Tablet bumper assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9289044-B2
Application number	US-201414453570-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 6, 2014
Priority date	Aug 6, 2013
Publication date	Mar 22, 2016
Grant date	Mar 22, 2016

Abstract

A tablet bumper assembly is disclosed. According to one embodiment, an apparatus includes a bumper assembly having a first opening, a second opening, and a first protruding region at a first corner, where the first opening is configured to position the bumper assembly around a peripheral edge of a tablet computer, the second opening is configured to expose a display screen of the tablet computer, and the first protruding region prevents the tablet computer from lying flat on a support surface to allow air-cooling of the tablet computer.

First claim

I claim:

1. An apparatus, comprising:
a bumper assembly having a first opening, a second opening, and a first protruding region at a first corner,
wherein the first opening is configured to position the bumper assembly around a peripheral edge of a tablet computer,
wherein the second opening is configured to expose a display screen of the tablet computer, and
wherein the first protruding region prevents the tablet computer from lying flat on a support surface to allow air-cooling of the tablet computer.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the bumper assembly includes a control portion that is configured to activate a corresponding control on the tablet computer.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the bumper assembly includes a hole that is configured to allow a device to be inserted into a port on the tablet computer.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the second opening is configured to receive a transparent sheet that is positioned between the bumper assembly and the display screen of the tablet computer.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the bumper assembly includes a second protruding region at a second corner,
wherein the second protruding region prevents the tablet computer from lying flat on the support surface to allow air-cooling of the tablet computer,
and wherein the first protruding region and the second protruding region have different sizes to allow the tablet computer to assume an angle relative to the support surface.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first protruding region includes a thicker material as compared to a region of the bumper assembly that is adjacent to the first protruding region.

7. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the control portion is aligned with the corresponding control.

8. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the bumper assembly includes a marking that indicates a location of the control portion.

9. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the control portion includes a thinner material as compared to a region of the bumper assembly that is adjacent to the control portion.

10. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the control portion includes an opening in the bumper assembly, wherein the opening is aligned with the corresponding control, and wherein the opening has one or more of a shape and a size that matches the corresponding control.

11. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the hole is aligned with the port on the tablet computer.

12. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the bumper assembly includes a flexible material, wherein the flexible material includes one or more of silicone, and rubber.

13. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the bumper assembly includes a rigid material, wherein the rigid material includes a thermoplastic material, wherein the thermoplastic material includes one or more of polyethylene and polycarbonate.

14. A method, comprising:
forming a bumper assembly having a first opening, a second opening, and a first protruding region at a first corner,
wherein the first opening is configured to position the bumper assembly around a peripheral edge of a tablet computer,
wherein the second opening is configured to expose a display screen of the tablet computer, and
wherein the first protruding region prevents the tablet computer from lying flat on a support surface to allow air-cooling of the tablet computer.

15. The method of claim 14 , further comprising forming a control portion on the bumper assembly that is configured to activate a corresponding control on the tablet computer.

16. The method of claim 14 , further comprising forming a hole on the bumper assembly that is configured to allow a device to be inserted into a port on the tablet computer.

17. The method of claim 14 , further comprising configuring the second opening to receive a transparent sheet that is positioned between the bumper assembly and the display screen of the tablet computer.

18. The method of claim 14 , further comprising forming a second protruding region at a second corner of the bumper assembly,
wherein the second protruding region prevents the tablet computer from lying flat on a surface,
and wherein the first protruding region and the second protruding region have different sizes to allow the tablet computer to assume an angle relative to the surface.

19. The method of claim 14 , further comprising forming the first protruding region with a thicker material as compared to a region of the bumper assembly that is adjacent to the first protruding region.

20. The method of claim 15 , further comprising aligning the control portion with the corresponding control.

21. The method of claim 15 , further comprising applying a marking on the bumper assembly that indicates a location of the control portion.

22. The method of claim 15 , further comprising forming the control portion with a thinner material as compared to a region of the bumper assembly that is adjacent to the control portion.

23. The method of claim 15 , further comprising forming an opening in the control portion, wherein the opening is aligned with the corresponding control, and wherein the opening has one or more of a shape and a size that matches the corresponding control.

24. The method of claim 16 , further comprising aligning the hole with the port on the tablet computer.

25. The method of claim 14 , wherein the bumper assembly includes a flexible material, wherein the flexible material includes one or more of silicone, and rubber.

26. The method of claim 14 , wherein the bumper assembly includes a rigid material, wherein the rigid material includes a thermoplastic material, wherein the thermoplastic material includes one or more of polyethylene and polycarbonate.

Assignees

• Fuhu Holdings Inc
• Mattel Inc

Inventors

• Fujioka Robb

Classifications

• G06F1/203 Primary

  for portable computers, e.g. for laptops · CPC title

• A45C11/003

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

• G06F2200/1633

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

• Y10T29/49826

  Assembling or joining · CPC title

• G06F1/1628

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