Waterproof case

• US 9,800,962 B2
• Filed: 08/22/2012
• Issued: 10/24/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 08/22/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Catalyst Lifestyle Limited
• Original Assignee: Catalyst Lifestyle Limited
• Inventors: Lai, June, Wright, Joshua
• Primary Examiner(s): Stashick, Anthony
• Assistant Examiner(s): Collins, Raven
• Application Number:
  US13/591,944
• Publication Number:
  US 20130063004A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,889 Days
• Field of Search: 206320, 206701, 224 19, 224197, 4555758
• 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 1/1688 the I/O peripheral being integrated loudspeakers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/182 with special features, e.g. for use in industrial environments; grounding or shielding against radio frequency interference [RFI] or electromagnetical interference [EMI]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1633 Protecting arrangement for the entire housing of the computer
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/185 Improving the rigidity of the casing or resistance to shocks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/236 including keys on side or rear faces
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/02 Casings; Cabinets ; Supports therefor; Mountings therein H04R1/28 takes precedence ; attachments for microphones H04R1/08; mounting of transducers in earpieces H04R1/1075
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2499/11 Transducers incorporated or for use in hand-held devices, e.g. mobile phones, PDA's, camera's

Abstract

A protective case for an electronic device includes a main housing and a lid. The main housing and lid are removably joined to define an air and water tight volume receiving an electronic device. Air trapped within the protective case transfers acoustic energy from a sound source within the case to at least one membrane wherein the membrane vibrates in response to an air pressure differential transmitting sound to an exterior of the case.

Claims

1. A protective case for an electronic device comprising:

a main housing;

a lid;

the main housing and lid removably joined to define an air and water tight volume that is dimensioned to receive a predetermined electronic device and wherein air is not transferred into or out of the volume; and

wherein when the main housing and the lid when joined together forms at least one membrane, wherein air trapped within the air and water tight volume transfers acoustic energy from a sound source within the case to said at least one membrane wherein the at least one membrane is impermeable to air and that vibrates in response to an air pressure differential so that sound is operable to be transmitted to an exterior of the case, and wherein the main housing joined with the lid defines an air piston wherein the lid includes a microphone port having a membrane assembly attached thereon the membrane assembly being non permeable to air and water, and the membrane assembly being compliantly mounted with respect to the microphone port allowing the membrane assembly to freely vibrate.

2. The protective case of claim 1 including an electronic device positioned within the air and water tight volume and wherein the main housing includes at least one secondary sound port operable to transmit sound to and from the electronic device.

3. The protective case of claim 2 including at least one membrane assembly is applied over the secondary sound port, the membrane assembly being non permeable to air and water, and the membrane assembly being compliantly mounted with respect to the sound port allowing the membrane assembly to freely vibrate.

4. The protective case of claim 3 wherein the at least one membrane assembly includes a membrane, the membrane being attached to a foam material which is attached to the main housing.

5. The protective case of claim 4 wherein the membrane of the at least one membrane assembly has a thickness of from 5 microns up to 1000 microns.

6. The protective case of claim 4 wherein the membrane of the at least one membrane assembly has a Young'"'"'s Modulus from 300 MPa up to 20 GPa.

7. The protective case of claim 4 wherein the membrane of the at least one membrane assembly has a density from 500 kg/m3 up to 2500 kg/m3.

8. The protective case of claim 1 including an electronic device positioned with the air and water tight volume, and the main housing including a screen, and wherein the electronic device and screen define an air gap and the screen is formed of a material that is operable to function as an acoustic membrane transferring sound from the device within the air and water tight volume to an exterior of the case.

9. The protective case of claim 1 including an electronic device positioned with the air and water tight volume, and wherein the electronic device and lid define an air gap and the lid is formed of a material that is operable to function as an acoustic membrane transferring sound from the electronic device within the air and water tight volume to an exterior of the case.

10. The protective case of claim 4 wherein the membrane of the at least one membrane assembly is formed of TPU material.

11. The protective case of claim 1 wherein the membrane assembly of the lid includes a membrane, the membrane being attached to a foam material which is attached to the lid.

12. The protective case of claim 1 wherein the lid includes a raised lip formed thereon locating the membrane assembly.

13. The protective case of claim 1 wherein the lid has a second raised lip including a gasket disposed there about.

14. The protective case of claim 11 wherein the membrane of membrane assembly of the lid is formed of a clear TPU material allowing a light flash to pass through said membrane from the electronic device and transfer acoustic signals across said membrane.

15. The protective case of claim 11 wherein the foam material includes a cutout section having the membrane of membrane assembly of the lid disposed within the cutout section.

16. The protective case of claim 11 including an electronic device positioned with the air and water tight volume, the electronic device having a camera and camera flash apparatus, and wherein the foam material includes an adjacent cut out section to receive the camera from the electronic device, the camera being isolated from a light flash emitted by the flash apparatus that passes through the membrane of the membrane assembly.

17. The protective case of claim 15 including an electronic device positioned with the air and water tight volume, the electronic device having a microphone, and wherein the cut out section of the foam material includes a notch formed therein to allow acoustic energy to travel to the microphone of the device.

18. The protective case of claim 1 wherein the main housing includes an access port formed therein, the access port including a removable hinged door for opening and closing the access port.

19. The protective case of claim 18 wherein the removable hinged door includes at least one of a seal or gasket positioned thereon.

20. The protective case of claim 18 wherein the main housing defines a channel, and including a secondary lock that slides within the channel to move in and out of contact with the removable hinged door to latch the door.

21. A protective case for an electronic device comprising:

a main housing;

a lid;

the main housing and lid removably joined to define an air and water tight volume that is dimensioned to receive a predetermined electronic device and wherein air is not transferred into or out of the volume; and

wherein when the main housing and the lid when joined together forms at least one membrane, wherein air trapped within the air and water tight volume transfers acoustic energy from a sound source within the case to said at least one membrane wherein the at least one membrane is impermeable to air and that vibrates in response to an air pressure differential so that sound is operable to be transmitted to an exterior of the case, and wherein the main housing joined with the lid defines an air piston and wherein the main housing includes an access port formed therein, the access port including a removable hinged door for opening and closing the access port.

22. A protective case for an electronic device comprising:

a main housing;

a lid;

the main housing and lid removably joined to define an air and water tight volume that is dimensioned to receive a predetermined electronic device and wherein air is not transferred into or out of the volume; and

wherein when the main housing and the lid when joined together forms at least one membrane, wherein air trapped within the air and water tight volume transfers acoustic energy from a sound source within the case to said at least one membrane wherein the at least one membrane is impermeable to air and that vibrates in response to an air pressure differential so that sound is operable to be transmitted to an exterior of the case, and wherein the main housing joined with the lid defines an air piston and including an electronic device positioned with the air and water tight volume, and wherein the electronic device and lid define an air gap and the lid is formed of a material that is operable to function as an acoustic membrane transferring sound from the electronic device within the air and water tight volume to an exterior of the case.