Protective case for electronic device

• US 10,005,611 B2
• Filed: 03/22/2016
• Issued: 06/26/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 06/01/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Treefrog Developments Incorporated (Otter Products LLC)
• Original Assignee: Treefrog Developments Incorporated (Otter Products LLC)
• Inventors: Rayner, Gary A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Spinks, Antoinette
• Application Number:
  US15/076,800
• Publication Number:
  US 20160198824A1
• Time in Patent Office: 826 Days
• Field of Search: 348370, 348373
• 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 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: A45F 5/00 Holders or carriers for hand articles; Holders or carriers for use while travelling or camping
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 85/30 for articles particularly sensitive to damage by shock or pressure
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/08 Waterproof bodies or housings
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1613 for portable computers cooling arrangements therefor G06F1/203; constructional details or arrangements for pocket calculators, electronic agendas or books G06F15/0216; constructional details of portable telephone sets: with several bodies H04M1/0202
• 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: H04M 1/185 Improving the rigidity of the casing or resistance to shocks
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/51 Housings

Abstract

A protective case for an electronic device includes a top member, a bottom member, and two gaskets. The bottom member has a back wall and side walls that define a cavity and include a tapered channel. The top member has clasping members that extend from the top member to engage the tapered channel to removably attach the top member to the bottom member. The top member has an opening that frames the display of the installed electronic device. A first gasket is proximate the perimeter of the top member to form a first seal between the top member and the bottom member when the top member is attached to the bottom member. A second gasket is proximate the opening of the top member to form a second seal between the top member and the front surface of the electronic device when the top member is attached to the bottom member.

Claims

1. A protective case for an electronic device, the electronic device having a front surface and a display on the front surface, the protective case comprising:

a bottom member including a back wall and side walls that define a cavity, the cavity sized for receiving at least a portion of the electronic device, the bottom member further including a tapered channel on an interior surface of one or more of the side walls;

a top member including one or more clasping members positioned around a perimeter of the top member, the one or more clasping members extending from the top member to engage the tapered channel on the interior surface of the one or more side walls of the bottom member to removably attach the top member to the bottom member to at least partially enclose the electronic device when the electronic device is installed in the protective case, the top member having an opening that frames the display of the installed electronic device when the top member is removably attached to the bottom member;

a first gasket proximate the perimeter of the top member, wherein the first gasket forms a first water resistant seal between the top member and top edges of the side walls of the bottom member when the top member is removably attached to the bottom member with the one or more clasping members; and

a second gasket proximate the opening of the top member, wherein the second gasket forms a second water resistant seal between the top member and the front surface of the electronic device proximate the display when the electronic device is installed in the protective case and the top member is removably attached to the bottom member.

2. The protective case of claim 1 further comprising a transparent screen protector that extends over at least a portion of the display of the installed electronic device.

3. The protective case of claim 2 wherein the transparent screen protector includes holes through which the one or more clasping members extend when the top member is removably attached to the bottom member.

4. The protective case of claim 1 wherein at least one of the first gasket and the second gasket is an O-ring.

5. The protective case of claim 1 wherein at least one of the first gasket and the second gasket comprise a releasable adhesive material.

6. The protective case of claim 1 further comprising a compressible dampening member disposed in the bottom member to cushion the installed electronic device.

7. The protective case of claim 6 further comprising a second compressible dampening member.

8. The protective case of claim 1 wherein the one or more clasping members comprise hooks that engage the tapered channel to removably attach the top member to the bottom member.

9. The protective case of claim 1 wherein the first gasket and the second gasket are positioned on opposite sides of each of the one or more clasping members.

10. A protective case for an electronic device, the electronic device having a front surface with a display on the front surface, the protective case comprising:

a bottom member having a back wall and side walls for receiving at least a portion of the electronic device, the side walls including a channel extending around respective interior surfaces of the side walls;

a top member including a plurality of clasping members on a perimeter of the top member, the clasping members extending from the top member to engage the channel of the bottom member to removably attach the top member to the bottom member to at least partially enclose the electronic device, the top member having an aperture that provides direct touch access to the display of the electronic device when the electronic device is installed in the protective case and when the top member is removably attached to the bottom member;

a first gasket extending around outside edges of the clasping members, the first gasket configured to form a first seal between the top member and the side walls of the bottom member when the top member is removably attached to the bottom member with the clasping members; and

a second gasket extending around inside edges of the clasping members, the second gasket configured to form a second seal between the top member and the front surface of the electronic device proximate the display when the electronic device is installed in the protective case and the top member is removably attached to the bottom member.

11. The protective case of claim 10 wherein at least one of the first gasket and the second gasket is an O-ring.

12. The protective case of claim 10 wherein at least one of the first gasket and the second gasket includes a releasable adhesive material.

13. The protective case of claim 10 wherein the channel has two or more sections distributed among the side walls.

14. The protective case of claim 10 wherein the channel is a tapered channel.

15. The protective case of claim 10 further comprising a compressible dampening member disposed in the bottom member to cushion the installed electronic device.

16. The protective case of claim 15 wherein the dampening member includes multiple pieces.

17. A protective cover for an electronic device, the electronic device having a display on a front surface of the electronic device, the protective cover comprising:

a first member having a back wall and side walls for receiving at least a portion of the electronic device, the side walls defining a perimeter of the first member, the first member including a first set of clasping features along the side walls;

a second member including a second set of clasping features around a perimeter of the second member, the second set of clasping features positioned to engage the first set of clasping features of the first member to removably join the second member to the first member to at least partially enclose the electronic device, the second member having an opening that frames the display of the electronic device and permits direct touch access to the display when the electronic device is inside the protective cover, wherein one of the first and the second set of clasping features includes a channel extending around interior surfaces of the side walls and another of the first and the second set of clasping features includes a hook that engages the channel; and

a set of gaskets, a first gasket of the set of gaskets proximate the perimeter of the second member to form a first water resistant seal between the first member and the second member when the first set of clasping features engages the second set of clasping features to removably join the first member and the second member, a second gasket of the set of gaskets to form a second water resistant seal between the second member and the front surface of the installed electronic device proximate the display when the first member is removably joined to the second member.

18. The protective cover of claim 17 wherein at least one of the first gasket and the second gasket of the pair of gaskets is an O-ring.