Mobile sound and light resistant electromagnetic isolation chamber

• US 8,618,426 B2
• Filed: 12/16/2011
• Issued: 12/31/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/13/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: William Gerard Malone
• Original Assignee: William Gerard Malone
• Inventors: Malone, William Gerard
• Primary Examiner(s): NGO, HUNG V
• Application Number:
  US13/328,837
• Publication Number:
  US 20120085576A1
• Time in Patent Office: 746 Days
• Field of Search: 206/719, 206/721, 174/377, 174/382, 174/386, 340/572.8, 455/575.8
• US Class Current: 174/382
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 9/0045 being rigid plastic containers having a coating of shielding material

Abstract

A device enclosing a volume shielded from certain levels of sound, light and electromagnetic radiation, such device that prevents electromagnetic communications and recording devices from transmitting and receiving communications from outside of the devices protected environment while remaining mobile and ungrounded.

Claims

1. An electromagnetic isolation chamber containing a volume of space electro-magnetically isolated from the surrounding environment, comprising:

a) a wall enclosing said volume, said wall having first ungrounded electromagnetic shielding surrounding said volume,

b) a sound reducing shielding disposed within said chamber or exposed externally from said chamber, the sound reducing shielding configured to substantially prevent sound from a source outside of said volume from entering said volume; and

c) a lining consisting of Radio Frequency Absorbing Foam disposed within said chamber covering the sides of said volume in a manner and proportion to best optimize the abilities of radio frequency absorbing being utilized, including but not limited to directing the effective portion of the Radio Frequency Absorbing Foam towards the inside of the chamber.

2. A chamber in accordance with claim 1 wherein said wall comprises a plurality of sides defining a box.

3. A chamber in accordance with claim 2 wherein said box is openable and has a top portion and a base portion.

4. A chamber in accordance with claim 3 wherein said top portion is conductively attached to said base portion when closed.

5. A chamber in accordance with claim 4 wherein said top portion is attached by an attachment which comprises a lid hinged from the body and securable by a latch or accessible or by other methods such as sliding lids, magnetic lids, swing out lids and the such.

6. A chamber in accordance with claim 5 further comprising a shielding gasket between said top portions.

7. An electromagnetic isolation apparatus to isolate at least one electronic communication device of the type having an audio input that receive sounds, the at least one electronic communication device having electromagnetic transmission capabilities that wirelessly transmit signals, the apparatus comprising:

an ungrounded housing having a form factor dimensioned to fit into a vehicle, the ungrounded housing having an openable portion and a base portion,

said housing comprising;

a conductive layer that substantially prevents electromagnetic radiation from passing therethrough, said housing defining a cavity within the base portion, said openable portion having a first position that allows the at least one electronic communication device to be placed within and enclosed by said cavity, the openable portion including a second position that seals said cavity such that wireless transmissions from the at least one electronic communication device are substantially prevented from passing between said cavity and the outside world,

a sound-reducing shield configured to acoustically decouple the cavity from sound outside of the cavity so that the housing, in use, prevents the audio input of said at least one electronic communication device from picking up sound originating from outside of the cavity when said at least one electronic communication device is disposed within the cavity with the openable portion set in the second position, and

an electromagnetic radiation absorbing layer that is configured to absorb at least some wireless transmission energy to/from the at least one electronic communication device,

wherein the openable portion and the base portion each include the electromagnetic radiation absorbing layer, the conductive layer, and the sound-reducing shield,

wherein the ungrounded housing further includes a sealing structure that conductively connects the conductive layer of the openable portion to the conductive layer of the base portion when the openable portion is in the closed position.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein said form factor comprises a form factor of a device used to repair a vehicle.

9. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein said form factor comprises a handheld structure typically used for a purpose having nothing to do with electromagnetic isolation.

10. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the openable portion includes a removable cap that is threaded.

11. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein said housing is dimensioned such that said cavity is large enough to accommodate at least one cellular telephone or other electronic communication device.

12. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the electromagnetic radiation absorbing layer includes an absorbing foam that is disposed between the cavity and the conductive layer and the sound-reducing shield.

13. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the sound-reducing shield further includes a sound reducing foam.

14. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the ungrounded housing further includes sound reducing structure that communicably connects the sound-reducing shield of the openable portion to the sound-reducing shield of the base portion when the openable portion is in the closed position.

15. An electromagnetic and sound isolation container for isolating at least one communication device of the type having an audio input that receive sounds, the at least one electronic communication device having electromagnetic transmission capabilities for wirelessly transmitting signals, the container comprising:

a first portion defining an electronic communication device holding cavity;

a second portion moveable between at least an open position and a closed position,

in the open position, the second portion allowing the at least one electronic communication device to be placed into the electronic communication device holding cavity, and

in the closed position, the top portion closing off the electronic communication device holding cavity such that wireless transmissions and audio input/output to/from the at least one electronic communication device placed within the electronic communication device holding cavity are substantially prevented from passing into or out of said electronic communication device holding cavity;

a sound reduction layer included in the first and/or second portions that, in use, acoustically isolates the audio input of the at least one communication device from picking up sound originating outside the electronic communication device holding cavity when the second portion is in the closed position;

a conductive electromagnetic shielding layer that is included in the first and/or second portions, wherein the conductive electromagnetic shielding layer substantially prevents electromagnetic radiation from passing into or out from the electronic communication device holding cavity when the top portion is in the closed position; and

an electromagnetic and acoustical sealing gasket arrangement that conductively connects the top and bottom portions and acoustically seals the first portion to the second portion to thereby reduce the introduction of sound into the electronic communication device holding via an opening that is closed when the second portion is in the closed position,

wherein the apparatus has a form factor that is dimensioned to fit into a vehicle.

16. The container of claim 15, further comprising a radio frequency absorbing layer that is included in the first and second portion and that is configured to absorb at least some wireless transmission energy from the at least one electronic communication device placed within the electronic communication device holding cavity.

17. The container of claim 16, wherein the layers are positioned in the following order in a direction oriented from the electronic communication device holding cavity to an area outside the apparatus,

the radio frequency absorbing layer,

the conductive electromagnetic shielding layer, and

the sound reduction layer.

18. The container of claim 15, wherein the electromagnetic and acoustical sealing gasket arrangement includes a first conductive part that is disposed on/in the second portion and a second conductive that is disposed on/in the first portion.

19. The container of claim 18, wherein, in the closed position, the first conduction part and the second conductive part are offset from one another.

20. The container of claim 15, wherein the electromagnetic and acoustical sealing gasket arrangement includes:

a shielding gasket that conductively connects the first portion to the second portion when the second portion is in the closed position;

a sound sealing gasket that acoustically seals the first portion to the second portion when the second portion is in the closed position.