Patent Grant
8978883
1. Field
The present disclosure is generally related to a case for use with a portable electronic device. More specifically, the disclosure relates to a case configured to protect the electronic device from impacts or abrasions.
2. Background
Some cases for portable electronic devices, such as cellular phones and personal digital assistants (PDAs), for example, have hard exterior surfaces with low coefficients of friction. Such exterior surfaces may facilitate insertion and removal of the case (and electronic device therein) from a user's pocket. Other cases are formed from a softer cushioning material, tending to have a relatively high coefficient of friction, which may provide greater impact protection to the electronic device. Among other things, the present application discloses improvements to cases for electronic devices.
According to an embodiment, a case for use with a portable electronic device includes a first material configured to surround a back portion and side portions of the portable electronic device, the first material generally being positioned at an exterior of the case. The case also includes a second material secured to the first material, the second material having greater flexibility than the first material. The case additionally includes a movable stand configured to selectively extend from the first material to support the case in an elevated position. The movable stand is coupled to the first material by the second material.
Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, and the accompanying drawings.
Embodiments will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which corresponding reference symbols indicate corresponding parts, and in which:
As shown, the top 30, bottom 40, left side 50a, and right side 50b may define an opening 60 to the pocket. In an embodiment, the opening 60 may be surrounded by a lip 70 at the perimeter of the opening 60, which may be deformable to allow the portable electronic device to enter into the pocket via the opening 60, and retain the portable electronic device therein. Accordingly, in an embodiment an interior surface 80 of the base 20, as well as interior surfaces of the top 30, bottom 40, left side 50a, right side 50b, and the lip 70, may surround the pocket. In an embodiment, a display screen and/or a user interface of the portable electronic device may face away from the pocket (e.g., may be framed at least partially by the lip 70). As described in greater detail below, the lip 70 may be formed of an elastic or otherwise resiliently deformable material, which may facilitate expanding the opening 60 to receive the portable electronic device within the pocket. It may be appreciated that other configurations of the case 10 may alternatively be possible, including but not limited to cases having multiple components that are separable from each other. For example, slider cases are generally configured with separable pieces that each slide over the portable electronic device, and engage one another (e.g., with a snap fit or friction fit) to secure the portable electronic device therein.
It may be appreciated that the case 10 may have features or apertures formed therein, configured to correspond with features on the portable electronic device. For example, as shown in
The perspective view of
In some embodiments, the buttons 110 may be mechanical buttons coupled within the case 10 to transmit a press thereon into a press of the buttons of the portable electronic device. In other embodiments the buttons 110 may be formed from a flexible material, facilitating depression of the buttons 110, where such depression of the buttons 110 may be transmitted through the buttons 110 to depress the buttons of the portable electronic device.
As described in greater detail below, in an embodiment the case 10 may be primarily formed from two materials, a hard material 130, and a flexible material 140. In the illustrated embodiment, the hard material 130 generally forms an exterior of the case 10, while the flexible material 140 generally forms an interior of the case 10. As shown in
It may be appreciated that protrusions of the flexible material 140 may protect the hard material 130. For example, where the hard material 130 is glossy or otherwise prone to scratching, the protruding flexible material 140 may space the hard material 130 from support surfaces, reducing a likelihood of the hard material 130 being scratched by the support surface or debris thereon. Additionally, where the flexible material 140 is resilient (e.g. soft and/or elastic), the protruding configuration thereof may provide enhanced impact resistance, such as when the case 10 is dropped and impacts a face or corner thereof. Additionally, the flexible material 140 at the interior 80 of the pocket may provide enhanced impact resistance, and mitigate transmission of impact forces from the hard material 130 to the portable electronic device. This protection may be particularly beneficial where, like in the illustrated embodiment, the hard material 130 is positioned to form the majority of the exterior of the case 10.
The flexible material 140 may be coupled to the hard material 130 by any appropriate mechanism. For example, in some embodiments, the flexible material 140 may be co-molded to the hard material 130. Such co-molding may comprise co-injection molding in some embodiments, wherein the hard material 130 and the flexible material 140 may be integrally formed together to form a one piece assembly. In another embodiment, the co-molding may comprise forming a preform (e.g., of the hard material 130), and overmolding the flexible material 140 over the preform to create a co-molded assembly. In an embodiment, the case 10 is formed from injection-molded plastic or rubber. Other constructions for some or all of the case 10 are additionally or alternatively possible, including but not limited to creating an assembly through a combination of constituent components, assembled through adhesion with an adhesive, interlocking components, or any other appropriate assembly mechanism. Additional details of embodiments of the co-molding and/or of the case 10 may be found in U.S. Provisional Patent Application 61/761,556, incorporated in its entirety herein by reference.
As shown in
In some embodiments, such as that illustrated, the portion of the preform 150 that forms the base 20 of the case 10 may include apertures 170 therein which may provide a path for the flexible material 140 to flow through prior to curing during the co-molding process. Such apertures 170 may therefore allow the flexible material 140 to reach the rear side of the case 10, to form the decorative perimeter illustrated in
In some embodiments, molding supports may be formed on or otherwise positioned on the preform 150 to facilitate overmolding of the flexible material 140 onto the hard material 130. In some embodiments the molding supports may be configured to cooperate with the mold in the overmolding process. For example, in an embodiment one or more of the molding supports may be configured to position or align a portion of the mold to facilitate injection of the flexible material 140. For example, the preform 150 may include support tabs protruding therefrom at a desired distance, configured to define a maximum application thickness for the overmold of the flexible material 140 onto the preform 150. For example, in an embodiment the support tabs may be positioned on the interior surface 80 of the base portion 20 (e.g., for application of the flexible material 140 thereto). In an embodiment the molding supports may include mold channels configured to facilitate flow of the flexible material 140 to desired regions of the preform 150 prior to curing the flexible material 140. For example, in an embodiment the mold channels may be formed around the perimeter of the back surface of the case 10. In an embodiment, the apertures 170 may extend from the interior surface of the preform 150 to the mold channels.
It may be appreciated that the case 10 described herein includes a stand 200, configured to selectively facilitate holding the portable electronic device in an elevated position on a support surface. While in some embodiments the stand 200 is assembled into other regions of the case 10, in the illustrated embodiment the stand 200 is built into the base 20. As shown in
While the stand assembly 220 of
In an embodiment, the stand assembly 220 may include a movable support frame 260, configured to move relative to both the support leg 230 and the base 20 of the case 10, so as to provide additional structural support to the support leg 230, to hold the support leg 230 away from the base 220 when the stand assembly 220 is in the open position, and support the case 10 in the elevated position. As shown in
As described in greater detail below, as the stand assembly 220 is moved into the open position, pivoting at the pivot region 240, the support surface engaging region 250 of the support leg 230 may move outwards away from the base 20, while the movable support frame may pivot at the support leg pivot 270 (via the support pin 280 on the support leg 230), while the base engaging portions 290 slide along the guide tracks 300, to create another point of contact on the support surface. In an embodiment, the guide tracks 300 may include notches therein that the base engaging portions 290 may push past and frictionally lock behind. In an embodiment, a user of the case 10 would utilize additional force to overcome the frictional engagement to move the stand assembly 220 from the open position back to the closed position. Additionally, the frictional engagement may deter or prevent the stand assembly 220 from unintentionally slipping back towards the closed position when the case 10 is supported in a vertical elevated position. While in the illustrated embodiment the notches may be molded into the preform 150, other engagements, including but not limited to spring biased detents, may be utilized to selectively lock the stand assembly 220 into the open position.
In some embodiments, one or more protrusions 310 may be formed on the support leg 230, configured to selectively engage within the guide tracks 300 when the support leg 230 is in the closed position. Such a configuration may deter or prevent the stand assembly 220 from inadvertently moving to the open position, unless a user of the case 10 pulls the support leg 230 away from the base 20, releasing the protrusions 310 from their engagement within the guide tracks 300. Other configurations or engagements are additionally or alternatively possible in some embodiments, including but not limited to spring biased detents, which may be utilized to selectively lock the stand assembly 220 into the closed position. Additionally, while in some embodiments the protrusions 310 may engage within the guide tracks 300 to lock the stand assembly 220 into the closed position, in other embodiments the protrusions 310 may engage other notches formed in the base 20, or elsewhere on the case 10.
As noted above, the stand assembly 220 pivots relative to the base 20 at a pivot region 240 on the support leg 230. It may be appreciated that the support leg 230 may be coupled to the base 20 via a quantity of the flexible material 140. For example, as shown in the illustrated embodiment, where the hard material 130 is formed as the preform 150, it may be appreciated that the support leg 230 may also be formed from the hard material 130. As depicted in the view of
In the illustrated embodiment, where the support leg 230 is further coupled to the base 20 via the movable support frame 260, it may be appreciated that at the movable support frame 260 may guide the movement of the stand assembly 220 away from the base 20, and may provide a frictional engagement to prevent the flexible material 140 from biasing the support leg 230 back towards the base 20 (moving the stand assembly 220 back into the closed position).
As further shown in
It may be appreciated that in some embodiments the flexible material 140 at the support surface engaging region 250 (forming the stand grip 330) may be applied concurrently with the flexible material 140 being molded onto the base 20 of the case 10 (i.e., the flexible hinge 320 and that covering the base 20). For example,
In an embodiment, assembly of the case 10 may comprise forming the preform 150 and the support leg 230. The support leg 230 may be formed simultaneously with or separately from the preform 150 in various embodiments. Regardless, assembling the case 10 may comprise placing the support leg 230 in the stand aperture 210 (or otherwise separating the support leg 230 from the preform 150 to form the stand aperture 210). The preform 150 and support leg 230 may then be covered by the flexible material 140 joining the support leg to the preform 150 via the flexible hinge 320. As indicated above, in some embodiments the hard material 130 and the flexible material 140 may be co-molded through co-injection molding (and thus may cure together), while in other embodiments either the hard material 130 or the flexible material 140 may be formed first (and may be at least partially cured), before the other of the hard material 130 or the flexible material 140 is molded thereon. In an embodiment, once the perform 150 and the flexible material 140 are formed together, the movable support frame 260 may be installed thereon. For example, where the base engaging portions 290 are part of a pin received in the movable support frame 260, the pin may be inserted into the movable support frame 260 and aligned with the base engaging portions 290 to be received in the guide tracks 300. The opposite end of the movable support frame 260 may then be aligned with the support leg pivot 270, and the support pin 280 may be inserted into the receiving portion of the movable support frame 260 and the support leg 230, to pivotally couple the movable support frame 260 to the support leg 230.
It may be appreciated that the case 10 may alternatively be supported in a horizontal elevated position, resting on one of the sides 50a or 50b, with the support leg 230 in the open position. For example, as shown in
It may be appreciated that dimensions of the case 10 may vary according to the type of portable electronic device to be held therein. For example, in some embodiments where the hard material 130 (e.g., as the preform 150) is relatively rigid (especially as compared to the flexible material 140), it may be appreciated that the dimensions thereof may be sufficient to surround the portable electronic device. In an embodiment, the flexible material 140 may be sized to snugly surround the portable electronic device, and may provide impact protection for the portable electronic device within the hard material 130. Additionally, in some embodiments the hard material 130 in the case 10 may be shaped to generally match contours of the portable electronic device. For example, the preform 150 or analogous components of other embodiments of the case 10 may cause the case 10 to generally resemble the portable electronic device. In some embodiments, the case 10 may be formed with the hard material 130 (e.g., as the preform 150) having multiple facets or curves formed on one or more of the base 20, top 30, bottom 40, left side 50a, and right side 50b. In other embodiments, the case 10 may be shaped in a manner that is externally different from the portable electronic device configured to be retained therein. In some embodiments, the flexible material 140 may be configured to create a pocket shaped to retain the portable electronic device, but may have varying thickness within to fill the space between the pocket and the hard material 130 at the exterior of the case 10. Accordingly, it may be appreciated that the generally straight lines and rounded corners depicted in the case 10 illustrated herein are merely exemplary.
The materials utilized in the case 10 and/or their properties may also vary across embodiments. For example, while in the illustrated embodiment the material 130 utilized in the preform 150 is described as being hard or rigid, in other embodiments the material 130 may be any appropriate material having less shock absorbing properties than the flexible material 140. For example, while both the hard material 130 and the flexible material 140 may be flexible in some embodiments, the flexible material 140 may be more resilient than the hard material 130. It may be understood that resilient materials may include materials that can substantially return to its original form after being stretched, moved, bent, or otherwise deformed (within a reasonable tolerance).
It may be appreciated that in the art, resiliency may be measured by a durometer. Shore A durometers generally measure the compressive deformability of softer materials, such as rubbers and softer polyurethanes, while Shore D durometers may measure compressive deformability of harder polyurethanes and softer plastics. Rockwell R durometers typically measure compressive deformability of harder polyurethanes and plastics, ranging from Teflon through phenolic, for example. Accordingly, in some embodiments the flexible material 130 may have a hardness/resiliency on a scale conventionally measured on a Shore A durometer (e.g., a Shore A durometer value between 20-95), while the hard material 130 may have a hardness/resiliency on a scale conventionally measured on a Shore D durometer of 25-85, or on a Rockwell R durometer of 50-150. In an embodiment, the hard material 130 may be harder or more rigid so as to provide penetrative protection thereto, distributing impact forces applied thereto throughout the hard material 130. The comparative softness and resilience of the flexible material 140 (e.g., having a Shore A durometer value of less than 90) may absorb shocks therein, and give to prevent direct application of forces to the portable electronic device housed therein. It may be appreciated that in some embodiments hardness/resilience and an associated coefficient of friction may be distinct from a coefficient of friction associated with the material and a given reference surface. For example, some harder materials may have a relatively high coefficient of friction, while some softer/resilient materials may have a relatively lower coefficient of friction. Accordingly, the selection of the hard material 130 and the flexible material 140 may vary across embodiments, depending on a desired protruding resilient portion or a desired portion having a higher coefficient of friction.
As such, the material selections of the hard material 130 and the flexible material 140 may vary, and may each have different properties, including but not limited to differing hardness/resiliency, and differing coefficients of friction. It may be appreciated that in some embodiments, the same material may have different hardness's/resiliencies, or different coefficients of friction (e.g., with a particular support surface) depending on how the material is prepared. Regardless, in some non-limiting embodiments, the flexible material 140 may comprise a thermoplastic polymer or a thermoplastic elastomer material, such as thermoplastic polyethylene (TPE) or thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU). Any other resilient material, such as silicone, rubber or foam, may additionally or alternatively be utilized. In contrast, the hard material 130 may be more prone to permanent deformation, including cracking, scratching, shearing, or so on. As one non-limiting example, in the illustrated embodiment, where the hard material 130 is a molded plastic, the hard material 130 may comprise a thermoplastic, including but not limited to thermoplastics such as polycarbonate, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), and polyvinyl chloride (PVC). It may be appreciated that the hard material 130 need not be formed from molded plastic, but may comprise any other material, including but not limited to wood, metal, glass, leather, or so on, which may be overmolded with or assembled with a resilient or otherwise impact absorbing flexible material, which may facilitate the flexible hinge 320 between the base 20 and the support leg 230, for example.
In some embodiments, the hard material 130 and the flexible material 140 may have different cosmetic properties. For example, in some embodiments, the hard material 130 may have glossy characteristics, while the flexible material 140 may have matte characteristics. In other embodiments, the converse may be true. In some embodiments, the hard material 130 and the flexible material 140 may be different colors. Additionally, in various embodiments, one or more additional materials may be embedded or combined with either or both of the hard material 130 and the flexible material 140, and may serve cosmetic or functional purposes. For example, different portions of the components of the case 10 described above (e.g., different parts of the preform 150) may be made from different materials, which may be molded or otherwise assembled before being overmolded or otherwise secured to the flexible material 140 and/or additional materials. In an embodiment, the hard material 130 and the flexible material 140 may be secured to each other through a bond (e.g., as in the molding process) or through adhesion (e.g., via an adhesive).
While the principles of the invention have been made clear in the illustrative embodiments set forth above, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications may be made to the structure, arrangement, proportion, elements, materials, and components used in the practice of the invention.
It will thus be seen that the objects of this invention have been fully and effectively accomplished. It will be realized, however, that the foregoing preferred specific embodiments have been shown and described for the purpose of illustrating the functional and structural principles of this invention and are subject to change without departure from such principles. Therefore, this invention includes all modifications encompassed within the spirit and scope of this disclosure, including the appended claims.
This application claims the benefit of provisional U.S. Patent Application 61/788,497, filed on Mar. 15, 2013, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
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| 61788497 | Mar 2013 | US |
