Locking Mechanism of a Protective Case for a Portable Electronic Device
AssigneeMattel, Inc.
InventorsRoss RUMFOLA, III, Daniel J. DAMON, Jared P. PARDI, Donald W. STUCKE, Jr.
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A protective case for a portable electronic device includes a top and a bottom that define an interior configured to receive a portable electronic device. The top and bottom are hingedly coupled to one another along at least one side and removably coupled together by a latch along another side, opposite the hinged side. The latch includes two actuators and in order to open the protective case, both actuators must be actuated simultaneously.
Claims20
A locking mechanism of a protective case for a portable electronic device comprising:
- a first set of protrusions extending outwardly from a first side of the protective case, the first set of protrusions being movably coupled to the first side;
- a second set of protrusions extending outwardly from the first side of the protective case, the second set of protrusions being movably coupled to the first side;
- a first actuator configured to move the first set of protrusions upon actuation;
- a second actuator configured to move the second set of protrusions upon actuation;
- and
- a plurality of openings including on a second side of the protective case, the plurality of openings configured to receive or release the first and second sets of protrusions upon simultaneous actuation of the first and second actuators, wherein the protective case is configured to receive the portable electronic device between the first and second sides of the protective case.
A protective case for a portable electronic device, comprising:
- a top;
- a bottom, the top and bottom being rotatably coupled together along a first transverse edge and removably coupled together along a second, opposite transverse edge;
- and
- a latch configured to removably couple the top to the bottom along the second transverse edge, the latch including at least two projections and at least two actuators, each of the at least two actuators being configured to actuate at least one of the projections, wherein actuation of all of the projections allows the top to be decoupled from the bottom along the second transverse edge, wherein the protective case is configured to receive the portable electronic device between the top and bottom of the protective case.
A method of securing a portable electronic device within a protective case that is child-safe, comprising the steps of:
- inserting a portable electronic device into a housing of a protective case, the housing being formed by a top portion and a bottom portion;
- closing the top portion and bottom portion around the portable electronic device;
- securing the top portion to the bottom portion with a latch, wherein the latch may only be disengaged by simultaneous actuation of at least two actuators, wherein each of the actuators actuates a different set of protrusions included in the latch and every set of protrusions included in the latch must be actuated in order to release the latch.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.