Convertible Lanyard Case for Personal Electronics

Abstract

A convertible lanyard case tor a personal electronics item includes a top end, a bottom end, a front side, and a back side. The front side is configured for viewing and accessing the personal electronics item. The back side includes a tab assembly adjacent the bottom end, having a movable tab with a hole for engaging a lanyard and clip. The tab slides between a first, position wherein the hole is obscured and a second position wherein the tab extends from the case for attaching a lanyard to the hole. To preserve the tab in position stops with a biasing mechanisms seat in notches on the frame.

Description

BACKGROUND

Personal electronics such as cell phones, mini-tablet computers and similar handheld communication and computing apparatus are known in the art. These apparatus are generally expensive, multifunctional electronics, which are sensitive to temperature, fluid emersion, and impact shock. Despite their fragile nature, such apparatus are frequently manufactured with housings inadequate to protect them from impact shock occurring through normal, daily use. These events include dropping an apparatus, or inadvertently banging it against a surface while held in a user's hand.

To protect these personal electronic and communication apparatus, many different case designs have been developed to shield them against impact. The most effective cases surround the edges of an apparatus, while preserving access to its screen and controls such as volume and power interfaces, and features such as an audio jack and camera. While cases in the art are usually sufficient for protecting against damage and malfunction from inadvertent impact damage, other problems inherent with small electronics persist, such as the difficulty with retrieving an apparatus from a bag or other location filled with other items, and loss of an apparatus by inadvertently abandoning it in a location, or intentional loss through theft.

There is therefore a need for a case for personal electronics apparatus that protects an apparatus from inadvertent impact. There is also a need for a case that helps prevent an apparatus from getting lost, either temporarily among other possessions, or lost entirely through abandonment or theft. There is also a need for a case that preserves the apparatus at hand, allowing a user to easily and quickly retrieve the apparatus when needed. There is also a need for a case which is convertible, allowing a user to convert the apparatus from a configuration wherein it can be worn around the user's neck, to a configuration more similar to a traditional personal electronics case.

These and other needs are addressed by an invention, the objects and details of which are discussed in the following summary, description, and claims.

SUMMARY

A convertible lanyard case for a personal electronics item is disclosed. The case is defined by a top end, a bottom end, a front side, and a back side. Together, these ends and sides are configured to conform to the personal electronics item, generally surrounding it and acting as a buffer between an impacting surface and the item's manufactured housing. The front side is configured for viewing and accessing a screen of the personal electronics item, including an interactive touch screen. The back side includes a tab assembly adjacent the bottom end.

The tab assembly includes a movable tab, which has a hole for engaging a lanyard and clip. The tab is movable, in one embodiment a sliding movement, between a first position wherein the hole is obscured by the back side with the tab held against the back side, and a second position wherein the tab extends front the case thereby unblocking the hole in a position proximal the bottom end.

In order to govern movement, the tab preferably travels in a frame confining it to linear (i.e., back-and-forth) movement coaxial with the top end and bottom end. To preserve the tab in the first position and in the second position, the tab includes a stop with a biasing mechanism causing the stop to seat in a notch on the frame. The stop may be a member that slides laterally in relation to the tab, and the biasing mechanism may be a spring configured to push the stop into the notch. Preferably the tab includes a finger grip to facilitate movement by a user.

To allow free linear movement, yet preserve the tab against the back side, the tab may include one or more rails corresponding to one or more guides on the frame. The rails seat under the guides, thereby holding the tab against the back side. In one preferred embodiment, the case includes two parallel and linear rails on the tab for engaging two parallel and linear guides on the frame.

To facilitate using the personal electronics device, the front side of the case preferably frames the screen, thereby allowing users access to touch screen functionality. In one alternative embodiment, the front side may comprise a peripheral edge of the case, with the peripheral edge configured to retain the personal electronics item therein, and allowing the user access to the entire screen side of the personal electronics device.

To confer an added measure of protection, the peripheral edge may be made contiguous around the back side. In such an embodiment, the back side preferably includes a camera window or other portals for functionality incorporated into the hack side of the personal electronics device. Typically the camera window will be disposed proximal to the top end to avoid contact with the user's finger.

To use the case, a user obtains a personal electronics device and the case disclosed herein. A sliding tab mechanism on a back side and a bottom end of the case is incorporated into the case. The user inserts the personal electronic device into the case, thereby causing it to be held securely therein. The user may then slide a tab of the tab mechanism toward the bottom end, causing a hole to be revealed on the tab overhanging the case, and enabling the user to attach a lanyard to the case by clipping the lanyard to the hole and wearing the lanyard.

The case, when worn on the lanyard, preserves the personal electronics device around the user's neck, preventing the user from dropping or losing it. In the instance of a phone, when the user needs to use the phone, the user simply picks it up and places it against the user's ear, naturally inverting it by normal movement without the lanyard getting in the way. When a call or other interaction is concluded, the user may simply (gently) release the device, thereby allowing it to once again dangle from the lanyard.

Sometimes a more conventional case may be desired. In such an instance, the lanyard may be removed, and the case converted by sliding the tab toward the top end, thereby bringing the tab entirely onto the back side, and obscuring the hole.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1 illustrates a plan view of a convertible lanyard case for handheld personal electronics with an anchoring tab extended;

FIG. 2 illustrates the convertible lanyard case with the anchoring tab retracted;

FIG. 3 illustrates a frame portion of a tab mechanism of the convertible lanyard case; and

FIG. 4 illustrates a tab portion of the tab mechanism of the convertible lanyard case.

DESCRIPTION

Referring to FIG. 1, a convertible lanyard case 10 includes a top end 12, a bottom end 14, a front side 16 and a back side 18. A tab assembly 20 is located on the back side 18 near the bottom end 14. The tab assembly 20 includes a tab 22 and a frame 24. The tab 22 includes a hole 26 for attaching a lanyard (not shown). It is contemplated that a typical looped lanyard, including a lanyard having a standard swivel hook clip may be used to engage the hole 26. The frame 24 is a substantially u-shaped member bounding the tab 22, and confining it to slide only in a linear direction coaxially with the top end 12 and the bottom end 14.

Still referring to FIG. 1, the tab 22 includes a stop 28, in the illustrated embodiment, two opposing stops 28. Each stop 28 includes a biasing mechanism 30 that urges the stop 28 laterally with respect to the direction of travel of the tab 22. The tab 22 also includes a finger grip 34 for facilitating moving the tab 22 back and forth. The frame 24 includes a notch 32, in the illustrated embodiment, four notches 32 for accommodating the stops 28 and for holding the tab 22 in an extended position as shown, or in a retracted position as shown in FIG. 2. In the illustrated, extended position, the tab 22 extends beyond the case 10, exposing the hole 26 for lanyard attachment.

Referring to FIG. 2, the tab assembly 20 is shown in a retracted position, with the stops 28 biasing the tab 22 in place. The stops 28 are sealed in the notches 32 preferably in a manner allowing them to be dislodged under upward finger pressure on the finger grip 34. With the tab 22 in a retracted position, the tab 22 is entirely adjacent the back side 18, with the hole 26 fully occluded by the back side 18. In this position, the case 10 functions as a typical phone case with no lanyard attached. Preferably, the frame 24 is sized so that when the stops 28 seat in the notches 32 of the retracted position, the tab 22 adjoins the entire frame 24, thereby preventing the tab 22 from moving past its retracted position.

The frame 24 preferably terminates at a peripheral edge 36 for aesthetic appearance, and more specifically at the peripheral edge near the bottom end 14 to avoid interfering with the user's finger movements near controls and other functional features such as a camera window 38, which may result in the user inadvertently touching and dirtying the camera window 38.

Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, the frame 24 and the tab 22 are shown independently. In addition to the notches 32, the frame 14 includes a linear guide 40, in the illustrated embodiment two parallel linear guides 40, for retaining the tab 22. The tab 22 includes a linear rail 42, in the illustrated embodiment two parallel linear rails 42, for engaging the guides 40. The rails 42 are preferably located below the stops 28, allowing the stops 28 to move laterally, in and out of the notches 32 as the rails 42 travel in the guides.

The structure of the convertible lanyard case for personal electronics having been shown and described, its method of operation will now be discussed.

To use the convertible lanyard case 10, a user inserts a personal electronic item, such as a cell phone in the primary embodiment, into the case 10 through the front side 16. In such a configuration, the case 10 operates similar to typical phone cases. To convert the case 10, the user slides the tab 22 on the back side 18 away from the top end 12, causing it to extend over the bottom end 14, and exposing the hole 26. When the user slides the tab 22, preferably using the finger grip 34, lateral pressure drives the stops 28 out of notches 32 on the frame 14.

When the tab 22 is fully extended and the hole 26 fully exposed, the stops 28 again arrive at notches 32 and click into place, anchoring the tab 22 in an extended position. The user may then clip a lanyard through, the hole 26, and wear the case 10 around the user's neck. Because the tab assembly 20 holds the case 10 upside down, using the phone is easily managed, as picking it up naturally involves inverting it. The user may talk on the phone, consult applications, take pictures, etc., as the user normally would without a lanyard attachment. When the user is finished using the phone, it can be gently released and once again remain suspended around the user's neck. Should the user wish to remove the lanyard, the clip is easily removed from the hole 26, and the tab 22 slid back toward the top end 12 of the case 10.

The foregoing description of the preferred embodiment of the invention is sufficient in detail to enable one skilled in the art to make and use the invention. It is understood, however, that the detail of the preferred embodiment presented is not intended to limit the scope of the invention, in as much as equivalents thereof and other modifications which come within the scope of the invention as defined by the claims will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading this specification.

Claims

1. A convertible lanyard case for a personal electronics item, the convertible lanyard case comprising:

a top end, a bottom end, a front side and a back side, together configured to conform to the personal electronics item;

the front side configured for viewing and accessing a screen of the personal electronics item;

the back side having a tab assembly adjacent the bottom end;

wherein the tab assembly comprises a tab having a hole, the tab movable between a first position wherein the hole is obscured by the back side and a second position wherein the tab extends from the convertible lanyard case, thereby unblocking the hole.

2. The convertible lanyard case of claim 1 wherein the tab travels in a frame, confining it to linear movement coaxial with a linear axis formed by the top end and the bottom end.

3. The convertible lanyard case of claim 1 wherein the tab includes a stop having a biasing mechanism that seats the stop in a notch on the frame.

4. The convertible lanyard case of claim 3 wherein the tab includes a finger grip.

5. The convertible lanyard case of claim 1 wherein the tab includes a rail and the frame includes a guide, wherein the guide and the rail hold the tab against the back side.

6. The convertible lanyard case of claim 5 including two parallel and linear rails that engage two parallel and linear guides.

7. The convertible lanyard case of claim 1 wherein the front side forms a frame.

8. The convertible lanyard case of claim 1 wherein the front side comprises a peripheral edge of the case, the peripheral edge configured to retain the personal electronics item;

9. The convertible lanyard case of claim 3 wherein the back side and the front side share a common peripheral edge.

10. The convertible lanyard case of claim 1 wherein the back side includes a camera window.

11. The convertible lanyard case of claim 5 wherein the camera window is proximal to the top end;

12. A convertible lanyard case tor a personal electronics item, the case comprising:

a top end, a bottom end, a front side and a back side, together configured to conform to the personal electronics item;

the front side configured for viewing and accessing a screen of the personal electronics item;

the back side having a tab assembly, slidably attached to and adjacent the bottom end;

the tab having a first position and a second position in linear series coaxial to a linear axis formed by the top end and the bottom end; and

wherein the tab assembly comprises a tab having a hole, the tab movable between the first position wherein the hole is obscured by the back side and the second position wherein the tab extends from the case, thereby unblocking the hole.

13. The convertible lanyard case of claim 12 wherein the tab includes a stop and the frame includes a notch into which the stop is biased to seat.

14. A method of using a personal electronic device using a convertible lanyard case, comprising the steps of:

providing a personal electronic device

providing a case for the personal electronic device;

providing a sliding lab mechanism on a back side and a bottom end of the case;

inserting the personal electronic device into the case, thereby holding it securely therein;

sliding a tab of the tab mechanism toward the bottom end, such that a hole is revealed on the tab;

attaching a lanyard to the case by clipping the lanyard to the hole; and

wearing the lanyard.

15. The method of claim 14 including the step of lifting the personal electronic device, to a user's ear, thereby inverting the personal electronic device.

16. The method of claim 14 including the step of releasing the personal electronic device, thereby allowing it to dangle from the lanyard;

17. The method of claim 14 including the step of removing the lanyard, and sliding the tab toward the top end, thereby obscuring the hole.