Patents by Inventor Douglas A. Kempel

Douglas A. Kempel has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 9735827
    Abstract: A protective case for use with a portable electronic device includes a protective shell including a cavity for receiving the portable electronic device and a pliable surface disposed in an opening of the protective shell. The pliable surface being adapted to transmit at least a portion of a mechanical force applied at an external surface of the protective shell to the control feature of the installed portable electronic device to actuate the control feature of the installed portable electronic device. The protective case also includes a feature disposed in a wall of the protective shell for accessing an electrical connector of the installed portable electronic device from outside the protective shell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2017
    Assignee: Otter Products, LLC
    Inventors: Curtis R. Richardson, Douglas A. Kempel
  • Publication number: 20170099074
    Abstract: A protective case for use with a portable electronic device includes a protective shell including a cavity for receiving the portable electronic device and a pliable surface disposed in an opening of the protective shell. The pliable surface being adapted to transmit at least a portion of a mechanical force applied at an external surface of the protective shell to the control feature of the installed portable electronic device to actuate the control feature of the installed portable electronic device. The protective case also includes a feature disposed in a wall of the protective shell for accessing an electrical connector of the installed portable electronic device from outside the protective shell.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 15, 2016
    Publication date: April 6, 2017
    Inventors: Curtis R. Richardson, Douglas A. Kempel
  • Patent number: 9560435
    Abstract: A protective enclosure for a mobile computing device that has an interactive touchscreen includes a first case member and a second case member. The second case member is attachable to the first case member via a latching mechanism, and the combined case members provide a protective interior of the enclosure. Pliable areas of the first and/or second case member align with a control button of the mobile computing device and transfer external force to the control button. An electrical connector of the protective enclosure is structured to engage a corresponding connector of the mobile computing device. The protective cover includes audio headphones and a headphone cable that connects between the audio headphones and an exterior surface of the second case member, electrically connecting the audio headphones to the electrical connector of the protective enclosure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2017
    Assignee: Otter Products, LLC
    Inventors: Curtis R. Richardson, Douglas A. Kempel
  • Patent number: 9402122
    Abstract: A protective cover for an electronic device that has an interactive control panel and one or more electrical contacts includes a protective shell having first member and a second member. The second member is configured to join with the first case member to at least partially cover the electronic device. An aperture defined by the protective shell is aligned with the interactive control panel when the electronic device is at least partially enclosed by the protective shell. A securing mechanism secures the first member with the second member. An electrical connection attached to the protective shell is configured to connect an electrical source to at least one of the electrical contacts of the electronic device to provide an electrical connection to the electrical source when the electronic device is received by the first member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2016
    Assignee: OTTER PRODUCTS, LLC
    Inventors: Curtis R. Richardson, Douglas A. Kempel
  • Publication number: 20150319520
    Abstract: A protective enclosure for a mobile computing device that has an interactive touchscreen includes a first case member and a second case member. The second case member is attachable to the first case member via a latching mechanism, and the combined case members provide a protective interior of the enclosure. Pliable areas of the first and/or second case member align with a control button of the mobile computing device and transfer external force to the control button. An electrical connector of the protective enclosure is structured to engage a corresponding connector of the mobile computing device. The protective cover includes audio headphones and a headphone cable that connects between the audio headphones and an exterior surface of the second case member, electrically connecting the audio headphones to the electrical connector of the protective enclosure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 14, 2015
    Publication date: November 5, 2015
    Inventors: Curtis R. Richardson, Douglas A. Kempel
  • Patent number: 9145250
    Abstract: A protective enclosure for an electronic device such as a laptop computer or tablet computer that comprises a shell that is capable of enclosing and substantially surrounding the electronic device. The shell is substantially watertight, substantially rigid and substantially crush-resistant. The inside of the shell has a hook and loop liner with shock absorbing corner bumpers having hook and loop type bases so that the bumpers may attach at any point on the liner inside the shell to accommodate electronic devices of various sizes and to secure the device inside the enclosure in a shock absorbent suspended manner. The shell may further comprise a USB connector hub for connection to the USB port of a laptop computer or PC tablet enclosed in the protective shell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2015
    Assignee: OTTER PRODUCTS, LLC
    Inventors: Curtis R. Richardson, Douglas A. Kempel
  • Patent number: 9114923
    Abstract: A protective cover for an electronic device that has an interactive control panel and one or more electrical contacts includes a protective shell having a first member and a second member. The first member has a first coil arranged to convey electromagnetic energy with respect to a second, external coil. The second member is configured to join with the first case member to at least partially cover the electronic device. An aperture defined by the protective shell is aligned with the interactive control panel when the electronic device is at least partially enclosed by the protective shell. An electrical connection attached to the protective shell is configured to directly or indirectly convey electrical power received at the first coil to at least one of the electrical contacts of the electronic device to provide an electrical connection to the electrical source when the electronic device is received by the first member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2015
    Assignee: OTTER PRODUCTS, LLC
    Inventors: Curtis R. Richardson, Douglas A. Kempel
  • Publication number: 20150175333
    Abstract: A protective cover for an electronic device that has an interactive control panel and one or more electrical contacts includes a protective shell having first member and a second member. The second member is configured to join with the first case member to at least partially cover the electronic device. An aperture defined by the protective shell is aligned with the interactive control panel when the electronic device is at least partially enclosed by the protective shell. A securing mechanism secures the first member with the second member. An electrical connection attached to the protective shell is configured to connect an electrical source to at least one of the electrical contacts of the electronic device to provide an electrical connection to the electrical source when the electronic device is received by the first member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 9, 2015
    Publication date: June 25, 2015
    Inventors: Curtis R. Richardson, Douglas A. Kempel
  • Publication number: 20150166237
    Abstract: A protective cover for an electronic device that has an interactive control panel and one or more electrical contacts includes a protective shell having a first member and a second member. The first member has a first coil arranged to convey electromagnetic energy with respect to a second, external coil. The second member is configured to join with the first case member to at least partially cover the electronic device. An aperture defined by the protective shell is aligned with the interactive control panel when the electronic device is at least partially enclosed by the protective shell. An electrical connection attached to the protective shell is configured to directly or indirectly convey electrical power received at the first coil to at least one of the electrical contacts of the electronic device to provide an electrical connection to the electrical source when the electronic device is received by the first member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 25, 2015
    Publication date: June 18, 2015
    Inventors: Curtis R. Richardson, Douglas A. Kempel
  • Patent number: 8976512
    Abstract: A protective cover for an electronic device that has an interactive control panel and one or more electrical contacts includes a protective shell having first member and a second member. The second member is configured to join with the first case member to at least partially cover the electronic device. An aperture defined by the protective shell is aligned with the interactive control panel when the electronic device is at least partially enclosed by the protective shell. A securing mechanism secures the first member with the second member. An electrical connection attached to the protective shell is configured to connect an electrical source to at least one of the electrical contacts of the electronic device to provide an electrical connection to the electrical source when the electronic device is received by the first member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2015
    Assignee: Otter Products, LLC
    Inventors: Curtis R. Richardson, Douglas A. Kempel
  • Patent number: 8917496
    Abstract: A protective cover for an electronic device that has an interactive control panel and one or more electrical contacts includes a protective shell having first member and a second member. The second member is configured to join with the first case member to at least partially cover the electronic device. An aperture defined by the protective shell is aligned with the interactive control panel when the electronic device is at least partially enclosed by the protective shell. A securing mechanism secures the first member with the second member. An electrical connection attached to the protective shell is configured to connect an electrical source to at least one of the electrical contacts of the electronic device to provide an electrical connection to the electrical source when the electronic device is received by the first member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2014
    Assignee: Otter Products, LLC
    Inventors: Curtis R. Richardson, Douglas A. Kempel
  • Patent number: 8767385
    Abstract: A protective cover for an electronic device that has an interactive control panel includes a protective shell having a first member and a second member. The second member is configured to join with the first case. An aperture defined by the protective shell aligns with the interactive control panel. A protective membrane for an electronic device includes a sheet of engineered thermoplastic having dimensions corresponding to features of a surface of the electronic device, and has a combination of sufficient thinness and a dielectric constant that together permit capacitive inputs on a front side of the protective membrane to be transmitted to the capacitance sensing interactive control panel. The protective cover and/or the protective membrane include a metalized coating or metallic additive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2014
    Assignee: Otter Products, LLC
    Inventors: Curtis R. Richardson, Douglas A. Kempel
  • Publication number: 20140090990
    Abstract: A protective cover for an electronic device that has an interactive control panel includes a protective shell having a first member and a second member. The second member is configured to join with the first case. An aperture defined by the protective shell aligns with the interactive control panel. A protective membrane for an electronic device includes a sheet of engineered thermoplastic having dimensions corresponding to features of a surface of the electronic device, and has a combination of sufficient thinness and a dielectric constant that together permit capacitive inputs on a front side of the protective membrane to be transmitted to the capacitance sensing interactive control panel. The protective cover and/or the protective membrane include a metalized coating or metallic additive.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 27, 2013
    Publication date: April 3, 2014
    Applicant: Otter Products, LLC
    Inventors: Curtis R. Richardson, Douglas A. Kempel
  • Patent number: 7688580
    Abstract: A protective enclosure for an electronic device that has a protective shell that is capable of enclosing and substantially surrounding the touch screen device in a substantially watertight, substantially rigid and substantially crush-resistant manner. Modular units can be releasably connected in a rigid manner to the protective enclosure to form an integrated unitary device that is substantially crush-resistant and watertight unit. The modular units can be interchangeable and connect to the protective case using the same format.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2010
    Assignee: Otter Products, LLC
    Inventors: Curtis R. Richardson, Douglas A. Kempel, Jamie L. Johnson
  • Patent number: 7663879
    Abstract: There is provided by this invention a protective enclosure for a personal electronic device that is generally comprised of a shell that is capable of enclosing and substantially surrounding the electronic device disposed to make the shell substantially watertight, substantially rigid and substantially crush-resistant. The enclosure has a transparent flexible protective membrane that is integrally fixed on the shell so that the flexible protective membrane is positioned over the touch screen of the electronic device when the electronic device is enclosed in the shell. The flexible protective membrane having a back side that has a substantially planar smooth surface that is adjacent to the touch screen of the electronic device wherein tactile inputs on a front side of the flexible protective membrane are communicated to the touch screen through the transparent flexible protective membrane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2010
    Assignee: Otter Products, LLC
    Inventors: Curtis R. Richardson, Douglas Kempel
  • Patent number: 7449650
    Abstract: Disclosed is a multi-directional activation button disposed on a protective case for activating a multi-directional control device on an electronic device. The multi-directional activation button has a flexible membrane with a top side divided into directional surfaces that are aligned with a plurality of directions of operation of said multi-directional activation button. A membrane supports an extension that engages the multi-directional control device. The membrane has a length from a pivot point that controls the direction and the amount of movement of an activation extension wherein movement from the pivot point simulates an extension of a user's finger depending upon which directional surface of the rubber membrane is depressed by the user's finger. The multi-directional activation button may be utilized for push button activation, toggle slide operations, dial wheel, or joy stick like operations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2008
    Assignee: Otter Products, LLC
    Inventors: Curtis R. Richardson, Alan Morine, Douglas Kempel
  • Publication number: 20080017493
    Abstract: Disclosed is a multi-directional activation button disposed on a protective case for activating a multi-directional control device on an electronic device. The multi-directional activation button has a flexible membrane with a top side divided into directional surfaces that are aligned with a plurality of directions of operation of said multi-directional activation button. A membrane supports an extension that engages the multi-directional control device. The membrane has a length from a pivot point that controls the direction and the amount of movement of an activation extension wherein movement from the pivot point simulates an extension of a user's finger depending upon which directional surface of the rubber membrane is depressed by the user's finger. The multi-directional activation button may be utilized for push button activation, toggle slide operations, dial wheel, or joy stick like operations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 13, 2007
    Publication date: January 24, 2008
    Inventors: Curtis R. Richardson, Alan Morine, Douglas Kempel
  • Publication number: 20070297149
    Abstract: A protective enclosure for an electronic device that has a protective shell that is capable of enclosing and substantially surrounding the touch screen device in a substantially watertight, substantially rigid and substantially crush-resistant manner. Modular units can be releasably connected in a rigid manner to the protective enclosure to form an integrated unitary device that is substantially crush-resistant and watertight unit. The modular units can be interchangeable and connect to the protective case using the same format.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 26, 2007
    Publication date: December 27, 2007
    Applicant: OTTER PRODUCTS, LLC
    Inventors: Curtis Richardson, Douglas Kempel, Jamie Johnson
  • Patent number: 7312984
    Abstract: A protective enclosure is disclosed for an interactive flat-panel control device. The protective enclosure is watertight, crush-resistant, and impact-resistant. An electrical adapter may disposed within the protective enclosure and covered with an elastomeric covering that permits a connector of the adapter to flex with respect to the lower shell of the enclosure so that the connector may easily be inserted into an interface jack of the electronic device. The elastomeric covering also provides a watertight seal that enables the protective enclosure to be submersibly watertight. While providing protection, the protective enclosure simultaneously allows smooth and accurate interaction with the interactive flat-panel controlled device. The protective enclosure has a protective membrane that permits RF and touch screen stylus inputs, as well as capacitance, such as from a finger, to be transmitted accurately to the flat-panel control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2007
    Assignee: Otter Products, LLC
    Inventors: Curtis R. Richardson, Brian P. Thomas, Douglas A. Kempel, Alan V. Morine
  • Patent number: D581421
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2008
    Assignee: Otter Products, LLC
    Inventors: Curtis R. Richardson, Douglas Kempel