Patent Application
20210029424
The present application relates generally to audio accessories, and in particular, to a protective case for audio device systems.
Wireless earbuds, such as Airpods® by Apple, Inc., are used in conjunction with a charging case. These charging cases are rigid to prevent damage to the earbuds contained in them. Left exposed, the charging cases are susceptible to scratches and to damage from the environment.
Various coverings for the charging cases that house the earbuds have been developed to address these issues. Soft-touch silicone has been a preferred material to provide cushioning when the earbud case, a frictional surface for a better grip on the case, and significant scratch resistance.
Although these coverings offer significant benefits over the use of charging cases alone as an external covering for wireless earbuds, such coverings also have significant limitations. The use of silicone to provide an external surface for these coverings creates a highly frictional surface on the coverings that makes them difficult to place in and to remove from user's pockets and other tight places. External hinges of certain cases or recesses in bases for accommodating rotations of lids attached to the bases of certain cases snag on clothing or other objects in the external environment which subjects the earbud system and casings to potential drops or other shocks and possible loss.
Accordingly, coverings with lower friction and less susceptibility to snags are desirable.
In accordance with an aspect of the invention, an outer case for covering a handheld electronic device or handheld electronic device case may include a base, a lid, and a connecting portion. The base may include a first base layer which may be made of an elastomeric first material and a second base layer which may be attached to the first base layer and which may be made of a second material different from the first material. The lid may include a first lid layer which may be made of an elastomeric third material and a second lid layer which may be attached to the first lid layer and which may be made of a fourth material different from the third material. The connecting portion may be attached along a rear wall of the base and a rear wall of the lid. The rear wall of the base, the rear wall of the lid, and the connecting portion may be flush when the outer case is in a closed state with the lid covering an opening defined by the base. The connecting portion may suspend the lid when the outer case is in a fully open state with the lid spaced from the base.
In some arrangements, the second and the fourth materials may be rigid materials.
In some arrangements, the first base layer and the first lid layer may define an interior of the outer case, and the second base layer and the second lid layer may define an exterior of the outer case.
In some arrangements, the first material and the third material may be the same material, and the second material and the fourth material may be the same material.
In some arrangements, the connecting portion may be a hinge such that the lid rotates relative to the base via the connecting portion in a direction away from the base towards the fully the open state of the outer case.
In some arrangements, the lid may include a lid flange, and the base may include a base flange closer to an opening defined by the base in an open state of the outer case than the lid flange when the outer case is in the closed state.
In some arrangements, the outer case may further include a hook or loop. The hook or loop may extend from the base. The hook or loop may be integral with the first base layer such that the hook or loop and the first base layer may be inseparable without fracture of either one or both of the hook or loop and the first base layer. The hook or loop may extend from the first base layer through the second base layer.
In some arrangements, the base, the lid, and the connecting portion may be integral such that the base, the lid, and the connecting portion may be inseparable without fracture of any one or any combination of the base, the lid, and the connection portion.
In some arrangements, either one or both of the base and the lid may be made of co-molded or co-casted polymer layers.
In some arrangements, either one or both of the base and the lid may be made of a plurality of layers attached by an adhesive.
In some arrangements, the first material and the third material each may include at least one material selected from the group consisting of thermoplastic elastomers (“TPEs”), thermoplastic polyurethane (“TPU”), silicone, rubber, and any combinations of these materials.
In some arrangements, the second material and the fourth material each may include at least one material selected from the group consisting of hardened plastic materials, rigid or semi-rigid plastic materials, rigid rubber materials, polycarbonate materials, metals, alloys, para-aramid materials, wood, glass, mirror, quartz, and any combinations of these materials.
In some arrangements, an outer surface or outer surfaces of any one or any combination of the first base layer, the second base layer, the first lid layer, and the second lid layer may include an antimicrobial substance or treatment. In such arrangements, the antimicrobial substance or treatment may be selected from the group consisting of silver and silver alloys, copper and copper alloys, organosilanes, quaternary ammonium compounds, chlorhexidine, chlorhexidine incorporated hydroxyapatite materials, chlorhexidine-containing polymers, and antibiotics.
In some arrangements, the outer case may conform to and may be configured for covering a case, which may be a charging case, for storing earbuds, which may be wireless earbuds.
In some arrangements, the outer case may be configured for covering one or more earbuds, a microphone or case therefor, a voice recorder or case therefor, a remote control device or case therefor, a pager or case therefor, or a video game controller or case therefor.
In some arrangements, the outer case may further include a cushion and a ridge. The cushion may be attached to the lid. The ridge may be attached to the lid on a side of the lid opposite the cushion. The cushion may be configured to compress the one of the handheld electronic device or the handheld electronic device case covered by the outer case.
In some such arrangements, the cushion may be attached to the first lid layer and the ridge may be attached to the second lid layer.
A handheld electronic device system may include either one or both of a handheld electronic device and a handheld electronic device case configured for holding the electronic device and an outer case enclosing the one or both of the electronic device and the electronic device case in a first state and exposing the one or both of the electronic device and the electronic device case in a second state. The outer case may include a base, a lid, and a connecting portion. The base may include a first base layer which may be made of an elastomeric first material and a second base layer which may be attached to the first base layer and which may be made of a second material different from the first material. The lid may include a first lid layer which may be made of an elastomeric third material and a second lid layer which may be attached to the first lid layer and which may be made of a fourth material different from the third material. The connecting portion may be attached along a rear wall of the base and a rear wall of the lid. The rear wall of the base, the rear wall of the lid, and the connecting portion may be flush when the outer case is in a closed state with the lid covering an opening defined by the base. The connecting portion may suspend the lid when the outer case is in a fully open state with the lid spaced from the base.
In some arrangements, the handheld electronic device system may include both the handheld electronic device and the handheld electronic device case. In such arrangements, the handheld electronic device may be held within the electronic device case.
In accordance with another aspect, an outer case for covering a handheld electronic device or handheld electronic device case may include a base, a lid, and a flexible hinge. The lid may be configured for placement onto the base. The lid may have a first state in which the lid is placed on the base and a second state in which the lid is spaced from the base. The flexible hinge may be attached to the base and the lid. The flexible hinge may be in the form of a curved sheet when the lid is in the first state and may be in the form of a paraboloid when the lid is in the second state.
A more complete appreciation of the subject matter of the present invention and various advantages thereof may be realized by reference to the following detailed
description and the accompanying drawings, in which:
It is to be understood that the figures and descriptions of the present invention have been simplified to illustrate elements that are relevant for a clear Understanding of the present invention, while eliminating, for purposes of clarity, many other elements which are conventional in this art. Those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that other elements are desirable for implementing the present invention. However, because such elements are well known in the art, and because they do not facilitate a better understanding of the present invention, a discussion of such elements is not provided herein.
Any numerical ranges set forth herein are included to individually disclose every sub-range and number, both whole integer and partial fraction, within the disclosed range. For example, a disclosed range of 1-100 is intended to individually disclose 10-90, 40-70, 29.5-60.2, 65, 57.3, 94.512924, and every other range and number that falls within the recited range.
Referring now to
As shown, outer case 20 includes base portion 30 and lid portion 40 attached to and closeable onto the base portion via connecting portion 50. Base portion 30 covers an entirety of an external surface of charging base 12 and lid portion 40 covers an entirety of an external surface of charging lid 15 such that upon closure of the lid portion onto the base portion of outer case 20 with charging case 10 arranged within the base portion, the entirety of the charging case is enclosed by the outer case (see
Referring now to
As shown for example in
As shown, outer case 20 further includes attachment loop 60 extending from base portion 30. A separate hook, key ring, carabiner 18, and the like may be attached to attachment loop 60 for easier carrying of outer case 20 and its contents or attachment of outer case 20 and its contents to another object such as a bag or belt loop of a user. Attachment loop 60 extends from inner base layer 31 and through an opening defined by outer base layer 32. In some arrangements, attachment loop 60 is integral with inner base layer 31 such that the attachment loop and the inner base layer are inseparable without fracture. In other arrangements, attachment loop 60 may be attached to inner base layer 31 by an adhesive, by way of a tight interference fit within the inner base layer, by way of a flange extending from the attachment loop and preventing separation of the attachment loop from the inner base layer, or by other means known to those skilled in the art. As in the example shown, a corner formed by bottom wall 34 and side wall 36 of base portion 30 may be truncated such that a substantial portion of attachment loop 60 (see
Front wall 37 of base portion 30 of outer case 20 includes base flange 35 set into and extending from base recess 38 of the base portion, and front wall 47 of lid portion 40 of the outer case includes lid flange 45 set into and extending from lid flap 48 of the lid portion. Lid flap 48 is located on lid portion 40 and base recess 38 is located on base portion 30 such that upon closure of outer case 20, the lid flap is received within the base recess as shown in
As in the example shown in
Inner base layer 31, inner lid layer 41, and port insert 64 preferably may be made of elastomeric or other suitably flexible materials. Preferred materials include thermosetting plastics with a hard durometer having shore 30D to shore 100D, polycarbonate, poly(methyl methacrylate) (“PMMA”), metals, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (“ABS”), PMMA, polyethylene terephthalate (“PET”), high durometer thermoplastic elastomers (“TPEs”) and thermoplastic polyurethanes (“TPUs”) having shore 30D to shore 100D, and any combination thereof. In some arrangements, either one or both of inner base layer 31 and inner lid layer 41 may be made of a non-Newtonian dilatant material, as further described in U.S. Patent Application Publication Nos. 2019/0075899 A1 and 2019/0075900 A1. Inner base layer 31 and inner lid layer 41 preferably are made of the same material, although these layers may be made of different materials.
Outer base layer 32 and outer lid layer 42 preferably may be made of a rigid or hard material to create a rigid/hard shell which provides at least some impact protection as well as protection from being punctured by impacts with sharp objects. Preferred hard/rigid materials include hardened plastic material, a rigid or semi-rigid plastic material, a rigid/hard rubber material, a polycarbonate material, a metal, an alloy, a para-aramid material, wood, glass, mirror, quartz, and any combination thereof, and may be any color or texture. Such materials may be the same as or may mimic the material or materials used for charging case 10. Outer base layer 32 and outer lid layer 42 preferably are made of the same material, although these layers may be made of different materials.
Any one or any combination of surfaces of inner base layer 31, outer base layer 32, inner lid layer 41, and outer lid layer 42 exposed to users in either one or both of the open and closed positions of outer case 20 may be treated with an antimicrobial material applied as a coating or any one of such layers 31, 32, 41, 42 may have an antimicrobial material embedded into such layers. Preferred antimicrobial materials include silver or silver alloy (e.g., silver sodium hydrogen zirconium phosphate), copper or copper alloy, organosilanes, quaternary ammonium compounds (e.g., dimethyloctadecyl (3-trimethoxysilyl propyl) ammonium chloride, alkyldimethylbenzylammonium chloride, and didecyldimethylammonium chloride), chlorhexidine, chlorhexidine incorporated hydroxyapatite materials, chlorhexidine-containing polymers (e.g., chlorhexidine-containing polylactide), and antibiotics (e.g., gentamicin, cephalothin, carbenicillin, amoxicillin, cefamandol, tobramycin, vancomycin). Preferred antimicrobial coatings include coatings containing any of the aforementioned antimicrobial materials, chlorhexidine-containing polylactide coatings on an anodized surface, and polymer and calcium phosphate coatings with chlorhexidine. These antimicrobial treatments aid in reducing the presence and preventing the growth of microbes (e.g., bacteria, fungi, viruses, etc.), thereby aiding in preventing the spread of related sicknesses, illnesses, or diseases.
Referring now to
Referring now to
As shown in
Referring now to
Lid 340 includes inner lid layer 341 having lid ribs 349 along a bottom portion of the inner lid layer in place of inner lid layer 41 that excludes such lid ribs. Lid ribs 349 provide additional friction against charging lid 15, relative to surfaces without such ribs, when the charging lid is inserted into lid receptacle 343 defined by inner lid layer 341.
It should be understood that covers for other audio device systems, such as but not limited to microphones, voice recorders, and the like, that may or may not be encased in or accompanied by a charging case or charging dock, as well as other handheld electronic device systems, such as but not limited to remote controllers, pagers, video game wands or other controllers, and the like, that may or may not be encased in or accompanied by a charging case or charging dock, are encompassed by the present invention.
It is noted that the terminology used above is for the purpose of reference only, and is not intended to be limiting. For example, terms such as “upper,” “lower,” “above,” “below,” “rightward,” “leftward,” “clockwise,” and “counterclockwise” refer to directions in the drawings to which reference is made. As another example, terms such as “inward” and “outward” may refer to directions toward and away from, respectively, the geometric center of the component described. As a further example, terms such as “front,” “rear,” “side,” “left side,” “right side,” “top,” “bottom,” “horizontal,” and “vertical” describe the orientation of portions of the component within a consistent but arbitrary frame of reference which is made clear by reference to the text and the associated drawings describing the component under discussion. Such terminology will include the words specifically mentioned above, derivatives thereof, and words of similar import.
While this invention has been described in conjunction with the specific embodiments outlined above, it is evident that many alternatives, modifications, and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Indeed, the disclosure set forth herein includes all possible combinations of the particular features set forth above, whether specifically disclosed herein or not. For example, where a particular feature is disclosed in the context of a particular aspect, arrangement, configuration, or embodiment, that feature can also be used, to the extent possible, in combination with and/or in the context of other particular aspects, arrangements, configurations, and embodiments of the invention, and in the invention generally. Moreover, the disclosure set forth herein includes the mirror image, i.e., mirror configuration, taken from any perspective of any drawing or other configuration shown or described herein. Accordingly, the preferred embodiments of the invention as set forth above are intended to be illustrative, not limiting. Various changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the inventions as defined in the following claims.
In addition, it is noted that citation or identification of any document in this application is not an admission that such document is available as prior art to the present invention.
