Abstract:
A smart phone holder assembly comprising a holster and a protective phone case. The holster includes two latch assemblies adapted to releasably engage with respective engagement members on the protective phone case thereby securely attaching and easily releasing the protective phone case from the holster. It is possible for the user to quickly, easily and securely engage and disengage the phone in its protective cover from the holster.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention relates generally to electronic device portability, and relates more particularly to the handling, transport, storage, and protection of portable electronic devices. 
     Wireless phone users are increasingly using smart phones rather than cell phones. Because of this they are increasingly accessing and handling their smart phones. Smart phones are larger and more valuable than cell phones and require different means for handling, transport, storage and protection. While it is common for a cell phone user to store their phone in a pocket or purse a smart phone is much more accessible and comfortable to the user when the device is stored in an external holder that is commonly attached at the user&#39;s waist or the outside of a purse. The external holsters that are currently available do not offer an optimal combination of security and accessibility and so are not widely used. Most are not easily operated with one hand and require re-gripping the phone for use after it is removed from the holster thereby increasing the likelihood the phone will be dropped while accessing it and handling it. 
     Smart phone users are increasingly choosing protective cases based on fashion and art. These protective cases with custom graphics display the user&#39;s personal ideology and make a fashion statement. When their phones are stored in the pockets, purses and most holsters these covers are concealed and not displayed. The current invention uniquely addresses these needs and problems. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention utilizes two spring-loaded latches on a holster that engage mating features in a protective phone case to securely attach the case to the holster. The geometry of the case and latches uniquely interact to require a combination of sliding and pivoting motions to release the protective case from the holster, thereby enabling the invention to efficiently, effectively, and uniquely provide fast and reliable one-handed access to a smart phone. The user is able to grasp the protective case as they would hold it while using the phone and release it from the holster with an intuitive pulling and rotating motion. The protective case can be easily reinserted into the holster utilizing almost any linear and rotary motion. The positioning of the protective case in the holster allows the user to securely display their smart phone case on their body or their fashion accessories while improving and simplifying the user&#39;s handling of the phone and thereby reduce the likelihood of dropping the phone. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The invention will be better understood from a reading of the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying figures in the drawing in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a front perspective view of an embodiment the invention attached to a user&#39;s belt. 
         FIG. 2 . is a front perspective view of an embodiment the invention with the protective case member separated from the holster member. 
         FIG. 3  is a front perspective exploded view of the holster member shown in  FIG. 2 . 
         FIG. 4  is a rear perspective exploded view of the case member shown in  FIG. 2 . 
         FIG. 5  is a kinematic schematic of an embodiment of the invention in the latched position. 
         FIG. 6  is a kinematic schematic of an embodiment of the invention in the first step of unlatching. 
         FIG. 7  is a kinematic schematic of an embodiment of the invention in the second step of unlatching. 
         FIG. 8  is a kinematic schematic of an embodiment of the invention in the latched position. 
         FIG. 9  is a kinematic schematic of an embodiment of the invention in the first step of unlatching. 
         FIG. 10  is a kinematic schematic of an embodiment of the invention in the second step of unlatching. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     With reference to  FIG. 1-4 , a smart phone holder assembly including a holster member  10  that may be attached to a belt  5 , purse, brief case, clutch or any other personal item of the user that allows the user to securely attach and remove a detachable case member  70  containing a smart phone  80 . 
     The holster  10  of the smart phone holder assembly includes two latch assemblies  20  that interlock with mechanical engagement members  77  of the case member  70 . These latch assemblies  20  are comprised of a post  21 , a guide  22 , a slide  23 , a lever  24 , a screw  25  that attaches the guide, slide, and lever to the post, and a screw  26  to secure the lever and slide to the guide. Two springs  30  pull the latches inward toward the center of the holster. The latch assemblies  20  reside in a frame  40 , with incorporates features that capture, guide and limit the motion of the latch assemblies. 
     The invention may be attached to any item of the user by any means including but not limited to screws, bolts, magnets, clips or other attachment means. An embodiment of the invention adapted for use with a belt or strap is shown. A clamping belt clip  50  slides along ribs  41  in the frame  40  and clamps onto a user&#39;s belt, waist band, purse strap, seat belt, or other feature. The belt clip  50  and belt clip spring  55  interlock reacting against each other thereby clamping onto the ribs  41  of the frame  40 . To attach the holster to the user; with the belt latch in the open position, the holster is slid onto the user&#39;s belt  5 , waist band, strap or other feature. The belt clips  42  are positioned on the inside of the belt or waistband. With the holder placed on top of the belt, the user pulls up on the belt latch thereby capturing and locking the user&#39;s belt or other feature in the holder. 
     To release the holster on the belt, the user pushes inward toward the body on the finger pads  51  of the belt latch thereby disengaging the ratcheting teeth  52  from matching interlocking teeth  43  on the holder ribs, thereby allowing the user to return the belt latch the open position. 
     The case member  70  may be constructed in one, two, three or more parts. An embodiment of the invention adapted for use with a two part case member is shown. The case member  70  of the smart phone assembly includes a lid  71 , shock isolating cushions  72 , and a base  73  with engagement members  77  on each end that interlock with the posts  21  of the latches  20  of the holster  10 . Together the lid, the cushions, and base provide a protective enclosure for a phone  80  and are secured together by screws or interlocking features molded into the lid  75  and base  76  that allow the parts to easily snap together. Additionally, a further embodiment of the cover assembly could include gaskets and operable end doors  74  that would fully seal the case thereby protecting the phone from moisture, dust or other contaminants. 
     An overhanging cap  29  of the post  21  engages the engagement members  77  of the case member  70  thereby restraining the case member against the front surface of the frame  40 . The latch assemblies  20  of the holster member  10  and the engagement members  77  of the case member  20  interact in a unique way to secure the case member containing the smart phone  80  to the holster member. The case member cannot be separated from the holster member by the typical forces encountered from bumping objects, falling or moving. When the user desires to access their phone, the case member is easily removed from the holster member with a natural combination of sliding and rotating motion provided by the user. For extreme conditions such as snowboarding, mountain biking, or when intentional theft is a concern an additional safety  45  effectively locks out the linear motion required for all forms of release. The protective case is easily inserted into the holster with natural intuitive motions. Utilizing the insertion motion of the user, the geometry of the curved ends  78  of the engagement members  77  of the case member  70  interact with the convex feature  28  of the post  21  to open the latch assembly  20  and guide the case member to the latched position in the holster member. 
     The case member  70  is secured to the holster member  10  with the phone screen facing the user and thereby protected from damage. While in the holster member, the back and all four sides of the case member are visible and accessible, this allows the user to grasp the phone in the case member, with their entire hand including the palm and all fingers, just as they would hold it while talking or viewing the screen. The ability to grasp the phone firmly with one hand as it is used, eliminates the need to re-grasp the phone for use after removing it from the holster member, thereby improving efficiency while reducing the likelihood of dropping the phone. 
     With reference to  FIGS. 5-7 , the movements required to release the case member  70  from the holster member  10  and the kinematics of the invention are illustrated. Referring to  FIGS. 5 ,  3 , &amp;  4  the forces  60  produced by the springs  30  acting on the levers  24 , connected to the posts  21  press inward, in opposition to each other acting on the engagement members  77  of the case member  70 . An overhanging cap  29  on the top of the post  21  overhangs the engagement member thereby securing the case member  20  to the holster member  10  preventing any forces normal to the holster member from releasing the case member. For purposes of illustrating the kinematics in  FIGS. 6-7  the overhanging cap has been omitted. 
     The kinematics created by the geometry of the convex post  21  and the mating concave feature of the engagement member  77 , the spring force  60 , and their relative arrangement, resists any forces applied to the case member  20  and constrains any motion in the Y and Z orthogonal axes, as well as any rotary motion about the X, Y and Z axis. As shown in  FIG. 6 , a limited motion is allowed in the X axis. A force creating this motion by itself will not release the protective case as it is still constrained by the post  21  acting on the engagement member on the opposing side of the case member  70 . When this external force is released the force from the springs  30  acting on the posts  21  will return the case member  70  to its normal position. 
     Referring to  FIG. 7 , while being securely held, the unique kinematics of the invention allows the user with a natural two staged sequenced motion to easily remove the phone. To release the case member  20  from the holster member  10  the user grips the case member as they would naturally hold it, slides the case member in the X axis to the limit of its motion, and then rotates the case member about the post  21  the engagement member  77  is being forced into. When the case member is at the limit of its motion in the X axis, the motion of the opposing post is limited enabling the opposing engagement member  77  and the opposing post  21  to separate. When an engagement member is held against a post and then rotated, the opposing engagement member will act on the curved surface  28  of the opposing post thereby translating the user&#39;s rotational force to linear force acting outward in the X axis on the posts and thereby opening the opposing latch assembly  20 . Continuing this rotary motion until the engagement feature is clear of the overhanging cap  29  of the post will release the case member from the holster member. The rotary motion may be up or down and the sliding motion may be forward or back thereby allowing the phone to be accessed by either hand with the smart phone holder assembly in any position on the user. 
     Reversing this procedure, and other simple motions such as a linear motion in the Y axis or a rotary motion about the Z axis, will insert and secure the case member  70  in the holster member  20 . This allows the user to maintain their natural grip on the phone that they used when talking while inserting the case member in the holster member. 
     While the preferred embodiment uses a convex circular profile on the post  21  and a concave circular cutout in the engagement member  77  on the case member  70  other shapes can produce a similar kinematic operation. The relevant features are contacting parallel surfaces in the latched position and contacting ramped surfaces in the partially unlatched position. 
       FIGS. 8-10  illustrate another embodiment of the invention in which the respective convex and concave features of the post  21  and engagement feature  77  are swapped for convex corners  81  of the case member  83  and a concave cup  82  that receives the case member. Referring to  FIGS. 8 &amp; 3 , the forces  60  produced by the springs  30  acting on the levers  24 , connected to the cups  82  press inward, in opposition to each other acting on the corners  81  of the case member. 
     As in the previous embodiment, the kinematics created by the geometry of these parts and their arrangement, resists any forces applied to the case member  83  in the latched position and constrains any motion in the Y and Z orthogonal axes, as well as any rotary motion about the X, Y and Z axis. As shown in  FIG. 9 , a limited motion is allowed in the X axis. A force creating this motion by itself will not release the protective case as it is still constrained by the cup  82  acting on the far side of the case member. If this force is released the force from the springs  26  acting on the cups  82  will return the protective case to its normal position. In this embodiment, the cup  82  is free to pivot about its pivot member  85  which is attached to the lever  24 . Under the force of the spring  30  acting on lever  24  the cup will move inward striking an off axis post  84  causing the cup to rotate. 
     Referring to  FIG. 10 , when the case member  83  is at the limit of its motion in the X axis and rotated about pivot member  85  the engagement feature  81  will act on the surface of the opposing cup  82  thereby translating the rotational force to a linear force acting outward in the X axis on the cup and thereby opening the latch. Continuing this rotary motion until the case member  83  is clear of the cup will release the case member from the holster member  10 .