Protective cover with an acoustic isolation mechanism

• US 9,433,271 B2
• Filed: 08/28/2015
• Issued: 09/06/2016
• 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., Lucas, Jonathan D., Borra, Jeffrey M.
• Primary Examiner(s): LUKS, JEREMY AUSTIN
• Application Number:
  US14/839,692
• Publication Number:
  US 20150366310A1
• Time in Patent Office: 375 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: 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 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: A45F 5/00 Holders or carriers for hand articles; Holders or carriers for use while travelling or camping
• CPC Class Codes: G10K 11/002 Devices for damping, suppressing, obstructing or conducting sound in acoustic devices G10K1/06 - G10K1/10 take precedence; for electro-mechanical transducers for communication H04R3/002
• CPC Class Codes: G10K 11/18 Methods or devices for transmitting, conducting or directing sound G10K11/02, G10K11/36 take precedence
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/0217 Mechanical details of casings covers, lids, hoods or members for covering apertures H05K5/03
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/03 Covers
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/068 having a pressure compensation device, e.g. membrane venting means H05K5/0213

Abstract

A removable case for an electronic device may have an acoustic isolation mechanism between the removable case and an acoustic component on the electronic device. The acoustic isolation mechanism may be a compressible component that may provide an acoustic seal between an inner surface of the removable case and an exterior surface of the electronic device, and may include a waterproof acoustic membrane. The waterproof membrane prevents the entry of water while reacting to sound pressure changes to acoustically couple the electronic device with sounds outside the case. 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 case for at least partially enclosing the electronic device, the case having a hard shell that at least partially encases the electronic device, the hard shell having a first sound aperture proximate an acoustic opening of the electronic device when the electronic device is installed in the case, the case having a removable silicone layer configured to fit around the hard shell, the removable silicone layer having a second sound aperture that aligns with the first sound aperture of the hard shell; and

an acoustic isolation mechanism extending from the silicone layer of the case proximate the acoustic opening of the installed electronic device, the acoustic isolation mechanism comprising;

a face oriented towards an interior of the case, the face contacting the installed electronic device,

at least one acoustic channel extending from the face through the first sound aperture of the hard shell and the aligned second sound aperture of the silicone layer that acoustically couples the acoustic opening of the installed electronic device with the case, and

at least one acoustic membrane co-molded to the acoustic isolation mechanism, the at least one acoustic membrane spanning a cross-section of the at least one acoustic channel and having a substantially constant thickness across an area of the at least one acoustic membrane.

2. The protective cover according to claim 1, wherein the at least one acoustic membrane is positioned proximate the face of the acoustic isolation mechanism.

3. The protective cover according to claim 2, wherein the at least one acoustic membrane comprises one or more molded structures selected from the group consisting of:

an arch, a dome, a cone, an accordion pleat, a side pleat, and a box pleat.

4. The protective cover according to claim 1, wherein the at least one acoustic channel includes a ledge to which the at least one acoustic membrane is attached.

5. The protective cover according to claim 1, wherein the acoustic isolation mechanism further comprises at least one counterbore on the face proximate the at least one acoustic channel to which the at least one acoustic membrane is attached.

6. The protective cover according to claim 1, wherein the case further comprises one or more pressure relief apertures between the installed electronic device, through the hard shell, and to an outer surface of the removable silicone layer, each of the one or more pressure relief apertures covered by an air-permeable waterproof textile.

7. The protective cover according to claim 1, wherein a plane of the at least one acoustic membrane transects the at least one acoustic channel at an angle of about 90 degrees relative to a central longitudinal axis of the at least one acoustic channel.

8. The protective cover according to claim 1, wherein a plane of the at least one acoustic membrane transects the acoustic channel at an angle less than about 90 degrees and more than about 0.1 degrees relative to a central longitudinal axis of the at least one acoustic channel.

9. The protective cover according to claim 1, wherein the face of the acoustic isolation mechanism comprises a plurality of acoustic sealing walls proximate the at least one acoustic channel.

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

a shell configured to partially surround an electronic device, the shell having a first sound opening; and

a removable silicone layer fitted over the shell, the removable silicone layer having a second sound opening aligned with the first sound opening of the shell, the removable silicone layer having an acoustic isolation mechanism, the acoustic isolation mechanism comprising;

a face to form an acoustic seal with the electronic device when the electronic device is installed in the protective cover,

at least one acoustic channel extending from the face through the first sound opening of the shell and the aligned second sound opening of the removable silicone layer, the at least one acoustic channel to acoustically couple the electronic device to the protective cover when the electronic device is installed in the protective cover, and

at least one acoustic membrane that spans a cross-section of the at least one acoustic channel, wherein the at least one acoustic membrane is molded from a waterproof elastomer, the at least one acoustic membrane having a substantially constant thickness.

11. The protective cover of claim 10, wherein the at least one acoustic membrane is positioned proximate the face of the acoustic isolation mechanism.

12. The protective cover according to claim 10, wherein the acoustic isolation mechanism is molded from the waterproof elastomer of the at least one acoustic membrane.

13. The protective cover of claim 10, wherein the at least one acoustic membrane comprises one or more molded structures selected from the group consisting of:

an arch, a dome, a cone, an accordion pleat, a side pleat, and a box pleat.

14. The protective cover of claim 10, wherein a plane of the at least one acoustic membrane transects the at least one acoustic channel at an angle of about 90 degrees relative to a central longitudinal axis of the at least one acoustic channel.

15. The protective cover of claim 10, wherein the plane of the at least one acoustic membrane transects the at least one acoustic channel at an angle less than about 90 degrees and more than about 0.1 degrees relative to the central longitudinal axis of the at least one acoustic channel.

16. The protective cover of claim 10, wherein the face of the acoustic isolation mechanism comprises a plurality of acoustic sealing walls proximate the at least one acoustic channel.

17. An encasement for an electronic device, the encasement having an acoustic isolation mechanism for interacting with an electronic device installed in the encasement, the electronic device having a microphone and the encasement having a sound opening proximate the microphone, the acoustic isolation mechanism of the encasement comprising:

a sound channel member extending from a removable silicone layer of the encasement, the removable silicone layer surrounding a hard shell of the encasement that at least partially encases the installed electronic device, the sound opening of the encasement extending through the removable silicone layer and the hard shell;

an interior face on an end of the sound channel member of the removable silicone layer, the interior face configured to form an acoustic seal with the electronic device when the electronic device is installed in the encasement; and

at least one acoustic channel extending from the interior face through the sound channel member of the acoustic isolation mechanism, the at least one acoustic channel acoustically coupling the microphone of the electronic device to the sound opening of the encasement.

18. The encasement of claim 17, further comprising at least one acoustic membrane that spans a cross-section of the at least one acoustic channel, wherein the at least one acoustic membrane comprises a material selected from:

a breathable waterproof textile, and a waterproof elastomer.

19. The encasement according to claim 18, wherein the at least one acoustic membrane is molded from a waterproof elastomer.

20. The encasement according to claim 19, wherein the acoustic isolation mechanism is molded from the waterproof elastomer of the at least one acoustic membrane.

21. The encasement according to claim 18, wherein the at least one acoustic membrane comprises one or more molded structures selected from the group consisting of:

an arch, a dome, a cone, an accordion pleat, a side pleat, and a box pleat.

22. The encasement according to claim 18, wherein the at least one acoustic membrane is positioned proximate the interior face of the acoustic isolation mechanism.

23. The encasement according to claim 18, wherein the at least one acoustic channel includes a ledge to which the at least one acoustic membrane is attached.

24. The encasement according to claim 18, wherein the acoustic isolation mechanism further comprises at least one counterbore on the interior face proximate the at least one acoustic channel to which the at least one acoustic membrane is attached.

25. The encasement according to claim 17, wherein the interior face of the acoustic isolation mechanism comprises a plurality of acoustic sealing walls proximate the at least one acoustic channel.