Portable device case with corner protector

• US RE45,179 E1
• Filed: 03/15/2013
• Issued: 10/07/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/03/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Speculative Product Design, LLC (Telementum Global, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Speculative Product Design, LLC (Telementum Global, LLC)
• Inventors: Flender, Gregg, Bodkin, Patrick M., Tracz, Mike
• Primary Examiner(s): Gauthier, Gerald
• Application Number:
  US13/843,310
• Time in Patent Office: 571 Days
• Field of Search: 206/38.1, 206/320, 206/6.1, 206/303, 224/197, 224/199, 224/250, 224/269, 224/242, 224/675, 235/486, 361/679.09, 361/679.57, 361/683, 379/406.01, 379/455, 396/27, 455/90.3, 455/550.1, 455/575.1, 455/575.8, 455/550, 455/90, 248/176.1
• US Class Current: 379/406.01
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 2011/002 for portable handheld communication devices, e.g. mobile phone, pager, beeper, PDA, smart phone
• CPC Class Codes: A45F 2005/026 with a pin having an enlarged head detachably connected to a fastening device, e.g. to a pin receiving slot
• 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: A45F 5/02 Fastening articles to the garment
• CPC Class Codes: A45F 5/021 to the belt

Abstract

A case for a portable electronic device such as cell phones, cameras, MP3 players and PDAs wherein said case includes material at the corners to provide protection to the electronic device. To reduce bulk at the corners and allow the material forming the case to conform with the contours of the device, the protection at the corners includes strips of material defining apertures there between. The apertures provide reduction in bulk and allow the case to conform to the corners of the device therein. Alternately, the protection at the corners can be provided by other structures co-molded into the corners of the cases. Such structures include material that is of a reduced thickness than other material used in the case, or structures that are formed to conform to the corners of the case. Such structures can be joined to the material forming the panels of the case by co-molding.

Claims

1. A case for portable device, the case being formed of panels of material attached to form a pocket for receiving the device, the case including:

a first panel of comprising a first polymer material attached to a second panel of comprising a second polymer material to form a pocket for receiving the portable device, the first material being a different material from the second material, the case including a plurality of apertures at a corner of the device when the device is placed in the case,

wherein the plurality of apertures are defined by strips of material extending across an open corner of the case, the strips of material comprising one or more of the first material and the second material.

2. The case of claim 1, wherein the strips of material are two in number.

3. The case of claim 1, wherein the strips of material defining the apertures extend from first panel and are attached to the second panel.

4. A case for a portable device, the case including:

a plurality of panels of a polymer material, the panels assembled to form a pocket for receiving the portable device, the pocket including a second polymer material incorporated into the pocket, the second material positioned to protect corners of the portable device when the device is in the case,

wherein the second material is thicker than the material forming the panels.

5. The case of claim 4, wherein the second material is co-molded to at least one of the plurality of panels.

12. The case of claim 4, wherein the second material is thicker at the corners of the case than the panels forming the pocket.

13. The case of claim 4, wherein the material forming the panels is molded and allowed to cool before the second material is molded to at least one of the plurality of panels.

14. The case of claim 5, wherein co-molding the second material to the at least one of the plurality of panels comprises molding the material forming the panels, allowing the material forming the panels to cool, and molding the second material to the at least one of the plurality of panels.

6. A case for a portable device, the case including,

a first panel of comprising a first polymer material shaped to have strips of material extending therefrom, and a second panel of comprising a second polymer material,

the first panel attached to the second panel to form a pocket having an opening for receipt of the portable device,

the strips of material attached to the second panel to form part of the pocket, the strips of material comprising one or more of the first material and the second material,

wherein the strips of material define a plurality of apertures.

7. The case of claim 6, wherein the strips of material are positioned near corners of the device when the device is in the case.

8. The case of claim 6, wherein the strips of material are co-molded to the first panel.

9. The case of claim 8, wherein the strips of material are thicker than the rest of the first panel.

10. The case of claim 6, wherein the strips of material are thicker than the rest of the first panel.

11. The case of claim 9, wherein the strips of material include an aperture.

15. A case for a portable device, the case comprising:

a pocket configured for receiving the portable device, the pocket comprising a first outer polymer material co-molded with a second inner polymer material, the first outer material being a different material from the second inner material;

wherein the first outer material has open areas at corners of the pocket; and

wherein the second inner material is positioned at the corners of the pocket within the open areas in the first outer material, and protect corners of the portable device when the portable device is in the case.

16. The case of claim 15, wherein the first outer material is more elastic than the second inner material.

17. The case of claim 15, wherein the first outer material is a different color than the second inner material.

18. The case of claim 15, wherein the first outer material is a different texture than the second inner material.

19. The case of claim 15, wherein the second inner material is thicker than the first outer material.

20. The case of claim 15, wherein the pocket comprises a plurality of panels formed from the first outer material.

21. The case of claim 15, wherein elasticity of the first outer material co-molded with the second inner material allows the case to give and fit the contours of the portable device.

22. The case of claim 15, further comprising a second pocket for further receiving the portable device.

23. The case of claim 15, wherein the portable device is a nonclamshell portable device.

25. The case of claim 15, wherein the first outer material is allowed to cool before molding the second inner material to the first outer material.

24. A case for a portable device, the case comprising:

a pocket configured for receiving the portable device, the pocket comprising a first outer polymer material co-molded with a second inner polymer material;

wherein the first outer material has open areas at corners of the pocket;

wherein the second inner material is positioned at the corners of the pocket within the open areas in the first outer material, and protect corners of the portable device when the portable device is in the case; and

wherein the first outer material or the second inner material comprise one or more selected from the group consisting of silicone, a thermoset, a thermoplastic, PVC, EPE, and a polymer.

26. A case for a portable device, the case comprising:

a first polymer material forming part of a pocket for receiving the portable device, the pocket having open areas at corners thereof through the first material; and

a second polymer material co-molded to the first material and positioned within the open areas to protect corners of the portable device when the device is in the case, the first material being a different material from the second material.

27. The case of claim 26, wherein the first material forms a plurality of panels to form the pocket.

28. The case of claim 26, wherein the first material is allowed to cool before molding the second material to the first material.