Housing for encasing an object having a thin profile

• US 9,469,469 B2
• Filed: 05/31/2013
• Issued: 10/18/2016
• 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
• Primary Examiner(s): SPINKS, ANTOINETTE T
• Application Number:
  US13/907,610
• Publication Number:
  US 20140152890A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,236 Days
• Field of Search: 348/370, 348/376, 348/373, 224/191, 206/1.5, 361/679.56
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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

This disclosure relates generally to an apparatus and/or system for housing a device. The apparatus includes a housing that is configured such that a device may be fitted within the housing and thereby be protected, such as from shocks and/or liquid. The housing may include top and bottom members that may be removably coupled together so as to form the housing. Each top and bottom member includes front and back surfaces surrounded by a perimeter. The perimeter is defined by proximal and distal ends as well as opposing sides. The top and bottom members may include respective clasping mechanisms that extend along the perimeter of the top and bottom members. The clasping mechanisms are configured for coupling the top and bottom members with one another thereby sealing the housing, for instance, in a shock-proof and/or water tight seal.

Claims

1. An encasement for encasing and sealing an electronic device having a touch-sensitive display, a camera, and a flash, the encasement comprising:

a bottom member comprising a front and a back surface, the bottom member being surrounded by a perimeter portion defined by a proximal end portion, a distal end portion, and opposing side portions, the bottom member further comprising a plurality of tapered posts extending up from the perimeter portion of the front surface, each of the tapered posts having a post head that includes a slot to allow the post head to flex during insertion into a receptacle;

a top member having a rigid frame that corresponds to an outer perimeter of the electronic device and to the perimeter portion of the bottom member, the rigid frame having a plurality of receptacles, each receptacle to receive one of the plurality of tapered posts of the bottom member to mate the top member with the bottom member;

a gasket positioned at the front surface of the bottom member, the gasket to interface with at least the rigid frame of the bottom member, and a portion of the electronic device; and

a membrane coupled with the rigid frame and positioned to seal with the gasket of the bottom member and against the rigid frame, the membrane covering the touch-sensitive display of the electronic device when the top member is mated with the bottom member.

2. The encasement as in claim 1, wherein the top member or the bottom member further includes a plurality of sealed buttons and a plurality of sealable apertures.

3. The encasement as in claim 1, the bottom member further comprising a camera lens for being positioned over the camera of the electronic device and a flash lens for being positioned over the flash of the electronic device, and an optical skirt surrounding the camera lens and/or the flash lens and for being positioned between the bottom member and the electronic device, the optical skirt for allowing transmission of light from the flash through the flash lens and inhibiting reflection of the light from the flash to the camera lens.

4. The encasement as in claim 3, wherein the optical skirt surrounds the camera lens.

5. The encasement as in claim 3, wherein the optical skirt surrounds the flash lens.

6. The encasement as in claim 3, wherein the optical skirt surrounds the camera lens and the flash lens.

7. A protective case for an electronic device, the electronic device having a front surface that includes a display, the protective case comprising:

a bottom member having an inner surface defined by a back wall and a side wall to receive the electronic device, the side wall having a top surface, the bottom member further comprising a plurality of tapered posts extending up from the top surface of the side wall, each of the tapered posts having a post head that includes a slot to allow the post head to flex during insertion into a receptacle;

a frame member that frames at least a portion of the front surface of the electronic device to enable operation by a user of the display, the frame member having an outer peripheral edge and an inner peripheral edge, the outer peripheral edge corresponding to the outer periphery of the top surface of the side wall of the bottom member, and the inner peripheral edge corresponding to the front surface of the electronic device, the frame member having a plurality of receptacles for receiving the tapered posts of the bottom member;

a first releasable adhesive interposed between the top surface of the side wall of the bottom member and an underside of the frame member to seal an interface between the top surface of the side wall of the bottom member and the frame member when the frame member is coupled with the bottom member; and

a second releasable adhesive interposed between a bottom surface of the inner peripheral edge of the frame member and the front surface of the electronic device, to seal an interface between the bottom surface of the inner peripheral edge of the frame member and the front surface of the electronic device.

8. The protective case in accordance with claim 7, wherein at least one of the first and second releasable adhesive is a low compression sealant.

9. The protective case in accordance with claim 8, wherein the low compression sealant comprises a poloxamer.

10. The protective case in accordance with claim 7, wherein the frame member is formed of a rigid material.

11. A protective case for an electronic device, the electronic device having a front surface that includes a display, the protective case comprising:

a bottom member having an inner surface defined by a back wall and a side wall to receive the electronic device, the side wall having a top surface;

a frame member that frames at least a portion of the front surface of the electronic device to enable operation by a user of the of the electronic device, the frame member having an outer peripheral edge that corresponds to the top surface of the side wall of the bottom member, the frame member further including a plurality of receptacles for receiving tapered posts, the plurality of receptacles each being deformable;

one or more tapered posts extending up from the outer periphery of the bottom member, the one or more tapered posts for insertion into the receptacles of the frame member to couple the frame member with the bottom member by interacting with the receptacles, each tapered post having a post head to engage a corresponding receptacle on the outer peripheral edge of the frame member, each post head having a slot to allow the post head to flex during engagement with its corresponding receptacle on the frame member;

a gasket provided at least proximate the perimeter portion of the inner surface of the bottom member, the gasket having a Y-shaped end in cross-section, the Y-shaped end to interface with at least the frame member, the bottom member and a portion of the electronic device; and

a first releasable adhesive member interposed between the top surface of the side wall of the bottom member and an underside of the frame member, to seal an interface between the top surface of the side wall of the bottom member and the frame member when the frame member is coupled with the bottom member.

12. The protective case in accordance with claim 11, wherein the one or more tapered posts are spaced-apart along the top surface of the side wall of the bottom member, each tapered post having a post head to engage a corresponding receptacle of the receptacles on the outer peripheral edge of the frame member.

13. The protective case in accordance with claim 11, wherein the releasable adhesive member is a low compression sealant.

14. The protective case in accordance with claim 13, wherein the low compression sealant comprises a poloxamer.

15. The protective case in accordance with claim 11, wherein the frame member is formed of a rigid material.

16. The protective case of claim 11, wherein the Y-shaped end of the gasket comprises:

an inner face to seal between the electronic device and the inner peripheral edge of the frame member; and

an outer face to seal between the top member and a compressible member in the bottom member proximate the electronic device.

17. An encasement for encasing and sealing an electronic device having a touch-sensitive display, the encasement comprising:

a bottom member comprising a front and a back surface, the bottom member being surrounded by a perimeter portion defined by a proximal end portion, a distal end portion, and opposing side portions, the bottom member further comprising a plurality of tapered posts extending up from the perimeter portion of the front surface, each of the tapered posts having a post head that includes a slot to allow the post head to flex during insertion into a receptacle;

a top member having a frame member that corresponds to an outer perimeter of the electronic device and with the perimeter portion of the bottom member, the frame member having a plurality of receptacles, each receptacle to receive one of the plurality of tapered posts of the bottom member to mate the top member with the bottom member, the plurality of receptacles each being deformable;

a gasket provided at least proximate the perimeter portion of the front surface of the bottom member, the gasket having an inner arm to interface with at least the bottom member and a portion of the electronic device and an outer arm to interface with the top member and a compressible member in the bottom member; and

a membrane coupled with the frame member, positioned to seal with the gasket of the bottom member, the membrane covering the touch-sensitive display of the electronic device when the top member is coupled with the bottom member.

18. The encasement of claim 17, wherein the inner arm forms a seal between the electronic device and the membrane;

and the outer arm forms a seal between the top member and the compressible member.

19. The encasement of claim 17, further comprising a releasable adhesive interposed between a top surface of the perimeter portion of the bottom member and an underside of the top member, to seal an interface between the top surface of the side wall of the bottom member and the top member when the top member is coupled with the bottom member.

20. The encasement of claim 19, wherein the releasable adhesive is a low compression sealant.

21. The encasement in accordance with claim 20, wherein the low compression sealant comprises a poloxamer.

22. The encasement of claim 17, wherein the frame member is formed of a rigid material.

23. The encasement of claim 17, further comprising a second adhesive interposed between an underside of the top member and a top surface of the membrane to form a seal.

24. The encasement of claim 23, wherein the second releasable adhesive is a low compression sealant.

25. The encasement of claim 23, wherein the low compression sealant comprises a poloxamer.