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US 12,704,885 B2Granted
Mobile device and accessory case with articulated structure
OwnerThomas H Hillery, Graham Eacockinventors
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Systems and methods for use with a mobile electronic device comprising a housing having articulated structures on one or more of the housing side walls, the articulated structures including at least two segments forming an engagement which enables pivotal motion upon the application of a force on the housing thus enabling the housing to flex responsively.
Claims20
A housing for a mobile device comprising:
- a) a segment comprising a body defining a first end and a second end, the body including a axial conduit defined therein between the first end and the second end, the axial conduit having a first opening and a second opening, the first opening being at the first end and the second opening being at the second end, the first end including an axially protruding member and a lateral shoulder adjacent to the first opening, the second end including a recessed space adjacent to an axial arm, the axial arm having a lateral end, wherein the first end and second end are configured to form an engagement with an adjacent first end, the adjacent first end including an adjacent first end axial conduit defined therein, an adjacent first end protruding member and an adjacent first end lateral shoulder, the recessed space of the second end being configured to receive the adjacent first end protruding member therein whereby the adjacent first end lateral shoulder is positioned adjacent to the lateral end of the axial arm of the second end;
- and
- b) a post having a first end and a second end, the post extending through the axial conduit of the segment and the adjacent first end axial conduit.
A housing for a mobile device comprising:
- an articulated structure comprising:
- a group of at least two segments, each segment of the group comprising a body defining a first end and a second end, the body including a axial conduit defined therein between the first end and the second end, the axial conduit having a first opening and a second opening, the first opening being at the first end and the second opening being at the second end, the first end including an axially protruding member and a lateral shoulder adjacent to the first opening, the axially protruding member having a convex distal end portion, the second end including a recessed concave space adjacent to laterally opposing axial arms, each of the laterally opposing axial arms having a lateral end surface, wherein the first end of a first segment of the group and the second end of a second segment of the group form an engagement, wherein the engagement comprises the recessed concave space of the first segment receiving therein the convex distal end portion of the protruding member of the second segment, whereby the lateral shoulder of the first end of the second segment is positioned adjacent to the lateral end surfaces of the laterally opposing axial arms of the second end of the first segment, and wherein the axial conduits of the first segment and the second segment are aligned by the engagement;
- and
- a post having a first end and a second end, the post extending through the aligned conduits of the group of at least two segments, wherein the first end of the post is received in a first hole in the housing and the second end of the post is received in a second hole in the housing.
1 more element
A housing for a mobile device comprising:
- a) a group of at least two segments, each segment of the group comprising a body defining a first end and a second end, the body including a axial conduit defined therein between the first end and the second end, the axial conduit having a first opening and a second opening, the first opening being at the first end and the second opening being at the second end, the first end including an axially protruding member and a lateral shoulder adjacent to the first opening, the second end including a recessed space adjacent to an axial arm, the axial arm having a lateral end, wherein the first end and second end of adjacent segments in the group form an engagement whereby the recessed space of a first segment receives the protruding member of a second segment therein and the lateral shoulder of the first end of the second segment is positioned adjacent to the lateral end of the axial arm of the second end of the first segment, and wherein the axial conduits of the first segment and the second segment are aligned by the engagement;
- and
- b) a post having a first end and a second end, the post extending through the aligned conduits of the adjacent segments, wherein the first end of the post is received in a longitudinal conduit and the second end of the post is received in an axial hole in the housing.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.