Acoustic isolation mechanism

• US 9,167,063 B2
• Filed: 03/18/2014
• Issued: 10/20/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/19/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Otter Products LLC
• Original Assignee: Otter Products LLC
• Inventors: Richardson, Curtis R., Loudenslager, John H., Johnson, Jamie L., Thompson, Jason M.
• Primary Examiner(s): LUKS, JEREMY AUSTIN
• Application Number:
  US14/218,662
• Publication Number:
  US 20140202787A1
• Time in Patent Office: 581 Days
• Field of Search: 181/198, 181/200, 181/205, 379/451, 379/454, 361/679.02, 361/679.09, 361/679.55, 361/679.56, 455/575.1
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3888 Arrangements for carrying or protecting transceivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/035 Improving the acoustic characteristics by means of constructional features of the housing, e.g. ribs, walls, resonating chambers or cavities
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/19 Arrangements of transmitters, receivers, or complete sets to prevent eavesdropping, to attenuate local noise or to prevent undesired transmission; Mouthpieces or receivers specially adapted therefor circuit arrangements for preventing eavesdropping H04M1/68; telephone cabinets E04H1/14
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/20 Arrangements for preventing acoustic feed-back H04M1/62 takes precedence

Abstract

A rigid removable case for a portable electronic device may have an acoustic isolation mechanism between the rigid removable case and an acoustic component on the electronic device. The acoustic isolation mechanism may be a compressible component that may provide an air seal between an interior surface of the removable case and an exterior surface of the electronic device. The acoustic isolation mechanism may be constructed of several different materials and several different manufacturing processes.

Claims

1. A protective cover for an electronic device, the protective cover comprising:

a hard shell case having constituent rigid portions for enclosing an electronic device, wherein an intentional gap exists between a shell opening in the hard shell case and an acoustic opening of the electronic device when the electronic device is installed in the hard shell case; and

an acoustic isolation mechanism disposed at least in the intentional gap and having an uncompressed thickness greater than the intentional gap, wherein the acoustic isolation mechanism comprises a compliant material that compresses when the electronic device is installed in the hard shell case, the compression of the compliant material minimizing shifting or rattling of the electronic device when the electronic device is installed in the hard shell case, and wherein the acoustic isolation mechanism comprises a passageway through which sound passes between the shell opening in the hard shell case and the acoustic opening in the electronic device when the electronic device is installed in the hard shell case,

wherein, when the electronic device is installed in the hard shell case, the passageway of the acoustic isolation mechanism defines an acoustic channel between the electronic device and the hard shell case, and dimensions of the acoustic channel enhance acoustic properties of the protective cover.

2. The protective cover according to claim 1, wherein the protective cover is waterproof to a predetermined depth of water.

3. The protective cover according to claim 1, wherein the enhancement of the acoustic properties of the protective cover by the acoustic channel defined by the acoustic isolation mechanism includes reduction of ambient noise received by a microphone of the electronic device.

4. The protective cover according to claim 1, wherein the acoustic channel reduces acoustical feedback.

5. The protective cover according to claim 4, wherein the acoustic channel reduces the acoustical feedback by preventing acoustical energy from reverberating between the hard shell case and the electronic device.

6. The protective cover according to claim 1, wherein the acoustic channel is formed at least between the acoustic opening of the electronic device and the shell opening of the hard shell case.

7. The protective cover according to claim 1, wherein, in addition to providing an acoustic enhancement, the acoustic isolation mechanism is formed from materials having at least one of a user-selectable color, design, and texture.

8. The protective cover according to claim 1, wherein the acoustic channel of the acoustic isolation mechanism has a width that changes along a length of the acoustic isolation mechanism.

9. The protective cover according to claim 1, wherein the acoustic channel of the acoustic isolation mechanism reduces resonances of the hard shell case that degrade audio quality while enhancing the remaining acoustics.

10. A protective cover for an electronic device, the protective cover comprising:

a hard shell case for enclosing an electronic device, the hard shell case comprising a shell opening, wherein an intentional gap exists between the shell opening in the hard shell case and an acoustic opening of the electronic device when the electronic device is installed in the hard shell case; and

an overmolded thermoplastic layer molded onto an exterior surface of the hard shell case, wherein a portion of the overmolded thermoplastic layer extends inwards through the shell opening and beyond an inner surface of the hard shell case by a distance to provide a formed-in-place acoustic isolation mechanism that at least partially seals against the electronic device and at least partially around the acoustic opening of the electronic device when the electronic device is installed in the hard shell case to provide a passageway through which sound passes between the acoustic opening of the electronic device and an outer aperture of the formed-in-place acoustic isolation mechanism, and wherein the formed-in-place acoustic isolation mechanism compresses when the electronic device is installed in the hard shell case to minimize shifting or rattling of the electronic device.

11. The protective cover according to claim 10, wherein the overmolded thermoplastic layer comprises silicone rubber.

12. The protective cover according to claim 10, wherein the hard shell case comprises two hard shell portions that snap together to encapsulate the electronic device.

13. The protective cover according to claim 10, further comprising a touchscreen port in the hard shell case, wherein the touchscreen port provides access to a touchscreen on the electronic device when installed in the protective cover.

14. The protective cover according to claim 13, further comprising a transparent film covering the touchscreen port in the hard shell case.

15. The protective cover according to claim 10, wherein the protective cover is waterproof.

16. The protective cover according to claim 10, wherein the seal provided by the formed-in-place acoustic isolation mechanism between the hard shell case and the electronic device is at least one of airtight and waterproof, and surrounds at least the acoustic opening of the electronic device.

17. The protective cover according to claim 10, wherein the seal provided by the formed-in-place acoustic isolation mechanism between the hard shell case and the electronic device is not airtight and thus permits an amount of air to pass through or between walls of the acoustic isolation mechanism.

18. The protective cover according to claim 10, wherein the hard shell case encloses the electronic device with an interference fit that minimizes shifting between at least portions of the hard shell case and the electronic device, while providing an intentional gap between other portions of the hard shell case and the electronic device.

19. The protective cover according to claim 10, wherein a portion of the formed-in-place acoustic isolation mechanism that seals against the electronic device has a centerline that is offset from a centerline of the shell opening of the hard shell case.

20. The protective cover according to claim 10, wherein dimensions of the passageway enhance acoustic properties of the protective cover.