Case And Mount System For Handheld Electronic Device
Patent No. US10864956 (titled "Case And Mount System For Handheld Electronic Device") was filed by Rokform Ip Llc on Oct 2, 2018.
What is this patent about?
’956 is related to the field of protective cases for handheld electronic devices, specifically addressing the need for improved protection against damage from drops and falls. The background acknowledges the increasing importance and common use of these devices, highlighting the problem of inadequate protection leading to data loss, information loss, and high replacement costs.
The underlying idea behind ’956 is to create a modular protection system for handheld devices that incorporates both a robust protective shell and a versatile mounting system. This is achieved through a combination of an interlocking mechanism on the case and a corresponding mount, along with features like a non-slip element and a magnet for added functionality.
The claims of ’956 focus on a mountable case system for a mobile electronic device. The case has a rear portion and a side portion, with an attachment region on the rear. This region has an opening with case tabs and access spaces. The mount includes a mount piece for a bicycle, a mount attachment piece with an interlocking member (mount tabs), and an arm portion that is rotatably coupled to the mount piece. The mount tabs pass through the access spaces, and rotation interlocks the case and mount.
In practice, the user installs their handheld device into the protective shell. The shell's attachment region then allows for quick and secure connection to various mounting bases via the interlocking member. The non-slip member, potentially incorporating a magnet, provides additional stability and attachment options to magnetic surfaces. The interlocking design allows the phone to be rotated and locked into position on the mount.
This design differentiates itself from prior solutions by offering a removable and versatile mounting system integrated directly into the protective case. The combination of the interlocking mechanism, non-slip element, and optional magnet provides a comprehensive solution for protecting and securing handheld devices in various environments, addressing the limitations of simple protective cases or standalone mounting solutions.
How does this patent fit in bigger picture?
Technical landscape at the time
In the early 2010s when ’956 was filed, handheld electronic devices were becoming increasingly prevalent, at a time when protective cases were typically implemented using rigid or semi-rigid materials to shield devices from impacts and scratches. Attachment mechanisms for accessories often relied on friction fits, adhesives, or simple mechanical fasteners, when more complex interlocking systems were less common due to hardware or software constraints made precise manufacturing tolerances non-trivial.
Novelty and Inventive Step
Claims were amended during prosecution. Some claims were cancelled. Claims 16-18, 20-25 and 27-29 were rejected under pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 103(a). The applicant's arguments were considered but not persuasive. Claims 20 and 27 were objected to. The prosecution record does NOT describe the technical reasoning or specific claim changes that led to allowance.
Claims
This patent contains 16 claims, with independent claims 1, 6, and 11. The independent claims are directed to a mountable case system for a mobile electronic device, comprising a case and a mount that interlock via tabs and access spaces. The dependent claims generally add further detail and limitations to the features described in the independent claims, such as adjustability and specific positioning of the mount piece, and the type of mobile electronic device.
Key Claim Terms New
Definitions of key terms used in the patent claims.
Patent Family
File Wrapper
The dossier documents provide a comprehensive record of the patent's prosecution history - including filings, correspondence, and decisions made by patent offices - and are crucial for understanding the patent's legal journey and any challenges it may have faced during examination.
Date
Description
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US10864956
- Application Number
- US16149978
- Filing Date
- Oct 2, 2018
- Status
- Granted
- Expiry Date
- Aug 23, 2032
- External Links
- Slate, USPTO, Google Patents