Protective enclosure for an electronic device

• US 9,986,805 B2
• Filed: 03/24/2016
• Issued: 06/05/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Otter Products LLC
• Original Assignee: Otter Products LLC
• Inventors: Northrup, Nathan, Witter, Kevin W., Prestien, James M., Russell, David C., Johnson, Erika E., Krajec, Matthew S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Appiah, Charles
• Assistant Examiner(s): Mastrodonato, Margaret G
• Application Number:
  US15/080,082
• Publication Number:
  US 20160286921A1
• Time in Patent Office: 803 Days
• 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 11/24 Etuis for purposes not covered by a single one of groups A45C11/02 - A45C11/22, A45C11/26, A45C11/32 - A45C11/38
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 13/001 Accessories
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 13/04 Frames
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 2011/001 for portable audio devices, e.g. headphones or MP3-players
• 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: A45C 2200/10 Transparent walls
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3888 Arrangements for carrying or protecting transceivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/185 Improving the rigidity of the casing or resistance to shocks

Abstract

A protective enclosure for an electronic device includes a cushioning member and a structural member. The cushioning member covers the side surfaces of the installed electronic device and includes a first raised edge and second raised edge, the first raised edge extends around the front edge of the installed electronic device and the second raised edge extends around the back edge of the installed electronic device. The cushioning member is not configured to cover the back surface of the installed electronic device. The structural member is affixed to the cushioning member and includes a back portion and side portions, the back portion extends around the second raised edge of the cushioning member and covers the back surface of the installed electronic device, the second raised edge of the cushioning member forming a gap between the inner surface of the structural member and the back surface of the installed electronic device.

Claims

1. A protective enclosure for an electronic device, the electronic device having a front surface, a back surface, and side surfaces, the front surface and side surfaces of the electronic device defining a front edge, the back surface and side surfaces of the electronic device defining a back edge, the front surface of the electronic device having a touchscreen, the protective enclosure comprising:

a perimeter cushioning member configured to cover the side surfaces of the electronic device when the electronic device is installed in the protective enclosure, the perimeter cushioning member having a first raised edge and a second raised edge, the first raised edge extending around the front edge of the installed electronic device, the second raised edge extending around and configured to be in direct contact with the back edge of the installed electronic device, the perimeter cushioning member configured to not cover the back surface of the installed electronic device; and

a structural member permanently affixed to the cushioning member, the structural member having a back portion and one or more side portions, the back portion extending from the one or more side portions and covering at least a portion of the back surface of the installed electronic device, the structural member having an inner surface and an outer surface, the inner surface of the structural member configured to extend around the second raised edge of the perimeter cushioning member, the second raised edge of the perimeter cushioning member configured to form a cavity extending from the inner surface of the structural member to the back surface of the installed electronic device;

wherein the perimeter cushioning member and the structural member form a one-piece protective enclosure configured to retain and house the installed electronic device.

2. The protective enclosure of claim 1, the structural member having an opening surrounding a camera feature of the installed electronic device, the opening of the structural member having a perimeter portion that extends from the outer surface of the structural member across the distance between the inner surface of the structural member and the back portion of the installed electronic device, the perimeter portion of the opening of the structural member configured to contact the back portion of the installed electronic device.

3. The protective enclosure of claim 2, the perimeter portion of the opening of the structural member having a beveled shape that extends away from the camera feature of the installed electronic device.

4. The protective enclosure of claim 1, the structural member comprising a transparent material wherein a substantial portion of the back portion of the installed electronic device is visible through the structural member.

5. The protective enclosure of claim 1, wherein a bottom section of the perimeter cushioning member comprises one or more openings that correspond to one or more audio features of the installed electronic device.

6. A protective case for an electronic device, the electronic device having a front surface, a back surface, and side surfaces, the front surface of the electronic device having a touchscreen, the protective case comprising:

a cushioning layer configured to cover and cushion the side surfaces of the electronic device when the electronic device is installed in the protective case, the cushioning layer having a first protective rim extending beyond the front surface of the installed electronic device, the cushioning layer having a second protective rim extending beyond and configured to be in direct contact with the back surface of the installed electronic device, the cushioning layer configured to not cover the back surface of the installed electronic device; and

a structural layer permanently affixed to the cushioning layer, the structural layer having at least a back portion configured to extend around the second protective rim of the cushioning layer and cover a portion of the back surface of the installed electronic device, the second protective rim of the cushioning layer configured to create a cavity extending from the structural layer to the back surface of the installed electronic device,

wherein the cushioning layer and the structural layer form a one-piece multi-layered assembly configured to retain and house the installed electronic device.

7. The protective case of claim 6, wherein a portion of the cushioning layer extends from the second protective rim and across the back surface of the installed electronic device, the extended portion of the cushioning layer making contact with the portion of the back surface of the installed electronic device.

8. The protective case of claim 6, the structural layer comprising a transparent material.

9. The protective case of claim 6, the structural layer having one or more side portions that extend from the back portion of the structural layer around to the side surfaces of the installed electronic device.

10. The protective case of claim 9, the one or more side portions of the structural layer having one or more cut out regions.

11. The protective case of claim 10, wherein a portion of the cushioning layer protrudes into at least one of the one or more cut out regions of the structural layer.

12. The protective case of claim 11, wherein the portion of the cushioning layer that protrudes into the at least one of the one or more cut out regions of the structural layer includes a control feature that aligns with a feature of the installed electronic device.

13. The protective case of claim 6, wherein an insert card can be installed in the cavity of the protective case created between the structural layer and the back surface of the installed electronic device.

16. The protective case of claim 6, wherein the second protective rim defines a continuous outer perimeter of the cavity.

14. A protective enclosure for an electronic device, the electronic device having a front surface, a back surface, and side surfaces, the protective enclosure comprising:

a cushioning member configured to cover and cushion the side surfaces of the electronic device when the electronic device is installed in the protective enclosure, the cushioning member comprising a protective rim configured to extend beyond the front surface of the electronic device, the cushioning member comprising a back section configured to directly contact and to cover a portion of the side surfaces and the back surface of the installed electronic device, the back section of the cushioning member comprising a cavity; and

a structural member disposed over and permanently affixed to the cushioning member, the structural member comprising a back portion configured to cover the back section of the cushioning member and cover the back surface of the installed electronic device, the back portion of the structural member configured to cover the cavity of the cushioning member, the cavity extending from an inner surface of the structural member to the back surface of the installed electronic device, the structural member configured to not make contact with the back surface of the installed electronic device;

wherein the cushioning member and the structural member form a one-piece protective enclosure configured to retain and house the installed electronic device.

15. The protective enclosure of claim 14, the cushioning member further having one or more openings along the side surfaces of the installed electronic device, the one or more openings of the cushioning member allowing access to one or more features of the installed electronic device.

17. The protective enclosure of claim 14, the back portion of the structural member comprising a camera opening that is aligned with a camera feature on the back surface of the installed electronic device, wherein a perimeter portion of the camera opening of the structural member extends towards the installed electronic device to contact the back surface of the installed electronic device.

18. The protective enclosure of claim 14, wherein an insert card can be installed in the cavity of the cushioning member.

19. The protective enclosure of claim 14, the structural member comprising a transparent material.