Protective case for a device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9980543-B2
Application number	US-201415304935-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 30, 2014
Priority date	Apr 30, 2014
Publication date	May 29, 2018
Grant date	May 29, 2018

Abstract

A protective case for a portable computing device in accordance with one example includes a cavity in the case to be a plurality of electronic devices. The cavity includes a first recess to receive a first electronic device and a second recess to receive a second electronic device. The case also includes a cover removably coupled to the cavity.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A protective case for a portable computing device, the case comprising:
a cavity in the case to house a plurality of electronic devices, the cavity including:
a first recess to receive a first electronic device, and
a second recess to receive a second electronic device, wherein the second recess is located across the first recess such that either one of the first electronic device and the second electronic device can be used at one time; and

a cover removably coupled to the cavity.

2. The protective case of claim 1 , wherein the cavity is a round cavity and wherein an edge of the round cavity includes at least one of an O-ring and a round-shaped silicon rubber to protect the cavity from external environment.

3. The protective case of claim 1 , wherein the first electronic device includes a smart card and wherein the second electronic device includes a universal serial bus (USB) dongle.

4. The protective case of claim 3 , wherein the first recess includes a smart card reader to connect to the smart card and wherein the second recess includes a USB connector to connect with the USB dongle.

5. The protective case of claim 4 , wherein the smart card reader and the USB connector are connected to a printed circuit board (PCB) of the portable computing device.

6. The protective case of claim 5 , wherein the PCB is located inside the protective case.

7. The protective case of claim 4 , wherein the cover is dome shaped such that the cover accommodates a shape and length of the USB dongle while maintaining sufficient pressure on the smart card to provide contact with the smart card reader when the smart card is used.

8. The protective case of claim 4 , wherein the smart card reader is located at one end of the first recess, wherein an electronic contact of the smart card reader is in the direction of the smart card to contact the smart card.

9. The protective case of claim 8 , wherein the USB connector is located at one end of the second recess, wherein an electronic contact of the USB connector is in the direction of the USB dongle to contact the USB dongle.

10. The protective case of claim 1 , wherein the cavity includes first L-shaped locking features to removably couple with second L-shaped locking features of the cover.

11. The protective case of claim 1 , wherein the cavity includes first magnetic members to magnetically couple with second magnetic members disposed within the cover.

12. The protective case of claim 11 , wherein the first connector includes a smart card reader to connect to a smart card,
wherein the second connector includes a universal serial bus (USB) connector to connect to a USB dongle, and
wherein the smart card reader and the USB connector are connected to a printed circuit board assembly (PCBA) of the portable computing device.

13. A protective case for enclosing a back surface and sidewalls of a portable computing device, the case comprising:
a cavity in the case to house a plurality of electronic devices, the cavity including:
a first recess to receive a first electronic device, wherein the first recess includes a first connector to connect the first electronic device to the portable computing device; and
a second recess to receive a second electronic device, wherein the second recess includes a second connector to connect the second electronic device to the portable computing device, wherein the second recess is located across the first recess such that either one of the first electronic device and the second electronic device can be used at one time; and

a cover removably coupled to the cavity, wherein the cover rotates to unlock the cover from the case.

14. The protective case of claim 13 , wherein the case includes a light emitting diode (LED) to indicate that one of the smart card and the USB connector is present in the cavity.

15. The protective case of claim 13 , wherein the case includes two openings on a surface portion of the case to attach a strap to hold the portable computing device, and wherein the surface portion is rotatable to change an orientation of the portable computing device.

16. A system comprising:
a portable computing device including a display surface and a back surface opposite the display surface; and
a protective case for enclosing the back surface and sidewalls of the portable computing device, wherein the case includes:
a cavity in the case to house a plurality of electronic devices, the cavity including:
a first recess to receive a first electronic device, wherein the first recess includes a first connector to connect the first electronic device to the portable computing device; and
a second recess to receive a second electronic device, wherein the second recess includes a second connector to connect the second electronic device to the portable computing device, wherein the second recess is located across the first recess such that either one of the first electronic device and the second electronic device can be used at one time; and

a cover removably coupled to the cavity.

17. The system of claim 16 , wherein the first connector includes a smart card reading module to connect to a smart card,
wherein the second connector includes a universal serial bus (USB) connector to connect to a USB device,
wherein the smart card reading module and the UBS connector are connected to a printed circuit board assembly (PCBA) of the portable computing device, and
wherein a middle portion of the cover is transparent to show a presence of the smart card or the USB device in the cavity.

Assignees

• Hewlett Packard Development Co

Inventors

• Ma Xiang
• Ali-Napo Carla
• Thornton Kyle Robert
• Widiaman Rudy

Classifications

• H01R24/62

  Sliding engagements with one side only, e.g. modular jack coupling devices · CPC title

• A45F5/10

  Handles for carrying purposes · CPC title

• A45C2011/002

  Human Necessities · mapped topic

• G06F1/1626

  with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs] · CPC title

• 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