Protective Cover for Laptop Computer

Abstract

An exterior cover for a laptop computer having a display portion and a keyboard portion is disclosed. The exterior cover includes a first rigid planar element for placement on an outside surface of the display portion. The first rigid planar element includes a raised edge along a perimeter of the first rigid planar element, wherein the raised edge extends toward the display portion. The first rigid planar element further includes a plurality of tabs located on the raised edge, wherein each tab extends from the raised edge for gripping the display portion. The exterior cover further includes a second rigid planar element for placement on an outside surface of the keyboard portion. The second rigid planar element includes a raised edge extending toward the keyboard portion. The second rigid planar element further includes a plurality of tabs for gripping the keyboard portion.

Therefore, we claim the following: 
     
         1 . An apparatus, comprising:
 a laptop computer;   a first elastic sheet fastened to an outside surface of a display portion of the laptop computer;   a second elastic sheet fastened to an outside surface of a keyboard portion of the laptop computer, the second elastic sheet being separate and independent from the first elastic sheet;   a first plurality of protruding tabs located on opposing sides of the first elastic sheet, wherein each of the first plurality of protruding tabs grip the display portion of the laptop computer, wherein each of the first plurality of protruding tabs is moveable from an inside surface of the first elastic sheet to allow for removal of the display portion of the laptop computer from the first elastic sheet, and wherein each of the first plurality of protruding tabs return to its initial arrangement following the removal of the display portion of the laptop computer; and   a second plurality of protruding tabs located on opposing sides of the second elastic sheet, wherein each of the second plurality of protruding tabs grip the keyboard portion of the laptop computer, and wherein each of the second plurality of protruding tabs is moveable from an inside surface of the second elastic sheet to allow for removal of the keyboard portion of the laptop computer from the second elastic sheet, and wherein each of the second plurality of protruding tabs return to its initial arrangement following the removal of the keyboard portion of the laptop computer.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the first elastic sheet and the second elastic sheet are comprised of a heat-dissipating plastic material. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the first elastic sheet and the second elastic sheet are comprised of an elastic plastic material. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the first elastic sheet and the second elastic sheet are comprised of an elastic translucent plastic material. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein each of the first and the second plurality of protruding tabs extend from about one millimeter to about two millimeters in length. 
     
     
         6 . An exterior cover, comprising:
 a first planar element for applying to an outside surface of a display portion of a laptop computer;   a first raised edge along a perimeter of the first planar element;   a first plurality of tabs located on the first raised edge, wherein each of the first plurality of tabs extend from the first raised edge, wherein each of the first plurality of tabs is moveable from an inside surface of the first planar element to allow for insertion of the display portion of the laptop computer into the first planar element, and wherein each of the first plurality of tabs return to its initial arrangement and grip the display portion following the insertion of the display portion;   a second planar element for applying to an outside surface of a keyboard portion of the laptop computer;   a second raised edge along a perimeter of the second planar element; and   a second plurality of tabs located on the second raised edge, wherein each of the second plurality of tabs extend from the second raised edge, wherein each of the second plurality of tabs is moveable from an inside surface of the second planar element to allow for insertion of the keyboard portion of the laptop computer into the second planar element, and wherein each of the second plurality of tabs return to its initial arrangement and grip the keyboard portion following the insertion of the keyboard portion.   
     
     
         7 . The exterior cover of  claim 6 , wherein the exterior cover is comprised of an elastic plastic material. 
     
     
         8 . The exterior cover of  claim 7 , wherein the exterior cover is comprised of a colored, transparent plastic material. 
     
     
         9 . The exterior cover of  claim 7 , wherein the exterior cover is comprised of a material having insulating and heat conducting properties configured to redirect heat emanating from the laptop computer. 
     
     
         10 . The exterior cover of  claim 6 , wherein the first and second planar elements comprise a substantially rectangular shape. 
     
     
         11 . The exterior cover of  claim 6 , wherein the first plurality of tabs comprises four tabs. 
     
     
         12 . The exterior cover of  claim 6 , wherein the second plurality of tabs comprises three tabs. 
     
     
         13 . The exterior cover of  claim 6 , wherein each of the first plurality of tabs and each of the second plurality of tabs extend from about one millimeter to about two millimeters from the first and second raised edges, respectively. 
     
     
         14 . An exterior cover for a laptop computer having a display portion and a keyboard portion, comprising:
 a first elastic planar element having a rectangular shape, the first elastic planar element having a size sufficient to cover an outside surface of the display portion of the laptop computer, wherein the first elastic planar element includes:
 a first raised edge; and 
 a first plurality of tabs located on the first raised edge, wherein each of the first plurality of tabs extend from the first raised edge, wherein each of the first plurality of tabs is moveable from an inside surface of the first elastic planar element to allow for insertion of the display portion of the laptop computer into the first elastic planar element, and wherein each of the first plurality of tabs return to its initial arrangement and grip the display portion following the insertion of the display portion; and 
   a second elastic planar element having a rectangular shape, the second elastic planar element having a size sufficient to cover an outside surface of the keyboard portion of the laptop computer, wherein the second elastic planar element include:
 a second raised edge; and 
 a second plurality of tabs located on the second raised edge, wherein each of the second plurality of tabs extend from the second raised edge, wherein each of the second plurality of tabs is moveable from an inside surface of the second elastic planar element to allow for insertion of the keyboard portion of the laptop computer into the second elastic planar element, and wherein each of the second plurality of tabs return to its initial arrangement and grip the keyboard portion following the insertion of the keyboard portion. 
   
     
     
         15 . The exterior cover for a laptop computer having a display portion and a keyboard portion of  claim 14 , wherein the exterior cover is comprised of an elastic plastic material. 
     
     
         16 . The exterior cover for a laptop computer having a display portion and a keyboard portion of  claim 14 , wherein each of the first plurality of tabs and each of the second plurality of tabs are raised higher than the first raised edge and the second raised edge, respectively. 
     
     
         17 . The exterior cover for a laptop computer having a display portion and a keyboard portion of  claim 14 , wherein the first plurality of tabs comprise four tabs. 
     
     
         18 . The exterior cover for a laptop computer having a display portion and a keyboard portion of  claim 17 , wherein the second plurality of tabs comprise three tabs. 
     
     
         19 . The exterior cover for a laptop computer having a display portion and a keyboard portion of  claim 18 , wherein the second raised edge of the second elastic planar element includes at least one orifice for allowing access to a removable media port. 
     
     
         20 . The exterior cover for a laptop computer having a display portion and a keyboard portion of  claim 19 , wherein each of the first plurality of tabs and each of the second plurality of tabs extend from about one millimeter to about two millimeters from the first raised edge and the second raised edge, respectively.