Protective enclosure for electronic device

• US 9,145,250 B2
• Filed: 07/09/2013
• Issued: 09/29/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/19/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Otter Products LLC
• Original Assignee: Otter Products LLC
• Inventors: Richardson, Curtis R., Kempel, Douglas A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Edwards, Anthony Q
• Application Number:
  US13/938,064
• Publication Number:
  US 20130300267A1
• Time in Patent Office: 812 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 11/00 Receptacles for purposes not provided for in groups A45C1/00-A45C9/00 specially adapted for toiletry or cosmetic equipment A45D29/20, A45D44/18; travelling sewing kits A45F3/48
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 13/002 Protective covers
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 13/005 Hinges
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 13/02 Interior fittings; Means, e.g. inserts, for holding and packing articles
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 13/36 Reinforcements for edges, corners, or other parts
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 2011/001 for portable audio devices, e.g. headphones or MP3-players
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 2011/002 for portable handheld communication devices, e.g. mobile phone, pager, beeper, PDA, smart phone
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 2011/003 for portable computing devices, e.g. laptop, tablet, netbook, game boy, navigation system, calculator
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 2200/10 Transparent walls
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 5/00 Rigid or semi-rigid luggage collapsible or extensible luggage, bags or the like A45C7/00
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 81/02 specially adapted to protect contents from mechanical damage containers of polygonal cross-section provided with internal protecting elements for contents B65D5/50; devices to locate articles in containers B65D25/10
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 81/022 Containers made of shock-absorbing material B65D81/03 takes precedence; for thermal insulating purposes B65D81/3813
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 81/05 maintaining contents at spaced relation from package walls, or from other contents B65D81/022, B65D81/025, B65D81/03 take precedence
• 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 1/1633 Constructional details or arrangements of portable computers not specific to the type of enclosures covered by groups G06F1/1615 - G06F1/1626
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1656 Details related to functional adaptations of the enclosure, e.g. to provide protection against EMI, shock, water, or to host detachable peripherals like a mouse or removable expansions units like PCMCIA cards, or to provide access to internal components for maintenance or to removable storage supports like CDs or DVDs, or to mechanically mount accessories mounting of accessories to a computer display G06F1/1607; display hoods G06F1/1603; cooling arrangements for portable computers G06F1/203
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1684 Constructional details or arrangements related to integrated I/O peripherals not covered by groups G06F1/1635 - G06F1/1675
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/26 Power supply means, e.g. regulation thereof for memories G11C
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1632 Pen holder integrated in the computer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1633 Protecting arrangement for the entire housing of the computer
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 38/14 : Inductive couplings for wireless supply or distribution of electric power using inductive coupling H02J50/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3888 : Arrangements for carrying or protecting transceivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 2001/3894 : Waterproofing of transmission device
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0202 : Portable telephone sets, e.g. cordless phones, mobile phones or bar type handsets constructional features of telephone transmitters or receivers, e.g. of speakers or microphones H04M1/03
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/04 : Supports for telephone transmitters or receivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/185 : Improving the rigidity of the casing or resistance to shocks
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/028 : associated with devices performing functions other than acoustics, e.g. electric candles
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/1033 : Cables or cables storage, e.g. cable reels cord reels per se H02G11/02; arrangements for storing and repeatedly paying-out and re-storing lengths of conductors or cables B65H75/34; extensible conductors or cables, e.g. self-coiling cords H01B7/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2201/02 : Details casings, cabinets or mounting therein for transducers covered by H04R1/02 but not provided for in any of its subgroups
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/0017 : with operator interface units
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/02 : Details
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/0247 : Electrical details of casings, e.g. terminals, passages for cables or wiring
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/03 : Covers
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/061 : sealed by a gasket held between a removable cover and a body, e.g. O-ring, packing
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/068 : having a pressure compensation device, e.g. membrane venting means H05K5/0213
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/069 : Other details of the casing, e.g. wall structure, passage for a connector, a cable, a shaft
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24355 : Continuous and nonuniform or irregular surface on layer or component [e.g., roofing, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24413 : Metal or metal compound
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24909 : Free metal or mineral containing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/25 : Web or sheet containing structurally defined element or component and including a second component containing structurally defined particles
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31507 : Of polycarbonate
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31605 : Next to free metal
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31692 : Next to addition polymer from unsaturated monomers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31696 : Including polyene monomers [e.g., butadiene, etc.]

Abstract

A protective enclosure for an electronic device such as a laptop computer or tablet computer that comprises a shell that is capable of enclosing and substantially surrounding the electronic device. The shell is substantially watertight, substantially rigid and substantially crush-resistant. The inside of the shell has a hook and loop liner with shock absorbing corner bumpers having hook and loop type bases so that the bumpers may attach at any point on the liner inside the shell to accommodate electronic devices of various sizes and to secure the device inside the enclosure in a shock absorbent suspended manner. The shell may further comprise a USB connector hub for connection to the USB port of a laptop computer or PC tablet enclosed in the protective shell.

Claims

1. A protective enclosure for a handheld electronic device having a capacitance-sensing interactive control panel, the protective enclosure comprising:

a shell that surrounds and encloses said handheld device when said handheld device is disposed in said shell, said handheld device being a separate unit from said protective enclosure, said handheld device being insertable in and removable from said enclosure by hand, said shell being substantially crush-resistant and impact resistant, said shell having an aperture that is aligned with said capacitance;

sensing interactive control panel; and

a protective membrane, distinct from said shell, that is fixed to said shell over an aperture in said shell so that said protective membrane is recessed with respect to an outermost planar extent of said aperture, said protective membrane disposed over said capacitance-sensing interactive control panel of said handheld device when said handheld device is disposed in said enclosure, said protective membrane having a combination of sufficient thinness and a dielectric constant that together allow capacitive inputs on a front side of said protective membrane to be transmitted to said capacitance-sensing interactive control panel through said protective membrane;

wherein said protective membrane has a matte texture, said texture having a texture depth of 0.0004 to 0.003 inches that reduces the surface area of said protective membrane that is in frictional contact with a user'"'"'s finger and permits said user'"'"'s finger to glide smoothly upon the surface of the membrane without sticking.

2. The protective enclosure of claim 1 wherein said shell is made from polyethylene.

3. The protective enclosure of claim 1 wherein said protective membrane is releasably fixed to said shell for replacement.

4. The protective enclosure of claim 1 wherein said protective membrane is permanently fixed to said shell.

5. The protective enclosure of claim 1 wherein said protective membrane has a dielectric constant in the range of 2.2 to 3.8.

6. The protective enclosure of claim 1 wherein said protective membrane is made of engineered thermoplastic selected from the group consisting of thermoplastic polycarbonate, thermoplastic polypropylene, thermoplastic acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene and thermoplastic compositions containing one or more thereof.

7. The protective enclosure of claim 1 wherein said protective membrane has a thickness in the range of 0.003 inches to 0.020 inches.

8. A method of protecting an electronic device having a capacitance-sensing interactive control panel comprising:

providing a protective shell that is crush-resistant and impact-resistant, said protective shell surrounding and enclosing said device when said device is disposed in said protective shell, said device being a separate unit from said protective shell, said device being insertable in and removable from said shell by hand;

providing an aperture in said shell that is aligned with said capacitance-sensing interactive control panel when said device is disposed in said protective shell; and

providing a protective membrane, distinct from said shell, that is fixed to said shell so that said protective membrane is disposed over said capacitance-sensing interactive control panel of said device when said device is disposed in said shell and said protective membrane is recessed from an outermost planar extent of said aperture, said protective membrane having a combination of sufficient thinness and dielectric constant that together allow capacitive inputs on a front side of said protective membrane to be communicated to said capacitance-sensing interactive control panel through said protective membrane.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein said protective membrane is releasably fixed to said protective shell for replacement.

10. The method of claim 8 wherein said protective membrane is permanently fixed to said protective shell.

11. A protective enclosure for a handheld electronic device having a capacitance-sensing interactive control panel comprising:

a shell that surrounds and encloses said handheld device when said handheld device is disposed in said shell, said handheld device being a separate unit from said protective enclosure, said handheld device being insertable in and removable from said enclosure by hand, said shell being substantially crush-resistant and impact resistant, said shell having an aperture that is aligned with said capacitance-sensing interactive control panel; and

a protective membrane that is fixed to said shell over an aperture in said shell so that said protective membrane is recessed with respect to an outer surface of said shell, said protective membrane having a dielectric constant in the range of 2.2 to 3.8 and being disposed over said capacitance-sensing interactive control panel of said handheld device when said handheld device is disposed in said enclosure, said protective membrane being sufficiently thin and having a dielectric constant that allows capacitive inputs on a front side of said protective membrane to be transmitted to said capacitance-sensing interactive control panel through said protective membrane.

12. A protective enclosure for a handheld electronic device having a capacitance-sensing interactive control panel comprising:

a shell that surrounds and encloses said handheld device when said handheld device is disposed in said shell, said handheld device being a separate unit from said protective enclosure, said handheld device being insertable in and removable from said enclosure by hand, said shell being substantially crush-resistant and impact resistant, said shell having an aperture that is aligned with said capacitance-sensing interactive control panel; and

a protective membrane, being a separate unit from said shell, that is disposable across an aperture in said shell so that said protective membrane is recessed with respect to an outermost planar extent of said aperture, said protective membrane disposable over said capacitance-sensing interactive control panel of said handheld device when said handheld device is disposed in said enclosure, said protective membrane having a combination of sufficient thinness and a dielectric constant that together allow capacitive inputs on a front side of said protective membrane to be transmitted to said capacitance-sensing interactive control panel through said protective membrane;

wherein said protective membrane has a thickness of about 0.003 inches to about 0.020 and a surface having a characteristic that permits a said user'"'"'s finger to glide smoothly upon the surface of the membrane without sticking and permits capacitive inputs to be transmitted to said capacitance-sensing interactive control panel through said protective membrane.