Heating case for a portable electronic device

Abstract

A case for an electronic device includes a housing for enclosing the electronic device and a removable heating device that may be placed in or on the housing for warming the electronic device without electricity from the electronic device. The removable heating device includes a pouch enclosing a supersaturated solution and a metal disk. The super saturated solution in the pouch undergoes an exothermic reaction when the disk is actuated.

Having thus described the preferred embodiment of the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be protected by Letters Patent includes the following: 
     
         1 . A case for an electronic device, the case comprising:
 a housing for enclosing the electronic device; and   a removable heating device that may be placed in or on the housing for warming the electronic device without electricity from the electronic device, the heating device including a chemical that generates heat via an exothermic reaction when activated.   
     
     
         2 . The case as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the removable heating device comprises a pouch enclosing a supersaturated solution and a metal disk, wherein the solution undergoes an exothermic reaction when the disk is actuated. 
     
     
         3 . The case as set forth in  claim 2 , wherein the metal disk is actuated when a user of the case presses the metal disk. 
     
     
         4 . The case as set forth in  claim 2 , further comprising a control device that automatically actuates the metal disk when an ambient temperature drops below a minimum threshold temperature. 
     
     
         5 . The case as set forth in  claim 2 , further comprising a control device that actuates the metal disk upon receiving a triggering signal from the electronic device. 
     
     
         6 . The case as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the removable heating device comprises a pouch with several separate compartments, each compartment enclosing a supersaturated solution and a metal disk, wherein the solution of each compartment undergoes an exothermic reaction when the disk in that compartment is actuated. 
     
     
         7 . The case as set forth in  claim 6 , wherein the solution in the compartments may separately and individually generate an exothermic reaction. 
     
     
         8 . The case as set forth in  claim 6 , further comprising a control device that sequentially actuates the metal disks when an ambient temperature drops below a minimum threshold temperature. 
     
     
         9 . The case as set forth in  claim 6 , further comprising a control device that sequentially actuates the metal disks upon receiving triggering signals from the electronic device. 
     
     
         10 . The case as set forth in  claim 1 , the housing comprising:
 a back plate having an inner wall and an outer wall; and   a circumscribing sidewall that extends from the inner wall to define a partially enclosed chamber for receiving the electronic device.   
     
     
         11 . The case as set forth in  claim 10 , wherein the inner wall of the back plate is at least partially formed of a heat conductive material so as to conduct heat from the removeable heating device to the electronic device. 
     
     
         12 . The case as set forth in  claim 10 , wherein the outer wall of the back plate is at least partially formed of an insulating material so as to minimize heat loss from the case. 
     
     
         13 . The case as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the back plate includes a recessed area for receiving and supporting the removable heating device. 
     
     
         14 . A case for an electronic device, the case comprising:
 a housing for enclosing the electronic device, the housing including —
 a back plate having an inner wall, an outer wall, and a recessed region; and 
   a circumscribing sidewall that extends generally perpendicularly from the back plate to define a chamber for receiving the electronic device; and   a removeable heating device that may be placed in the recessed region of the back plate for warming the electronic device without electricity from the electronic device, the heating device including a chemical that generates heat via an exothermic reaction when activated.   
     
     
         15 . The case as set forth in  claim 14 , wherein the inner wall of the back plate is at least partially formed of a heat conductive material so as to conduct heat from the heating device to the electronic device and wherein the outer wall of the back plate is at least partially formed of an insulating material so as to minimize heat loss from the protective case. 
     
     
         16 . The case as set forth in  claim 14 , wherein the heating device comprises a pouch enclosing a supersaturated solution and a metal disk, wherein the solution undergoes an exothermic reaction when the disk is actuated. 
     
     
         17 . The case as set forth in  claim 16 , wherein the metal disk is actuated when a user of the protective case presses the disk. 
     
     
         18 . The case as set forth in  claim 16 , further comprising a control device that automatically actuates the metal disk when an ambient temperature drops below a minimum threshold temperature. 
     
     
         19 . The case as set forth in  claim 16 , further comprising a control device that actuates the metal disk upon receiving a triggering signal from the electronic device. 
     
     
         20 . The case as set forth in  claim 14 , wherein the heating device comprises a pouch with several separate compartments, each compartment enclosing a supersaturated solution and a metal disk, wherein the solution in each compartment undergoes an exothermic reaction when the disk in that compartment is actuated. 
     
     
         21 . A case for an electronic device, the case comprising:
 a housing for enclosing the electronic device, the housing including—
 a back plate having an inner wall, an outer wall, and a recessed region, wherein the inner wall is at least partially formed of a heat conductive material and wherein the outer wall is at least partially formed of an insulating material; and 
 a circumscribing sidewall that extends generally perpendicularly from the back plate to define a chamber for receiving the electronic device; and 
   a removable heating device contained in the recessed region of the back plate for warming the electronic device without electricity from the electronic device, wherein the removable heating device comprises a pouch with several enclosed compartments, each compartment enclosing a supersaturated solution and a metal disk, wherein the super saturated solution in each compartment undergoes an exothermic reaction when the disk in that compartment is actuated.