Sound amplifying cases for electronic devices

• US 9,318,089 B2
• Filed: 07/29/2014
• Issued: 04/19/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 07/29/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fasst Products, LLC
• Original Assignee: Fasst Products, LLC
• Inventors: Chang, Chia-Hsiu
• Primary Examiner(s): Hanidu, Ganiyu A
• Application Number:
  US14/445,738
• Publication Number:
  US 20160035336A1
• Time in Patent Office: 630 Days
• Field of Search: 455/575.1, 455/550.1, 345/158
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G10K 11/08 Non-electric sound-amplifying devices, e.g. non-electric megaphones amplifying by horns G10K11/02; amplifying by focusing G10K11/26
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0202 Portable telephone sets, e.g. cordless phones, mobile phones or bar type handsets constructional features of telephone transmitters or receivers, e.g. of speakers or microphones H04M1/03
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/035 Improving the acoustic characteristics by means of constructional features of the housing, e.g. ribs, walls, resonating chambers or cavities
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/185 Improving the rigidity of the casing or resistance to shocks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/62 Constructional arrangements

Abstract

A sound amplifying case for an electronic device includes a shell that receives and secures the electronic device on a front side of the shell. The shell has a sound channel formed therein which receives sound from the electronic device at an inlet sound port on the shell front side, amplifies the redirected sound, and directs the amplified sound to an outlet sound port on a back side of the shell. The case includes a folding cover attached at one end to the shell back side and extends around one edge of the shell to a free end. With the case in an open configuration, the cover folds between the attached end and the free end forming an acoustic chamber between the cover and the rear side of the shell. The chamber receives the amplified sound from the outlet sound port and further amplifies/redirects it out of the acoustic chamber.

Claims

1. A sound amplifying case for an electronic device secured to the case, the case comprising:

a shell constructed to receive and secure the electronic device on a front side of said shell, said shell having a sound channel formed therein constructed to receive sound from the electronic device at an inlet sound port on said front side of said shell, amplify said redirected sound, and direct said amplified sound to an outlet sound port on a back side of said shell; and

a folding cover attached at one end thereof to said back side of said shell and extending around one edge of said shell to a free end, wherein when said case is in an open configuration said cover is constructed to fold between said attached end and said free end forming an acoustic chamber between said cover and said back side of said shell, and wherein said acoustic chamber receives said amplified sound from said outlet sound port and further amplifies and redirects said received sound out of the acoustic chamber,

wherein the cover includes a front portion and a back portion foldable along a spine between said front portion and said back portion, said front portion configured to conceal said front side of said shell when said case is in a closed configuration and configured to reveal said front side of said shell when said case is in said open configuration, and wherein in said open configuration said shell is retained between said front portion and said back portion at an angle with respect to said front portion,

wherein said sound channel is raised with respect to a surface of said back side of said shell, and

wherein said attached end of said back portion of said cover includes a first part extending from said raised sound channel and includes a second part extending from said surface of said back side of said shell.

2. The case according to claim 1, wherein said cover has at least one groove formed in said front portion, said groove constructed to receive an edge of said shell to retain said shell therein when said case is in said open configuration.

3. The case according to claim 1, wherein said acoustic chamber is constructed to redirect said sound towards said front side of said shell.

4. The case according to claim 1, wherein said shell includes a gasket surrounding said inlet sound port, said gasket constructed to seal around a speaker of the electronic device when the electronic device is secured to said shell.

5. The case according to claim 1, wherein said sound channel has an outer surface that extends around a side of said shell between said front side and said back side.

6. The case according to claim 1, wherein said outlet sound port is elongated in a direction parallel to said surface of said back side of said shell.

7. The case according to claim 6, wherein in said open configuration, said outlet sound port directs sound into said acoustic chamber in a direction toward said front portion of said cover.

8. The case according to claim 1, wherein in said open configuration, said acoustic chamber formed has a generally triangular cross section.

9. The case according to claim 1, wherein said folding cover includes a substantially rigid material encased in a flexible material such that said acoustic chamber is constructed to amplify one or more frequencies of the emitted sound.

10. The case according to claim 1, wherein at least one opening is formed in said cover between said first part and said second part.

11. The case according to claim 10, wherein said opening between said first part and said second part is constructed to emit sound received from said outlet sound port of said shell when said case is in said closed configuration.

12. The case according to claim 11, wherein the opening is formed as a slit.

13. The case according to claim 12, wherein when said case is in said open configuration, said first part extends at a first angle with respect to said surface of said back side of said shell and said second part extends at a second angle with respect to said surface of said back side of said shell, wherein said first angle is less than said second angle.