# US 2021/0240056 A1 · Protective Case For A Mobile Device

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- Number: US 2021/0240056 A1
- Document ID: US20210240056A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 17/176,144
- Filed: 2021-02-15
- Published: 2021-08-05
- Earliest claimed: 2016-11-18
- Assignees: Moment Inc
- Applicants: Moment Inc
- Inventors: Marc BARROS; Erik HEDBERG; Robert John LINCOLN; Miguel CHRISTOPHY; Kent SUZUKI; Josh BAXLEY; Phillip PASQUAL; Jessica LIVAK; Audrey LOUCHART
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20210240056A1

## CPC

- G03B 17/14: interchangeably
- A45C 11/00: Receptacles for purposes not provided for in groups A45C1/00-A45C9/00 (specially adapted for toiletry or cosmetic equipment A45D29/20, A45D44/18; travelling sewing kits A45F3/48)
- G02B 7/14: adapted to interchange lenses {(G02B7/027 takes precedence)}
- G03B 17/565: {Optical accessories, e.g. converters for close-up photography, tele-convertors, wide-angle convertors}
- H04B 1/3888: Arrangements for carrying or protecting transceivers
- H04M 1/0264: {for a camera module assembly}
- H04N 23/50: Constructional details
- H04N 23/51: Housings
- H04N 23/55: Optical parts specially adapted for electronic image sensors; Mounting thereof
- H04N 23/57: Mechanical or electrical details of cameras or camera modules specially adapted for being embedded in other devices
- A45C 11/002: {for storing portable handheld communication devices, e.g. pagers or smart phones}
- G03B 2217/002: Details of arrangement of components in or on camera body
- G03B: APPARATUS OR ARRANGEMENTS FOR TAKING PHOTOGRAPHS OR FOR PROJECTING OR VIEWING THEM; APPARATUS OR ARRANGEMENTS EMPLOYING ANALOGOUS TECHNIQUES USING WAVES OTHER THAN OPTICAL WAVES; ACCESSORIES THEREFOR (optical parts of such apparatus G02B; photosensitive materials or processes for photographic purposes G03C; apparatus for processing exposed photographic materials G03D)
- A45C: PURSES; LUGGAGE; HAND CARRIED BAGS
- G02B: OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS
- H04B: TRANSMISSION
- H04M: TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION (circuits for controlling other apparatus via a telephone cable and not involving telephone switching apparatus G08)
- H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION

## Abstract

A mobile device case includes a soft protective housing defining a camera-lens aperture and a touchscreen display aperture, and a lens attachment interface including a capture plate protruding into the camera-lens aperture sufficient to overlap a coupling interface of a removable lens assembly along the optical path of the miniature camera module, and a catch to facilitate stable locking coupling of the removable lens assembly in optical alignment with the miniature camera module.

## Claims

### Claim 1

(canceled)

### Claim 2

A mobile device case for a mobile device that includes a miniature camera module and a touchscreen display, comprising:
(a) a soft protective housing defining a camera-lens aperture and a touchscreen display aperture, said soft protective housing being configured to securely couple around at least a portion of the periphery of said mobile device; and
(b) a lens attachment interface comprising
(i) a capture plate protruding into the camera-lens aperture across at least a portion of a periphery of the camera-lens aperture sufficient to overlap an oblong rotatable coupling component of an auxiliary lens assembly along an optical path of the miniature camera module, and
wherein the capture plate comprises a gradually sloped detent segment configured to overlap with said oblong rotatable coupling component of said auxiliary lens assembly between first and second ends of said detent segment, to create pressure and hold the auxiliary lens assembly into place, and
(ii) a catch comprising a stop configured to prevent further rotation of said oblong rotatable coupling component at said second end of said detent segment to facilitate stable coupling of said auxiliary lens assembly in optical alignment with said miniature camera module.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The mobile device case of claim 2, wherein said oblong rotatable coupling component comprises a bayonet tab that is rotatable between said first and second ends of said detent segment.

### Claim 4 (depends on 2)

The mobile device case of claim 2, wherein said capture plate comprises a stamped plate and said stop comprises a stamped stop.

### Claim 5 (depends on 2)

The mobile device case of claim 2, wherein said detent segment of the capture plate between said first and second ends comprises between 45° and 135°.

### Claim 6 (depends on 2)

The mobile device case of claim 2, wherein said capture plate comprises polycarbonate resin or a rigid material of texture MT-11010 or both.

### Claim 7 (depends on 2)

The mobile device case of claim 2, wherein an inner edge of case material that defines the periphery of the camera-flash aperture comprises a dark color.

### Claim 8 (depends on 2)

The mobile device case of claim 2, wherein said case housing uniformly comprises a case material with said same dark color as said inner edge of said lens attachment aperture.

### Claim 9 (depends on 2)

The mobile device case of claim 2, wherein said case housing comprises a soft outer material layer and a rigid inner material layer, and said camera-lens aperture comprises a uniform cutout from said soft outer material layer of said case housing, and said lens attachment interface comprises a bevel.

### Claim 10 (depends on 2)

The mobile device case of claim 2, wherein said lens attachment interface comprises polycarbonate.

### Claim 11 (depends on 2)

The mobile device case of claim 2, wherein the case housing is further configured to define therein said lens attachment interface.

### Claim 12 (depends on 2)

The mobile device case of claim 2, wherein the camera-lens aperture is further shaped to couple a lens attachment interface with the case.

### Claim 13 (depends on 2)

The mobile device case of claim 2, wherein the camera-lens aperture is shaped to integrally include a lens attachment interface.

### Claim 14 (depends on 2)

The mobile device case of claim 2, further comprising an auxiliary lens assembly coupled to said lens attachment interface.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The mobile device case of claim 14, wherein the auxiliary lens assembly comprises a lens holder, a lens coupled to the lens holder, and said oblong rotatable coupling component.

### Claim 16 (depends on 14)

The mobile device case of claim 14, wherein the housing comprises a soft thermoplastic material and the lens attachment interface comprises a hard polycarbonate material.

### Claim 17 (depends on 2)

The mobile device case of claim 2, further comprising a rechargeable case battery that is disposed in a battery compartment defined in the case housing and configured to power the mobile device when the mobile device is low on battery power or is out of battery power.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The mobile device case of claim 17, wherein the rechargeable battery is connected to a case connector interface that is connectable to an external power source across which data may be communicated.

### Claim 19 (depends on 17)

The mobile device case of claim 17, wherein the case further comprises a case processor and electrical circuitry embedded within the housing and configured to detect the presence of the auxiliary lens assembly coupled to the lens attachment interface.

### Claim 20 (depends on 19)

The mobile device case of claim 19, wherein the case processor and electrical circuitry are further configured to be programmable by a software application in accordance with a lens recognition process, selectable pre-capture settings or post-capture image editing or combinations thereof.

### Claim 21 (depends on 20)

The mobile device case of claim 20, wherein the rechargeable battery is further configured to power the case processor and electrical circuitry embedded within the case connector interface.