Patent Publication Number: US-2018038668-A1

Title: Electronic tablet case and firearm holder

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     In accordance with 37 C.F.R. 1.76, a claim of priority is included in an Application Data Sheet filed concurrently herewith. Accordingly, the present invention claims priority as a continuation to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/748,302. Entitled “Electronic Tablet Case and Firearm Holder”, filed Jun. 24, 2015, which claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/016,313, entitled “Electronic Tablet Case and Firearm Holder”, filed Jun. 24, 2014. The contents of the above referenced applications are incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates generally to cases for carrying a firearm and, more specifically, to a device for concealing a firearm within an electronic tablet case. 
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART 
     Firearms are used for personal protection. To be effective, firearms must be readily accessible and are commonly found in waist belts and shoulder holsters worn by law enforcement officers. Many off-duty officers do not wish to publicly display firearms, and numerous states have now enacted concealed weapon permits that allow permitted citizens to carry a concealed firearm. This has led to an increase in the sale of firearms as violent crimes continue to exist. 
     It can be problematic for a citizen to carry a firearm in a conventional waist or shoulder holster. Open display of a firearm, even by an off duty officer, can invoke an undesired confrontation. For this reason, a number of prior art references are directed to the carrying of a firearm in an auxiliary or disguisable case. U.S. Pat. No. 3,589,062 discloses a guitar having a hinged door for placement of a firearm. U.S. Pat. No. 5,170,919 discloses a belt to be worn around an individual&#39;s waist, the belt having a carrying pouch for placement of a firearm. U.S. Pat. No. 5,294,031 discloses a fanny pack having a compartment for placement of a firearm. U.S. Pat. No. 5,374,919 discloses a pack body that is worn about an individual&#39;s waist and includes a compartment for concealing a firearm. U.S. Pat. No. 5,495,967 discloses a carrier having a quick release access for placement of a firearm. U.S. Pat. No. 5,584,424 discloses a pouch for securement of a firearm; the pouch appears to be a cellular telephone case. U.S. Pat. No. 5,662,219 discloses a case shaped to resemble an organizer for placement of a firearm. U.S. Pat. No. 5,671,830 discloses a briefcase with a hidden compartment for placement of a firearm. U.S. Pat. No. 5,924,565 discloses a zippered article case for placement of a firearm. U.S. Pat. No. 5,967,393 discloses a carrying case that has the appearance of a portable phone/radio with a hidden compartment for placement of a firearm. U.S. Pat. No. 8,074,477 discloses a storage device for quick access to a firearm. U.S. Patent Publication No. 2007/0000965 discloses a case for placement of a firearm, the case having sub-panels allowing the case to be used for storing various items in addition to the firearm. U.S. Patent Publication No. 2008/0047860 discloses a briefcase that operates as a ballistic shield and a firearm holder. U.S. Patent Publication No. 2010/0025446 discloses a backpack for placement of a firearm. U.S. Patent Publication No. 2011/0290837 discloses a rack lock frame for attachment to a motorcycle and placement of a firearm. 
     What is lacking in the art is a case for concealing a firearm that is inconspicuous in business environments. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Disclosed is an electronic tablet case capable of concealing a firearm. The case is formed from a housing having closeable panels that are hingedly connected, defining an interior and exterior. The exterior of one of the panels includes mounting elements for securing to an electronic tablet. The interior of one panel includes at least one support element for holding a firearm in position. The panels can be secured together by use of a zipper, hook &amp; loop, mechanical or electronic latch or the like fastener. The mounting element may consist of hook &amp; loop fasteners or include a bracket attachment for use with or without a cover panel to protect the tablet. Where a cover panel is employed, openings for charger access, volume access, microphone access, speaker access, fingerprint identification, and power switch access are contemplated. In addition, an aperture sized to reveal an electronic tablet logo can be positioned, such as that to disclose the IPAD Apple® logo. The result is a case that looks like an IPAD case but provides a concealed and readily accessible firearm. 
     It is an objective of the instant invention to provide a firearm case that does not attract attention. 
     It is a further objective of the instant invention to provide a firearm case disguised as an electronic tablet holder. 
     It is a further objective of the present invention to provide a firearm case that makes the weapon available for immediate access. 
     Another objective of the present invention is to provide a firearm case that can carry one of a variety of different sized hand guns concealed inside. 
     Still another objective of this invention is to provide a case that is handy, inconspicuous and acceptable in most any environment. 
     It is yet another objective of this invention to provide an apparatus that, when closed, functions as an electronic tablet case and can unobtrusively conceal a weapon inside. 
     It is a further objective of this invention to provide adjustable fasteners to maintain the firearm and any accessory in a secure position within the case. 
     It is a still further objective of this invention to provide a case that enables the firearm to be extracted quickly. Other objectives and further advantages and benefits associated with this invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the description, examples and claims which follow. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an IPAD used in a first embodiment construction; 
         FIG. 2A  is a top view of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 2B  is a left side view of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 2C  is a top side view of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 2D  is a right side view of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of  FIG. 1  in an open position; 
         FIG. 4A  is a left side view of  FIG. 3 ; 
         FIG. 4B  is a top view of  FIG. 3 ; 
         FIG. 4C  is a front view of  FIG. 3 ; 
         FIG. 4D  is a right side view of  FIG. 3 ; 
         FIG. 5A  is a perspective view of a case used in the first embodiment construction; 
         FIG. 5B  is a top view of the embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 5A ; 
         FIG. 5C  is a left side view of the embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 5A ; 
         FIG. 5D  is a front view of the embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 5A ; 
         FIG. 5E  is a right side view of the embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 5A ; 
         FIG. 5F  is a section view taken along lines  5 F- 5 F of  FIG. 5C ; 
         FIG. 5G  is a section view taken along lines  5 G- 5 G of  FIG. 5D ; 
         FIG. 6A  is a perspective view of the IPAD and case of the first embodiment; 
         FIG. 6B  is a section view taken along lines  6 B- 6 B of  FIG. 6A ; 
         FIG. 6C  is a left side view of the embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 6A ; 
         FIG. 6D  is a front view of the embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 6A ; 
         FIG. 6E  is a top view of the embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 6A ; 
         FIG. 6F  is a section view taken along lines  6 F- 6 F of  FIG. 6E ; 
         FIG. 6G  is a section view taken along lines  6 G- 6 G of  FIG. 6E ; 
         FIG. 7A  is a perspective view of an IPAD used in a second embodiment construction; 
         FIG. 7B  is a top view of the embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 7A ; 
         FIG. 7C  is a left side view of the embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 7A ; 
         FIG. 7D  is a front view of the embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 7A ; 
         FIG. 7E  is a right side view of the embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 7A ; 
         FIG. 8A  is a perspective view of the IPAD of  FIG. 7  in an open position; 
         FIG. 8B  is a top view of the embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 8A ; 
         FIG. 8C  is a front view of the embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 8A ; 
         FIG. 8D  is a right side view of the embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 8A ; 
         FIG. 9  is a left side view of the embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 8A ; 
         FIG. 10  is a partial view illustrating one embodiment of a rail mount; 
         FIG. 11  is a perspective view of a case used in the second embodiment construction; 
         FIG. 12A  is a top view of  FIG. 11 ; 
         FIG. 12B  is a left side view of  FIG. 11 ; 
         FIG. 12C  is an enlarged view taken along lines  12 C- 12 C of the zippers of  FIG. 12B ; 
         FIG. 12D  is a front view of the embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 11 ; 
         FIG. 12E  is a right side view of the embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 11 ; 
         FIG. 12F  is a partial view taken along lines  12 F- 12 F of  FIG. 12D ; 
         FIG. 13A  is a perspective view of the IPAD and case of the second embodiment; 
         FIG. 13B  is an enlarged view taken along lines  13 B- 13 B of  FIG. 13A , illustrating the rail attachment; 
         FIG. 13C  is a left side view of the embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 13A ; 
         FIG. 13D  is a front view of the embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 13A ; 
         FIG. 14A  is a top view of  FIG. 13A ; 
         FIG. 14B  is an enlarged cross sectional view taken along lines  14 B- 14 B of  FIG. 14A ; 
         FIG. 14C  is an enlarged cross sectional view taken along lines  14 C- 14 C of  FIG. 14A ; 
         FIG. 15  is a perspective view of a biometric zipper embodiment on a case; 
         FIG. 16  is a perspective view of a biometric zipper embodiment of the case in  FIG. 15  in an open position; 
         FIG. 17A  is a rear view of  FIG. 15 ; 
         FIG. 17B  is a left side view of  FIG. 15 ; 
         FIG. 17C  is a top view of  FIG. 15 ; 
         FIG. 18  is a pictorial view of one embodiment of the case with a firearm; 
         FIG. 19  is a pictorial view of the case with a stun gun and pepper spray; 
         FIG. 20A  is a pictorial view of the case with a GPS locator; 
         FIG. 20B  is a left side view of  FIG. 20A ; 
         FIG. 21  is a rear view of  FIG. 20A ; 
         FIG. 22  is a bottom view of  FIG. 20A ; 
         FIG. 23  is a perspective view of a third embodiment; 
         FIG. 24  is a perspective view of  FIG. 23  in an open position; 
         FIG. 25  is a perspective view of the IPAD illustrated in  FIG. 23  separated from the case; 
         FIG. 26  is a perspective view of a firearm placed within a case formed from the third embodiment; 
         FIG. 27  is a front left perspective view of one embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 28  is a rear right perspective view of the embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 27 ; 
         FIG. 29  is a rear right perspective view of the embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 27 ; 
         FIG. 30  is a front view of the embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 27 ; 
         FIG. 31  is a bottom side view thereof; 
         FIG. 32  is a top view thereof; 
         FIG. 33  is left side view thereof; 
         FIG. 34  is a rear view thereof; 
         FIG. 35  is a front right perspective view illustrating the device in a partially open position; 
         FIG. 36  is a right side view illustrating the device in a partially open position; 
         FIG. 37  is a perspective view illustrating the top cover in a position which allows access to the electronic device; 
         FIG. 38  is a side view illustrating the top cover in an alternate position; 
         FIG. 39  is a perspective view of the top cover in an alternate position as shown in  FIG. 38 ; 
         FIG. 40  is a rear perspective view of the top cover in an alternate position as shown in  FIG. 38 ; 
         FIG. 41  is a rear perspective view illustrating the firearm access door in an open position; 
         FIG. 42  is a rear perspective view illustrating the firearm access door in an open position; 
         FIG. 43  is a rear perspective view illustrating the firearm access door in an open position and a firearm in position; 
         FIG. 44  is a partial rear side view illustrating a portion of the ports for connection to the electronic tablet device through the covers of the present device; 
         FIG. 45  is a partial rear side view illustrating a portion of the ports for connection to the electronic tablet device through the covers of the present device; 
         FIG. 46  is a perspective view illustrating the electronic control cartridge of the present device; 
         FIG. 47  is a partial perspective view illustrating the electronic control cartridge of the present device having the upper case removed; and 
         FIG. 48  is a partial perspective view illustrating the electronic control cartridge of the present device having the upper case removed. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Detailed embodiments of the instant invention are disclosed herein; however, it is to be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the invention, which may be embodied in various forms. Therefore, specific functional and structural details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a basis for the claims and as a representation basis for teaching one skilled in the art to variously employ the present invention in virtually any appropriately detailed structure. 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 1, 2A, 2B, 2C and 2D , set forth is a first embodiment depicting a closed IPAD case  15 , having a segmented, three-piece shell consisting of a rear portion  12 , a frontal portion  14  and a bottom portion  16 , connected with a flexible outer skin operating as a living hinge to allow for opening and concealment of the IPAD  10 . The shell  18  includes access ports for a speaker  20 , speaker jack  21 , IPAD charger  22 , volume access  24 , power button access  23 , microphone access  25 , and camera access  26 . Typical of APPLE is placement of a logo within the middle of the case, and an aperture window  28  is provided so that the logo can be readily viewed. 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 3, 4A, 4B, 4C, and 4D , set forth is an open IPAD  10  with the IPAD case  15  folded back with the rear portion  12  providing support, the frontal portion  14  adhering to the top of the IPAD  10 , and a removable keyboard  30  revealed once the IPAD has been lifted. A rear section  12 , frontal section  14  and bottom section  16  are further illustrated in  FIG. 4A  with hinge points  32  and  34 , which operate as a living hinge for positioning of the IPAD in an upright position. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 5A, 5B, 5C, 5D, 5E, 5F and 5G , depicting the storage case  40  having a first closable panel  42  hingedly secured to a second closable panel  44 . The exterior of the first panel  42  includes mounting elements  46 ,  48  and  50 , which operate as a latch to secure the aforementioned IPAD  10  to the first panel  42 . The mounting elements  46 ,  48  and  50  are constructed and arranged to engage the bottom section  16  ( FIGS. 3 and 4A ), which allows for ease of removal if the IPAD is to be separated from the case  40 . The mounting elements  46 - 50 , in the preferred embodiment, are flexible rails having a C-shape. The C-shape allows the rails to flex sufficiently to snap over a portion of the IPAD  10  or IPAD case  15 . In another embodiment the rails slide into a track provided along the side of the IPAD case. The release latch  49  is also flexible and snaps over a rear portion of the IPAD case  15  to provide three point containment and location for the IPAD. The first  42  and second  44  closable panels can be sealed together by use of a zipper  52  which covers three sides of the case, sealing the interior of the case when the zipper is in a closed position, or allowing access to the interior of the case when the zipper is in an open position. Hinge  53  allows the case to be opened and closed as desired by the user. In the preferred embodiment the hinge is a living hinge. However, any type of hinge known in the art may be utilized without departing from the scope of the invention. It should be noted that most any type of fastener can be used in place of a zipper, including snaps, hook and loop, magnets and the like. It should also be noted that while an IPAD case  15  is illustrated as including the bottom portion  16  for attachment to the case  40 , the bottom portion may be omitted or built into the first panel  42  of the case to provide a low profile embodiment (not shown) without departing from the scope of the invention. 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 6A-6G , depicted is the case  15  with the IPAD  10  attached to the case by use of the rail type attachment mechanism  46 - 50  and release latch  49 .  FIG. 6B  is an enlargement of the rail type mounting elements  46 - 50  which engage the bottom section  16  for maintaining the IPAD in position. As illustrated, a portion of the rail type attachment snaps or slides over a portion of the IPAD case  15  to provide two points of contact and location. The third contact and location point is provided by the release latch  48 , which also catches on a portion of the case  15  to provide a secure attachment between the two. 
       FIGS. 7A-E ,  8 A-D,  9 , and  10  depict a second embodiment wherein IPAD  60  includes a rear section  62 , a front section  64  and a bottom section  68 . In this embodiment, the lower section  68  includes a low-profile rail mount  70  that would be used to engage the case. As with the previous embodiment, the front section  64 , rear section  62  and bottom section  68  are coupled together by a flexible outer skin forming a living hinge  72 ,  74 . 
     Now referring to  FIG. 11 , illustrated is a case  80 , having tumbler zipper locks  82 . As in the previous embodiment, the case is a housing having a first closable panel  84  connected to a second closable panel  86 , defining the interior and exterior of the housing. The exterior of the first panel  84  has a low-profile rail mount  88  and  90  or “IAS” which runs along the length of the case. A release latch  92  is used for coupling to the bottom section  68  for securing the IPAD  10  in position. In this embodiment, the case may be formed to include hard outer panels which may be formed of plastic, metal, carbon fiber or a suitable combination thereof. 
     Referring to  FIG. 12A , the case may include a nylon carrying strap  94  to allow ease of transportation, carrying strap  94  including connection to the IPAD, not shown in this Figure. 
       FIG. 12B  illustrates the tumbler zipper locks  82  which, in this embodiment, have an integrated tumble key lock depicted in  FIG. 12C . The low-profile rail mount  88  is illustrated in  FIG. 12C  and runs a partial length of the case. 
     Referring to  FIG. 13A , the case  80  is shown with the IPAD  60  mounted thereon by use of the low-profile rail mount  88  and release latch  92 .  FIG. 13B  is an enlargement of the low profile rail mount  88 . 
       FIG. 14A  further illustrates the release latch  92 , showing coupling to the bottom section  86  in  FIG. 14C . The low-profile rail mount  88  is depicted in  FIG. 14B  coupling to bottom section  86 . 
       FIG. 15  depicts a storage case  100 , which includes biometric zipper locks  102 . The biometric zipper lock is battery powered and placed within the corner of the interior  101  in a battery powered biometric zipper lock  102 .  FIG. 17A  illustrates one embodiment of the biometric sensor  101  to biometric zipper locks  102  located along a side of the case  100 , which requires the individual to display the correct fingerprint in order to unlock the case and access firearm placed therein. 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 18-19 , shown is case  110  having an IPAD  112  mounted on top of the first panel  114 . The interior of the second panel  116  includes a first holder  118  for securement of a firearm  120 . A second holder  122  is used for holding ammunition, such as an ammo clip  124 . As illustrated in  FIG. 19 , the firearm may be a stun gun  126  and a can of mace  128 , all of which are again concealed within the compartment and placed beneath the IPAD. 
       FIGS. 20A and 20B  set forth yet another embodiment with a case  130  having a GPS locator  132  with an internal panic button  134 , wherein a firearm is replaced with a detection device for those who do not agree with self-defense, but would rather look for outside help. As shown in  FIG. 21 , the case  130  may include a baton  133  or safety light for self-defense. 
     Shown in  FIG. 22  is a case  130  with an external panic button  135  for operating the GPS locator device  132  described in  FIGS. 20A and 20B . 
       FIG. 23  depicts a conventional IPAD case  140  placed on top of a firearm case  142 . 
       FIG. 24  illustrates the IPAD in an open position with the screen display  144  and a wireless keyboard  146  positioned on top of the firearm case  142 . 
       FIG. 25  depicts the conventional IPAD case  140  having a bottom surface  148  and a series of hook and loop attachments  150  securable to the firearm case  142 , having reciprocal hook and loop attachments  152 . 
       FIG. 26  illustrates the firearm case  142  having an interior  154 , with firearm  156  placed within a holster  158  and clip  160  secured by a hook and loop strap  162 . 
     Now referring generally to  FIGS. 27-48 , an alternative embodiment of the firearm concealing electronic tablet case  200  is illustrated. The electronic tablet case  200  includes a first shell panel  212  hingedly connected to a second shell panel  214 . The second shell panel  214  is hingedly connected to a rear shell panel  216 . The rear shell panel  216  includes a plurality of sidewalls  218  extending substantially perpendicular with respect to the rear shell panel  216  and away from said first and said second shell panels. A rear cover panel  220  ( FIG. 28 ) connects said sidewalls  218  to define a hollow interior portion  222  ( FIG. 41 ). The rear cover panel  220  is preferably curved along the longitudinal axis of the case for ergonomics. An access door  224  forms a portion of the rear cover panel  220 . The access door  224  is hingedly connected to the rear cover panel  220  for movement between an open and a closed position. A lock assembly  226  having a catch  228  and a latch member  230  ( FIG. 43 ) is for controllably preventing the release of the access door to unauthorized user&#39;s. In the preferred embodiment, the lock assembly is an electronic lock having at least one battery and the electronics for operation of the electronic lock positioned within the hollow interior portion  222  of the electronic tablet case. In at least one embodiment, the electronic lock assembly  226  is biometrically operated. In this embodiment, a biometric identifier  232  is provided wherein a user may slide his/her finger onto the biometric identifier  232  for identification through fingerprint or the like. If the user is properly identified, the electronic lock assembly  226  will allow the access door  224  to be opened for access to the hollow interior portion  222  of the electronic tablet case. The hollow interior portion  222  includes a support member for securing a weapon therein. In a most preferred embodiment, the weapon is a handgun  234  ( FIG. 43 ). Alternatively, a stun gun, pepper spray or the like may be stored within the hollow interior portion  222  without departing from the scope of the invention. Holsters or the like (not shown) may also be inserted or secured within the hollow interior portion to prevent the weapon from unintended movement. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 35-40 , an inside portion of said first shell panel  212  includes mounting elements  240  for securing an electronic tablet thereto. In a preferred embodiment, the mounting elements comprise plastic members that can be flexed sufficiently to snap over a portion of the electronic tablet to hold the tablet and the panel together. The second shell panel  214  is hingedly connected to the first shell panel via hinges  242  ( FIG. 30 ). Alternatively, living or other types of hinges or the like may be utilized in place of the pin type hinges illustrated in  FIG. 27 . The second shell panel  214  is contoured to cover a part of the rear portion of an electronic tablet while in a closed position, e.g. when the screen portion of said electronic tablet is facing a rear surface of said rear shell panel as illustrated in  FIG. 27 . The second shell panel  214  includes a width  244  ( FIG. 27 ) which allows the second shell panel to be used as an angle brace ( FIGS. 38-40 ) for supporting the electronic tablet in an angled position with respect to the rear shell panel  216 . The first and second shell panels  212 ,  214  include access ports for speakers  20 , charger  22 , power button access  23 , volume control  24 , microphone, camera and the like which allows for full operation of the electronic tablet. Also present on versions for Apple products is an aperture window  28 , provided so that the logo can be readily viewed from the outside of the case. 
     In at least one embodiment, the firearm concealing electronic tablet case includes a panic button  250  positioned at a rear portion of the case close to where the hands of a user carrying the case would be. The panic button may be connected to a cell phone and a global positioning device (GPS) whereby the coordinates of the alarm could be sent to authorities and a phone line could be opened to allow an operator or police to hear what is happening in the vicinity of the case. In some embodiments the panic button may be a biometric button to prevent others from inadvertently activating the panic button. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 46-48 , one embodiment of an electronics module  260  is illustrated. The electronics module is preferably constructed from a plastic material and sized to fit within the hollow interior portion  222  of the case. The electronics module includes the biometric switch  232  for opening the electronic lock assembly which allows the access door to open. The electronics module also includes at least one battery  262  for operation of the electronics and the electronic lock assembly. Circuit board  264  is included for operation of the case and includes memory and a processor for allowing users to enter themselves into memory for biometric identification and the like. The circuit board also includes the chips required for operation of the global positioning system (GPS) and the cell phone. Buttons  266  and  268  allow the user to enter their biometrics into the memory for operation of the case. 
     All patents and publications mentioned in this specification are indicative of the levels of those skilled in the art to which the invention pertains. It is to be understood that while a certain form of the invention is illustrated, it is not to be limited to the specific form or arrangement herein described and shown. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes may be made without departing from the scope of the invention and the invention is not to be considered limited to what is shown and described in the specification and any drawings/figures included herein. 
     One skilled in the art will readily appreciate that the present invention is well adapted to carry out the objectives and obtain the ends and advantages mentioned, as well as those inherent therein. The embodiments, methods, procedures and techniques described herein are presently representative of the preferred embodiments, are intended to be exemplary and are not intended as limitations on the scope. Changes therein and other uses will occur to those skilled in the art which are encompassed within the spirit of the invention and are defined by the scope of the appended claims. Although the invention has been described in connection with specific preferred embodiments, it should be understood that the invention as claimed should not be unduly limited to such specific embodiments. Indeed, various modifications of the described modes for carrying out the invention which are obvious to those skilled in the art are intended to be within the scope of the following claims.