CO-MOLDED MULTI-LAYERED PROTECTIVE CASE FOR MOBILE DEVICE
A protective case for a mobile device having a multi-layered construction is disclosed. The multi-layered construction includes three layers that are co-molded to one another and is capable of being lightweight and low-profile, yet provide a high level of impact protection. The first layer generally forms the external back face surface of the case, the third layer generally forms the perimeter bumper of the case and the second layer forms the internal liner of the case and includes an elevated pattern of walls upon which the back face of the mobile device rest upon. The first layer is comprised of material that has a hardness greater than the other two layers. The third layer is comprised of a material that has a hardness that is greater than the second layer. The layers are configured to interact with one another so that they are capable of distributing and absorbing impact forces to mitigate damage to the mobile device.
1 . A protective case configured to receive a mobile device having a front face, a back face, a perimeter defined by top, bottom, right and left sides residing between the front and back faces, and corners defined at the intersecting regions of the sides, said protective case comprising:
a first layer made of a first material that has a first hardness and being dimensioned to overlie a majority of the back face of the mobile device and extend to the perimeter of the mobile device when the mobile device is fully received within the case;
a second layer made of a second material that has a second hardness and being dimensioned to overlie a majority of the back face of the mobile device and extend to the perimeter of the mobile device when the mobile device is fully received within the case; and
a third layer made of a third material that has a third hardness and being dimensioned to overlie at least a portion of the front face and at least a portion of the top, bottom, right and left sides of the mobile device when the mobile device is fully received within the case;
wherein said first, second and third layers are co-molded to form an integrated construction, and wherein said first hardness is greater than said third hardness and said third hardness is greater than said second hardness.
2 . The protective case of claim 1 , wherein said second layer further comprising a plurality of corner protrusions positioned along the perimeter region of the second layer.
3 . The protective case of claim 2 , wherein said third layer further comprising indentations in its inner surface configured to engage one or more of the plurality of corner protrusions.
4 . The protective case of claim 1 , wherein said first inner surface further comprising a first plurality of protrusions extending in a direction away from the first outer surface.
5 . The protective case of claim 4 , wherein said second layer further comprising an elevated pattern of interconnected walls extending from said second inner surface a height above and in a direction away from said second outer surface, and a plurality of apertures extending into said second outer surface, wherein one or more of said apertures are in contact with and surround, at least partially, one or more of said first plurality of protrusions.
6 . The protective case of claim 5 , wherein said pattern of elevated interconnected walls is comprised of arrangement of shapes selected from a group consisting of a square, octagon, pentagon, rectangle, triangle, circle, hexagon and heptagon.
7 . The protective case of claim 5 , wherein said pattern of elevated interconnected walls is comprised of hexagonally oriented walls that form a honeycomb pattern.
8 . The protective case of claim 7 , said protrusions of said first plurality of protrusions are hexagonal in shape and dimensioned to be in contact with said hexagonal walls of said apertures.
9 . A protective case configured to receive a mobile device having a front face, a back face, a perimeter defined by top, bottom, right and left sides residing between the front and back faces, and corners defined at the intersecting regions of the sides, said protective case comprising:
a first layer having a first inner surface and a first outer surface, said first inner surface further comprising a first plurality of protrusions extending in a direction away from the first outer surface;
a second layer having a second inner surface and a second outer surface, said second layer comprising a plurality of corner protrusions positioned along the perimeter region of the second layer; and
a third layer having a third inner surface and a third outer surface;
wherein said first, second and third layers are co-molded to form an integrated construction.
10 . The protective case of claim 9 , wherein the plurality of corner protrusions include a thickness defined between the inner and outer surfaces, and wherein said the plurality of corner protrusions is thicker at the base of the corner protrusion as compared to the thickness nearer the apex of the plurality of corner protrusions.
11 . The protective case of claim 10 , wherein the plurality of corner protrusions include a width generally perpendicular to said thickness and wherein said width is wider at the base of the plurality of corner protrusions as compared to width near the apex of the plurality of corner protrusions.
12 . The protective case of claim 9 , wherein said third layer further having indentations in its inner surface configured to engage one or more of the plurality of corner protrusions.
13 . The protective case of claim 9 , wherein said third layer having one or more control apertures that are dimensioned and positioned to allow access to control buttons or ports on the mobile device.
14 . The protective case of claim 13 , wherein said second layer further comprising a button protrusion that is dimensioned and configured to extend within one or more control apertures of said third layer.
15 . The protective case of claim 14 , wherein the button protrusion is co-molded to the control aperture to form an integrated region therewith and configured to reside above a volume control button on the mobile device.
16 . The protective case of claim 9 , wherein said third layer further includes a tab that is configured to extend underneath the back face of the mobile device, the tab's inner surface being in contact with the outer surface of the second layer and the tabs outer surface being externally exposed.
17 . The protective case of claim 16 , wherein said tab is received within a perimeter aperture within said first layer that is configured to reside nearer one end of the mobile device than the other and configured to reside nearer to one side of the mobile device than the other.
18 . The protective case of claim 9 , wherein said third layer includes retention rim configured to reside over the perimeter region of the front face of the mobile device to retain the mobile device within the case.
19 . A protective case configured to receive a mobile device having a front face, a back face, a perimeter defined by top, bottom, right and left sides residing between the front and back faces, and corners defined at the intersecting regions of the sides, said protective case comprising:
a first layer having a first inner surface and a first outer surface, wherein said first inner surface including a first plurality of protrusions extending in a direction away from said outer surface;
a second layer having a second inner surface and a second outer surface, wherein said second layer further comprising an elevated pattern of interconnected walls extending from said second inner surface a height above and in a direction away from said second outer surface, and a plurality of apertures extending into said second outer surface, wherein one or more of said apertures are in contact with and surround, at least partially, one or more of said first plurality of protrusions; and
a third layer having a third inner surface and a third outer surface;
wherein said first, second and third layers are co-molded to form an integrated construction.
20 . The protective case of claim 19 , wherein said second layer further comprising a button protrusion that is dimensioned and configured to extend within one or more control apertures of said third layer.