Patent Application
20190380461
This invention relates to accessories for electronic devices and more specifically to user removable protective enclosures or cases for mobile electronic devices.
Mobile consumer electronic products, such as smart and cellular phones, computing tablets, MP3/audio/video players, gaming devices and laptops are continuously and rapidly evolving to meet expanding consumer demands. Conventionally, many such mobile electronic devices include what is commonly referred to as a home button, which is a button on the front face of a smartphone or tablet (or other electronic device) that takes the user from a particular application that is in use or running on the device to the home screen or some starting point that allows the user to access another application or settings on the device. Thus, for example, when a video is playing on the electronic device, engaging the home button of that device will typically pause or stop the video and provide the user with a home screen that will allow the user to access other applications or functions on the device, such as the internet browser, photos, text messages, cell-phone calendar, or contacts. Similarly, when the device is in sleep or inactive mode, engaging the home button can awaken or activate the device thereby allowing the user to interface with the device.
Such physical home buttons, however, are being removed and replaced with expanded interactive touchscreens. For example, the most recent generation of Apple's iPhone X, introduced in late 2017, includes planar all glass front and back faces that are separated by a thin metallic perimeter bezel. The front face of the device is comprised of an interactive touchscreen that extends to the perimeter of the bottom of the device. The home button, which on prior models was located in the bottom region, is now removed iPhone X device to facilitate the inclusion of a larger touchscreen without increasing the overall dimensions of the device. As a substitute for the home button, the iPhone X device employs operating software that facilitates user interaction with the device via what is referred to as screen edge or screen swipe finger gestures, which allow the user to access the home screen, application switcher, control center and notifications of the device. In operation, the user interface software of the device basically looks for panning or swiping gestures that start near or at the edge of the screen. For example, the user interface software of the iPhone X facilitates access to the home screen on the iPhone X when it detects that the user has swiped the screen from the bottom edge of the screen upward.
While mobile electronic devices are continuingly advancing, becoming more powerful, interactive and connected, they also are not cheap and can be quite expensive. For example, the price for an Apple iPhone X can be more than $1,000, which is a significant financial investment. In an effort to protect their investments, consumers frequently accessorize their mobile device with protective cases that are dimensioned and configured for their particular device (e.g., iPhone X). Such protective cases, however, typically are configured to extend over the perimeter regions of the front face of the device to protect the device from damage resulting from impact while retaining the device within the case.
The invention here recognizes that while conventional cases are capable of providing protection, they can interfere with functionality of the device and thereby degrade the user experience. In the context of gesture controlled devices, like the Apple iPhone X, the invention here recognizes that there is a need for user removable protective cases that are capable of facilitating screen edge swipe gestures, yet provide high level protection that consumers desire.
Disclosed are numerous aspects of a unique and inventive protective case configured to receive, retain and protect a mobile device. The case may be for a mobile electronic device that is in the form of a smartphone, tablet, an MP3 audio player, a gaming device, or other portable handheld electronic device having an interactive touchscreen display with screen edge finger gesture control capability. In an illustrated implementation the protective case is configured for the Apple iPhone X.
Such mobile devices typically include a front and back opposing faces, which define the thickness of the mobile device, a perimeter that defines the top, bottom, right, and left sides of the device with intersecting regions of the sides defining the corners of the device. The perimeter may comprise a metallic bezel that resides between the front and back faces, while the front face comprises an interactive touchscreen display adapted, in one or more locations, to being responsive to screen edge finger gesture control, such as in the Apple iPhone X.
The protective case is generally comprised of an open-faced compartment that is configured to receive and retain the mobile device. The compartment includes a plurality of walls corresponding to the outer configuration of the device that are configured to surround the sides and/or the back of the mobile device and a touchscreen opening that is defined in the front face wall of the case by a perimeter lip or projecting edge that is configured to overlie the front face of the device to facilitate user access to the touchscreen of the device while also capable of serving to retain the device in the compartment. The perimeter lip of the case includes a finger gesture runway or channel that is configured to position or align a user's finger with the edge of the touchscreen of the device so that the user's finger may engage the edge of interactive touchscreen to facilitate a screen edge finger gesture (e.g., swipe) control with minimal or no obstruction or interference by the case.
The finger gesture runway may be positioned in any region or section of the case that corresponds with an adjacent region of the mobile device's interactive touchscreen that is adapted to being responsive to screen edge finger gesture control. In one implementation for a protective case configured for an Apple iPhone X smartphone device, the finger gesture runway is positioned to extend from the front face of the case into the bottom side wall of the case midway between the bottom corners of the case. The channel that defines the finger gesture runway may extend downward all the way to the back face of the case or only partially to the back face of the case and may be in the form of a slot or opening and/or a depression formed in the walls of case or a combination thereof. When the channel extends only partially down to the back face, the bottom side wall of the case residing there below is capable of protecting the corresponding bottom perimeter region of the device. Apertures and/or buttons are provided on the side walls and back face wall of the case to facilitate access and/or operation of the mobile device (e.g., volume buttons, silent switch, power and data port, on/off button, silent switch, speaker and microphone, and camera and flash/illumination controls).
The protective case may be manufactured using polymers or any suitable material such as wood and/or metal or combinations thereof. In one implementation, the protective case is formed of one or more molded polymer materials, such as polycarbonate (PC), theimoplastic urethane (TPU), thermoplastic elastomer (TPE), acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), nylon, silicone rubber or a combination thereof.
Softer more elastic or flexible materials (such as TPU, TPE, or rubber) may form all or portions of the top face perimeter lip of the case, while relatively more rigid materials (such as PC) may be employed to form other portion of the case including all or portions of the (i) top, bottom, right and/or left sides; (ii) the back face, and/or (iii) one or more corners defined at the intersecting regions of the sides. In one embodiment the back face of the protective case is formed of a relatively rigid material (e.g., PC), the sides walls and front face wall of the protective case are formed of a relatively more elastic or flexible material (e.g., TPU, TPE, rubber).
Some or all of the walls that define the finger gesture runway channel may be formed of: (i) the same material as the front face wall (e.g., the perimeter lip) of the case, (ii) a more rigid material (e.g., PC) relative to the material that forms the perimeter lip (e.g., TPU or TPE), or (iii) a relatively softer, pliable or more elastic material relative to the material that forms the perimeter lip. Employing relatively harder materials to form the outer surfaces of the runway channel may allow for greater durability with continued use.
The shape, contour and dimensions of the gesture runway are also aspects of the invention. The configuration of the protective case walls and overall configuration of the protective case including with respect to the finger gesture runway are also aspects of the invention.
It should be understood that each of the foregoing and various aspects, together with those set forth in the claims and summarized above and/or otherwise disclosed herein, including the drawings, may be combined to support claims for a device, apparatus, system, method of manufacture, and/or use without limitation.
These and other features, aspects and advantages are described below with reference to the drawings, which are intended to illustrate, but not to limit, the invention. In the drawings, like reference characters denote corresponding features consistently throughout similar embodiments.
Each drawing is generally to scale and hence relative dimensions of the various layers can be determined from the drawings.
As summarized above and illustrated in the drawings, disclosed herein are various aspects of a protective case for a mobile device capable of providing user storage for personal items and different user viewing/operation positions while minimizing bulkiness and weight without sacrificing protection. Many of those aspects are summarized above and illustrated in the drawings.
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As best depicted in
As illustrated in the drawings, the front face wall 210 includes a touchscreen aperture 216 that is defined by a perimeter lip or projecting edge 214. The touchscreen aperture 216 facilitates visibility and user access to the interactive touchscreen 112 of the device 100 and may also allow for insertion and removal of the device into and out of the case 200. The device compartment 205, which is defined by the inner surfaces of the walls 210220, 230, 240, 250260 is dimensioned and constructed to receive and retain the mobile device 100 within the case 200 as depicted in the drawings. When the device 100 is inserted in the case 200, the inner surfaces 211, 221, 231, 241, 251, 261 of the case 200 are in contact with the corresponding outer surfaces of the device 100.
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As depicted, the runway channel 270 is in the form of an opening or a slot that is dimensioned to be configured to reside between the medial extent 161(a) of the speaker/microphone apertures 161 to allow access to the data and charging port aperture 162 on the mobile device 100. To the extent that the runway channel 270 is formed as a depression in the bottom side wall 260 as previously discussed, then an aperture may be included in the depression to allow access to the data and power port 162. The width dimension W of the runway channel 270 (best illustrated in
The runway channel 270 is, in the illustrated embodiment, defined by top and bottom sets of opposed surfaces (272(a), 272(b) and 274(a), 274(b)). The opposed surfaces extend entirely through the front face wall 210 and bottom side wall 260 so as to define a channel opening therein. However, as previously described, the top and/or bottom sets of opposed surfaces 272, 274 may not extend entirely through either the front face wall 210 or bottom side wall 260 and even if it extends through either wall it may not extend through the wall the entire length of the runway channel 270.
In the illustrated implementation, the top set of opposed surfaces 272 is defined in the front face 210 of the case 200 and is comprised of a first wall surface 272(a) and a second wall surface 272(b). The first and second wall surfaces 272(a) and 272(b) are symmetrical relative to one another and are each comprised of angled surface regions that extend away from one another as they extend away from the inner surface 211 of the front face wall 210 toward the outer surface 212 of the front face wall 210 and each is curved to define a convex exterior shape 272(c) (best illustrated in
The bottom set of opposing wall surfaces 274 are comprised of symmetrical first and second wall surfaces 274(a) and 274(b) that are defined in the bottom side wall 260. The first and second wall surfaces 274(a) and 274(b) also each include angled surface regions that extend away from one another as they extend away from the inner surface 261 of the bottom side wall 260 toward the outer surface 262 of the bottom side wall 260.
The second set of opposing walls 274(a) and 274(b) merge seamlessly together at their bottom regions and define an upper edge 274(c) of a retention wall 278 that extends above the back face wall 220 and resides below the channel 270. The retention wall 278 is configured to extend upward from the back face wall 220 a height (h) (See
The first opposed wall 272(a) of the first set of opposed walls 272 and the first opposed wall 274(a) of the second set of opposed walls 274 merge seamlessly together to form a contiguous curved smooth surface. Similarly, the second opposed wall 272(b) of the first set of opposed walls 272 and the second opposed wall 274(b) of the second set of opposed walls 274 merge seamlessly together to form a contiguous curved smooth surface.
The case 200 is configured and constructed with sufficient flexibility to allow for the user to insert and remove the device 100 through the aperture 216. The protective case 200 may be manufactured using polymers or any suitable material such as wood and/or metal or combinations thereof to facilitate its operation. In one implementation, best illustrated in
Each of the components 310, 320 of the case 200 may be formed of one or more polymer materials, such as polycarbonate (PC), thermoplastic urethane (TPU), thermoplastic elastomer (TPE), acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), nylon, silicone rubber or a combination thereof. Softer more elastic or flexible materials (such as TPU, TPE, or rubber) may form all or portions of the top component 310 including the front face wall 210 of the case 200, while relatively more rigid materials (such as PC) may be employed to form other portion of the case including all or portions of the (i) top, bottom, right and/or left side walls 250, 260, 240, 230; (ii) the back face wall 220, and/or (iii) one or more corners defined at the intersecting regions of the sides. In one embodiment the back face wall 220 of the protective case 200 is formed of a relatively rigid material (e.g., PC), the sides walls 230, 240, 250, 260 and front face wall 210 of the protective case 200 are formed of a relatively more elastic or flexible material (e.g., TPU, TPE, rubber).
Some or all of the walls that define the finger gesture runway channel 270 may be formed of: (i) the same material as the front face wall 210 of the case, (ii) a more rigid material (e.g., PC) relative to the material that forms the perimeter lip 214 (e.g., TPU or TPE), or (iii) a relatively softer, pliable or more elastic material relative to the material that forms the perimeter lip 214. Employing relatively harder materials to form the outer surfaces of the runway channel 270 may allow for greater durability with continued use.
In operation, the user would insert the mobile electronic device 100 into the case 200 through the aperture 216 by flexing the case 200. Once inserted into the case 200, the finger gesture channel 270 is aligned adjacent with the bottom edge 119 of the touchscreen 216 in a region thereof that is adapted to being responsive to screen edge finger gesture control. When the user desires to interact with the device 100 using a screen edge finger gesture, the user swipes upward toward the touchscreen 112 and in doing so the user's tactile senses identify the runway channel 270 which guides the user's finger into direct contact with the bottom edge 119 of the touchscreen 112.
Each of the foregoing and various aspects, or teachings herein together with those set forth in the claims and described in connection with the embodiments of the protective cases summarized above or otherwise disclosed herein including the drawings may be combined to form claims for a device, apparatus, system, method of manufacture, and/or use without limitation.
Although the various inventive aspects are herein disclosed in the context of certain preferred embodiments, implementations, and examples, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the present invention extends beyond the specifically disclosed embodiments to other alternative embodiments and/or uses of the invention and obvious modifications and equivalents thereof. In addition, while a number of variations of the various aspects have been shown and described in detail, other modifications, which are within their scope will be readily apparent to those of skill in the art based upon this disclosure. It should be also understood that the scope this disclosure includes the various combinations or sub-combinations of the specific features and aspects of the embodiments disclosed herein, such that the various features, modes of implementation, and aspects of the disclosed subject matter may be combined with or substituted for one another. Thus, it is intended that the scope of the present invention herein disclosed should not be limited by the particular disclosed embodiments or implementations described above, but should be determined only by a fair reading of the claims.
Similarly, this method of disclosure, is not to be interpreted as reflecting an intention that any claim require more features than are expressly recited in that claim. Rather, as the following claims reflect, inventive aspects lie in a combination of fewer than all features of any single foregoing disclosed embodiment. Thus, the claims following the Detailed Description are hereby expressly incorporated into this Detailed Description, with each claim standing on its own as a separate embodiment.
This application claims benefit under 35 U.S.C. § 119(e) from U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/609,240, filed on Dec. 21, 2017, which is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 62609240 | Dec 2017 | US |
