Abstract:
Extending sockets, formed of accordions generally with buttons attached at their distal ends, for attaching to portable media players or portable media player cases. Cases having attached sockets serve purposes beyond protection of the player, such as managing a headset, attaching to belts or the like, forming stand legs to prop the player at a desired angle, forming grips for gaming, forming a grip for securely holding and manipulating player with one hand, and forming extended legs for wedging players that are phones between the ear and shoulder. The sockets are structured to allow headset cords to be wound around the accordions when the sockets are extended, to prevent the cords from tangling. Space in an attached case may be provided so that the sockets may be partially or fully retracted with headphone cords wrapped around them to save space.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    The present invention relates to extending sockets for portable media players. In particular, embodiments of the one or more present inventions relate to portable media cases including one or more socket extensions. 
         [0003]    2. Discussion of Related Art 
         [0004]    Portable media players such as MP3 players and smart phones are often housed in protective covers or cases in order to protect the media player from scratching or damage from dropping. Such cases increase the effective size of the media player and typically serve no purpose beyond protection. 
         [0005]    Some portable media player cases include an extra feature to enable a single further function beyond protection. For instance, some cases have an arm that extends for standing the case on its side; one has an arm that extends for headset management; some have a pocket for storing headsets; some have two humps to function as gaming grips; one has two extendable flaps with finger holes to be used as gaming grips; and some have a clip for mounting the player on a belt. However, there is no case that serves all of these functions, and there is no case that serves the mounting functions without adding significant effective size to the player. 
         [0006]    A need remains in the art for portable media player cases and extending sockets that perform a multitude of functions, such as the aforementioned functions, without adding significantly to the effective size of the player. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0007]    One or more embodiments of the one or more present inventions are directed to portable media player cases that include extending sockets for serving other purposes beyond protection of the player itself, such as one or more of storing headphone cords and preventing the cords from tangling, forming stand legs, forming gaming grips, clipping to belts, waistbands and shirt pockets, forming legs for wedging players that are phones between the shoulder and ear, and forming a grip that allows a user to securely hold and manipulate the player with one hand. Such cases include sockets extendable outward from the case. The sockets generally include extending elements, called “accordions,” comprising cylindrical or conical membranes with flexural hinges having feet at their distal ends. The sockets are structured to allow headphone cords to be wound around the accordions when the sockets are extended, to prevent the cords from tangling. Cavities in the case are provided so that the sockets may collapse flush with the case and may be partially or fully retracted with headphone cords wrapped around them in order to save space. Buttons may attach at the distal ends of the socket and in at least one embodiment are rigid, and in at least one embodiment extend radially past the distal end of the sockets to secure cords and the like. 
         [0008]    In at least one embodiment, the sockets further act as stand legs for propping the player in various tilted or upright positions for viewing, data entry, video conferencing, etc. In their expanded states, the sockets act as comfortable grips for gaming, data entry, and searching the Internet. In at least one embodiment, the sockets act as a belt mount: two sockets can collapse onto a belt between them, thereby securing the belt between the sockets and the back of the case. The sockets in their expanded state facilitate hands-free talking on phone players, allowing user to comfortably wedge the player between the ear and shoulder. A socket in its expanded state facilitates one-hand control of the player by allowing the user to wedge fingers between the socket and the back of the case, while manipulating the front of the player with the thumb of the same hand. 
         [0009]    The extending elements may comprise accordions, including flexural hinges interspersed with walls. The accordion structures allow the buttons to extend not just straight outward from the case, but also to curve away from the outward axis at various oblique angles. The buttons may snap onto the ends of the accordions, be glued on, or be feet integrally formed with the accordions. In particular, in at least one embodiment the accordions form cones having rotating “flipper” walls as well as fixed walls that jointly result in the walls folding down next to one another (such that the walls are generally parallel to the axis of the accordion) rather than stacking on top of one another. 
         [0010]    A socket maintains full functionality without the buttons, and its feet may further form suction cups for attaching the player temporarily to flat surfaces. A socket may be attached to the case or directly to a portable media player. It may be attached permanently or temporarily, for instance by snap-fit or suction cup, and it may be integrally formed with the case. The buttons&#39; purpose includes, but is not limited to, decoration. Designs can be added to the surface of the buttons. The buttons may also take on different forms to play different roles, such as mounting jacks for players that function as cameras or suction cups to attach to a surface. 
         [0011]    In one embodiment, the case comprises an outer body, covering the edges and part of the back of the player, formed of a soft, flexible material such as thermoplastic urethane; an inner body or “socket-board”, covering the inner region of the back of the player, formed of a hard plastic, such as polycarbonate, integrally formed with the outer body; two accordions, formed of flexible material, for example a polyester-based thermoplastic polyurethane elastomer such as Skythane® S190A, snap-fit to the socket-board; and two buttons, formed of hard plastic, such as polycarbonate, glued to the accordions. The case forms an opening for the portable media player screen in the front, with two socket extensions in the back. 
         [0012]    Other embodiments include variations in (i) part material; (ii) number of socket extensions; (iii) location of socket extensions; (iv) mode of attachment of button to accordion; (v) mode of attachment of accordion to case body or portable media player; (vi) presence or absence of: button, case body, and socket-board; (vii) number of case body parts; and (viii) presence or absence of a component for connecting sockets extensions to the electronic components of the player to enable further functionality such as speakers. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0013]      FIG. 1  comprises  FIG. 1A ,  1 B,  1 C,  1 D, and  1 E.  FIG. 1A  is an isometric back view of a portable media player case according to at least one embodiment of the one or more present inventions, wherein the sockets retracted, or collapsed. 
           [0014]      FIG. 1B  is an isometric back view of the portable media player case of  FIG. 1A  with its sockets opened, or extended. 
           [0015]      FIG. 1C  is an isometric back view of the portable media player case of  FIG. 1A , with its sockets removed. 
           [0016]      FIG. 1D  is an isometric front view of the portable media player case of  FIG. 1A , with a smart phone disposed within the case. 
           [0017]      FIG. 1E  is an isometric front view of the portable media player case of  FIG. 1A , with the smart phone removed. 
           [0018]      FIG. 2  is an isometric exploded back view of the portable media player case of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0019]      FIG. 3  comprises  FIGS. 3A and 3B .  FIG. 3A  is an exploded end view of the media case of  FIG. 1 .  FIG. 3B  is a side view of an alternative folding section. 
           [0020]      FIG. 4  comprises  FIGS. 4A and 4B .  FIG. 4A  is a cutaway, isometric, exploded, side view of the portable media player case of  FIG. 1 , sectioned along the line A-A indicated in  FIG. 3A .  FIG. 4B  is a cutaway isometric side view of the portable media player case of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0021]      FIG. 5  is a detailed cutaway isometric side view of a portion of the portable media player case of  FIG. 1  sectioned along the line A-A indicated in  FIG. 3A . 
           [0022]      FIG. 6  is a side view of the portable media case of  FIG. 1  propped upright by extending the lower of the two sockets at an oblique angle to the case. 
           [0023]      FIG. 7  is an isometric side view of the portable media player case of  FIG. 1  tilted by extending the upper of the two sockets. 
           [0024]      FIG. 8  is an isometric side view of the portable media player case of  FIG. 1  disposed sideways and tilted by extending the two sockets. 
           [0025]      FIG. 9  is a side view of the portable media player case with both sockets partially extended at an oblique angle, to allow for a shallow horizontal stand by resting case on faces of buttons or a steep horizontal stand by resting case on edges of buttons extended farthest from case. 
           [0026]      FIG. 10  comprises  FIGS. 10A and 10B .  FIG. 10A  is a back isometric view of a portable media player case according to an embodiment of the present invention with the sockets extended and a headphone cord wrapped around the accordions. 
           [0027]      FIG. 10B  is a back isometric view of a portable media player case according to an embodiment of the present invention with the sockets partially retracted and a headphone cord wrapped around the accordions. 
           [0028]      FIG. 11  comprises  FIGS. 11A and 11B .  FIG. 11A  is a back isometric view of a portable media player case according to an embodiment of the present invention with the sockets extended in oblique configurations and a belt inserted between the sockets. 
           [0029]      FIG. 11B  is a back isometric view of a portable media player case according to an embodiment of the present invention with the sockets almost completely retracted and a belt inserted between the sockets. 
           [0030]      FIG. 12  comprises  FIGS. 12A and 12B .  FIG. 12A  is an exploded side view of a socket including an accordion and a suction cup, and either a portable media player or a portable media player case according to an embodiment of the present invention wherein the socket attaches to a portable media player or portable media player case by way of a suction cup that is snap-fit to one end of the accordion.  FIG. 12B  is an exploded side view of a socket, with a suction-cup tape platform, suction-cup tape, and either a portable media player or a portable media player case according to an embodiment of the present invention wherein the socket attaches to a portable media player or portable media player case by way of suction-cup tape whose surface opposite the suction-cup surface is glued to a semi-rigid platform that snap-fits to one end of the accordion. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0031]    The following table lists elements of the illustrated embodiments of the invention and their associated reference numbers for convenience. 
         [0000]    
       
         
               
               
             
               
               
             
           
               
                   
               
               
                 Ref. No. 
                 Element 
               
               
                   
               
             
             
               
                   
               
             
          
           
               
                 1. 
                 Button 
               
               
                 2. 
                 Accordion 
               
               
                 3. 
                 Socket-board 
               
               
                 4. 
                 Outer case body 
               
               
                 5. 
                 Vertical button wall 
               
               
                 6. 
                 Button ring 
               
               
                 7. 
                 Accordion vent 
               
               
                 8. 
                 Accordion top vertical wall 
               
               
                 9. 
                 Accordion flexural hinge 
               
               
                 10. 
                 Accordion flipper wall 
               
               
                 11. 
                 Accordion middle vertical wall 
               
               
                 12. 
                 Accordion bottom vertical wall 
               
               
                 13. 
                 Accordion male snap-fit 
               
               
                 14. 
                 Socket-board flange 
               
               
                 15. 
                 Socket-board socket cavity 
               
               
                 16. 
                 Socket-board female snap-fit 
               
               
                 17. 
                 Case body camera hole 
               
               
                 18. 
                 Case body power button hole 
               
               
                 19. 
                 Case body lip 
               
               
                 20. 
                 Case body speaker hole 
               
               
                 21. 
                 Case body port hole 
               
               
                 22. 
                 Case ringer hole 
               
               
                 23. 
                 Case volume button 
               
               
                 24. 
                 Socket (comprises 1 and 2) 
               
               
                 25. 
                 Headphone jack hole 
               
               
                 26. 
                 Headphone jack (not part of invention) 
               
               
                 27. 
                 Headphone cord (not part of invention) 
               
               
                 28. 
                 Belt (not part of invention) 
               
               
                 29. 
                 Folding portion of accordion 
               
               
                 30. 
                 Socket-board camera and flash hole 
               
               
                 31. 
                 Suction-cup 
               
               
                 32. 
                 Suction-cup tape platform 
               
               
                 33. 
                 Suction-cup tape 
               
               
                 34. 
                 Suction-cup female snap-fit 
               
               
                 35 
                 Suction-cup tape platform female snap-fit 
               
               
                 100. 
                 Portable media player case constructed to attach a socket 
               
               
                 101. 
                 Portable media player case not constructed to attach a 
               
               
                   
                 socket (not part of invention) 
               
               
                 200. 
                 Media player (not part of invention) 
               
               
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
         [0032]      FIG. 1  comprises  FIGS. 1A ,  1 B,  1 C,  1 D, and  1 E.  FIG. 1A  is an isometric back view drawing of a portable media player case  100  according to the present invention with the accordions  2  of its sockets  24  retracted, or collapsed.  FIG. 1B  is an isometric back view of portable media player case  100  with its accordions  2  opened, or extended. 
         [0033]    Case  100  comprises outer case body  4 , including socket-board  3 , and sockets  24 . Each socket  24  generally comprises a collapsible accordion  2  attached to case  100  such that it collapses to nestle within cavity  15 , and a button  1  attached to the distal end of accordion  2 . Button  1  may comprise a separate attached element or may be integral with accordion  2 . 
         [0034]      FIG. 1A  shows case  100  in a collapsed configuration. In a preferred embodiment, each socket  24  fits within its cavity  15  (shown in  FIG. 1B ) such that the outer surface of button  1  is essentially flush with the back of the case body, and the circumference of button  1  fills cavity  15  leaving little gap between button  1  and the back of case body  4 . The advantage of this embodiment is that the back of case  100  forms a fairly smooth surface that does not catch on other items or collect detritus. Thus, the case is very similar to conventional portable media player cases in this configuration. Case  100  may be unitary or constructed as shown in  FIGS. 2-5 , described below. 
         [0035]    Like conventional cases, case  100  generally includes openings forming ports applicable to the media player, for example speaker holes  20 , port hole  21 , ringer hole  22 , volume buttons  23 , and headphone jack hole  25 . 
         [0036]      FIG. 1B  shows case  100  with accordions  2  of sockets  24  extended. The user pulls buttons  1  out from case body  4 , and accordions  2  unfold and extend outward. Preferably, accordions  2  are stable in their extended position so they stay open until buttons  1  are pressed and sockets  24  close again. The advantages of extendable sockets  24  are described below in detail, and include allowing headphone cord storage and forming adjustable stands for the media player. 
         [0037]      FIG. 1C  is an isometric back view of portable media player case  100 , with its sockets  24  removed. This allows an unobstructed view of the back of case  100 . In this embodiment, the back of case  100  is formed of an attached socket-board  3 , forming socket cavities  15  having female snap-fit portions  16  for attaching accordions  2 .  FIG. 1D  is an isometric front view of portable media case  100 , with a media player  200  (such as an iPhone™ smart phone) disposed within the case.  FIG. 1E  is an isometric front view of portable media case  100 , with media player  200  removed. Case  100  is sized to fit media player  200 . For example, in the case where media player  200  comprises an iPhone™, it might be about 118 mm tall by 62 mm wide by 16 mm thick. Buttons  1  might be around 40 mm in diameter 4 mm thick, and accordions  2  might extend outward about 22 mm. 
         [0038]      FIGS. 2-5  show examples of the construction and operation of the case with the sockets.  FIGS. 2 ,  3  and  4 A show exploded views of case  100 , and  FIGS. 4B and 5  show cutaway views, sectioned along line A-A indicated in  FIG. 3A , illustrating the operation of the sockets  24 . 
         [0039]      FIG. 2  is an isometric exploded back view of one embodiment of portable media case  100 . In this embodiment, the back surface of outer case body  4  comprises a socket-board  3  including a socket-board flange  14  over-molded onto outer case body  4  and forming socket-board cavities  15  which have female snap-fit portions  16 . Sockets  24  comprise accordions  2  and buttons  1 . Each accordion  2  includes a male snap-fit portion  13  for attachment to socket-board female snap-fit  16  (better shown in  FIGS. 4 and 5 ). 
         [0040]    In a preferred embodiment, each accordion is structured with accordion vents  7  to allow for air movement during expansion and contraction, and a folding section  29  comprising walls and hinges (better shown in  FIGS. 4 and 5 ). As an alternative, folding section  29  could be configured similarly to the bendable portion of a bendable straw or Slinky® Pop Toob as shown in  FIG. 3B . (see for example U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,094,268 and 4,846,510, incorporated herein by reference). 
         [0041]    In a preferred embodiment, case body  4  is formed of TPU or TPE. Socket-board  3  is formed of PC or ABS, as are buttons  1 . Accordions  2  are formed of Skythane® S190A or low-density polypropylene. 
         [0042]      FIG. 3  comprises  FIGS. 3A and 3B .  FIG. 3A  is an exploded end view illustrating the structure of a preferred embodiment of accordion  2  in detail. Each accordion  2  includes a folding section  29  comprising a series of relatively rigid walls  10 ,  11 ,  12  interspersed with flexural (or “living”) hinges  9 , which flex as accordion  2  is collapsed or expanded. Accordion  2  further comprises top vertical wall  8  (for connection to button  1 ) and bottom vertical wall  12 . 
         [0043]      FIG. 3B  shows an alternative folding section  29 A of accordion  2 . In these examples, folding sections  29 A comprises flexible membranes including hinges. In the embodiment of  FIG. 3A , accordion  2  forms a cone. This allows walls  8 ,  10 ,  11 ,  12  to fold next to one another (as shown in  FIG. 5 ) rather than stacking on top of one another as is the case with the embodiment of  FIG. 3B . Both embodiments  29  and  29 A are stable in various extended configurations. 
         [0044]      FIG. 4A  is an isometric exploded side view of the portable media case of  FIG. 1 , sectioned along the line indicated in  FIG. 3A .  FIG. 4B  is a sectioned isometric side view of the portable media case of  FIG. 1 , after fabrication. Sockets  24  are extended outward. As an example, vertical button wall  5  is glued to accordion top vertical wall  8 . Accordion male snap-fit  13  engages with socket-board female snap-fit element  16 . Other embodiments might have button  1  formed integrally with, or snap-fitted to, accordion  2 , or have accordion  2  permanently affixed to socket-board  3 . 
         [0045]      FIG. 5  is a detailed sectioned isometric side view of a portion of the portable media player case of  FIG. 1 , sectioned along the line A-A indicated in  FIG. 3A . Socket  24  is in its collapsed position. Note that flexing of hinges  9  allows walls  10  and  11  to fold up in a generally parallel configuration next to one another, rather than stacking on top of one another. Walls  10  are designated as flipper walls, because they are oriented diagonally upward when accordions  2  are extended and diagonally downward when accordions  2  are closed. Walls  8 ,  11 , and  12  remain oriented vertically in both configurations, and do not rotate. Wall  5  is rigid and does not rotate. Note that the terms “upward” and “downward” are used for convenience in describing the drawings, but are specifically intended to include the case in various other orientations. 
         [0046]    In one embodiment, accordion  2  is a cone formed of Skythane® S190A. Walls  8 ,  10 ,  11 ,  12  are all about 1 to 2 mm thick and 2 to 5 mm long. Flexural hinges  9  are about 0.2 to 0.4 mm thick and 1 to 2 mm long. Flipper walls are about 20-40 degrees off vertical when accordion  2  is in an expanded state. This allows walls  8 ,  10 ,  11 ,  12  to fold next to one another in a generally parallel configuration as show in  FIG. 5 , reducing the profile of socket  24  in its collapsed configuration. 
         [0047]    Button ring  6  presses into accordion male snap-fit  13 , in order to urge it to engage with socket-board female snap-fit  16 . 
         [0048]      FIG. 6  is a side view of portable media case  100  propped upright (called the video conference mode) by extending the lower of the two sockets  24  at an oblique angle to outer case body  4 .  FIG. 7  is an isometric side view of case  100  slightly tilted (called the text mode) by extending the upper of the two sockets.  FIG. 8  is an isometric side view of the case  100  disposed sideways and tilted (called the theater mode) by extending the two sockets  24 , either straight out for a steeper angle, or obliquely for a shallower angle. 
         [0049]      FIG. 9  is a side view of the portable media case configured in the theater mode similar to  FIG. 8 , with sockets  24  extended obliquely. When resting on the faces of the buttons in this configuration, portable media case is in what is called surfing mode, well suited for browsing the Internet. 
         [0050]      FIG. 10  comprises  FIGS. 10A and 10B , and shows case  100  used to retain a headset cord  27  without tangling.  FIG. 10A  is a back isometric view of case  100  with the sockets extended. The user has inserted a headset jack  26  into media player  200  via headset jack hole  25 , and has wound headphone cord  27  around accordions  2 .  FIG. 10B  is similar to  FIG. 10A , except that sockets  24  have been mostly retracted. This retains cord  27 , reduces the thickness of case  100 , and lowers the chance of catching buttons  1  on other objects. It is helpful for buttons  1  to extend radially past accordions  2  so that buttons  1  form a lip for retaining cord  27  (or a belt  28  as shown in  FIG. 11 ). 
         [0051]      FIG. 11  comprises  FIGS. 11A and 11B , and shows sockets  24  gripping a belt  28 , in order to retain case  100 .  FIG. 11A  is a back isometric view of case  100  with the sockets extended, so that belt  28  can be inserted under buttons  1  and between accordions  2 .  FIG. 11B  is similar to  FIG. 11A , except that sockets  24  have been mostly retracted, to grip belt  28  more tightly and reduce the profile of case  100 . 
         [0052]      FIG. 12  comprises  FIGS. 12A and 12B , and shows socket  24  attaching either to portable media case  101  or to portable media player  200 .  FIG. 12A  is an exploded side view of a socket  24 , a suction cup  31 , and either a portable media player  200  or a portable media player case  101  according to an embodiment of the present invention wherein the socket attaches to a portable media player  200  or portable media player case  101  by way of a suction cup that is snap-fitted to one end of the socket  24 .  FIG. 12B  is an exploded side view of a socket  24 , a suction-cup tape platform  32 , suction-cup tape  33 , and either a portable media player  200  or a portable media player case  101  according to an embodiment of the present invention wherein the socket  24  attaches to a portable media player  200  or portable media player case  101  by way of suction-cup tape  33  whose surface opposite the suction-cup surface is glued to a platform  32  that is snap-fitted to one end of the socket  24 . 
         [0053]    While the exemplary preferred embodiments of the present invention are described herein with particularity, those skilled in the art will appreciate various changes, additions, and applications other than those specifically mentioned, which are within the spirit of this invention. For example, media player  200  might be a tablet or an MP3 player or other device such as an iPod Touch™. Case  4  would then be sized accordingly, and the appropriate portholes provided. In addition, more or fewer sockets may be provided. The sockets and buttons may have different shapes and sizes. They might be resilient rather than rigid, or form suction cups.