SE1950876A1

SE1950876A1 - Portable electronic device case

Info

Publication number: SE1950876A1
Application number: SE1950876A
Authority: SE
Inventors: Stephanie S Jonsson
Original assignee: Spindler Int Ab
Priority date: 2019-07-10
Filing date: 2019-07-10
Publication date: 2021-01-11
Also published as: SE2050290A1; SE545549C2; SE545163C2

Abstract

The present invention relates to a portable electronic device case (1) comprising a front panel (3) and a rear panel (5) which are arranged to receive a portable electronic device (13) through an opening (11), and a locking mechanism (7) arranged to secure said opening (11).The locking mechanism (7) comprises a male connector (15) having an engagement portion (17), said male connector (15) being connected to a first one (3) of said panels (3, 5), a female connector (17) having an axial opening (21) configured to receive the engagement portion (17) of said male connector (15), said female connector (19) being connected to the other one (5) of said panels (3, 5), a magnetic locking element (31) which is received in a locking element cavity (39) formed in said female connector (19) and extending in a direction (40) that forms an angle (a) with the axial direction (22) of said axial opening (21), wherein said locking element (31) is movable in said locking element cavity (39) between a locking position, to which it is biased by a resilient element (33) and in which is arranged to engage the engagement portion (17, 51) of the male connector (15) to prevent the male connector (15) from being retracted from the female connector (19), and a non-locking position in which it allows the engagement portion (17) the male connector (15) to be retracted from the female connector (19).Elected for publication: Figure 1.

Description

PORTABLE ELECTRONIC DEVICE CASE Technical Field of the lnvention The present invention relates to a portable electronic device casecomprising a front panel and a rear panel which are arranged to receive aportable electronic device through an opening, and a locking mechanismarranged to secure said opening.

Background ArtLockable cases may be used to limit user control of portable electronic devices, such as cell phones, tablets and laptops.

US 9,819,788 describes a cell phone case provided with a lockingmeans to secure the opening of such a case. The locking means comprises aprotruding locking member in the form of a narrow staple that is arranged tobe received in a female locking member.

However, such a locking means may be considered difficult and/orunsafe to handle.

Summarv of the lnvention lt is an object of the present invention to provide an improved portableelectronic device case.

This and other objects that will be apparent from the followingsummary and description are achieved by a portable electronic device caseaccording to the appended claims.

According to one aspect of the present disclosure there is provided aportable electronic device case comprising a front panel and a rear panelwhich are arranged to receive a portable electronic device through anopening, and a locking mechanism arranged to secure said opening, whereinsaid locking mechanism comprises a male connector having an engagementportion, said male connector being connected to a first one of said panels, afemale connector having an axial opening configured to receive theengagement portion of said male connector, said female connector being connected to the other one of said panels, a Iocking element which isreceived in an Iocking element cavity formed in said female connector andextending in a direction that forms an angle with the axial direction of saidaxial opening, wherein said Iocking element is movable in said Iockingelement cavity between a Iocking position, to which it is biased by a resilientelement and in which it is arranged to engage the engagement portion of themale connector to prevent the male connector from being retracted from thefemale connector, and a non-Iocking position in which it allows theengagement portion of the male connector to be retracted from the femaleconnector.

The Iocking mechanism, which may comprise a blunt engagementportion, enables the opening of the case to be secured in a very easy andsafe manner by users of any age. Hence, a case that is easy and safe tohandle is provided.

Furthermore, the Iocking mechanism provides for a robust and reliablesolution without the need of sharp parts. Also, it provides for a cost-efficientsolution having few parts and that is easy to produce. Furthermore, theIocking device enables a case having an attractive appearance.

According to one embodiment said magnetic Iocking element is amagnetic Iocking ball.

According to one embodiment said resilient element is a compressionspring. This embodiment has the advantage that a very robust and durablesolution is provided.

According to one embodiment said engagement portion is a pin andpreferably a pin having a chamfered or rounded outer end, in order tofacilitate Iocking of the male connector to the female connector.

According to one embodiment one of the panels comprises a foldableportion, in order to facilitate Iocking of the male connector and the femaleconnector to each other. Furthermore, the foldable portion forms a protectingcover when the male connector and the female connector are locked to eachother.

According to one embodiment said angle (d) is in the range of 20-70°,more preferably 30-60°, and most preferably 40-50°, in order to provide areliable locking mechanism. According to one embodiment said angle is 45°.

According to one embodiment said female connector comprises a mainmember, in which said locking element cavity is formed and in which a recessfor receiving a closing member is formed. Such a separate closing memberfacilitates positioning of the resilient element and the locking element. Thisembodiment thus has the advantage that a locking mechanism that is easy toassemble is provided.

According to one embodiment said case further comprises a sleevewhich is configured for connecting said female connector to one of the panels.ln one embodiment the sleeve comprises an internally threaded portion that isconfigured to engage an externally threaded portion of the female connector,which enables the female connector to be connected to a panel in a very easyand robust manner.

According to one embodiment said locking mechanism comprises atleast one further magnetic locking element which is received in a lockingelement cavity formed in said female connector and extending in a directionthat forms an angle with the axial direction of said axial opening, which mayenable an even more robust solution.

According to one embodiment said locking mechanism comprises fourmagnetic locking elements, preferably four magnetic locking balls, each ofwhich is received in a locking element cavity formed in said female connectorand extending in a direction that forms an angle with the axial direction of saidaxial opening, which may enable an even more robust solution.

According to one embodiment each of said panels comprises anelectromagnetic shielding layer, in order to prevent an electronic devicereceived in the case from receiving and sending signals from and to anotherelectronic device. ln this embodiment a shielded enclosure is thus provided.

According to one embodiment the case comprises two compartments,one of which is electromagnetically shielded and one of which is notelectromagnetically shielded. This embodiment has the advantage that a usermay choose to be contactable or not while storing a device in a locked case.

These and other aspects of the invention will be apparent from andelucidated with reference to the claims and the embodiments describedhereinafter.

Brief Description of the DrawinqsThe invention will now be described in more detail with reference to theappended drawings in which: Fig. 1 i||ustrates a portable electronic device case according to anembodiment of the present disclosure.

Fig. 2 is an exploded view and i||ustrates a locking mechanism of theportable electronic device case shown in Fig. 1.

Figs. 3A-F serve to illustrate the function of the portable electronicdevice case shown in Fig. 1.

Detailed Description of Preferred Embodiments of the lnvention Fig. 1 shows a portable electronic device case 1 according to anembodiment of the present disclosure. The portable electronic device case 1comprises a rear panel 3, an intermediate panel 4, a front panel 5, and alocking mechanism 7. A first panel portion 9 of the rear panel 3, theintermediate panel 4 and the front panel 5 are interconnected, e.g. by sewnseams, along three edges thereof such that an opening 11 is formed. Thefront panel 5 and the intermediate panel 4, which is arranged between therear panel 3 and the front panel 5, together form a first compartment. The rearpanel 3 and the intermediate panel 4 together form a second compartment.The opening 11 is sized to receive a cell phone 13 in the first pocket, asillustrated by arrow A in Fig. 1, or in the second compartment as illustrated bythe dashed arrow in Fig. 1.

The locking mechanism 7 is arranged to secure to the opening 11. Tothis end the locking mechanism 7 comprises a male connector 15 having anengagement portion, in the form of an engagement pin 17, and a femaleconnector 19 having an axial opening 21 which is configured to receive theengagement pin 17 of the male connector 15. The male connector 15 isconnected to a second panel portion, in the form of a foldable panel portion23, of the rear panel 3 and the female connector 17 is connected to the front panel 5. When the male connector 15 and the female connector 19 are lockedto each other the foldable panel portion 23 forms a protecting cover.

Each of the intermediate panel 4 and the front panel 5 comprises aninner layer, an outer layer, and an electromagnetic shielding layer situatedbetween therebetween. ln Fig. 1 a portion of the outer layer 25 of the frontpanel 5 has been removed to illustrate the electromagnetic shielding layer 27of the front panel 5. The electromagnetic shielding layers 27 prevent a device13 received in the first compartment of the case 1 from receiving and sendingsignals from and to another electronic device. The shielding layers 27 thusprovides for a shielded enclosure.

Hence, the front panel 5 comprises an outer layer, in the form of afabric layer 25, an inner layer, in the form of a fabric layer (not shown), and anintermediate layer in the form of an electromagnetic shielding layer 27, andthe rear panel 3 comprises an outer layer, in the form of a fabric layer (notshown) and an inner layer in the form of a fabric layer 29. The intermediatelayer 4 comprises a first layer, in the form of a fabric layer, a second layer, inthe form of a fabric layer (not shown), and an intermediate layer in the form ofan electromagnetic shielding layer (not shown). The first compartment of thecase 1 is thus electromagnetically shielded whereas the second compartmentis not electromagnetically shielded.

Now referring to Fig. 2, the locking mechanism 7 comprises the maleconnector 15, the female connector 19, a magnetic locking element, in theform ofa magnetic locking ball 31, and a resilient element in the form of acompression spring 33. ln this embodiment the female connector 19comprises a first member, in the form of a main body 35, and a secondmember in the form of a closing plug 37. An elongated locking ball cavity 39,which is configured to receive the locking ball 31 and the compression spring33, is formed in the main body 35 of the female connector 19. The mainmember 35 of the female connector 19 further comprises a recess 41configured for receiving the closing plug 37. Upon assembly of the femaleconnector 19 the locking ball 31 and the compression spring 33 is firstpositioned in the locking ball cavity 39 and then the closing plug 37 isreceived in the recess 41 of the main body 35 and secured thereto, e.g. by means of glue or a snap fit mechanism. The closing plug 37 comprises aprojecting portion 43 that forms an outer end wall of the locking ball cavity 39when the closing plug 37 is received in the recess 41 of the main member 35.

The main member 35 of the female connector 19 is connected to thefront panel 5 by means of an internally threaded sleeve 45. To this end themain member 35 has an externally threaded portion 47.

The male connector 15 comprises a base plate 49 and theengagement pin 17 which projects from the base plate 49. A radial groove 51is formed at the outer end of the engagement pin 17. The outer end of theengagement pin 17 is chamfered and forms an inclined contact surface 53.The base plate 49, which in this embodiment is circular, of the male connector15 is configured to be received between two of the layers of the foldablepanel portion 23 of the rear panel 3 and the engagement portion 17 isconfigured to project from the foldable panel portion 23 of rear panel 3through an opening in the inner layer 29 thereof, as illustrated in Fig. 1.

With reference to Figs. 3A-F, the function of the locking mechanism 7will be described hereinafter.

Fig. 3A illustrates the locking mechanism 7 in a disengaged position.

As illustrated in Fig. 3A an inner end wall of the locking ball cavity 39,which is formed by a portion of the main member 35 of the female connector19, forms a locking ball seat 55 for the locking ball 31 and the outer end wallof the locking ball cavity 39, i.e. the end wall formed by the projection 43 ofthe closing plug 37, forms a seat 57 for the compression spring 33. Thecompression spring 33 is thus arranged to be pressed against the spring seat57. The locking ball 31 is forced against the locking ball seat 55 by thecompression spring 33. Then, the inner end wall of the locking ball cavity 39prevents the locking ball 31 from being pushed out of the locking ball cavity39 by the compression spring 33. A portion of the main member 35 forms acollar 56, best illustrated in Fig. 3C, which forms a part of the inner end wall ofthe locking ball cavity 39.

Upon insertion of the engagement pin 17 of the male connector 15, asillustrated by arrows A in Figs. 3A-C, the chamfered contact surface 53 of the engagement pin 17 comes into contact with and pushes away the Iocking ball31, as illustrated by arrow B in Fig. 3B.

When the engagement pin 17 has been inserted to such extent that theradial groove 51 is exposed to the Iocking ball cavity 39 the Iocking ball 31 isurged into a Iocking position, illustrated in Fig. 3D, in the radial groove 51 bythe compression spring 33, as illustrated by arrow C in Fig. 3D. ln the Iockingposition the Iocking ball 31 mechanically constrains retraction of theengagement pin 17 by contact with the Iocking ball seat 55. Then, the maleconnector 15 is locked to the female connector 19, which secures the openingof the case 1. ln the Iocking position mechanical interaction of the surface ofthe radial groove 51, the Iocking ball 31 and the Iocking ball seat 55 preventsthe engagement pin 17 of the male connector 15 from being retracted fromthe axial opening 21 of the female connector 19.

To unlock the Iocking mechanism 7, a magnetic device 59 is positionedon top of the female connector 19. Magnetic attraction force, illustrated byarrows D in Fig. 3E, between the magnetic device 59 and the magnetic ball31 then causes the magnetic Iocking ball 31 to be moved, against the springforce of the compression spring 33, away from the Iocking position to a non-Iocking position, illustrated in Fig. 3F. When the Iocking ball 31 is situated inthe non-Iocking position, the engagement pin 17 of the male connector 15 isallowed to be retracted from the axial opening 21 of the female connector 19,as illustrated by arrow E in Fig. 3F, to unlock the Iocking mechanism 7 and thereby unsecure the opening 9 of the case 1.lt will be appreciated that numerous variants of the embodimentsdescribed above are possible within the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. Portable electronic device case (1) comprising a front panel (3)and a rear panel (5) which are arranged to receive a mobile electronicdevice (13) through an opening (11), and a locking mechanism (7)arranged to secure said opening (11), characterized in that said locking mechanism (7) comprises a male connector (15) having an engagement portion (17), said maleconnector (15) being connected to a first one (3) of said panels (3, 5), a female connector (17) having an axial opening (21) configured toreceive the engagement portion (17) of said male connector (15), said femaleconnector (19) being connected to the other one (5) of said panels (3, 5), a magnetic locking element (31) which is received in a locking elementcavity (39) formed in said female connector (19) and extending in a direction(40) that forms an angle (oi) with the axial direction (22) of said axial opening(21), wherein said locking element (31) is movable in said locking element cavity (39)between a locking position, to which it is biased by a resilient element (33)and in which is arranged to engage the engagement portion (17, 51) of themale connector (15) to prevent the male connector (15) from being retractedfrom the female connector (19), and a non-locking position in which it allowsthe engagement portion (17) the male connector (15) to be retracted from thefemale connector (19).

2. A mobile electronic device case according to claim 1, wherein said lockingelement is a locking ball (31).

3. A portable electronic device case according to any one of the preceedingclaims, wherein said resilient element is a compression spring (33).

4. A portable electronic device case according to any one of the preceedingclaims, wherein said engagement portion is a pin (17) and preferably a pin(17) having a chamfered (53) or rounded outer end.

5. A portable electronic device case according to any one of the preceedingclaims, wherein one (3) of the panels (3, 5) comprises a foldable portion (23).

6. A portable electronic device case (1) according to any one of thepreceeding claims, wherein said angle (d) is in the range of 20-70°, morepreferably 30-60°, and most preferably 40-50°.

7. A portable electronic device case according to any one of the preceedingclaims, wherein said female connector (19) comprises a main member (35), inwhich said locking element cavity (39) is formed and in which a recess (41)for receiving a closing member (47) is formed.

8. A portable electronic device case according to any one of the preceedingclaims, wherein said case further comprises a sleeve (45) which is configuredfor connecting said female connector (19) to one (5) of the panels (3).

9. A portable electronic device case according to any one of the preceedingclaims, wherein said locking mechanism (7) comprises at least one furthermagnetic locking element which is received in a locking element cavityformed in said female connector and extending in a direction that forms anangle with the axial direction of said axial opening.

10. A portable electronic device case according to any one of the preceedingclaims, wherein each of said panels comprises an electromagnetic shieldinglayen

11. A portable electronic device case according to any one of the preceedingclaims, wherein the case comprises two compartments, one (4, 5) of which is electromagnetically shielded and one (3, 4) of which is notelectromagnetically shielded.