Abstract: A mount assembly for releasably receiving a mounting cleat includes a top housing portion, a bottom housing portion, and a recess in the top housing portion to receive the mounting cleat. The mount assembly further includes a biasing device connected to housing portions such that the biasing device exerts a force upon the top housing portion which tends to return the top housing portion to an unrotated position relative to the bottom housing portion. The mount assembly further includes a first clasp mechanism and a second clasp mechanism at least partially disposed within the top housing portion extendable into the recess to clasp the mounting cleat when the top housing portion is in the unrotated position. Finally, the mount assembly includes a locking mechanism configured to temporarily prevent rotation of the top housing portion relative to the bottom housing portion when the locking mechanism is in a locked position.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
December 5, 2017
Date of Patent:
November 13, 2018
Assignee:
Otter Products, LLC
Inventors:
Tofigh Khodapanah, William Wai-Chung Chow, Jonathan H. Guerdrum, Paul B. Koh, Peter S. Armstrong
Abstract: A protective encasement for an electronic device includes members that clasp together and a dispensed seal disposed on an inside surface of one of the members to form a watertight barrier between the member and a surface of the installed electronic device. The dispensed seal may comprise an elastomeric material dispensed on and adhered to the inside surface of the encasement. A first overlap region of the dispensed seal may overlap a second overlap region of the dispensed seal at an overlap point to form a closed loop. The closed loop may have a substantially uniform thickness to form the watertight barrier. The first and second overlap regions may each have reduced thicknesses that are less than the uniform thickness, but a combined thickness of the overlap regions at the overlap point substantially equals the uniform thickness to complete the closed loop of the seal.
Abstract: A protective enclosure for use with an electronic device includes a bottom shell, a first cushioning member, and a second cushioning member. The bottom shell includes a back portion and walls attached to the back portion to form a cavity for receiving and removably retaining the electronic device. The bottom shell also includes an aperture configured to provide direct access to the touch screen of the installed electronic device. The first cushioning layer is overmolded onto at least the inner surface of the of back portion of the bottom shell and configured to contact and cushion at least a back surface of the installed electronic device. The second cushioning layer is separate from the first cushioning layer and includes a perimeter cushioning member overmolded onto at least a portion of the walls of the bottom shell.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
August 8, 2017
Date of Patent:
October 16, 2018
Assignee:
Otter Products, LLC
Inventors:
Kevin W. Witter, Matthew S. Krajec, Patrick J. Nelson, Paul N. Walker, Thomas D. Boileau
Abstract: An electronic device, such as a tablet computer, smartphone, or television, can be mounted to a surface using a magnetic mounting apparatus. In one example, the apparatus can include a protective case that is adapted to receive an electronic device. The protective case can be configured to protect the electronic device from drop-induced damage. The protective case can include a female mounting portion disposed in the protective case. The female mounting portion of the protective case can be configured to magnetically mount to a male mounting portion associated with a folding cover, surface mount, or dock. Once magnetically mounted to the folding cover, surface mount, or dock, the protective case can rotate about the female mounting portion to allow the electronic device to be transitioned from a landscape mode to a portrait mode and vice versa.
Abstract: A protective enclosure for an electronic device includes a first case portion that may be adapted to surround at least a portion of a top device portion and a second case portion that may be adapted to surround at least a portion of a bottom device portion. The protective enclosure may also include a first hinge member coupled to a portion of the first case portion and a portion of the second case portion, and the first hinge member may pivot about a first hinge axis that is coaxially aligned with or parallel to a device hinge axis.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
November 13, 2017
Date of Patent:
August 28, 2018
Assignee:
Otter Products, LLC
Inventors:
Ryan J. Cavenagh, Jeremy L. Dennis, Cameron D. Magness, Lucas B. Weller, Hsiao Lu Sun
Abstract: A protective case system includes a mounting accessory and a protective case. The mounting accessory includes a dovetail rail member with a snap feature and an engagement feature. The protective case includes an inner liner for receiving and at least partially enclosing the electronic device when the electronic device is installed in the protective case; an outer shell extending around at least a portion of the inner liner; and a mount adapter removeably attached to the outer shell.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
December 22, 2016
Date of Patent:
August 28, 2018
Assignee:
Otter Products, LLC
Inventors:
Jonathan H. Guerdrum, Russell J. Goldfain, Greg D. Caster, Cory R. Bloor, Matthew M. Glanzer
Abstract: A protective cover for an electronic device includes a protective shell and a cushioning member configured for cushioning the electronic device when the electronic device is disposed in the protective shell. The protective cover includes a first opening configured to align with and expose at least a portion of a touch screen display of the electronic device when the electronic device is disposed in the protective shell. The protective cover also includes a second opening configured to align with a camera of the electronic device when the electronic device is disposed in the protective shell. The protective cover further includes an access port positioned to be proximate an electrical interface of the electronic device when the electronic device is disposed in the protective shell.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
January 16, 2018
Date of Patent:
August 7, 2018
Assignee:
Otter Products, LLC
Inventors:
Curtis R. Richardson, Douglas A. Kempel
Abstract: A protective case for an electronic device and associated wireless electrical peripheral device includes a protective shell for protecting the electronic device when the electronic device is inserted in the protective shell, a docking receptacle including a cavity for receiving at least a portion of the associated electrical peripheral device and an engagement mechanism for removably retaining the received portion of the associated electrical peripheral device in the cavity; and a battery for charging at least one of the inserted electronic device and the retained wireless electrical peripheral device.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
July 24, 2017
Date of Patent:
July 24, 2018
Assignee:
Otter Products, LLC
Inventors:
Peter J. Gronewoller, Edward J. Taylor, Michael P. Denham
Abstract: A protective cover for an electronic device includes a first hardshell member, a second hardshell member, and a flexible hinge member. The first hardshell member removably attaches to a first portion of the electronic device to protect the first portion of the electronic device. The second hardshell member removably attaches to a second portion of the electronic device to protect the second portion of the electronic device. The flexible hinge member includes a flexible material and is attached to the first hardshell member and the second hardshell member such that the flexible hinge member aligns with a hinge of the electronic device. The flexible hinge member flexes to allow the second portion of the electronic device to remain articulable relative to the first portion of the electronic device when the protective cover is on the electronic device.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
February 28, 2017
Date of Patent:
July 10, 2018
Assignee:
Otter Products, LLC
Inventors:
Jamie L. Johnson, Stephen Willes, W. Travis Smith, Jonathan Watt
Abstract: A case for an electronic device includes a front member having an aperture for interacting with a touchscreen of the electronic device and a back member that includes a rechargeable power cell, a switched electrical interface, an electromechanical switch, and current monitoring circuitry. The switched electrical interface has an enabled mode in which electrical current is permitted to flow from the rechargeable power cell of the case to the installed electronic device and a disabled mode in which the electrical current is not permitted to flow to the installed electronic device. The electromechanical switch transitions the switched electrical interface from the disabled mode to the enabled mode. The current monitoring circuitry automatically toggles the switched electrical interface from the enabled mode to the disabled mode when the magnitude of the electrical current flowing from the case to the electronic device decreases to a predetermined value.
Abstract: A protective enclosure includes a structural member, a metallic tab, and a flexible member. The structural member is configured for receiving an electronic device and includes a front opening for accessing a touchscreen of the installed electronic device. The metallic tab is affixed to one of the side portions of the structural member. The flexible member has a front panel connected to a back panel by a hinge portion that is positioned adjacent to a side portion of the structural member opposite the metallic tab. The hinge portion is configured to enable movement of the front panel between a closed position and an opened position. The front panel includes a magnetic element affixed to an edge of the front panel such that the magnetic element of the front panel contacts the metallic tab when the front panel is in both the opened and closed positions.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
August 2, 2017
Date of Patent:
June 12, 2018
Assignee:
Otter Products, LLC
Inventors:
Carlton R. Lay, Adam J. Havens, Peter J. Gronewoller, Lucas B. Weller, Lee B. Gates