Protective enclosure for encasing an electronic device

• US 10,159,320 B2
• Filed: 11/17/2016
• Issued: 12/25/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/07/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Otter Products LLC
• Original Assignee: Otter Products LLC
• Inventors: Armstrong, Peter S., McFadden, Stephen James, Liera, Luis Antonio, Sharp, Weishin Tasha, Liu, Feng Song, Nguyen, Lan, Pearce-Garcia, Joshua, Lipner, Aaron
• Primary Examiner(s): LaBalle, Clayton E.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hancock, Dennis
• Application Number:
  US15/354,522
• Publication Number:
  US 20180064221A1
• Time in Patent Office: 768 Days
• Field of Search: None
• 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 13/008 for making water- or air-tight
• 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: G03B 17/08 Waterproof bodies or housings
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/56 Accessories carrying-cases A45C11/38
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3888 Arrangements for carrying or protecting transceivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/51 Housings
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/55 Optical parts specially adapted for electronic image sensors; Mounting thereof

Abstract

A protective enclosure for an electronic device includes a top member adapted to be removably coupled to a bottom member to enclose the electronic device. A first back engagement feature is disposed on an inside surface of a perimeter wall portion of the bottom member, and the first back engagement feature is adapted to engage a first front engagement feature disposed on an inner perimeter wall of the top member to removably secure the top member to the bottom member. A second back engagement feature is disposed on an outside surface of the perimeter wall portion of the bottom member, and the second back engagement feature is adapted to engage a second front engagement feature disposed on an outer perimeter wall of the top member to further removably secure the top member to the bottom member.

Claims

1. A protective enclosure for an electronic device, the electronic device having a front portion that includes an interactive screen and a back portion opposite the front portion, the protective enclosure comprising:

a top member adapted to receive the front portion of the electronic device, the top member extending lengthwise about a reference longitudinal axis and widthwise about a reference transverse axis, and wherein the reference longitudinal axis and the reference transverse axis define a reference plane, the top member having a front portion and a perimeter wall portion extending from the front portion, wherein a window is formed in the front portion and the window is defined by a perimeter edge, the perimeter edge adapted to correspond in shape to the interactive screen of the electronic device, and the perimeter edge including a top edge extending along a top edge axis, a bottom edge extending along a bottom edge axis, a first side edge extending along a first side edge axis, and a second side edge extending along a second side edge axis;

a bottom member adapted to receive the back portion of the electronic device, the bottom member having a back portion and a perimeter wall portion extending from the back portion, the bottom member removably coupled to the top member so as to form a shell around the electronic device;

a seal disposed along a bottom surface of the front portion adjacent to the perimeter edge defining the window, wherein the seal corresponds in shape to the perimeter edge, and when the electronic device is disposed in the shell, the seal is disposed between the bottom surface of the front portion and the interactive screen of the electronic device so as to form a fluid-tight seal between the bottom surface of the front portion and the interactive screen of the electronic device,

the seal including a top segment adjacent to the top edge of the perimeter edge, a bottom segment adjacent to the bottom edge of the perimeter edge, a first side segment adjacent to the first side edge of the perimeter edge, and a second side segment adjacent to the second side edge of the perimeter edge,

wherein the top segment includes a first end portion, a second end portion, and a main portion between the first end portion and the second end portion, wherein the main portion of the top segment has an arcuate shape when viewed along the reference plane such that at least a midpoint of the top segment is adapted to be biased into contact with a portion of the interactive screen of the electronic device, and

wherein the bottom segment includes a first end portion, a second end portion, and a main portion between the first end portion and the second end portion, wherein the main portion of the top segment has an arcuate shape when viewed along the reference plane such that at least a midpoint of the bottom segment is adapted to be biased into contact with a portion of the interactive screen of the electronic device.

2. The protective enclosure of claim 1, wherein the first side segment includes a first end portion, a second end portion, and a main portion between the first end portion and the second end portion, wherein the main portion of the first side segment has an arcuate shape when viewed along the reference plane such that at least a midpoint of the first side segment is adapted to be biased into contact with a portion of the interactive screen of the electronic device, and

wherein the second side segment includes a first end portion, a second end portion, and a main portion between the first end portion and the second end portion, wherein the main portion of the second side segment has an arcuate shape when viewed along the reference plane such that at least a midpoint of the second segment is adapted to be biased into contact with a portion of the interactive screen of the electronic device.

3. The protective enclosure of claim 2, wherein the midpoint of the main portion of the first side segment is between the reference plane and an inner surface of the back portion, and

wherein the midpoint of the main portion of the second side segment is between the reference plane and the inner surface of the back portion.

4. The protective enclosure of claim 1, wherein the first end portion of the top segment extends along a linear first end portion top axis, and the first end portion top axis forms a first acute angle relative to the reference plane when viewed along the reference plane,

wherein the second end portion of the top segment extends along a linear second end portion top axis, and the second end portion top axis forms a second acute angle relative to the reference plane when viewed along the reference plane,

wherein the first end portion of the bottom segment extends along a linear first end portion bottom axis, and the first end portion bottom axis forms a third acute angle relative to the reference plane when viewed along the reference plane, and

wherein the second end portion of the top segment extends along a linear second end portion bottom axis, and the second end portion bottom axis forms a fourth acute angle relative to the reference plane when viewed along the reference plane.

5. The protective enclosure of claim 4, wherein each of the first acute angle, the second acute angle, the third acute angle, and the fourth acute angle is between 1°

and 20°

.

6. The protective enclosure of claim 4, wherein the first acute angle, the second acute angle, the third acute angle, and the fourth acute angle are identical.

7. The protective enclosure of claim 1, wherein the seal is a liquid elastomer applied to and cured to at least a portion of the bottom surface of the front portion.

8. The protective enclosure of claim 1, wherein the top segment, the bottom segment, the first side segment, and the second side segment form a rectangular shape.

9. The protective enclosure of claim 1, wherein the midpoint of the main portion of the top segment is between the reference plane and an inner surface of the back portion, and

wherein the midpoint of the main portion of the bottom segment is between the reference plane and the inner surface of the back portion.