Waterproof casing with exposed display surface

• US 9,614,569 B2
• Filed: 04/05/2016
• Issued: 04/04/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: WIMO Labs LLC
• Original Assignee: WIMO Labs LLC
• Inventors: Alsberg, Keith, Paulsen, Gary H., Wilson, Scott H., Puhalla, Dennis M.
• Primary Examiner(s): REGO, DOMINIC E
• Application Number:
  US15/091,104
• Publication Number:
  US 20160254836A1
• Time in Patent Office: 364 Days
• Field of Search: 455347-349, 4555501, 4555751, 4555754, 4555758, 455 903, 361616, 361667, 361724-727, 361747, 361769, 429 97, 429100, 439500
• 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 13/008 for making water- or air-tight
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 2011/002 for portable handheld communication devices, e.g. mobile phone, pager, beeper, PDA, smart phone
• CPC Class Codes: A45F 2005/006 comprising a suspension strap or lanyard
• CPC Class Codes: A45F 2005/008 Hand articles fastened to the wrist or to the arm or to the leg
• CPC Class Codes: A45F 2200/0516 Portable handheld communication devices, e.g. mobile phone, pager, beeper, PDA, smart phone
• CPC Class Codes: A45F 5/00 Holders or carriers for hand articles; Holders or carriers for use while travelling or camping
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1626 with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
• 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 1/0274 for an electrical connector module
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/18 Telephone sets specially adapted for use in ships, mines, or other places exposed to adverse environment H04M1/19 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/185 Improving the rigidity of the casing or resistance to shocks
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/0013 assembled by resilient members

Abstract

A protective case for housing a mobile device is provided. The protective case comprises a top shell that seals against a top surface of a device and a bottom shell that cradles the bottom of the device. The top shell provides a downward extension along its perimeter that fits within a trench or pocket formed around at least a portion of the perimeter of the bottom shell. An underside of the top shell includes a permanently chemically bonded compressible and waterproof film layer. The waterproof film layer is configured to seal directly against the top surface of the mobile device.

Claims

1. A case for a generally rectangular mobile device having a top surface including a touch-screen display, a bottom surface, and first and second side surfaces, the case comprising:

a top shell forming a perimeter around the touch screen display of the mobile device and comprising a first side wall extending toward the bottom surface of the mobile device along the first side surface of the mobile device, and a second side wall extending toward the bottom surface of the mobile device along the second side surface of the mobile device, each of the first and second side walls comprising a downward extension and an outward protrusion, each outward protrusion forming a rail that extends along at least a portion of its respective side wall;

a bottom shell forming a cradle for the bottom surface of the mobile device and comprising a first upstanding perimeter wall along at least a portion of the first side surface of the mobile device and a second upstanding perimeter wall along at least a portion of the second side surface of the mobile device, each of the first and second upstanding perimeter walls defining a trench for receiving at least a portion of one of the downward extensions; and

a compressible and waterproof film layer comprising;

a top surface permanently chemically bonded to an underside of the top shell;

a bottom surface configured to releasably and non-permanently adhere to the top surface of the mobile device; and

a cutout directly covered, on one side, by a water-proof sensor film fused to the top shell via an adhesive ring.

2. The case of claim 1, wherein the film layer is a curable adhesive, the top surface of the film layer is cured to the underside of the top shell, and the bottom surface of the film layer is configured to cohere, but not chemically bond, to the top surface of the mobile device.

3. The case of claim 2, wherein the film layer is continuous and configured to surround a perimeter of the generally rectangular mobile device.

4. The case of claim 1, wherein the bottom shell includes a bottom shell water-proof seal located in the trench, and the top shell includes an extension in direct compressive contact with the water-proof seal, the water-proof seal being continuous and extending around a perimeter of the bottom shell.

5. The case of claim 1 including a backing element at least partially encompassing the bottom shell and having backing element side walls that extend substantially parallel to the first and second side surfaces of the mobile device, beyond the first and second perimeter walls of the bottom shell, and around the rails formed by the outward protrusions of the top shell in order to hold the top shell and bottom shell together around the mobile device;

wherein the backing element includes an upper backing element and a lower backing element, the upper backing element configured to slide along the rails of the top shell, and the lower backing element configured to slide along the rails of the top shell, such that the lower backing element and the upper backing element join together along a parting line of the mobile device.

6. The case of claim 5 including a lock assembly partially disposed in each of the lower backing element and the upper backing element for use in drawing the lower backing element and the upper backing element together around the top shell and the bottom shell;

wherein the lock assembly comprises a lock wheel disposed in the upper backing element, and a catch receptacle disposed in the lower backing element, and wherein the lock wheel is configured to rotate a catch connected to the upper backing element into the catch receptacle such that rotation of the lock wheel pulls the upper backing element and the lower backing element together.

7. The case of claim 6, wherein the film layer is polyurethane.

8. A case for a generally rectangular mobile device having a top surface including a touch-screen display, a bottom surface, and first and second side surfaces, the case comprising:

a top shell forming a perimeter around the touch screen display of the mobile device and comprising a first side wall extending toward the bottom surface of the mobile device along the first side surface of the mobile device, and a second side wall extending toward the bottom surface of the mobile device along the second side surface of the mobile device, each of the first and second side walls comprising a downward extension and an outward protrusion, each outward protrusion forming a rail that extends along at least a portion of its respective side wall;

a bottom shell forming a cradle for the bottom surface of the mobile device and comprising a first upstanding perimeter wall along at least a portion of the first side surface of the mobile device and a second upstanding perimeter wall along at least a portion of the second side surface of the mobile device, each of the first and second upstanding perimeter walls defining a trench for receiving at least a portion of one of the downward extensions; and

a compressible and waterproof film layer comprising a top surface permanently chemically bonded to an underside of the top shell;

wherein a bottom surface of the film layer directly and releasably adheres to the top surface of the mobile device; and

wherein the film layer is configured to stick to the top surface of the mobile device but not leave residue upon release from the top surface of the mobile device.

9. The case of claim 8, wherein the top surface of the generally rectangular mobile device includes side bezels on opposing sides of the touch-screen display, and, for portions of the film layer running along the side bezels, a width of the bottom surface of the film layer is substantially equal to a width of the top surface of the film layer.

10. The case of claim 9, wherein the film layer includes polyurethane, and the film layer forms a water-tight seal around the perimeter of the touch-screen display that prevents water from infiltrating past the touch-screen display to the first and second side surfaces of the mobile device.

11. The case of claim 8 including backing elements slideably secured to the top and bottom shells, wherein the backing elements compress the film layer against the top surface of the mobile device and thereby substantially increase a width of the film layer compared with the width of the film layer in a free and uncompressed state.

12. The case of claim 8, wherein the film layer is laterally offset from an inner edge of the top shell, and a perpendicular distance between a first reference plane including the bottom surface of the film layer and a second reference plane including a flat, upward facing surface of the bottom shell is 7.1 mm.

13. A method of assembling a case for a generally rectangular mobile device having a front surface with a back surface, a top surface including a touch-screen display, a bottom surface, and first and second side surfaces, the method comprising:

providing a top shell forming a perimeter around the touch screen display of the mobile device and comprising a first side wall extending toward the bottom surface of the mobile device along the first side surface of the mobile device, and a second side wall extending toward the bottom surface of the mobile device along the second side surface of the mobile device, each of the first and second side walls comprising a downward extension and an outward protrusion, each outward protrusion forming a rail that extends along at least a portion of its respective side wall;

chemically bonding a compressible and waterproof film layer to an underside of the top shell; and

attaching, to the top shell, a bottom shell forming a cradle for the bottom surface of the mobile device and comprising a first upstanding perimeter wall along at least a portion of the first side surface of the mobile device and a second upstanding perimeter wall along at least a portion of the second side surface of the mobile device, each of the first and second upstanding perimeter walls defining a trench for receiving at least a portion of one of the downward extensions;

wherein the film layer includes a top surface and a bottom surface, the method including chemically bonding, via curing, the top surface to the underside of the top shell.

14. The method of claim 13 including curing the bottom surface of the film layer when the bottom surface of the film layer is only exposed to ambient atmosphere.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the film layer is polyurethane.

16. The method of claim 13, further including securing, between the top shell and the bottom shell, a generally rectangular mobile device such that:

a top surface of the mobile device directly contacts the bottom surface of the film layer, and

a perpendicular distance between a first reference plane including the bottom surface of the film layer and a second reference plane including a flat, upward facing surface of the bottom shell is 7.1 mm.