ACTIVE IMPACT PROTECTION MECHANISM

• US 20090159408A1
• Filed: 09/18/2008
• Published: 06/25/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Sunder, Ashwin
• Granted Patent: US 8,113,494 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 200/61.45R
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 19/042 due to external shock or vibration
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 19/043 by detecting a free-fall condition

Abstract

Active cushioning mechanisms that detect imminent impact and activate a damper by driving power from an onboard power supply into an electromagnetic actuator. The electromagnetic actuator transforms the stored electric power into an electromechanical damping force. The actuators may be arranged about the exterior surface of the device, and may be selectively activated to provide protection at different points on the surface depending on the location of expected impact.

Claims

1. Apparatus for cushioning an object against impact, comprising:

a sensor for detecting an unrestrained change in position of the object;

an electromechanical actuator having a first member affixed to a portion of the object, and a second member movable between a first position adjacent the first member and a second position further from the first member than the first position; and

a controller coupled to the actuator and responsive to the sensor for activating the actuator to move the second member from the first position to the second position.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein:

the first and second members are magnets, at least one of the magnets being an electromagnet;

the apparatus further comprises a power supply; and

the controller is electrically coupled to the actuator and is responsive to the sensor to activate the actuator by driving current from the power supply through the at least one of the magnets that is an electromagnet.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the power supply is internal to the object.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the sensor comprises an accelerometer.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the controller recognizes an unrestrained change in position from an acceleration profile output by the accelerometer.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the portion is a surface of the object.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the sensor comprises an orientation sensor to determine orientation of the object during the unrestrained change in position.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 comprising:

a plurality of actuators on the surface of the object; and

the controller is responsive to the orientation sensor to activate an appropriate one or more of the actuators.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the sensor comprises a proximity sensor to signal an imminent impact.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a power control circuit having a low impedance coupling to the actuator.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein:

the portion is a component of the object; and

the actuator is disposed acts on a mount for the component to protecting the component against impact.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the component is a display screen.

13. A housing for a portable electronic device, comprising:

an exterior sidewall defining an interior cavity;

a sensor for detecting an unrestrained change in position of the device;

an electromechanical actuator having a first member affixed to a portion of the sidewall, and a second member movable between a first position adjacent the first member and a second position further from the first member than the first position; and

a controller coupled to the actuator and responsive to the sensor for activating the actuator to move the second member from the first position to the second position.

14. The housing of claim 13 wherein:

the first and second members are magnets, at least one of the magnets being an electromagnet; and

the controller is electrically coupled to the actuator and is responsive to the sensor to activate the actuator by driving current through the at least one of the magnets that is an electromagnet.

15. The housing of claim 14 wherein the exterior sidewall comprises a sleeve of material having the actuators disposed therein and being dimensioned to fit over the portable electronic device.

16. The housing of claim 15 further comprising a supply of electrical power disposed in the sleeve.

17. The housing of claim 15 further comprising a connection to a supply of electrical power in the portable electronic device.

18. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the sensor comprises an accelerometer.

19. The housing of claim 18 wherein the controller recognizes an unrestrained change in position from an acceleration profile output by the accelerometer.

20. The housing of claim 13 wherein the sensor comprises an orientation sensor to determine orientation of the object during the unrestrained change in position.

21. The housing of claim 20 comprising:

a plurality of actuators on the sidewall; and

the controller is responsive to the orientation sensor to activate an appropriate one or more of the actuators.

22. The housing of claim 13 wherein the sensor comprises a proximity sensor to signal an imminent impact.

23. The housing of claim 13 further comprising a power control circuit having a low impedance coupling to the actuator.

24. The housing of claim 13 wherein:

the portion is a component of the object; and

the actuator is acts on a mount of the component for protecting the component against impact.

25. The housing of claim 24 wherein the component is a display screen.

26. The housing of claim 13 further comprising a resilient layer disposed over the exterior sidewall and covering the actuator.

27. The housing of claim 13 wherein the exterior sidewall comprises a sleeve of material having the actuators disposed therein and being dimensioned to fit over the portable electronic device.

28. The housing of claim 27 further comprising a supply of electrical power disposed in the sleeve.

29. The housing of claim 27 further comprising a connection to a supply of electrical power in the portable electronic device.

30. A method for cushioning an object against impact, the method comprising:

mounting an electromechanical actuator to a surface of the object, the actuator having a first member adjacent a portion of the surface, and a second member movable between a first position adjacent the first member and a second position further from the first member than the first position;

detecting an unrestrained change in position of the object; and

responsive to detection of the unrestrained change in position, activating the actuator to apply an electromagnetic force to move the second member from the first position to the second position, whereby the electromagnetic force damps force of an impact.