CASE FOR PORTABLE MEDIA PLAYER WITH INTEGRAL HANDLES
A case for a portable media player includes a holder for the portable media player and a rear wall having at least one handle movable between a closed position for storage and an open position for engagement by a finger of a user operating the portable media player. Two handles may be provided with respective insertion and engagement openings formed therein for the finger of the user. The handle may be cut out of the rear wall, may be formed in one piece with the rear wall, may move freely back and forth between the open and closed positions at a living hinge and may be flush with the rear wall in the closed position.
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This application claims the priority of copending U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/248,746, filed Oct. 5, 2009 under 35 USC 119(e) and fully incorporates the contents thereof by reference herein.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a case for a portable media player, such as the I-pod Touch®. However, the case may be used for a game player, a video player, an audio player, a mobile telephone, a game controller or any other such device.
2. Description of the Related Art
Portable media players must be held with the fingers of one or both hands, but also require the use of the fingers to operate the portable media player. It is therefore difficult to simultaneously hold and operate such a device, especially while playing a game.
Prior art cases, which are used to protect the portable media player from shock and soiling, require the use of the fingers to hold the device as well.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONIt is accordingly an object of the invention to provide a case for a device such as a portable media player, which overcomes the hereinafore-mentioned disadvantages of the heretofore-known cases of this general type and which permits such devices to be held by only one or two fingers so as to allow the greatest possible freedom of use for the other fingers.
With the foregoing and other objects in view there is provided, in accordance with the invention, a case for a device such as a portable media player. The case comprises a holder, such as walls and corners, for the portable media player and a rear wall having at least one handle movable between a closed position for storage and an open position for engagement by a finger of a user operating the portable media player. The handle is configured to be engaged by only one finger of one hand to permit operation of the portable media player. Alternatively, two handles may each be configured to be engaged by only one finger of a respective hand to permit operation of the portable media player. In this way, only one or two fingers are needed to hold the device while freeing the other fingers to operate the device or perform any other function not related to the device.
In accordance with another feature of the invention, the at least one handle is formed in one piece with the rear wall, moves freely back and forth between the open and closed positions at a living hinge between the at least one handle and the rear wall and is flush with the rear wall in the closed position. The handle may be cut out of the rear wall leaving the living hinge remaining therebetween. The handle or handles are therefore unobtrusive when closed.
In accordance with a further feature of the invention, the at least one handle has an insertion and engagement opening formed therein for the finger of the user, which may have a plurality of projections. This structure provides secure engagement and manipulation of the case and the device held therein with just one finger.
In accordance with a concomitant feature of the invention, an insert is configured to be contacted by the portable media player at a front side of the case and adjacent the at least one handle at a rear side of the case. In this way, the back of the portable media player cannot be touched, soiled or damaged through the cutout or cutouts when operating the handle or handles.
Other features which are considered as characteristic for the invention are set forth in the appended claims.
Although the invention is illustrated and described herein as embodied in a case for portable media player with integral handles, it is nevertheless not intended to be limited to the details shown, since various modifications and structural changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention and within the scope and range of equivalents of the claims.
The construction of the invention, however, together with additional objects and advantages thereof will be best understood from the following description of the specific embodiment when read in connection with the accompanying drawings.
Referring now to the figures of the drawing in detail and first, particularly, to
Claims
1. A case for a portable media player, the case comprising:
- a holder for the portable media player; and
- a rear wall having at least one handle movable between a closed position for storage and an open position for engagement by a finger of a user operating the portable media player.
2. The case according to claim 1, wherein said at least one handle is formed in one piece with said rear wall, moves freely back and forth between said open and closed positions at a living hinge between said at least one handle and said rear wall and is flush with said rear wall in said closed position.
3. The case according to claim 1, wherein said at least one handle has an insertion and engagement opening formed therein for the finger of the user.
4. The case according to claim 3, wherein said insertion and engagement opening is formed by a plurality of projections of said at least one handle.
5. The case according to claim 1, wherein said at least one handle is configured to be engaged by only one finger of one hand to permit operation of the portable media player.
6. The case according to claim 1, wherein said at least one handle is two handles each being configured to be engaged by only one finger of a respective hand to permit operation of the portable media player.
7. The case according to claim 1, wherein said holder includes walls partially surrounding the portable media player.
8. The case according to claim 1, wherein said holder includes corners covering portions of the portable media player.
9. The case according to claim 1, which further comprises an insert configured to be contacted by the portable media player at a front side of said case and adjacent said at least one handle at a rear side of said case.
10. The case according to claim 1, wherein said at least one handle is cut out of said rear wall leaving a living hinge remaining therebetween.
11. The case according to claim 1, wherein the portable media player is selected from the group consisting of a game player, a video player, an audio player, a mobile telephone and a game controller.
12. The case according to claim 1, which further comprises means for keeping said handles in said closed or storage position.
Type: Application
Filed: Oct 5, 2010
Publication Date: Apr 14, 2011
Applicant: MARWARE, INC. (Hollywood, FL)
Inventors: Chanseol Chung (Hollywood, FL), Edward Martin (Hollywood, FL), Christopher Piedra (Hollywood, FL), Sean Rudolph Etwaroo (Hollywood, FL)
Application Number: 12/898,364
International Classification: B65D 90/12 (20060101);