Roll-On Protective Covers for Hand-Held Consumer Electronic Devices

Abstract

According to various aspects of the present disclosure, exemplary embodiments are provided of covers for hand-held consumer electronic devices. In one particular embodiment, a roll-on cover generally includes elastomeric material configured to be unrolled to snugly fit over and conform to an outer surface portion of a hand-held consumer electronic device.

1 . A roll-on cover for a hand-held consumer electronic device, the roll-on cover comprising:
 a lip defining an opening; and   an elastomeric material configured to be unrolled from the lip and to snugly fit over and conform to an outer surface portion of a hand-held consumer electronic device received through the opening defined by the lip.   
   
   
       2 . The roll-on cover of  claim 1 , wherein the elastomeric material comprises thermoplastic rubber or thermoplastic resin. 
   
   
       3 . The roll-on cover of  claim 1 , wherein the elastomeric material comprises hydrogenated styrened isoprene/butadiene block copolymer. 
   
   
       4 . The roll-on cover of  claim 1 , wherein the elastomeric material includes at least one of an outer non-slippery surface and an inner non-slipper surface. 
   
   
       5 . The roll-on cover of  claim 1 , wherein the elastomeric material is transparent or translucent. 
   
   
       6 . The roll-on cover of  claim 1 , wherein the elastomeric material is configured to be unrolled from the lip and snugly fit over at least one ear bud associated with the hand-held consumer electronic device. 
   
   
       7 . The roll-on cover of  claim 6 , wherein the elastomeric material is configured to be disposed over and retain the at least one ear bud against the hand-held consumer electronic device. 
   
   
       8 . The roll-on cover of  claim 6 , wherein the elastomeric material is configured to be unrolled from the lip and to snugly fit over at least one ear bud and wiring wrapped generally about the hand-held consumer electronic device. 
   
   
       9 . The roll-on cover of  claim 1 , wherein the elastomeric material is configured to be unrolled from the lip such that:
 a first portion of the elastomeric material snugly fits over and conforms to the outer surface portion of the hand-held consumer electronic device received through the opening defined by the lip; and   a second portion of the elastomeric material overlaps the first portion, and snugly fits over at least one ear bud such that the at least one ear bud is disposed generally between the first and second portions of the elastomeric material.   
   
   
       10 . The roll-on cover of  claim 1 , wherein the elastomeric material is configured to be rolled at least partially back onto the lip to uncover at least a portion of the hand-held consumer electronic device. 
   
   
       11 . The roll-on cover of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the opening defined by the lip is generally oval shaped or rounded when the elastomeric material is rolled onto the lip; and   the lip comprises an elastomeric material configured to snugly fit over and conform to an outer surface portion of the hand-held consumer electronic device.   
   
   
       12 . The roll-on cover of  claim 1 , wherein the cover is water resistant. 
   
   
       13 . The roll-on cover of  claim 1 , wherein the elastomeric material has at least one of an outer surface texture and an inner surface texture for increasing a coefficient of friction. 
   
   
       14 . The roll-on cover of  claim 1 , wherein an edge of the elastomeric material defines the lip. 
   
   
       15 . The roll-on cover of  claim 1 , wherein the elastomeric material is configured to stretch at least about six times an initial, unstretched configuration. 
   
   
       16 . A hand-held consumer electronic device comprising the roll-on cover of  claim 1 . 
   
   
       17 . A method for covering a hand-held consumer electronic device with a cover having a lip and a cover member, the method comprising:
 positioning at least a portion of a hand-held consumer electronic device through an opening defined by the lip; and   unrolling the cover member from the lip such that the cover member snugly conforms to an outer surface of the at least a portion of the hand-held consumer electronic device received through the opening defined by the lip.   
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein unrolling the cover member includes rolling the lip along the outer surface of the at least a portion of the hand-held consumer electronic device, to thereby cause the cover member to unroll from the lip. 
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising rolling the cover member back onto the lip to uncover at least a portion of the hand-held consumer electronic device. 
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising unrolling the cover member generally over at least one ear bud associated with the hand-held consumer electronic device. 
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein unrolling the cover member from the lip includes unrolling the cover member generally over at least one ear bud, such that the cover member holds the at least one ear bud against an outer surface portion of the hand-held consumer electronic device. 
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 wrapping wiring connected to at least one ear bud and to the hand-held consumer electronic device generally about a portion of the hand-held consumer electronic device; and   unrolling the cover member generally over the wiring and the at least one ear bud.   
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein unrolling the cover member from the lip includes:
 covering the at least a portion of the hand-held consumer electronic device with a first portion of the cover member;   continuing to unroll the cover member from the lip and overlapping a second portion of the cover member generally over the first portion, such that a seam is defined generally between the overlapped first and second portions of the cover; and   positioning the lip on a side of at least one ear bud opposite the seam, such that the at least one ear bud is disposed within an area generally defined by the overlapped first and second portions of the cover member, the seam, and the lip.   
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the cover member comprises thermoplastic rubber or thermoplastic resin. 
   
   
       25 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the cover member comprises hydrogenated styrened isoprene/butadiene block copolymer. 
   
   
       26 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein an edge of the elastomeric material defines the lip. 
   
   
       27 . A roll-on cover for a hand-held consumer electronic device, the cover comprising a thermoplastic rubber or thermoplastic resin and an opening configured for receiving at least a portion of the hand-held consumer electronic device therethrough, the cover unrollable from a rolled-up configuration so as to position the unrolled portion of the cover over an outer surface of the at least a portion of the hand-held consumer electronic device received through the opening. 
   
   
       28 . The roll-on cover of  claim 27 , wherein the cover comprises hydrogenated styrened isoprene/butadiene block copolymer. 
   
   
       29 . The roll-on cover of  claim 27 , wherein the cover is translucent. 
   
   
       30 . The roll-on cover of  claim 27 , further comprising a lip defining the opening about which the cover is rolled in the rolled-up configuration and from which the cover is unrollable when the lip is rolled along the outer surface of the at least a portion of the hand-held consumer electronic device. 
   
   
       31 . The roll-on cover of  claim 30 , wherein the lip comprises an elastomeric material configured to snugly fit over and conform to an outer surface portion of the hand-held consumer electronic device. 
   
   
       32 . The roll-on cover of  claim 27 , wherein the cover is configured to snugly fit over at least one ear bud. 
   
   
       33 . The roll-on cover of  claim 32 , wherein the cover is configured to be unrolled to snugly fit over the at least a portion of the hand-held consumer electronic device, at least one ear bud, and wiring wrapped generally about the hand-held consumer electronic device. 
   
   
       34 . The roll-on cover of  claim 27 , wherein the cover is configured to be unrolled such that:
 a first portion of the cover snugly fits over and conforms to the outer surface portion of the hand-held consumer electronic device received through the opening; and   a second portion of the cover overlaps the first portion of the cover, and snugly fits over at least one ear bud such that the at least one ear bud is disposed generally between the first and second portions of the cover.   
   
   
       35 . A hand-held consumer electronic device comprising the roll-on cover of  claim 27 . 
   
   
       36 . A roll-on cover for a hand-held consumer electronic device, the roll-on cover comprising:
 a cover member having an edge defining an opening configured for receiving at least a portion of the hand-held consumer electronic device;   the cover member unrollable from a rolled-up configuration so as to position the unrolled portion of the cover member over an outer surface of the at least a portion of the hand-held consumer electronic device received through the opening defined by the cover member.   
   
   
       37 . The roll-on cover of  claim 36 , wherein the cover member comprises an elastomeric material defining an area dimensionally smaller than the hand-held consumer electronic device, such that the cover member snugly fits over the hand-held electronic consumer device. 
   
   
       38 . The roll-on cover of  claim 37 , wherein the cover member comprises thermoplastic rubber or thermoplastic resin. 
   
   
       39 . The roll-on cover of  claim 36 , further comprising a user-retention device for attaching the roll-on cover and hand-held consumer electronic device being covered thereby to a user. 
   
   
       40 . The roll-on cover of  claim 36 , further comprising a user-retention device for attaching the roll-on cover and hand-held consumer electronic device being covered thereby to a user. 
   
   
       41 . The roll-on cover of  claim 36 , wherein the edge of the cover member is configured to define a lip that is rollable along the outer surface of the at least a portion of the hand-held consumer electronic device to thereby unroll the cover member from the lip and position the portion of the cover member unrolled from the lip over the outer surface of the at least a portion of the hand-held consumer electronic device. 
   
   
       42 . The roll-on cover of  claim 36 , wherein the cover member has an unrolled length longer than a length of the hand-held consumer electronic device. 
   
   
       43 . The roll-on cover of  claim 36 , wherein the elastomeric material comprises hydrogenated styrened isoprene/butadiene block copolymer. 
   
   
       44 . A cover for a hand-held consumer electronic device, the cover comprising:
 an elastomeric cover member defining an area dimensionally smaller than the hand-held consumer electronic device, such that the elastomeric material snugly fits over the hand-held electronic consumer device; and   an elastic band integral to the elastomeric cover member for attaching the cover to user.   
   
   
       45 . The cover of  claim 44 , wherein the elastomeric cover member and elastic band comprise thermoplastic rubber or thermoplastic resin. 
   
   
       46 . The cover of  claim 44 , wherein the elastomeric cover member and elastic band comprise molded thermoplastic rubber or thermoplastic resin. 
   
   
       47 . The roll-on cover of  claim 1 , wherein the roll-on cover includes at least one portion having at least one of a generally rounded, oval-shaped, or rectangular cross-section. 
   
   
       48 . The roll-on cover of  claim 27 , wherein the roll-on cover includes at least one portion having at least one of a generally rounded, oval-shaped, or rectangular cross-section. 
   
   
       49 . The roll-on cover of  claim 36 , wherein the cover member includes at least one portion having at least one of a generally rounded, oval-shaped, or rectangular cross-section. 
   
   
       50 . The cover of  claim 44 , wherein the elastomeric cover member includes at least one portion having at least one of a generally rounded, oval-shaped, or rectangular cross-section.