Protective case for mobile electronic communication device

• US 9,882,596 B2
• Filed: 12/09/2015
• Issued: 01/30/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 08/19/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Case-Mate, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Pelican Products Incorporated (Pelican Products Holdings, Inc.)
• Inventors: Flores, Jesse, Lake, Brendan Hingston, McLean, Daniel, Li, Jiacai
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Tuan A
• Application Number:
  US14/964,352
• Publication Number:
  US 20170054466A1
• Time in Patent Office: 783 Days
• Field of Search: None
• 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 1/1656 Details related to functional adaptations of the enclosure, e.g. to provide protection against EMI, shock, water, or to host detachable peripherals like a mouse or removable expansions units like PCMCIA cards, or to provide access to internal components for maintenance or to removable storage supports like CDs or DVDs, or to mechanically mount accessories mounting of accessories to a computer display G06F1/1607; display hoods G06F1/1603; cooling arrangements for portable computers G06F1/203
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1633 Protecting arrangement for the entire housing of the computer
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3888 Arrangements for carrying or protecting transceivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/04 Supports for telephone transmitters or receivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/185 Improving the rigidity of the casing or resistance to shocks

Abstract

A protective case for a mobile electronic communication device includes a rear cover including a compressible member and a catch, the compressible member and the catch being spaced from each other to form an alcove; and a front cover including a rim configured to extend into the alcove, the rim having an inner surface configured to contact the compressible member and an outer surface opposite the inner surface configured to engage the catch.

Claims

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

a rear cover comprising a compressible member and a catch, the compressible member and the catch being spaced from each other to form an alcove; and

a front cover comprising a rim configured to extend into the alcove, the rim having an inner surface configured to contact the compressible member and an outer surface facing opposite the inner surface configured to engage the catch and couple the rear cover and the front cover together;

wherein the rear cover and the front cover form an interior for containing a mobile electronic communication device when the rear cover and the front cover are coupled together, and wherein the inner surface of the rim faces toward the interior of the protective case when the rear cover and the front cover are coupled together.

2. The protective case of claim 1, wherein the compressible member is made from liquid silicone rubber.

3. The protective case of claim 1, wherein the compressible member is located at least partially between the rim of the front cover and the interior of the protective case when the rear cover and the front cover are coupled together.

4. The protective case of claim 1, wherein the compressible member comprises a projection portion that extends at least partially into the alcove and toward the inner surface of the rim of the front cover when the rear cover and the front cover are coupled together.

5. A protective case for a mobile electronic communication device, the protective case comprising:

a rear cover comprising a compressible member and a catch, the compressible member and the catch being spaced from each other to form an alcove; and

a front cover comprising a rim configured to extend into the alcove, the rim having an inner surface configured to contact the compressible member and an outer surface opposite the inner surface configured to engage the catch;

wherein the compressible member comprises an enlarged portion and a projection portion extending from the enlarged portion and into the alcove.

6. The protective case of claim 5, wherein the inner surface of the rim is configured to compress the projection portion of the compressible member when the rear cover is coupled to the front cover.

7. The protective case of claim 6, wherein the enlarged portion of the compressible member is configured to increase in thickness when the projection portion is compressed by the inner surface of the rim.

8. The protective case of claim 7, further comprising one or more empty spaces above and/or below the compressible member when the front cover is coupled to the rear cover, the empty spaces configured to accommodate the increased thickness of the enlarged portion of the compressible member.

9. A protective case for a mobile electronic communication device, the protective case comprising:

a rear cover comprising a compressible member and a catch, the compressible member and the catch being spaced from each other to form an alcove; and

a front cover comprising a rim configured to extend into the alcove, the rim having an inner surface configured to contact the compressible member and an outer surface opposite the inner surface configured to engage the catch;

wherein;

the rear cover has an inclined surface; and

the compressible member is located on the inclined surface such that the compressible member is directed towards the alcove.

10. A method of manufacturing a protective case for a mobile electronic communication device, the method comprising:

providing a rear cover comprising a compressible member and a catch, the compressible member and the catch being spaced from each other to form an alcove; and

configuring a front cover with a rim that extends into the alcove when the rear cover and the front cover are coupled together, the rim having an inner surface configured to contact the compressible member and an outer surface facing opposite the inner surface, the outer surface of the rim configured to engage the catch and couple the rear cover and the front cover together to form an interior for containing a mobile electronic communication device;

wherein the inner surface of the rim faces toward the interior of the protective case when the rear cover and the front cover are coupled.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the outer surface of the rim has an angular recess.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein a shape of the catch corresponds to the angular recess of the outer surface of the rim for engagement between the catch and the angular recess.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the inner surface of the rim has a flat surface.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the compressible member comprises an enlarged portion and a projection portion extending from the enlarged portion and into the alcove.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the inner surface of the rim is configured to compress the projection portion of the compressible member when the rear cover is coupled to the front cover.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the enlarged portion of the compressible member is configured to increase in thickness when the projection portion is compressed by the inner surface of the rim.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising providing one or more empty spaces above and/or below the compressible member when the front cover is coupled to the rear cover, the empty spaces configured to accommodate the increased thickness of the enlarged portion of the compressible member.

18. The method of claim 10, wherein the compressible member is made from liquid silicone rubber.

19. A method of manufacturing a protective case for a mobile electronic communication device, the method comprising:

providing a rear cover comprising a compressible member and a catch, the compressible member and the catch being spaced from each other to form an alcove; and

configuring a front cover comprising a rim configured to extend into the alcove, the rim having an inner surface configured to contact the compressible member and an outer surface opposite the inner surface configured to engage the catch;

wherein the rear cover has an inclined surface; and

wherein the compressible member is located on the inclined surface such that the compressible member is directed towards the alcove.

20. A protective case for a mobile electronic communication device, the protective case comprising:

an outer peripheral wall along a perimeter of the protective case; and

a switch attached to an inner surface of the outer peripheral wall, the switch comprising a layer of flexible material adhered to the inner surface of the outer peripheral wall and forming a recess, and an actuator configured as a separate element relative to the layer of flexible material, the actuator being received within the recess, the actuator having an engagement surface that is arranged to engage a switch of the mobile electronic communication device when the mobile electronic communication device is received in the protective case.

21. The protective case of claim 20, the actuator is made of a different material relative to the flexible material of the switch.

22. The protective case of claim 20, wherein the flexible material of the switch is overmolded to the outer peripheral wall.

23. The protective case of claim 20, wherein the flexible material of the switch comprises at least one curved portion extending between the recess in which the actuator is received and the outer peripheral wall.

24. A protective case for a mobile electronic communication device, the protective case comprising an acoustic film that inhibits passage of water and allows passage of sound, and one or more gaskets located adjacent one or more corresponding sound apertures of the mobile electronic communication device when the mobile electronic communication device is housed in the protective case, the one or more gaskets arranged between the acoustic film and the mobile electronic communication device and configured to acoustically seal the one or more corresponding sound apertures of the mobile electronic communication device when the mobile electronic communication device is housed in the protective case.

25. The protective case of claim 24, wherein the one or more gaskets are configured to contact a surface of the mobile electronic communication device and seal one or more of the sound apertures when the mobile electronic communication device is housed in the protective case.

26. The protective case of claim 24, wherein the one or more gaskets are made from a foam material.

27. The protective case of claim 24, wherein the one or more sound apertures sealed by the one or more gaskets are microphones of the mobile device.

28. The protective case of claim 24, further comprising an outer wall, the one or more gaskets being attached to an inside surface of the outer wall.

29. The protective case of claim 24, further comprising a cover member having an outer wall and a membrane that allows access to a user input interface of a mobile electronic communication device when the electronic communication device is housed in the protective case, the one or more gaskets being attached to a surface of the membrane and located between the membrane and the mobile electronic communication device when the electronic communication device is housed in the protective case.