Case for enclosing and remaining attached to a tablet-computing device

A case for enclosing and remaining attached to a tablet-computing device may include a rigid inner portion and an outer portion attached thereto. The case may be customized to accommodate a particular kind or type of tablet-computing device and may include an aperture aligned within the case to accommodate a feature of the inserted tablet-computing device. The case may be configured to elevate a tablet-computing device to an angled position relative to a planar position and/or maintain the tablet-computing device in the angled position. In some embodiments, the rigid inner portion may be removable from the case.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a case for enclosing and remaining attached to a tablet-computing device.

BACKGROUND

Cases for tablet-computing devices have been available for some time. They are most commonly used to protect the device and allow the user some amount of personalization. Typically these cases have been fabricated from a soft flexible material like leather, synthetic leather, or a polymer based fabric (e.g. nylon, polyester, or polymer coated cotton). The functional advantage of the flexible materials is that they can accommodate a hinge without a separate part. The material itself flexes accomplishing the opening and closing action. Sometimes the flexible material is incorporated with a rigid or semi-rigid insert. This allows some portions to be stiff while still having the hinging properties in other regions—similar to a hard back book.

SUMMARY

A case for enclosing and remaining attached to a tablet-computing device including a rigid inner portion and an outer portion attached thereto is herein provided. In some embodiments, the case may be customized to accommodate a particular kind or type of tablet-computing device and the case may include an aperture aligned within the case to accommodate a feature of an inserted tablet-computing device.

The rigid inner portion may comprise, for example, a plastic, a metal, an elastomeric material, a hard rubber material, wood, a composite material, and some combination thereof. The outer portion may comprise, for example, plastic, rubber, fabric, leather, cardboard, metal, and/or some combination thereof.

The rigid inner portion may be shaped to accept and retain an inserted tablet-computing device. On some occasions, the rigid inner portion may include a cut away portion or opening sized and positioned to accommodate a feature of the inserted tablet-computing device, such as, but not limited to, a user interface and a port. In at least one embodiment, the rigid inner portion may be removably attached to the outer portion of the case.

The outer portion of the case may be attached to the rigid inner portion and include at least two sections. The first section may be attached to and shaped to cover a backside of the rigid inner portion. The second section may be shaped to cover the inserted tablet-computing device and connected to the first section via a flexible junction via, for example, a hinge or a fold in the outer portion of the case.

In one embodiment, the rigid inner portion may be attached to the first section of the case via a flexible junction, the second section of the case may include a retaining mechanism, and the rigid inner portion may include an attachment mechanism for attaching to retaining mechanism such that the tablet-computing device is elevated at an angled position relative to a planar position and/or maintained in the angled position.

In another embodiment, the outer portion may include a third section connected to the first section via a flexible junction. The third section may include retaining mechanism and the first section may include an attachment mechanism for attaching to the retaining mechanism such that the tablet-computing device is elevated at an angled position relative to a planar position and/or maintained in the angled position.

Throughout the drawings, the same reference numerals and characters, unless otherwise stated, are used to denote like features, elements, components, or portions of the illustrated embodiments. Moreover, while the subject invention will now be described in detail with reference to the drawings, the description is done in connection with the illustrative embodiments. It is intended that changes and modifications can be made to the described embodiments without departing from the true scope and spirit of the subject invention as defined by the appended claims.

WRITTEN DESCRIPTION

At times it may desirable to combine the features of a rigid case and a fold-over case for enclosing and/or protecting a tablet-computing device. Exemplary tablet-computing devices include a mobile communication device, an iPad™, a Kindle™ as distributed by Amazon, and a Nook™ as distributed by Barnes and Noble.

One exemplary case described herein includes two parts: a cover and a rigid inner portion or chassis. The rigid inner portion may be an interface between a tablet-computing device and the rest of the case. In some cases, the rigid inner portion may attach and/or snap onto the tablet-computing device. In other cases, the rigid inner portion may be attached to the case via hardware or utilize multiple chassis pieces that attach to each other and thereby encapsulate the tablet-computing device. In some embodiments, the rigid inner portion may be a planar object with multiple hinges and protect the tablet-computing device when not in use by wrapping around it. Traditionally, when a cover such as this is used with a tablet-computing device, the cover provides no functionality when the tablet-computing device is in use. These covers are folded back around the back of the unit so as to be as unobtrusive as possible. The case described has additional functionality as there are details in the cover that allow the user to position the tablet-computing device in multiple orientations. In some cases, the cover may have one or more retaining mechanisms, such as a recess, Velcro™, a magnet, and/or a high-friction material that the rigid inner portion and/or a portion of the cover interfaces with. This allows the tablet-computing device to be propped up at a variety of different angles and yet be stable enough so that it can be used as desired.

FIG. 1Ais top view andFIG. 1Bis a top perspective view of a rigid inner portion110or chassis for enclosing and remaining attached to a tablet-computing device. Rigid inner portion110may be manufactured from any suitable material, such as, for example, a plastic, a metal, a hard rubber, an elastomeric material, wood, a composite, latex, and/or some combination thereof.

Rigid inner portion110may be shaped to accept and retain an inserted tablet-computing device. In some embodiments, a tablet-computing device may be inserted into rigid inner portion110and held in place via any conventionally available means such as, but not limited to, a clip, an overhanging extension, a magnet, or a strap.

In some embodiments, rigid inner portion110may be customized to accommodate a particular kind or type of tablet-computing device and rigid inner portion110may include an aperture115aligned within the case to accommodate a feature of the inserted tablet-computing device, such as, but not limited to, a user interface or a port as shown inFIG. 1Cwhich is a side view of rigid inner portion110.

FIG. 2Ais a top view of an outer portion210of an exemplary case201for enclosing and remaining attached to a tablet-computing device. Case201includes rigid inner portion110attached to a first section215of case201via any conventional means and, in some embodiments, may be removably attached to first section215. First section215may be shaped to cover a backside of rigid inner portion110. Second section225may be shaped to cover the inserted tablet-computing device and connected to first section215via a flexible junction220. Exemplary flexible junctions220include a flexible portion of case201, a hinge, a fold in case201, or any other appropriate means.

Optionally, rigid inner portion110may include an attachment mechanism235sized to be inserted into or attached to one or more retaining mechanisms230located on second section225. Exemplary attachment mechanisms235may include an extension of the material used to fabricate rigid inner portion110and/or a material affixed to rigid inner portion110, such as Velcro™, a magnet, a high-friction material, or an adhesive material. Exemplary retaining mechanisms230may be sized to accommodate attachment and/or insertion of attachment mechanism235and/or may be made from a material compatible with attachment mechanism235(e.g., Velcro™, a magnet, and/or a material designed to be compatible with adhesive properties of attachment mechanism235). In some embodiments, retaining mechanism230and/or attachment mechanism235may be covered and/or hidden by, for example, a covering folded over and/or attached to retaining mechanism230and/or attachment mechanism235, respectively.

FIG. 2Bis a side view of exemplary case301wherein second portion225of outer portion310is folded over on top of rigid inner portion110. The exemplary case201ofFIG. 2Balso includes first portion215and two flexible junctions220.

FIG. 3Ais a top view of an outer portion310of an exemplary case310for enclosing and remaining attached to a tablet-computing device including first portion215, second portion225, a third portion320, attachment mechanism235, flexible junctions220, and retaining mechanism230. Rigid inner portion110is attached to the bottom side of outer portion310as shown inFIG. 3B. Attachment mechanism235is positioned on first portion215of outer portion310as opposed to being positioned on rigid inner portion110as with exemplary case201.

Exemplary case310may be folded closed in at least two ways as shown inFIGS. 3C and 3D, respectively. As shown inFIG. 3C, first section215is attached to the bottom of rigid inner portion110, second portion225is folded over the top of rigid inner portion110, and third portion320is folded over first portion215in a tri-fold manner. As shown inFIG. 3D, first section215is attached to the bottom of rigid inner portion110, second portion225is folded over the top of rigid inner portion110, and third portion320is folded over the top of rigid inner portion110.

FIG. 4Ais a side perspective view of exemplary case201for enclosing and remaining attached to a tablet-computing device410. Exemplary tablet-computing devices410include a mobile communication device, an iPad™, a Kindle™ as distributed by Amazon, and a Nook™ as distributed by Barnes and Noble. As shown, attachment mechanism235is positioned on rigid inner portion110and inserted into and/or attached to retaining mechanism230so that tablet-computing device410is elevated at a first angled position relative to a planar position and/or maintained in the first angled position. Maintaining tablet-computing device410in the first angled position may be advantageous when, for example, viewing media displayed on tablet-computing device410.

FIG. 4Bis a side perspective view of exemplary case201for enclosing and remaining attached to tablet-computing device410. As shown, attachment mechanism235is positioned on rigid inner portion110and inserted into and/or attached to retaining mechanism230so that tablet-computing device410is elevated at a second angled position relative to a planar position and/or maintained in the second angled position. Maintaining tablet-computing device410in the second angled position may be advantageous when, for example, entering data into tablet-computing device410.

FIG. 5Ais a side perspective view of exemplary case301for enclosing and remaining attached to tablet-computing device410. As shown, attachment mechanism235is positioned on first portion215and inserted into and/or attached to retaining mechanism230so that tablet-computing device410is elevated at a first angled position relative to a planar position and/or maintained in the first angled position. Maintaining tablet-computing device410in the first angled position may be advantageous when, for example, viewing media displayed on tablet-computing device410.

FIG. 5Bis a side perspective view of exemplary case301for enclosing and remaining attached to tablet-computing device410. As shown, attachment mechanism235is positioned on first portion215and inserted into and/or attached to retaining mechanism230so that tablet-computing device410is elevated at a second angled position relative to a planar position and/or maintained in the second angled position. Maintaining tablet-computing device410in the second angled position may be advantageous when, for example, entering data into tablet-computing device410.

Thus, a case for enclosing and remaining attached to a tablet-computing device that includes a rigid inner portion and an outer portion attached thereto has been herein described.