PROTECTIVE ENCLOSURE FOR AN ELECTRONIC DEVICE

• US 20080316687A1
• Filed: 06/05/2008
• Published: 12/25/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/06/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Otter Products LLC
• Original Assignee: Otter Products LLC
• Inventors: Richardson, Curtis R., Johnson, Jamie Lee, Morine, Alan, Thomas, Brian, Thomas, Jason Michael, Shockley, Steven Brian
• Application Number:
  US12/134,120
• Publication Number:
  US 20080316687A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 361/680
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3888 Arrangements for carrying or protecting transceivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0249 Details of the mechanical connection between the housing parts or relating to the method of assembly
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/18 Telephone sets specially adapted for use in ships, mines, or other places exposed to adverse environment H04M1/19 takes precedence

Abstract

Disclosed is a three-layer protective enclosure that provides resistance to water, dust, dirt, and bump protection for sensitive electronic devices. In one embodiment, an inner membrane layer is provided, which is a thin, flexible layer that protects portions of the electronic device and allows the user to interact with keyboards, push buttons and other interactive features of the electronic device. A protective hard shell fits tightly over the membrane and provides additional sealing and rigidity to the protective enclosure. A stretchable cushion layer is placed over the hard shell which conforms to the hard shell and seals moisture, dust and dirt from entering the hard shell. The stretchable cushion layer provides cushioning and also allows access to certain controls on the electronic device. In another embodiment, a touch screen cover may be used with, or without, a membrane over other portions of the electronic device.

Claims

1. A protective enclosure for an electronic device comprising:

a flexible membrane that is molded to fit over at least a front portion of said electronic device that allows interactive access to controls on said front portion of said electronic device;

a hard shell cover that fits over said flexible membrane and said electronic device and that is formed to provide openings that allow a user to access said flexible membrane to have interactive access to said controls of said electronic device, said hard shell cover providing rigidity to said protective enclosure;

a stretchable cushion layer that is disposed over said hard shell cover that has sufficient elasticity to substantially confirm to said hard shell cover and provide cushioning to said protective enclosure.

2. The protective enclosure of claim 1 wherein said flexible membrane comprises a thin, flexible layer of polycarbonate.

3. The protective enclosure of claim 1 wherein said flexible membrane comprises a thin, flexible layer of polyvinylchloride.

4. The protective enclosure of claim 1 wherein said flexible membrane comprises a thin, flexible layer of silicon.

5. A protective enclosure for an electronic device comprising:

a hard shell cover that fits over said electronic device and that is formed to provide openings that allow access to controls of said electronic device;

a stretchable cushion layer that is disposed over said hard shell cover that has sufficient elasticity to stretch over said hard shell cover and substantially conform to an outer surface of said hard shell cover to cushion said hard shell cover and absorb shocks that would otherwise be transmitted to said electronic device.

6. The protective cover of claim 5 further comprising:

a flexible membrane that is disposed over a display of said electronic device, but not over a keyboard.

7. The protective cover of claim 5 further comprising:

a hard, transparent cover attached to said hard shell and aligned with a display and not a keyboard on said electronic device.

8. A protective enclosure for an electronic device that has a touch screen comprising:

a hard shell cover that fits over said electronic device and that is formed to provide at least one opening that is aligned with said touch screen;

a touch screen cover that is attached to said hard shell cover, said touch screen cover being sufficiently thin and disposed sufficiently close to said touch screen when said electronic device is disposed in said protective enclosure to allow activation of said touch screen through said touch screen cover;

a stretchable cushion layer that is disposed over said hard shell cover that has sufficient elasticity to stretch over said hard shell cover and substantially conform to an outer surface of said hard shell cover to cushion said hard shell cover and absorb shocks that would otherwise be transmitted to said electronic device.

9. The protective enclosure of claim 8 wherein said touch screen cover comprises a thin layer of glass.

10. The protective enclosure of claim 9 wherein said glass comprises tempered glass.

11. The protective enclosure of claim 8 wherein said touch screen cover comprises a thin layer of hard plastic.

12. The protective enclosure of claim 10 wherein said thin layer of hard plastic comprises clear polycarbonate.

13. The protective enclosure of claim 10 wherein said thin layer of hard plastic comprises clear acrylic.

14. A method of protecting an electronic device that has a keyboard by surrounding said electronic device with a protective enclosure comprising:

providing a hard shell case having an opening for said keyboard;

placing said electronic device in said hard shell case so that said opening is aligned with said keyboard;

providing a stretchable cushion layer that absorbs shocks and has sufficient elasticity to stretch over said hard shell case and substantially conform to an outer surface of said hard shell case;

placing said stretchable cushion layer over said hard shell case to provide said protective enclosure.

15. The method of claim 14 further comprising:

providing a display screen cover that is made from a clear, thin, hard material;

attaching said display screen cover to a display screen opening in said hard shell case that is aligned with a display screen on said electronic device when said electronic device is disposed in said protective enclosure.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein said process of providing a hard shell case further comprises:

providing a hard shell case having a front cover and a back cover that snap together and that are made from polycarbonate.

17. The method of claim 15 wherein said process of providing a hard shell case further comprises:

providing a hard shell case having a front cover and a back cover that snap together and that are made from ABS.

18. The method of claim 15 wherein said process of providing a hard shell case further comprises:

providing a hard shell case having a front cover and a back cover that snap together and that are made from acrylic.

19. The method of claim 16 wherein said process of providing a stretchable cushion layer further comprises:

providing a stretchable cushion layer that is made from thermoplastic rubber.

20. The method of claim 16 wherein said process of providing a stretchable cushion layer further comprises:

providing a stretchable cushion layer that is made from silicon.

21. A method of protecting an electronic device that has a keyboard by surrounding said electronic device with a protective enclosure comprising:

providing a hard shell case having an opening for said keyboard;

providing a flexible membrane made from a thin flexible material that allows actuation of said keyboard through said flexible membrane;

placing said membrane over said keyboard;

placing said electronic device in said hard shell case so that said opening for said keyboard and said flexible membrane disposed over said keyboard are aligned with said keyboard and said flexible membrane is held in place by said hard shell case;

providing a stretchable cushion layer that absorbs shocks and has sufficient elasticity to stretch over said hard shell case and substantially conform to an outer surface of said hard shell case;

placing said stretchable cushion layer over said hard shell case to provide said protective enclosure.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein said process of providing a flexible membrane further comprises:

providing a flexible membrane made from a thin, soft polycarbonate.

23. The method of claim 21 wherein said process of providing a flexible membrane further comprises:

providing a flexible membrane made from a thin, soft polyvinylchloride.

24. The method of claim 21 wherein said process of providing a flexible membrane further comprises:

providing a flexible membrane made from a thin, soft silicon.

25. The method of claim 21 wherein said process of providing a thin flexible membrane further comprises:

providing a thin, flexible membrane that covers a display on said electronic device.

26. The method of claim 21 further comprising:

providing a display screen cover that is made from a clear, thin, hard material;

attaching said display screen cover to a display screen opening in said hard shell case that is aligned with a display screen on said electronic device when said electronic device is disposed in said protective enclosure.

27. The method of claim 21 wherein said process of providing a hard shell case further comprises:

providing a hard shell case having a front cover and a back cover that snap together and that are made from polycarbonate.

28. The method of claim 21 wherein said process of providing a hard shell case further comprises:

providing a hard shell case having a front cover and a back cover that snap together and that are made from ABS.

29. The method of claim 21 wherein said process of providing a hard shell case further comprises:

providing a hard shell case having a front cover and a back cover that snap together and that are made from acrylic.

30. The method of claim 21 wherein said process of providing a stretchable cushion layer further comprises:

providing a stretchable cushion layer that is made from thermoplastic rubber.

31. The method of claim 21 wherein said process of providing a stretchable cushion layer further comprises:

providing a stretchable cushion layer that is made from silicon.

32. A method of protecting an electronic device that has a touch screen by surrounding said electronic device with a protective enclosure comprising:

providing a hard shell case having an opening for said touch screen;

placing said electronic device in said hard shell case so that said opening is aligned with said touch screen;

providing a touch screen cover made from a clear, hard material that is sufficiently thin to allow actuation of said touch screen through said touch screen cover;

attaching said touch screen cover to said hard shell case over said opening so that said touch screen cover is disposed adjacent to said touch screen when said electronic device is disposed in said protective hard shell case and said touch screen can be operated through said touch screen cover;

providing a stretchable cushion layer that absorbs shock, and has sufficient elasticity to stretch over said hard shell case and substantially conform to an outer surface of said hard shell case;

placing said stretchable cushion layer over said hard shell case to provide said protective enclosure.

33. The method of claim 32 wherein said process of providing a touch screen cover further comprises:

providing a touch screen cover that is made from a thin layer of glass.

34. The method of claim 32 wherein said process of providing a touch screen cover further comprises:

providing a touch screen cover that is made from a thin layer of polycarbonate.

35. The method of claim 32 wherein said process of providing a touch screen cover further comprises:

providing a touch screen cover that is made from a thin layer of acrylic.

36. The method of claim 32 wherein said process of providing a hard shell case further comprises:

providing a hard shell case having a front cover and a back cover that snap together and that are made from polycarbonate.

37. The method of claim 32 wherein said process of providing a hard shell case further comprises:

providing a hard shell case having a front cover and a back cover that snap together and that are made from ABS.

38. The method of claim 32 wherein said process of providing a hard shell case further comprises:

providing a hard shell case having a front cover and a back cover that snap together and that are made from acrylic.

39. The method of claim 32 wherein said process of providing a stretchable cushion layer further comprises:

providing a stretchable cushion layer that is made from thermoplastic rubber.

40. The method of claim 32 wherein said process of providing a stretchable cushion layer further comprises:

providing a stretchable cushion layer that is made from silicon.