Protective cover for an electronic device including impact geometry

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10027783-B2
Application number	US-201515315169-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 1, 2015
Priority date	May 30, 2014
Publication date	Jul 17, 2018
Grant date	Jul 17, 2018

Abstract

A case for an electronic device comprising a frame or shell, a protective perimeter, and an interior with impact geometry.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A case for an electronic device, said case comprising:
a rigid molded shell comprising:
a rear side having a rear-side outer surface and a rear-side inner surface; and
peripheral sides, each peripheral side extending from the rear side in a direction of the rear-side inner surface and having a peripheral-side outer surface and a peripheral-side inner surface; and

an elastomeric interior core which covers at least a portion of at least one surface selected from the group consisting of the rear-side inner surface and the peripheral-side inner surfaces of the rigid molded shell;
wherein the interior core comprises impact geometry comprising gaps and ridges, the ridges being configured to deflect into the gaps on impact; and
wherein the ridges are closed shapes, each of which comprises one continuous unbroken ridge with no beginning or end.

2. The case according to claim 1 ;
wherein each continuous unbroken ridge is not directly connected to another ridge.

3. The case according to claim 1 ;
wherein the ridges are configured in a pattern of concentric shapes.

4. The case according to claim 1 ;
wherein the ridges are shaped as ellipses or are pill-shaped.

5. The case according to claim 1 ;
wherein the interior core comprises a rear side which covers the rear-side inner surface of the rigid molded shell, and the impact geometry is arranged on the rear side of the interior core; and
wherein a distance between adjacent ridges of the impact geometry decreases from a center of the rear side towards an outer edge of the rear side.

6. The case according to claim 5 ;
wherein the rear side of the interior core comprises
a rear-side outer surface which faces towards the rear side of the rigid molded shell; and
a rear-side inner surface which faces away from the rear side of the rigid molded shell;

wherein the impact geometry is arranged on the rear-side inner surface of the interior core so as to face towards the electronic device when the electronic device is arranged within the case.

7. The case according to claim 5 ;
wherein the rear side of the interior core comprises:
a rear-side outer surface which faces towards the rear side of the rigid molded shell; and
a rear-side inner surface which faces away from the rear side of the rigid molded shell;

wherein the impact geometry is arranged on the rear-side outer surface of the interior core so as to face away from the electronic device when the electronic device is arranged within the case.

8. The case according to claim 1 ;
where the rigid molded shell is permanently attached to the elastomeric interior core.

9. The case according to claim 8 ;
where the rigid molded shell is co-molded or co-casted to the elastomeric interior core.

10. The case according to claim 1 ;
where the rigid molded shell is mechanically attached to the elastomeric interior core so that the rigid molded shell and the elastomeric interior core are manually separable.

11. The case according to claim 1 , further comprising:
an impact absorbent perimeter portion which covers at least a portion of at least one of the peripheral-side outer surfaces of the rigid molded shell.

12. The case according to claim 11 ;
wherein the impact absorbent perimeter portion comprises at least one elastomeric material.

13. The case according to claim 11 ;
where the rigid molded shell is permanently attached to the impact absorbent perimeter portion.

14. The case according to claim 13 ;
where the rigid molded shell is co-molded or co-casted to the impact absorbent perimeter portion.

15. The case according to claim 11 ;
where the rigid molded shell is mechanically attached to the impact absorbent perimeter portion so that the rigid molded shell and the impact absorbent perimeter portion are manually separable.

16. The case according to claim 1 ;
wherein the case comprises at least one material selected from the group consisting of rigid materials, plastic, elastic materials, rubber, wood, glass, mirror, metal, alloy, fabric, and quartz.

17. The case according to claim 16 ;
wherein the case comprises at least one material selected from the group consisting of elastic materials and rubber.

18. The case according to claim 11 ;
wherein the rigid molded shell comprises at least one material selected from the group consisting of rigid materials, rigid plastic materials, semi-rigid plastic materials, rigid rubber materials, polycarbonate materials, para-aramid materials, elastic materials, wood, glass, mirror, metal, alloy, fabric, and quartz.

19. The case according to claim 18 ;
wherein the rigid molded shell comprises at least one material selected from the group consisting of rigid materials, rigid plastic materials, semi-rigid plastic materials, rigid rubber materials, polycarbonate materials, para-aramid materials, wood, glass, mirror, metal, alloy, fabric, and quartz.

Assignees

• Samsonite Ip Holdings Sarl

Inventors

• Dukerschein Jon Karl
• Hynecek Bryan Lee
• Khodabakhshi Hesam

Classifications

• H04M1/185

  Improving the shock resistance of the housing, e.g. by increasing the rigidity · CPC title

• H04M1/0283 Primary

  for providing a decorative aspect, e.g. customization of casings, exchangeable faceplate · CPC title

• A45C13/002

  Protective covers · CPC title

• G06F1/1633

  Constructional details or arrangements of portable computers not specific to the type of enclosures covered by groups G06F1/1615 - G06F1/1626 · CPC title

• A45C13/02

  Interior fittings; Means, {e.g. inserts,} for holding and packing articles · CPC title