Abstract:
The present invention includes a mobile phone enclosure which provides a user access to the features of the mobile device within a protective enclosure further providing at least one appearance enhancing device. Such an enclosure may comprise a brush and/or comb and may provide at least one storage area for the appearance enhancing device. Such a protective enclosure may be for an electronic device having interactive controls and may comprise a protective shell substantially surrounding said electronic device when the electronic device is disposed in said shell, the electronic device being insertable in and removable from said shell by hand and having at least one opening in the shell substantially aligned with the interactive controls when the electronic device is disposed in the protective shell, and having at least one appearance enhancement device removabley disposed within the bounds of the shell.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims priority to United States Provisional Application No. 62/019,559, filed Jul. 1, 2014, and is related to United States Design patent application No. 29/495,468, filed Jul. 1, 2014, the entireties of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0003]    The present invention relates to the enclosure of a mobile device, and, more particularly, to a mobile device enclosure having associated therewith at least one device for the manipulation of hair. 
         [0004]    2. Background of the Invention 
         [0005]    Mobile phone ownership is a ubiquitous fact of life. By the end of this year, it is estimated that the number of mobile phone in the world with exceed the actual number of inhabitants—meaning there will be roughly 7.3 million mobile devices. Reliance on these devices vary, but the use of multiple offered services, beyond that of simply making a phone call, is almost a universally accepted fact for each user of a mobile device. 
         [0006]    To protect the value of these mobile devices, most users will separately purchase a cover to protect the phone from dirt and scratches. Similarly, mobile phone covers may provide some protection to a phone when dropped and may even provide for extra battery storage, for example. However, mobile phone cases do not generally offer non-mobile device related functionality. Although some examples of such functionality include the provision of a pocket to hold items, such as, for example, credit cards, none provide a functionality sufficient to affect the user&#39;s appearance. 
         [0007]    Thus, there exists a need for a mobile device cover which may provide both protection of the mobile device and functionality related to the appearance of the user. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0008]    The present invention includes a mobile phone enclosure which provides a user access to the features of the mobile device within a protective enclosure further providing at least one appearance enhancing device. Such an enclosure may comprise a brush and/or comb and may provide at least one storage area for the appearance enhancing device. 
         [0009]    Thus, the present invention provides a device for protecting a mobile device and for providing an appearance enhancing device, and the relevant accessories typically associated therewith. It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory, and are intended to provide further explanation of the invention as discussed herein throughout. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0010]    The accompanying drawings are included to provide a further understanding of the disclosed embodiments. In the drawings, like numerals represent like elements, and: 
           [0011]      FIG. 1  illustrates an aspect of an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0012]      FIG. 2  illustrates an aspect of an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0013]      FIG. 3  illustrates an aspect of an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0014]      FIG. 4  illustrates an aspect of an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0015]      FIG. 5  illustrates an aspect of an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0016]      FIG. 6  illustrates an aspect of an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0017]      FIG. 7  illustrates an aspect of an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0018]      FIG. 8  illustrates an aspect of an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0019]      FIG. 9  illustrates an aspect of an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0020]      FIGS. 10A and 10B  illustrate an aspect of an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; and 
           [0021]      FIGS. 11-14  illustrate aspects of exemplary embodiments of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0022]    The present invention provides users of mobile devices the ability to more easily and safely transport a mobile device while simultaneously providing access to, and convenient transport of, appearance enhancement devices, such as, for example, combs and/or brushes. To provide a mobile phone case that may be easily stored, for example, the present invention may provide at least one storage space within the protective enclosure to prevent that associated appearance enhancement device from entangling and/or otherwise engaging with unwanted aspects of the user&#39;s person, such as, for example, the inside of a user&#39;s pocket where the mobile device and protective enclosure may be carried. 
         [0023]    The bristles of an included brush and/or the teeth of an included comb may be of any shape and/or dimension to best suit the space provided by the enclosure and/or the type of hair the user is supposed to have. For example, a protective enclosure may include a comb and may be targeted to people having thick and/or coarse hair. Such a comb may have fewer, more narrow teeth than a comb designed for a user who may have soft and fine hair, for example. In embodiments of the present invention wherein the appearance enhancement device is not integrally fixed to the mobile device enclosure, the user may select a comb and/or brush included with the mobile device enclosure to best suit the user&#39;s hair type. 
         [0024]    An appearance enhancement device may further comprise a mirror, for example, and may be placed on the mobile device enclosure and/or may be made at least partially a portion of another appearance enhancement device, such as a comb and/or brush. In this way, a user may be able to view themselves to better control the use of an appearance enhancement device, for example. In an embodiment of the present invention, such a mirror may be at least partially hidden behind another appearance enhancement device such that removal of one appearance enhancement device will expose greater use of another appearance enhancement device. 
         [0025]    Although not shown in the accompanying drawings, the protective enclosure of the present invention may only partially cover the front of a mobile device and may substantially provide access to the usable functionality of a mobile device which may include, for example, a touch screen interface and/or a button and/or other user interface known to those skilled in the arts. 
         [0026]    An embodiment of the present invention is illustrated in  FIG. 1 . A protective enclosure  100  may include an upper portion  101  and a lower portion  102  which may intersect along boundary  103 . The boundary  103  may be orientated to provide teeth  110  on the back portion  104  of lower portion  102  and on back portion  107  of upper portion  101 . The teeth  110  formed by boundary  103  may be of suitable length and separation as to provide a user with a usable hair comb when lower portion  102  is removed from upper portion  101  and is pulled through the hair of the user using a combing action. In an embodiment of the present invention, teeth  110  may be provided on lower portion  102 . 
         [0027]    Teeth  110  may be of any length, and may preferably be of a length suitable to allow for effective combing action of a user&#39;s hair while remaining within the bounds of protective enclosure  100 . In an embodiment of the present invention, teeth  110  may have a height equal to ¼ to ½ the total height of protective enclosure  100 . Upper portion  101  may be larger than lower portion  102  and may provide greater coverage of mobile device  130  than does lower portion  102 . Upper portion  101  may include openings on back portion  107  suitable for receiving teeth  110  such that when lower portion  102  and upper portion  101  are joined together boundary  103  is substantially sealed as illustrated in position A of  FIG. 1 . 
         [0028]    Upper portion  101  may further include at least one opening, and may comprise a camera opening  123  to allow for a camera of mobile device  130  to be exposed through protective enclosure  100 . A proportion  101  may further include u-shaped sides which may substantially conform to the depth of mobile device  130 . In this way, mobile device  130  may be slid within upper portion  101  in a secure manner. Similarly, lower portion  102  may include curved and/or u-shaped portions which may allow lower portion  102  to substantially conform to the exterior of mobile device  130  when fully engaged with protective enclosure  100 . Lower portion  102  may further comprise at least one opening and may include lower opening  121  which may provide an opening for speakers and/or charging ports, for example, which may be included on mobile device  130 . 
         [0029]    In an embodiment of the present invention, a user may remove lower portion  102  from upper portion  101 , as shown in position B of  FIG. 1 . After removal of lower portion  102 , a user may then utilize teeth  110  to comb, for example, their hair, as needed. As would be appreciated by those skilled in the art, protective enclosure  100  may be formed by rigid materials sufficient to allow for teeth  110  to effectively comb and/or brush a user&#39;s hair. Such materials may include, for example, thermoplastics which may allow protective enclosure  100  to be formed through a mold process. Protective enclosure  100  may not have uniform rigidity, and may, for example, provide one level of rigidity per lower portion  102  and teeth  110  while providing for a second rigidity in upper portion  101 . By way of example, upper portion  101  may be substantially composed of a less rigid material which may provide for cushioning of the mobile device  130  while lower portion  102  may be of a more rigid material which may be sufficient to provide substantial rigidity in teeth  110  but which may provide for less cushioning of mobile device  130  than is provided for by upper portion  101 . 
         [0030]    In an embodiment of the present invention as illustrated in  FIG. 2  a brush may be provided as part of a protective case for a mobile device. Protective enclosure  200  may encompass a mobile device (not shown) and may include at least 2 pieces such as back portion  202  and front portion  201 . Back portion  202  may be sized to slideably fit within front portion  201  and may include at least one opening  208  which may be near the top of back portion  202  and which may correspond to the camera portion of the mobile device (not shown). 
         [0031]    Front portion  201  may substantially surround a mobile device and may substantially cover the back and sides of the mobile device. Front portion  201  may include an inner portion  210  which may provide for engagement of the back of a mobile device and which may provide for the securing of bristles  220  on an opposite side. Inner portion  210  may be integrally fixed to front portion  201  and may further include at least one opening  209  which may expose the camera portion of a mobile device. Inner portion  210  may also have attached thereto brush bristles  220  which may be orientated in an array, for example, allowing for a plurality of brush bristles  220  to be attached to some portion of inner portion  210 . 
         [0032]    Brush bristles  220  may be semi-rigid and may be made of a plastic material. As would be appreciated by those skilled in the art, the rigidness of brush bristles  220  may be selected so as to provide resistance when being used to brush a user&#39;s hair but flexible enough substantially lay flat against inner portion  210  when covered by back portion  202 . As shown in portion B of  FIG. 2 , the brush bristles  220  may exist in at least a first position in the space provided between back portion  202  and inner portion  210  when back portion  202  is engaged with front portion  201 . When top back portion  202  is fully engaged with front portion  201  as shown in position A in  FIG. 2 , the brush bristles  220  are contained in the space provided between back portion  202  and inner portion  210 . When a user removes or substantially removes back portion  202  from front portion  201  as illustrated in position B of  FIG. 2 , the brush bristles  220  may be released from a tension position to stand semi rigidly perpendicular or substantially perpendicular to inner portion  210 . 
         [0033]    Brush bristles  220  may be of a height to provide for at least a portion of the brush bristles  220  having a height above front portion  201  to substantially engage the hair of a user when front portion  201  is used as a hair brush. Front portion  201  may additionally have a mobile control opening  211  and/or a second controls opening  213 . Such openings may be optional and/or may exist on different portions of front portion  201 , for example, to accommodate the particular mobile device which may be substantially surrounded by front portion  201 . 
         [0034]    In an embodiment of the present invention, as illustrated in  FIG. 3 , the orientation of the teeth described above, and more particularly with regard to  FIG. 1 , may be generally across the width of the protective case versus lengthways. As would be appreciated by those skilled in the art, the orientation of the teeth in such an embodiment may follow any direction and may, for example, be diagonal when the protective case is held at a right angle. A protective enclosure  300  may include a side portion  301  and a side portion  302  which may intersect along boundary  310 . The boundary  310  may be orientated to provide teeth  324  on the side portion  302  and on side portion  301 . The teeth  324  formed by boundary  310  may be of suitable length and separation as to provide a user with a usable hair comb when side portion  302  is removed from side portion  301  and is pulled through the hair of the user using a combing action. In an embodiment of the present invention, teeth  324  may be provided on side portion  302 . 
         [0035]    Teeth  324  may be of any length, and may preferably be of a length suitable to allow for effective combing action of a user&#39;s hair while remaining within the bounds of protective enclosure  300 . In an embodiment of the present invention, teeth  324  may have a height equal to ¼ to ¾ the total width of protective enclosure  300 . Side portion  301  may be larger than side portion  302  and may provide greater coverage of the enclosed mobile device (not shown) than does side portion  302 . Side portion  301  may further include at least one opening, and may comprise a camera opening  330  to allow for a camera of a mobile device to be exposed through protective enclosure  300 . 
         [0036]    In an embodiment of the present invention, protective enclosure  400  may substantially enclose a mobile device (not shown) on all sides and substantially cover the back of the mobile device and may provide for the attachment of at least one hair grooming device. Protective enclosure  400  may include a mirror portion  450  which may be attached to back portion  414  of protective enclosure  400 . The sidewalls  411  of protective enclosure  400  may protrude above back portion  414  and may include along at least a portion of sidewall  411  a side engagement portion  410  and a lower engagement portion  412  which may be parallel or substantially parallel to back portion  414 . Side engagement portion  410  and lower engagement portion  412  may be of the width suitable to at least partially engage comb  420  as illustrated in position A of  FIG. 4 . Back portion  414  may also include at least one opening such as, for example, camera opening  430  which may allow operability of the substantially enclosed mobile device. 
         [0037]    Comb  420  may include a polarity of teeth  424  which may act in concert as a means of grooming the hair of the user. Comb  420  may further comprise at least one handle portion  422  which may include, for example, a grip portion which may include detente and or, for example, a rubberized plastic to increase the grip of the user of comb  420 . Comb  420  may be of any size and may be sized to suitably fit within the boundary created by protective enclosure  400 . More particularly, the comb  420  may sizably fit between side engagements  410  and may be short enough so as not to extend beyond the top of protective enclosure  400  when engaged or at least partially engaged with lower engagement  412 . 
         [0038]    As illustrated in position A of  FIG. 4 , comb  420  may be secured by means known to those skilled in the art and may be secured using clips  420  which may engage a clip receiving portion  444  located on a lower portion of sidewall  411  suitably positioned to engage clip  440  when comb  420  is substantially engaged between side engagements  410  and lower engagement  412 . The clip  440  may be of unitary design or mold press of Comb  420  and/or preferably be deformable such that a user may press the portion of clip  440  which may protrude through clip receiving portion  444  such that comb  420  may be slideably released from protective enclosure  400 . 
         [0039]    The sidewalls of protective enclosure  400  may further include at least a first control opening  416  and/or a second control opening  418  to allow a user access to controls which may exist on the mobile device enclosed by protective enclosure  400 . Although not shown, the lower sidewall of protective enclosure  400  may include an additional opening to allow for speakers and/or electronic connections through protective enclosure  400  to a mobile device. 
         [0040]    Similar to the embodiment described above for  FIG. 4 , an embodiment of the present invention as illustrated in  FIG. 5  may include what may be known to those skilled in the art as a “pick” and/or comb. Protective enclosure  500  may include a mirror portion  520 . The sidewalls  512  of protective enclosure  500  may protrude above mirror portion  520  and may include along at least a portion of sidewall  512  a side engagement portion  510  which may be parallel or substantially parallel to the lengthways axis of protective enclosure  500 . 
         [0041]    Comb  532  may include a polarity of teeth  536  which may act in concert as a means of grooming the hair of the user. Comb  532  may further comprise at least one handle portion  530  which may include, for example, a grip portion which may include detente and or, for example, a rubberized plastic to increase the grip of the user of comb  532 . Further, handle portion  530  may be of a specific shape, such as at least one letter and/or geometric shape. For example, handle portion  532  may be shaped to illustrate two letters which may correspond to a brand and/or a user&#39;s initials. Comb  532  may be of any size and may be sized to suitably fit within the boundary created by protective enclosure  500 . More particularly, the comb  532  may sizably fit between side engagements  510  and may be short enough so as not to extend beyond the top of protective enclosure  500 . 
         [0042]    In an embodiment of the present invention a hair management device may be physically attached to a protective enclosure. As illustrated in  FIG. 6  for example, protective enclosure  600  may have attached thereto a hair management device such as for example, comb  610 . Comb  610  may include teeth  612  which may be appropriately spaced to provide the desired combing affect through a user&#39;s hair and have a length not greater than the width of protective enclosure  600 . Comb  610  may further comprise at least one end tooth  614  which may be of a different size or dimension to compliment the enclosure of comb  610  within protective enclosure  600 . 
         [0043]    Furthermore, comb  610  may be fixed to protective enclosures  600  by a fastening means  620  which may be located approximate to at least one corner of protective enclosure  600  fastener means  620  may consist of a peg pin rivet and/or other fastening device known to those skilled in the art to allow for comb  610  to pivot about at least one access near one end of comb  610 . In this way, comb  610  may be move from position A as illustrated in  FIG. 6  to position B and ultimately substantially within the gap provided by protective enclosure  600 . The space provided by protective enclosure  600  may be formed between inner back portion  636  and outer back portion  662  which may be partially connected to inner back portion  636  by left side portion  661 . Support for outer portion  662  may be provided by left side portion  661  and by fastener means  620  for example. Outer back portion  662  may further comprise a mirror portion  650  and a camera opening  630  which may allow for the camera of substantially enclosed mobile device  634  to be unimpeded by protective enclosure  600 . Mobile device  634  may be enclosed by inner back portion  636  and at least right side portion  660  and left side portion  661 . 
         [0044]    Each of the enclosing features of protective enclosure  600  may include at least some portion which may help hold mobile device  634  into place as would be appreciated by those skilled in the art and as otherwise discussed herein. Right side portion  660  may further include at least one control opening  632  while the bottom portion of protective enclosure  600  may also include a lower opening  640  to allow for access to the lower portion of mobile device  634 . As would be appreciated by those skilled in the art, the protective enclosure  600  may be of any material such as plastic and/or metal and may be made of varying materials. For example, the comb  610  may be made of metal while a substantial portion of protective enclosure  600  may be a thermal plastic. Similarly, mirror  650  may be of a film and/or glass and/or other materials known to have reflective qualities as would be known to those skilled in the art. 
         [0045]    In an embodiment of the present invention, a hair grooming device may be provided as part of a protective enclosure and provided as an at least partially integral portion of the case. As illustrated in  FIG. 7 , protective enclosure  700  may comprise a first portion  720  having a front portion (not shown) and at least one side portion  721  suitably shaped to substantially contact a portion of mobile device  710 . First portion  720  may, for example, cover most of at least one side of mobile device  710  and may provide at least one opening for a mobile device  710  function, such as, for example, a camera and/or flash. The side portion  721  may substantially cover the side of mobile device  710  and may, for example, provide at least one opening for a mobile device  710  function, such as, for example, an on/off switch. Preferably, side portion  721  may include a small lip portion  722  which may engage at least a portion of the front of mobile device  710  such that mobile device  710  may be engaged and disengaged with protective enclosure  700  though the force of a user&#39;s hands. 
         [0046]    First portion  720  may also comprise receiver portion  723  on the back portion of first portion  720  suitable for receiving and engaging pin  750 . The engagement of pin  750  with receiver portion  723  may be effected using techniques known to those skilled in the art and may be, for example a clip and/or tension mechanism. Pin  750  may also include at least one detent portion for accepting at least one protrusion of receiver portion  723  to provide for stability of pin  750  and which may, for example, prevent pin  750  from rotating in an undesirable manner. 
         [0047]    Grooming device  730  may engage at least a portion of the back portion of first portion  720  and may be suitably sized so as to not exceed the boundaries of the back portion of first portion  720 . Grooming device  730  may include at least one orifice  732  suitable for receiving receiver portion  723  and pin  750 . In an embodiment of the present invention, grooming device  730  may rotate about receiver portion  723  and may, for example, engage receiver portion  723  to the extent necessary to provide for at least some resistance so that grooming device  730  does not freely rotate. As would be known to those skilled in the art, any number of mechanisms may be employed to provide resistance with regard to the rotation of grooming device  730  about receiver portion  723 . Such mechanisms may include, for example, the use of teeth protruding on the inside of orifice  732  and on the exterior of receiver portion  723  such that at least a portion of the teeth engage to provide at least temporal resistance to the rotation of grooming device  730 . As would be appreciated by those skilled in the art, a suitable resistance means may be chosen to allow the grooming device  730  to rotate to any position possible within protective enclosure  700  under any desired and/or suitable resistance. 
         [0048]    Grooming device  730  may be of any style and may, for example, be styled as a comb. In an embodiment of the present invention, the grooming device  730  may include a plurality of teeth  731  which may, for example, comprise a substantial portion of grooming device  730 . The teeth  731  may be of any size and shape and may be of varying thickness and width over the length of each of the teeth and as between individual teeth. In this way, for example, a grooming device may be customized to be more suitable for various hair types. 
         [0049]    Second portion  740  may provide a back portion to the protective enclosure  700  and may at least partially secure grooming device  730  within protective enclosure  700 . Engagement portion  742  may be sized to pass through orifice  732  and to engage receiver portion  723  and allow pin  750  to engage both engagement portion  742  and receiver portion  723 . Second portion  740  may also comprise lip engagement portion  743  which may engage with first portion engagement portion  724  resident on at least a portion of back portion of first portion  720 . The engagement between lip engagement portion  743  and first portion engagement portion  724  may be facilitated by a clipping mechanism and/or may simply provide a guide and/or stability between first portion  720  and second portion  740 . As illustrated in  FIG. 7 , second portion  740  may have side portion  741  around only a portion of the perimeter of second portion  740 . The side portion  741  may be of a sufficient height to accommodate grooming device  730 . 
         [0050]    As illustrated in  FIG. 8 , the assembled protective enclosure may allow grooming device  730  to rotate from substantially within the protective enclosure to substantially outside of the protective enclosure. When the grooming device is substantially within the protective enclosure, the position may take the form as illustrated in  FIG. 9 .  FIGS. 10A and 10B  illustrate a similar positioning of the grooming device within the protective enclosure from different viewpoints. 
         [0051]    As illustrated in  FIGS. 11-14 , an object retention apparatus may be moveably attached to a protective enclosure and may be partially retractable within the confines of the protective enclosure. The object retention apparatus can be of any shape suitable for the at least partial retention of an object. Preferably, the object retention device comprises at least one retention mechanism which may at least partially restrain an object within the object retention device. For example, the at least one retention mechanism may be in the form of a unitary finger which may provide resistance to at least one surface of an object within the object retention device. 
         [0052]    By way of further non-limiting example, the at least one retention mechanism may be less than half as wide as the protective enclosure and may be suitable for restraining small objects such as credit cards, folded paper currency, and/or a driver&#39;s license, or the like, for example, within the object retention device. The at least one retention mechanism may be substantially pliant and may provide a force against at least one surface of the object(s) inserted into the object retention device. The at least one retention mechanism may also be connected to only one surface of the object retention device and may allow for a gap between the distal end of the at least one retention member and the object retention device having a size sufficient to allow for objects to be slideably inserted and/or removed from the object retention device. In an embodiment of the present invention, the retention mechanism may be in the form of a clip and may be comprised of metal and/or plastic, for example. 
         [0053]    Those of skill in the art will appreciate that the herein described systems and methods may be subject to various modifications and alternative constructions. There is no intention to limit the scope of the invention to the specific constructions described herein. Rather, the herein described systems and methods are intended to cover all modifications, alternative constructions, and equivalents falling within the scope and spirit of the invention and its equivalents.