IP Library Granted Patent US 9,609,930
Granted Patent B2
US 9,609,930 · App. 14/859,721 · Granted Apr 4, 2017

Protective enclosure for an electronic device

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,609,930
App. No.
14/859,721
Granted
Apr 4, 2017
Kind
B2
Abstract

A protective enclosure for an electronic device includes a hard shell cover that fits over the electronic device. The protective enclosure includes a membrane that is attached to the hard shell cover, the membrane configured to cover a portion of the installed electronic device. The membrane is located proximate a sound feature of the electronic device and the membrane can include an acoustic screen attached to an opening of the membrane, the acoustic screen configured to allow the transmission of acoustical waves to or from the electronic device through the membrane while the electronic device is installed in the protective enclosure.

Claims (27)

1. A protective enclosure for an electronic device, the protective enclosure comprising:

a hard shell cover that fits over the electronic device;

a membrane attached to the hard shell cover, the membrane configured to cover a portion of the front surface of the electronic device when the electronic device is installed in the protective enclosure, the membrane having an opening proximate a sound feature of the installed electronic device; and

an acoustic screen attached to the membrane and configured to fit over the opening of the membrane to cover the sound feature of the installed electronic device, wherein the acoustic screen allows transmission of acoustic waves through the opening of the membrane while the electronic device is installed in the protective enclosure.

2. The protective enclosure of claim 1 , the acoustic screen comprising a water-resistant material.

3. The protective enclosure of claim 1 , wherein the sound feature of the electronic device includes a speaker.

4. The protective enclosure of claim 1 , wherein the sound feature of the electronic device includes a microphone.

5. The protective enclosure of claim 1 , wherein the hard shell cover comprises a front shell formed to correspond with a front portion of the electronic device and a back shell formed to correspond with a back portion of the electronic device.

6. The protective enclosure of claim 5 , the front shell comprising a raised portion surrounding a perimeter of a touchscreen of the installed electronic device.

7. A protective enclosure for an electronic device, the protective enclosure comprising:

a hard shell cover that fits over the electronic device, the hard shell cover having one or more openings configured to allow access to controls of the electronic device when the electronic device is installed in the protective enclosure;

a membrane attached to the hard shell cover, the membrane configured to cover the one or more openings of the hard shell cover, the membrane including an acoustic screen attached to the membrane, the acoustic screen configured to allow transmission of acoustical waves through the membrane while the electronic device is installed in the protective enclosure.

8. The protective enclosure of claim 7 , wherein the one or more openings of the hard shell cover is located proximate a speaker of the installed electronic device.

9. The protective enclosure of claim 7 , wherein the one or more openings of the hard shell cover is located proximate a microphone of the installed electronic device.

10. The protective enclosure of claim 7 , wherein the acoustic screen comprises a water-resistant material.

11. The protective enclosure of claim 7 , wherein the membrane is optically translucent.

12. The protective enclosure of claim 7 , further comprising a stretchable cushion layer that is disposed over the hard shell cover, the stretchable cushion layer having sufficient elasticity to substantially conform to the hard shell cover and provide cushioning to the protective enclosure, the stretchable cushion layer exposing at least a portion of the hard shell cover.

13. The protective enclosure of claim 12 , further comprising a plug formed in the stretchable cushion layer, the plug located proximate at least one of the one or more openings of the hard shell cover, the plug providing a water-resistant seal of the stretchable cushion layer, the plug being at least partially removable to expose one or more controls of the installed electronic device.

14. A protective enclosure for an electronic device, the protective enclosure comprising:

a membrane configured to cover at least a front portion of the electronic device when the electronic device is installed in the protective enclosure, the membrane allowing for interactive access to controls on the front portion of the electronic device through the membrane when the electronic device is installed in the protective enclosure; and

a hard shell cover configured to fit over the membrane, the hard shell including a front shell formed to correspond with a front portion of the electronic device and a back shell formed to correspond with a back portion of the electronic device, the hard shell configured to provide a water-resistant seal between the membrane and the hard shell cover of the protective enclosure.

15. The protective enclosure of claim 14 , further including an acoustic screen configured to cover an opening in the membrane.

16. The protective enclosure of claim 15 , wherein the opening in the membrane is located proximate a speaker of the electronic device when the electronic device is installed in the protective enclosure.

17. The protective enclosure of claim 15 , wherein the opening in the membrane is located proximate a microphone of the electronic device when the electronic device is installed in the protective enclosure.

18. The protective enclosure of claim 15 , the acoustic screen comprising a water-resistant material.

19. The protective enclosure of claim 14 , wherein the membrane is optically transparent.

20. The protective enclosure of claim 14 , further comprising a stretchable cushion layer disposable over the hard shell cover, the stretchable cushion layer having sufficient elasticity to substantially conform to the hard shell cover and provide cushioning to the protective enclosure, the stretchable cushion layer exposing at least a portion of the hard shell cover.

Assignments (8)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY AT REEL/FRAME NO. 59554/0930 Recorded May 20, 2026
From: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
To: OTTER PRODUCTS, LLC
Reel/Frame 075613/0276 →
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded May 20, 2026
From: OTTER PRODUCTS, LLC
To: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 075611/0291 →
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Mar 31, 2022
From: OTTER PRODUCTS, LLC
To: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 059554/0930 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY AT REEL/FRAME NO. 51693/0592 Recorded Mar 30, 2022
From: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
To: OTTER PRODUCTS, LLC
Reel/Frame 059618/0308 →
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Jan 24, 2020
From: OTTER PRODUCTS, LLC
To: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 051693/0592 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY AT REEL/FRAME NO. 43681/0846 Recorded Jan 24, 2020
From: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
To: OTTER PRODUCTS, LLC
Reel/Frame 051693/0484 →
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Aug 27, 2017
From: OTTER PRODUCTS, LLC
To: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 043681/0846 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 24, 2015
From: RICHARDSON, CURTIS; MORINE, ALAN; THOMAS, BRIAN P.; JOHNSON, JAMIE; THOMPSON, JASON
To: OTTER PRODUCTS, LLC
Reel/Frame 036646/0241 →