Abstract:
The invention provided a protective apparatus for a portable device and accessories of the portable device. The protective apparatus includes a sleeve housing for accommodating the portable device, a cable retainer for coiling at least part of a cable portion of the accessory of the portable device, and a receptacle for receiving at least part of a bulky portion of the accessory of the portable device. The cable retainer is fixed on a back panel of the sleeve housing includes a cable holder for coiling the cable portion therearound, and a slidable ring movable relative to the cable holder and configured for securing the coiled cable portion in position around the cable holder. The protective apparatus has a simple design for easy manipulation and removal of the cable portion as well as the bulky portion.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is related to a commonly-assigned pending application filed concurrently herewith and also entitled “PROTECTIVE APPARATUS FOR A PORTABLE DEVICE”. Disclosure of the above-identified application is incorporated herein by reference. 
     BACKGROUND 
     1. Technical Field 
     The present invention relates to a protective apparatus that is able to not only house a portable device such as a portable electronic device, but also contain an accessory of the portable device. 
     2. Related Art 
     Portable electronic devices have become smaller and more sophisticated with each new product release. These portable devices are prone to be damaged accidentally. A typical present-day protective apparatus tends to protect the portable device only, but not the accessories of the portable device. When the portable device is not used, the accessories are put beside the portable device, or separately placed in a bag or a drawer. 
     The U.S. Patent Application Publication 2005/0255898, entitled “Cell Phone And Holder”, published on Nov. 17, 2005, discloses a cell phone holder. The cell phone holder includes a pocket for holding a cell phone, and a housing on a backing plate of the cell phone holder for accommodating an earphone cable of the cell phone. The housing is a complicated structure with a semi-automatic mechanism for controlling the extension and retraction of the cable therefrom and thereinto. 
     However the cell phone holder has at least the following disadvantage. Because the cable is attached to the semi-automatic mechanism, it is inconvenient for a user to remove the cable from the housing when the cable is not necessary for the cell phone. 
     Accordingly, what is needed is a protective holder or like protective apparatus which is not only able to provide protection for a portable device and its accessories, but which also has a simple design for easy manipulation and removal of the cable. 
     SUMMARY 
     Including in view of the foregoing disadvantages of the conventional art, the present invention provides a new advantageous protective apparatus. 
     A protective apparatus adapted for protecting a portable device and accessories of the portable device is provided. The protective apparatus includes: a sleeve housing for accommodating the portable device, a cable retainer for coiling at least part of a cable portion of the accessory of the portable device, and a receptacle for receiving at least part of a bulky portion of the accessory of the portable device. The sleeve housing includes a front panel, a back panel and a plurality of elastic connecting portions which interconnect the front panel and the back panel. The cable retainer provided at the back panel of the sleeve housing includes a cable holder for coiling the cable portion therearound, and a slidable ring movable relative to the cable holder and configured for securing the coiled cable portion in position around the cable holder. 
     A main advantage of the protective apparatus is convenient for a user to manipulate and remove the cable. At the same time, the protective apparatus provided a whole protection for the portable device and the accessories accommodated therein. 
     Other novel features and advantages will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is an isometric view of a protective apparatus in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention, the protective apparatus including a back panel, a clasp, and a cable retainer having a cable holder and a slidable ring, the clasp and the cable holder both being attached to the back panel, the slidable ring shown in an extended position spaced from the back panel; 
         FIG. 2  is a front plan view of the protective apparatus of  FIG. 1  together with a detachable handle attached thereto; 
         FIG. 3  is a right-side plan view of the protective apparatus of  FIG. 1  together with associated accessories, the accessories including an earpiece shown ready to be fastened in a receptacle of the protective apparatus and an earphone cable shown coiled around the cable retainer; 
         FIG. 4A  is a back plan view of the protective apparatus and detachable handle of  FIG. 2 , showing the cable holder of the cable retainer in phantom; 
         FIG. 4B  is an enlarged, isometric view of the clasp of the protective apparatus of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 5  is similar to  FIG. 3 , but showing the slidable ring in a retracted position adjacent the back panel; 
         FIG. 6A  is an isometric view of a protective apparatus in accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 6B  is an enlarged, cross-sectional view of part of a pedestal of the protective apparatus of  FIG. 6A , taken along VIB-VIB thereof, and showing in phantom an earphone portion of an earpiece engaged in an earpiece socket of the pedestal; and 
         FIG. 7  is an isometric view of a protective apparatus in accordance with a third embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS 
     The present invention provides a protective apparatus for protecting a portable device such as a cellular phone, a media player, etc. At least three embodiments of the present invention are described hereinbelow for the purpose of illustrating principles of the protective apparatus. The protective apparatus is used to hold the portable device and one or more accessories of the portable device. The accessories typically include cable portions and bulky portions. In the embodiments described herein, an earphone assembly is provided as an exemplary accessory. The earphone assembly includes, for example, an earphone cable  71  and a pair of earpieces  6 . The earphone cable  71  can be considered as a cable portion of the accessory, and the earpieces  6  can be considered as bulky portions of the accessory. In other examples, a cable portion of an accessory can be a microphone cable or a set of data lines. The bulky portion of the accessory can be a microphone, a mouthpiece of a telephone, or a Bluetooth transceiver. Accordingly, the protective apparatus typically includes a cable retainer  3  used for holding one or more cable portions, and a receptacle used for holding one or more bulky portions. The receptacle can include a clasp  4  such as that shown in  FIG. 1 , a pair of earpiece sockets  25  such as that shown in  FIG. 6A , or a pair of grooves  26  such as that shown in  FIG. 7 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1 to 5 , aspects of a protective apparatus  10  in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention are shown. The protective apparatus  10  includes a sleeve housing  2  for accommodating the portable device, a cable retainer  3  for coiling the earphone cable  71  therearound, and a clasp  4  for fastening the earpieces  6 . That is, the clasp  4  serves as a receptacle for holding bulky portions. 
     Referring particularly to  FIGS. 1 to 3 , the sleeve housing  2  includes a front panel  21 , a back panel  23 , and a plurality of elastic connecting portions  22  which interconnect the front panel  21  and the back panel  23 . In the illustrated embodiment, substantially the whole expanse of the front panel  21  is made of transparent material  211 . Thereby, when the portable device is accommodated in the sleeve housing  2 , information displayed on a screen of the portable device is viewable through the transparent material  211 . 
     Referring particularly to  FIGS. 1 ,  3  and  5 , these show an isometric view and two right-side views of the protective apparatus  10 . The cable retainer  3  is fixed to or an integral part of the back panel  23  of the sleeve housing  2 . The cable retainer  3  includes a cable holder  31  and a slidable ring  32 . The cable holder  31  has a slightly flared cylindrical shape, and the slidable ring  32  has a substantially uniform cylindrical shape. In the illustrated embodiment, a smaller base end of the cable holder  31  is fixed to or integrally extends from the back panel  23 , and an opposite larger end of the cable holder  31  is movably connected with the slidable ring  32 . In particular, the slidable ring  32  is axially slidable along and relative to said opposite end of the cable holder  31 . In alternative embodiments, said opposite larger end of the cable holder  31  can for example be oval or rectangular, and the slidable ring  32  can have a corresponding shape, as long as said opposite larger end of the cable holder  31  is larger than the base end of the cable holder  31 . As shown in  FIGS. 3  and  5 , the slidable ring  32  can be in an extended position spaced from the back panel  23 , or in a retracted position adjacent the back panel  23 . When the slidable ring  32  is in the extended position, it is convenient for a user to coil the earphone cable  71  around the cable holder  31 . When the slidable ring  32  is in the retracted position, the earphone cable  71  can be securely held between the slidable ring  32  and the cable holder  31 . 
     Referring particularly to  FIGS. 1 ,  4 A and  4 B, the clasp  4  is fixed on or integrally extends from the back panel  23  of the sleeve housing  2 . In the illustrated embodiment, the clasp  4  is essentially an elastic, elliptical ring with two ends that abut each other. The clasp  4  defines a central through opening  42 , for accommodating respective stems (not labeled) of the earpieces  6  therein. The clasp  4  is preferably made of pliable material such as polyethylene, so that the ends of the clasp  4  can be manually separated from each other by a user. Thereby, an entrance is defined between the ends of the clasp  4 , the entrance being in communication with the through opening  42 . Thus the earphone cable  71  can first be received in the through opening  42  via the entrance, and then the stems of the earpieces can be resiliently engaged in the through opening  42 . 
     Referring particularly to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the back panel  23  of the protective apparatus  10  defines a hole  24 . Thereby, a detachable handle  5  can be attached to the back panel  23 . The handle  5  enables the portable device to be conveniently carried when it is retained in the protective apparatus  10 . In an alternative embodiment, the hole  24  can instead be defined in the front panel  21 . 
     When the portable device is not to be used, the protective apparatus  10  can be utilized to pack the earphone cable  71  and the earpiece  6  as follows. A first step is to pull up the slidable ring  32  to the extended position. A second step is to coil the earphone cable  71  around the cable holder  31 . A third step is to push down the slidable ring  32  to the retracted position, thereby securing the earphone cable  71  inside the slidable ring  32 . A last step is to insert the stems of the earpieces  6  into the through opening  42  of the clasp  4  and thereby resiliently engage the stems in the clasp  4 . Thus, the portable device and the accessories are fully accommodated in and protected by the protective apparatus  10 . 
       FIG. 6A  is an isometric view of a protective apparatus  20  in accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention. The protective apparatus  20  is similar to the above-described protective apparatus  10 . However, the protective apparatus  20  includes a pedestal  28  fixed on or integrally extending from the back panel  23 . The pedestal  28  essentially serves as a receptacle for holding bulky portions. In particular, the pedestal  28  includes a pair of earpiece sockets  25  for receiving the earpieces  6  therein. 
       FIG. 6B  is an enlarged, cross-sectional view of part of the pedestal  28  at one of the earpiece sockets  25 , also showing in phantom one of the earpieces  6  engaged in the earpiece socket  25 . A diameter of an outmost end of the earpiece socket  25  is a little less than a diameter of an inmost end of the earpiece socket  25 . The pedestal  28  is typically made of rubber or similar elastic/resilient material. When each earpiece  6  is inserted into the corresponding earpiece socket  25 , a rim of the earpiece socket  25  elastically deforms to allow the earpiece  6  to enter the earpiece socket  25 . After the rim rebounds, the rim blocks the earpiece  6  from falling out of the earpiece socket  25 . In further or alternative embodiments, inner walls of the earpiece sockets  25  can be made of or include magnetic material, so as to attract the earpieces  6  and help retain the earpieces  6  in the earpiece sockets  25 . In other alternative embodiments, the pedestal  28  can be shaped and sized to accommodate other different kinds of bulky portions of accessories. 
       FIG. 7  is an isometric view of a protective apparatus  30  in accordance with a third embodiment of the present invention. The protective apparatus  30  is similar to the above-described protective apparatus  20 . However, the protective apparatus  30  includes a pedestal  28 ′ fixed on or integrally extending from the back panel  23 . The pedestal  28 ′ essentially serves as a receptacle for holding bulky portions. In particular, the pedestal  28 ′ defines a pair of grooves  26  at a main outer surface thereof, for retaining the stems of the earpieces  6  therein. A transverse width of an opening of each of the grooves  26  at the outer surface of the pedestal  28 ′ is less than a corresponding width of a midsection of the groove  26  inside the pedestal  28 ′. Due to the resilient properties of the pedestal  28 ′, when the stems of the earpieces  6  are inserted into the grooves  26 , the wider midsections of the grooves  26  are able to accommodate the full widths of the stems of the earpieces  6 , while rim portions of the pedestal  28 ′ at the narrower openings of the grooves  26  prevent the stems of the earpieces  6  from falling out from the grooves  26 . 
     It is believed that the present embodiments and their advantages will be understood from the foregoing description, and it will be apparent that various changes may be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention or sacrificing all of its material advantages, the examples hereinbefore described merely being preferred or exemplary embodiments of the invention.