Protective cover with battery

• US 9,450,634 B2
• Filed: 03/04/2016
• Issued: 09/20/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Treefrog Developments Incorporated (Otter Products LLC)
• Original Assignee: Treefrog Developments Incorporated (Otter Products LLC)
• Inventors: Rayner, Gary A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ngo, Brian
• Application Number:
  US15/061,553
• Publication Number:
  US 20160191101A1
• Time in Patent Office: 200 Days
• Field of Search: 320/108, 320/112, 361/701, 361/723, 361/724
• 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: A45C 2011/003 for portable computing devices, e.g. laptop, tablet, netbook, game boy, navigation system, calculator
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/041 Allowing quick release of the apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/105 the horizontal axis being the roll axis, e.g. for creating a landscape-portrait rotation
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/14 with ball-joint ball-jointed hinges F16C11/06 ; adjustable mountings employing universal joints for lighting devices F21V21/26 - F21V21/30
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/2057 for tilting and rolling F16M11/2078 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 13/00 Other supports for positioning apparatus or articles heads thereof F16M11/02 ; undercarriages thereof F16M11/20 ; adapted to be stuck in the ground A45F3/44 ; sockets or holders for poles or posts E04H12/22; Means for steadying hand-held apparatus or articles supports for measuring instruments G01D11/30; supports for casings of remote control switching devices H01H9/025
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 13/022 repositionable
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 13/04 for supporting on, or holding steady relative to, a person, e.g. by chains , e.g. rifle butt or pistol grip supports, supports attached to the chest or head apparatus or arrangements for taking photographs or for projecting or viewing them G03B
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1626 with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/163 Wearable computers, e.g. on a belt
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1635 Details related to the integration of battery packs and other power supplies such as fuel cells or integrated AC adapter
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1637 Details related to the display arrangement, including those related to the mounting of the display in the housing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/182 with special features, e.g. for use in industrial environments; grounding or shielding against radio frequency interference [RFI] or electromagnetical interference [EMI]
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/90 involving detection or optimisation of position, e.g. alignment
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00 Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/385 Transceivers carried on the body, e.g. in helmets
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3877 : Arrangements for enabling portable transceivers to be used in a fixed position, e.g. cradles or boosters
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3888 : Arrangements for carrying or protecting transceivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2001/3855 : carried in a belt or harness
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2001/3894 : Waterproofing of transmission device
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0264 : for a camera module assembly
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/04 : Supports for telephone transmitters or receivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/55 : Optical parts specially adapted for electronic image sensors; Mounting thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/57 : Mechanical or electrical details of cameras or camera modules specially adapted for being embedded in other devices
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/0013 : assembled by resilient members
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/0086 : portable, e.g. battery operated apparatus casings for switching devices H01H9/02
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/061 : sealed by a gasket held between a removable cover and a body, e.g. O-ring, packing

Abstract

An apparatus for housing an electronic device having a touchscreen and control features includes a top member and a bottom member. The top member includes a frame having a wall that extends to a ridge. The frame includes an opening overlaid with a flexible member to form a sealed button feature. The bottom member includes a rechargeable battery positioned between a front surface and a back surface. The rechargeable battery provides electrical power to the installed electronic device. The bottom member further includes a perimeter including a channel bounded by two walls. The channel receives the ridge of the top member. The channel includes a clasping mechanism for removably clasping the bottom member to the ridge of the frame of the top member. The channel also includes a gasket for sealing against the ridge of the frame of the top member to seal the bottom member with the top member.

Claims

1. An apparatus for housing an electronic device having a touchscreen and one or more control features, the apparatus comprising:

a top member comprising a frame that corresponds to an outer perimeter of the electronic device, the frame having a wall extending to a ridge, the frame including a first opening, the first opening overlaid with a flexible member to form a sealed button feature, the sealed button feature positioned to engage at least one of the one or more control features of the electronic device when the electronic device is installed in the apparatus; and

a bottom member comprising a front surface and a back surface with a rechargeable battery positioned between the front surface and the back surface, the rechargeable battery for providing electrical power to the installed electronic device, the bottom member further comprising a perimeter that includes a channel bounded by two walls, the channel configured for receiving the ridge of the frame of the top member, the channel including a clasping mechanism for removably clasping the bottom member to the ridge of the frame of the top member, the channel further including a gasket for sealing against the ridge of the frame of the top member to seal the bottom member with the top member.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the frame further includes a second opening, the second opening overlaid with a sound-passing, water-impermeable material to form a sealed sound port aperture.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a membrane coupled to the frame of the top member, the membrane having a transparent area overlaying at least a portion of the touchscreen of the installed electronic device.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the transparent area of the membrane is sufficiently thin to permit operation of the touchscreen of the installed electronic device through the transparent area of the membrane.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the frame of the top member further includes an interior edge and an exterior edge, the interior edge configured for interfacing with a surface of the touchscreen of the installed electronic device and including a seal for directly contacting and sealing the interior edge of the frame to the surface of the touchscreen of the installed electronic device.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the bottom member further comprises an electrical coil positioned between the front surface and the back surface of the bottom member, the electrical coil electrically connected to the rechargeable battery.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the bottom member further comprises a microprocessor positioned between the front surface and the back surface of the bottom member, the microprocessor operably connected to one or more of the rechargeable battery and the electrical coil.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the bottom member further comprises an internal electrical interface attached to an interior of the bottom member and electrically connected to the rechargeable battery.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the bottom member further comprises an external electrical interface accessible at an exterior of the bottom member and electrically connected to the internal electrical interface.

10. A protective cover for an electronic device having a touchscreen, the protective cover comprising:

a first member comprising a frame that extends around an outer perimeter of the electronic device, the frame having a wall extending to a ridge, the frame including a first opening, the first opening overlaid with a flexible member to form a sealed button feature, the sealed button feature positioned to engage a control feature of the electronic device when the electronic device is installed in the protective cover; and

a second member comprising a front surface and a back surface with a rechargeable battery positioned between the front and back surfaces, the second member further comprising a perimeter that includes a channel, the channel for receiving the ridge of the frame of the first member, the channel including a gasket for sealing against the ridge of the first member to removably seal the second member to the first member.

11. The protective cover of claim 10 wherein the frame further includes a second opening, the second opening overlaid with a sound-passing, water-impermeable material to form a sealed sound port aperture in the protective cover.

12. The protective cover of claim 10 further comprising a membrane coupled to the frame, the membrane having a transparent area overlaying the touchscreen of the installed electronic device.

13. The protective cover of claim 10 wherein the ridge of the frame of the first member includes a first clasping mechanism for engaging a second clasping mechanism included in the channel.

14. The protective cover of claim 10 wherein the frame further includes an interior edge and an exterior edge, the interior edge configured for interfacing with a surface of the touchscreen of the installed electronic device, and comprising a seal for directly contacting and sealing the interior edge of the frame to the surface of the touchscreen of the installed electronic device.

15. The protective cover of claim 10 wherein the second member further comprises an electrical coil positioned between the front and the back surface of the second member, the electrical coil electrically connected to the rechargeable battery.

16. A protective cover for an electronic device having a touchscreen, the protective cover comprising:

a first member having a perimeter that corresponds to an outer perimeter of the electronic device, the first member having a wall proximate the perimeter, the wall extending to a ridge;

a second member comprising a perimeter that includes a channel, the channel for receiving the ridge of the top member, the channel including a gasket for sealing against the ridge of the wall of the first member to removably seal the second member to the first member;

a first opening in one of the first member and the second member, the first opening overlaid with a flexible member to form a sealed button feature, the sealed button feature positioned to interface to a control feature of the electronic device when the electronic device is installed in the protective cover; and

a rechargeable battery positioned in a cavity of one of the first member and the second member, the rechargeable battery for providing electrical power to the installed electronic device through an electrical connector in the one of the first member and the second member that includes the rechargeable battery.

17. The protective cover of claim 16 further comprising a membrane having a transparent area proximate the touchscreen of the installed electronic device.

18. The protective cover of claim 16 further comprising an aperture having an edge proximate the touchscreen of the installed electronic device, the edge having a seal configured for interfacing with a surface of the touchscreen of the installed electronic device to seal the edge to the surface of the touchscreen of the installed electronic device.

19. The protective cover of claim 16 further comprising an external electrical interface have one or more sealing features for preventing water from leaking into the protective cover through the external electrical interface.

20. The protective cover of claim 16 further comprising electrical circuitry for electrically connecting the rechargeable battery to the installed electronic device.

21. The protective cover of claim 16 wherein the channel is bounded by one or more walls and includes a clasping feature for removably attaching the second member to the first member.

22. The protective cover of claim 16 further comprising a second opening, the second opening overlaid with a sound-passing, water-impermeable material forming a sealed sound port aperture in the protective cover.