Cellular phone casing and associated method

A combined cellular phone and water-proof casing may include a cellular telephone. The cellular phone may include a display screen and a key pad communicatively coupled thereto. A protective water-proof casing may be connected to the cellular telephone in such a manner that the display screen remains operably responsive to the key pad after the cellular telephone is submerged in water. The water-proof casing may further include a first sheath and a second sheath. The second sheath may further be mated to the first sheath. A gasket may be intermediately intercalated between the first and second sheaths and thereby prevent water from penetrating through the outer edges of the first and second sheaths respectively. A plurality of ports may be formed in the water-proof casing, and a plurality of port covers may be removably interfitted within the ports.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

Not Applicable.

Not Applicable.

REFERENCE TO A MICROFICHE APPENDIX

Not Applicable.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Technical Field

This invention relates to cellular phones and, more particularly, to a cellular phone casing for providing users with an easy and convenient means of water-proofing and keeping their cellular phones safe and dry.

2. Prior Art

The International Telecommunication Union estimates that mobile cellular subscriptions worldwide would reach approximately 4.6 billion by the end of 2009. Mobile phones have gained increased importance in the sector of Information and communication technologies for development in the 2000s and have effectively started to reach the bottom of the economic pyramid. Literally speaking, everyone from teenagers to retirees has a cell phone today. Typically, cell phones are used for a variety of purposes, including keeping in touch with family members, conducting business, and having access to a telephone in the event of an emergency. Some individuals keep multiple cell phones in some cases for legitimate reasons such as having one phone for business and another for personal use, though a second cell phone may also be used to covertly conduct an affair or illicit business transaction.

Cell phones are practically maintenance free whereby the only “maintenance” required is a change of battery. These cell phones are usually carried in the pocket of a male user or in the handbags of a female user respectively. Many cell phones are lost when they fall out of these unsecured enclosures. They may be recovered by the owners if they happened to land on a floor or a visible location. But in instances where they are to drop onto a wet surface or into water, they may be damaged for ever. In this respect, more cellular phones are damaged by water than any other way. In spite of this, most cell phone casings are not water or at least somewhat water proof like most all watches are.

Accordingly, a need remains for an apparatus in order to overcome the above-noted shortcomings. The present invention satisfies such a need by providing a cellular phone casing that is convenient and easy to use, is durable yet lightweight in design, is versatile in its applications, and provides an easy and convenient means of water-proofing and keeping cellular phones safe and dry.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In view of the foregoing background, it is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for maintaining said cellular phone at an operable mode after being submerged in water. These and other objects, features, and advantages of the invention are provided by a cellular phone casing.

The combined cellular phone and water-proof casing may include a cellular telephone. The cellular phone may include a display screen and a key pad communicatively coupled thereto. The display screen may be physically spaced from the key pad. A protective water-proof casing may be connected to the cellular telephone whereby the display screen remains operably responsive to the key pad after the cellular telephone is submerged in water.

The water-proof casing may further include a first sheath and a second sheath preferably having corresponding outer edges. The second sheath may further be mated to the first sheath such that the outer edge of the second sheath entirely and coextensively adjoins the outer edge of the first sheath. A gasket may be intermediately intercalated between the first and second sheaths and thereby prevent water from penetrating through the outer edges of the first and second sheaths respectively. A plurality of ports may be formed in the water-proof casing, and a plurality of port covers may be removably interfitted within the ports. Such an arrangement may provide the unexpected and unpredicted advantage of combining a cellular telephone with a water-proof casing whereby the apparatus may be submerged in water without the fear of water getting into and damaging the cellular phone.

In one embodiment, the combined cellular phone and water-proof casing may further include a moisture sensor connected to an outer surface of the first sheath. A power source may be seated within the second sheath and electrically coupled to the moisture sensor. A transducer may be communicatively coupled to the moisture sensor and located at the outer surface of the first sheath. Further, upon detecting water, the moisture sensor may generate and transmit a control signal to the transducer such that upon receiving the control signal, the transducer may generate and emit an alert signal for a predetermined time interval. Such an arrangement may provide the unexpected and unpredicted advantage of enabling a user to locate his/her cellular phone if it is accidentally dropped in water which may be murky or dark.

The first sheath may include a first segment preferably having a recessed portion formed at a bottom surface thereof and a plurality of cut-out segments aligned about the ports and the keypad of the cellular phone respectively. A second segment may further house the display screen of the cellular phone. A top edge of the first segment may be pivotally coupled to bottom edge of the display screen such that the first sheath is pivotal along a pivot axis traversing overlapping regions of the first and second segments respectively. Such an arrangement may provide the unexpected and unpredicted advantage of integrating the cellular phone with the water-proof casing in a manner whereby the display screen, keypads and communication ports of the cellular phone may be effectively utilized in the water-proof casing.

The display screen may include front and rear viewing panels respectively positioned at front and rear sides of the second segment of the first sheath. The second sheath may include a first segment preferably having a recessed portion formed at a top surface such that the keypad of the cellular phone may be nested within the recessed portion of its first segment. The first segment may further include a plurality of cut-out portions aligned about the ports.

A second segment may include a plurality of openings formed therein and thereby provide open lines of sight to the second viewing panel. Further, the first segment may be pivotally mated to the second segment of the second sheath and thereby pivotal along the pivot axis. Such an arrangement may provide the unexpected and unpredicted advantage of integrating the cellular phone with the water-proof casing in a manner whereby the electronic components and communication ports of the cellular phone may be effectively enclosed within the water-proof casing while at the same time allowing the cellular phone to be hingedly opened and closed easily about the pivot axis.

The gasket may include a first continuous member intercalated along corresponding outer perimeters of the first segments of each of the first and second sheaths respectively. A second continuous member may further be intercalated along corresponding outer perimeters of the second segments of each of the first and second sheaths respectively. The first and second continuous members may further be directly connected along the pivot axis. Such an arrangement may provide the unexpected and unpredicted advantage of effectively sealing the outer edges the first and second sheaths respectively to prevent entry of water when the sheaths are closed together.

In one embodiment, the combined cellular phone and water-proof casing may include a first plurality of conductive terminals communicatively coupled to the keypad and located at a bottom edge of the second section of the second sheath. A second plurality of conductive terminals may be communicatively coupled to the display screen and located at the bottom edge of the second section of the first sheath. In this way, the first and second pluralities of conductive terminals may be electrically mated together and thereby communicatively couple the keypad to the display screen.

The invention may further include a method of utilizing a combined cellular phone and water-proof casing for maintaining the cellular phone at an operable mode after being submerged in water. Such a method may include the chronological steps of: providing a cellular telephone including a display screen and a key pad communicatively coupled thereto; providing a protective water-proof casing; and connecting the water-proof casing to the cellular telephone in such a manner that the display screen remains operably responsive to the key pad after the cellular telephone is submerged in water.

The method may further include the sub-steps of: providing a first sheath preferably having an outer edge; providing a second sheath preferably having an outer edge; providing and mating the second sheath to the first sheath such that the outer edge of the second sheath entirely and coextensively adjoins the outer edge of the first sheath; providing and preventing water from penetrating through the outer edges of the first and second sheaths respectively by providing and intermediately intercalating a gasket between the first and second sheaths; providing a plurality of ports formed in the water-proof casing; providing and removably interfitting a plurality of port covers within the ports; and providing the display screen to preferably be physically spaced from the key pad.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The apparatus of this invention is referred to generally inFIGS. 1-8by the reference numeral10and is intended to provide a combined cellular phone and water-proof casing. It should be understood that the combined cellular phone and water-proof casing10may be used to water-proof and keep users' cellular phones safe and dry from wet environments such as bodies of water and rain fall.

Referring generally toFIGS. 1-8, the combined cellular phone and water-proof casing10may include a cellular telephone11. The cellular cell phone11may include a display screen12and a key pad13communicatively coupled thereto. Notably, the display screen12is physically spaced from the key pad13. A protective water-proof casing20is connected to the cellular telephone11whereby the display screen12remains operably responsive to the key pad13after the cellular telephone11is submerged in water. Such a structural combination of elements provides the unexpected and unpredictable advantage of being able to easily disconnect the keypd13from the display screen12during routine maintenance or when either element needs to be replaced. Also, disconnection permits the interior portions of the cell phone11to more quickly dry should the user desire to “air out” the internal components of the present invention.

The water-proof casing may include a first sheath21and a second sheath23preferably having corresponding outer edges22,24. The second sheath23may be mated to the first sheath21such that the outer edge24of the second sheath23entirely and coextensively adjoins the outer edge22of the first sheath21. A gasket25may be intermediately intercalated between the first and second sheaths21,23and thereby prevent water from penetrating through the outer edges22,24of the first and second sheaths21,23respectively. A plurality of ports26may be formed in the water-proof casing, and a plurality of port covers27may be removably interfitted within the ports26. Such an arrangement provides the unexpected and unpredicted advantage of combining a cellular telephone11with a water-proof casing20whereby the device10may be submerged in water without fear water damaging the cellular phone11.

As perhaps best shown inFIGS. 7 and 8, the combined cellular phone and water-proof casing10may further include a moisture sensor28connected to an outer surface29of the first sheath21. A power source30may be seated within the second sheath23and electrically coupled to the moisture sensor28. A transducer31may be communicatively coupled to the moisture sensor28and located at the outer surface29of the first sheath21. In this manner, upon detecting water, the moisture sensor28may generate and transmit a control signal to the transducer31. Upon receiving the control signal, the transducer31generates and emits an alert signal for a predetermined time interval. Such an arrangement may provide the unexpected and unpredicted advantage of enabling a user to locate his/her cellular phone11if it is accidentally dropped in water which may be murky or dark.

Referring toFIGS. 1,2, and3, the first sheath21may include a first segment32preferably having a recessed portion33formed at a bottom surface thereof and a plurality of cut-out segments35aligned about the ports26and the keypad13of the cellular phone11, respectively. A second segment36may house the display screen12of the cellular phone11. A top edge37of the first segment32may be pivotally coupled to bottom edge38of the display screen12such that the first sheath21is pivotal along a pivot axis90traversing overlapping regions of the first and second segments32,36respectively. Such an arrangement provides the unexpected and unpredicted advantage of integrating the cellular phone11with the water-proof casing20in a manner whereby the display screen12, keypads13and communication ports26of the cellular phone may be effectively utilized while enclosed within the water-proof casing20.

As perhaps best shown inFIGS. 1 and 7, the display screen12may include front and rear viewing panels39,40respectively positioned at front and rear sides of the second segment36of the first sheath21.

Referring now toFIGS. 2 and 6, the second sheath23may include a first segment41preferably having a recessed portion91formed at a top surface such that the keypad13of the cellular phone11becomes nested within the recessed portion91of its first segment41. The first segment41may further include a plurality of cut-out portions44aligned about the ports26. A second segment50may include a plurality of openings45formed therein and thereby provide open lines of sight to the second viewing panel40.

Further, the first segment41may be pivotally mated to the second segment50of the second sheath23and thereby pivot along the pivot axis90. Such an arrangement provides the unexpected and unpredicted advantage of integrating the cellular phone11with the water-proof casing20in a manner whereby the electronic components and communication ports26of the cellular phone may be effectively enclosed within the water-proof casing20while at the same time allowing the cellular phone11to be hingedly opened and closed easily about the pivot axis90.

Again referring toFIGS. 2 and 6, the gasket25may include a first continuous member46intercalated along corresponding outer perimeters of the first segments32,41of each of the first and second sheaths21,23, respectively. A second continuous member47may be intercalated along corresponding outer perimeters of the second segments36,50of each of the first and second sheaths21,23respectively. The first and second continuous members46,47may further be directly connected along the pivot axis90. Such an arrangement provides the unexpected and unpredicted advantage of effectively sealing the outer edges of the first and second sheaths21,23respectively to prevent entry of water when the sheaths21,23are pressed mated together. This also solves the problem of moisture creeping into terminals48,49(described hereinbelow).

Referring toFIGS. 2,6and8, the combined cellular phone and water-proof casing10may include a first plurality of conductive terminals48communicatively coupled to the keypad13and located at a bottom edge of the second section50of the second sheath23. A second plurality of conductive terminals49may be communicatively coupled to the display screen12and located at the bottom edge38of the second section36of the first sheath21. In this way, the first and second pluralities of conductive terminals48,49may be electrically mated together and thereby communicatively couple the keypad13to the display screen12.

The invention may further include a method of utilizing a combined cellular phone and water-proof casing10for maintaining the cellular phone11at an operable mode after being submerged in water. Such a method may include the chronological steps of: providing a cellular telephone11including a display screen12and a key pad13communicatively coupled thereto; providing a protective water-proof casing20; and connecting the water-proof casing20to the cellular telephone11in such a manner that the display screen12remains operably responsive to the key pad13after the cellular telephone11is submerged in water.

The method may further include the sub-steps of: providing a first sheath21preferably having an outer edge22; providing a second sheath23preferably having an outer edge24; providing and mating the second sheath23to the first sheath21such that the outer edge24of the second sheath23entirely and coextensively adjoins the outer edge22of the first sheath21; and providing and preventing water from penetrating through the outer edges22,24of the first and second sheaths21,23, respectively, by providing and intermediately intercalating a gasket25between the first and second sheaths21,23.

The method may further include the chronological steps of: providing a plurality of ports26formed in the water-proof casing20; providing and removably interfitting a plurality of port covers27within the ports26; and maintaining the display screen12physically spaced from the key pad13.

The combination of such claimed elements provides an unpredictable and unexpected benefit of water-proofing cellular phones11, which solves the problem of users having to avoid using the cellular phones11in close proximity with water. In addition, the alerting signal of the moisture sensor28further assists a user to locate his/her cellular phone11should the combined cellular phone and water-proof casing10accidentally drop into dark or murky water.