AU2019100742A4

AU2019100742A4 - Bumper case

Info

Publication number: AU2019100742A4
Application number: AU2019100742A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Jacob Goodridge; Ethan Nyholm
Original assignee: STM MAN Pty Ltd; STM Management Pty Ltd
Current assignee: STM Management Pty Ltd
Priority date: 2019-07-08
Filing date: 2019-07-08
Publication date: 2019-08-08
Anticipated expiration: 2027-07-08

Abstract

Abstract Disclosed herein is a bumper case. m tL0 Coo

Description

BUMPER CASE

Technical field

The disclosure herein generally relates to a bumper case.

Background

Tablet shaped devices, including but not limited to smart phones and tablet computers, can be damaged when dropped. For example, an electronic display of an APPLE IPHONE, an APPLE IPAD, a SAMSUNG GALAXY, or AMAZON FIRE HB8 can crack when dropped. A device received by a protective case, for example a bumper case, may be less likely to be damaged 0 when dropped.

A bumper case may be configured to either securely hold a tablet shaped device or for relatively easy insertion of the tablet shaped device within, however it may be difficult to configure a bumper case that has both of these properties.

Summary

An aspect of the present invention provides a bumper case comprising a disassemblable perimeter wall comprising an interior surface configured to secure a tablet shaped device, the disassemblable perimeter wall comprising a length of perimeter wall and another length of perimeter wall separably joined to the length of perimeter wall.

In an embodiment, the other length of perimeter wall is to a single side of the interior space.

In an embodiment, the length of perimeter wall and the other length of perimeter wall comprise a plurality of cooperating joining features that separably join the length of perimeter wall and the other length of perimeter wall.

In an embodiment, the plurality of cooperating joining features comprise a hook and a hook receiver.

In an embodiment, the plurality of cooperating joining features comprise a latch and a latch keeper.

2019100742 08 Jul 2019

Any of the various features of each of the above disclosures, and of the various features of the embodiments described below, can be combined as suitable and desired.

Brief description of the figures

Embodiments will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying figures in which:

Figure 1 shows a front isometric view of an embodiment of a bumper case.

Figure 2 shows a front isometric view of the bumper case of figure 1 disassembled into a plurality of perimeter wall portions.

Figures 3 to 6 show isometric views of joinable ends of lengths of the disassembled 0 bumper case of figure 1.

Figure 7 shows a front elevational view of the bumper case of figure 1.

Figure 8 shows a rear elevational view of the bumper case of figure 1.

Figure 9 shows a plan view of the bumper case of figure 1.

Figure 10 shows a bottom view of the bumper case of figure 1.

Figures 11 and 12 respectively show right side and left side views of the bumper case of figure 1.

Description of embodiments

Figure 1 shows a front isometric view of an embodiment of a bumper case generally indicated by the numeral 10. The bumper case 10 comprises a disassemblable perimeter wall 12. Figure 2 shows a front isometric view of the bumper case 10 disassembled. The disassemblable perimeter wall 12 comprises an interior surface 14 configured to secure a tablet shaped device, example forms of which include a smart phone (e.g. APPLE IPHONE) and a tablet computer (e.g. SAMSUNG GALAXY TAB). The disassemblable perimeter wall 12 comprises a length of perimeter wall 16 and another length of perimeter wall 18 (the “lengths”) separably joined to the length of perimeter wall 16. While in the present embodiment the disassemblable perimeter wall 12comprises two lengths of separable perimeter wall, it may comprise three or more lengths of perimeter wall, as suitable and desired.

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The disassemblable perimeter wall 12 defines a tablet shaped device receiving space 20. The length of perimeter wall 16 comprises four corner sections 22,24,26,28 that each turn ninety degrees. The other length of perimeter wall 18 is turn free - being substantially straight - and to a single side of the interior space 20. In an otherwise identical alternative embodiment, the length of perimeter wall 16 and the other length of perimeter wall 18 each comprise at least one turn. For example:

• one of the lengths 16,18 may comprise 1 turn and the other of the lengths 16,18 may comprise 3 turns;

• the lengths 16,18 may each comprise 2 turns.

Figures 3 and 4 show isometric views of joinable ends 30,32 of the lengths 16, 18, the joinable ends 30,32 being separable when joined. The joinable ends 30,32 comprise cooperating joining features 34,36 in the form of a hook 34 and a hook receiver 36. The hook 34 is attached to the other length of perimeter wall 18 and integral thereto, however it may be separably attached with a fastener in the form of a screw, pin or generally any suitable fastener. The hook receiver 36 is attached to the length of perimeter wall 16 and integral thereto, however it may be separably attached with a fastener in the form of a screw, pin or generally any suitable fastener. The hook receiver 36 defines an aperture 38 in which the hook 34 can be received for engagement of the hook 34 and the hook receiver 36. The hook 34 and hook receiver 36 are cooperatively configured such that the hook 34 when received by the hook receiver 36 does not protrude into the tablet shaped device receiving space 20, which may otherwise interfere with the tablet shaped device. In an alternative embodiment, the hook 34 is attached to the length of perimeter wall 16 and the hook receiver 36 is attached to the other length of perimeter wall 18.

Figures 5 and 6 show isometric views of other joinable ends 38,40 of the lengths 16,18, the other joinable ends 38,40 being separable when joined. The other joinable ends 38,40 comprise other 25 cooperating joining features 46,48 in the form of a latch 46 and a latch keeper 48. The latch 46 is attached the length 16 and integral thereto, however it may be separably attached with a fastener in the form of a screw, pin or generally any suitable fastener. The latch keeper 48 is attached to the other length 18 and is integral thereto, however it may be separably attached with a fastener in the form of a screw, pin or generally any suitable fastener. The latch keeper 48 defines an aperture 50 in which the latch 46 can be received for engagement of the latch 46 and the latch keeper 48. In an alternative embodiment, the latch is attached to the other length 18, and the latch keeper 48 is attached to the length 16. The position of the joinable ends 30,32 and

2019100742 08 Jul 2019 the other joinable ends 38,40 with respect to the disassemblable perimeter wall 12 can be reversed.

The latch 46 is attached to a resilient insert 52 that is slidably insertable into a resilient insert receiving space 59 defined by a latch keeper 48. When so received the resilient insert 52 is confined by an inside surface 56 of the latch keeper 48 and flanges 58,60 that are at opposite edges of the inside surface 56 and inwardly directed to restrict an opening into the resilient insert receiving space 59. The flanges 58,60 do not conceal the interior surface 14. The inside surface 56 is recessed with respect to the inside surface 14 at the other length 18 such that the inside surface 14 at the length 16 is at the same depth as the inside surface 14 at the other length 18, which may provide relatively more secure engagement of the disasemblable perimeter wall 12 and tablet shaped device.

As the latch 46 is slidably received by the latch keeper 48, the latch 46 is depressed by the inside surface 56 of the resilient insert receiver 54. Engagement of the resilient insert 52 with flanges 58,60 stop the resilient insert 52 bending out of the resilient insert receiver 54 when the latch is slidable received by the resilient insert receiver 54. The resilient insert 52 resiliently deforms to accommodate the depression of the latch 46 by the inside surface 56, and when so resiliently deformed biases the latch 46 towards the inside surface 56 when the latch 46 is at aperture 50 it is biased into the aperture 50 by the resiliently deformed resilient insert 52 and when so received by the aperture 50 the length 16 and other length 18 are joined.

In use, the tablet shaped device is received by the inside surface 14 of the length 16, the hook 34 received by the hook receiver 36, and the latch 46 slidably received by the latch keeper 48. Optionally as in the present embodiment, at least one dimension - e.g. top to bottom (longitudinal), or left to right (transverse) - of the space 20 is smaller than the corresponding dimension of the tablet shaped device, for example by no more than 2%. At least one of the lengths 16,18 - in this embodiment 18 - stretch to accommodate the tablet shaped device. The present but not all embodiments are configured for the disasemblable perimeter wall 12 to be in tension when the tablet shaped device is received.

While the length of the perimeter wall 16 and the other length of the perimeter wall comprise a plurality of cooperating joining features are in the form of a latch, a latch keeper, a hook and a hook receiver, generally any suitable cooperating joining features can be used in generally any suitable combination. In an in an alternative embodiment, fasteners in the form of screws, or pins, for example, may be used to join the lengths 16,18. Screws and pins may be more difficult

2019100742 08 Jul 2019 to use (e.g. small screws that require specialised tools in the form of a jeweller screwdriver, for example), and may not allow easy separation of the lengths 16,18 or their separation at all.

The interior surface 14 has the same curvature between opposite edges 21,23 thereof as the perimeter of the tablet shaped device, which may provide relatively more secure engagement of the disasemblable perimeter wall 12 and tablet shaped device.

The interior surface 14 comprises a rear interior surface 62 in the form of a lip that in use is at a rear face of the tablet shaped device and a front interior surface 64 in the form of another lip that in use is at the front face of the tablet shaped device, the front face of the tablet shaped device comprising an electronic display. The rear interior surface 62 extends further towards a center of 0 the tablet shaped device receiving space 20 than the front interior surface 64. The lip 62 and other lip 64 have a stiffness which prevents insertion and removal of the tablet shaped device past the lips 62,64, which may improve security and prevent the tablet shaped device inadvertently falling out of the bumper case 10 and may provide greater impact protection.

The disassemblable perimeter wall 12 comprises a plurality of ports 72,74,76,78, shown in figures 10 and 12, which may be variously for connecting electronic plugs to the tablet shaped device, the egress of sound generated by a speaker of the tablet shaped device, the ingress of sound to a microphone of the tablet shaped device, and finger access to a tablet shaped device control (e.g. a ringer disable switch).

The disassemblable perimeter wall 12 comprises a plurality of movably mounted actuators

66,68,70 shown in figures 11 and 12 that are each arranged to communicated a finger movement to a tablet shaped device button of the tablet shaped device when received. The actuators 66,68,70 are each in the form of an actuator insert movably received within a plurality of apertures defined by the disassemblable perimeter wall 12. The movably mounted actuators 66,68,70 each comprise a waist in which is received the disassemblable perimeter wall such that 25 the actuators 66,68,70 are retained within the plurality of apertures.

The bumper case 10 does not have a back wall, however an alternative embodiment may have a back wall, for example attached to the length 16.

Now that embodiments have been described, it will be appreciated that some embodiments may have some of the following advantages:

2019100742 08 Jul 2019 • The tablet shaped device may be protected without a back wall. A back wall may add weight, enable dust to accumulate between the back wall and the tablet shaped device, and obscure an aesthetically pleasing back face of the tablet shaped device.

• A tablet shaped device may be relatively more securely held.

· It may be relatively easier for the tablet shaped device to be received.

• A disassemblable perimeter wall may enable use of a relatively hard material for the lips which may offer relatively greater protection than prior art bumper cases comprising a lip that must be relatively soft and compliant so the that a tablet shaped device can be squeezed past into a tablet shaped device receiving cavity.

Variations and/or modifications may be made to the embodiments described without departing from the spirit or ambit of the invention. The present embodiments are, therefore, to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive. Reference to a feature disclosed herein does not mean that all embodiments must include the feature.

Prior art, if any, described herein is not to be taken as an admission that the prior art forms part 5 of the common general knowledge in any jurisdiction.

In the claims which follow and in the preceding description of the invention, except where the context requires otherwise due to express language or necessary implication, the word “comprise” or variations such as “comprises or “comprising is used in an inclusive sense, that is to specify the presence of the stated features but not to preclude the presence or addition of 0 further features in various embodiments of the invention.

Claims

1. A bumper case comprising a disassemblable perimeter wall comprising an interior surface configured to secure a tablet shaped device, the disassemblable perimeter wall comprising a length of perimeter wall and another length of perimeter wall separably

5 joined to the length of perimeter wall.

2. A bumper case defined by claim 1 wherein the other length of perimeter wall is to a single side of the interior space.

3. A bumper case defined by either one of claim 1 and claim 2 wherein the length of perimeter wall and the other length of perimeter wall comprise a plurality of cooperating

0 joining features that separably join the length of perimeter wall and the other length of perimeter wall.

4. A bumper case defined by claim 3 wherein the plurality of cooperating joining features comprise a hook and a hook receiver.

5. A bumper case defined by either one of claim 3 and claim 4 wherein the plurality of

5 cooperating joining features comprise a latch and a latch keeper.