US 2015/0319520 A1Published application

Protective enclosure for electronic device

AssigneeOtter Products, LLC

InventorsCurtis R. Richardson, Douglas A. Kempel

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Abstract

A protective enclosure for a mobile computing device that has an interactive touchscreen includes a first case member and a second case member. The second case member is attachable to the first case member via a latching mechanism, and the combined case members provide a protective interior of the enclosure. Pliable areas of the first and/or second case member align with a control button of the mobile computing device and transfer external force to the control button. An electrical connector of the protective enclosure is structured to engage a corresponding connector of the mobile computing device. The protective cover includes audio headphones and a headphone cable that connects between the audio headphones and an exterior surface of the second case member, electrically connecting the audio headphones to the electrical connector of the protective enclosure.

Claims22

Dependent claims

A protective enclosure for a mobile computing device having an interactive touchscreen, the protective enclosure comprising:

a first case member having an exterior surface, an interior surface, and a perimeter portion;
a second case member having an exterior surface, an interior surface, and a perimeter portion, the second case member removably attachable to the first case member with one or more latching mechanisms, wherein attachment of the second case member to the first case member forms a protective interior of the protective enclosure for receiving the mobile computing device, the protective interior of the protective enclosure including at least a portion of the interior surface of the first case member and at least a portion of the interior surface of the second case member;
a plurality of pliable areas disposed in one or more of the first case member and the second case member, the pliable areas each aligning with a corresponding control button of the mobile computing device such that at least a portion of a force applied at an external surface of one of the pliable areas is transferred to the corresponding control button of the mobile computing device to actuate the corresponding control button of the mobile computing device when the mobile computing device is in the protective interior of the protective enclosure;
an electrical connector attached to the interior surface of the second case member, the electrical connector of the protective enclosure structured to mate with an electrical connector of the mobile computing device when the mobile computing device is inside the protective enclosure;
audio headphones;
and
a headphone cable connected to the audio headphones and connected to the exterior surface of one of the first and the second case member, the headphone cable electrically interconnecting the audio headphones to the electrical connector of the protective enclosure such that audio signals generated by the mobile computing device inside the protective interior are transmitted through the electrical connector of the mobile computing device through the electrical connector of the protective enclosure and through the headphone cable to the headphones outside the protective enclosure.

4 more elements

A protective case for a portable electronic device, the protective case comprising:

a first case portion having an exterior surface, an interior surface, and a perimeter portion;
a second case portion having an exterior surface, an interior surface, and a perimeter portion, the second case portion removably attachable to the first case portion to form a protective shell having a cavity for the portable electronic device inside the protective shell, the cavity defined by at least a portion of the interior surface of the first case portion and at least a portion of the interior surface of the second case portion;
a pliable molded surface disposed in an opening of one of the first case portion and the second case portion, the pliable molded surface aligning with a corresponding control button of the portable electronic device and configured to transmit a mechanical pressure applied at an exterior surface of the pliable molded surface to the control button of the portable electronic device to actuate the control button of the portable electronic device when the portable electronic device is inside the shell;
an electrical connector attached to the interior surface of the second case portion, the electrical connector configured to mate with an electrical interface of the portable electronic device when the portable electronic device is inside the shell;
and
audio headphones having a headphone cable, the headphone cable connected to the exterior surface of the second case portion and electrically interconnected through a wall of the second case portion to the electrical connector of the protective case such that electrical audio signals generated by the portable electronic device inside the shell are transmitted from the electrical interface of the portable electronic device through the electrical connector and through the headphone cable to the headphones.

3 more elements

A protective case for a portable electronic device, the protective case comprising:

a protective shell including:
a first case portion having an exterior surface and an interior surface;
a second case portion having an exterior surface and an interior surface, the second case portion removably attachable to the first case portion, wherein attachment of the second case portion to the first case portion forms a protective cavity for the portable electronic device;
a pliable surface disposed in an opening of one of the first case portion and the second case portion, the pliable surface aligning with a control feature of the portable electronic device when the portable electronic device is inside the protective cavity, the pliable surface adapted to transmit at least a portion of a mechanical force applied at an external surface of the protective shell to the control feature of the portable electronic device to actuate the control feature when the portable electronic device is inside the protective cavity in the protective shell;
and
an electrical pass-through for accessing a headphone jack of the portable electronic device from outside the protective shell when the portable electronic device is inside the protective cavity in the protective shell;
audio headphones;
and
a headphone cable affixed to the headphones and electrically connected to the audio headphones, the headphone cable adapted to electrically connect the audio headphones to the headphone jack of the portable electronic device inside the protective shell through the electrical pass-through such that audio signals from the portable electronic device inside the protective shell are conducted to the audio headphones through the headphone cable.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 14/798,562Filed 14 Jul 2015
Priority: 19 Nov 2001
Published: 5 Nov 2015
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification52 codes

H04B 1/3888
Portable transceivers: arrangements for carrying or protecting transceivers
A45C 5/00
Rigid or semi-rigid luggage
A45C 11/00
Receptacles for purposes not provided for in groups a45c1/00-a45c9/00
A45C 13/002
Details; Accessories: protective covers

Family

Application60/335,865Us provisional application · filed 19 Nov 2001
Application10/300,200Continuation · filed 19 Nov 2002
Application10/645,439Continuation in part · filed 20 Aug 2003
Application10/937,048Continuation in part · filed 8 Sep 2004
Application11/456,157Division · filed 7 Jul 2006
Application12/560,621Continuation · filed 16 Sep 2009
Application14/031,700Continuation · filed 19 Sep 2013
Application14/283,055Continuation · filed 20 May 2014
Application14/631,740Continuation · filed 25 Feb 2015
Application14/798,562Continuation
Application12/560,621Division
Application11/456,157Continuation in part
Application10/645,439Continuation
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US 2015/0319520 A1This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.