Abstract:
A mobile telephone case includes a shell and an insert disposed in the shell. The insert has a reel for receiving a cord to be wound thereon. The insert also has clips for holding a mobile telephone.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    The invention relates to a case for a mobile telephone, such as the iPhone produced by Apple. The iPhone combines a mobile telephone, digital mulimedia player and camera and has a multi-touch screen with a virtual keyboard and buttons as well as various ports, such as for charging, USB connection and ear bud connection. 
         [0003]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0004]    Many cases for digital media players and mobile telephones are available. Different cases cover or grasp the digital media player or mobile telephone in different ways and have various devices for attaching the case, such as belt clips. Some cases for the iPod and other digital media players have devices for accommodating ear bud cords at the back of the case, such as the Backwinder produced by Marware, Inc. and described in co-pending U.S. application Ser. No. 11/331,985 and allowed U.S. Design application Ser. No. 29/251,854, and the Jam Jacket produced by DLO. Those cases are formed of a soft silicone rubber and therefore could not support a device for attaching the case. Some silicone rubber cases are intended to be easily pulled over the digital media player without opening the case. A case produced by Elecom has a winder projection at the side for winding an ear bud cord. Macally manufactures an Icesuit case having a rear winder storage location with a projection for an ear bud cord. The Sidewinder produced by Marware, Inc. and described in co-pending U.S. application Ser. No. 11/331,986 and allowed U.S. Design application Ser. No. 29/251,840 has a device for accommodating an ear bud cord. 
         [0005]    None of the prior art cases provide a device for attaching the case, a device for accommodating ear bud cords at the back of the case and the ability to pull the case over the digital media player or mobile telephone without opening the case. Furthermore, those prior art cases are not intended to accommodate the iPhone. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide a mobile telephone case, which overcomes the hereinafore-mentioned disadvantages of the heretofore-known devices of this general type, which has a device for attaching the case, a device for accommodating ear bud cords at the back of the case and the ability to pull the case over the digital media player or mobile telephone without opening the case. Furthermore, the case should accommodate the iPhone. 
         [0007]    With the foregoing and other objects in view there is provided, in accordance with the invention, a mobile telephone case, comprising a shell and an insert disposed in the shell. The insert has a reel for receiving a cord to be wound thereon as well as clips for holding a mobile telephone. The shell may be formed of a pliant material to be pulled over the mobile telephone without opening the case, and the insert may be formed of a rigid material for supporting a device for attaching the case. Therefore, the case provides the ability to support a device for attaching the case, a device for accommodating ear bud cords at the back of the case, the ability to pull the case over the digital media player or mobile telephone without opening the case, and it is intended to accommodate the iPhone. The clips are disposed within the shell for holding the mobile telephone within the shell. 
         [0008]    In accordance with another feature of the invention, the shell has front and rear surfaces. The front surface has a cutout for accessing a screen of the mobile telephone, and the rear surface has at least one slot through which the reel extends. The mobile telephone can be inserted through the cutout into the shell and the insert is stiff enough to support the reel. The reel may also be formed as reel segments extending through multiple slots in the rear surface of shell. 
         [0009]    In accordance with a further feature of the invention, the insert has a mounting extending through an opening in a rear surface of the shell for receiving a belt clip. The insert is stiff enough to support the mounting and belt clip. The opening may be a central opening, the shell has projections with slits formed therein for receiving the cord, the projections are disposed laterally of the central opening and the slots are disposed above and below the central opening. Thus, the cord is wound about the reel segments and the projections outside the central mounting, to prevent interference therebetween. 
         [0010]    In accordance with an added feature of the invention, the clips and the reel project from opposite surfaces of the insert. Therefore, the grasping of the mobile telephone by the clips also does not interfere with the winding of the cord and the central mounting. The clips may have projections thereon engaged in openings in the shell to keep the shell and the insert fixed in place relative to each other. 
         [0011]    In accordance with an additional feature of the invention, the shell has a front surface partially covering the mobile telephone, so as to cushion the mobile telephone against damage and protect it from soiling. 
         [0012]    In accordance with a concomitant feature of the invention, the shell has cutouts and/or embossed areas for accessing at least one of controls, ports and a camera lens of the mobile telephone. This permits the maximum possible coverage of the surface of the mobile telephone. 
         [0013]    Other features which are considered as characteristic for the invention are set forth in the appended claims. 
         [0014]    Although the invention is illustrated and described herein as embodied in a mobile telephone case, it is nevertheless not intended to be limited to the details shown, since various modifications and structural changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention and within the scope and range of equivalents of the claims. 
         [0015]    The construction and method of operation of the invention, however, together with additional objects and advantages thereof will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0016]      FIG. 1  is a diagrammatic, front-elevational view of an assembled mobile telephone case according to the invention; 
           [0017]      FIG. 2  is a right side-elevational view of the assembled mobile telephone case of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0018]      FIG. 3  is a top-plan view of the assembled mobile telephone case of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0019]      FIG. 4  is a left side-elevational view of the assembled mobile telephone case of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0020]      FIG. 5  is a bottom-plan view of the assembled mobile telephone case of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0021]      FIG. 6  is a rear-elevational view of the assembled mobile telephone case of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0022]      FIG. 7  is another rear-elevational view of the assembled mobile telephone case of  FIG. 1  with ear buds and a cord wrapped in place; 
           [0023]      FIG. 8  is a rear-perspective view of the assembled mobile telephone case of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0024]      FIG. 9  is a front-perspective view of the assembled mobile telephone case of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0025]      FIG. 10  is a front-elevational view of a disassembled outer shell of the mobile telephone case according to the invention; 
           [0026]      FIG. 11  is a right side-elevational view of the disassembled outer shell of the mobile telephone case of  FIG. 10 ; 
           [0027]      FIG. 12  is a top-plan view of the disassembled outer shell of the mobile telephone case of  FIG. 10 ; 
           [0028]      FIG. 13  is a left side-elevational view of the disassembled outer shell of the mobile telephone case of  FIG. 10 ; 
           [0029]      FIG. 14  is a bottom-plan view of the disassembled outer shell of the mobile telephone case of  FIG. 10 ; 
           [0030]      FIG. 15  is a rear-elevational view of the disassembled outer shell of the mobile telephone case according to the invention; 
           [0031]      FIG. 16  is a rear-elevational view of a disassembled insert of the mobile telephone case according to the invention; 
           [0032]      FIG. 17  is a top-plan view of the disassembled insert of the mobile telephone case of  FIG. 16 ; 
           [0033]      FIG. 18  is a side-elevational view of the disassembled insert of the mobile telephone case of  FIG. 16 ; 
           [0034]      FIG. 19  is a front-elevational view of the disassembled insert of the mobile telephone case of  FIG. 16 ; 
           [0035]      FIG. 20  is a bottom-plan view of the disassembled insert of the mobile telephone case of  FIG. 16 ; and 
           [0036]      FIG. 21  is an exploded, perspective view of the insert and shell of the mobile telephone case according to the invention, prior to assembly. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0037]    Referring now to the figures of the drawings in detail and first, particularly, to  FIGS. 1-9  thereof, there is seen an assembled case  1  according to the invention for receiving a mobile telephone, especially an Apple iPhone. The case  1  has a shell  2  and an insert  40 , the assembly of which will be discussed in greater detail below. The shell  2  is formed of a relatively pliant and resilient material, such as silicone rubber or NEOPRENE®, so that it can be pulled over the mobile telephone without opening the case. The insert  40 , which will also be described in detail below, is formed of a relatively hard and stiff plastic to support a device for attaching the case. 
         [0038]    As is seen particularly clearly in  FIGS. 10-15 , which show the shell  2  alone, the shell has a front surface  3 , a right side surface  4 , a left side surface  5 , a top surface  6 , a bottom surface  7  and a rear surface  8 . The front surface  3  has a cutout window  11  through which a touch screen of the mobile telephone can be accessed and various other cutouts  12 - 17  for accessing controls and ports as well as a camera lens of the mobile telephone. The mobile telephone is inserted into the shell  2  through the cutout window  11 . Embossed areas  20 - 23  are also provided for accessing controls, but are not cutouts. The purpose of the other cutouts shown in  FIGS. 1-9  is to accommodate the insert  40 . 
         [0039]      FIGS. 16-20  show that the rear insert  40  includes a front surface  43 , lateral clips  44 ,  45 , an L-shaped upper reel segment  46 , two L-shaped lower reel segments  47  and a rear surface  48 . Elongated vertical projections  49 ,  50  are formed on the respective lateral clips  44 ,  45 . Finally, a mounting  52  projects from the rear surface  48  for attachment of a device for attaching the case, such as a belt clip, for example those manufactured by the firm Krussel under the designation MULTIDAPT® as is shown in allowed U.S. Design application Ser. No. 29/251,840 and incorporated herein by reference. 
         [0040]      FIG. 21  illustrates how the insert  40  is oriented relative the shell  2  for assembly. After assembly, as shown in  FIGS. 1-9 , the L-shaped reel segments  46 ,  47 , providing a device for accommodating an ear bud cord, pass through respective openings or slits  26 ,  27  in the shell  2  and the projections  49 ,  50  pass through respective cutouts  29 ,  30  in the shell  2 . Finally, the clip  52  passes through a large opening or cutout  32  in the rear surface  8  of the shell  2 . 
         [0041]    As is seen in  FIG. 7 , a cord  55  of ear buds  56  is wrapped around the reel segments  46 ,  47  as well as projections  24  on the rear surface  8  of the shell  2 . The projections  24  may have slits  25  formed therein for receiving the cord  55  as well.