Magnetic case for an electronic device

{
  "publication_number": "US2016020810A1",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "A1",
  "title": "Magnetic case for an electronic device",
  "abstract": "A case for an electronic device having a front face, a rear face, a top edge, a bottom edge, and two side edges. The case includes a body, a metal tab, one or more permanent magnets and one or more removable magnets. The body covers at least a portion of the rear face of the electronic device, and has several fastening portions configured to fasten the mobile device to the case. The metal tab is insertable through a slot in the body to rest between the body and the electronic device when inserted through the slot. The one or more permanent magnets that are permanently attached to the body. At least one removable magnet is configured to attach by a magnetic force to the metal tab when the metal tab is inserted into the slot, thereby holding the removable magnet in place with respect to the body.",
  "claims": [
    "1. A case for an electronic device having a front face, a rear face, a top edge, a bottom edge, and two side edges, the case comprising: a body for covering at least a portion of the rear face of the electronic device, and comprising a plurality of fastening portions configured to fasten the mobile device to the case; a metal tab, the metal tab being insertable through a slot in the body to rest between the body and the electronic device when inserted through the slot; one or more magnets that are permanently attached to the body; and one or more removable magnets, wherein at least one removable magnet is configured to attach by a magnetic force to the metal tab when the metal tab is inserted into the slot, thereby holding the removable magnet in place with respect to the body. 2. The case of claim 1, wherein the metal tab is bent into a hook at a first distal end. 3. The case of claim 2, wherein the metal tab is configured to attach by magnetic force to one of the permanent magnets, so as to enable the electronic device to be suspended from an object, using the hook at the first distal end of the metal tab. 4. The case of claim 2, wherein the metal tab is configured to attach by magnetic force to one of the permanent magnets, so as to enable the electronic device to stand up at any angle between a minimum and a maximum angle on a flat surface of an object, using the hook at the first distal end of the metal tab as a support. 5. The case of claim 1, wherein a second distal end of the metal tab is shaped into a utility tool. 6. The case of claim 5, wherein the utility tool includes one of: a bottle opener, a knife, a nail file, a screwdriver, a ruler, a letter opener, an earbud holder, and a clip. 7. The case of claim 1, wherein at least one of the permanent and removable magnets is a neodymium iron boron magnet. 8. The case of claim 1, further comprising: a ferritic metal back plate including one or more magnets that are configured to attract to the one or more magnets that are permanently attached to the body and to the one or more removable magnets, so as to enable the back plate and the body to attach by magnetic force through some material. 9. The case of claim 8, wherein the back plate has three or more points with a magnet located at each point, so as to allow the material to be captured between the points of the back plate, thereby stabilizing the attachment of the body to the back plate. 10. The case of claim 9, wherein the back plate is in the shape of an X, so as to allow the material to be captured between the four corners of the X, thereby stabilizing the attachment of the body to the back plate. 11. The case of claim 8, wherein the one or more magnets of the back plate are arranged at equal distances from each other. 12. The case of claim 1, wherein the body is made from one of: wood, metal, glass, concrete, epoxy, plastics, nylon, polylactic acid, high impact polystyrene, polycarbonate, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene, grapheme, Kevlar, fiberglass, carbon fiber, and paper. 13. The case of claim 1, wherein the electronic device is a cellular telephone."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "The present invention relates to cases for holding electronic devices, such as cell phones and the like. Today's cell phones are becoming increasingly technically complex and often include components and applications that allow users to perform tasks other than simple voice communication with other users. One example of a common feature of modern cell phones is a small cell phone camera, which can be used to take pictures or to record video, either for later viewing or for use, for example, in a live video conference with another cell phone or computer user.\n\nIt has also become common in the past few years for users to use their cell phone cameras to take so-called “selfies” of themselves. A “selfie” can be described as a picture of the user in some environment that the user would like to document. When taking a selfie, it may sometimes be necessary to put the cell phone down, in order to compose as nice of a picture as possible. However, this may sometimes be problematic, as cell phone users often have no way to attach their phone to the material on which the cell phone rests (e.g., brick, glass, metal, tree branches, etc.) and at different angles. Therefore, it is often necessary to prop the cell phone up, often in precarious ways, and thereby risking damaging the cell phone if it were to fall. Similarly, users typically cannot attach their cell phone to their clothes for hands-free action, such as video conferencing, talking, and adventure filming. For example, they cannot connect their cell phone to their belt without the assistance of a belt clip.",
  "cpc": [
    "H04B 1/3888"
  ],
  "ipc": [
    "H04B 1/3888",
    "H04M 1/00"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "Ryan Platt"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2015-04-24",
  "publication_date": "2016-01-21",
  "priority_date": "2014-07-16",
  "application_number": "US-201514695682-A",
  "family_id": "55075446",
  "cited_by_count": 19,
  "citations": [
    "US4858798A",
    "US20140159839A1",
    "US20150055284A1"
  ]
}