With increasing regularity, protective cases are being constructed for a variety of computing devices such as smart phones, tablets, PDAs and/or other portable computing devices. Their respective designs vary, ranging between degrees of protection as well as facilitating use of the computing device in a more protected environment.
Cases have been known to be constructed from molding using silicon or thermoplastic polyurethane rubber that provides some basic protection against drops and scratches. Other case designs have been constructed from relatively rigid injected plastics such as polycarbonate. The design and construction of the known cases therefore vary depending on the desired amount of protection, costs, and consideration for certain materials and mounting schemes balanced with features that facilitate performance of the computing device itself. For example, a certain material may provide basic structural protection and be relatively cheap, but this material may induce too much friction (e.g. grip) to the user that interferes with easy attachment of the case with the device or grip with other articles such as parts of the user's body or other objects foreign to the case.
Cases can also suffer from being too bulky and difficult to stow away. It is also known that materials for certain cases can degrade over time thereby diminishing protective capabilities of the case as well as loosening its attachment with the computing device. Aesthetically, a worn case also diminishes the overall impression of the case and the attached computing device. Such cases can also have reduced bulk versus their rubber counterparts and be difficult to carry around. This is particularly problematic when with bulky cases where the end-user may have to decide, for example, between carrying the electronic device or their wallet. Additionally, plastic injected mold cases can suffer from passing on relatively high material stresses to the electronic device itself due to the differing elasticity and cushioning. For such devices with sensitive displays or input mediums, such protection therefore may not be desirous.
Yet, stress tests to the computing devices used with known solutions caused by normal use through drops or collisions can lead to device damage and case separation. In turn, the user may have to fix the device, buy a new one, and/or re-assemble the case. Therefore, a need exists to resolve these and other problems in the art.
USPTO Backgrounds
USPTO Backgrounds