Switch assembly for engaging a switch of an electronic device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11076028-B2
Application number	US-201916557364-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 30, 2019
Priority date	Aug 30, 2019
Publication date	Jul 27, 2021
Grant date	Jul 27, 2021

Abstract

A switch assembly for engaging a switch of an electronic device includes a rotatable knob having an axis of rotation, a pin mechanism engaged with the rotatable knob, and a slider body. The pin mechanism includes a pin, the pin being offset from the axis of rotation of the rotatable knob. The slider body is shaped to include a slot in which the pin of the pin mechanism is positioned and a switch recess shaped to receive and selectively contact the switch of the electronic device. Rotation of the rotatable knob in a first direction causes the slider body toward contact with a first portion of the switch to urge the switch into a first position, and rotation of the rotatable knob in a second direction causes the slider body toward contact with a second portion of the switch to urge the switch into a second position.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A switch assembly for engaging a switch of an electronic device, the switch assembly comprising:
a rotatable knob having an axis of rotation;
a pin mechanism engaged with the rotatable knob and comprising a pin, the pin being offset from the axis of rotation of the rotatable knob; and
a slider body, the slider body being shaped to include a slot in which the pin of the pin mechanism is positioned and a switch recess, the switch recess being shaped to receive and selectively contact the switch of the electronic device when the electronic device is positioned within a protective case including the switch assembly such that the switch of the electronic device is positioned within the switch recess of the slider body, rotation of the rotatable knob in a first direction causing the pin to travel in the slot in a first direction and move the slider body toward contact with a first portion of the switch to urge the switch into a first position, and rotation of the rotatable knob in a second direction causing the pin to travel in the slot in a second direction and move the slider body toward contact with a second portion of the switch to urge the switch into a second position, wherein the slider body slides along a length of the protective case.

2. The switch assembly of claim 1 , wherein the rotatable knob comprises:
a knob ring, and
a limit pin coupled the knob ring, wherein the limit pin limits an angular rotation of the rotatable knob.

3. The switch assembly of claim 1 , wherein the slot defines a travel path perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the rotatable knob.

4. The switch assembly of claim 1 , wherein the pin mechanism comprises:
a stem comprising a first end and a second end; and
a plate coupled to the second end of the stem, wherein the pin is coupled to the plate and extends therefrom and into the slot of the slider body.

5. The switch assembly of claim 4 , wherein:
the rotatable knob comprises a pass-through opening; and
the first end of the stem is positioned within the pass-through opening of the rotatable knob such that the stem is non-rotatable relative to the rotatable knob.

6. A protective case for an electronic device, the protective case comprising:
a frame shaped to receive the electronic device therein; and
a switch assembly coupled to the frame for engaging a switch of the electronic device, the switch assembly comprising:
a rotatable knob having an axis of rotation;
a pin mechanism engaged with the rotatable knob and comprising a pin, the pin being offset from the axis of rotation of the rotatable knob; and
a slider body, the slider body being shaped to include a slot in which the pin of the pin mechanism is positioned and a switch recess, the switch recess being shaped to receive and selectively contact the switch of the electronic device when the electronic device is positioned within the protective case such that the switch of the electronic device is positioned within the switch recess of the slider body, rotation of the rotatable knob in a first direction causing the pin to travel in the slot in a first direction and move the slider body toward contact with a first portion of the switch to urge the switch into a first position, and rotation of the rotatable knob in a second direction causing the pin to travel in the slot in a second direction and move the slider body toward contact with a second portion of the switch to urge the switch into a second position, wherein the slider body slides along a length of the protective case.

7. The protective case of claim 6 , wherein:
the rotatable knob comprises:
a knob ring, and
a limit pin coupled the knob ring; and
the frame defines a rotational limit slot formed therein, wherein the limit pin is positioned within the rotational limit slot and movement of the pin through the rotational limit slot limits an angular rotation of the rotatable knob.

8. The protective case of claim 6 , wherein the frame defines a slider groove defining a slide path and the slider body is slidably disposed within the slider groove.

9. The protective case of claim 8 , further comprising a locking mechanism positioned to restrict motion of the slider body in a direction transverse to the slide path.

10. The protective case of claim 9 , wherein the locking mechanism comprises:
an elongate body spanning across a portion of the slider body;
a first locking prong coupled to a first end of the elongate body and inserted into the frame proximate to a first side of the slider groove; and
a second locking prong coupled to a second end of the elongate body and inserted into the frame proximate to a second side of the slider groove.

11. The protective case of claim 8 , wherein the pin mechanism comprises:
a stem comprising a first end and a second end; and
a plate coupled to the second end of the stem, wherein the pin is coupled to the plate and extends therefrom and into the slot of the slider body.

12. The protective case of claim 11 , wherein the frame further defines a plate-receiving groove formed within a back wall of the slider groove, wherein the plate is engaged with the plate-receiving groove and the stem extends through the frame from a first side of the frame to a second side of the frame, and wherein the first end of the stem is positioned within a pass-through opening of the rotatable knob such that the stem is non-rotatable relative to the rotatable knob.

13. A protective case for an electronic device, the protective case comprising:
a frame comprising a front portion and a back portion coupled together to define a cavity shaped to receive and encapsulate the electronic device having a switch;
a switch assembly positioned on one of the front portion or the back portion of the frame for engaging the switch of the electronic device when the electronic device is positioned in the cavity defined by the front portion and the back portion, the switch assembly comprising:
a rotatable knob having an axis of rotation;
a pin mechanism engaged with the rotatable knob and comprising a pin, the pin being offset from the axis of rotation of the rotatable knob; and
a slider body, the slider body being shaped to include a slot in which the pin of the pin mechanism is positioned and a switch recess, the switch recess being shaped to receive and selectively contact the switch of the electronic device when the electronic device is positioned within the protective case such that the switch of the electronic device is positioned within the switch recess of the slider body, rotation of the rotatable knob in a first direction causing the pin to travel in the slot in a first direction and move the slider body toward contact with a first portion of the switch to urge the switch into a first position, and rotation of the rotatable knob in a second direction causing the pin to travel in the slot in a second direction and move the slider body toward contact with a second portion of the switch to urge the switch into a second position, wherein the slider body slides along a length of the protective case.

14. The protective case of claim 13 , wherein:
the rotatable knob comprises:
a knob ring, and
a limit pin coupled the knob ring; and
the front portion of the frame defines a rotational limit slot formed therein, wherein the limit pin is positioned within the rotational limit slot and movement of the pin through the rotational limit slot limits an angular rotation of the rotatable knob.

15. The protective case of claim 14 , further comprising a locking mechanism positioned to restrict motion of the slider body in a direction tra

Assignees

• Catalyst Lifestyle Ltd

Inventors

• Wright Joshua
• Lai June

Classifications

• G06F2200/1633

  Protecting arrangement for the entire housing of the computer · CPC title

• A45C11/002

  for storing portable handheld communication devices, e.g. pagers or smart phones · CPC title

• A45C11/003

  for storing portable computing devices, e.g. laptops, tablets or calculators · CPC title

• H04M1/026

  Details of the structure or mounting of specific components · CPC title

• A44B19/265

  with means for preventing the accidental intrusion of material into the slider body, e.g. with shield or guard · CPC title