U.S. patent application number 14/049823 was filed with the patent office on 2014-04-10 for case for a portable electronic device with a reversible retaining clip.
This patent application is currently assigned to Speculative Product Design, LLC. The applicant listed for this patent is Speculative Product Design, LLC. Invention is credited to Chad Chaumont, Randy Chiang, James Piatt.
Application Number | 20140097102 14/049823 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 50431881 |
Filed Date | 2014-04-10 |
United States Patent
Application |
20140097102 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Piatt; James ; et
al. |
April 10, 2014 |
CASE FOR A PORTABLE ELECTRONIC DEVICE WITH A REVERSIBLE RETAINING
CLIP
Abstract
A case includes a cover retaining clip that is reversible. A
clip allows the front cover of the case to be retained in a closed
position when access to the enclosed Personal Electronic Device
("PED") is not required. Similarly, it allows the front cover to be
retained, utilizing the same clip, in an open position when access
to the front of the PED is required. According to one embodiment
including a folio type case, a clasp allows the front half of the
folio case to be latched in a closed position. When the latch is
open, the folio front cover is rotatable approximately 360 degrees,
so that the front cover is adjacent to the back cover and folded
under the device that is retained in the case. in this open
position, the latch is reversibly operable to retain the front
cover in an open position so that the cover remains adjacent to the
back cover and out of the way during use of the device by the
user.
Inventors: |
Piatt; James; (San
Francisco, CA) ; Chaumont; Chad; (San Jose, CA)
; Chiang; Randy; (San Jose, CA) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Speculative Product Design, LLC |
Mountain View |
CA |
US |
|
|
Assignee: |
Speculative Product Design,
LLC
Mountain View
CA
|
Family ID: |
50431881 |
Appl. No.: |
14/049823 |
Filed: |
October 9, 2013 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
61711611 |
Oct 9, 2012 |
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
206/37 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A45C 2011/003 20130101;
A45C 3/02 20130101; A45C 11/00 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
206/37 |
International
Class: |
A45C 11/00 20060101
A45C011/00 |
Claims
1. A case for enclosing a personal electronic device, comprising: a
front with an inside surface, an outside surface, and an edge
surface; a back with an inside surface to mount the personal
electronic device, an outside surface, and an edge surface; and a
latch to secure the front to the back, wherein the latch is
comprised of a loop, a protrusion, and a reversible hinge.
2. The case of claim 1 wherein the loop is coupled to the
reversible hinge, the reversible hinge is coupled to the front edge
surface, and the protrusion is coupled to the back edge
surface.
3. The case of claim 1 wherein the latch secures the front to the
back in a first position and a second position.
4. The case of claim 3 wherein, when in the first position, the
front outer surface is adjacent to the back outer surface, and when
in the second position, the front inside surface is adjacent to a
front surface of the personal electronic device.
Description
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application claims priority of U.S. Provisional
Application Ser. No. 61/711,611, filed Oct. 9, 2012, which is
incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.
COPYRIGHT NOTICE
[0002] A portion of the disclosure of this patent document contains
material which is subject to copyright protection. The copyright
owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of
the patent document or the patent disclosure, as it appears in the
Patent and Trademark Office patent files or records, but otherwise
reserves all copyrights whatsoever.
BACKGROUND
[0003] The present disclosure relates generally to cases for
enclosing a portable electronic device. More specifically, the
present disclosure relates to such cases that include retaining
clips, latches, or similar mechanisms for use on the cases.
SUMMARY
[0004] Cases used to enclose portable electronic devices may be
constructed from one piece, or may comprise multiple pieces. Such
cases may be made from a single material, or from multiple
materials. According to embodiments, such cases may be, for
example, a folio type case with a front and back cover.
[0005] Such cases may be used with tablet style devices, book
readers, PDAs, or smart phones, and may be particularly suited for
devices where the device controls and user access points are
located on the front or sides of the device. Exemplary cases may
include cases with multiple layers and separate hinges, cases made
from a single sheet of material with an integrated hinge, or any
combination thereof, whether of folio style or another
configuration.
[0006] In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the case
includes a novel cover retaining clip that is reversible. The clip
allows the front cover of the case to be retained in a closed
position when access to the enclosed Personal Electronic Device
("PED") is not required. Similarly, it allows the front cover to be
retained, utilizing the same clip, in an open position when access
to the front of the PED is required.
[0007] According to one embodiment including a folio type case, a
clasp allows the front half of the folio case to be latched in a
closed position. When the latch is open, the folio front cover is
rotatable approximately 360 degrees, so that the front cover is
adjacent to the back cover and folded under the device that is
retained in the case. to this open position, the latch is
reversibly operable to retain the front cover in an open position
so that the cover remains adjacent to the back cover and out of the
way during use of the device by the user.
[0008] In an embodiment, a loop dip allows the front of the case to
be latched in a first or second position. The first position may
be, for example, a closed position wherein the front of the case is
adjacent to the PED. The second position may be, for example, an
open position wherein the front case cover is positioned adjacent
to the rear case cover.
[0009] In embodiments, the case may act to protect an enclosed PED
from damage due to, for example, exposure to dirt or contaminants,
impact, transport, shock, or other environmental factors. In other
embodiments, the case may allow for personalization of the user's
device.
[0010] In an embodiment, the case is intended to remain attached to
the user's device during operation and therefore, it is highly
desirable to have a case where the user can place the cover in a
open stowed position that does not interfere with the user or
operation. This is especially true when using a PED such as a
tablet computer or reader, where the user desires access to the
front of the device for extended periods of time. These devices
typically have large interactive displays, such as touch or
capacitance type displays, and are often controlled by the user's
finger. According to an embodiment, the cover of the case can be
folded back onto the case itself and retained in that position by
the reversible loop latch to accommodate such use.
[0011] In an embodiment, the case has a closure for a folio style
case with a cover. The closure consists of an oblong shaped loop
that snaps or slides over an oblong protrusion that is slightly
larger than the opening of the loop. The loop is attached to an
elastic strap that is attached to the cover. The loop clip snaps
over the protrusion and securely keeps the cover closed. When the
cover is open all the way to the back, the loop clip securely locks
the cover in the open position utilizing the same protrusion.
[0012] According to one embodiment, the attachment of the loop clip
to the cover is flexible such that it may attached on both sides
allowing it to hold the cover securely in the closed position and
in a fully open position. The loop and protrusion may be made from
matching materials such as Polypropylene or may be made from
different materials.
[0013] According to one embodiment, the loop is composed of a semi
flexible and/or deformable material to allow it to fit over the
protrusion and be retained in place using its elastic properties.
The loop may also contain a center opening which is smaller than
the protrusion. Depending on the deformability of the materials
chosen for the loop, the opening may be slightly smaller or much
smaller then the protrusion. If the loop material is very
deformable, then the opening may be much smaller, as the material
will allow for a much greater range of deformation. Alternatively,
if the loop material is only slightly deformable, then the opening
may correspondingly be only slightly larger than the
protrusion.
[0014] In an alternative embodiment, depending on the deformability
of the materials chosen for the loop, the opening may be the same
size, or substantially the same size, as the protrusion.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0015] FIG. 1 depicts a folio type case 100 with front cover 110,
latch loop 115, hinge 120, and protrusion 125 according to an
embodiment.
[0016] FIG. 2 depicts case 100 in a closed position with latch loop
115, hinge 120, and protrusion 125 securing front 110 in place over
a PED (not shown) according to an embodiment.
[0017] FIG. 3 depicts case 100 with latch loop 115 removed or
rotated away from protrusion 125, thereby allowing case 100 to be
open and the user to gain access to an inserted PED according to an
embodiment.
[0018] FIG. 4 depicts case 100 in a fully opened, flattened
position without a PED inserted, according to an embodiment.
[0019] FIGS. 5 and 6 depict case 100 in a fully open position,
wherein cover 110 may move or rotate approximately 360 degrees from
the closed position according to an embodiment.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0020] FIG. 1 depicts a folio type case 100 with front cover 110,
latch loop 115, hinge 120, and protrusion 125. Case 100 may be used
for a tablet computer, but may also be used to encase a book
reader, PDA, smart phone, or any other type of electronic device,
in the same size and configuration, or other combinations of sizes
and/or configurations. According to some embodiments, case 100 may
also be a non-folio type case.
[0021] Latch loop 115, although depicted as oblong or oval, may be
any shape that when reversed allows for latch loop 115 to fit over
the protrusion 125. For example, latch loop 115 and corresponding
protrusion 125 may be square, round, diamond, saw tooth,
sinusoidal, or other shapes. Latch loop 115 may be constructed from
any suitable material including, but not limited to, an overmolded
material, a soft TPU material, or polycarbonate, etc.
[0022] Hinge 120, depicted as cloth in FIG. 1, may also be
constructed from other flexible materials such as silicon, rubber,
elastic or any other suitable material including, but not limited
to, a plastic molded hinge, polypropelene, or TPU. In an
embodiment, hinge 120 may be the same material as a cover or other
part of a PED case, e.g., the same material as used on front cover
110.
[0023] In embodiments, latch loop 115 may be a soft material, while
protrusion 125 may be a hard material. In other embodiments, a
reverse configuration may be used, i.e., latch loop 115 may be a
hard material, while protrusion 125 may be a soft material.
[0024] FIG. 2 shows a close up of case 100 in a closed position,
with latch loop 115, hinge 120, and protrusion 125 securing front
cover 110 in place over a PED (not shown). As seen in FIG. 1, case
100 has a back cover 130 that comprises integrated sides to retain
an inserted PED. Back cover 130 may be composed of molded plastic
or other similar materials, or may be a simple/traditional folio
type back similar to front cover 100.
[0025] FIG. 3 depicts case 100 with latch loop 115 removed or
rotated away from protrusion 125, thereby allowing case 100 to be
open and the user to gain access to an inserted PED.
[0026] FIG. 4 depicts case 100 in a fully opened, flattened
position without a PED inserted. Back cover 130, in this figure, is
composed of two pieces, cover pieces 130 and 135. Cover 130 may be
molded plastic, formed to retain a PED, and cover 135 may be an
outer skin or retaining portion to join the back covers to front
cover 110. As noted above, back cover 130 may be a single piece
with or without a separate retaining case.
[0027] The PED may be retained within case 100 by any known means,
including but not limited to, elastic straps, magnets, adhesive,
hook and loop clips, or other retaining clips or designs, such as
those depicted in FIG. 4.
[0028] According to an embodiment as shown in FIG. 4, loop latch
115 and hinge 120 may rest in a substantially flattened position,
where front cover 110 has moved approximately 180 degrees from a
closed position. Such a configuration might be used when a user is
working on a desk or other work surface.
[0029] FIGS. 5 and 6 depict case 100 in a fully open position,
wherein front cover 110 may move approximately 360 degrees from the
closed position. As seen in FIGS. 5 and 6, back cover 130 and front
cover 110 have come into contact with each other, or substantially
into contact with each other. In such an embodiment, the contact or
close contact of the outside of the front cover 110 and the outside
of back cover 130 allow loop latch 115 to latch onto protrusion
125.
[0030] More specifically, as shown in the embodiments of FIGS. 5
and 6, due to the flexible/reversible nature of hinge 120, loop
latch 115 can be utilized in either direction, in the fully open
position, loop latch 115 may slip over protrusion 125 from the
opposite direction allowing front cover 110 and back cover 130 to
be secured in either an open or closed position utilizing the same
latching mechanisms, e.g., loop latch 115, hinge 120, and
protrusion 125.
[0031] According to other embodiments, a reverse configuration may
be employed. For example, loop latch 115 and/or hinge 120 may be
attached to either front cover 110 or back cover 130.
[0032] While the invention has been described and illustrated in
connection with embodiments, many variations and modifications as
will be evident to those skilled in this art may be made without
departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by
the claims, and the invention is thus not to be limited to the
precise details of methodology or construction set forth above as
such variations and modifications are intended to be included
within the scope of the invention as defined by the claims.
* * * * *