Protective membrane for touch screen device
DCFirst Claim
Patent Images
1. A protective enclosure for a touch screen device having a touch screen comprising:
- a shell that is capable of enclosing and substantially surrounding said touch screen device, said touch screen device being a separate unit from said protective enclosure, said shell being adapted to insert and remove said touch screen device by hand, said shell being substantially submersibly watertight, substantially rigid and substantially crush-resistant, said shell being larger than said touch screen device so that there is a gap between an outer surface of said touch screen device and an inner surface of said shell so that said shell may flex when subjected to a crushing force without transmitting said force directly to said touch screen device, said shell having an elevated protective rim substantially surrounding a perimeter of said touch screen of said touch screen device so that when said touch screen device is disposed in said enclosure, said touch screen of said touch screen device is recessed with respect to said protective rim of said shell so that said elevated protective rim protects said touch screen from deflection and breakage by contact with an object that is larger than said perimeter of said protective rim; and
a flexible protective membrane that is integrally fixed on said shell so that said flexible protective membrane is disposed over said touch screen of said touch screen device when said touch screen device is disposed in said enclosure, said flexible protective membrane having a back side that has a substantially planar smooth surface that is adjacent to said touch screen of said touch screen device when said touch screen device is disposed in said enclosure so that tactile inputs on a front side of said flexible protective membrane are communicated to said touch screen through said flexible protective membrane, said flexible protective membrane being at least partially transparent such that said touch screen is visible through said flexible protective membrane so that said touch screen is capable of displaying and capturing information through said flexible protective membrane.
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Abstract
A protective membrane is disclosed for an electronic device that has a touch screen. The touch screen is protected with a membrane adapted to the specific contour and profile of the electronic device and allows the user to use the touch screen interface with no shortcomings. The protective case is further adapted to allow infrared and other communication signals while the device is secured inside the case. Further, electrical connections can be made through the case without affecting the protection afforded the electronic device inside.
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Citations
18 Claims
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1. A protective enclosure for a touch screen device having a touch screen comprising:
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a shell that is capable of enclosing and substantially surrounding said touch screen device, said touch screen device being a separate unit from said protective enclosure, said shell being adapted to insert and remove said touch screen device by hand, said shell being substantially submersibly watertight, substantially rigid and substantially crush-resistant, said shell being larger than said touch screen device so that there is a gap between an outer surface of said touch screen device and an inner surface of said shell so that said shell may flex when subjected to a crushing force without transmitting said force directly to said touch screen device, said shell having an elevated protective rim substantially surrounding a perimeter of said touch screen of said touch screen device so that when said touch screen device is disposed in said enclosure, said touch screen of said touch screen device is recessed with respect to said protective rim of said shell so that said elevated protective rim protects said touch screen from deflection and breakage by contact with an object that is larger than said perimeter of said protective rim; and a flexible protective membrane that is integrally fixed on said shell so that said flexible protective membrane is disposed over said touch screen of said touch screen device when said touch screen device is disposed in said enclosure, said flexible protective membrane having a back side that has a substantially planar smooth surface that is adjacent to said touch screen of said touch screen device when said touch screen device is disposed in said enclosure so that tactile inputs on a front side of said flexible protective membrane are communicated to said touch screen through said flexible protective membrane, said flexible protective membrane being at least partially transparent such that said touch screen is visible through said flexible protective membrane so that said touch screen is capable of displaying and capturing information through said flexible protective membrane. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method of manufacturing a protective enclosure for a touch screen device having a touch screen comprising:
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providing a protective shell that is capable of enclosing said touch screen device, said touch screen device being a separate unit from said protective enclosure, said shell being adapted to insert and remove said touch screen device by hand, said shell being substantially rigid and substantially crush-resistant, said shell being larger than said touch screen device so that there is a gap between an outer surface of said touch screen device and an inner surface of said shell so that said shell may flex when subjected to a crushing force without transmitting said force directly to said touch screen device, said shell having an elevated protective rim substantially surrounding a perimeter of said touch screen of said touch screen device so that when said touch screen device is disposed in said enclosure, said touch screen of said touch screen device is recessed with respect to said protective rim of said shell so That said elevated protective rim protects said touch screen from deflection and breakage by contact with an object that is larger than said perimeter of said protective rim; providing a compressible gasket that is disposed in a perimeter portion of said shell tat creates a watertight submersible seal; forming a clamp that clamps two portions of said shell in a closed position so as to compress said compressible gasket when said two portions of said shell are clamped in said closed position so that shell is submersibly watertight; disposing said gasket in a perimeter area of one portion of said two portions of said shell so that said shell is submersibly watertight when said two portions of said shell are clamped together causing said gasket to be compressed to form a submersibly watertight seal; providing a flexible protective membrane that is capable of being integrally fixed on one portion of said two portions of said shell so that said flexible protective membrane is disposed over said touch screen of said touch screen device when said touch screen device is disposed in said enclosure, said flexible protective membrane having a back side that has a substantially planar smooth surface that is adjacent to said touch screen of said touch screen device when said touch screen device is disposed in said enclosure so that tactile inputs on a front side of said flexible protective membrane are communicated to said touch screen through said flexible protective membrane, said flexible protective membrane being at least partially transparent such that said touch screen is visible through said flexible protective membrane so that said touch screen is capable of displaying and capturing information Through said flexible protective membrane; fixing said flexible protective membrane onto said one portion of said two portions of said protective shell so that said flexible protective membrane and said protective shell form a protective enclosure for said touch screen device. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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Specification