Protective enclosure for electronic device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-8976512-B2
Application number	US-201414229806-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 28, 2014
Priority date	Nov 19, 2001
Publication date	Mar 10, 2015
Grant date	Mar 10, 2015

Abstract

A protective cover for an electronic device that has an interactive control panel and one or more electrical contacts includes a protective shell having first member and a second member. The second member is configured to join with the first case member to at least partially cover the electronic device. An aperture defined by the protective shell is aligned with the interactive control panel when the electronic device is at least partially enclosed by the protective shell. A securing mechanism secures the first member with the second member. An electrical connection attached to the protective shell is configured to connect an electrical source to at least one of the electrical contacts of the electronic device to provide an electrical connection to the electrical source when the electronic device is received by the first member.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A protective cover for an electronic device having a touch screen control panel and one or more electrical contacts for receiving electrical power, the protective cover comprising:
a protective shell that is crush resistant and has an inner surface, an outer surface, and a plurality of side members defining a perimeter of the protective shell, the perimeter at least partially covering a peripheral side of the electronic device and having one or more compliant portions formed to flexibly engage a portion of the electronic device to at least partially cover the electronic device when the electronic device is disposed in the protective shell, the electronic device being a separate unit from the protective shell;
an aperture defined by the perimeter of the protective shell, the aperture being aligned to expose at least the touch screen control panel when the electronic device is at least partially covered by the protective shell;
a cushioning member coupled with the inner surface of the protective shell; and
an electrical port in one of the plurality of side members of the protective shell, the electrical port including an electrical connector affixed to an internal portion of the protective shell, the electrical port for connecting an electrical source to at least one of the one or more electrical contacts of the electronic device to provide the electrical power from the electrical source to the electronic device after the electronic device is received by the inner surface of the protective shell.

2. The protective cover in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the protective shell has a first member and a second member, and the electrical connector is attached to the first member of the protective shell.

3. The protective cover in accordance with claim 2 , wherein the protective shell includes a clasping mechanism that secures the first member to the second member.

4. The protective cover in accordance with claim 1 , further comprising a membrane configured to be disposed over and adjacent to the touch screen control panel of the electronic device when the electronic device is at least partially covered by the protective shell, the membrane and the protective shell forming the protective cover for the electronic device having the touch screen control panel, the membrane being sufficiently thin to allow inputs on a front side of the membrane to be received by the touch screen control panel.

5. The protective cover in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the protective shell includes one or more light transmissive features disposed to transmit light from one or more respective indicator lights that are proximate a surface of the protective cover.

6. The protective cover in accordance with claim 5 , wherein at least one of the one or more indicator lights is associated with the electrical source.

7. The protective cover in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the electrical connector includes an electrical cable.

8. The protective cover in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the electrical connector comprises a spring loaded probe.

9. The protective cover in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the electrical connector is a fixed electrical connector.

10. A protective cover for an electronic device having a touch screen control panel and one or more electrical contacts for receiving electrical communication, the protective cover comprising:
a protective shell that is crush resistant and has an inner surface, an outer surface, and a plurality of side members defining a perimeter of the protective shell, the perimeter at least partially covering a peripheral side of the electronic device, to at least partially cover the electronic device when the electronic device is disposed in the protective shell, the electronic device being a separate unit from the protective shell;
an aperture defined by the perimeter of the protective shell, the aperture being aligned to expose at least the touch screen control panel when the electronic device is at least partially covered by the protective shell;
a cushioning member coupled with the inner surface of the protective shell; and
an electrical port in one of the plurality of side members of the protective shell, the electrical port for connecting to at least one of the one or more electrical contacts of the electronic device and enabling conveyance of at least one of data communication and electrical power between the at least one of the one or more electrical contacts of the electronic device and an electrical communication source when the electronic device is at least partially covered by the protective shell and the electrical port is operably connected with the electrical communication source.

11. The protective cover in accordance with claim 10 , wherein the protective shell has a first member and a second member, and the electrical port is disposed in the first member of the protective shell.

12. The protective cover in accordance with claim 10 , wherein the protective shell comprises a securing mechanism that secures the first member of the protective shell to the second member of the protective shell.

13. The protective cover in accordance with claim 10 , further comprising a membrane configured to be disposed over and adjacent to the touch screen control panel of the electronic device when the electronic device is at least partially covered by the protective shell, the membrane and the protective shell forming the protective cover for the electronic device having the touch screen control panel, the membrane being sufficiently thin to allow inputs on a front side of the membrane to be received by the interactive control panel.

14. The protective cover in accordance with claim 10 , wherein the protective shell includes one or more light transmissive features positioned to transmit light from an indicator light that is proximate a surface of the protective cover.

15. The protective cover in accordance with claim 14 , wherein at least one of the one or more light transmissive features is configured to convey light that presents information associated with the electrical communication source.

16. The protective cover in accordance with claim 10 , wherein the electrical port includes an electrical cable.

17. A protective cover for an electronic device having a touch screen control panel and one or more electrical contacts, the protective cover comprising:
a protective shell having an inner surface and an outer surface bounded by a proximal end, a distal end, and opposing side portions defining a perimeter of the protective shell, the perimeter at least partially covering a peripheral side of the electronic device and having one or more compliant portions formed to flexibly engage a portion of the electronic device, the protective shell formed to at least partially cover the electronic device when the electronic device is disposed in the protective shell, the electronic device being a separate unit from the protective shell, the inner surface formed to receive the electronic device;
an aperture defined by the perimeter of the protective shell, the aperture being aligned to expose at least the touch screen control panel when the electronic device is at least partially covered by the protective shell;
a cushioning member coupled with the inner surface of the protective shell; and
a port in one of the plurality of side members of the protective shell, the port for connecting an electrical source to at least one of the one or more electrical contacts of the electronic device to provide the electrical power from the electrical source to the electron

Assignees

• Otter Products Llc

Inventors

• Richardson Curtis R
• Kempel Douglas A

Classifications

• A45C11/003

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

• A45C11/002

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

• A45C11/001

  for storing portable audio devices, e.g. headphones or digital music players · CPC title

• G06F2200/1633

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

• G06F1/1628

  Enclosures for carrying portable computers with peripheral devices, e.g. cases for a laptop and a printer · CPC title