the rib having a length; and

the rib includes a tension segment disposed on at least a portion of a length of the rib, the tension segment being resiliently deformable and configured to space the mobile communication device at least a distance from a portion of at least one of the side walls of the base, when the case is in the engaged configuration.

14. A case for a mobile communication device, the case comprising:

a base defining an interior, the base defining a first surface and being configured to receive a portion of the mobile communication device in the interior, the base including sidewalls defining a perimeter of the base, the base including a plurality of first mating elements disposed on the perimeter of the base;

a screen protector configured to releasably engage the base, the screen protector defining a first surface of the screen protector, the screen protector including a plurality of second mating elements, at least one of the plurality of second mating elements being configured to connect to a corresponding at least one of the plurality of first mating elements;

a gasket releasably engageable to the screen protector, the screen protector configured to retain the gasket between the first surface of the base and the first surface of the screen protector;

a cover releasably engageable with the base, the cover being configured to releasably restrain the screen protector when engaged with the base, the cover defining an opening through which at least a portion of the screen protector is accessible.

15. The case according to claim 14, wherein:

the perimeter of the base defines an inside surface; and

the first surface of the screen protector includes a rib, the rib defining at least a portion of a perimeter of the screen protector, the rib including an outside surface, the gasket being disposed between at least a portion of the inside surface of the perimeter of the interior and at least a portion of the outside surface of the rib disposed on the screen protector when engaged with the base.

16. The case according to claim 15, wherein the plurality of first mating elements and the plurality of second mating elements are configured to compress the gasket between the inside surface of the perimeter of the interior and at least a portion of the outside surface of the rib to form an at least substantially watertight seal therebetween.

17. The case according to claim 16, wherein:

the perimeter of the base defines a side;

each of the plurality of first mating elements define a slotted opening configured to extend a first distance into the side of the perimeter;

the screen protector including a side; and

each of the plurality of second mating elements include a protuberance extending a second distance from the side of the screen protector.

18. The case according to claim 16, wherein:

the at least one of the plurality of second mating elements is configured to engage the corresponding at least one of the plurality of first mating elements over a distance with an increasing amount of force;

a level of compression of the gasket between the at least the portion of the inside surface of the perimeter of the interior and the at least the portion of the outside surface of the rib is based on the distance of engagement between the at least one of the plurality of second mating elements and the corresponding at least one of the plurality of first mating elements; and

the plurality of first mating elements and the plurality of second mating elements are configured to vary compression of the gasket between the at least the portion of the inside surface of the perimeter of the interior and the at least the portion of the outside surface of the rib based on an extent of the distance.

19. A case for a mobile communication device, the case comprising:

a base defining an interior, the base being configured to receive at least a portion of the mobile communication device in the interior, the base including sidewalls, the sidewalls defining a perimeter of the base and a first surface of the base, the perimeter having an outside portion, the base including a plurality of first mating elements disposed on the outside portion of the perimeter of the base, each of the plurality of first mating elements including a slotted opening configured to extend a first distance into a side of the side of the base;

a screen protector configured to releasably engage the base, the screen protector defining a first surface of the screen protector, the screen protector including a plurality of second mating elements, at least one of the plurality of second mating elements being configured to connect to a corresponding at least one of the plurality of first mating elements over a distance, each of the plurality of second mating elements including a protuberance extending a second distance from a side of the screen protector, the screen protector including a rib disposed on the first surface, the rib defining at least a portion of a perimeter of the screen protector;

a gasket releasably engageable to the screen protector, the screen protector configured to retain the gasket between the first surface of the base and the first surface of the screen protector, the rib being configured to retain the gasket on the perimeter of the screen protector;

a cover releasably engageable with the base, the cover being configured to restrain the screen protector in an engaged configuration with the base, the gasket being disposed between at least a portion of an inside surface of the perimeter of the interior and at least a portion of an outside surface of the rib when the screen protector is retained in the engaged configuration with the base, a level of compression of the gasket between the at least the portion of the inside surface of the perimeter of the interior and the at least the portion of the outside surface of the rib being based on the extent of engagement between the at least one of the plurality of second mating elements and the corresponding at least one of the plurality of first mating elements.