Protective case for mobile device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9622556-B2
Application number	US-201414210411-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 13, 2014
Priority date	Mar 14, 2013
Publication date	Apr 18, 2017
Grant date	Apr 18, 2017

Abstract

A protective case can be used with a mobile device having front and back surfaces and side surfaces extending between the front and back surfaces, including a top side, a bottom side, a right side, and a left side, the mobile device having a screen on the front surface. The protective case can include a shell configured to engage and substantially surround at least three of the surfaces of the mobile device and preferably all or nearly all surfaces of the mobile device while still capable of allowing the user to functionally interact with biometric sensor (such as a fingerprint sensor) and/or not interfere with the intended functionality of the proximity sensors of the mobile device.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A protective case for a mobile device, the mobile device having front and back surfaces and side surfaces extending between the front and back surfaces, including a top side, a bottom side, a right side, and a left side, the mobile device having a screen on the front surface and at least one of a headphone jack, a power connector, a data connector, a speaker, and a microphone, the protective case comprising:
a shell configured to engage and substantially surround at least three of the surfaces of the mobile device, the shell comprising a first material co-molded with a second material, the first material being flexible and the second material being harder than the first material;
a first cap configured to engage and disengage with the shell to thereby prevent or allow access to a portion of the mobile device;
a first hinge extending from the shell and connecting the first cap and the shell, the first hinge comprising the first material and configured to permit the first cap to move between an engaged position and a disengaged position with the shell;
a second cap configured to engage and disengage with the shell to thereby prevent or allow access to a portion of the mobile device;
a second hinge extending from the shell and connecting the second cap and the shell, the second hinge comprising the first material and configured to permit the second cap to move between an engaged position and a disengaged position with the shell; and
wherein the first cap is configured to engage the shell and the second cap when the second cap and the first cap are in their respective engaged positions.

2. The protective case of claim 1 , wherein the first cap is configured to cover at least one of a headphone jack, a power connector, a data connector, a speaker, and a microphone on the mobile device.

3. The protective case of claim 1 , wherein the shell comprises a base unit and a back plate configured to engage the base unit via a snap fit connection.

4. The protective case of claim 1 , wherein the shell comprises a button formed of the first material that passes through the second material and that is configured to engage a button on the mobile device.

5. A protective case for a mobile device, the mobile device having front and back surfaces and side surfaces extending between the front and back surfaces, including a top side, a bottom side, a right side, and a left side, the mobile device having a screen on the front surface and at least one of a headphone jack, a power connector, a data connector, a speaker, and a microphone, the protective case comprising:
a shell configured to engage and substantially surround at least three of the surfaces of the mobile device, the shell comprising a first material co-molded with a second material, the first material being flexible and the second material being harder than the first material;
a first cap configured to engage and disengage with one of a bottom portion and a top portion of the shell to thereby prevent or allow access to a portion of the mobile device; and
a first hinge extending from a side of the shell and connecting the first cap and the shell, the first hinge comprising the first material and configured to permit the first cap to move between an engaged position and a disengaged position with the shell;
a second cap configured to engage and disengage with the shell to thereby prevent or allow access to a portion of the mobile device;
a second hinge extending from the shell and connecting the second cap and the shell, the second hinge comprising the first material and configured to permit the second cap to move between an engaged position and a disengaged position with the shell; and
wherein the first cap is configured to engage the shell and the second cap when the second cap and the first cap are in their respective engaged positions.

6. The protective case of claim 5 , wherein the first cap is configured to cover at least one of a headphone jack, a power connector, a data connector, a speaker, and a microphone on the mobile device.

7. The protective case of claim 5 , wherein the second hinge extends from a side of the shell and the second cap is configured to engage and disengage with one of a bottom portion and a top portion of the shell.

8. A protective case for a mobile device, the mobile device having front and back surfaces and side surfaces extending between the front and back surfaces, including a top side, a bottom side, a right side, and a left side, the mobile device having a screen on the front surface and at least one of a headphone jack, a power connector, a data connector, a speaker, and a microphone, the protective case comprising:
a shell configured to engage and substantially surround at least three of the surfaces of the mobile device, the shell comprising:
a first headphone jack hole configured to allow a headphone connector to pass through the shell and connect to a headphone jack on the mobile device;
a headphone jack cover configured to move between an engaged position and a disengaged position wherein the headphone jack cover is respectively engaged or disengaged with the shell at the first headphone jack hole to thereby prevent or allow access to the first headphone jack hole;
a first hinge connecting the headphone jack cover and the shell, the first hinge configured to permit the headphone jack cover to move between its engaged and disengaged positions;
a cap configured to move between an engaged position and a disengaged position wherein the cap is respectively engaged or disengaged with the shell, the cap comprising:
a second headphone jack hole configured to allow a headphone connector to pass through the cap to the first headphone jack hole and to connect to a headphone jack on the mobile device when the headphone jack cover is in its disengaged position and the cap is in its engaged position;
a second hinge connecting the cap and the shell, the second hinge configured to permit the cap to move between its engaged and disengaged positions; and
wherein the cap and the headphone jack cover are configured such that when the headphone jack cover is at the first headphone jack hole but not properly aligned with the second headphone jack hole, the headphone jack cover prevents the cap from fully engaging with the shell.

9. The protective case of claim 8 , wherein the cap is configured to cover at least one of a power connector, a data connector, a speaker, and a microphone on the mobile device.

10. The protective case of claim 8 , wherein the shell comprises a base unit and a back plate configured to engage the base unit via a snap fit connection.

11. A protective case for a mobile device having at least one of a headphone jack, a power connector, a data connector, a speaker, and a microphone comprising:
a shell configured to engage and substantially surround at least three surfaces of a mobile device, the shell comprising:
a first hole configured to allow an electrical connector to pass through the shell and connect to an electrical plug on the mobile device;
a cover configured to move between an engaged position and a disengaged position wherein the cover is respectively engaged or disengaged with the shell at the first hole to thereby prevent or allow access to the first hole;
a first hinge connecting the cover and the shell, the first hinge configured to permit the cover to move between its engaged and disengaged positions;
a cap configured to move between an engaged position and a disengaged position wherein the cap is respectively engaged or disengaged with the shell, the cap comprising:
a second hole configured to allow an electrical connector to pass through the cap to the first hole a

Assignees

• Incipio Llc

Inventors

• Fathollahi Andy
• Hemesath Timothy Alan
• Yung Kitty Yu-Ling
• Del Toro Carlos

Classifications

• H04B1/3888

  Arrangements for carrying or protecting transceivers · CPC title

• A45C2011/002

  Human Necessities · mapped topic

• H05K5/03

  Covers · CPC title

• H05K5/02

  Details · CPC title

• A45C2011/003

  Human Necessities · mapped topic