Waterproof casing with exposed display surface
AssigneeWimo Labs LLC
InventorsKeith Alsberg, Gary H. Paulsen, Scott H. Wilson, Dennis M. Puhalla
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A protective case for housing a mobile device is provided. The protective case comprises a top shell that seals against a top surface of a device and a bottom shell that cradles the bottom of the device. The top shell provides a downward extension along its perimeter that fits within a trench or pocket formed around at least a portion of the perimeter of the bottom shell. An underside of the top shell includes a permanently chemically bonded compressible and waterproof film layer. The waterproof film layer is configured to seal directly against the top surface of the mobile device.
Claims20
A case for a generally rectangular mobile device having a top surface including a touch-screen display, a bottom surface, and first and second side surfaces, the case comprising:
- a top shell forming a perimeter around the interactive control panel of the mobile device and comprising a first side wall extending toward the bottom surface of the device along the first side surface of the device, and a second side wall extending toward the bottom surface of the device along the second side surface of the device, each of the first and second side walls comprising a downward extension and an outward protrusion, each outward protrusion forming a rail that extends along at least a portion of its respective side wall;
- a bottom shell forming a cradle for the bottom surface of the mobile device and comprising a first upstanding perimeter wall along at least a portion of the first side surface of the mobile device and a second upstanding perimeter wall along at least a portion of the second side surface of the mobile device, each of the first and second upstanding perimeter walls defining a trench for receiving at least a portion of one of the downward extensions;
- and
- wherein an underside of the top shell includes a compressible and waterproof film layer, the film layer being permanently chemically bonded to the underside of the top shell.
A method of assembling a case for a generally rectangular mobile device having a front surface with a back surface, a top surface including a touch-screen display, a bottom surface, and first and second side surfaces, the method comprising:
- providing a top shell forming a perimeter around the interactive control panel of the mobile device and comprising a first side wall extending toward the bottom surface of the device along the first side surface of the device, and a second side wall extending toward the bottom surface of the device along the second side surface of the device, each of the first and second side walls comprising a downward extension and an outward protrusion, each outward protrusion forming a rail that extends along at least a portion of its respective side wall;
- chemically bonding a compressible and waterproof film layer to an underside of the top shell;
- and
- attaching, to the top shell, a bottom shell forming a cradle for the bottom surface of the mobile device and comprising a first upstanding perimeter wall along at least a portion of the first side surface of the mobile device and a second upstanding perimeter wall along at least a portion of the second side surface of the mobile device, each of the first and second upstanding perimeter walls defining a trench for receiving at least a portion of one of the downward extensions.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.