Protective case for an electronic device

• US 9,578,940 B2
• Filed: 10/07/2014
• Issued: 02/28/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/07/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Thule Organization Solutions Incorporated (Thule Group AB)
• Original Assignee: Thule Organization Solutions Incorporated (Thule Group AB)
• Inventors: Burgess, Andrew A., O'Rourke, Ken
• Primary Examiner(s): CHEUNG, CHUN HOI
• Application Number:
  US14/508,288
• Publication Number:
  US 20150097009A1
• Time in Patent Office: 875 Days
• Field of Search: 206/320, 206/305, 455/575.1, 455/575.8, 361/679.34, 361/679.36
• 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: G06F 1/1628 Carrying enclosures containing additional elements, e.g. case for a laptop and a printer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1633 Protecting arrangement for the entire housing of the computer
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3888 Arrangements for carrying or protecting transceivers

Abstract

A protective case for receiving and retaining a portable electronic device is provided. The case comprises dampening features disposed in at least two corners of the case to protect the electronic device from inadvertent impact and the resultant forces. Various embodiments of the case comprise multi-materials designs and features that allow utilize of various controls and features of the electronic device.

Claims

1. A case for a portable electronic device comprising:

a back panel having an inner surface;

a top wall, a bottom wall, a left wall, and a right wall, each wall having an inner surface, each of said walls extending from said back panel, wherein said inner surfaces of said walls and said inner surface of said back panel at least partially define a storage volume for receiving a portable electronic device, and wherein a first radius of curvature is formed at an intersection between one of said top wall and said bottom wall and one of said left wall and said right wall; and

at least one dampening member interconnected to said walls, said dampening member comprising an elastic material capable of elastic deformation, and said dampening member forming a second radius of curvature, wherein said second radius of curvature is larger than said first radius of curvature;

wherein said dampening member comprises a cylindrical member having a longitudinal axis, said longitudinal axis oriented substantially parallel to a plane of a planar screen of said portable electronic device when said portable electronic device is provided within the case, and wherein said cylindrical member has an aperture extending through said dampening member;

wherein said dampening member comprises at least one support member extending radially from said cylindrical member, said at least one support member defining at least another aperture extending through said dampening member.

2. The case of claim 1, further comprising a lip disposed on a distal end of said walls and extending inwardly to at least partially define said storage volume.

3. The case of claim 1, wherein four dampening members are provided, and four intersections are formed by said walls, wherein a dampening member is disposed proximate to each intersection of said walls.

4. The case of claim 1, wherein the inner surfaces of said walls and said at least one dampening member form a perimeter, and wherein said perimeter is less than a perimeter of an electronic device to be received within the case such that said dampening member is configured to resiliently deform to an exterior of said electronic device.

5. The case of claim 1, wherein said walls each have a wall thickness, and wherein said difference between said first radius of curvature and said second radius of curvature forms a maximum thickness of said at least one dampening member, wherein said maximum thickness is larger than said wall thickness.

6. The case of claim 1, wherein said dampening member comprises a plurality of ribs that form a plurality of apertures extending through said dampening member.

7. A case for a portable electronic device comprising:

a flexible back panel having an inner surface;

a plurality of walls extending from said flexible back panel, wherein said walls and said flexible back panel at least partially define a storage volume for receiving a portable electronic device;

an intersection of at least two of said plurality of walls comprising a dampening member, the dampening member comprising an elastically deformable material, wherein said dampening member comprises a cylindrical member having a longitudinal axis, said longitudinal axis oriented substantially parallel to a plane of a planar screen of said portable electronic device when said portable electronic device is provided within the case, said cylindrical member having an aperture extending through said dampening member;

a lip disposed on a distal end of at least one of said walls, wherein said lip is configured to retain said portable electronic device within said storage volume;

wherein at least a portion of said flexible back panel and at least a portion of said walls comprise a first material and said dampening member comprises a second material, said first material comprising a hardness that is greater than a hardness of the second material.

8. The case of claim 7, wherein four dampening members are provided, and four intersections are formed by a top wall, a bottom wall, a left wall, and a right wall, wherein a dampening member is disposed proximate to each intersection said walls.

9. The case of claim 7, wherein said dampening member comprises at least one support member extending radially from said cylindrical member, said at least one support member defining at least another aperture extending through said dampening member.

10. The case of claim 7, wherein the inner surfaces of said walls and said dampening member form a perimeter, and wherein said perimeter is less than a perimeter of said portable electronic device to be received within the case such that said dampening member is configured to deform to accommodate said portable electronic device.

11. The case of claim 7, wherein an outer surface and ad an inner surface of said dampening member form an outer radius of curvature and an inner radius of curvature, respectively, wherein said inner radius of curvature is larger than said outer radius of curvature.

12. A case for a portable electronic device comprising:

a back panel, at least a portion of said back panel comprising a first material, at least a portion of said back panel comprising a second material, wherein said first material is more rigid than said second material;

a plurality of walls extending from said back panel, each of said plurality of walls extending from said back panel, wherein inner surfaces of said back panel and said plurality of walls at least partially define a storage volume for receiving a portable electronic device;

a lip disposed on a distal end of said plurality of walls, wherein said lip is configured to retain said portable electronic device within said storage volume;

at least one dampening member comprising an elastomeric material, each of said at least one dampening members comprise a cylinder with a longitudinal axis that is substantially parallel to said back panel, and a plurality of supports extending radially from said cylinder, wherein said cylinder and said plurality of supports define a plurality of apertures in each of said at least one dampening members;

wherein said case comprises four intersections formed by a top wall, a bottom wall, a left wall, and a right wall extending from said back panel, and wherein a dampening member is provided at each intersection of said walls, said dampening members adapted to contact corners of said portable electronic device having a substantially rectangular shape and to partially deflect to create an interference fit between said case and said electronic device.

13. The case of claim 12, wherein said dampening member comprises a lower hardness than at least one of said back panel and said plurality of walls.

14. The case of claim 12, wherein a first radius of curvature is formed at said intersection of two walls, and said corresponding dampening member forms a second radius of curvature, wherein said second radius of curvature is larger than said first radius of curvature.