Patent Publication Number: US-2012024560-A1

Title: Case for enclosing and remaining attached to a mobile communication device with applied fabric

Description:
RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application is a NONPROVISIONAL of, claims priority to, and incorporates by reference U.S. Provisional Patent Application 61/400410 filed 26 Jul. 2010. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a case for enclosing and remaining attached to a mobile communications device including a semi-rigid shell and a fabric covering attached thereto. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Conventional cases for enclosing mobile communications devices are limited to plastic, rubber, or silicon materials that offer few customization possibilities for users of the cases. 
     SUMMARY 
     A case for enclosing and remaining attached to a mobile communications device including a semi-rigid shell and a fabric covering attached thereto is herein provided. Exemplary cases may include a semi-rigid shell including a recessed portion for accepting a fabric covering and the fabric covering. The semi-rigid shell may be made from, for example, a plastic, a rubber, an elastomeric material, or some combination thereof. 
     In some embodiments, the recessed portion may be positioned on an outer surface of the case while in other embodiments the recessed portion may be positioned on an inner surface of the case. When the recessed portion is positioned on an inner surface of the case, the semi-rigid shell may be at least partially transparent or translucent and the fabric may be at least partially visible through the semi-rigid shell. 
     In some embodiments, the shell includes a side-piece and at least one of a top surface and/or bottom surface. The side piece and the top surface and/or bottom surface may include the recessed portion and the fabric covering. 
     The fabric covering may include a first surface and a second surface. The first surface may be adhered to the semi-rigid shell within the recessed portion so that the second surface is level with or below an unrecessed portion of the semi-rigid shell. The first surface of the fabric may adhered to the semi-rigid shell via, for example, a glue, a bonding agent, an in-mold application process, an ultrasonic welding process, and/or a vibration welding process. 
     On some occasions, the fabric covering may serve to protect an enclosed mobile communications device from damage. On other occasions, the fabric may serve a decorative purpose and may be customizable by a user of the case. At times, the fabric may be capable of receiving at least one of a printed design and a pressure sensitive decal. 
     In some embodiments, the case may be customized to accommodate a particular type of mobile communication device. For example, the case may include one or more features or apertures that are aligned within the case to accommodate a feature or functionality of the enclosed mobile communication device. Exemplary apertures may be designed to accommodate a button, a camera, a light source, a microphone, a user interface, a power switch, and/or a power input port of an enclosed mobile communications device. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The present application is illustrated by way of example, and not limitation, in the figures of the accompanying drawings, in which: 
         FIG. 1A  is a top view of an exemplary case in accordance with embodiments of the present invention; 
         FIG. 1B  is a side view of an exemplary case in accordance with embodiments of the present invention; 
         FIGS. 1C  is a cross-sectional view of an exemplary case in accordance with embodiments of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a top view of an exemplary fabric covering in accordance with embodiments of the present invention; 
         FIG. 3A  is a top view of an exemplary case with applied fabric in accordance with embodiments of the present invention; 
         FIG. 3B  is a side view of an exemplary case with applied fabric in accordance with embodiments of the present invention; 
         FIGS. 3C  is a cross-sectional view of an exemplary case with applied fabric in accordance with embodiments of the present invention; 
         FIGS. 4A and 4B  illustrate exemplary mobile communication devices enclosed within a case in accordance with embodiments of the present invention; 
         FIG. 5A  is a top view of an exemplary case with applied fabric and an aperture in accordance with embodiments of the present invention; and 
         FIG. 5B  is a top view of an exemplary mobile communication device enclosed within an exemplary case with applied fabric and an aperture in accordance with embodiments of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     Throughout the drawings, the same reference numerals and characters, unless otherwise stated, are used to denote like features, elements, components, or portions of the illustrated embodiments. Moreover, while the subject invention will now be described in detail with reference to the drawings, the description is done in connection with the illustrative embodiments. It is intended that changes and modifications can be made to the described embodiments without departing from the true scope and spirit of the subject invention as defined by the appended claims. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     At times, it may be desirable to apply fabric to a case for enclosing and remaining attached to a mobile communications device, such as a mobile telephone, a hinged laptop computer, and a tablet computer. The applied fabric may serve to increase the durability and/or flexibility of the case and may also improve the protection provided by the case to an enclosed mobile communications device. The applied fabric may also serve to increase visual and/or tactile appeal of a case to a user without increasing the overall cost of manufacturing the case. 
     Application of fabric to a case may also increase customization options available for a user of the case at least because a great variety of fabric and/or underlying semi-rigid shell options may be provided to the user. In some embodiments, a fabric covering and an underlying semi-rigid shell may be selected as individual components of a case that may be independently provided by a user and then combined together by, for example, the user and/or a manufacturer of the case, to create a customized case. 
       FIG. 1A  is a top view of a case  100  for enclosing and remaining attached to a mobile communications device including a semi-rigid shell  110  and a recessed portion  120  for accepting a fabric covering. Semi-rigid shell  110  may be fabricated from, for example, a plastic material, a rubber material, an elastomeric material, a metal, and/or some combination thereof and may be any color or texture. 
     Recessed portion  120  may be any size and/or shape and may be sized so as to accept a fabric covering. On some occasions, recessed portion  120  may be shallow relative to the overall thickness of the semi-rigid shell (e.g., a few millimeters) but this is not necessarily the case. In some embodiments, recessed portion  120  may be positioned on an outer surface of semi-rigid shell  110 , while in other embodiments, recessed portion  120  may positioned on an inner surface of semi-rigid shell  110 . 
       FIG. 1B  is a side view of case  100  including semi-rigid shell  110  and recessed portion  120  for accepting a fabric covering. 
       FIG. 1C  is a cross-sectional view of case  100  including semi-rigid shell  110  and recessed portion  120  for accepting a fabric covering. 
       FIG. 2  is a top view of fabric  130  including a first surface  131  and a second surface  135 . Fabric  130  may comprise, for example, cloth, plastic, paper, hemp, Tyvek™, or any combination thereof. On some occasions, fabric  130  may be capable of receiving, for example, a printed design or a pressure sensitive decal. On other occasions, fabric  130  may be customizable by a user of case  100 , such that the user may select a particular fabric  130  from a variety of available fabrics  130  to apply to semi-rigid shell  110  within the recessed portion  120 . 
       FIG. 3A  is a top view of a case  101  with applied fabric  130  for enclosing and remaining attached to a mobile communications device. Case  101  includes semi-rigid shell  110  and fabric  130  adhered within recessed portion  120 . In some embodiments, first surface  131  of fabric  130  may be adhered to semi-rigid shell  110  within recessed portion  120  via, for example, a glue, a bonding agent, an in-mold application process, an ultrasonic welding process, and a vibration welding process such that second surface  135  of fabric  130  is level with, or below, an unrecessed portion of semi-rigid shell  120 . Positioning the second surface  135  in this manner may prevent removal of fabric  130  from semi-rigid shell  110  via peeling, fraying, or other unintentional means. 
     In some embodiments, recessed portion  120  may be positioned on an underside of case  100  and semi-rigid shell  130  may be at least partially transparent or translucent such that fabric  130 , or a pattern included thereon, is at least partially visible through semi-rigid shell  110 . 
     Application of fabric  130  to case  101  may serve many purposes, such as, but not limited to, protecting an enclosed mobile communications device from damage from, for example, shock, heat, water, and/or scratches, providing a decoration to case  101 , providing a desired tactile experience to a user when holding case  101 , and enhancing the flexibility and/or durability of case  101 . 
       FIG. 3B  is a side view of case  101  including semi-rigid shell  110 , recessed portion  120 , and fabric  130 . 
       FIG. 3C  is a cross-sectional view of case  101  including semi-rigid shell  110 , recessed portion  120 , fabric  130 , and an optional adhesion layer  140 . Optional adhesion layer  140  may be present in case  101  when, for example, a glue or other adhesive is used to adhere fabric  130  to case  101 . 
       FIGS. 4A and 4B  illustrate two the exemplary mobile communication devices enclosed within case  101 .  FIG. 4A  illustrates an embodiment wherein a hinged laptop mobile communication device  410 A is enclosed within case  101  and  FIG. 4B  illustrates an embodiment wherein a tablet computer and/or mobile telecommunication device  410 B is enclosed within case  101 . 
     On some occasions, case  100  and/or  101  may be customized to accommodate a particular type of mobile communication device. On these occasions, case  100  and/or  101  may include an aperture or other feature sized and positioned to accommodate a feature of an enclosed mobile communication device. Such a feature is shown in  FIG. 5A .  FIG. 5A  depicts a top view of a case  102  for enclosing and remaining attached to a mobile communications device including semi-rigid shell  110 , fabric  130  adhered within recessed portion  120 , and an aperture  510  sized and positioned to accommodate a feature of an enclosed mobile communication device. 
       FIG. 5B  depicts a top view of a case  102  including semi-rigid shell  110 , fabric  130  adhered within recessed portion  120 , aperture  510 , and underlying features  420  of mobile communication device  410 . Exemplary underlying features  420  include a camera lens, a light source, a microphone, a user interface, a power switch, and a power input port. 
     Thus, cases for enclosing mobile communications devices with fabric applied thereto have been herein disclosed.