Battery pack and holster for mobile devices

• US 9,748,535 B2
• Filed: 12/12/2014
• Issued: 08/29/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 01/18/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mophie Incorporated (Evercel, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Mophie Incorporated (Evercel, Inc.)
• Inventors: Huang, Daniel, Brand, Matthew
• Primary Examiner(s): Williams, Arun
• Assistant Examiner(s): PIGGUSH, AARON C
• Application Number:
  US14/569,229
• Publication Number:
  US 20150140386A1
• Time in Patent Office: 991 Days
• Field of Search: 320103, 320107, 320114, 320115
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/382 Arrangements for monitoring battery or accumulator variables, e.g. SoC
• 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 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/46 Accumulators structurally combined with charging apparatus circuits for charging H02J7/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/488 Cells or batteries combined with indicating means for external visualization of the condition, e.g. by change of colour or of light density
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2220/30 Batteries in portable systems, e.g. mobile phone, laptop
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/202 Casings or frames around the primary casing of a single cell or a single battery
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/247 specially adapted for portable devices, e.g. mobile phones, computers, hand tools or pacemakers
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00 Circuit arrangements for charging or depolarising batteries or for supplying loads from batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0042 characterised by the mechanical construction
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0044 specially adapted for holding portable devices containing batteries H02J7/0045 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0045 concerning the insertion or the connection of the batteries
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0048 Detection of remaining charge capacity or state of charge [SOC]
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3883 Arrangements for mounting batteries or battery chargers
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3888 Arrangements for carrying or protecting transceivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0254 comprising one or a plurality of mechanically detachable modules
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0262 for a battery compartment
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0283 for providing a decorative aspect, e.g. customization of casings, exchangeable faceplate
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49108 Electric battery cell making

Abstract

Embodiments of this disclosure relate to battery packs and/or holsters and, more particular, to an external battery pack and/or holster for mobile electronic devices.

Claims

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

a battery;

a back wall configured to be positioned against at least a portion of a back side of a mobile electronic device;

an external interface configured to recharge the battery;

a bottom case portion comprising;

a bottom wall configured to be positioned adjacent to at least a portion of a bottom of a mobile electronic device; and

a device interface configured to engage a corresponding interface on the mobile electronic device, wherein the battery is coupled to the device interface so that electrical power may be provided to the mobile electronic device through the device interface;

an upper case portion comprising an upper wall configured to be positioned adjacent to at least a portion of a top of the mobile electronic device;

guides configured to enable the bottom case portion and the upper case portion to slide apart to an open configuration and to slide together to a closed configuration, wherein the device interface is configured to be attached to the corresponding interface on the mobile electronic device when the battery case is in the closed configuration with the mobile electronic device in the battery case, wherein the open configuration provides sufficient space for the mobile electronic device to detach from the device interface for removal of the mobile electronic device from the battery case, wherein the open configuration provides sufficient space for insertion of the mobile electronic device into the battery case, wherein the sufficient space for removal or insertion of the mobile electronic device is created by the upper case portion sliding away from the bottom case portion, and wherein the upper case portion does not rotate relative to the bottom case portion; and

a stopper configured to prevent the upper case portion from completely separating from the bottom case portion once a separation limit is reached.

2. The battery case of claim 1, wherein the device interface is configured to permit transfer of data to or from the mobile electronic device, and wherein the external interface is configured to enable the mobile electronic device to communicate with an external device.

3. The battery case of claim 1, wherein the device interface extends upward from the bottom wall.

4. The battery case of claim 1, comprising a front opening configured such that a display of the mobile electronic device is visible through the front opening.

5. The battery case of claim 1, wherein the battery is housed within a thickness of the back wall.

6. The battery case of claim 1, further comprising a charge indicator configured to indicate the charge status of the battery.

7. The battery case of claim 6, wherein the charge indicator is disposed on a back side of the battery case.

8. The battery case of claim 1, wherein the external interface comprises a USB port.

9. The battery case of claim 1, wherein the battery case is configured to receive a mobile phone.

10. The battery case of claim 9, wherein the battery case is shaped to conform to the external shape of the mobile phone without significantly affecting the usability of the mobile phone.

11. The battery case of claim 1, wherein the bottom case portion comprises a bottom portion of a right side wall configured to be positioned adjacent to a lower portion of a right side of the mobile electronic device, wherein the bottom case portion comprises a bottom portion of a left side wall configured to be positioned adjacent to a lower portion of a left side of the mobile electronic device, wherein the upper case portion comprises an upper right side wall configured to be positioned adjacent to an upper portion of a right side of the mobile electronic device, and wherein the upper case portion comprises an upper left side wall configured to be positioned adjacent to an upper portion of a left side of the mobile electronic device.

12. The battery case of claim 1, further comprising:

a right side wall configured to extend adjacent to at least a portion of a right side of the mobile electronic device; and

a left side wall configured to extend adjacent to at least a portion of a left side of the mobile electronic device;

wherein the bottom wall, the upper wall, the right side wall, and the left side wall together cover at least a majority of a perimeter of the mobile electronic device formed by the bottom, the top, the right side, and the left side of the mobile electronic device.

13. The battery case of claim 1, wherein the bottom case portion and the upper case portion slide apart along a single linear direction to provide the sufficient space for removal or insertion of the mobile electronic device.

14. A battery case for use with a mobile electronic device, the battery case comprising:

a back wall configured to extend adjacent to at least a portion of a back side of a mobile electronic device;

a battery;

a bottom wall configured to extend adjacent to at least a portion of a bottom of the mobile electronic device;

an upper wall configured to extend adjacent to at least a portion of a top of the mobile electronic device;

a right side wall configured to extend adjacent to at least a portion of a right side of the mobile electronic device;

a left side wall configured to extend adjacent to at least a portion of a left side of the mobile electronic device;

a front opening configured such that a display of the mobile electronic device is visible through the front opening;

a device interface extending from the bottom wall towards the upper wall and configured to engage a corresponding interface on the mobile electronic device, wherein the battery is coupled to the device interface to provide electrical power to the mobile electronic device through the device interface;

an external interface configured to recharge the battery;

a movable portion that includes the device interface and is configured to slide apart from the upper wall along a single linear direction to provide sufficient space between the device interface and the upper wall for the mobile electronic device to detach from the device interface for removal of the mobile electronic device from the battery case and to provide sufficient space for insertion of the mobile electronic device into the battery case, wherein the sufficient space for removal or insertion of the mobile electronic device is created by the movable portion sliding away from the upper wall in the single linear direction; and

a stopper configured to prevent the movable portion from completely separating from a remainder of the battery case once a separation limit is reached;

wherein the bottom wall, the upper wall, the right side wall, and the left side wall together cover at least a majority of a perimeter of the mobile electronic device formed by the bottom, the top, the right side, and the left side of the mobile electronic device.

15. The battery case of claim 14, wherein the battery is housed within a thickness of the back wall.

16. The battery case of claim 14, wherein the device interface is configured to permit transfer of data to or from the mobile electronic device, and wherein the external interface is configured to enable the mobile electronic device to communicate with an external device.

17. The battery case of claim 14, comprising guides configured to enable the movable portion to slide away from the upper wall.

18. The battery case of claim 14, further comprising a charge indicator configured to indicate the charge status of the battery.

19. The battery case of claim 18, wherein the charge indicator is disposed on a back side of the back wall.

20. The battery case of claim 14, wherein the external interface comprises a USB port.

21. The battery case of claim 14, wherein the battery case is configured to receive a mobile phone.

22. The battery case of claim 21, wherein the battery case is shaped to conform to the external shape of the mobile phone without significantly affecting the usability of the mobile phone.

23. The battery case of claim 14, comprising an upper case portion that includes the upper wall and a bottom case portion that includes the bottom wall, wherein the upper case portion does not rotate relative to the bottom case portion.