Portable device protector case

Abstract

A portable device case includes a flexible material jacket conformably surrounding at least a portion of the periphery of the portable device and a rigid rim conformably surrounding the jacket comprising one or more hinges and a snap lock to encase the jacket and the portable device surrounded therein, wherein total functionality of the portable device is accessible through apertures and contacts in the jacket and rim and no accessory tools or affixing devices are required to install the portable device in the case.

1 . A case for a portable device comprising:
 a flexible material jacket conformably surrounding at least a portion of the periphery of the portable device; and   a rigid rim conformably surrounding the jacket comprising one or more hinges and a lock to encase the jacket and the portable device surrounded therein,   wherein total functionality of the portable device is accessible through apertures and contacts in the jacket and the rigid rim, and   wherein no accessory tools or affixing devices are required to install the portable device in the case.   
     
     
         2 . The case of  claim 1 , wherein the portable device is at least one of a cell phone, a smart phone, an MP3 player, a portable computer, and a personal digital assistant. 
     
     
         3 . The case of  claim 1 , wherein the portable device is an Apple™ iPhone™. 
     
     
         4 . The case of  claim 1 , wherein the jacket comprises at least one of a silicone and a rubberized material. 
     
     
         5 . The case of  claim 1 , wherein the jacket comprises access holes to connector ports on a rim edge of the portable device. 
     
     
         6 . The case of  claim 1 , wherein the rigid rim comprises access holes to connector ports on a rim edge of the portable device. 
     
     
         7 . The case of  claim 1 , wherein the jacket comprises conformal buttons corresponding to buttons on the portable device. 
     
     
         8 . The case of  claim 7 , wherein the rigid rim comprises access holes to accommodate conformal buttons on the jacket. 
     
     
         9 . The case of  claim 1 , wherein the rigid rim is configured to transfer mechanical contact shock distributively to the jacket. 
     
     
         10 . The case of  claim 9 , wherein the jacket is configured to absorb and attenuate the contact shock, thereby protecting the portable device. 
     
     
         11 . The case of  claim 1 , wherein the rigid rim is at least one of metal, a hard plastic, carbon fiber, and wood. 
     
     
         12 . A method of protecting a portable device, comprising:
 conformally encasing at least a portion of a periphery of the portable device with a flexible material jacket;   conformally surrounding the flexible material with a rim comprising one or more hinges and a lock to encase the jacket and the portable device surrounded therein, wherein the conformally encasing and conformally surrounding is achieved without accessory tools or affixing devices; and   retaining total access to all functionality of the portable device through apertures and contacts in the jacket and rim.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the portable device is at least one of a cell phone, a smart phone, an MP3 player, a portable computer, and a personal digital assistant. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the portable device is an Apple™ iPhone™. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the jacket comprises at least one of a silicone and a rubberized material. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the jacket comprises access holes to connectors on a rim edge of the portable device. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the rim comprises access holes to connector ports on a rim edge of the portable device. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein jacket comprises conformal buttons corresponding to buttons on the portable device. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the rim comprises access holes to accommodate conformal buttons on the jacket. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the rim is at least one of a metal, a hard plastic, carbon fiber, and wood.