초록 ▼

A case for housing and protecting an electronic device against moisture damage and contaminants is disclosed. The case includes a first member having a first plainer section and a first perimetric wall formed thereon, and a second member having a second planer section and a second perimetric wall fo

A case for housing and protecting an electronic device against moisture damage and contaminants is disclosed. The case includes a first member having a first plainer section and a first perimetric wall formed thereon, and a second member having a second planer section and a second perimetric wall formed thereon. The first perimetric wall and the second perimetric wall are engaged forming an overlap and a sealing structure for a watertight seal. The sealing structure includes a mated ring and a ridge-to-groove interlock. The case further includes a plurality interface feature accesses, including an optical access, an audio access, a button, and at least one open access for electrical connection. The case provides a cover with a plug adapted to cover up the open electrical connection access to form a watertight seal.

대표청구항 ▼

1. An apparatus adapted to house and protect an electronic device having a electrical port to receive an electrical connector to connect to an external device, the apparatus has a plurality of surfaces, comprising: a first member having a first planer section and a first perimetric wall formed there

1. An apparatus adapted to house and protect an electronic device having a electrical port to receive an electrical connector to connect to an external device, the apparatus has a plurality of surfaces, comprising: a first member having a first planer section and a first perimetric wall formed thereon, the first planer section and the first perimetric wall forming part of the plurality of surfaces;a second member having a second planer section and a second perimetric wall formed thereon, the second planer section and the second perimetric wall forming a part of the plurality of surfaces, wherein the second perimetric wall is separably engaged with the first perimetric wall to form an enclosure between the second member and the first member, the enclosure being water-tightly sealed from the outside by a sealing ring;an open access through a surface adapted to allow the electrical connector to penetrate and make connection to the electrical port on the housed electronic device, wherein the open access has an outer mating ring on its inner surface;an access cover having a plug adapted to plug into the open access, wherein the plug has an inner mating ring on its outer surface;wherein the inner mating ring on the plug is adapted to mate to the outer mating ring on the open access; andwherein a dimensional interference is caused by a dimension on the inner mating ring being greater than a corresponding dimension on the outer mating ring when the inner mating ring and the outer mating ring are mated. 2. An apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein: when the plug is plugged into the open access, the mating of the inner mating ring on the plug and the outer mating ring on the open access causes a snap-on. 3. An apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein: the open access is through a surface on the first perimetric wall and the access cover is connected to the second member with a flexible connection. 4. An apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein: the inner mating ring is a recessed ring on the plug and the outer mating ring is a protruding ring on the open access. 5. An apparatus recited in claim 1 wherein: the inner mating ring is a protruding ring on the plug and the outer mating ring is a recessed ring on the open access. 6. An apparatus as recited in claim 5 wherein: the protruding ring is an o-ring fitted in a channel on the outer surface of the plug. 7. An apparatus as recited in claim 5 wherein: the protruding ring is made of resilient rubber and the recessed ring is made of hard plastic. 8. An apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein: both the plug and the open access have circular cross-sections. 9. An apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein: both the plug and the open access have rounded rectangular cross-sections. 10. An apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein: the separable engagement of the first perimetric wall and the second perimetric wall includes an overlap with an outer overlap layer extended from the first perimetric wall and an inner overlap layer extended from the second perimetric wall, the overlap having a first mating ring formed on the inner surface of the outer overlap layer and a second mating ring formed on the outer surface of the inner overlap layer mating with the first mating ring around the perimeter, and a dimensional interference is caused by a dimension of the second mating ring being greater than a corresponding dimension of the first mating ring. 11. An apparatus as recited in claim 10, further comprising: a separable interlock formed by a ridge on the edge of the first perimetric wall biting into a groove at the perimeter of the second planer section, wherein the interlock causes a compression between the outer overlap layer and the inner overlap layer and a snap-on between the first mating ring and the second mating ring. 12. An apparatus as recited in claim 1, further comprising: at least one sealed optical access formed through at least one of the plurality of surfaces to allow light to pass through;at least one sealed audio access formed through at least one of the plurality of surfaces to allow audio waves to pass through; andat least one sealed button formed on at least one of the plurality of surfaces surface adapted to transfer mechanical movement to at least one button on the electronic device housed inside. 13. A method for protecting an electronic device against moisture damage, the electronic device having an electrical port to receive an electrical connector, comprising: enclosing the electronic device with a first member having a first planer section and a first perimetric wall formed thereon and a second member having a second planer section and a second perimetric wall formed thereon, the first member and the second member providing a plurality of surfaces, wherein the first member and the second member form an enclosure therebetween by separably engaging the first perimetric wall water-tightly with the second perimetric wall by a sealing ring;providing an open access through a surface to allow the electrical connector to penetrate and make connection to the electrical port on the housed electronic device, wherein the open access has an outer mating ring on its inner surface;providing an access cover having a plug adapted to plug into the open access, the plug having an inner mating ring on its outer surface, wherein the inner mating ring on the plug is adapted. to mate to the outer mating ring on the open access; andcausing a dimensional interference between the inner mating ring and the outer mating ring by making a dimension on the inner mating ring greater than corresponding dimension on the outer mating ring. 14. A method as recited in claim 13, further comprising: causing a snap-on between the inner mating ring and the outer mating ring when the inner mating ring and the outer mating ring are mated. 15. A method as recited in claim 13 wherein: the open access is through a surface on the first perimetric wall and the access cover is connected to the second member with a flexible connection. 16. A method as recited in claim 13 wherein: the inner mating ring is a protruding ring on the plug and the outer mating ring is a recessed ring on the open access. 17. A method as recited in claim 16 wherein: the protruding ring is a resilient o-ring fitted in a channel on the outer surface of the plug. 18. A method as recited in claim 13 wherein: the separable watertight engagement includes an overlap having an outer overlap layer extended from the first perimetric wall and an inner overlap layer extended from the second perimetric wall, the outer overlap layer having a first mating ring formed on its inner surface and the inner overlap layer having a second mating ring formed on its outer surface, wherein during the engagement a dimensional interference is caused by a dimension of the second mating ring being greater than a corresponding dimension of the first mating ring. 19. A method as recited by claim 18 wherein: the separable watertight engagement further includes an interlock formed by a ridge on the edge of the first perimetric wall biting into a groove at the perimeter of the second planer section, wherein the interlock, causes a compression between the outer overlap layer and the inner overlap layer, and a snap-on between the first mating ring and the second mating ring. 20. A method as recited in claim 13, further comprising: allowing light to pass though at least one sealed optical access channel formed in at least one of the plurality of surfaces;allowing audio waves to pass through at least one sealed audio access channel formed on at least one of the plurality of surfaces; andproviding at least one sealed button on at least one of the plurality of surfaces to transfer mechanical movement to at least one button on the electronic device housed inside.