Protective case with over-center flap closure and stylus holder

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10362846-B2
Application number	US-201615203573-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 6, 2016
Priority date	Jan 6, 2016
Publication date	Jul 30, 2019
Grant date	Jul 30, 2019

Abstract

There is provided a case (1) for a device (22) comprising a sleeve portion (4) having a sleeve opening (17), a closure portion (6), and a hinge (8) connecting the closure portion (6) to the sleeve portion (4) adjacent the sleeve opening (17). A stylus cavity is formed within the sleeve portion. The opening of the stylus cavity is adjacent the sleeve opening. The hinge (8) is adapted to allow the closure portion (6) to move from a first position away from the sleeve opening and stylus cavity opening to allow the device (22) to be inserted into the sleeve portion (4) and the stylus to be inserted into the stylus cavity and a second position where the closure portion (6) is positionable over an end of the device (22) and over the stylus cavity opening.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A case for a device and a stylus comprising:
a sleeve portion having a sleeve opening;
a stylus cavity located within the sleeve portion, the stylus cavity having a stylus cavity opening adjacent the sleeve opening;
a closure portion; and
a hinge connecting the closure portion to the sleeve portion adjacent the sleeve opening and the stylus cavity opening, the hinge adapted to allow the closure portion to move between a first position away from the sleeve opening and stylus cavity opening to allow the device to be inserted into the sleeve portion and the stylus to be inserted into the stylus cavity, and a second position where the closure portion is positioned over the sleeve opening and stylus cavity opening;
wherein the closure portion comprises:
a closure-portion front side configured to cover a portion of a front side of the device when arranged in the case with the closure being in the second position;
a closure-portion rear side configured to cover a portion of a rear side of the device when arranged in the case with the closure being in the second position;
a closure-portion top side that connects a top end of the closure-portion front side with a top end of the closure-portion rear side, and which is configured to cover a portion of a top side of the device when arranged in the case with the closure being in the second position;
a closure-portion left side that connects a left end of the closure-portion front side with a left end of the closure-portion rear side, and which is configured to cover a portion of a left side of the device when arranged in the case with the closure being in the second position; and
a closure-portion right side that connects a right end of the closure-portion front side with a right end of the closure-portion rear side, and which is configured to cover a portion of a right side of the device when arranged in the case with the closure being in the second position.

2. The case of claim 1 , further comprising:
a perimeter portion forming at least a portion of a perimeter of the case;
wherein the closure portion is formed by a front closure panel and a rear closure panel connected to a first region of the perimeter portion;
wherein the sleeve portion is formed by a front sleeve panel and a rear sleeve panel connected with a second region of the perimeter portion; and
wherein the hinge has an axis located between the first and second regions of the perimeter portion.

3. The case of claim 1 , further comprising:
a perimeter portion forming at least a portion of a perimeter of the case;
wherein the closure portion is formed by a closure panel rotatably moveable about the hinge toward and away from a first portion of the perimeter portion;
wherein the sleeve portion is formed by a front sleeve panel and a rear panel connected with the perimeter portion at a second region of the perimeter portion; and
wherein the hinge has an axis located between the first and second regions of the perimeter portion.

4. The case of claim 1 ;
wherein the stylus cavity comprises a resilient surface that conforms to a dimension of the stylus.

5. The case of claim 1 ;
wherein the stylus cavity comprises a nib portion, the nib portion shaped to avoid contact with a nib of the stylus.

6. The case of one of claim 2 ;
wherein the stylus cavity is connected with an interior edge of the perimeter portion.

7. The case of claim 6 ;
wherein the perimeter portion and the stylus cavity are integrally formed from a molded polymer.

8. The case of claim 7 ;
wherein the polymer comprises one or more of ethylene vinyl acetate, polyurethane foam, rubber, silicone, co-molded rubber and hard plastic, and combinations thereof.

9. The case of claim 2 ;
wherein movement of the hinge from the first position to the second position causes the closure portion to pass over an end of the device to form an over-center engagement with the end of the device;
wherein the sleeve portion forms a device cavity;
wherein the device comprises a major portion inserted in the device cavity of the sleeve portion and a minor portion including the end of the device extending from the device cavity when the case is in the first position; and
wherein when the hinge is moved from the first position to the second position, the case resiliently deforms to allow the closure portion to pass over the minor portion of the device.

10. The case of claim 9 ;
wherein the closure portion forms a closure cavity and when the case is in the second position, the minor portion of the device is within the closure cavity.

11. The case of claim 1 , further comprising:
a bumper arranged along a portion of an inner peripheral side of the sleeve portion and/or the closure portion.

12. The case of claim 11 ;
wherein the bumper is compressed in a longitudinal direction when the closure is moved from the first position to the second position.

13. The case of claim 9 ;
wherein when one or more of the sleeve portion, the closure portion, and the hinge is adapted to stretch in a longitudinal direction when the closure is moved from the first position to the second position.

14. The case of claim 9 ;
wherein the device has a longitudinal dimension L, the sleeve portion has a depth D, the closure portion forms a closure cavity with an internal dimension equal to T, and wherein L−D is greater than or equal to T.

15. The case of claim 14 ;
wherein L−D is greater than T.

16. The case of claim 9 , further comprising:
a pair of slits formed in the perimeter portion between the first and second regions, one slit at each end of the hinge along the axis of the hinge.

17. The case of claim 9 , further comprising:
a pair of through holes formed in the perimeter portion between the first and second regions, one through hole at each end of the hinge along the axis of the hinge.

18. A case for a device comprising:
a sleeve portion having a sleeve opening;
a closure portion; and
a hinge connecting the closure portion to the sleeve portion adjacent the sleeve opening, the hinge adapted to allow the closure to move from a first position away from the sleeve opening to allow the device to be inserted into the sleeve portion and a second position where the closure portion is positionable over an end of the device;
wherein movement of the hinge from the first position to the second position causes the closure portion to pass over the end of the device to form an over-center engagement with the end of the device; and
wherein the closure portion comprises:
a closure-portion front side configured to cover a portion of a front side of the sleeve portion and a portion of a front side of the device when arranged in the case with the closure being in the second position;
a closure-portion rear side configured to cover a portion of a rear side of the device when arranged in the case with the closure being in the second position;
a closure-portion top side that connects a top end of the closure-portion front side with a top end of the closure-portion rear side, and which is configured to cover a portion of a top side of the device when arranged in the case with the closure being in the second position;
a closure-portion left side that connects a left end of the closure-portion front side with a left end of the closure-portion rear side, and which is configured to cover a portion of a left side of the device when arranged in the case with the closure being in the second position; and
a closure-portion right side that connects a right end of the closur

Assignees

• Samsonite Ip Holdings Sarl

Inventors

• Denike Kendall Robert
• Ahmed Syed Riaz
• Chiang Randy

Classifications

• A45C11/00 Primary

  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) · CPC title

• A45C13/1069

  magnetic · CPC title

• A45C2011/003

  Human Necessities · mapped topic

• A45C13/02

  Interior fittings; Means, {e.g. inserts,} for holding and packing articles · CPC title

• A45C2013/1015

  of hook and loop type · CPC title