Granted Patent B2

US 10,820,674 · App. 15/497,000 · Granted Nov 3, 2020

Inventors: Jonathan Brown (Monrovia, CA); Hyun Hong (Los Angeles, CA); Allen Min Choi (Union City, CA)

Assignee: INCASE DESIGNS CORP.

A45C11/00B65D81/22G06F1/1656A45C13/002A45C2011/003Y10T29/49826

Abstract

Claims (32)

1. A case configured to reversibly receive and secure a portable electronic device, the case comprising:

a frame structure comprising a frame border having a first side, a second side, a third side, and a fourth side, wherein the first side is adjacent to the second side and the fourth side and is opposite to the third side, wherein the second side is adjacent to the first side and the third side and is opposite to the fourth side, wherein the second side is longer than the first side, wherein the frame border has an exterior edge and an interior edge, wherein the exterior and interior edges are separated by a frame border width, wherein the frame structure comprises a first material, wherein the interior edge surrounds a perimeter of a compartment sized to contain the portable electronic device therein and contacts sides of the portable electronic device to provide cushion to the portable electronic device when the portable electronic device is contained within the compartment;

a first side panel coupled to a first side of the frame border, wherein the first side panel has a first exterior surface and a first interior surface and wherein the first side panel comprises a second material that is different from the first material; and

a second side panel coupled to a second side of the frame border, wherein the second side panel has a second exterior surface and a second interior surface and wherein the second panel comprises the second material,

wherein the frame structure comprises a cross section comprising a first portion extending in a first direction and a second portion extending in a second direction that is transverse to the first direction, wherein the first portion comprises an exterior side and an interior side, wherein the first portion has a first length from a first end to a second end in the first direction, wherein the second portion is coupled to the interior side of the first portion at a point between the first and second ends, wherein the second portion extends in the second direction away from the first portion a second length, and wherein a latch is used to reversibly secure the second side panel to the frame.

2. The case of claim 1 , wherein the first material is more shock absorbing than the second material.

3. The case of claim 2 , wherein the first material comprises a foam ethylene vinyl acetate, and wherein the second material comprises neoprene.

4. The case of claim 1 , wherein the first side panel is coupled via stitching to the first side of the frame structure.

5. The case of claim 1 , wherein the second side panel is coupled via stitching to the second side of the frame structure.

6. The case of claim 1 , wherein a first spring constant for the first material is greater than a second spring constant for the second material.

7. The case of claim 1 , wherein the first material is more rigid than the second material.

8. A method for providing a case configured to reversibly receive and secure a portable electronic device, the method comprising:

providing a frame structure comprising a frame border having a first side, a second side, a third side, and a fourth side, wherein the first side is adjacent to the second side and the fourth side and is opposite to the third side, wherein the second side is adjacent to the first side and the third side and is opposite to the fourth side, wherein the second side is longer than the first side, wherein the frame border has an exterior edge and an interior edge, wherein the exterior and interior edges are separated by a frame border width, wherein the frame structure comprises a first material, wherein the interior edge surrounds a perimeter of a compartment sized to contain the portable electronic device and holds the portable electronic device by compression to provide cushion to the portable electronic device when the portable electronic device is contained within the compartment;

coupling a first side panel to a first side of the frame border, wherein the first side panel has a first exterior surface and a first interior surface and wherein the first side panel comprises a second material that is different from the first material; and

coupling a second side panel to a second side of the frame border, wherein the second side panel has a second exterior surface and a second interior surface and wherein the second panel comprises the second material,

wherein the frame structure comprises a cross section comprising a first portion extending in a first direction and a second portion extending in a second direction that is transverse to the first direction, wherein the first portion comprises an exterior side and an interior side, wherein the first portion has a first length from a first end to a second end in the first direction, wherein the second portion is coupled to the interior side of the first portion at a point between the first and second ends, wherein the second portion extends in the second direction away from the first portion a second length, and wherein a latch is used to reversibly secure the second side panel to the frame.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the latch comprises a first latch component coupled to the second side panel.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the latch further comprises a second latch component coupled to the frame at a position to latch with the first latch component of the second side panel.

11. The method of claim 8 , wherein the coupling of a first side panel to a first side of the frame border comprises stitching.

12. The method of claim 8 , wherein the coupling of a second side panel to a second side of the frame border comprises stitching.

13. The method of claim 8 , wherein the first material comprises ethylene vinyl acetate foam, and wherein the second material comprises neoprene.

14. The method of claim 8 , wherein a first spring constant for the first material is different from a second spring constant for the second material.

15. The method of claim 8 , wherein the first material is more rigid than the second material.

16. A method for providing a case configured to reversibly receive and secure a portable electronic device, the method comprising:

providing a frame structure comprising a frame border having a first side, a second side, a third side, and a fourth side, wherein the first side is adjacent to the second side and the fourth side and is opposite to the third side, wherein the second side is adjacent to the first side and the third side and is opposite to the fourth side, wherein the second side is longer than the first side, wherein the frame border has an exterior edge and interior edge, wherein the exterior and interior edges are separated by a frame border width, wherein the frame structure comprises a first material, wherein the interior edge surrounds a perimeter of a compartment sized to contain the portable electronic device therein to provide cushion to the portable electronic device when the portable electronic device is contained within the compartment;

coupling a first side panel to a first side of the frame border, wherein the first side panel has a first exterior surface and a first interior surface and wherein the first side panel comprises a second material that is different from the first material; and

coupling a second side panel to a second side of the frame border, wherein the second side panel has a second exterior surface and a second interior surface and wherein the second panel comprises the second material;

wherein the frame structure comprises ethylene vinyl acetate foam, and the first and second side panels comprise neoprene.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the coupling of a first side panel to a first side of the frame border comprises stitching.

18. The method of claim 16 , wherein the coupling of a second side panel to a second side of the frame border comprises stitching.

19. The method of claim 16 , wherein a first spring constant for the first material is different from a second spring constant for the second material.

20. The method of claim 16 , wherein the first material is more rigid than the second material.

Assignments (11)

Continuity (3)