Patent Publication Number: US-10786058-B2

Title: Cleaning sleeves for touchscreen electronic devices and methods of using the same

Description:
PRIORITY CLAIM AND RELATED PATENT APPLICATIONS 
     This patent document claims benefit of priority under 35 U.S.C. 119(e) to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/196,836 entitled “Cleaning sleeve for touchscreen electronic devices and method of using the same” and filed on Jul. 24, 2015. The disclosures of the above application are incorporated by reference in their entirety as a part of this document. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND 
     Field of the Invention 
     This patent document generally relates to a protective sleeve for substantially enclosing a portable electronic device, and more particularly to a protective sleeve for cleaning a touchscreen of the portable electronic device, and various methods for its use. 
     Related Art 
     Protective sleeves and cases for portable electronic devices such as laptops, tablets, and smartphones are numerous and vary widely in shape, size, material and function. Most sleeves are designed at least to protect the portable electronic device from external damage, whether it is scratches, hard impacts such as drops, or just general contact, as such, protective sleeves are limited primarily to simply protecting the portable electronic device when it is not in use. 
     Many portable electronic devices, specifically touchscreen devices can become dirty when they are being used as a result of a user&#39;s fingers touching the screen or the screen coming in contact with dirt or other particles. Conventional techniques to clean a touchscreen involve wiping the screen clean with a cloth, such as a microfiber or cleaning cloth, which attracts the oils, dirt and other particles which are deposited on the touchscreen during use; however, these techniques require carrying around a separate cloth to clean the touchscreen. Furthermore, a flat, one-sided cloth may be somewhat difficult to hold and apply to the touchscreen. 
     SUMMARY 
     Embodiments described herein provide for a protective cleaning sleeve which substantially encloses a portable electronic device and which is configured with a narrowed stretchable cuff/opening made from a material that stretches and/or contacts. In certain embodiments, surfaces of the sleeve can be constructed such that it cleans the portable electronic device when the device is being inserted into and removed from the sleeve. The cuff/opening can be configured with a customized width or diameter narrower than a width of the portable electronic device. 
     According to one aspect, a protective cleaning sleeve for a portable electronic device includes: an elastic protective pouch with a first width; and an elastic opening with a second width on one end the protective pouch, wherein the second width is smaller than the first width, and wherein the elastic opening includes a material which cleans a surface of the portable electronic device. 
     The sleeve itself may be made from one material on an outside surface that allows the outside surface to be highly ornamental while a material on an inside surface may be selected such that it can be used to clean the portable electronic device by manual application of the interior surface to the display screen. The material on the outside surface can be more or less durable than the material on the inside surface. 
     The sleeve can be designed to be turned inside out and used as a cleaning mitt where a user may place a hand inside the sleeve, so that it is easier to apply the cleaning surface to the portable electronic device. 
     The sleeve may also be configured with one or more accessories, for example an elastic loop for retaining a cable, charging plug, a tie-on loop, and an external pocket for a pen or a stylus. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The structure and operation of the present invention will be understood from a review of the following detailed description and the accompanying drawings in which like reference numerals refer to like parts and in which: 
         FIG. 1  illustrates an exemplary protective cleaning sleeve in accordance with some embodiments described herein. 
         FIG. 2  illustrates various exemplary sizes of the disclosed protective cleaning sleeve in accordance with some embodiments described herein. 
         FIG. 3  shows a schematic of the disclosed protective cleaning sleeve which is cut open along seams to demonstrate various exemplary material configurations for the protective cleaning sleeve in accordance with some embodiments described herein 
         FIG. 4  illustrates an exemplary protective cleaning sleeve equipped with an accessory carrying mechanism in accordance with some embodiments described herein. 
         FIG. 5  illustrates an exemplary protective cleaning sleeve equipped with a tie-on loop attached to an elastic loop for carrying a larger accessory in accordance with some embodiments described herein. 
         FIG. 6  presents a photographic image of a manufactured protective cleaning sleeve based on the design of protective cleaning sleeve in  FIG. 5  in accordance with some embodiments described herein. 
         FIG. 7  illustrates an exemplary protective cleaning sleeve equipped with both an elastic loop and an external pocket in accordance with some embodiments described herein. 
         FIG. 8A  illustrates an exemplary protective cleaning sleeve equipped with a closing mechanism for closing the opening of the protective cleaning sleeve in accordance with some embodiments described herein. 
         FIG. 8B  presents a photographic image showing a manufactured protective cleaning sleeve having a closing mechanism based on the design of the protective cleaning sleeve in  FIG. 8A  in accordance with some embodiments described herein. 
         FIG. 8C  presents a zoomed-in photographic image of the closing mechanism of the manufactured protective cleaning sleeve in  FIG. 8B . 
         FIG. 9A  illustrates an exemplary protective cleaning sleeve equipped with another closing mechanism for closing the opening of the protective cleaning sleeve in accordance with some embodiments described herein. 
         FIG. 9B  presents a photographic image showing a manufactured protective cleaning sleeve having a drawstring placed around a neck of the sleeve where the pouch and the cuff are joined in accordance with some embodiments described herein. 
         FIG. 9C  presents a zoomed-in photographic image showing more details of the closing mechanism of the manufactured protective cleaning sleeve in  FIG. 9B . 
         FIG. 10  illustrates an exemplary protective cleaning sleeve being integrated with an outer case in accordance with some embodiments described herein. 
         FIG. 11A  illustrates an exemplary protective cleaning sleeve (not visible) being integrated into a carrying/travel case in accordance with some embodiments described herein. 
         FIG. 11B  presents a photographic image showing a manufactured carrying/travel case integrated with a protective cleaning sleeve based on the design illustrated in  FIG. 11A  in accordance with some embodiments described herein. 
         FIG. 11C  presents a photographic image showing the carrying/travel case in  FIG. 11B  when the integrated protective cleaning sleeve is entirely inside the carrying/travel case. 
         FIG. 12A  illustrates an exemplary protective cleaning sleeve having a substantially uniform width in the cuff in accordance with some embodiments described herein. 
         FIG. 12B  presents a photographic image showing a manufactured protective cleaning sleeve having a cuff profile based on the design of the protective cleaning sleeve in  FIG. 12A  in accordance with some embodiments described herein. 
         FIG. 13A  presents a photographic image showing an exemplary protective cleaning sleeve in accordance with some embodiments described herein. 
         FIG. 13B  presents a photographic image showing another exemplary protective cleaning sleeve in accordance with some embodiments described herein. 
         FIG. 13C  shows a zoomed-in view of the opening of the protective cleaning sleeve in  FIG. 13B  in accordance with some embodiments described herein. 
         FIG. 14A  presents a photographic image showing an exemplary protective cleaning sleeve fitted into a cover in accordance with some embodiments described herein. 
         FIG. 14B  presents a photographic image showing the sleeve in  FIG. 14A  with an unfolded cuff in accordance with some embodiments described herein. 
         FIG. 15A  presents a photographic image showing an exemplary carrying case with a protective cleaning sleeve inside in accordance with some embodiments described herein. 
         FIG. 15B  shows a zoomed-out view of the carrying case in  FIG. 15A  in accordance with some embodiments described herein. 
     
    
    
     Table 1 presents a list of fabric materials, which may be used to make the protective cleaning sleeve and exemplary compositions in accordance with some embodiments, described herein. 
     Table 2 presents a list of exemplary material compositions and dimensions of exemplary protective cleaning sleeves for small-size tablet devices in accordance with some embodiments described herein. 
     Table 3 presents a list of exemplary material compositions and dimensions of exemplary protective cleaning sleeves for large-size tablet devices in accordance with some embodiments described herein. 
     Table 4 presents a list of exemplary material compositions and dimension of exemplary protective cleaning sleeves, which are customized for a line of ASUS tablet devices in accordance with some embodiments described herein. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Certain embodiments disclosed herein provide for a protective cleaning sleeve that substantially encloses a portable electronic device (with or without a third party case/keyboard/stand) and that includes a narrowed stretchable cuff/opening. In some embodiments, the stretchable cuff/opening of the disclosed protective cleaning sleeve is configured with a customized width or diameter narrower than a width of the portable electronic device so that the sleeve substantially closes around the portable electronic device and provides sufficient friction to prevent the device from slipping back out of the sleeve. In this way, no closing mechanism, such as a synch of tie is required. This lowers cost, makes the sleeve easier to produce, and easier to use. 
     In one embodiment, a protective cleaning sleeve for a portable electronic device includes: an elastic protective pouch with a first width; and an elastic opening with a second width on one end of the protective pouch, wherein the second width is smaller than the first width. The sleeve itself can be made from one material on an outside surface that is more durable while a material on an inside surface can be more protective of the portable electronic device. The interior surface material can also be a cleaning material that operates to clean the device by manual application of the interior surface to the display screen. The sleeve can also be designed to be turned inside out and used as a cleaning mitt where a user may place a hand inside the sleeve, so that it is easier to apply the cleaning surface to the portable electronic device. In some embodiments, the sleeve can also be configured with one or more accessories, for example an elastic loop for retaining a cable, charging plug, a tie-on loop, and an external pocket for a pen, stylus, or other accessory or device. 
     In another aspect, a protective cleaning sleeve for a portable electronic device is disclosed. This protective cleaning sleeve includes a protective pouch having a first width and a stretchable cuff attached to an open end of the protective pouch at a first end of the stretchable cuff and having an elastic opening at a second end of the stretchable cuff, wherein the elastic opening has a second width smaller than the first width. Moreover, the stretchable cuff includes a material having cleaning properties, and hence the stretchable cuff can be used to clean a surface of the device. The cuff can also be configured such that it cleans a surface of the portable electronic device when the portable electronic device is being inserted into or removed from the protective pouch through the elastic opening 
     In a further aspect, a device for storing and cleaning a portable electronic device is disclosed. This device includes a pouch comprising a first panel and a second panel, wherein the pouch has an opening and a first width, which is substantially equal to the width of the portable electronic device. The device also includes a stretchable cuff comprising a first half cuff and a second half cuff and attached to the opening of the pouch, wherein the stretchable cuff has an elastic opening that has a second width substantially smaller than the width of the portable electronic device. Furthermore, the first panel of the pouch and the first half cuff form a first side of the pouch and the second panel of the pouch and the second half cuff form a second side of the pouch. Moreover, the first half cuff is made from a first fabric having cleaning properties so that the inner surface of the first half cuff can clean a surface of the portable electronic device. 
       FIG. 1  illustrates an exemplary protective cleaning sleeve  100  in accordance with an example embodiment described herein. As can be seen in  FIG. 1 , sleeve  100  includes a pouch  102  which can be used to substantially enclose a portable electronic device such as a tablet or smartphone, and a cuff  104  having an opening  110  where the portable electronic device can be inserted and removed from pouch  102 . Note that a width  112  of opening  110  is narrower than a width  106  of pouch  102 . 
     Pouch  102  can primarily comprise two panels, i.e., a front panel and a back panel which may be sewn together on three sides of the two panels, i.e., the left, the right and the bottom sides as shown in  FIG. 1 . In other embodiments, pouch  102  is made from a single panel that is folded into a front panel and a back panel and that is then sewn together along two sides to form pouch  102 . Pouch  102  may be configured with width  106  and a height  108  to comfortably fit a target portable electronic device, such as a tablet or a smartphone. Dimensions of some exemplary pouches are described below with regard to  FIG. 2 . 
     Pouch  102  can be formed from a single layer of fabric, which is soft, elastic and provides cleaning properties when the fabric makes contact with the surface of the portable electronic device. In some embodiments, a fabric such as French terry (also referred to as “terry cloth”) can be used to make a single layer pouch, as this fabric has a smooth surface (for the outside of the pouch) and a nubby/terry surface on the inside. Other fabrics that can be used for the single layer design can include micro-suede, terry velour, bamboo, rayon jersey or any other fabric that is stretchable and useful for cleaning. In one embodiment, the fabric contains approximately 2% or more of stretchable material such as Lycra™, Elastane™, or other types of spandex. In another embodiment, the fabric contains between 0.5%-50% of stretchable material such as Lycra™, Elastane™, or other types of spandex. In yet another embodiment, the fabric contains between 0.01%-99% of stretchable material such as Lycra™, Elastane™, or other types of spandex. Note that the fabric can have either a 2-way (i.e., one-dimensional) or a 4-way (i.e., two-directional) stretch properties. 
     In some embodiments, the pouch can include at least two layers of materials: an outer layer that can provide a more durable surface to protect the portable electronic device inside sleeve  100  and to protect the sleeve from wear and tear, and an inner layer comprising a stretchable fabric that can provide a cleaning function. In such embodiments, the outer layer can also be formed with a material such as a fabric capable of being decorated or embellished in order to personalize the sleeve for the user. In some embodiments, the outer layer of pouch  102  can even include leather. Note that the outer layer material does not have to be stretchable. 
     The inner layer material can include terry cloth, microfiber, micro-suede, terry velour, bamboo, rayon jersey or any other fabric that is useful for cleaning (including both overall surface cleaning and spot-cleaning) the surfaces of portable electronic devices, and particularly for the glass surfaces and other touchscreen surfaces. In one embodiment, each of the outer layer and inner layer contains approximately at least 2% or more of stretchable material such as Lycra™, Elastane™, or other types of spandex. In another embodiment, each of the outer layer and inner layer contain approximately 0.5%-50% of stretchable material such as Lycra™, Elastane™, or other types of spandex. In yet another embodiment, each of the outer layer and inner layer contain approximately 0.01%-99% of stretchable material such as Lycra™, Elastane™, or other types of spandex. 
     Note that pouch  102  can be made from a fabric that is stretchable but does not contain spandex. This stretch property can be achieved by cutting on the bias of the fabric, which is when the fabric&#39;s warp and weft threads are at an angle, such as 45 degrees to the fabric&#39;s major seam lines. Typically, woven fabric is more elastic as well as more fluid in the bias direction, compared to the straight and cross grains. Using a fabric that is cut on the bias for the pouch material allows the fabric to provide a necessary amount of stretch without having to contain stretchable material such as Lycra™, Elastane™, or other types of spandex. 
     In some embodiments, pouch  102  is made of different materials on different portions of pouch  102 . For example, one portion of pouch  102  can be made from a stretchable material, while the other portion can be made from a material with little or no stretch ability. Furthermore, the stretchable portion of pouch  102  can be formed from either a single layer of material or two layers of materials including an inner layer and an outer layer. If a single layer of material is used for the stretchable portion of pouch  102 , the single layer of material can be a soft, elastic material having cleaning properties thereby providing a cleaning function when the material is making contact with the surface of the portable electronic device. If two layers of materials are used for the stretchable portion of pouch  102 , the outer layer can be formed from a material to provide a more durable surface, while the inner layer can be formed to include a material which is soft and elastic having cleaning properties thereby providing a cleaning function when the material is making contact with the surface of the portable electronic device. 
     In one embodiment, the stretchable portion of pouch  102  should be at least half of the total surface area of pouch  102 . For example, in a two-panel configuration of pouch  102 , the stretchable portion can be one of the two panels. On the other hand, the non-stretchable portion of pouch  102  can be formed from a rigid material, a semi-rigid material such as grass cloth or other semi-rigid materials. Moreover, the non-stretchable portion of pouch  102  can be decorated or embellished for personalizing the sleeve for the user. 
     Note that, when the inner layer of the two-layer construction of pouch  102  is configured with cleaning properties, a user can manipulate the pouch portion of protective cleaning sleeve  100  against the portable electronic device when the device is substantially enclosed by the sleeve  100  to clean and spot-clean the touchscreen and other surfaces of the portable electronic device. For the embodiments of the single-layer construction of pouch  102 , if the single-layer material is configured with cleaning properties, the above-described cleaning technique for an enclosed portable electronic device can be similarly applied to clean the portable electronic device. 
     In another embodiment, the sleeve  100  can be turned inside out and used as a cleaning cloth mitt on the portable electronic device, where the user places a hand inside the inside-out pouch  102 . In this embodiment, pouch  102  can be configured with dimensions to substantially cover a user&#39;s hand or fingers (depending on the overall size of the sleeve) and therefore make it easier to manually clean a surface of the portable electronic device than just using a flat, square cleaning cloth. 
     In the embodiment shown in  FIG. 1 , sleeve  100  also includes a cuff  104  on one end of sleeve  100 . As can be seen in  FIG. 1 , cuff  104  is attached to the top edge of pouch  102  on one side and has an opening  110  on the other side for a portable electronic device to be inserted into and removed from pouch  102 . In one embodiment, cuff  104  is formed from an elastic material, such as Lycra™ or Elastane™, and is configured with width  112  at opening  110  that is narrower than width  106  of pouch  102 . As can be seen in  FIG. 1 , width  112  of cuff  104  is made sufficiently narrow to retain the portable electronic device securely within sleeve  100 . Moreover, width  112  of cuff  104  also allows the inner surface of cuff  104  to make frictional contact with the surface of the portable electronic device when the portable electronic device is being inserted into or removed from pouch  102 . Width  112  can be determined based on the specific dimensions of the portable electronic device to be enclosed to ensure that cuff  104  can expand to accommodate the width of the portable electronic device. 
     In certain embodiments, width  112  of cuff  104  can be configured to allow the material of cuff  104  to provide sufficient frictional contact with the surface of the portable electronic device to at least partially remove any smudges, fingerprints, dirt or other particles on the portable electronic device. 
     In some embodiments, the height  114  of cuff  104  should have a minimum dimension to provide a significant amount of contact with the portable electronic device when the portable electronic device passes through opening  110  in either direction. 
     In some embodiments, cuff  104  is formed from a single layer of fabric that is soft, stretchable and has cleaning properties to provide a cleaning function when the fabric is making contact with the surface of the portable electronic device. The single layer of fabric can include terry cloth, microfiber, micro-suede, terry velour, bamboo, rayon jersey or any other fabric which is stretchable and useful for cleaning (including both overall cleaning and spot-cleaning) the surfaces of portable electronic devices. In other embodiments, cuff  104  can include two layers of materials: an outer layer that is made of a stretchable fabric and that can have cleaning properties, and an inner layer that is made of a stretchable fabric that has cleaning properties to provide a cleaning function when the fabric is making contact with the surface of the portable electronic device. The inner layer fabric can include terry cloth, microfiber, micro-suede, terry velour, bamboo, rayon jersey or any other fabric, which is useful for cleaning (including both overall cleaning and spot-cleaning) the surfaces of portable electronic devices. As mentioned above, cuff  104  can be made of a fabric that is cut on the bias to allow the fabric to provide sufficient stretch without having to contain stretchable material such as Lycra™, Elastane™, or other types of spandex. 
     In some embodiments, one portion of cuff  104  can be made by a stretchable fabric having cleaning properties while the other portion of cuff  104  can be made by a stretchable fabric without cleaning properties. Furthermore, the portion of cuff  104  having the cleaning properties can be formed from either a single layer of material or two layers of materials including an inner layer and an outer layer. If a single layer of material is used for the portion of cuff  104  having the cleaning properties, the single layer of material provides a cleaning function when the material is making contact with the surface of the portable electronic device. If two layers of materials are used for the portion of cuff  104  having the cleaning properties, the outer layer may be formed from a stretchable material without cleaning properties, while the inner layer may be formed from a stretchable material having cleaning properties to provide a cleaning function when the material is making contact with the surface of the portable electronic device. The portion of cuff  104  having the cleaning properties should be at least half of the total surface area of cuff  104 . 
     In some embodiments, a portion of the outside surface, an entirely side of the outside surface, or the entire outside surface of pouch  102  can be made of one or more materials having cleaning properties. In some other embodiments, a portion of the outside surface, an entirely side of the outside surface, or the entire outside surface of cuff  104  can be made of one or more materials having cleaning properties. In yet some other embodiments, a portion of the outside surface, an entirely side of the outside surface, or the entire outside surface of sleeve  100  can be made of one or materials having cleaning properties. Hence, sleeve  200  can have cleaning materials on both the interior surface and the exterior surface. In some embodiments, sleeve  100  is made entirely with bamboo fabric which is considered a cleaning material. In some other embodiments, sleeve  100  includes half microfiber interior and half microsuede exterior, and as a result, sleeve  100  can be used for cleaning with either the interior or the exterior. Sleeve  100  can also be made entirely with a cleaning material on the interior using microsuede or microfiber without stretch in the cleaning material, wherein the cleaning material is cut on a bias. 
     In one embodiment, width  112  of cuff  104  at opening  110  can be determined based on a ratio of width  106  of pouch  102  to width  112  of cuff  104 . This ratio allows the sleeve  100  to be customized for any sized portable electronic device to be placed inside the sleeve by determining an ideal width  112  for cuff  104  after width  106  of pouch  102  is determined for a given sized portable electronic device. In this manner, desirable dimensions of the sleeve  100  can be achieved to ensure that the device does not fall out of sleeve  100 . In one example, sleeve  100  has a width ratio range of approximately 15:11 (or 1.36) to approximately 13:9 (or 1.44). In this example, an exemplary sleeve having a ratio of 15:11 and a pouch width of 7.5 inches will have a cuff width of about 5.5 inches, while an exemplary sleeve having a ratio of 13:9 and a pouch width of 6.5 inches will have a cuff width of about 4.5 inches. In some embodiments, the ratio of width  106  of pouch  102  to width  112  of cuff  104  may be determined based on the material or materials that cuff  104  and pouch  102  are made of. For example, if cuff  104  is formed from a more stretchable material, the width ratio can be made to be at the higher end of the range of possible ratios, for example, close to 1.44. In some embodiments, width  112  of cuff  104  at opening  110  can range from 3″-8″, and an actual width value within this range can be determined based on the size of pouch  102 , amount of stretch in the fabric of cuff  104 , and composition of materials in pouch  102  and cuff  104 . 
     Table 1 presents a list of fabric materials, which may be used to make the protective cleaning sleeve  100  and exemplary compositions in accordance with some embodiments, described herein. As can be seen from the Table 1 below, each of the listed fabric contains a particular percentage of spandex thereby making them stretchable to various extents. Note that each of the fabric listed below may be used for both pouch  102  and cuff  104  of sleeve  100 . 
     
       
         
           
               
             
               
                 TABLE 1 
               
             
            
               
                   
               
               
                 Sleeve Fabric Options with Stretchable Material Percentages 
               
            
           
           
               
               
               
               
            
               
                 Fabric 
                 Bamboo/Viscose/Rayon/Polyester 
                 Spandex 
                 Cotton 
               
               
                   
               
            
           
           
               
               
               
               
            
               
                 Knit 
                 93% 
                 7% 
                   
               
               
                   
                 94% 
                 6% 
               
               
                 Jersey 
                 92% 
                 8% 
               
               
                   
                 95% 
                 5% 
               
               
                   
                 70% 
                 5% 
                 25% 
               
               
                   
                 60% 
                 3% 
                 27% 
               
               
                 French Terry 
                 94% 
                 6% 
               
               
                   
                 70% 
                 30% 
               
               
                 Cotton 
                   
                 92% 
                 8% 
               
               
                   
               
            
           
         
       
     
       FIG. 2  illustrates various exemplary sizes of the disclosed protective cleaning sleeve  100  in accordance with some embodiments described herein. More specifically,  FIG. 2  shows a smaller sleeve  202  (A) designed for a 7-inch portable electronic device such as a 7-inch tablet and a larger sleeve  204  (B) designed for a 10-inch portable electronic device such as a 10-inch tablet. As can be seen in  FIG. 2 , for the smaller sleeve  202 , the pouch  206  of sleeve  202  has a width of approximately 6⅝ inches, while cuff  208  of sleeve  202  has a width at the opening of approximately 4¾ inches. For the larger sleeve  204 , the pouch  210  has a width of approximately 7½ inches, while the cuff  212  of sleeve  204  has a width at the opening of approximately 5⅞ inches. In each of the exemplary sleeves above, the cuff portion of the sleeves should have a sufficient height to provide a significant amount of contact with the portable electronic device when the portable electronic device passes through the associated openings. In the embodiments shown in  FIG. 2 , the heights of cuff  208  and cuff  212  are both approximately 1⅜ inches; however, other heights greater or smaller than 1⅜ inches can be used in other embodiments. 
       FIG. 3  shows a schematic of protective cleaning sleeve  100  that is cut open along seams to demonstrate various exemplary material configurations for protective cleaning sleeve  100  in accordance with some embodiments described herein. As can be seen in  FIG. 3 , sleeve  102  has been separated into two halves, i.e., a left half sleeve including left half pouch  102 - 1  plus left half cuff  102 - 1 , and right half pouch  102 - 2  and right half cuff  104 - 2 . Because each of pouch  102  and cuff  104  can be configured in a two-layer configuration, the following discussion of the material composition refers to either a single layer configuration of protective cleaning sleeve  100  or the interior/inner layer material composition of a two-layer configuration of protective cleaning sleeve  100 . 
     In some embodiments, entire cuff  104  (i.e., both left half cuff  104 - 1  and right half cuff  104 - 2 ) is made from a fabric having desired cleaning properties, such as microfiber. In these embodiments, pouch  102  can be made from a stretchable fabric other than microfiber, such as bamboo. In some embodiments, only half of sleeve  100  is made from a fabric having desired cleaning properties, such as microfiber, wherein the half of sleeve  100  with cleaning properties can be either left half cuff  104 - 1  plus left half pouch  102 - 1 , or right half cuff  104 - 2  plus right half pouch  102 - 2 . In these embodiments, the other half of sleeve  100  can be made from a stretchable fabric other than microfiber, such as bamboo. In some other embodiments, only half of cuff  104  (i.e., either left half cuff  104 - 1  or right half cuff  104 - 2 ) is made from a fabric having desired cleaning properties, such as microfiber. In these embodiments, the rest of sleeve  100  other than the half of cuff  104  having cleaning properties can be made from a stretchable fabric other than microfiber, such as bamboo. In still other embodiments, up to ¾ but no more than ¾ of entire sleeve  100  is made from a fabric having desired cleaning properties, such as microfiber, while the remaining portion of no less than ¼ of sleeve  100  is made from a stretchable fabric other than microfiber, such as bamboo. And in still other embodiments just pouch  102 - 1  or  102 - 2  can be made of fabric having the desired cleaning properties. 
     Table 2 presents a list of exemplary material compositions and dimensions of exemplary protective cleaning sleeves for small-size tablet devices in accordance with some embodiments described herein. As can be seen from the Table 2 below, the first exemplary sleeve is made entirely from bamboo fabric, the second exemplary sleeve is made from bamboo in the entire pouch portion and half of the cuff portion, while other half of the cuff portion is made from microfiber. In the third exemplary sleeve half of the pouch portion and half of the cuff portion are made from bamboo fiber, while other half of the pouch portion and the other half of cuff portion are made from microfiber. 
     
       
         
           
               
             
               
                 TABLE 2 
               
             
            
               
                   
               
               
                 Small Sleeve Dimensions and Compositions 
               
            
           
           
               
               
               
               
            
               
                 Fabric Interior 
                 Width of Pouch 
                 Length of Pouch 
                 Width of Cuff 
               
               
                   
               
            
           
           
               
               
               
               
            
               
                 All bamboo 
                 5.5 
                 8.25 
                 3.25 
               
               
                 Bamboo with ½ 
                 5.5 
                 8.25 
                 5 
               
               
                 cuff in microfiber 
               
               
                 ½ bamboo/½ 
                 5.75 
                 8.5 
                 5 
               
               
                 microfiber 
               
               
                 Body and cuff 
               
               
                 Fabric with extra 
                 5.75 
                 8.5 
                 4.75 
               
               
                 stretch take cuff 
               
               
                 width down¼ inch 
               
               
                   
               
            
           
         
       
     
     Similarly, Table 3 presents a list of exemplary material compositions and dimensions of exemplary protective cleaning sleeves for large-size tablet devices in accordance with some embodiments described herein. 
                     TABLE 3                  Large Sleeve Dimensions and Compositions                             Fabric Interior   Width of Pouch   Length of Pouch   Width of Cuff                                     All bamboo   7.5   10.25   4.25       Bamboo with ½   7.5   10.25   6       cuff in microfiber       ½ bamboo/½   7.75   10.5   6       microfiber       Body and cuff       Fabric with extra   7.25   10.5   5.75       stretch take cuff       width down ¼ inch                    
Note that while Tables 2 and 3 listed various exemplary dimensions of the exemplary protective cleaning sleeves for small-size tablets and large-size tablets, other embodiments of the exemplary protective cleaning sleeves can have dimensions smaller than the ones listed in Table 2 to accommodate even smaller devices such as smartphones or dimensions larger than the ones listed in Table 3 to accommodate even larger devices such as laptop computers.
 
     Table 4 presents a list of exemplary material compositions and dimension of exemplary protective cleaning sleeves which are customized for a line of ASUS tablet devices in accordance with some embodiments described herein. 
     
       
         
           
               
             
               
                 TABLE 4 
               
             
            
               
                   
               
               
                 Customized Sleeve Dimensions and Compositions 
               
            
           
           
               
               
               
               
            
               
                 Fabric Interior 
                 Width of Pouch 
                 Length of Pouch 
                 Width of Cuff 
               
               
                   
               
            
           
           
               
               
               
               
            
               
                 All bamboo 
                 4.75 
                 8.25 
                 3.5 
               
               
                 Bamboo with ½ 
                 4.75 
                 8.25 
                 4.25 
               
               
                 cuff in microfiber 
               
               
                 ½ bamboo/½ 
                 5 
                 8.25 
                 4.5 
               
               
                 microfiber 
               
               
                 Body and cuff 
               
               
                 Fabric with extra 
                 5 
                 8.25 
                 4.25 
               
               
                 stretch take cuff 
               
               
                 width down ¼ inch 
               
               
                   
               
            
           
         
       
     
     In one embodiment, inserting the portable electronic device into the disclosed protective cleaning sleeve, such as sleeve  100 , requires expanding the width of the elastic opening of the cuff as the portable electronic device passes through the opening and makes contact with an inner surface of cuff with at least one surface of the portable electronic device. Hence, when the inner surface of the cuff contacting the surface of the portable electronic device has clean properties, the insertion operation can also clean the surface of the portable electronic device. When the portable electronic device is fully inserted into the pouch of the sleeve, the opening of the cuff reverts to its un-expanded configuration and substantially encloses the portable electronic device within the sleeve to substantially secure the portable electronic device within the sleeve. Once the portable electronic device is enclosed within the sleeve, a user may further manipulate the surface of the pouch to make contact with an inner surface of the pouch and a surface of the portable electronic device making contact with that inner surface to further clean the surface of the portable electronic device. 
     Similarly, when removing the portable electronic device from the sleeve, the elastic opening of the cuff is expanded and the portable electronic device is pulled through the expanded opening while the inner surface of the cuff makes contact with a surface of the portable electronic device to clean the surface of the portable electronic device throughout the remove process. Once the portable electronic device has been pulled completely through the opening of the cuff, the opening reverts to its un-expanded configuration. Because the disclosed sleeve allows the screen of a portable electronic device to be cleaned each time when the device is being inserted into or removed from the sleeve, the disclosed sleeve facilitates simplifying the device screen cleaning operation, increasing the cleaning frequencies, maintaining cleaning efficacy, and as a result, minimizing or eliminating damages to the screen and protecting the device from moisture both when the device is stored inside the protective cleaning sleeve and being used outside the protective cleaning sleeve. 
     In some embodiments, the disclosed protective cleaning sleeve can be turned inside out and used like a glove or mitt where a user can place a hand inside the turned sleeve, so that an inner surface having cleaning properties of the sleeve can be applied to the screen of the portable electronic device to either wipe-clean the entire screen surface or spot-clean sections of the screen. 
       FIG. 4  illustrates an exemplary protective cleaning sleeve  400  equipped with an accessory carrying mechanism in accordance with some embodiments described herein. As can be seen in  FIG. 4 , sleeve  400  is provided with an accessory carrying mechanism in the form of an elastic loop  406  that is attached at both ends with some portion of sleeve  400 . In some embodiments, the size of elastic loop  406  is configured to hold a charging cable or other accessories, such as a pen or stylus that a user often needs when carrying a portable electronic device inside sleeve  400 . Although elastic loop  406  is shown to be located at a location where cuff  404  and pouch  402  are joined together, elastic loop  406  may be located above or below the exemplary location shown in  FIG. 4 . 
       FIG. 5  illustrates an exemplary protective cleaning sleeve  500  equipped with a tie-on loop attached to an elastic loop for carrying a larger accessory in accordance with some embodiments described herein. As can be seen in  FIG. 5 , protective cleaning sleeve  500  includes a pouch  502 , a cuff  504  as described above, and an elastic loop  506  similar to elastic loop  406  shown in  FIG. 4  for attaching an accessory of an portable electronic device. Compared to protective cleaning sleeve  400 , a tie-on loop  508  is added in protective cleaning sleeve  500  which is attached to elastic loop  506 . In some embodiments, tie-on loop  508  is made of a bendable stick that can be used to secure an accessory such as an electrical cord and plug by twisting around the accessory. In some embodiments, tie-on loop  508  can have a securing mechanism such as a magnetic clasp, snap, Velcro® to secure an accessory with sleeve  500 . 
       FIG. 6  presents a photographic image of a manufactured protective cleaning sleeve  600  based on the design of protective cleaning sleeve  500  in  FIG. 5  in accordance with some embodiments described herein. As can be seen in  FIG. 6 , protective cleaning sleeve  600  includes a pouch  602 , a cuff  604  as described above, and a tie-on loop  608  that is attached to sleeve  600  for attaching an accessory of a portable electronic device. As shown in  FIG. 6 , tie-on loop  608  is used to attach and retain a charging cable and power brick  610  of a portable electronic device. 
       FIG. 7  illustrates an exemplary protective cleaning sleeve  700  equipped with both an elastic loop  706  and an external pocket  712  in accordance with some embodiments described herein. As can be seen in  FIG. 7 , protective cleaning sleeve  700  includes a pouch  702 , a cuff  704  as described above, and an elastic loop  706  similar to elastic loop  406  shown in  FIG. 4  for attaching an accessory of an portable electronic device. Additionally, protective cleaning sleeve  700  includes a slim profile external pocket  712 , the size and shape of that can be determined based on the pen or stylus used by the portable electronic device. In the embodiment shown, external pocket  712  also includes a flap  714  that can be closed over the opening of external pocket  712  to securely enclose a pen or stylus once the pen or stylus has been placed inside external pocket  712 . Although external pocket  712  is shown to be located on the same side of sleeve  700  as elastic loop  702 , external pocket  712  can also be located on the opposite side (e.g., the back side) of sleeve  700 . In some embodiments, external pocket  712  can be located on either the left or the right edge of pouch  702 . In further embodiments, instead of using an external pocket, an internal pocket inside sleeve  700  can be used in place of external pocket  712  as a pocket for a pen or stylus. 
     While external pocket  712  is configured with a size and shape suitable for a pen or stylus, other embodiments of the disclosed protective cleaning sleeve can be equipped with an external pocket having other sizes and shapes for carrying other accessories or personal effects. For example, an exemplary external pocket on a protective cleaning sleeve can be configured with a size and shape suitable for enclosing a pair of glasses. 
       FIG. 8A  illustrates an exemplary protective cleaning sleeve  800  equipped with a closing mechanism for closing the opening of the protective cleaning sleeve in accordance with some embodiments described herein. As shown in  FIG. 8 , the closing mechanism includes a piece  810  that is folded over the opening of cuff  804  and a piece  812  that fastens piece  810  onto pouch  802 . In some embodiments, piece  810  can be made of fabric, cording, or ribbon or other similar material. In some embodiments, piece  812  is one of a button, a snap, a magnetic closure or other similar item for fastening piece  810  on the surface of pouch  802 . Note that the disclosed closing mechanism allows a portable electronic device to be more securely enclosed inside protective cleaning sleeve  800 . 
       FIG. 8B  presents a photographic image showing a manufactured protective cleaning sleeve having a closing mechanism based on the design of protective cleaning sleeve  800  in  FIG. 8A  in accordance with some embodiments described herein. In the embodiment shown, piece  810  is made of a fabric similar to the cuff while piece  812  is a snap.  FIG. 8C  presents a zoomed-in photographic image showing more details of the closing mechanism of the manufactured protective cleaning sleeve in  FIG. 8B . 
       FIG. 9A  illustrates an exemplary protective cleaning sleeve  900  equipped with another closing mechanism for closing the opening of the protective cleaning sleeve in accordance with some embodiments described herein. As shown in  FIG. 9A , a closing mechanism  910  in form of a drawstring is placed in the seam at the opening of cuff  904 , and is configured to close the opening when the drawstring is pulled. While the embodiment of sleeve  900  uses a drawstring to tighten or close the opening of sleeve  900 , other embodiments of closing mechanism  910  can include a snap, a button, a Velcro or other mechanisms which can be placed at the opening of cuff  904  to tighten or close the opening. 
     While the embodiment of sleeve  900  uses a drawstring around the seam at the opening of cuff  904 , other embodiments of closing mechanism  910  can use a drawstring placed around the opening of pouch  902  where cuff  904  and pouch  902  are joined.  FIG. 9B  presents a photographic image showing a manufactured protective cleaning sleeve having a drawstring placed around a neck of the sleeve where the pouch and the cuff are joined in accordance with some embodiments described herein.  FIG. 9C  presents a zoomed-in photographic image showing more details of the closing mechanism of the manufactured protective cleaning sleeve in  FIG. 9B . 
     Note that the disclosed protective cleaning sleeve can also be integrated with a larger carrying case for the convenience of carrying. For example,  FIG. 10  illustrates an exemplary protective cleaning sleeve  1000  being integrated with an outer case  1010  in accordance with some embodiments described herein. In the embodiment shown, pouch  1002  of sleeve  1000  is substantially inside outer case  1010  so that a portable electronic device inside pouch  1002  receives additional protection from outer case  1010 ; however, cuff  1004  of sleeve  1000  is substantially outside outer case  1010  to allow a portable electronic device to be easily inserted into or removed from pouch  1002 . 
     In contrast,  FIG. 11A  illustrates an exemplary protective cleaning sleeve (not visible) being integrated into a carrying/travel case  1110  in accordance with some embodiments described herein. In this embodiment, the entire sleeve is placed inside carrying/travel case  1110  for the maximum protection.  FIG. 11B  presents a photographic image showing a manufactured carrying/travel case  1110  integrated with a protective cleaning sleeve  1100  based on the design illustrated in  FIG. 11A  in accordance with some embodiments described herein. In the embodiment shown, protective cleaning sleeve  1100  is partially pulled out of carrying/travel case  1110  for illustration purposes.  FIG. 11C  presents a photographic image showing carrying/travel case  1110  when the integrated protective cleaning sleeve  1100  is entirely inside carrying/travel case  1110 . 
       FIG. 12A  illustrates an exemplary protective cleaning sleeve  1200  having a substantially uniform width in the cuff in accordance with some embodiments described herein. First referring back to the exemplary protective cleaning sleeve  100  illustrated and described in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , note that cuff  104  has a tapered side profile such that the width of cuff  104  is greater near pouch  102  and gradually tapers off and ends at a reduced width  112  at the opening  110  of cuff  104 . In contrast, in the exemplary protective cleaning sleeve  1200 , cuff  1204  is configured with a substantially uniform width  1212  throughout its height direction. Note that this design is enabled by the profile of pouch  102  near its opening which rapidly shrinks from the regular width  1206  of pouch  1202  to the width  1212  of cuff  1204 .  FIG. 12B  presents a photographic image showing a manufactured protective cleaning sleeve having a cuff profile based on the design of protective cleaning sleeve  1200  in  FIG. 12A  in accordance with some embodiments described herein. 
       FIG. 13A  presents a photographic image showing an exemplary protective cleaning sleeve  1300  in accordance with some embodiments described herein. As shown in  FIG. 13A , protective cleaning sleeve  1300  is partially folded over to expose an interior which is made of a cleaning material. Note that protective cleaning sleeve  1300  is essentially a pouch without a cuff, and the pouch has a snap closure mechanism. Moreover, the pouch is made sufficiently flexible so that it can be turned inside out to clean the screen. 
       FIG. 13B  presents a photographic image showing an exemplary protective cleaning sleeve  1310  in accordance with some embodiments described herein. Protective cleaning sleeve  1310  is similar to protective cleaning sleeve  1300  in that it has a pouch without a cuff. However, protective cleaning sleeve  1310  uses a zipper as the closure mechanism instead of a snap like in protective cleaning sleeve  1300 . Protective cleaning sleeve  1310  also includes an embellishment  1312  on the cover. Embellishment  1312  can be attached with sleeve interior or on a sleeve with half microfiber inside for stability.  FIG. 13C  shows a zoomed-in view of the opening of protective cleaning sleeve  1310  in accordance with some embodiments described herein. 
       FIG. 14A  presents a photographic image showing an exemplary protective cleaning sleeve  1400  fitted into a cover  1410  in accordance with some embodiments described herein. More specifically,  FIG. 14A  shows protective cleaning sleeve  1400  having been partially pulled out from cover  1410  and cuff  1404  of sleeve  1400  folded down and over pouch  1402 . In the particular embodiment, microfiber is used on half of cuff  1404  and pouch  1402 . For other portions of sleeve  1400  inside and outside, bamboo is used which can also be used to clean the screen of a portable electronic device. In some embodiments, sleeve  1400  is made without a cover and the entire sleeve inside and out can be used for cleaning.  FIG. 14B  presents a photographic image showing protective cleaning sleeve  1400  with an unfolded cuff  1404  in accordance with some embodiments described herein. 
       FIG. 15A  presents a photographic image showing an exemplary carrying case  1500  with a protective cleaning sleeve inside (not invisible) in accordance with some embodiments described herein. As shown in  FIG. 15 , carrying case  1500  includes a zipper pocket  1502  which is configured to contain accessories such as cleaning solution, business cards, cording, stylus, pen, etc. In the embodiment show, the accessories are held inside zipper pocket  1502  by individual Velcro loops, such as Velcro loop  1504 . In other embodiments, accessory attachments inside zipper pocket  1502  are elastic loops instead of Velcro loops. In further embodiments, accessory attachments inside zipper pocket  1502  can include both Velcro loops and elastic loops. Although not shown in  FIG. 15A , one or more Velcro loops for accessory attachment can also be outside zipper pocket  1502  and fitted directly on the surface of carrying case  1500 . In the particular embodiment, carrying case  1500  and zipper pocket  1502  are made with laminated fabric. 
       FIG. 15B  shows a zoomed-out view of carrying case  1500  in accordance with some embodiments described herein. As can be seen, carrying case  1500  additionally includes a wristlet handle  1506  as an add-on. Although not visible, the protective cleaning sleeve inside carrying case  1500  can also include a wristlet handle as an add-on. 
     While the above discussion assumes the use of the disclosed protective cleaning sleeve as to enclose a portable electronic device, the disclosed protective cleaning sleeve can be used to enclose a portable electronic device inside a separate protective case to keep the case clean without departing from the scope of the descriptions herein. For example, the disclosed protective cleaning can enclose an Apple iPad™ inside an Apple Smart Cover™ to keep the case clean. Other protective cases that can be used on an portable electronic device such as a tablet and is subsequently enclosed by the disclosed protective cleaning sleeve include: Incase&#39;s Keyboard case, book jacket, Origami jacket, Mag snap case, Otterbox protective case, Leather cases, Magnetic cases, Folio&#39;s Turn folio flip cover, Padded case, Flip stand, and Kickstand case, among others. In these embodiments, the disclosed protective cleaning sleeve can also be used to clean the protective case and the portable electronic device inside the protective case when the protective cleaning sleeve is turned inside out and used as a cleaning glove as discussed above. 
     In other embodiments, the disclosed protective cleaning sleeve can also be used to carry accessories such as a keyboard or tablet stand of a tablet provided that such accessories are of substantially the same size as the tablet. For example, a protective cleaning sleeve can fit over a tablet with a keyboard or a stand attached to the tablet to keep both the tablet and the accessory clean. The internal cleaning function of the protective cleaning sleeve may not be necessary in this example because the tablet screen is typically covered by the case or the keyboard. However, once the tablet is taken out of the case, the protective cleaning sleeve can be used to clean the screen of the tablet. 
     The above description of the disclosed embodiments is provided to enable any person skilled in the art to make or use the invention as claimed. Various modifications to these embodiments will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the generic principles described herein can be applied to other embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of the descriptions herein. Thus, it is to be understood that the description and drawings presented herein represent example embodiments and are therefore merely representative. It is further understood that the scope of the claims fully encompasses other embodiments that may become clear to those skilled in the art and that the scope of the claims is accordingly not limited by the specified embodiments disclosed herein.