Cases and covers for electronic handheld devices

• US 8,579,172 B2
• Filed: 03/29/2011
• Issued: 11/12/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Eat DIRT LLC
• Original Assignee: Eat DIRT LLC
• Inventors: Monaco, Dean, Santo, John III
• Primary Examiner(s): Newhouse, Nathan J
• Assistant Examiner(s): Vanterpool, Lester L
• Application Number:
  US13/074,943
• Publication Number:
  US 20120074006A1
• Time in Patent Office: 959 Days
• Field of Search: 224/666, 224/269, 224/197, 224/191, 224/668, 206/320, 81/30.7, 81/30.9
• US Class Current: 224/666
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/04 Supports for telephone transmitters or receivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/15 Protecting or guiding telephone cords
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/185 Improving the rigidity of the casing or resistance to shocks

Abstract

Holders for supporting portable handheld electronic devices, such as but not limited to iPhones®, IPODS®, IPADS™, cellular phones, and the like. Another embodiment has a portable handheld electronic device holder with a built on bottle opener, where the bottle opener in the outer face of a slightly raised box shape on the upper back of the case. The bottle opener can also be attached to a tab that slides in and out of the casing when needed. The bottle opener can include one or a pair of upwardly extending triangular tabs (with blunt tips) that can be used to pry open can tabs on soda and beer cans. A belt clip adapter can snapably fit into the bottle cap opener to allow the holder to attach to belts and pockets. A spring biased version also allows the belt clip adapter to be attachable detachable from the bottle cap opener holders. The belt clip adapter can include a bendable disc(s) to fit into the bottle cap opener, or into a keyhole slot on the back of a case holder.

Claims

1. A portable accessory holder for handheld electronics, comprising:

a backplate having a support frame sleeve sized to fit substantially about perimeter edges of a portable handheld electronic device, the backplate having a front face wall for substantially covering a rear of the portable handheld electronic device, the backplate having a rear face wall;

a slightly raised surface extending out from an upper surface portion of the rear face wall of the backplate that is substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the backplate; and

a bottle opener fixably attached to the backplate of the accessory holder, and the bottle opener being accessible from the raised surface, the bottle opener having an opening therein;

a belt clip having a fastening adapter for locking and unlocking the belt clip from the opening in the bottle cap opener.

2. The accessory holder of claim 1, further comprising:

a single upwardly raised tab attached to the box adaptable for lifting bottle caps and can tabs.

3. The accessory holder of claim 1, further comprising:

a pair of upwardly raised parallel tabs attached to the box for lifting can tabs.

4. The accessory holder of claim 3, wherein each one of the parallel tabs has a generally triangular configuration.

5. The accessory holder of claim 1, wherein the belt clip includes:

a two members which are pivotally attached to one another.

6. The accessory holder of claim 1, wherein the adapter includes:

a depressible molded switch having a first position where the belt clip is locked to the bottle cap opener, and a second position where the belt clip is detachable from the bottle cap opener.

7. The accessory holder of claim 6, further comprising:

at least a pair of downwardly extending prongs having lower ends which attach underneath edges of a rim about the opening to the bottle cap opener.

8. The accessory holder of claim 1, further comprising:

a slit in the slightly raised surface

a tab having the bottle opener, wherein the tab is slidable in and out of the slit in the box.

9. The accessory holder of claim 8, wherein the slidable tab includes a handle for allowing the tab to slide in and out of the slot in the slightly raised surface.

10. The accessory holder of claim 8, wherein the bottle opener is fixed to the outer face of the slightly raised surface.

14. The accessory holder of claim 1, wherein the belt clip is rotatable to allow for the backplate to be held vertically and horizontally and at an angle to the belt clip.

11. A portable accessory holder for handheld electronics, comprising:

a backplate having a support frame sleeve sized to fit substantially about perimeter edges of a portable handheld electronic device;

a slightly raised backing on an upper surface portion of the backplate, the slightly raised backing having a substantially planar outer face that is substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the backplate; and

a bottle opener fixably attached to the planar outer face of the slightly raised backing;

a belt clip; and

an adapter attaching and detaching the belt clip from an opening in the bottle cap opener, the adapter including

a depressible spring loaded switch having a first position where the belt clip is locked to the bottle cap opener, and a second position where the belt clip is detachable from the bottle cap opener.

12. The accessory holder of claim 11, wherein the belt clip includes:

a two members which are pivotally attached to one another.

13. A portable accessory holder for handheld electronics, comprising:

a backplate having a support frame sleeve sized to fit substantially about perimeter edges of a portable handheld electronic device;

a slightly raised backing on an upper surface portion of the backplate, the slightly raised backing having a substantially planar outer face that is substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the backplate; and

a bottle opener fixably attached to the planar outer face of the slightly raised backing;

a belt clip; and

an adapter attaching and detaching the belt clip from an opening in the bottle cap opener, the adapter including

wherein the belt clip includes;

a bendable disc that for attachment to the bottle cap opener.