Patent Publication Number: US-11019913-B2

Title: Mobile device case

Description:
REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     The current application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/390,601, filed on 26 Dec. 2016, issued as U.S. Pat. No. 10,631,620 on 28 Apr. 2020, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/044,235, filed on 16 Feb. 2016, issued as U.S. Pat. No. 9,531,424 on 27 Dec. 2016, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/196,072, filed on 23 Jul. 2015, each of which is hereby incorporated by reference. 
    
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The disclosure relates generally to mobile devices, and more particularly, to a protective case for a mobile device, such as a cellphone, tablet, and/or the like. 
     BACKGROUND ART 
     Mobile devices, such as cellphones, tablets, and/or the like, have become ubiquitous and are often carried nearly everywhere by individuals. Frequently, an individual has his/her mobile device when he/she is performing/going to perform an activity that requires the use of both hands and/or during which holding the mobile device can be cumbersome. During such an activity, the user may seek to utilize one or more functions provided by the mobile device. For example, a user can use a mobile device to listen to music, watch video, and/or the like, while exercising. The user may also simply want to keep the mobile phone close by while exercising in case of an emergency call. Other examples can include looking up directions while driving, watching a cooking video while making dinner, performing a home improvement task, and/or the like. 
     In all of these scenarios, a user may want to see the mobile device while performing an activity, but require the use of both hands in performing the desired activity. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Aspects of the invention provide a case for an electronic device, which includes a removable portion capable of having either surface of the removable portion facing outward. An embodiment of the case can provide a solution for temporarily attaching a mobile device, such as a cellphone, tablet, and/or the like, to a surface. 
     A first aspect of the invention provides a protective case comprising: a cavity; a removable portion configured to be removably secured within the cavity; and a means for removing and reinserting the removable portion from the cavity to expose either surface of the removable portion. 
     A second aspect of the invention provides a system comprising: a protective case including: a cavity; and a set of removable portions, each removable portion configured to be removably secured within the cavity with either surface of the removable portion selectively exposed, wherein at least one of the set of removable portions includes a surface including means for temporarily securing the protective case to a surface of a structure. 
     A third aspect of the invention provides a method of mounting an electronic device to a surface comprising: securing the electronic device in a protective case, the protective case including: a cavity; a removable portion configured to be removably secured within the cavity; and a set of grooves located adjacent to the cavity configured to allow a user to remove the removable portion; and removing and reinserting the removable portion in order to expose a first surface of the removable portion including means for temporarily securing the protective case to the surface; and mounting the protective case to the surface. 
     The illustrative aspects of the invention are designed to solve one or more of the problems herein described and/or one or more other problems not discussed. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       These and other features of the disclosure will be more readily understood from the following detailed description of the various aspects of the invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings that depict various aspects of the invention. 
         FIGS. 1A and 1B  show an illustrative protective case for a mobile device according to an embodiment. 
         FIG. 2  shows an illustrative protective case for a mobile device according to an embodiment. 
         FIG. 3  shows a side view of an illustrative protective case for a mobile device mounted on a wall according to an embodiment. 
         FIGS. 4A and 4B  show an illustrative protective case for a mobile device according to an embodiment. 
         FIGS. 5A and 5B  show an illustrative protective case for a mobile device according to an embodiment. 
     
    
    
     It is noted that the drawings may not be to scale. The drawings are intended to depict only typical aspects of the invention, and therefore should not be considered as limiting the scope of the invention. In the drawings, like numbering represents like elements between the drawings. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     As indicated above, aspects of the invention provide a solution for temporarily attaching a mobile device, such as a mobile phone, a tablet, a timer, and/or the like, to a surface. As used herein, unless otherwise noted, the term “set” means one or more (i.e., at least one) and the phrase “any solution” means any now known or later developed solution. 
     Turning now to  FIGS. 1A and 1B , a back view of an illustrative protective case  10  for a mobile device, such as a mobile phone, tablet, and/or the like, according to an embodiment is shown. The protective case  10  can be made of any material that can provide protection to the mobile device within the case  10 . Although the case  10  is shown in  FIGS. 1A and 1B  as rectangular, it is understood that the case  10  can be any shape. The back of the protective case  10  can include a cavity  12  that is configured to contain a removable portion  14 . The removable portion  14  can be formed of a material that is substantially the same as the protective case  10 . Alternatively, the removable portion  14  and the protective case  10  can be formed of different materials. Additionally, the removable portion  14  can be sized to fit entirely within the cavity  12 . Although the cavity  12  and the removable portion  14  are shown in  FIGS. 1A and 1B  as rectangular shapes, it is understood that the cavity  12  and the removable portion  14  can be any shape, such as, a star, a circle, a square, a triangle, and/or the like. 
     The removable portion  14  can be removably attached to the protective case  10  and within the cavity  12  by a securing force generated using any solution. For example, the removable portion  14  and cavity  12  can be configured to hold the removable portion  14  in place by tension exerted on the removable portion  14  when located within the cavity  12 . Alternatively, the removable portion  14  and/or cavity  12  can include one or more mechanisms for generating and exerting the securing force on the removable portion  14  to secure it within the cavity  12 . For example, one of the removable portion  14  and cavity  12  can include a set of magnets embedded therein, while the other of the removable portion  14  and cavity  12  can include a material attracted to the magnetic force of the set of magnets. In this case, the magnetic force between the removable portion  14  and at least one surface of the cavity  12  can removably secure the removable portion  14  in the cavity  12 . It is understood that the magnetic force can be applied from any combination of one or more of the five surfaces (e.g., four edges and bottom surface) of the cavity  12 . 
     In an embodiment, the protective case  10  is configured to enable a user to remove the removable portion  14  from and insert the removable portion  14  into the cavity  12  while the mobile device is secured in the protective case  10 . To this extent, the protective case  10  can further include a set of mechanisms to assist a user in removing the removable portion  14 . For example, the protective case is shown including a groove  16  that is adjacent to the cavity  12 . The groove  16  can comprise an indentation formed in the protective case  10  to expose a portion of a side of the removable portion  14  when it is secured in the cavity  12 . It is understood that the groove  16  can include any shape. Further, it is understood that the case  10  can include any number of grooves  16 . For example, in the embodiment shown in  FIGS. 5A and 5B , a protective case  100  can include a first groove  116 A and a second groove  116 B, each located at an end of the cavity  112 . Furthermore, although the grooves  16 ,  116 A,  116 B are shown at either ends of the cavities  12 ,  112 , it is understood that the grooves  16 ,  116 A,  116 B can be located at any location adjacent to the cavity  12 . A depth of the groove  16  can be at least as deep as a thickness of the removable portion  14 . In this case, a user can exert a force on an edge of the removable portion  14  adjacent to the groove  16  to lift the removable portion  14  out of the cavity  12 . However, it is understood that this is only illustrative of various solutions that can be implemented. 
     The removable portion  14  can be configured to be placed within the cavity  12  such that either side of the removable portion  14  is exposed to the back of the protective case  10 . In this manner, the user can selectively decide which side of the removable portion  14  is exposed. In an embodiment, a first side  18 A ( FIG. 1A ) of the removable portion  14  is configured to allow for easy gripping of the protective case  10  by the user, ready placement and removal of the protective case  10  from locations in which mounting is not desired, and/or the like, while a second side  18 B ( FIG. 2 ) of the removable portion  14  includes a mechanism for enabling the protective case  10 , and the mobile device held therein, to be removably mounted to a surface. In this case, the mechanism and protective case  10  can be sized such that the mechanism does not contact the mobile device held within the protective case  10  when the corresponding surface of the removable portion  14  is facing inward. In an embodiment, the mechanism comprises an adhesive material embedded in or applied to at least a portion of the second side  18 B of the removable portion  14 . 
     In an illustrative embodiment, when a user of a mobile device secured within the protective case  10  wishes to have hands-free support for the mobile device, the user can insert a finger into the groove  16  to remove the removable portion  14 . The securing (e.g., magnetic) force between the removable portion  14  and the cavity  12  should be strong enough so that the removable portion  14  does not fall out of the cavity  12 , but not too strong to allow for the user to readily remove the removable portion  14 . Once the removable portion  14  is removed from the cavity  12 , the user can flip the removable portion  14  before reinserting the removable portion  14  into the cavity  12  such that the second side  15 B with the securing mechanism is exposed. 
     Turning now to  FIG. 2 , the protective case  10  is shown with the second side  18 B of the removable portion  14  now facing the outside of the protective case  10 . The second side  18 B is shown including a securing mechanism  20 , such as an adhesive, a magnet, and/or the like, centrally located thereon. In an embodiment, the securing mechanism  20  can be formed of a removable adhesive, such as the Command™ Adhesive, and/or the like. Regardless, the securing mechanism  20  can be selected and sized to enable the securing mechanism  20  to secure the protective case  10  and mobile device secured therein in a desired location, such as on exercise equipment, on a wall, on a refrigerator, on a microwave, and/or the like. Turning now to  FIG. 3 , the securing mechanism  20  of the removable portion  14  can be configured to temporarily attach the protective case  10  (and the mobile device held within the protective case  10 ) to a surface  22  of a structure. For example, the surface  22  can comprise a substantially vertical surface (e.g., a wall, cabinet, shelve, and/or the like). 
     Turning now to  FIGS. 4A and 4B , cut-away side views of an illustrative protective case  10  for a mobile device  24  according to an embodiment are shown. The mobile device  24  is located at the front  26  of the case  10 , while the cavity  12  including the removable portion  14  is located at the back  28  of the case  10 . It is understood that both the securing mechanism  20  and the removable portion  14  do not contact the mobile device  24  and that there is a space  30  between the cavity  12  and the mobile device  24 . The space  30  can be formed of any material, such as air, a plastic material, an insulating material, and/or the like. In an embodiment, the space  30  can be the same material as the material of the protective case  10 . In another embodiment, the space  30  can be formed of an insulating material that can protect the mobile device  24  if the securing mechanism  20  and/or the case  10  includes a magnet, e.g., to isolate the mobile device  24  from the magnetic field. 
     The removable portion  14  can be attached to the cavity  12  of the protective case  10  using any mechanism. In an embodiment, the removable portion  14  is configured to remain attached to the protective case  10  while allowing the user to selectively change the side  18 A,  18 B ( FIGS. 1A and 2 ) of the removable portion  14  that is exposed. For example, turning now to  FIGS. 5A and 5B , an illustrative protective case  100  according to an embodiment is shown. In this embodiment, the protective case  100  is similar to the protective case  10  shown in  FIGS. 1A and 1B . However, a first end  132  of the removable portion  114  is attached to the cavity  112  on the back of the protective case  100  by a set of protrusions  134 . The set of protrusions  134  are located on the end  132  of the removable portion  114  and each protrusion  134  can extend into a corresponding channel  136  located in the protective case  100  substantially along a length of the cavity  112 . 
     When a user wishes to change a side of the removable portion  114  that is exposed, the user can insert a finger into a groove  116 A,  116 B located adjacent to the end without the set of protrusions  134  (e.g., a second end  138 ) to lift up that end of the removable portion  114 . Then, the user can slide the set of protrusions  134  along the channels  136  so that the set of protrusions  134  move from one end (e.g., the first end  132 ) to the opposite end (e.g. the second end  138 ) of the cavity  112 . The user can then reinsert the removable portion  114  into the cavity  112 . As illustrated, the protective case  100  can include two grooves  116 A,  116 B, each located adjacent to opposing ends of the cavity  112  so that the user can lift the either end of the removable portion  114  in order to flip the removable portion  114  and expose the alternative side  118 A,  118 B. In an embodiment, each side  118 A,  118 B of the removable portion  114  can include a visual indicator  140 A,  140 B to provide a visual indication for the user as to which side  118 A,  118 B of the removable portion  114  should be lifted. 
     Although the embodiments discussed herein describe including a securing mechanism  20 ,  120  on one surface of the removable portion  14 ,  114 , it is understood that this is only illustrative of various embodiments in which one of two surfaces can be selectively exposed. For example, in another embodiment, each side  18 A,  18 B,  118 A,  118 B can include a different graphic design, illustration, and/or the like, and a user can select which side  18 A,  18 B,  118 A,  118 B is visible on the protective case  10 ,  100 . To this extent, one or both sides  18 A,  18 B,  118 A,  118 B of a removable portion  14 ,  114  described herein can include a mechanism for selectively placing a design thereon, such as a transparent pocket or the like. 
     In a further embodiment, a protective case  10 ,  100  described herein can be provided with multiple removable portions  14 ,  114 . In this case, one of multiple removable portions  14 ,  114  can be utilized. For example, each of the plurality of removable portions  14 ,  114  can comprise a different mechanism (e.g., an adhesive, a magnet, and/or the like), for temporarily securing the protective case  10 ,  100  and device  24 ,  124  to a structure. Similarly, multiple removable portions  14 ,  114  can include the same mechanism. In this case, a removable portion  14 ,  114  can be discarded after a number of uses, e.g., when an adhesive surface is no longer sufficient to support the protective case  10 ,  100  and corresponding device. In a still further embodiment, a removable portion  14 ,  114  can be provided apart from the protective case  10 ,  100 . In this case, a user can selectively obtain a desired removable portion  14 ,  114 , e.g., having a particular securing mechanism, a particular surface design, and/or the like. 
     The foregoing description of various aspects of the invention has been presented for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed, and obviously, many modifications and variations are possible. Such modifications and variations that may be apparent to an individual in the art are included within the scope of the invention as defined by the accompanying claims.