Protective cover and retractable lanyard

• US 9,496,911 B2
• Filed: 09/23/2014
• Issued: 11/15/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/24/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: 3b Product Development LLC
• Original Assignee: 3b Product Development LLC
• Inventors: Brand, David
• Primary Examiner(s): WAGGENSPACK, ADAM J
• Application Number:
  US14/911,439
• Publication Number:
  US 20160197636A1
• Time in Patent Office: 784 Days
• Field of Search: 224/162
• 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: A45F 2005/006 comprising a suspension strap or lanyard
• CPC Class Codes: A45F 5/00 Holders or carriers for hand articles; Holders or carriers for use while travelling or camping
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3888 Arrangements for carrying or protecting transceivers

Abstract

A protective cover and retractable lanyard device comprises a retraction device, removably integratable within the protective cover for an electronic device. A pair of tethers retractably extend from an outlet of the retraction device forming a lanyard when joined together by a coupling. The protective cover may protect an electronic device, such as a cellular phone by fitting securely over the electronic device, during use of the electronic device, without interfering with use of the electronic device. A void in the cover provides a cut-out engaging the retraction device, such that the retraction device may be securely retained in the cut-out by a portion of the cover.

Claims

1. A retractable lanyard comprises:

a retraction device removably integratable within a cellular phone case or protective device;

a first tether retractably extendable from an outlet of the retraction device; and

a second tether retractably extendable from the outlet of the retraction device, such that the first tether, the second tether and the retraction device form a loop capable of being disposed around the neck of a person as a lanyard, wherein the retraction device has a shape and the case or protective device having a void, and the void has a shape, the shape of the void being formed, at least in part, by a hole extending entirely through the thickness of a wall of the case or protective device such that the shape of the retraction device is accommodated retainably within the shape of the void of the case or protective device wherein the shape of the void of the case or protective device comprises a beveled edge, and the beveled edge of the shape of the void of the case or protective device retainably engages a beveled edge of the shape of the retraction device, such that the retraction device is retained within the case or protective device by the beveled edge of the shape of the void of the case or protective device retainably engaging the beveled edge of the shape of the retraction device.

2. The retractable lanyard of claim 1, wherein a portion of the retraction device extends beyond an external surface of the wall of the case or protective device.

3. The retractable lanyard of claim 1, wherein the shape of the retraction device is defined by a housing having a keyhole-shaped perimeter.

4. The retractable lanyard of claim 3, wherein the retraction device further comprises a wheel and a retraction biasing mechanism disposed within a circular portion of the keyhole-shape perimeter of the housing of the retraction device.

5. The retractable lanyard of claim 4, wherein the biasing mechanism is a torsion spring.

6. The retractable lanyard of claim 5, wherein a locking mechanism is disposed in the keyhole-shaped housing, with an exposed portion of the first tether and the second tether extending from the outlet formed in the housing.

7. The retractable lanyard of claim 6, wherein the locking mechanism and the outlet are in the key portion of the housing.

8. The retractable lanyard of claim 1, further comprising a coupling device provided on each of the first tether and the second tether, such that the first tether and the second tether may be coupled together by connecting the coupling device of the first tether with the coupling device of the second tether.

9. The retractable lanyard of claim 1, wherein an end of the first tether extends through a first coupling device, and an end of the second tether extends through a second coupling device.

10. The retractable lanyard of claim 9, wherein the first coupling device and the second coupling device provide a press fit coupling when the first coupling device is inserted into the second coupling device.

11. The retractable lanyard of claim 9, wherein either of the first coupling device or the second coupling device comprise a magnetic coupling.

12. The retractable lanyard of claim 9, wherein the first coupling device and the second coupling device include a hook and loop coupling.

13. The retractable lanyard of claim 1, further comprising an earbud speaker extending from at least one of the first tether and second tether.

14. The retractable lanyard of claim 13, wherein the earbud speaker is electrically connected to a wire that is slidably engaged through the coupling, such that the earbud speaker extends from the lanyard when the lanyard is formed around the neck of a person, and the earbud speaker is insertable into the ear of the person.