Protective sheath for peripheral cards used in digital devices

• US 7,149,082 B1
• Filed: 01/10/2005
• Issued: 12/12/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/10/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Palm, Inc. (TCL Technology Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Baiko, Terry, Turnbow, Len, Hanson, Bill
• Primary Examiner(s): CHANG, YEAN HSI
• Application Number:
  US11/033,348
• Time in Patent Office: 701 Days
• Field of Search: 361/686
• US Class Current: 361/679.3
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1626 with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/181 Enclosures for portable computers G06F1/1613

Abstract

A device for protecting peripheral component cards used in portable computers. The user may use a protective sheath over the extended portion of a peripheral card (e.g., Secure digital cards, Secure digital I/O, camera card or the like) which protrude out of the protective casing of a portable computer to protect the peripheral components from accidental damages. The protective sheath is designed to act as a cushion and to absorb forces applied to the peripheral card in case of an accidental drop or when coming into a contact with an external object. The user may carry a plurality of protective sheath, which are adopted to fit a plurality of peripheral component cards.

Claims

1. An impact protection device having a first interface configured to conform to a surface of a portable computer device and a second interface configured to receive a peripheral component, the impact protection device comprised of an impact absorbing material to protect the peripheral component from damage when the peripheral component is coupled to the portable computer device, wherein the peripheral component is operable to protrude outside a slot of the portable computer device for receiving the peripheral component.

2. An impact protection device of claim 1 where the portable computer device comprises a slot for receiving the peripheral component.

3. An impact protection device of claim 1 where peripheral component is a secure digital input/output (SDIO) card and the second interface is configured to receive the SDIO card when the SDIO card is inserted into the portable computer device.

4. An impact protection device of claim 3 where the portable computer has a front side where a display screen is located, a back side opposite the front side, a right side, a left side, a top side and a bottom side and wherein a slot for receiving the peripheral component is on the top side of the portable computer.

5. An impact protection device of claim 4 where the slot for receiving the peripheral component is on the right side of the portable computer.

6. An impact protection device of claim 4 where the slot for receiving the peripheral component is on the left side of the portable computer.

7. An impact protection device of claim 4 where the slot for receiving the peripheral component is on the bottom side of the portable computer.

8. An impact protection device of claim 4 wherein the protective device protects the protruding portion of the peripheral component when the peripheral card is inserted into the portable computer.

9. An impact protection device of claim 1 wherein the impact protection device comprises an elastic material.

10. An impact protection device of claim 1 wherein the impact protection device comprises a material allowing transfer of energy through the material.

11. An impact protection device of claim 1 where the portable computer device is a cellular telephone.

12. An impact protection device of claim 1 where the portable computer device is a personal digital assistant (PDA).

13. An impact protection device of claim 1 where the portable computer device is a digital watch.

14. An impact protection device having a first interface configured to contact a surface of a portable computer device, the impact protection device comprised of an impact absorbing material to protect a peripheral component from damage when the peripheral component is removably coupled to the portable computer device, wherein the first interface is adapted to receive a portion of peripheral component protruded outside the portable computer device.

15. An impact protection device of claim 14 where the portable computer comprises a slot for receiving the peripheral component.

16. An impact protection device of claim 14 where peripheral component is a secure digital input/output (SDIO) card and the first interface is configured to receive the SDIO card when the SDIO card is inserted into the portable computer.

17. An impact protection device of claim 16 where the peripheral component is operable to protrude outside a slot for receiving the peripheral component.

18. An impact protection device of claim 16 where the portable computer has a front side where a display screen is located, a back side opposite the front side, a right side, a left side, a top side and a bottom side and wherein a slot for receiving the peripheral component is on the top side of the portable computer.

19. An impact protection device of claim 16 where the slot for receiving the peripheral component is on a right side of the portable computer.

20. An impact protection device of claim 16 where the slot for receiving the peripheral component is on a left side of the portable computer.

21. An impact protection device of claim 16 where the slot for receiving the peripheral component is on a bottom side of the portable computer.

22. An impact protection device of claim 16 wherein the protective device protects the protruding portion of the peripheral component when the peripheral card is inserted into the portable computer.

23. An impact protection device of claim 15 wherein the impact protection device is made out of a material allowing transfer of energy through the material.

24. An impact protection device of claim 15 where the portable computer is a digital watch.

25. A system comprising:

a peripheral component having a first portion and a second portion;

a portable computer having a first slot provided for receiving the first portion of the peripheral component;

an impact protection device having a second slot provided for receiving the second portion of the peripheral component, wherein the impact protection device is removably coupled to the peripheral component, wherein a surface of the impact protection device contacts a surface of the portable computer when the first portion of the peripheral component is received by the first slot and the second portion of the peripheral component is received in the second slot;

wherein the first portion is inserted inside the first slot provided for receiving the peripheral component, wherein a portion of the peripheral component protrudes outside the first slot provided for receiving the peripheral component.

26. An impact protection device of claim 25 where the first slot for receiving the peripheral component is on a right side of the portable computer.

27. An impact protection device of claim 25 where the first slot for receiving the peripheral component is on a left side of the portable computer.

28. An impact protection device of claim 25 where the first slot for receiving the peripheral component is on a bottom side of the portable computer.