Docking sleeve with electrical adapter

Patent No. US9632535 (titled "Docking sleeve with electrical adapter") on Nov 13, 2015. The application was issued on Apr 25, 2017.

'535 is related to the field of protective covers for portable electronic devices, specifically smartphones and tablets. These devices often lack built-in docking connectors, unlike rugged laptops. Existing protective skins primarily offer physical protection but don't facilitate easy docking for power and data transfer.

The underlying idea behind '535 is to integrate an electrical adapter directly into a flexible protective cover. This adapter features a male plug that mates with the device's existing I/O socket and a contactor with external contacts that interface with a standard docking cradle. This allows the device to be docked without removing the protective cover.

The claims of '535 focus on a protective skin comprising a flexible shell with an interior cavity to receive an electronic device and an adapter fixedly positioned in the shell. The adapter includes a male plug with connectors extending into the cavity for mating with the device's female socket, a contactor with contacts exposed on a flat surface and electrically coupled to the plug, and a male positioning interface defining a rim around the contactor to guide mating with an external connector.

In practice, the user slides the phone into the flexible cover, which automatically connects the internal plug to the phone's I/O port. The cover then allows the phone to be docked into a standard cradle, where the external contacts on the cover mate with the cradle's connector. The positioning interface, a dam-like structure around the contacts, ensures proper alignment and reliable electrical connection.

This design differentiates itself from prior art by providing an integrated docking solution within the protective cover itself. Instead of simply protecting the device, it enhances its functionality by enabling seamless docking without requiring removal of the cover or the use of separate adapters. The adapter can also be configured as a converting adapter to reorder the input/output signals to match the docking connector.

How does this patent fit in bigger picture?

Technical Landscape

In the mid-2010s when ’535 was filed, protective covers for mobile hardware were typically implemented using passive elastomeric shells designed solely for impact resistance. At a time when systems commonly relied on manual cable insertion into female I/O sockets for charging and data transfer, the integration of active electrical components into flexible skins was rare. Hardware constraints made the creation of a unified protective and docking interface non-trivial, as most consumer tablets and smartphones lacked the ruggedized external contact pins found on specialized industrial laptops, requiring users to remove protective cases to utilize standard docking cradles.

Prosecution Position

The examiner allowed the claims because the prior art did not describe or suggest a specific combination of structural and electrical features. Specifically, the prior art failed to show a connector component with a flat surface where multiple electrical contacts are exposed and sit nearly level with that surface. Additionally, the examiner noted that the prior art did not teach a protective shell that covers the back of the device and wraps around the edges of the front face while maintaining a specific positioning interface that creates a rim around the electrical adapter's contact area.

Claims

This patent contains 20 claims, with independent claims 1 and 15 directed to a protective skin for an electronic device comprising a flexible shell and an adapter. The dependent claims generally elaborate on specific features, configurations, and systems related to the protective skin described in the independent claims.

Key Claim Terms New

Definitions of key terms used in the patent claims.

Term (Source)	Support for Specification	Interpretation
Contactor (Claim 1, Claim 15)	Therefore, the protective cover of the invention includes an electrical adapter that is structurally integral with the shell and positioned adjacent to the female input/output socket of the electronic device, wherein the adapter is formed with a male plug that is projected interior of the shell in an arrangement for mating with the female input/output socket of the device, and a contactor formed with a plurality of contacts that are electrically coupled to the plug and exposed to an exterior of the shell in a position for mating with the docking connector when the device is docked into the cradle while remaining in the protective cover.	A component of the adapter that has multiple contacts electrically connected to the male plug, positioned on the exterior of the shell for mating with a docking connector.
Flexible protective shell (Claim 1, Claim 15)	According to one aspect of the invention, the protective cover includes a flexible protective shell that is complimentary in shape to the target electronic device, wherein the shell at least partially covers side faces and one front or back face of the device and extends around a peripheral edge of the opposite face.	A pliable covering for an electronic device, composed of a panel and a skirt that together create an interior space for housing the device.
Interior cavity (Claim 1, Claim 15)	According to one aspect of the invention, the protective cover includes a flexible protective shell that is complimentary in shape to the target electronic device, wherein the shell at least partially covers side faces and one front or back face of the device and extends around a peripheral edge of the opposite face.	The space formed by the panel and skirt of the flexible protective shell, designed to accommodate the electronic device.
Male plug (Claim 1, Claim 15)	Therefore, the protective cover of the invention includes an electrical adapter that is structurally integral with the shell and positioned adjacent to the female input/output socket of the electronic device, wherein the adapter is formed with a male plug that is projected interior of the shell in an arrangement for mating with the female input/output socket of the device, and a contactor formed with a plurality of contacts that are electrically coupled to the plug and exposed to an exterior of the shell in a position for mating with the docking connector when the device is docked into the cradle while remaining in the protective cover.	A component of the adapter that has multiple connectors and is designed to be inserted into the female socket of the electronic device.
Positioning interface (Claim 1, Claim 15)	Most docking cradles either use some sort of biasing pogo pin or biasing leaf spring contact in the docking connector. Therefore, the protective cover of the invention includes an electrical adapter that is structurally integral with the shell and positioned adjacent to the female input/output socket of the electronic device, wherein the adapter is formed with a male plug that is projected interior of the shell in an arrangement for mating with the female input/output socket of the device, and a contactor formed with a plurality of contacts that are electrically coupled to the plug and exposed to an exterior of the shell in a position for mating with the docking connector when the device is docked into the cradle while remaining in the protective cover.	A structure on the shell that forms a rim around the contactor to facilitate proper alignment and connection with an external connector.

Litigation Cases New

US Latest litigation cases involving this patent.

Case Number	Filing Date	Title
0:23-cv-03690	Nov 30, 2023	National Products Inc. v. Havis, Inc.

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US9632535

Application Number: US14941389A
Filing Date: Nov 13, 2015
Publication Date: Apr 25, 2017
External Links: Slate, USPTO, Google Patents

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