IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,273,138
Granted Patent B2
US 12,273,138 · App. 17/970,717 · Granted Apr 8, 2025

Protective enclosure for an electronic device

Inventors: Richard W. Grant, III (San Diego, CA); Michael S. Skahan (Ramona, CA)
Assignee: Otter Products, LLC
H04B1/3888
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,273,138
App. No.
17/970,717
Granted
Apr 8, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

A protective enclosure for an electronic device includes a back member which includes a pressure equalization membrane configured to equalize air pressure between an area inside the protective enclosure with an area outside the protective enclosure. The protective enclosure also includes a front member configured to engage with the back member to enclose the electronic device and having clasping features that engage with clasping features of the back member to removably engage the front member with the back member. The protective enclosure also includes a spacer pad having one or more air channels extending across a surface of the spacer pad, wherein the pressure equalization membrane is adjacent a portion of the one or more air channels when the spacer pad is in the protective enclosure.

Claims (26)

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

a back member configured to fit over a back and at least portions of sides of the electronic device when the electronic device is installed in the protective enclosure, wherein the back member includes a pressure equalization membrane configured to equalize air pressure between an area inside the protective enclosure and an area outside the protective enclosure;

a front member configured to engage with the back member to enclose the installed electronic device, a portion of the front member configured to cover the touchscreen of the installed electronic device, the touchscreen being visible and operable through the portion of the front member when covered by the front member, the front member having clasping features that engage with clasping features of the back member to removably engage the front member with the back member; and

a spacer pad configured to fit between the back of the installed electronic device and an inside surface of the back member, wherein the spacer pad includes one or more air channels extending across a surface of the spacer pad, wherein the pressure equalization membrane is adjacent a portion of the one or more air channels when the spacer pad is in the protective enclosure.

2. The protective enclosure of claim 1 wherein the pressure equalization membrane includes a restricted breathing pressure management device.

3. The protective enclosure of claim 1 wherein the spacer pad includes the one or more air channels on a first side of the spacer pad and also includes one or more additional air channels on a second side of the spacer pad.

4. The protective enclosure of claim 3 wherein the spacer pad includes one or more ports extending between the first side of the spacer pad and the second side of the spacer pad.

5. The protective enclosure of claim 4 wherein the one or more ports each intersect at least a portion of the one or more air channels on the first side and the one or more additional air channels on the second side.

6. The protective enclosure of claim 1 wherein the pressure equalization membrane has a limited maximum airflow rate.

7. The protective enclosure of claim 1 wherein the back member includes a mounting interface.

8. The protective enclosure of claim 7 wherein the mounting interface includes one or more threaded inserts.

9. The protective enclosure of claim 1 further including an internal electrical interface for engaging an electrical connector of the installed electronic device for charging the installed electronic device.

10. The protective enclosure of claim 9 wherein the internal electrical interface is further configured for transmitting data to the installed electronic device and/or receiving data from the installed electronic device.

11. The protective enclosure of claim 9 further including an external electrical interface that is electrically connected to the internal electrical interface for charging the installed electronic device, for transmitting data to the installed electronic device, and/or for receiving data from the installed electronic device from outside the protective enclosure.

12. The protective enclosure of claim 9 further including a wireless charging coil for wirelessly receiving electrical power from outside the protective enclosure, wherein the wireless charging coil is configured for providing at least a portion of the received electrical power to the internal electrical interface for charging the installed electronic device.

13. The protective enclosure of claim 1 further including a removable cap for temporarily covering the pressure equalization membrane.

14. A protective case for use with an electronic device, wherein the electronic device includes a touchscreen, the protective case comprising:

a back member adapted to fit over a back and at least portions of sides of the electronic device when the electronic device is installed in the protective case, wherein the back member includes a pressure equalization membrane adapted to equalize air pressure between an area inside the protective case and an area outside the protective case;

a front member adapted to engage the back member to enclose the installed electronic device, a portion of the front member adapted to cover the touchscreen of the installed electronic device, the touchscreen being visible and operable through the portion of the front member when covered by the front member, the front member having clasping features that engage with corresponding clasping features of the back member to removably attach the front member with the back member; and

a spacer pad adapted to fit between the back of the installed electronic device and an inside surface of the back member, wherein the spacer pad includes one or more channels extending across a first side of the spacer pad and one or more additional channels on a second side of the spacer pad, wherein the pressure equalization membrane is adjacent a portion of the one or more channels when the spacer pad is in the protective case.

15. The protective case of claim 14 wherein the spacer pad includes one or more ports extending between the first side of the spacer pad and the second side of the spacer pad.

16. The protective case of claim 15 wherein the one or more ports each intersect at least a portion of the one or more channels on the first side and the one or more additional channels on the second side of the spacer pad.

17. The protective case of claim 14 wherein the spacer pad is further adapted to conduct heat away from the installed electronic device.

18. The protective case of claim 14 further including an internal electrical interface for engaging an electrical connector of the installed electronic device for charging the installed electronic device.

19. The protective case of claim 18 further including an external electrical interface electrically connected to the internal electrical interface and adapted for charging the installed electronic device.

20. The protective case of claim 18 further including a wireless charging coil for wirelessly receiving electrical power from outside the protective case, wherein the wireless charging coil is adapted for providing at least a portion of the received electrical power to the internal electrical interface for charging the installed electronic device.

Assignments (2)
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 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 14, 2022
From: GRANT, RICHARD W., III; SKAHAN, MICHAEL S.
To: OTTER PRODUCTS, LLC
Reel/Frame 061755/0823 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 63272942 · Oct 28, 2021
Related Publication 20230135549A1 · May 4, 2023
References Cited (234)
US 2392787A · Edmond · 1946 [cited by applicant]
US 3023885A · Kindseth · 1962 [cited by applicant]
US 3590988A · Hollar · 1971 [cited by applicant]
US 4326102A · Culp et al. · 1982 [cited by applicant]
US 4352968A · Pounds · 1982 [cited by applicant]
US 4703161A · McLean · 1987 [cited by applicant]
US 4733776A · Ward · 1988 [cited by applicant]
US 4736418A · Steadman · 1988 [cited by applicant]
US 4762227A · Patterson · 1988 [cited by applicant]
US 4836256A · Meliconi · 1989 [cited by applicant]
US 4901852A · King · 1990 [cited by applicant]
US 5002184A · Lloyd · 1991 [cited by applicant]
US 5025921A · Gasparaitis et al. · 1991 [cited by applicant]
US 5092458A · Yokoyama · 1992 [cited by applicant]
US 5092459A · Uljanic et al. · 1992 [cited by applicant]
US 5123044A · Tate · 1992 [cited by applicant]
US 5175873A · Goldenberg et al. · 1992 [cited by applicant]
US 5230016A · Yasuda · 1993 [cited by applicant]
US 5360108A · Alagia · 1994 [cited by applicant]
US 5368159A · Doria · 1994 [cited by applicant]
US 5386084A · Risko · 1995 [cited by applicant]
US 5388692A · Withrow et al. · 1995 [cited by applicant]
US 5499713A · Huffer · 1996 [cited by applicant]
US 5625688A · Ford et al. · 1997 [cited by applicant]
US 5648757A · Vernace et al. · 1997 [cited by applicant]
US 5681122A · Burke · 1997 [cited by applicant]
US 5812188A · Adair · 1998 [cited by applicant]
US 5828012A · Repolle et al. · 1998 [cited by applicant]
US 5850915A · Tajima · 1998 [cited by applicant]
US 5873814A · Adair · 1999 [cited by applicant]
US 5923752A · McBride et al. · 1999 [cited by applicant]
US 6031524A · Kunert · 2000 [cited by applicant]
US 6041924A · Tajima · 2000 [cited by applicant]
US 6049813A · Danielson et al. · 2000 [cited by applicant]
US 6068119A · Derr et al. · 2000 [cited by applicant]
US 6082535A · Mitchell · 2000 [cited by applicant]
US 6094785A · Montgomery et al. · 2000 [cited by applicant]
US 6201867B1 · Koike · 2001 [cited by applicant]
US 6215474B1 · Shah · 2001 [cited by applicant]
US 6239968B1 · Kim et al. · 2001 [cited by applicant]
US 6273252B1 · Mitchell · 2001 [cited by applicant]
US 6301100B1 · Iwata · 2001 [cited by applicant]
US 6313892B2 · Gleckman · 2001 [cited by applicant]
US 6313982B1 · Hino · 2001 [cited by applicant]
US 6317313B1 · Mosgrove et al. · 2001 [cited by applicant]
US 6388877B1 · Canova et al. · 2002 [cited by applicant]
US 6415138B2 · Sirola et al. · 2002 [cited by applicant]
US 6445577B1 · Madsen et al. · 2002 [cited by applicant]
US 6456487B1 · Hetterick · 2002 [cited by applicant]
US 6471056B1 · Tzeng · 2002 [cited by applicant]
US 6512834B1 · Banter et al. · 2003 [cited by applicant]
US 6519141B2 · Tseng et al. · 2003 [cited by applicant]
US 6536589B2 · Chang · 2003 [cited by applicant]
US 6617973B1 · Osterman · 2003 [cited by applicant]
US 6646864B2 · Richardson · 2003 [cited by applicant]
US 6659274B2 · Enners · 2003 [cited by applicant]
US 6665174B1 · Perr et al. · 2003 [cited by applicant]
US 6701159B1 · Powell · 2004 [cited by applicant]
US 6731913B2 · Humphreys et al. · 2004 [cited by applicant]
US 6785566B1 · Irizarry · 2004 [cited by applicant]
US 6839430B2 · Kwak · 2005 [cited by applicant]
US 6926141B2 · Montler · 2005 [cited by applicant]
US 6932187B2 · Banter · 2005 [cited by examiner]
US 6950516B2 · Pirilä et al. · 2005 [cited by applicant]
US 6954405B2 · Polany · 2005 [cited by examiner]
US 6962454B1 · Costello · 2005 [cited by applicant]
US 6980777B2 · Shepherd et al. · 2005 [cited by applicant]
US 6995976B2 · Richardson · 2006 [cited by applicant]
US 7031148B1 · Lin · 2006 [cited by applicant]
US 7054441B2 · Pletikosa · 2006 [cited by applicant]
US 7061762B2 · Canova et al. · 2006 [cited by applicant]
US 7069063B2 · Halkosaari et al. · 2006 [cited by applicant]
US 7146701B2 · Mahoney et al. · 2006 [cited by applicant]
US 7147105B2 · Gammons · 2006 [cited by applicant]
US 7158376B2 · Richardson et al. · 2007 [cited by applicant]
US 7180735B2 · Thomas et al. · 2007 [cited by applicant]
US 7194291B2 · Peng · 2007 [cited by applicant]
US 7230823B2 · Richardson et al. · 2007 [cited by applicant]
US 7236588B2 · Gartrell · 2007 [cited by applicant]
US 7255228B2 · Kim · 2007 [cited by applicant]
US 7290654B2 · Hodges · 2007 [cited by applicant]
US 7312984B2 · Richardson et al. · 2007 [cited by applicant]
US 7341144B2 · Tajiri et al. · 2008 [cited by applicant]
US 7343184B2 · Rostami · 2008 [cited by applicant]
US 7400917B2 · Wood et al. · 2008 [cited by applicant]
US 7409148B2 · Takahashi et al. · 2008 [cited by applicant]
US 7418278B2 · Eriksson et al. · 2008 [cited by applicant]
US 7428427B2 · Brunstrom et al. · 2008 [cited by applicant]
US 7436653B2 · Yang et al. · 2008 [cited by applicant]
US 7449650B2 · Richardson et al. · 2008 [cited by applicant]
US 7495895B2 · Carnevali · 2009 [cited by applicant]
US 7555325B2 · Goros · 2009 [cited by applicant]
US 7558594B2 · Wilson · 2009 [cited by applicant]
US 7594576B2 · Chen et al. · 2009 [cited by applicant]
US 7609512B2 · Richardson et al. · 2009 [cited by applicant]
US 7623898B2 · Holmberg · 2009 [cited by applicant]
US 7641046B2 · Tsang et al. · 2010 [cited by applicant]
US 7663878B2 · Swan et al. · 2010 [cited by applicant]
US 7663879B2 · Richardson et al. · 2010 [cited by applicant]
US 7688580B2 · Richardson et al. · 2010 [cited by applicant]
US 7854434B2 · Heiman et al. · 2010 [cited by applicant]
US 7933122B2 · Richardson et al. · 2011 [cited by applicant]
US 8112130B2 · Mittleman et al. · 2012 [cited by applicant]
US 8113482B2 · Hunnicutt · 2012 [cited by applicant]
US 8290546B2 · Chen et al. · 2012 [cited by applicant]
US 8342325B2 · Rayner · 2013 [cited by applicant]
US 8439191B1 · Lu · 2013 [cited by applicant]
US 8531834B2 · Rayner · 2013 [cited by applicant]
US 8605892B1 · Owens et al. · 2013 [cited by applicant]
US 8695798B2 · Simmer · 2014 [cited by applicant]
US 8724841B2 · Bright et al. · 2014 [cited by applicant]
US 8798304B2 · Miller et al. · 2014 [cited by applicant]
US 8919549B1 · Tashjian · 2014 [cited by applicant]
US 9165550B2 · Richardson et al. · 2015 [cited by applicant]
US 9173314B2 · Richardson et al. · 2015 [cited by applicant]
US 9185480B2 · Howes · 2015 [cited by examiner]
US 9241551B2 · Lawson et al. · 2016 [cited by applicant]
US 9380369B2 · Utterman et al. · 2016 [cited by applicant]
US 9532633B1 · Tan et al. · 2017 [cited by applicant]
US 9545140B1 · Johnson et al. · 2017 [cited by applicant]
US 9609930B2 · Richardson et al. · 2017 [cited by applicant]
US 9667297B1 · Miehl · 2017 [cited by examiner]
US 9795044B2 · Lai et al. · 2017 [cited by applicant]
US 9800962B2 · Lai et al. · 2017 [cited by applicant]
US 9820399B1 · Makiej · 2017 [cited by examiner]
US 9853674B2 · Gandhi et al. · 2017 [cited by applicant]
US 20010048586A1 · Itou et al. · 2001 [cited by applicant]
US 20020009195A1 · Schon · 2002 [cited by applicant]
US 20020065054A1 · Humphreys et al. · 2002 [cited by applicant]
US 20020071550A1 · Pletikosa · 2002 [cited by applicant]
US 20020079244A1 · Kwong · 2002 [cited by applicant]
US 20020086702A1 · Lai et al. · 2002 [cited by applicant]
US 20020101707A1 · Canova et al. · 2002 [cited by applicant]
US 20020136557A1 · Shimamura · 2002 [cited by applicant]
US 20020137475A1 · Shou et al. · 2002 [cited by applicant]
US 20020193136A1 · Halkosaari et al. · 2002 [cited by applicant]
US 20030151890A1 · Huang et al. · 2003 [cited by applicant]
US 20040014506A1 · Kemppinen · 2004 [cited by applicant]
US 20050139498A1 · Goros · 2005 [cited by applicant]
US 20050279661A1 · Hodges · 2005 [cited by applicant]
US 20060124482A1 · Hodges · 2006 [cited by applicant]
US 20060186001A1 · Anderson et al. · 2006 [cited by applicant]
US 20060226039A1 · Goradesky · 2006 [cited by applicant]
US 20060255493A1 · Fouladpour · 2006 [cited by applicant]
US 20060279924A1 · Richardson et al. · 2006 [cited by applicant]
US 20070071423A1 · Fantone et al. · 2007 [cited by applicant]
US 20070086273A1 · Polany · 2007 [cited by examiner]
US 20070115387A1 · Ho · 2007 [cited by applicant]
US 20070158220A1 · Cleereman et al. · 2007 [cited by applicant]
US 20070261978A1 · Sanderson · 2007 [cited by applicant]
US 20070297149A1 · Richardson et al. · 2007 [cited by applicant]
US 20080041896A1 · Holmberg · 2008 [cited by applicant]
US 20080083631A1 · Tsang et al. · 2008 [cited by applicant]
US 20080096620A1 · Lee et al. · 2008 [cited by applicant]
US 20080190528A1 · Steinberg · 2008 [cited by applicant]
US 20080316687A1 · Richardson et al. · 2008 [cited by applicant]
US 20090009945A1 · Johnson et al. · 2009 [cited by applicant]
US 20090036175A1 · Brandenburg et al. · 2009 [cited by applicant]
US 20090072786A1 · Lin et al. · 2009 [cited by applicant]
US 20090080153A1 · Richardson et al. · 2009 [cited by applicant]
US 20090247244A1 · Mittleman et al. · 2009 [cited by applicant]
US 20090283184A1 · Han · 2009 [cited by applicant]
US 20100072334A1 · Gette et al. · 2010 [cited by applicant]
US 20100093401A1 · Moran et al. · 2010 [cited by applicant]
US 20100093412A1 · Serra et al. · 2010 [cited by applicant]
US 20100096284A1 · Bau · 2010 [cited by applicant]
US 20100096963A1 · Mclaughlin et al. · 2010 [cited by applicant]
US 20100104814A1 · Richardson et al. · 2010 [cited by applicant]
US 20100122756A1 · Longinotti-Buitoni · 2010 [cited by applicant]
US 20100200456A1 · Parkinson · 2010 [cited by applicant]
US 20100203931A1 · Hynecek et al. · 2010 [cited by applicant]
US 20100240427A1 · Lee · 2010 [cited by applicant]
US 20110017620A1 · Latchford et al. · 2011 [cited by applicant]
US 20110095033A1 · Hung · 2011 [cited by applicant]
US 20110157800A1 · Richardson et al. · 2011 [cited by applicant]
US 20110226545A1 · Richardson et al. · 2011 [cited by applicant]
US 20110261986A1 · Murayama · 2011 [cited by applicant]
US 20120031788A1 · Mongan et al. · 2012 [cited by applicant]
US 20120034837A1 · Ngai · 2012 [cited by applicant]
US 20120071217A1 · Park · 2012 [cited by applicant]
US 20120091025A1 · Wyner et al. · 2012 [cited by applicant]
US 20120168056A1 · Antonini · 2012 [cited by applicant]
US 20120168336A1 · Schmidt et al. · 2012 [cited by applicant]
US 20120207314A1 · Gautama et al. · 2012 [cited by applicant]
US 20120228181A1 · Damon et al. · 2012 [cited by applicant]
US 20120261289A1 · Wyner et al. · 2012 [cited by applicant]
US 20120314354A1 · Rayner · 2012 [cited by applicant]
US 20120325720A1 · Tages et al. · 2012 [cited by applicant]
US 20130027849A1 · Berumen · 2013 [cited by examiner]
US 20130043777A1 · Rayner · 2013 [cited by applicant]
US 20130063004A1 · Lai et al. · 2013 [cited by applicant]
US 20130063874A1 · Yi et al. · 2013 [cited by applicant]
US 20130098788A1 · McCarville et al. · 2013 [cited by applicant]
US 20130098790A1 · Hong et al. · 2013 [cited by applicant]
US 20130118934A1 · Green et al. · 2013 [cited by applicant]
US 20130156218A1 · Annacone et al. · 2013 [cited by applicant]
US 20130292288A1 · Willes · 2013 [cited by applicant]
US 20130308809A1 · Thompson et al. · 2013 [cited by applicant]
US 20130334071A1 · Carnevali · 2013 [cited by applicant]
US 20140045557A1 · Chung · 2014 [cited by applicant]
US 20140076767A1 · McFarland · 2014 [cited by applicant]
US 20140112652A1 · Latto et al. · 2014 [cited by applicant]
US 20140133687A1 · Lee · 2014 [cited by applicant]
US 20140221056A1 · Gandhi et al. · 2014 [cited by applicant]
US 20140252786A1 · Singhal · 2014 [cited by applicant]
US 20140262847A1 · Yang · 2014 [cited by applicant]
US 20140294217A1 · Yamaguchi et al. · 2014 [cited by applicant]
US 20140339012A1 · Richardson · 2014 [cited by examiner]
US 20150171913A1 · Rayner · 2015 [cited by applicant]
US 20150207911A1 · Lin · 2015 [cited by applicant]
US 20160212526A1 · Salvatti et al. · 2016 [cited by applicant]
US 20160231786A1 · English et al. · 2016 [cited by applicant]
US 20160254836A1 · Alsberg et al. · 2016 [cited by applicant]
US 20160277053A1 · Chee · 2016 [cited by applicant]
US 20170006382A1 · Luzzato et al. · 2017 [cited by applicant]
US 20170230071A1 · Miehl · 2017 [cited by examiner]
US 20180234127A1 · Lambert · 2018 [cited by examiner]
US 20190305406A1 · Williams · 2019 [cited by examiner]
US 20190341674A1 · Rosenthal · 2019 [cited by examiner]
US 20210086881A1 · Wang · 2021 [cited by examiner]
US 20220006892A1 · Perkins · 2022 [cited by examiner]
US 20220283024A1 · Neevel · 2022 [cited by examiner]
US 20220284214A1 · Tomasetta · 2022 [cited by examiner]
US 20240331196A1 · Iwafune · 2024 [cited by examiner]
CN 2921496 · 2007 [cited by applicant]
EP 3005666B1 · 2019 [cited by examiner]
JP H0818637A · 1994 [cited by applicant]
JP 2001061530A · 2001 [cited by applicant]
JP 2001128272A · 2001 [cited by applicant]
WO 2011114188A1 · 2011 [cited by applicant]
WO 2012051358 · 2012 [cited by applicant]
WO 2013027126A2 · 2013 [cited by applicant]
Donaldson Filtration Solutions, Acoustic Vents for Portable Electronics, dated 2012-2017, downloaded from https://www.donaldson.com/content/dam/donaldson/venting/literature/north-america/Brochures/acoustic-vents-portabl… [cited by applicant]
W.L. Gore & Associates, Gore(R) Portable Electronic Vents, dated 2016, downloaded from https://www.gore.com/sites/g/files/ypyipe116/files/2017-09/GORE_PEV_DataSheet_AcousticVents_Dust_Splash_0.pdf Jan. 16, 2018, 6 pages. [cited by applicant]