Granted Patent B2

US 12,640,766 · App. 18/746,228 · Granted May 26, 2026

Inventors: Minna L. Ranjeva (San Diego, CA); Richard W. Vinson (Fort Collins, CO); Jason Sagen (Fort Collins, CO); Todd Eichinger (Fort Collins, CO); Bryan W. Goings (Fort Collins, CO)

Assignee: Otter Products, LLC

H04B1/3888H04M1/04

Abstract

Claims (38)

1 . A protective case for a foldable electronic device having a first device portion pivotably attached to a second device portion, the protective case comprising:

a first anchor configured to be adhered to a housing of the first device portion with an adhesive, the first anchor having a t-shaped cross section;

a first case portion configured to cover at least a portion of the housing of the first device portion, the first case portion including a cavity formed in a stretchable material, wherein the first anchor is configured to be pressed into the cavity of the first case portion with an interference fit to removably retain the first case portion to the housing of the first device portion;

a second anchor configured to be adhered to a housing of the second device portion with an adhesive, the second anchor having a t-shaped cross section; and

a second case portion configured to cover at least a portion of the housing of the second device portion, the second case portion including a cavity formed in a stretchable material, wherein the second anchor is configured to be pressed into the cavity of the second case portion with an interference fit to removably retain the second case portion to the housing of the second device portion.

2 . The protective case of claim 1 further comprising a third anchor having a t-shaped cross section configured to be adhered to the housing of the first device portion with an adhesive, the third anchor configured to be pressed into a second cavity of the first case portion with an interference fit.

3 . The protective case of claim 2 further comprising a fourth anchor having a t-shaped cross section configured to be adhered to the housing of the second device portion with an adhesive, the fourth anchor configured to be pressed into a second cavity of the second case portion with an interference fit.

4 . The protective case of claim 1 wherein the first case portion further includes a cushion member positioned between the first case portion and the first device portion.

5 . The protective case of claim 4 wherein the second case portion further includes a cushion member positioned between the second case portion and the second device portion.

6 . The protective case of claim 1 wherein the foldable electronic device is a foldable mobile phone.

7 . The protective case of claim 1 wherein one or more of the first case portion and the second case portion are formed from the stretchable material.

8 . A case for a foldable electronic device, wherein the foldable electronic device has a first device portion pivotably attached to a second device portion, the case comprising:

a first anchor adapted to be adhered to a housing of the first device portion with an adhesive, wherein the first anchor has a “T” shaped cross section;

a first case member adapted to cover at least a portion of the housing of the first device portion, the first case member including a cavity formed in a resilient material, wherein the first anchor is adapted to be inserted into the cavity of the first case member to removably retain the first case member to the housing of the first device portion due to an interference fit between the first anchor and the cavity;

a second anchor adapted to be adhered to a housing of the second device portion with the adhesive, wherein the second anchor has a “T” shaped cross section; and

a second case member adapted to cover at least a portion of the housing of the second device portion, the second case member including a cavity formed in a resilient material, wherein the second anchor is adapted to be inserted into the cavity of the second case to removably retain the second case member to the housing of the second device portion due to an interference fit between the second anchor and the cavity of the second case member.

9 . The case of claim 8 further comprising a third anchor having a “T” shaped cross section adapted to be adhered to the housing of the first device portion with the adhesive, the third anchor adapted to be inserted into a second cavity of the first case member with an interference fit.

10 . The case of claim 9 further comprising a fourth anchor having a “T” shaped cross section adapted to be adhered to the housing of the second device portion with the adhesive, the fourth anchor adapted to be inserted into a second cavity of the second case member with an interference fit.

11 . The case of claim 8 wherein the first case member further includes a cushion member positioned between the first case member and the first device portion.

12 . The case of claim 8 wherein the second case member further includes a cushion member positioned between the second case member and the second device portion.

13 . The case of claim 8 wherein one or more of the first case member and the second case member are formed from the resilient material.

14 . A case for a foldable electronic device having a first device portion and a second device portion, wherein the first device portion is foldably attached to the second device portion, the case comprising:

a first anchor configured to be adhered to a housing of the first device portion with an adhesive, the first anchor including a channel; and

a first case portion configured to cover at least a portion of the housing of the first device portion, the first case portion including:

a body having an aperture, wherein the first anchor is configured to extend through the aperture when the first case portion is installed on the housing of the first device portion; and

a peg slidably captured in the body, wherein the peg is configured to engage the channel of the first anchor when in a latched position to removably retain the first case portion to the first device portion.

15 . The case of claim 14 further comprising:

a second anchor configured to be adhered to a housing of the second device portion with the adhesive, the second anchor including a channel; and

a second case portion configured to cover at least a portion of the housing of the second device portion, wherein the second case portion is not attached to the first case portion, the second case portion including:

a body having an aperture, wherein the second anchor is configured to extend through the aperture when the second case portion is installed on the housing of the second device portion; and

a peg slidably captured in the body, wherein the peg is configured to engage the channel of the second anchor when in a latched position to removably retain the second case portion to the second device portion.

16 . The case of claim 15 further comprising:

a third anchor configured to be adhered to the housing of the first device portion with the adhesive, the third anchor including a channel, wherein the body of the first case portion further includes a second aperture, wherein the third anchor is configured to extend through the second aperture when the first case portion is installed on the housing of the first device portion; and

a second peg slidably captured in the body of the first case portion, wherein the second peg is configured to engage the channel of the third anchor when in a latched position to further removably retain the first case portion to the first device portion.

17 . The case of claim 14 wherein the first case portion is removable from the first anchor and the first device portion when the peg of the first case portion is in an unlatched position.

18 . The case of claim 14 wherein the foldable electronic device is one of a mobile phone and a tablet computer.

19 . The case of claim 14 wherein one or more of the first case portion and the second case portion further includes a cushion member positioned between the respective one of the first case portion and the second case portion and the associated device portion.

20 . The case of claim 15 wherein the body of the first case portion and the body of the second case portion comprise polycarbonate.

Assignments (2)

Continuity (3)

References Cited (112)