Abstract:
A protective case for an electronic device includes a protective shell and a flexible portion. The protective shell has an inner surface, an outer surface, and side members that define a perimeter of the protective shell. The side members at least partially cover respective sides of the electronic device when the electronic device is in the protective shell. The protective shell also has cutouts extending from the inner surface to the outer surface. The flexible portion is disposed on the inner surface of the protective shell and extends through cutouts of the protective shell to at least the outer surface of the protective shell.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/050,826, filed 22 Sep., 2011, entitled “Energy Deflection Case,” which claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/314,955, filed 17 Mar., 2010, entitled “Energy Deflection Case” and to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/417,254, filed 25 Nov., 2010, entitled “Energy Deflection Case,” the entire contents of which are hereby specifically incorporated by reference herein for all they disclose and teach. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND 
     Electronic devices, such as cell phones, tablet computers, laptop computers, and the like may be very expensive and sensitive to impact. In many cases, these devices may be used in harsh environments where the devices may be subject to dropping or other impact. 
     SUMMARY 
     A protective case for an electronic device may include a protective shell and a flexible portion. The protective shell has an inner surface, an outer surface, and side members that define a perimeter of the protective shell. The side members at least partially cover respective sides of the electronic device when the electronic device is in the protective shell. The protective shell also has cutouts extending from the inner surface to the outer surface. The flexible portion is disposed on the inner surface of the protective shell and extends through cutouts of the protective shell to at least the outer surface of the protective shell. The protective case may have flexible portions, components, or materials in impact areas, such as in corners of the case. The case may be designed to flex in these areas. 
     In some embodiments, a gap may exist between the protective case and the electronic device, and impact to the case may be absorbed by the protective case before damaging the electronic device. In some embodiments, the protective case may be manufactured from a two shot molding process where a hard plastic case may have overmolded thermoplastic elastomer. Some embodiments may have two case portions that may be joined to enclose a device. Other embodiments may be a single case that snaps over a device. Still other embodiments may be a permanently attached cover that attaches using fasteners or snap features. 
     This Summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form that are further described below in the Detailed Description. This Summary is not intended to identify key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used to limit the scope of the claimed subject matter. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       In the drawings, 
         FIG. 1  is a cross-sectional illustration of an embodiment showing a protective case. 
         FIG. 2  is a cross-sectional illustration of a detailed view of the embodiment of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional illustration of a detailed view of the embodiment of  FIG. 2  undergoing an external force. 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view of a first embodiment showing a protective case. 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view of the embodiment of  FIG. 4 , shown from a second view. 
         FIG. 6  is a perspective view of a second embodiment of a protective case. 
         FIG. 7  is a perspective view of a third embodiment of a protective case. 
         FIG. 8  is a perspective view of a fourth embodiment of a protective case. 
         FIG. 9  is a perspective view of a fifth embodiment of a protective case. 
         FIG. 10  is a perspective view of a sixth embodiment of a protective case. 
         FIG. 11  is a cross-sectional view of an embodiment showing a cutout area. 
         FIG. 12  is a cross-sectional view of a second embodiment showing a cutout area. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     A protective case for an electronic device may have flexible components that may be designed to flex when impacted. The flexing action may absorb some of the impact energy and protect the electronic device from damage. The flexing action may be bending, torsion, or combination of bending and torsion that may absorb impact energy. 
     The protective case may be designed with a gap between the internal surface of the protective case and the electronic device. The gap may allow the protective case to flex inwardly during an impact. 
     The protective case may operate by absorbing impact energy by an elastic spring action. In some embodiments, the protective case may cause an electronic device to bounce when dropped. In many cases, the elastic absorption of energy may soften or lessen the impact energy transmitted to the electronic device. 
     The protective case may be a removable case that may be installed by a consumer as an aftermarket accessory. In such embodiments, the protective case may be a single piece design that may snap over an electronic device. In some embodiments, the protective case may be constructed of two or more components that may be joined by snapping, fastening, or other attachment mechanism. 
     In some embodiments, the protective case may be a permanent case that may not be removable by a user. In such embodiments, the protective case may be attached to the electronic device by fastening, ultrasonic welding, snaps, or other mechanisms which may or may not be removable. 
     Throughout this specification, like reference numbers signify the same elements throughout the description of the figures. 
     When elements are referred to as being “connected” or “coupled,” the elements can be directly connected or coupled together or one or more intervening elements may also be present. In contrast, when elements are referred to as being “directly connected” or “directly coupled,” there are no intervening elements present. 
       FIG. 1  is a cross sectional diagram of an embodiment  100 , showing a protective case.  FIG. 1  is not to scale. Embodiment  100  illustrates an example of a protective case that may have gaps in the corner areas. The gaps may be designed to allow the protective case to deflect during impact and absorb some impact energy. 
     Embodiment  100  illustrates a protective case where the case may be designed to deflect during impact. The deflection may absorb some impact energy in an elastic or plastic manner and may lessen the amount of energy transmitted to a device enclosed by the case. 
     The deflection of the protective case may be bending or torsional forces acting on elements of the protective case. In many embodiments, fingers or other features may extend away from the device and may be subject to bending or torsion during impact. Such embodiments may have a gap between the protective case and the device, and the gap may permit the features to move in the direction away from the impact force while absorbing energy prior to contact with the device. 
     The deflection of the protective case may be designed to be within the elastic strain region for the protective case. In such embodiments, the protective case may be able to absorb the same amount of impact energy repeatedly without degrading performance. Using conventional molded plastic materials, many protective case designs may operate within the elastic strain region for standardized drop tests. 
     In the case of plastic deformation of the protective case, the impact may permanently deform the case and render the case less likely to be able to absorb the impact energy in subsequent impacts. Such embodiments may be useful when the impact energy may be very high. 
     In many embodiments, the protective case may have multiple mechanisms by which an electronic device may be protected. In addition to the deflection action, a protective case may operate by absorbing energy through compression of the protective case. Such embodiments may have foam or other materials that may absorb energy through compression. In some such embodiments, the energy absorbing material may be placed inside the protective case, while other embodiments may have an external cover or other compressive material located on the outside of the protective case. 
     Embodiment  100  illustrates a device  102  that may be protected by a case made up of a case portion  104  and case portion  106 . The case portions  104  and  106  may be joined together by a case joint  108 . 
     The device  102  may be any type of device that may be protected. In many embodiments, the device  102  may be an electronic device, such as a cellular telephone, tablet computer, laptop computer, hand held scanner, Global Positioning System navigation devices, athletic monitoring devices, music playing devices, or other devices. In many cases, the devices may have various user interface components, such as touchscreens, buttons, scroll wheels, tilt switches, push button switches, and other components. The devices may also include radio transceivers, receivers, satellite receivers, or other wireless components. 
     The case portions  104  and  106  are illustrated as surrounding the device  102 . In many embodiments, the protective case may surround much of the device  102 . Some embodiments may fully surround the device  102  and may permit access to the device through various buttons or other connections, while other embodiments may leave various access holes or other opening for direct access or contact to the device  102 . 
     The protective case may contact the device  102  in various contact areas  110 ,  112 ,  114 , and  116 . The contact areas may be interference fits where the protective case may press against the device  102 . In many embodiments, the contact areas may engage the device  102  and may prevent the device  102  from shifting during impact events. 
     In some embodiments, one or more of the contact areas  110 ,  112 ,  114 , and  116  may engage a mechanical feature in the device  102 . The mechanical feature may be a recess, protrusion, or other shaped feature that may mechanically engage the device  102 . 
     In some embodiments, one or more of the contact areas  110 ,  112 ,  114 , and  116  may be formed with a material that may be tacky or may resist slipping. In some such embodiments, a portion of one or more of the contact areas  110 ,  112 ,  114 , and  116  may be formed with overmolded thermoplastic elastomer or other soft material. In some embodiments, portions of the contact areas may be fitted with foam or other compressible material that may fill any void between the protective case and the device  102  and assist in holding the device  102  inside the case. 
     Embodiment  100  illustrates an example of a rectangular device  102  that may have additional protection along the corners of the device  102 . A protective case that may be designed to protect a device  102  against dropping or other trauma may have additional protection at the corners, as these areas are more likely to be damaged during a fall. 
     Each of the corners  118 ,  122 ,  126 , and  130  may have an air gap  120 ,  124 ,  128 , and  132 , respectively. The air gap may give the case room to flex when subjected to an impact force. 
     The air gap may differ for various embodiments. In many cases, the air gap may be 0.005 in or larger. The air gap may be 0.010 in, 0.025 in, 0.050 in, or larger. 
     In many embodiments, the air gap and the spring action of the protective case may be sufficient to protect an electronic device from a fall of at least six inches or more. In many embodiments, the protective case may be capable of protecting the device from a fall of at least one foot, but some embodiments may protect the device from falls of two, three, four, or more feet. 
       FIG. 2  is a cross sectional diagram of an embodiment  200 , showing a detailed view of the protective case of embodiment  100 .  FIG. 2  is not to scale. Embodiment  200  illustrates a detailed view of the corner  130  of embodiment  100 . 
     Embodiment  200  illustrates the device  102  and the case portion  104 . The contact area  116  may be to the right hand side of the illustration. 
     Embodiment  200  illustrates the air gap  132  in more detail than embodiment  100 . 
       FIG. 3  is a cross sectional diagram of an embodiment  300 , showing a detailed view of the protective case of embodiment  200  when subjected to an external force.  FIG. 3  is not to scale. Embodiment  300  illustrates a detailed view of the corner  130  of embodiments  100  and  200 . 
     Embodiment  300  illustrates the device  102  and the case portion  104 . 
     Embodiment  300  illustrates the deflection of the case portion  104  when subjected to an external force  302 . Because of the external force  302 , the case portion  104  may deflect, causing a reduced air gap  306 . The deflection of the case portion  104  may absorb some or all of the external force  302  by translating the external force  302  into bending or torsional forces in the case portion  104 . 
       FIG. 4  is a perspective view of an embodiment  400 , showing an example protective case.  FIG. 4  is not to scale. Embodiment  400  illustrates a case  402  that may be used for protecting a device similar to a cellular telephone or portable music player. 
     The protective case  402  is illustrated as having case portions  404  and  406 , which may be connected at a case joint  408 . The case portions may each capture one end of a device and may be joined by a snap feature. 
     The case portion  406  may have a cutout  408  which may be a through hole or slot through the case portion  406 . In many embodiments, the case portion  406  may be manufactured from a hard plastic, such as a thermoplastic material such as ABS, PVC, polycarbonate, or other materials. 
     The cutout  408  may extend around the corner areas of the case portion  406  and may form fingers  410 ,  412 ,  413 , and  415 . The various fingers may be portions of the case portion  406  that may flex by a combination of bending and torsion to absorb impact forces that may be subjected to the case  402 . The areas near the various fingers may have gaps between the case portion  406  and a device enclosed by the case  402 . 
     In many embodiments, the cutout  408  may be filled using thermoplastic elastomer or other flexible material. By filling the cutout  408 , the protective case may keep out dirt, lint, or other materials, as well as provide some aesthetic features to the case. 
     In some embodiments, the thermoplastic elastomer may be substantially more flexible and resilient than the hard plastic shell. For example, the thermoplastic elastomer may have a density of 50-60 Shore A, but may vary from 30 to 70 Shore A, while the rigid material in the protective case may have a hardness of 65 to 120 on the Rockwell scale for HDPE, acrylic, polypropylene, PVC, ABS, nylon, or other plastics. 
     Throughout this specification and claims, the term “thermoplastic elastomer” is used to refer to any type of flexible material that has the ability to stretch to moderate elongations and return to a shape close to its original shape. In many embodiments, the thermoplastic elastomer may be processable as a melt at elevated temperature. The term “thermoplastic elastomer” is intended to be a generic term for elastomer materials, and may refer to thermoset elastomers. 
     In general, thermoplastic elastomers may be a class of copolymers, which may be a mix of a plastic and a rubber, which consist of materials with both a thermoplastic and elastomeric properties. Thermoplastic elastomers may be processed by injection molding. 
     In many embodiments, a case portion may be manufactured by a two-shot molding process. In such a process, a hard plastic shell may be injection molded in the first step or shot, then the tooling may transport the shell to another molding cavity where a thermoplastic elastomer may be injection molded over the hard plastic shell. 
     In such embodiments, the thermoplastic elastomer may be joined to the hard plastic shell through the molding process, so that no additional assembly may be used. Examples of cross sections of the overmolded thermoplastic elastomer may be found later in this specification. 
     The case portion  404  may be illustrated as having overmolded thermoplastic elastomer  418 , which may be overmolded to cover a cutout that may be similar to the cutout  408 . 
       FIG. 5  is a perspective view of an embodiment  500 , showing a different view of the protective case of embodiment  400 , but with the overmolded thermoplastic elastomer shown on both case portions.  FIG. 5  is not to scale. 
     Embodiment  500  is a different perspective of the protective case of embodiment  400 , illustrated without the electronic device. The case  502  is illustrated with case portions  504  and  506  and the case joint  508 . The case portions  504  and  506  correspond with the case portions  406  and  404 , respectively. 
     The case portion  504  is illustrated with shading showing the thermoplastic elastomer  512  and  514 . The thermoplastic elastomer  512  and  514  illustrate the portion of the thermoplastic elastomer that fills a gap between the fingers formed in the hard plastic shell. 
     When forming the thermoplastic elastomer  512  and  514 , various other features may be formed in the second shot of the two-shot molding process. For example, a molded access flap  510  may be formed in the same molding process and may be formed of thermoplastic elastomer. The molded access flap  510  may fit over a connector access port in the case portion  504 . 
     Similarly, case portion  506  may include various features molded from a single shot of thermoplastic elastomer  516 . The thermoplastic elastomer  516  may be formed over the cutout  408  as illustrated in embodiment  400  and may fill the corner area  522 , for example. 
     The thermoplastic elastomer  516  may also be used to form molded button components  518  and  524 , as well as a molded gasket  520 . 
     Embodiment  500  illustrates an embodiment where a two-shot molding process may form a hard plastic shell over which a thermoplastic elastomer may form a cover for the various cutouts, as well as access covers, button actuators, gaskets, and other features. 
       FIG. 6  is a perspective view of an embodiment  600 , showing another example of a protective case. Embodiment  600  illustrates a protective case with fingers that may be oriented from the front to the back of the protective case. Embodiment  600  is not to scale. 
     Embodiment  600  shows a case  602  that may be formed from case portions  604  and  606 , which may be joined at a case joint  608 . 
     In the lower corners, various cutouts  610  and  618  may form fingers  612  and  620 . The fingers  612  and  620  may be attached to the rear surface  616  and the upper rail  614  and  622 . 
     Embodiment  600  is merely one example of fingers or other features that may be placed in a corner area of a protective case, where the fingers may be spaced away from a device with a gap. The fingers may be designed to flex inwards when an external impact force is exerted against the case  602 . 
       FIG. 7  is a perspective view of an embodiment  700 , showing yet another example of a protective case. Embodiment  700  illustrates a single piece protective case, where the protective case may snap over a device. Embodiment  700  is not to scale. 
     Embodiment  700  is a case  702  that is a single piece. Each corner element may be defined by a cutout, and the cutout may be overmolded with thermoplastic elastomer. The corners  706 ,  710 , and  714  have cutouts  704 ,  708 , and  712 , respectively. The corners are each attached to the main body of the case  702  with a connector. The corner  716  is illustrated with thermoplastic elastomer  718  covering the corresponding cutout for the corner  716 . A fully completed case may have thermoplastic elastomer molded over each of the cutouts  704 ,  708 , and  712 . 
       FIG. 8  is a perspective view of an embodiment  800 , showing still another example of a protective case. Embodiment  800  illustrates a case portion  802 , which may be attached to another case portion with a latch or snap mechanism  804 . Embodiment  800  is not to scale. 
     The case portion  802  may have cutouts  806  and  812  that may form fingers  808 ,  810 ,  814 , and  816 . The various fingers may be designed with a gap between the inside surface of the case portion  802  and an electronic device. The fingers may flex when impacted, thereby absorbing some impact force and lessening any damage that may be inflicted on a device installed inside the case portion  802 . 
     The fingers  808  and  814  may have major axes that are parallel to the main axis of the protective case. The main axis of the protective case may be the centerline of the protective case in the longest dimension of the case. The major axes of the fingers  808  and  814  may be along the outside edges of the protective case and extend into or near the corner regions of the case. 
     Similarly, the fingers  810  and  816  may have major axes that are perpendicular to the main axis of the protective case. The major axes of the fingers  810  and  816  may also extend into the corner regions of the case. In many embodiments, the cutouts  806  and  812  may be filled with a membrane of thermoplastic elastomer or other flexible material. 
       FIG. 9  is a perspective view of an embodiment  900  showing yet another example of a protective case. Embodiment  900  illustrates a case  902  made up of case portions  904  and  906  which may be joined at a case joint  908 . 
     The case  902  may have cutouts  910 ,  914 ,  918 , and  920  at each of the corners  912 ,  916 ,  922 , and  924 , respectively. The various cutouts may allow the case to flex in the areas of the corners when impacted. The corners may be designed with a gap between the case and a protected device. 
       FIG. 10  is a perspective view of an embodiment  1000  showing still another example of a protective case. Embodiment  1000  illustrates a section of a case portion  1002  showing a corner area. Embodiment  1000  is not to scale. 
     The case portion  1002  may have contact areas  1004  and  1006  that may contact a device using spring force, and may have fingers  1008 ,  1010 , and  1012  that are formed from cutouts  1014  and  1016 . The fingers may be designed to form a gap between the case portion  1002  that may be used to flex the fingers during impact and absorb impact energy. 
       FIG. 11  is a cross-sectional view of an embodiment  1100  showing a cross section through a cutout that has an overmolded thermoplastic elastomer. Embodiment  1100  is not to scale. 
     Embodiment  1100  shows two portions of a case that are hard plastic  1102  and  1104 . Between the hard plastic portions is a cutout  1106 . The cutout  1106  may be filled with a thermoplastic elastomer  1108 , which may be joined to the hard plastic parts by steps  1110  and  1112 . The steps may provide a large surface area for bonding the thermoplastic elastomer  1108  to the hard plastic parts  1102  and  1104 . 
       FIG. 12  is a cross-sectional view of an embodiment  1200  showing a second cross section through a cutout that has an overmolded thermoplastic elastomer. Embodiment  1200  is not to scale. Embodiment  1200  is similar to that of embodiment  1100 , but with the addition of grooves or other features in the step area to increase surface area and provide mechanical bonding between the thermoplastic elastomer and the hard plastic components. 
     Embodiment  1200  shows two portions of a case that are hard plastic  1202  and  1204 . Between the hard plastic portions is a cutout  1206 . The cutout  1206  may be filled with a thermoplastic elastomer  1208 , which may be joined to the hard plastic parts by steps  1210  and  1212 . The steps may provide a large surface area for bonding the thermoplastic elastomer  1208  to the hard plastic parts  1202  and  1204 . 
     Embodiment  1200  may have grooves  1212  and  1214  that may provide additional surface area and mechanical engagement between the thermoplastic elastomer  1208  and the hard plastic components  1202  and  1204 . 
     The foregoing description of the subject matter has been presented for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the subject matter to the precise form disclosed, and other modifications and variations may be possible in light of the above teachings. The embodiment was chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention and its practical application to thereby enable others skilled in the art to best utilize the invention in various embodiments and various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. It is intended that the appended claims be construed to include other alternative embodiments except insofar as limited by the prior art.