Special receptacle or package – For a household appliance
Reexamination Certificate
1999-11-17
2001-03-27
Gehman, Bryon P. (Department: 3728)
Special receptacle or package
For a household appliance
C206S305000, C211S026000, C248S176100
Reexamination Certificate
active
06206187
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to cases and protective covers for electronic devices and, more particularly, to a personal computer retention case having a toggle clip and case sleeve to maintain a personal computer within the case.
(2) Description of the Prior Art
Portable electronic devices such as personal computers, video game machines and hand held cameras, to name a few, generally have protective cases and covers designed to safely transport and store the respective devices. Generally, the particular electronic device is removed from its protective case or cover when it is desired to use the electronic device. The protective case or cover is then placed in a temporary location from which it is later retrieved for use when the particular electronic device is again ready for transport and/or storage. A common problem associated with such protective cases and covers for electronic devices relates to misplacement and loss of the protective case or cover while the particular electronic device is in use. The foregoing problem has been addressed for hard shell and non-fabric protective cases. For example, non-fabric protective cases for particular electronic devices have been formulated to provide access to the particular electronic device being stored therein such that the electronic device can be operated without removal from its protective case. One such protective case is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,002,184, entitled Soft Case Protection For A Hand Held Computer, issued Mar. 26, 1991, to Lloyd. However, such cases are often bulky and cumbersome, consuming undesirable amounts of limited space during use. Further, such cases generally have latching or insert structures that are not quickly or easily manipulated when it is desired to separate the electronic device from its protective case.
Thus, there remains a need for a new and improved fabric or soft-sided electronic device storage and transport (retention) case capable of removably attaching an associated electronic device when the retention case is open. Further, there remains a need for a quick-release mechanism capable of quickly, reliably and easily removably attaching an electronic device into a protective retention case.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is directed to a quick release mechanism for use with a storage and transport case, i.e., retention case, for an electronic device such as a personal organizer. One embodiment of the storage and transport case has an internal insert sleeve or other suitable means for removably and securely receiving one end of the electronic device within the case. Following insertion of the electronic device into the insert sleeve, the opposite end of the electronic device is securely fastened into the storage and transport case via a toggle clip. In this manner, the electronic device and its associated case become a single unit, even when the storage and transport case is opened and the end user is operating the electronic device. The toggle clip can be sized and formulated to work in combination with many different types of electronic devices to removably fasten the respective device into its associated retention case. In one embodiment, a toggle clip assembly includes a mounting base configured to be attached to or within a predetermined retention case. The mounting base has protrusions extending from the underside of the base configured to press fit with a plurality of openings disposed within or through a case base attached to or within an inner portion of the retention case. The mounting base can be removed by applying enough force to overcome the press fit formed between the protrusions in the mounting base and the plurality of openings in the case base. The case base preferably is attached to an inner portion of the retention case using an adhesive or other appropriate bonding technique. The embodiment of the mounting base has a pair of dowel pin anchors disposed on the top side of the mounting base and further has a leaf spring mechanism disposed there between. A toggle clip is configured to be rotatably and removably received between the dowel pin anchors. Following placement of the toggle clip between the dowel pin anchors, the toggle clip is removably and rotatably attached to the mounting base via a dowel pin formulated to slidably press fit into and through dowel pin holes disposed in the dowel pin anchors and the toggle clip. One embodiment of the toggle clip has an L-shape with an integral cam disposed on one end. The dowel pin hole in the toggle clip is disposed through the cam portion of the toggle clip such that rotation of the toggle clip between the dowel anchors also causes the cam to rotate against the leaf spring. The leaf spring is configured to flex downwardly as the cam rotates against it and also has a notch or recess configured to receive a protrusion disposed on the cam such that the cam protrusion can selectively enter or exit the notch as the cam rotates on its associated dowel pin. An audible click is produced when the cam protrusion completes its entry into the notch and the leaf spring snaps back against the smaller portion of the cam.
Another embodiment of the storage and transport case includes a platform; a retention sleeve attached to the platform that is configured to removably receive a first portion of a predetermined electronic device; and a toggle clip attached to the platform that is configured to rotate between an open position and a closed position to secure a second portion of a predetermined electronic device to a predetermined portion of the platform, such that opposite portions of an electronic device can be securely coupled to the platform by the retention sleeve and the toggle clip when the toggle clip is rotated to a substantially closed position. A fold-over sheath can also be utilized to completely or substantially enclose the platform, retention sleeve and toggle clip, as well as any electronic device retained via the retention sleeve and toggle clip, when the fold-over sheath is folded. The platform, retention sleeve and toggle clip are accessible to insert or remove a predetermined electronic device from the storage and transport case when the sheath is unfolded.
As described herein, the present invention includes provision of a retention case for a personal computer such as an electronic organizer wherein the retention case has a quick release mechanism for reliably, easily and quickly attaching and detaching the personal computer to and from the retention case.
Further, the invention is suitable for use with both hard and soft retention cases and is light weight and inexpensive to manufacture.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4917131 (1990-04-01), Contreras, Sr.
patent: 5002184 (1991-03-01), Lloyd
patent: 5042670 (1991-08-01), Timberlake
patent: 5186375 (1993-02-01), Plunk
patent: 5261583 (1993-11-01), Long et al.
patent: 5383091 (1995-01-01), Snell
patent: 5409107 (1995-04-01), Browne
patent: 5450993 (1995-09-01), Guerrero et al.
patent: 5533809 (1996-07-01), Gorman
patent: 5560476 (1996-10-01), Lee
patent: 5632394 (1997-05-01), Mecca et al.
patent: 5718104 (1998-02-01), Kennedy
patent: 5788202 (1998-08-01), Richter
patent: 5813583 (1998-09-01), Benedeti
3COM website printout; 3COM.com., last updated Jun. 8, 1999, believed to be prior art.
Gehman Bryon P.
Rhodes & Mason P.L.L.C.
Sara Lee Corporation
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