Protective case for electronic device with retractable home button protective cover

Abstract

A protective case for a mobile device having a retractable home button protective cover is disclosed. The home button cover is configured to allow the user to reversibly cover and uncover the home button of the mobile electronic device by moving the home button cover from a fully open position to a fully closed position. When in the closed position, the home button cover physically protects or isolates the home button from user interaction. A child-proof locking mechanism is provided to secure and lock the home button in the closed position. In one implementation, the protective case is configured to have a front portion that includes the retractable home button cover and a back portion to which the front portion is reversibly secured. The front portion is configured to retain the mobile device for insertion into the back portion. Various aspects of the construction and implementation of the protective case and the home button mechanism and its use are disclosed.

Description

INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]This application is division of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15 / 382,356, filed Dec. 16, 2016. The above application is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety and is to be considered a part of this specification.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONField of the Invention[0002]This invention relates to accessories for electronic devices and more specifically to user removable protective enclosures or cases for mobile electronic devices.Description of the Related Art[0003]Mobile consumer electronic products, such as smart and cellular phones, computing tablets, MP3 / audio / video players, gaming devices and laptops are continuously and rapidly evolving to meet expanding consumer demands. Many such mobile electronic devices include what is commonly referred to as a home button, which is a button on a smartphone or tablet (or other electronic device) that takes the user from a particular application that is in use or running on the...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The patent describes a protective case for a mobile phone that has a retractable button cover. This allows the user to easily cover and uncover the button by moving the cover from fully open to fully closed position. When closed, the cover physically protects or isolates the button from user interaction. The technical effect of this invention is to provide a convenient way for users to access their phones while keeping it protected and safe from damage.

Problems solved by technology

For example, because such home buttons are often positioned on the face of the touchscreen to allow for convenient user interaction, it is not uncommon for such a home button to be unintentionally engaged and thereby pause, stop or disrupt an application or functionality mid-stream.

In addition, the ability to be in a position to access other applications, functions or information on the mobile device by merely engaging a home button makes it more difficult for the owner of the device to protect important or confidential personal or business information from being lost or revealed.

These issues are of particular concern, for example, in situations where the device containing such sensitive or confidential information is shared with a third party or a child that does not fully understand the operations and features of the device.

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