Metallic protective case for electronic device

• US 9,264,090 B2
• Filed: 01/06/2015
• Issued: 02/16/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 01/07/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Otter Products LLC
• Original Assignee: Otter Products LLC
• Inventors: Johnson, Jamie L., Gaylord, Aaron M., Pettit, Julie T., Fitzgerald, John P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pham, Tuan
• Application Number:
  US14/590,948
• Publication Number:
  US 20150194997A1
• Time in Patent Office: 406 Days
• Field of Search: 455/63.1, 455/501, 455/575.1, 455/575.3, 455/575.4, 455/575.8, 455/90.3
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 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: H04B 2001/3894 Waterproofing of transmission device
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0206 Portable telephones comprising a plurality of mechanically joined movable body parts, e.g. hinged housings
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0216 Foldable in one direction, i.e. using a one degree of freedom hinge
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/185 Improving the rigidity of the casing or resistance to shocks

Abstract

A metallic protective case for an electronic device having an antenna structure includes a first metallic case element and a second metallic case element. The first metallic case element includes at least two metallic case portions joined to each other by a first set of electrical insulators and also includes a lip. The second metallic case element is hingedly attached to the first metallic case element to form a hinged enclosure having an open position and a closed position. The hinged enclosure is adapted to receive the electronic device when in the open position and at least partially enclose the electronic device when in the closed position. The second metallic case element includes at least two metallic case portions joined to each other by a second set of electrical insulators, a first latch portion, and a second latch portion.

Claims

1. A metallic protective case for an electronic device having an antenna structure, the metallic protective case comprising:

a first metallic case element including at least two metallic portions joined to each other by a first set of electrical insulator segments, the first metallic case element further including a lip; and

a second metallic case element hingedly attached to the first metallic case element to form a hinged enclosure having an open position and a closed position, the hinged enclosure adapted to receive the electronic device when in the open position and at least partially enclose the electronic device when in the closed position, the second metallic case element including;

at least two metallic case portions joined to each other by a second set of electrical insulator segments;

a first latch portion; and

a second latch portion attached to the first latch portion by a first spring bar, the second latch portion attached to the second metallic case portion by a second spring bar, the first latch portion adapted to engage the lip of the first metallic case portion to secure the hinged enclosure in the closed position.

2. The metallic protective case of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and the second set of electrical insulator segments comprise a dielectric material that electrically isolates the associated metallic portions.

3. The metallic protective case of claim 2, wherein the dielectric material comprises a polymer, porcelain, air, or glass.

4. The metallic protective case of claim 2, wherein the dielectric material comprises an organic polymer.

5. The metallic protective case of claim 4 wherein the organic polymer comprises polyether ether ketone (PEEK).

6. The metallic protective case of claim 1 wherein the at least two metallic case portions of the first metallic case element include a first top portion, a first right side portion, a first bottom portion, and a first left side portion attached to each other by the first electrical insulator segments and defining a first cavity, the first metallic case portion further including a first cushion layer overmolded on two or more of the portions defining the first cavity.

7. The metallic protective case of claim 6, further comprising one or more cushioning ribs extending from the first cushion layer proximate a corner of the first cavity, the one or more cushioning ribs adapted to flex during an impact event to reduce transmission of force from the impact event to the electronic device when in the metallic protective case.

8. The metallic protective case of claim 1 wherein the at least two metallic case portions of the second metallic case element include a second top portion, a second right side portion, a second bottom portion, and a second left side portion attached to each other by the second set of electrical insulator segments and defining a second cavity, the second metallic case portion further including a second cushion layer overmolded on two or more of the portions defining the second cavity.

9. The metallic protective case of claim 8, further comprising one or more cushioning ribs extending from the second cushion layer proximate a corner of the second cavity, the one or more cushioning ribs adapted to flex during an impact event to reduce transmission of force from the impact event to the electronic device when in the metallic protective case.

10. The metallic protective case of claim 8, further comprising a button actuator captured between an inner surface of the second top portion and the second cushion layer, wherein the second top portion includes an opening through which a portion of the button actuator extends beyond an outer surface of the second top portion to enable a user to operate a button of the electronic device using the button actuator.

11. The metallic protective case of claim 1 wherein the first metallic case portion includes an aperture through which an interactive control panel of the electronic device may be accessed by a user when the hinged enclosure is in the closed position.

12. The metallic protective case of claim 11 wherein the aperture is at least partially covered by a sheet of glass through which the interactive control panel of the electronic device may be accessed by the user.

13. The metallic protective case of claim 12 wherein the interactive control panel includes a capacitive touchscreen and the sheet of glass is sufficiently thin to permit the user to operate the capacitive touchscreen through the sheet of glass.

14. A metallic cover for an electronic device having an antenna and an interactive touchscreen, the metallic cover comprising:

a first metallic case member having a first latching feature and an aperture for accessing the interactive touchscreen of the electronic device when the electronic device is installed in the metallic cover;

a second metallic case member comprising at least two metallic case portions, the second metallic case member hingedly attached to the first metallic case member to form a hinged enclosure, the hinged enclosure adapted to receive the electronic device when the hinged enclosure is in an open position and at least partially enclose the electronic device when the hinged enclosure is in the closed position, the second metallic case member including a second latching feature adapted to engage first latching feature of the first metallic case member to secure the hinged enclosure in the closed position; and

one or more dielectric elements joining the at least two metallic case portions of the second metallic case member, the dielectric elements adapted to electrically isolate the at least two metallic case portions to reduce electromagnetic interference between the metallic cover and the antenna of the electronic device.

15. The metallic cover of claim 14, the first metallic case member having a first cavity adapted to receive a front portion of the electronic device, the first metallic case element comprising a first cushion layer overmolded on two or more of the portions defining the first cavity, the first cushion layer having a thickness of about 0.005-0.1, 0.005-0.08, 0.01-0.05, 0.02-0.04, or 0.01-0.03 inches.

16. The metallic cover of claim 14, the second metallic case member having a second cavity adapted to receive a rear portion of the electronic device, the second cushion layer having a thickness of about 0.005-0.1, 0.005-0.08, 0.01-0.05, 0.02-0.04, or 0.01-0.03 inches.

17. The metallic cover of claim 14 wherein the first metallic case member includes a strengthened glass sheet covering the aperture through which a user can operate the interactive touchscreen of the electronic device.

18. The metallic cover of claim 17 further comprising a gasket that seals between the first metallic case member and the second metallic case member such that the hinged enclosure forms a waterproof cavity for the electronic device when the hinged enclosure is in the closed position.

19. The metallic cover of claim 14, wherein the one or more dielectric elements comprise a polymer, porcelain, or glass.