Abstract:
A modular case for a mobile device is formed by providing a hard shell layer within a soft overmold layer. The soft overmold layer preferably lines both an inner and an outer surface of the hard shell layer so as to both protect the mobile device from scratches and to distribute any impact forces to the case across the surface of the soft overmold layer. The hard shell layer generally has multiple sets of injection mold ports so that when the soft overmold layer is formed over the hard shell layer, the soft overmold layer threads through the injection ports, providing an interlocking union of the two layers.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The field of the invention is cell phone cases 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    It is known in the art to use mobile devices to conveniently access and manipulate data, view multimedia files and presentations, make phone calls, and access wireless networks. As used herein, a “mobile device” includes, among other things, laptops, portable media players (i.e. mp3 players and projectors), and cellular phones. The more portable a computer, however, the more susceptible the computer is to receiving damage from being dropped or being otherwise mishandled. 
         [0003]    Protective cases have long been used for mobile devices. U.S. Pat. No. 4,294,496 to Murez discloses a mobile device having a hard outer metallic shell that protects the delicate computer screen and keyboard from damage by folding the screen and keyboard against one another. However, surrounding each computer&#39;s user interface within a hard metallic shell increases the time it takes for a user to access the user interface and reduces response time when a user needs to access the computer. Murez and all other extrinsic materials discussed herein are incorporated by reference in their entirety. Where a definition or use of a term in an incorporated reference is inconsistent or contrary to the definition of that term provided herein, the definition of that term provided herein applies and the definition of that term in the reference does not apply. 
         [0004]    Unless the context dictates the contrary, all ranges set forth herein should be interpreted as being inclusive of their endpoints, and open-ended ranges should be interpreted to include commercially practical values. Similarly, all lists of values should be considered as inclusive of intermediate values unless the context indicates the contrary. 
         [0005]    US20090302799 to Marquet teaches a rigid case for a mobile telephone that substantially surrounds the entire body of the mobile phone, but leaves the keyboard and screen of the phone exposed so that a user could easily access buttons on the phone. However, if a user drops Marquet&#39;s case in a way where the front of the phone hits the ground, the screen could crack or become otherwise damaged easily. 
         [0006]    US20100302716 to Ganhdi teaches a rigid case for a mobile telephone that extends slightly from a surface of the screen to prevent the screen from being damaged if the phone falls face-down on a flat surface. When the phone hits a flat surface, the extending portions of the case will hit the ground first, protecting the phone from suffering damage through a direct impact with the ground. However, since Ganhdi&#39;s case is rigid, the mobile phone could still suffer damage through an indirect impact of impact forces traveling through the surface of the rigid case into the phone itself. 
         [0007]    U.S. Pat. No. 7,933,122 to Richardson teaches a protective case for a mobile telephone having three layers of protection: (1) an inner flexible membrane layer that holds the computer, (2) a hard shell cover layer over the flexible membrane, and (3) an outer flexible cushion layer that wraps around the hard shell cover. This allows the protective case to protect further against damage to the mobile telephone by allowing the outer flexible cushion layer and the inner flexible membrane layer to distribute an impact force while the hard shell cover layer prevents the case from substantially deforming during such an impact. Richardson&#39;s case, however, is difficult to put together and is extremely cumbersome to enclose over the mobile phone. 
         [0008]    Thus, there is still a need for improved mobile device cases that are easier to manufacture and are easier to use. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0009]    It has yet to be appreciated that a mobile device case could be constructed by injection-molding a soft overmold layer around a hard shell layer through injection mold ports disposed about surfaces of the hard shell layer, interdigitating the soft and hard shells into a single case having the distributive properties of a soft case as well as the deform-resistant properties of a hard case. 
         [0010]    The present invention provides apparatus and methods in which a case for a mobile device protects the mobile device by providing a hard shell layer having injection mold ports disposed about at least one surface and a soft overmold layer mechanically coupled to the hard shell layer via injection-molded protrusions of the overmold layer extending through at least one of the injection molded ports. As used herein, a “hard shell layer” means a material different from the soft overmold layer which has a Young&#39;s modulus higher than the soft overmold layer. In other words, the hard shell layer is more rigid than the soft overmold layer. 
         [0011]    The hard shell layer preferably comprises a rigid thermoplastic polymer, such as a polycarbonate material, having a Young&#39;s modulus of at least 10, 20, 30, 40, or 50. Generally, the hard shell layer also has one, two, three, or more sets injection mold ports disposed along several surfaces, such as opposing surfaces of two walls that wrap around opposing sides of the mobile device, or orthogonal walls that cradle a corner of the mobile device. In an exemplary embodiment, each wall of the hard shell layer has at least one set of injection mold ports to maximize the mechanical coupling between the hard shell layer and the soft overmold layer. The hard shell layer preferably comprises at least three walls orthogonal to one another to cover a corner of the mobile device. As used herein, a “set” of injection mold ports comprises a bank of similarly-shaped ports along a line drawn across a surface of the hard shell layer. Such injection mold ports could be sized or shaped in any suitable manner to allow for the soft overmold layer to thread through the port before solidifying, such as rectangular ports, square ports, cylindrical ports, pentagonal ports, ovoid ports, tear-shaped ports, star-shaped ports, and other regular or irregular shapes. 
         [0012]    The soft overmold layer preferably covers both an interior surface and an exterior surface of the hard shell layer. As used herein, an “interior surface” faces the mobile device when the mobile device is housed within the case, and an “exterior surface” faces away from the mobile device when the mobile device is housed within the case. If the soft overmold layer was only on an exterior portion of the case, then the rigid hard shell layer could scratch or otherwise damage a surface of the mobile device when the case suffers from an impact collision. If the soft overmold layer was only on an interior portion of the case, then the soft overmold layer would not be able to distribute as much impact force. By providing a soft overmold layer which covers portions of both the interior and the exterior surface, the elastic properties of the soft overmold layer will exteriorly distribute force received from an exterior impact, and will also interiorly distribute force delivered to the mobile device. 
         [0013]    The soft overmold layer preferably comprises an elastomeric material such as rubber or a thermoplastic elastomer. In a preferred embodiment, the soft overmold layer is a Versaflex™ alloy provided by PolyOne™ GLS. The elastomeric material preferably has a Durometer rating of no greater than 50, 40, 30, or 20, and preferably has a Durometer rating of no greater than 25. 
         [0014]    The soft overmold layer is generally mechanically coupled with the hard shell layer via injection-molded protrusions that thread through different sets of injection mold ports in the hard shell layer. Although, the process could conceivably be reversed, where the hard shell layer is threaded through sets of injection ports within the soft overmold layer. In one embodiment, the soft overmold layer forms mushroom-shaped protrusions which can not be pulled back through the injection mold ports without tearing or otherwise permanently deforming the soft overmold layer. In another embodiment, the soft overmold layer wraps completely around a wall of the hard shell layer and threads through the injection mold port to meet with itself In either case, the soft overmold layer preferably covers common high-impact sights around the exterior wall of the hard shell layer, such as the corners, and preferably comprises at least one raised wall or rib that projects from a surface of the hard shell layer. In a preferred embodiment, the soft overmold layer is distributed along each exterior surface of the hard shell layer such that when the case is placed on a surface in any orientation or direction, no part of the hard shell layer touches the surface upon which the case is placed. 
         [0015]    A ferromagnetic material could be coupled to the hard shell layer, the soft overmold layer, or to both layers to allow for the case to be magnetically coupled to a separate ferromagnetic surface. As used herein, a “ferromagnetic material” is one that is attracted to magnets, and could be magnetized, but is not necessarily a magnet in and of itself Preferably, the ferromagnetic material coupled to the case is not a magnet itself, so as to protect the mobile device case from magnetic waves. Furthermore, the ferromagnetic material is preferably shaped as a plate so as to shunt a magnetic field emanating from magnets attached to the ferromagnetic surface. As used herein, a material shaped as a “plate” is one having a width more than  5  times thinner than its length and/or height. Preferably, the ferromagnetic plate is rectangular-shaped, although other plate shapes are contemplated without departing from the scope of the invention. 
         [0016]    Since ferromagnetic materials tend not to absorb impact very well, the ferromagnetic material is preferably mounted within a recess of the case in order to prevent the ferromagnetic material from being exposed to an impact if the case is dropped upon a hard surface. The ferromagnetic material is preferably made out of a reflective steel so as to provide a surface that doubles as a mirror for the user. 
         [0017]    Using such a mounting, the case could then be mounted to any magnet via the ferromagnetic material. As used herein, a “magnet” is any material that produces a magnetic field, whether a naturally induced magnetic field, such as those produced by neodymium, or an electrically induced magnetic field. Such magnets could be conveniently coupled to a variety of convenient non-ferromagnetic surfaces as temporary mounts for the mobile device case, such as the dashboard of a car, a tabletop, a briefcase, a wall, or a portion of a user&#39;s clothing. In an exemplary embodiment, the magnet is coupled to a surface using a permanent adhesive, such as double-sided tape or glue. In another embodiment, the magnet is coupled to a surface using a temporary coupling mechanism, such as a suction cup, a mating indent/detent, or a pair of magnets that wrap around the surface. In a preferred embodiment, where the ferromagnetic plate is located within a recess of the rear surface of the hard shell layer, a portion of the magnet is sized and dimensioned to mate with that recess. 
         [0018]    In a preferred embodiment, the magnet comprises a rear magnetic plate and a front magnetic plate which could couple to a thin non-ferromagnetic material, such as a portion of a user&#39;s clothing, by placing the front magnetic plate on a front surface of the thin material, and the rear magnetic plate on a rear surface of the thin material. As used herein, a “thin material” is material that is thinner than the thickness of the case, and is more preferably thinner than half or a quarter of the thickness of the case. The gripping surface of the front and the rear magnetic plate could be lined with a plurality of blunt or sharpened projections or matching recesses/detents to help the front and rear magnetic plates grip to the thin material, especially where the thin material is flexible. Once the magnet is coupled to the thin material, the mobile device case could then be mounted to the thin non-ferromagnetic material by coupling the ferromagnetic plate to the front magnetic plate. In a preferred embodiment, where the ferromagnetic plate is located within a recess of the rear surface of the hard shell layer, the front magnetic plate is sized and dimensioned to mate with that recess. 
         [0019]    The front magnetic plate and the rear magnetic plate could both comprise magnets of substantially similar strength, but could be made of magnets of differing strengths without departing from the scope of the current invention. Preferably, the front magnetic plate, rear magnetic plate, and ferromagnetic plate are all configured such that the magnetic force between the front magnetic plate and rear magnetic plate exceeds the magnetic force between the front magnetic plate and the rear magnetic plate—even when the front magnetic plate and rear magnetic plate are separated by the thin non-ferromagnetic material. 
         [0020]    In some embodiments, a kickstand is coupled with a surface of the case in order to allow for the case to be propped up for viewing on a flat surface. Preferably, the kickstand is sized and disposed so as to prop up the case such that a screen of the mobile device is viewed at from an angle with respect to the flat surface upon which the case is propped up upon. The kickstand may be made from any suitable material, but is preferably made from a rigid material, such as polypropylene, or from the same material as the hard shell layer. The kickstand could further be sized and disposed so as to rest within a recess of the hard shell layer to allow the case to lay flat when the kickstand is not disposed. The kickstand could be removably coupled to hard shell layer using matching indents/detents or some other quick-snap mechanism, but could also be coupled to the hard shell layer using a living hinge. 
         [0021]    Various objects, features, aspects and advantages of the inventive subject matter will become more apparent from the following detailed description of preferred embodiments, along with the accompanying drawing figures in which like numerals represent like components. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING 
         [0022]      FIG. 1  is a front perspective view of an exemplary hard shell layer. 
           [0023]      FIG. 2  is a rear perspective view of the hard shell layer of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0024]      FIG. 3  is a front exploded view of an exemplary case, showing a soft overmold layer, the hard shell layer of  FIG. 1 , and a ferromagnetic plate. 
           [0025]      FIG. 4  is a rear exploded view of the exemplary case of  FIG. 3 . 
           [0026]      FIG. 5  is a front perspective view of the case of  FIG. 3 , having a transparent soft overmold layer. 
           [0027]      FIG. 6  is a rear perspective view of the case of  FIG. 5 . 
           [0028]      FIG. 7  is an exploded view of the exemplary case separated from the mobile device. 
           [0029]      FIG. 8  is a front perspective view of an exemplary case coupled with a mobile device. 
           [0030]      FIG. 9  is a rear perspective view of the exemplary case of  FIG. 8  coupled with a magnet mount. 
           [0031]      FIG. 10  is an exploded view of the exemplary case of  FIG. 10  separated from the magnet mount. 
           [0032]      FIG. 11  is a rear perspective view of the exemplary magnet mount of  FIG. 10 . 
           [0033]      FIG. 12  is an exploded view of the exemplary magnet mount of  FIG. 12 , having a front magnet plate and a rear magnet plate. 
           [0034]      FIG. 13  is an exploded view of the front magnet plate of  FIG. 13 . 
           [0035]      FIG. 14  is an exploded view of the rear magnet plate of  FIG. 13 . 
           [0036]      FIG. 15  is an exploded view of the kickstand of the exemplary case of  FIG. 10 . 
           [0037]      FIG. 16  is a rear perspective view of the exemplary case of  FIG. 10  having the kickstand engaged in an upright position. 
           [0038]      FIG. 17  is a front perspective view of the exemplary case of  FIG. 10  having the kickstand engaged in a side position. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0039]    As used herein, and unless the context dictates otherwise, the term “coupled to” is intended to include both direct coupling (in which two elements that are coupled to each other contact each other) and indirect coupling (in which at least one additional element is located between the two elements). Therefore, the terms “coupled to” and “coupled with” are used synonymously. 
         [0040]    One should appreciate that the disclosed techniques provide many advantageous technical effects including integrally molding a soft overmold layer to a hard shell layer, providing soft protrusions from the soft overmold layer to prevent scratching or otherwise damaging the mobile device or the hard shell layer, providing an easy way to temporarily yet securely mount the mobile device to any surface using a magnetic mount, and providing methods to prop up a mobile device. 
         [0041]    The following discussion provides many example embodiments of the inventive subject matter. Although each embodiment represents a single combination of inventive elements, the inventive subject matter is considered to include all possible combinations of the disclosed elements. Thus if one embodiment comprises elements A, B, and C, and a second embodiment comprises elements B and D, then the inventive subject matter is also considered to include other remaining combinations of A, B, C, or D, even if not explicitly disclosed. 
         [0042]      FIG. 1  shows a hard shell layer  100  having left wall  110 , right wall  120 , rear wall  130 , upper wall  140 , and lower wall  150 . Rear wall  130  has been overmolded to ferromagnetic plate  160  using tabs  137  such that ferromagnetic plate  160  is locked in place along three dimensional axis with respect to hard shell layer  100 . Ferromagnetic plate  160  also has injection ports  164  and  162  which are left open to accept overmolding from a soft overmold layer (not shown). 
         [0043]    Right wall  120  has a set of injection ports  122  along an axis of the wall which are sized and disposed to accept overmolding from a soft overmold layer (not shown). Left wall  110 , conversely, has an upper section  112  and a lower section  114 . While lower section  114  is substantially similar to right wall  120  by having a set of injection ports  115 , upper section  112  has custom ports  113  which are customized to give access to a user interface of a particular mobile device through left wall  110 . Upper wall  140  and lower wall  150  have a shorter height than left wall  110  and right wall  120 , and each has a set of injection ports  142  and  152 , respectively. 
         [0044]    Rear wall  130  has two sets of injection ports  131  and  132  which are placed along each side of rear window  136 . The rear side of each set of injection port has a ledged recess which is sized and disposed to accept a mushroom-shaped overmolding (not shown) from a soft overmold layer to help hold the layer in place against rear wall  130 . Rear wall  130  also has a custom port  133  that is custom-made to give access to a user interface of the mobile device (not shown). While each of the left wall  110 , right wall  120 , rear wall  130 , upper wall  140 , and lower wall  150  have a set of injection ports  115 ,  122 ,  131 ,  142 , and  152 , respectively, more or less sets could be disposed on each wall without departing from the scope of the invention. 
         [0045]    Rear wall  130  also has windows  136  and  138  which form recesses when overmolded upon ferromagnetic plate  160 . The recesses are sized and disposed to accept a magnet (not shown) and a kickstand (not shown) so that each of the magnet and kickstand could rest within the recess and not significantly project outwards from the rear surface of rear wall  130 . Rear wall  130  also has upper lanyard holes  134  and lower lanyard holes  135  which allow a user to thread a small lanyard thread through either the upper holes or the lower holes to attach hard shell layer  100  to a lanyard (not shown). By placing a plurality of lanyard holes within hard shell layer  100 , the case is configured to be attached to a lanyard in multiple directions. 
         [0046]    In  FIGS. 3 and 4 , an exploded view of the soft overmold layer  300 , the hard shell layer  100 , and the ferromagnetic plate  160  are shown, separated from one another. As explained above, hard shell layer  100  is generally overmolded over ferromagnetic plate  160  and is held in place within hard shell layer  100  via tabs  137  which line the left and right sides of a window in rear wall  130 . Soft overmold layer  300  is then overmolded over both hard shell layer  100  and ferromagnetic plate  160  and interlocks with hard shell layer  100  in several areas. 
         [0047]    The left wall  310  of soft overmold layer  300  interlocks with each of the injection ports  115  by threading through each of the injection ports. Thus, between each hole  316  in wall  310 , under each set of gripping detents  317 , lies one of injection ports  115  which provides an interlocking segment. Soft volume control buttons  313  also project through one of custom ports  113  to provide access to a volume control user interface buttons on the mobile device itself (not shown). The right wall  320  also interlocks with the set of injection ports  122  by threading through each injection port in the areas between each of the ports  322  under sets of gripping detents (not shown) similar to gripping detents  317 . Upper wall  240  has upper projections  342  which thread through injection ports  142  while lower wall  250  has lower projections  252  that thread through injection ports  152 . Rear wall  330  of soft overmold layer has two sets of mushroom-shaped projections  331  and  332  which thread through each set of injection ports  131  and  132 , respectively, to hold soft overmold layer  300  against rear wall  130 . It should be noted that soft overmold layer  300  also has a projection  362  which threads through injection port  162  in ferromagnetic plate  160 . 
         [0048]    The threading between hard shell layer  100  and soft overmold layer  300  is better illustrated through  FIGS. 5 and 6 , which show views of the hard shell layer  100  integrated with a transparent soft overmold layer  300 . 
         [0049]    Use of an exemplary case with a mobile device is illustrated in  FIGS. 7 and 8 , where case  700  is shown mating with mobile device  800 . Mobile device  800  is shown here euphemistically as a cellular phone device, however other mobile devices are contemplated, such as laptops, tablets, audio players, and PDA devices. Case  700  has soft projections  710 ,  720 , and  730  extending from all corners and flat surfaces of the case to prevent either the hard shell layer  750  of the case or the mobile device  800  from being scratched if case  700  were to fall upon a flat surface. Mobile device  800  has a user interface  802  representing a volume control which is accessible through case  700  through soft buttons  702 , which allow a tactile input through the soft overmold layer to be transmitted to user interface  802 . Mobile device  800  also has a user interface  804  represented as a button which is accessible through a window formed in hard shell layer  750 , and mobile device  800  has a user interface  806  represented as a touch screen which is freely accessible via a user by not being covered by a case at all. Although user interface  806  is not covered by case  700 , user interface  806  is still protected via projections  730  should the case ever fall upon a flat surface on that side of the case. 
         [0050]    Case  700  could also be configured to mate with magnet  900  as shown in  FIGS. 9 and 10  by providing an exposed ferromagnetic plate  760 . Magnet  900  also has lanyard holes  910  and  920  which allow case  700  to be removably coupled to a lanyard for convenience. Magnet  900  also has removable backing  930  which could be removed to expose an adhesive surface which could be used to couple magnet  900  in a permanent manner to any of a variety of surfaces, such as a table top, a wall, or a car dashboard. While magnet  900  is currently shown as projecting slightly from the rear surface of case  700  when in its mated position, magnet  900  could be configured with a thinner thickness so as to be substantially flush with the rear surface of case  700  without departing from the scope of the invention. As used herein, “Substantially flush” means a surface which does not recess or project from another surface by more than 2 mm, and more preferably by no more than 1 mm. 
         [0051]    In an exemplary embodiment, magnet  900  could be composed of two parts, rear magnetic plate  1100  and front magnetic plate  1200 , as shown in  FIGS. 11 and 12 , which both work cooperatively to allow magnet  900  to couple to a non-ferromagnetic object (not shown) that is placed in between rear magnet  1100  and front magnet  1200 . Contemplated non-ferromagnetic objects include clothing and wall partitions. 
         [0052]      FIG. 13  shows rear magnetic plate  1100  having recesses  1110  and  1120  which couple to magnets  1130  and  1140 , respectively. Mushroom-shaped  1112  and  1122  could be overmolded to magnets  1130  and  1140 , although other coupling mechanisms could be used, such as adhesives or a recess comprising a ferromagnetic wall. Rear magnetic plate  1100  could also have gripping projections  1150  which could be used to provide additional grip to an intervening non-ferromagnetic surface disposed between rear magnetic plate  1100  and front magnetic plate  1200 . Similar to rear magnetic plate  1100 ,  FIG. 14  shows front magnetic plate  1200  having recesses  1210  and  1220 , which both couple to magnets  1230  and  1240 , respectively, using mushroom-shaped projections  1212  and  1222 , respectively. Magnets  1130 ,  1140 ,  1230 , and  1240  are preferably strong earth metal-type magnets, such as neodymium, but could be made from other magnetic material without departing from the scope of the invention. In an alternative embodiment, magnets  1130  and  1140  could be substituted with a ferromagnetic metal. 
         [0053]      FIG. 15  shows an exploded view of an exemplary kickstand  1500  having a main body  1520  and a lock  1510 . When lock  1510  is disengaged from main body  1520 , the proximal end of main body  1520  could be squeezed, allowing projections  1524  to fit within recess  1610  in case  1600 . Then, when kickstand  1500  is properly placed within recess  1610 , projection  1512  could then be snapped into recess  1522  to lock projections  1524  in place, which then act as a hinge for kickstand  1500 . In this manner, kickstand  1500  could be easily replaced should it get damaged or worn down in the future. By kickstand  1500  within 1, 2, or 3 cm from the edge of case  1600 , kickstand  1500  could be used to prop case  1600  upright as shown in  FIG. 16 , or on its side as shown in  FIG. 17 . 
         [0054]    It should be apparent to those skilled in the art that many more modifications besides those already described are possible without departing from the inventive concepts herein. The inventive subject matter, therefore, is not to be restricted except in the scope of the appended claims. Moreover, in interpreting both the specification and the claims, all terms should be interpreted in the broadest possible manner consistent with the context. In particular, the terms “comprises” and “comprising” should be interpreted as referring to elements, components, or steps in a non-exclusive manner, indicating that the referenced elements, components, or steps may be present, or utilized, or combined with other elements, components, or steps that are not expressly referenced. Where the specification claims refers to at least one of something selected from the group consisting of A, B, C . . . and N, the text should be interpreted as requiring only one element from the group, not A plus N, or B plus N, etc.