Earbud charging case for mobile device

• US 9,723,390 B2
• Filed: 10/09/2014
• Issued: 08/01/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 02/21/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Alpha Audiotronics, Inc. (Panacos Pharmaceuticals, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Alpha Audiotronics, Inc. (Panacos Pharmaceuticals, Inc.)
• Inventors: Shaffer, Jonathan Everett
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, TUAN DUC
• Application Number:
  US14/510,531
• Publication Number:
  US 20150245125A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,027 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6058 involving the use of a headset accessory device connected to the portable telephone
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/02 Casings; Cabinets ; Supports therefor; Mountings therein H04R1/28 takes precedence ; attachments for microphones H04R1/08; mounting of transducers in earpieces H04R1/1075
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1016 Earpieces of the intra-aural type
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1025 Accumulators or arrangements for charging secondary cells per se H01M10/00; charging in general H02J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2420/07 Applications of wireless loudspeakers or wireless microphones

Abstract

A case for a mobile device includes portion having a port configured to receive a power cord input, an aperture configured to receive an earbud, an electrical contact configured to engage a charging contact of the earbud, an electrical connection configured to engage the port with a power input port of the mobile device, and an electrical connection configured to engage the port with the electrical contact of the earbud.

Claims

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

a housing;

one or more earbud receiving apertures, wherein each earbud receiving aperture comprises one or more electrical contacts configured to transfer an electrical charge to an earbud when the earbud is positioned within the aperture;

a port configured to receive a power input;

a charging circuit configured to engage the port with the one or more electrical contacts; and

one or more electrical components configured to provide a conductive connection from the port to a power input port of a mobile electronic device that is in contact with the housing;

wherein the charging circuit and the one or more electrical components together enable a simultaneous charge of the one or more earbuds when placed in the one or more apertures and of the mobile electronic device when placed in the housing.

2. The case of claim 1, wherein the housing comprises a panel that substantially covers a rear face of the mobile device when the mobile electronic device is placed in the housing.

3. The case of claim 1, wherein the housing comprises a bumper, a front aperture for a display face of the mobile device, and a rear aperture for a rear face of the mobile device.

4. The case of claim 1, wherein each earbud receiving aperture comprises a magnetic ring positioned to engage and secure the earbud when the earbud is positioned within the aperture.

5. The case of claim 1, wherein the one or more electrical contacts in each aperture comprise a magnet that secures the earbud to the aperture when the earbud is positioned within the aperture.

6. The case of claim 1, further comprising a charging device.

7. The case of claim 6, wherein the charging device comprises a charging cable, wherein the charging cable is configured to connect to the port and to plug into a power source.

8. The case of claim 1, wherein the charging device comprises a data cable, wherein the data cable is configured to connect to the port and to plug into a computing device and convey charge and data to the case from the computing device.

9. The case of claim 1 further comprising:

a first magnet positioned to magnetically retain a first earbud in a first one of the earbud retaining apertures; and

a second magnet positioned to magnetically retain a second earbud in a second one of the earbud retaining apertures.

10. A case for a mobile electronic device, the case comprising:

a base portion having a port configured to receive a power cord input;

an aperture configured to receive an earbud, the aperture comprising a first electrical contact configured to engage a corresponding charging contact of the earbud;

a first electrical connection configured to engage the port with a power input port of a mobile electronic device; and

a charging circuit configured to engage the port with the first electrical contact;

wherein the first electrical connection and the charging circuit together enable a simultaneous charge of the earbud when placed in the aperture and of the mobile electronic device when placed in the case.

11. The case of claim 10, further comprising a magnet positioned to magnetically retain the earbud in the aperture.

12. The case of claim 11, wherein the earbud includes an earbud magnet that, together with the magnet of the aperture, retains the earbud in the aperture via magnetic attraction.

13. The case of claim 12, wherein the earbud magnet is a magnet of a speaker in the earbud.

14. The case of claim 10, further comprising:

one or more additional apertures, each of which is configured to receive an additional earbud, each additional aperture comprising;

an additional contact configured to engage a corresponding charging contact of one of the additional earbuds, and

an additional magnet positioned to magnetically retain the corresponding additional earbud; and

for each of the additional apertures, an additional electrical connection configured to engage the port with the additional contact of the additional aperture.

15. The case of claim 10, wherein the case comprises a rear panel that substantially covers a rear face of the mobile electronic device when the mobile electronic device is placed in the case.

16. The case of claim 10, wherein the base portion is part of a housing that comprises a plurality of sidewalls that form a front aperture for a display face of the mobile electronic device, and a rear aperture for a rear face of the mobile electronic device, and the housing comprises a bumper that is positioned at a lower end of the rear aperture.

17. A kit for protecting a mobile electronic device and charging one or more wireless earbuds, the kit comprising:

an earbud having a charging contact; and

a case for a mobile electronic device, the case comprising;

a jack configured to receive a power cord input,

a panel having an apertures configured to receive the earbud,

an electrical contact positioned in the aperture and configured to engage the charging contact of the earbud,

a magnet positioned to magnetically retain the earbud in the aperture,

an electrical connection configured to engage the jack with a power input port of the mobile device when placed in the case, and

a charging circuit configured to engage the jack with the electrical contact,

wherein the electrical connection and the charging circuit together enable a simultaneous charge of the earbud when placed in the aperture and of the mobile electronic device when placed in the case.

18. The kit of claim 17, further comprising:

a second earbud having a charging contact;

a second aperture in the panel, wherein the second aperture is configured to receive the second earbud;

a second electrical contact positioned in the second aperture and configured to engage the charging contact of the second earbud; and

a second magnet positioned to magnetically retain the second earbud in the second aperture.

19. The kit of claim 17, further comprising:

an earbud magnet in the earbud;

wherein;

magnetic attraction between the magnet of the aperture and the earbud magnet substantially maintains the earbud in the aperture.

20. The kit of claim 19 wherein the each earbud magnet is a component of a speaker in a corresponding earbud.