Abstract:
A protective case for a mobile device having a multi-layered construction is disclosed. The multi-layered construction includes two layers co-molded to one another and produces a lightweight and low-profile case providing a high level of impact protection. The first layer generally forms the internal rigid shell of the case, and the second layer forms the external soft shell of the case which may include a perforated pattern of holes. The first layer is comprised of material that has a hardness greater than the second layer. The layers are configured to interact with one another so that they are capable of distributing and absorbing impact forces to mitigate damage to the mobile device. The first layer includes apertures in which the second layer forms buttons corresponding to mobile device user controls. The second layer also bonds through attachment openings at the corners of the first layer.

Description:
INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of priority to U.S. Provisional Application Nos. 62/100,059, filed Jan. 5, 2015 and 62/134,560, filed Mar. 17, 2015. Both of the above-referenced applications are hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entirety and are to be considered a part of this specification. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0003]    This patent document relates to user removable protective enclosures or cases for mobile devices and more particularly to such cases that have a unique integrated multi-layered construction. 
         [0004]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0005]    Mobile devices, such as smart phones, tablets, laptops and the like are known to sustain damage from impact and from contamination as a result of ingress of water or other fluid. The damage, for example, may result in a cracked screen, scratches on a finished surface, lost or damaged buttons or controls, cracked or bent external body components, and/or failed or malfunctioning electrical components. Protective cases have thus been provided to protect mobile devices from such and variant types of damage. 
         [0006]    Often such cases include outer surfaces formed of rigid plastic materials, which on the one hand can provide desirable protection, but on the other hand can be bulky, slippery or otherwise be unappealing to the touch or grip and depending on construction can result in reduced responsiveness of buttons and other mechanical interfaces on the case. Some or all of these shortcomings can detract from the user experience. 
         [0007]    Accordingly, it is here recognized that there is a continuing and ever increasing desire to minimize the bulk and weight of protective cases for mobile devices while maintaining a high level of protection, providing a more desirable, durable gripping surface, and incorporating more responsive buttons. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0008]    There exists a continuing need for new and improved designs for protective cases for mobile devices that provide high level of protection, yet are low profile. 
         [0009]    Disclosed are numerous aspects of a unique and inventive protective case configured to receive, retain and protect a mobile device that includes a front face and a back face that define the height of the mobile device, a perimeter defined by side extending between the front and back face, which in the illustrated implementation includes a top-end, a bottom-end, a right side, and a left side positioned between the front face and back face, and corners defined at the intersecting regions of the sides. The case may be configured for a mobile device that is in the form of a tablet, a mobile phone, an MP3 audio player, a gaming device, or other portable handheld electronic device. 
         [0010]    The case is generally formed of a multilayered construction that includes an inner relatively rigid support layer or shell that is wrapped or encased within a relatively less rigid and more elastic outer layer. The outer layer is comprised of a first or internal side and an opposing second or external side. The external and internal sides of the outer layer extend to the perimeter of the relatively rigid shell where they merge together around the perimeter of the shell to form a unitary component. The external and internal sides of the outer layer define inner and outer surfaces of the case, with the internal surfaces configured to face the mobile device for which the case is configured and the external surface defined to face away from the mobile device when the mobile device is received and retained within the case 
         [0011]    The relatively rigid support layer may be formed of polycarbonate, nylon fiber reinforced plastic, similarly rigid materials or a combination thereof. The relatively less rigid and more elastic outer layer or encasing may be formed of a silicone compound or the like. 
         [0012]    The inner rigid support layer may include one or more apertures that are configured to correspond with buttons or user controls on the mobile device. The internal side and external side of outer layer or encasing may be configured to merge within the button/control apertures to form buttons in the outer layer that reside within the apertures defined in the inner rigid support layer. Some apertures in the inner rigid support layer may remain uncovered by the outer layer, for example a camera window or other mobile device controls such as switches or ports for which it may be desirable to provide direct user access. The button/control apertures are configured to permit movement of the buttons within the apertures when a user presses the buttons. Additionally, the inner side and outer side of the outer layer are configured to be supported by the perimeter of the button/control aperture in the rigid inner layer so as to effectuate a trampoline effect that is capable of generating a dynamic button response. The opposing sides of the outer layer are configured to bias the button back toward an equilibrium position in response to being displaced in either direction. 
         [0013]    The outer layer may be perforated with one or more repeating patterns such as circular holes (or other shapes or combination of shapes) to allow visibility through the outer layer to the inner more rigid shell layer. The pattern itself may enhance aesthetic appeal and the inner rigid support layer may be formed of a different color than the outer layer to further provide contrast that may be appealable to the user. The perforated pattern in the outer layer also decreases the total weight and the amount of the material of the case as compared to an un-perforated outer layer. 
         [0014]    The inner and outer layers are configured to surround, receive and retain the mobile device within a retention compartment defined by the inner boundaries of the case. The inner and outer layers are co-molded to one another using a dual injection molding process wherein the inner layer is molded first and then the outer layer is molded on top of the inner layer so that the outer layer extends beyond and around the outer edges of the inner layer so as to effectively encase or envelope the inner layer within the outer layer. The buttons section formed by the outer layer within the apertures of the inner layer are thus extensions of the internal and external sides of the outer layer molded to both the outside and inside surface of the inner layer and are thereby supported and attached around the perimeter to both the inside and outside surfaces (or front and back surfaces) of the inner layer. 
         [0015]    The outer layer can be uniform in thickness in regions or throughout or have varying thickness in one or more regions. The thickness can, for example, be thinner at the edges of the holes that form the see-through perforated pattern. 
         [0016]    The corners of the case near the perimeter areas may be configured to include regions where the outer layer is laced or molded through attachment openings or apertures extending in or through the inner layer. For example, the corners of inner layer may include a plurality of attachment openings and a plurality of attachment connections between the inner and outer sides of the outer layer, such that the outer layer is effectively laced or molded through the attachment openings. A stronger bond may be thus formed between the inner and outer layers in those corner and perimeter regions, which may mitigate peeling of the outer layer from the inner layer in those areas and thereby provide greater durability. 
         [0017]    The attachment openings may vary in size, shape, position, and number. For example, in one embodiment, each corner of the inner rigid layer includes two attachment openings—one circular and one oblong in shape. The mold can be configured so that the outer layer at those openings forms protrusions that function as corner bumpers. The oblong shaped attachment opening and the corner bumper corresponding to the oblong shaped attachment opening may for example be greater in dimension than the attachment openings. In another embodiment, each corner of the inner rigid layer may include three attachment openings that are generally uniform in shape and are equally spaced apart from one another. The number and size of attachment openings and the size and dimension of the outer layer bumpers formed thereon may vary from a single opening and bumper on each corner to multiple openings and/or bumpers on each corner. 
         [0018]    Methods of manufacturing a protective case that includes one or more of the various foregoing aspects are also disclosed. Manufacturing steps may, for example, include: 
         [0019]    (1) co-molding two distinct layers within a mold to form an integrated protective case construct. 
         [0020]    (2) molding the first inner layer defined by first internal and external surfaces (or front and back surfaces) and dimensioned to cover at least a portion of the back face of the mobile device and extend around at least a portion of the perimeter of the mobile device at the back face boundary. The first inner layer may be further molded to include one or more control apertures dimensioned and positioned to allow access to control buttons or ports on the mobile device and one or more attachment openings positioned, for example, at the corners of the case. 
         [0021]    (3) co-molding a second layer over the internal and external surfaces of the inner layer around the perimeter regions of the first inner layer, the second layer being defined by corresponding inner and outer walls and dimensioned to cover one or more regions of the top, bottom, right and left sides of the mobile device and regions of the back and front face of the device. The second layer may be further molded to include a pattern of holes extending therethrough that define or form an arrangement of shapes selected for example from a group consisting of a square, octagon, pentagon, rectangle, triangle, circle, hexagon, heptagon or combination thereof. The pattern of holes in the outer layer are configured to visibly expose the underlying inner layer. The outer layer may be molded through the attachment openings at the corners to provide additional durability and resistance to peeling and may be molded to form protrusions or bumpers at the corners or elsewhere on the case. 
         [0022]    The various configuration, appearance, and construction aspects of the component layers, described above or otherwise herein (including as illustrated in the drawings) may be imparted by the molding process of the layer during one or more of the foregoing steps, or portions of any of the foregoing steps. 
         [0023]    Each of the foregoing and various aspects, together with those set forth in the claims and summarized above or otherwise disclosed herein, including the drawings, may be combined to form claims for a device, apparatus, system, method of manufacture, and/or use without limitation. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0024]    These and other features, aspects and advantages are described below with reference to the drawings, which are intended to illustrate but not to limit the invention. In the drawings, like reference characters denote corresponding features consistently throughout similar embodiments. 
           [0025]      FIG. 1  illustrates the back and front of protective case for a mobile device with the mobile device received within the cases. The mobile device depicted in the illustration is a depiction of an Apple iPhone 6 mobile phone. 
           [0026]      FIGS. 2A-2B  are front and back face perspective views, respectively, of the protective cases illustrated in  FIG. 1 . The perspective views are both taken from the right side. 
           [0027]      FIG. 3A  is another front perspective view of the protective case with the mobile device received within the case illustrated in  FIG. 2A . 
           [0028]      FIGS. 3B-3G  are front, back, left side, right side, top side and bottom side views of a protective case for a mobile device illustrated in  FIG. 3A . 
           [0029]      FIGS. 4A-4C  are front-right, front-left and back-left perspective views, respectively, of the protective cases illustrated in  FIG. 2A  with the mobile device removed from the case. 
           [0030]      FIGS. 5A-5B  are exploded views of the protective cases illustrated in  FIGS. 4A-4C  illustrating the inner layer removed from the co-molded outer layer encasing or sleeve. 
           [0031]      FIG. 5C  is a perspective front-left perspective view of the inner layer alone. 
           [0032]      FIG. 6A  is a cross-sectional view taken along plane  6 A- 6 A of  FIG. 5A  showing in greater detail the construction of the inner layer of the case. To provide a side-by-side comparison,  FIG. 6A  also includes a cross-sectional view of the outer layer along the same plane as applied to the outer layer alone when overlaid on the inner layer. 
           [0033]      FIG. 6B  is a perspective cross-sectional view taken along plane  6 B- 6 B of  FIG. 5A  showing in greater detail the construction of the inner layer of the case. To provide a side-by-side comparison,  FIG. 6B  includes a cross-sectional view of the outer layer along the same plane as applied to the outer layer alone when overlaid on the inner layer. 
           [0034]      FIG. 6C  is a cross-sectional view taken along plane  6 C- 6 C of  FIG. 4B  showing in greater detail the construction of the inner and outer layers of the case. 
           [0035]      FIG. 6D  is an enlarged view of the upper left side corner of the case illustrated in  FIG. 6C  showing in greater detail the construction of the inner and outer layers of the case and top left side of the case. 
           [0036]      FIG. 7A  is a cross-sectional view taken along plane  7 A- 7 A of  FIG. 3A  showing in greater detail the construction of the case with the internal construction of the mobile device phone being removed to allow greater visibility to the case compartment. 
           [0037]      FIG. 7B  is a cross-sectional view taken along plane  7 B- 7 B of  FIG. 3B  showing in greater detail the construction of the inner and outer layers of the case. 
           [0038]      FIGS. 8A-8B  are partial perspective and exploded views, respectively, of an embodiment of the case depicted in  FIG. 1 , wherein each of the corners of the inner layer of the case include two attachment openings one circular and one oblong shaped. The outer layer is molded through the attachment openings to provide greater durability and resistance to peeling. The outer layer may be molded to form protrusions that extend out from the attachment openings to form bumps for added protection in that region. 
           [0039]      FIGS. 9A-9B  are partial perspective and exploded views, respectively, of an embodiment of the case depicted in  FIG. 1 , wherein the corners of the inner layer of the case include three attachment openings all of which are generally uniformly shaped. The outer layer is molded through the attachment openings to provide greater durability and resistance to peeling. 
       
    
    
       [0040]    Each drawing is generally to scale and hence relative dimensions of the various layers and features may be determined from the drawings. 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0041]    As summarized above and illustrated in the drawings, disclosed herein are various aspects of a protective case for a mobile device capable of minimizing bulkiness and weight while providing an aesthetically appealing construction and maintaining a high level of protection. Many of those aspects are summarized above and illustrated in the drawings. 
         [0042]    The case  100  is generally formed of a multilayered construction that includes an inner relatively rigid support layer or shell  110  that is wrapped or encased within a relatively less rigid and more elastic outer layer  120 . The outer layer  120  is comprised of a first or internal side  230  and an opposing second or external side  240 . The external side  240  and internal side  230  of the outer layer  120  extend to the perimeter of the relatively rigid shell  110  where they merge around the shell  110  form a unitary component. 
         [0043]    The relatively rigid support layer  110  may be formed of polycarbonate, nylon fiber reinforced plastic, similarly rigid materials or a combination thereof. The relatively less rigid and more elastic outer layer or encasing  120  may be formed of a silicone compound or the like, such as neoprene or other synthetic rubbers. 
         [0044]    As shown in the drawings, a camera opening  144  extends through both support layer  110  and outer layer  120 , leaving a camera lens and camera flash of mobile device  10  unobstructed when mobile device  10  is received and retained in the protective case  10 . 
         [0045]    The inner rigid support layer  110  may include one or more apertures  190  that are configured to correspond with buttons or user controls  90  on the mobile device  10 . The internal side  230  and external side  240  of outer layer or encasing  120  are configured to merge within the button/control apertures  190  to form buttons  290  therein. To the extent shown in the figures, some apertures  190  may remain uncovered by outer layer or encasing  120 , allowing direct access to some user controls  90  of mobile device  10 . The button/control apertures  190  are configured to permit movement of the button  290  within the aperture  190  when the user presses the button  290 . The inner side  230  and outer side  240  of the relatively more elastic outer layer  120  are supported by the perimeter of the button aperture  190  of the rigid inner layer so as to effectuate a trampoline effect that is capable of biasing the button  290  back to equilibrium state and thereby generate a more dynamic button response. 
         [0046]    The outer layer  120  may be perforated with one or more repeating patterns such as circular holes  234  (or other shapes) to allow visibility through the outer layer  120  to the inner more rigid shell layer  110 . The pattern may enhance aesthetic appeal and the inner rigid support layer  110  may be formed of a different color than the outer layer  120 . The perforated pattern of holes  234  may serve to decrease the weight of the case whiling saving material and providing enhanced aesthetic appeal. 
         [0047]    The holes  234  may be comprised of any arrangement of shapes selected for example from a group consisting of a square, octagon, pentagon, rectangle, triangle, circle, hexagon and heptagon or combination thereof. 
         [0048]    The perforated pattern of holes  234  through the outer layer  120  walls may be a repeating or non-repeating pattern comprised of any arrangement of patterns selected for example from a group consisting of a geometric patterns, natural patterns, and software design patterns, or combination thereof. 
         [0049]    The inner and outer layers  110 ,  120  are configured to surround, receive and retain the mobile device  10  within a retention compartment defined by the case  100 . The inner and outer layers  110 ,  120  are co-molded to one another using a dual injection molding process wherein the inner layer  110  is molded first and then the outer layer  120  is molded on top of the inner layer  110  so that the outer layer  120  extends beyond and around the outer edges of the inner layer  110  so as to effectively encase the inner layer  110  within the outer layer  120 . The buttons section  290  formed by the outer layer  120  within the apertures  190  of the inner layer  110  are thus extensions of the internal  230  and external  240  sides of the outer layer  120  molded to both the outside and inside surfaces  130   140  of the inner layer  110  and thereby supported and attached around their perimeter to both opposing surfaces of the inner layer  110 . 
         [0050]    The outer layer  120  can be uniform in thickness in regions or throughout or have varying thickness in one or more regions. The thickness can for example be thinner at the edges of the holes  234  that form the see-through perforated pattern. This configuration may assist in keeping the holes  234  from catching on external objects and adding unnecessary stress to the adhesion between the inner and outer layers. 
         [0051]    The corners of the case  100  near the perimeter areas may be configured to include regions where the outer layer  120  is laced or molded through attachment openings extending in the inner layer  110 . As best illustrated in  FIGS. 8-9 , the inner layer  110  include a plurality of attachment openings  195  and a plurality of attachment connections  295  of the outer layer  120  molded there-through to effectively lace the internal and external sides  230 ,  240  of the outer shell  120  to one another through the inner shell  110 . A stronger bond can thereby be formed between the inner and outer layers  110 ,  120  in those corner and perimeter regions, which may mitigate peeling of the outer layer  120  from the inner layer  110  in those areas and thereby provide greater durability. 
         [0052]    The attachment openings  195  may vary in size, shape, position, and number. For example, in one embodiment, each corner of the inner rigid layer  110  includes two attachment openings  195 , one circular and one oblong in shape as shown in  FIGS. 8A-8B . The mold can be configured so that the outer layer  120  at those openings  195  forms protrusions that function as corner bumpers  296 . The oblong shaped attachment opening  195  and the corresponding corner protrusions or bumpers  296  may have the same or different dimensions. Thus, for example the bumpers  296  may exceed the size of the attachment opening  195  or may be sized to be smaller than the attachment opening  195 . Moreover, the bumpers may not be formed symmetrically with or have the same shape of the underlying attachment opening  195 . Indeed, the bumper may be much larger and have a different shape than the attachment opening and may be positioned off-center relative to the underlying attachment opening. 
         [0053]    Moreover, multiple attachment openings may underlying a single bumper/protrusion. This single protrusion may be anchored to the opposing internal side of the outer layer at multiple attachment openings. By way of example, each corner of the inner rigid layer  110  may include three attachment openings  195  that are generally uniform in shape and are equally spaced apart from one another as shown in  FIG. 9B . Three separate individual protrusion (such as those illustrated in  FIG. 8 ) may be formed in the outer external side  240  of the outer layer  120  above each of those attachment openings or one or more of those protrusion may be merged into a large protrusion that is anchored through multiple attachment openings. 
         [0054]    Also, it should be understood that bumpers  296  may extend not only externally but may extend internally into the mobile device cavity so as to provide additional cushioning to the device. When extending internally, the bumpers  296  may be less prominent in their dimensions so as to not undermine the fit of the case around the mobile device. Internal and/or external bumpers/protrusion  296  may be used in combination or alone at the corners or around the perimeter regions or other more internal regions of the case. When used internally, the rigid inner shell  110  region underlying and/or surrounding the internal bumper  296  may be formed thinner on the inner surface to allow additional room for the bumper while also minimizing fit distortion. 
         [0055]    Methods of manufacturing a protective case  100  that includes one or more of the various foregoing aspects are also disclosed. Manufacturing steps may, for example, include: 
         [0056]    (1) co-molding two distinct inner and outer layers within a mold to form an integrated protective case construct  100 . 
         [0057]    (2) molding the first inner layer  110  defined by first internal and external surfaces  130 ,  140  and dimensioned to cover at least a portion of the back face of the mobile device  10  and extend around at least a portion of the perimeter of the mobile device  10 . The inner first layer  110  may be further molded to include one or more control apertures  190  dimensioned and positioned to allow access to control buttons or ports  90  on the mobile device  10  and one or more attachment openings  195  positioned, for example at the corners, perimeters and/or internal regions of the case  100 . 
         [0058]    (3) co-molding a second layer  120  over the internal and external surfaces  130 ,  140  of the inner layer  110  including around the perimeter regions of the inner layer  110 , the second layer  120  being defined by corresponding inner  230  and outer  240  walls and dimensioned to cover one or more regions of the top, bottom, right and left sides of the mobile device  10  and regions of the back and front face of the device  10 . The second layer may be further molded to include a pattern of holes  234  extending therethrough that define or form an arrangement of shapes selected for example from a group consisting of a square, octagon, pentagon, rectangle, triangle, circle, hexagon, heptagon or combination thereof. The pattern of holes  234  in the outer layer  120  being configured to visibly expose the underlying inner layer  110 . The outer layer  120  may be molded through the attachment openings  195  at the corners to provide additional durability and resistance to peeling and may be molded to form protrusions or bumpers  296  at the corners or elsewhere on the case. 
         [0059]    The various aspects relating to configuration, appearance and construction of each of the component layers described above or otherwise herein and/or illustrated in the drawings may be imparted by the molding process of the layer during one or more of the foregoing steps, or portions of any of the foregoing steps, in any combination without limitation. 
         [0060]    Each of the foregoing and various aspects, together with those set forth in the claims and described in connection with the embodiments of the protective cases summarized above or otherwise disclosed herein including the drawings may be combined to form claims for a device, apparatus, system, method of manufacture, and/or use without limitation. 
         [0061]    Although the various inventive aspects are herein disclosed in the context of certain preferred embodiments, implementations, and examples, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the present invention extends beyond the specifically disclosed embodiments to other alternative embodiments and/or uses of the invention and obvious modifications and equivalents thereof. In addition, while a number of variations of the various aspects have been shown and described in detail, other modifications, which are within their scope will be readily apparent to those of skill in the art based upon this disclosure. 
         [0062]    It should be also understood that the scope this disclosure includes the various combinations or sub-combinations of the specific features and aspects of the embodiments disclosed herein, such that the various features, modes of implementation, and aspects of the disclosed subject matter may be combined with or substituted for one another. Thus, it is intended that the scope of the present invention herein disclosed should not be limited by the particular disclosed embodiments or implementations described above, but should be determined only by a fair reading of the claims. 
         [0063]    Similarly, this method of disclosure, is not to be interpreted as reflecting an intention that any claim require more features than are expressly recited in that claim. Rather, as the following claims reflect, inventive aspects lie in a combination of fewer than all features of any single foregoing disclosed embodiment. Thus, the claims following the Detailed Description are hereby expressly incorporated into this Detailed Description, with each claim standing on its own as a separate embodiment.