Patent Publication Number: US-2006010588-A1

Title: Inflatable cases and methods

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
      This invention is a continuation in part application and claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/467,009, filed Apr. 30, 2004, the complete disclosure of which is herein incorporated by reference. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      This invention relates generally to the field of inflatable storage devices, and in particular to inflatable storage devices, such as cases, that may be used to store and protect a wide variety of items.  
      Small and lightweight consumer products are a large part of our daily life. Unfortunately, so are replacement costs associated with damage and breakage. Products are constantly being dropped, bumped, sat on, thrown, stepped on and fallen on resulting in substantial economic loss to the buyer. Such loss is ideal for the manufacturers that make money off repeat sales, but harmful for the consumers who spend their hard-earned dollars to replace broken items. Consumers desire a protective case that is effective, lightweight and aesthetically pleasing for protecting their valuables from harm.  
      In addition, OEM&#39;s seek a protective device that is easily incorporated into their own products, without losing any aesthetic appeal. Ideally, the protective device provides a layer of insulation against the typical environmental factors that can ruin a product, while remaining an inconspicuous and integrated component of the product&#39;s design.  
      Existing protective cases are often manufactured using a plastic material or an equivalent. The use of plastics produces a hard-shelled product that provides an adequate measure of protection at the price of both aesthetics and limited use. Since the case is typically larger that the product to be protected, products are often inadequately confined within such a case, allowing for movement that may cause damage.  
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      Hence, this invention is related to functional and aesthetically pleasing inflatable and deflatable protective cases. In some embodiments, the cases conform to the shape of consumer products and insulate them against impairment, damage and breakage. The protective cases may be sold separately as stand-alone products for protecting sunglasses, cellular phones, PDA&#39;s, cameras, binoculars or the like. Alternatively, the cases may also be removably secured or integral with other items such as suitcases, briefcases, jackets, backpacks or the like.  
      In specific embodiments, the invention provides both methods and apparatus for protecting consumer products and other items against impairment, damage and breakage. The applications for inflatable cases are many ranging from the marine industry to the perfume industry to the electronics industries. Air-inflated cases can be used alone with any small device that needs protecting from damage. The protective bladders can also be incorporated into existing products such as suitcases, jackets, backpacks and the like to provide a protective pouch.  
      In one particular embodiment, the inflatable device comprises an inflatable bladder that is formable into a protective case that at least partially encloses the consumer device and provides an exceptional amount of protection. The inflatable device is manufactured so that it may be formed into an individual case (such as by folding the bladder over itself and securing the sides together to form an enclosure) or integrated with other items, such as a suitcase, briefcase or the like. The inflatable device may also be incorporated (such as by sewing, gluing or the like) into clothing such as a jacket, pant, backpack or the like. To fill the device with air, the inflatable bladder is coupled to a pump assembly having a compressible pump and a one-way air intake valve. The pump assembly infuses air into the inflatable bladder through a one-way or other valve. In operation, the pump assembly allows for a one-way flow of air, i.e. from the pump assembly into the bladder. To release the air from the bladder, an air release valve is coupled to the inflatable bladder. The air release valve deflates the bladder when not in use.  
      In an alternative embodiment, the inflatable storage case has an inflatable bladder that may be manipulated into the shape of an inflatable case. For convenience, the bladder may be placed into an outer layer of material that forms an exoskeleton. When the bladder is inflated, the outer layer creates the shape of the inflatable case. In this way, a generic bladder of various sizes/shapes may be produced (such as for an OEM) and then inserted into an exoskeleton which provides the appropriate appearance and/or shape. For example, a case for eyewear may be formed by providing an exoskeleton in the form of a bag and inserting the bladder into the bag.  
      In one particular embodiment, the bladder may be constructed of a weldable material. In this way, the bladder may be folded on top of itself and then exterior welded on at least two sides, thus forming an enclosed case body with an opening for inserting a consumer product. Also, in some aspects, the bladder may include one or more windows or openings to provide access into the case and/or to provide visual access to portions of the item being held, such as a cell phone or PDA.  
      In yet another embodiment, the pump assembly may additionally have a pump chamber that is coupled to the inflatable bladder through a one-way air intake valve. The pump chamber has a resilient material, such as a compressible low-density polyethylene or sponge material, located within the pump chamber. The pump chamber also has at least one hole that both introduces air into the pump chamber and contains the air within the chamber for displacement into the bladder. When the compressible material is squeezed while simultaneously covering the hole with a finger, the trapped air is forced from the pump chamber into the bladder. When a finger is removed from the hole and the compressible material is released, air is allowed to return to the pump chamber. In this manner with repeated operation, the pump assembly gradually fills the bladder with air.  
      In still another aspect, the inflatable bladder may haves a number of air cells. The air cells may be connected together by a single continuous air path. The air cells may be positioned longitudinally in the inflatable bladder thereby forming a plurality of longitudinal columns of air when inflated. The air cells in one aspect may be formed by fusing sections of the inflatable bladder. The fusing of the bladder creates a number of airless sections or ribs that separate adjacent air cells. This ribs also provide structural stability, thereby providing an additional measure of protection for the item. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       FIG. 1  illustrates a front view of one embodiment of an inflatable case according to the invention.  
       FIG. 2  illustrates another embodiment of an inflatable protective device, in a deflated state according to the invention.  
       FIG. 2A  illustrates the inflatable protective case of  FIG. 2  filled with air and having an open flap.  
       FIG. 2B  illustrates the inflatable protective case of  FIG. 2A  with the flap closed and showing a clip attachment.  
       FIG. 3A  illustrates an inflatable protective device that is constructed using the case of  FIG. 1  placed into an exoskeleton.  
       FIG. 3B  illustrates the integrated inflatable protective case and exoskeleton.  
       FIG. 4  illustrates an inflatable protective device incorporated into a piece of luggage.  
       FIG. 5A  illustrates the inflatable case of  FIG. 1  and an outer layer of material or exoskeleton.  
       FIG. 5B  illustrates the inflatable protective case of  FIG. 5A  when enclosed in the outer layer of material.  
       FIG. 5C  illustrates the case of  FIG. 5B  incorporated into a brief case.  
       FIG. 6A  illustrates an inflatable protective case removably attached to a piece of luggage.  
       FIG. 6B  illustrates an inflatable protective case removably attached to a briefcase.  
       FIG. 7  illustrates an inflatable protective device with additional material around the perimeter for attaching or sewing the inflatable device to an object.  
       FIG. 8  illustrates an inflatable protective case with a clip attachment.  
       FIG. 9  illustrates another embodiment of a case that is particularly useful with personal computing devices.  
       FIG. 10A  illustrates an embodiment of a protective case particularly suited for holding a mobile phone.  
       FIGS. 10B and 10C  illustrate an embodiment of a protective case that may be used for flip-types of electronic devices.  
       FIG. 11A  illustrates a jacket having an incorporated protective case.  
       FIG. 11B  illustrates a pant leg having an incorporated protective case.  
       FIG. 12  illustrates a pack having an incorporated protective device.  
       FIGS. 13A  and B illustrate another embodiment of an inflatable protective case according to the invention.  
       FIG. 14  illustrates another embodiment of an inflatable case according to the invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
      In one aspect, the invention provides systems and methods for inflating a device such that the device forms a protective case securely around at least a portion of a product, thus insulating and cushioning against the damage caused by everyday wear-and-tear. The invention is best applied to create a protective case for consumer products that are relatively small and lightweight. In use, the resulting protective case may be used for shipping, storing, carrying or using a product. Cases may be manufactured in a variety of colors, shapes, sizes and textures and can be silk screened or other wise marked for private labeling.  
      One particular advantage of the invention is the capability of inflating the device with a simple compression pump assembly having a one-way valve. The pump assembly provides quick inflation of the device with little physical exertion at a minimal cost. Additionally, air does not escape during inflation.  
      Another advantage of the invention is an air release valve that deflates the device when not in use. The release valve is important for storing and carrying the device in a compact space. It is possible to combine the function of the one-way intake valve and the air release valve into a single valve without departing from the intended scope of the invention.  
      By providing an inflatable case, the case is soft and pliable, yet sturdy enough to protect its contents. For example, the case may be worn by a skier to protect the skier&#39;s eyewear. If the skier falls, the case is soft enough so that the case will not harm the skier. At the same time, the case is strong enough to protect the eyewear.  
      The cases are also extremely lightweight, thereby making them attractive for a variety of applications, such as backpacking and hiking. Also, when not in use (or at a point of sale display or during shipping) the cases take up minimal space.  
      Inflatable Protective Case  
      Referring now to the drawings, the systems and methods of the invention will be described in detail. Referring first to  FIG. 1 , an example of an inflatable bladder that is formable into a protective case in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention will be described. The protective case of the invention is constructed of an inflatable case body or bladder. In one particular embodiment, the bladder may use a valve system, such as the one described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,144,708, the complete disclosure of which is herein incorporated by reference. However, the invention is not intended to limited to only such a design.  
       FIG. 1  illustrates one embodiment of an inflatable protective case  10 . Case  10  comprises an inflatable bladder  40  that is formable into the shape of a case. Such as case may be capable of at least partially enclosing a consumer device. Inflatable bladder  40  may be constructed of essentially any type of material capable of holding a fluid, such as urethane, polyvinylchloride (PVC), mylar or any other suitable material that is sealable, weldable and inflatable. Also, these materials may be backed with other materials, such as nylon, fabrics, LYCRA, Kevlar, mesh materials, and the like. Inflatable bladder  40  has a plurality of air cells  30  that are inflated with air directed from a pump assembly  15 . A plurality of airless sections or ribs  50  separate adjacent air cells  30 . Ribs  50  are formed by fusing the material of inflatable bladder  40 . Other ways to form ribs  50  include gluing, heating, and the like. The size, shape, number and orientation of the air cells and ribs may be varied depending on the item being protected. As shown, the air cells and ribs extend longitudinally along the case. These ribs provide additional structural support to the case. As one example, the air cells may have a width that is in the range from about 0.75 inch to about 1.5 inch, and in some cases from about 0.9 inch to about 1.1 inch. Also, in some cases, the ribs may extending both longitudinally and transversely (or angled, curved, etc.) and may be staggered, offset or aligned depending on the structural support needed and the type of item being protected.  
      Pump assembly  15  is coupled to air cells  30  through one-way valve  20 , although other types of values may be used. One-way air valve  20  allows air to enter air cells  30  of inflatable bladder  40  but does not allow air to return to pump assembly  15 . One example of one-way air valve  20  is described in detail in U.S. Pat. No. 5,144,708 previously incorporated by reference. Pump assembly  15  is illustrated in  FIG. 1  as a compressible pump. The compressible pump has a compressible material (not shown) located within a pump cavity  55  and a hole  5 . The compressible material may be made from any resilient and porous material including but not limited to foam, soft rubber, urethane foam, polyethylene, neoprene, sponge materials and the like. Also, in some cases, the compressible material may be the pump cavity itself. For example, the pump cavity may be made of a resilient material, like rubber, that springs back to its original position after being squeezed.  
      In operation, hole  5  is covered and the compressible material is squeezed. Covering hole  5  traps air within pump chamber  55 . Hole  5  may be covered with a finger or palm. Manually compressing the material encapsulated within pump cavity  55  provides air displacement into air cells  30  of bladder  40  through one-way valve  20 .  
      Repeated manual operation of pump assembly  15  gradually infuses air into air cells  30  and shapes the protective case by following the contour of a consumer product in contact with bladder  40 , thus creating the support and protection against damaging events. When inflatable bladder  40  is filled with air, compression of the bladder is limited, thus providing a significant protective cushioning between an external compressing force and a product located on the opposite side of the bladder. When pumping air from pump chamber  55 , air cells  30  begin to form around the product bladder  40  is designed to protect. At full inflation, air cells  30  hold the product on all high points, not allowing it to move inside the resulting protective case.  
      The plurality of air cells  30  within inflatable bladder  40  are linked together by a single continuous air path. In this manner, air infused from pump assembly  15  will travel along the path from air cell to air cell until bladder  40  reaches full inflation. Multiple one-way air valves (not shown) may separate various air cells to create separation in case of puncture. Therefore, multiple air cells remain inflated if one or more air cells is punctured.  
      Air release valve  25  operates to deflate inflatable bladder  40 . Release valve  25  is coupled to an air cell thereby providing an air exit path from each air cell that is linked together by the single continuous air path. Squeezing or pushing on bladder  40  while holding air release valve  25  eliminates air from the bladder, returning it to its deflated state and allowing it to be folded or flat packed.  
      Although shown with a specific size and shape, it will be appreciated that case  10  may be made to any size and shape. Further, the pump chamber  55  may be incorporated as an extension or flap that is connected to the bladder, or incorporated somewhere within the bladder itself (so that a separate flap is not needed). Also, pump chamber  55  could also be hinged to the bladder.  
      One particular advantage of case  10  that is that may be incorporated into a wide variety of case designs. This permits case  10  to be manufactured as an OEM product and then incorporated into other types of carriers as described hereinafter. Also, case  10  can be formed into a stand alone case by folding the bladder over itself and connecting its edges as described herein. Hence, case  10  may be manufactured in essentially any requested size or shape and then incorporated by an end user into another type of product, or made into a stand alone case.  
       FIG. 2  shows an inflatable protective case  41  in a deflated state. In the illustrated embodiment, inflatable protective case  41  is constructed using inflatable bladder  40  of  FIG. 1  that has been folded over and welded on two sides. Air cells  30  run longitudinally along the case body. Also, pump chamber  55  conveniently forms a case flap  75  that may be used to close the opening into case  41 . Although the pump assembly  15  is located within a flap that extends from the case body, it should be understood that pump assembly  15  may be provided at any location suitable for providing air to bladder  40  of inflatable protective case  41 . Air relief valve  25  is conveniently located within about 2 inches or less from the top  69  of protective case  41 , although it may be located in other positions as well. Inflatable protective case  41  has rounded corners to enhance the appearance of the product.  
      To create the shape of inflatable protective case  41 , a bottom  68  and a side  60  of the protective case  41  are exterior seam welded, thereby creating an opening (shown in  FIG. 2A ) under flap  75  for inserting a consumer product into the protective interior of case  41 . The material may be welded using an RF weld, although any suitable welding or attaching techniques (such as gluing, heat seal, sewing or the like) may be used without departing from the intended scope of the invention.  
       FIG. 2A  shows the inflatable protective case  41  in an inflated state. Air cells  30  fill with air when infused with air from pump assembly  15  but the airless sections or ribs do not. Also shown are VELCRO strips (also known as a hook and loop fastener material)  80  and  85  for securing flap  75  to inflatable protective case  41 . Material  80  is secured to flap  75  and material  85  is secured to protective case  41 . An object is inserted into the protective case  41  through opening  82 , ideally before inflating protective case  41 . Once securely inside, flap  75  is closed, removably secured by VELCRO strips  80 ,  85 . Although shown with a hook and loop fastener material, it will be appreciated that a wide variety of connectors may be used including strings, hooks, snaps, buttons and the like.  
      Also shown in  FIG. 2A  is a ring clip  56  that is attached to case  41 . This permits case  41  to be attached to another object. A wide variety of such attachments may be used such as hooks, strings, straps and the like, as well as those described in copending U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/519,523, filed Nov. 12, 2003, the complete disclosure of which is herein incorporated by reference.  
       FIG. 2B  shows inflatable protective case  41  in an inflated state. Flap  75  is firmly secured by VELCRO strips  80 ,  85  to protective case  41 . In this way, flap  75  folds into the uninflated or slightly inflated space located underneath VELCRO strip  85 . Such an arrangement creates a low-profile product with the pump assembly  15  (hidden from view) providing damage protection in lieu of air cells. Bottom left  90  and bottom right  95  quadrants are welded in such a manner to create maximum conformity to the inner shape while maximizing protective air cell properties of inflatable protective case  41 . In one embodiment, the two welds are located within at least about 2.5 inches of any space. However, other spacings may be used as described herein. Such welds provide ribs that give structural stability to the case, especially in the transverse direction while the air cells provide stability in the longitudinal direction.  
       FIG. 3A  and  FIG. 3B  illustrate another way to construct an inflatable case  105  using case  10  of  FIG. 1 . In this embodiment, the inflatable case  105  is formed by inserting the inflatable bladder  40  into an external exoskeleton  100 . One advantage of using exoskeleton  100  is that it may be constructed in a variety of shapes and sizes and used with a generic bladder  40 . As such, a few shapes and sizes of bladders  40  may be constructed in a relatively inexpensive manner and passed on to an OEM who finishes the case by inserting bladder  40  into the exoskeleton or shell. Exoskeleton  100  may be manufactured out of a wide variety of materials, such as textile, plastic or any other malleable material suitable for containing the inflatable bladder  40  and providing a case shape. As shown in  FIGS. 3A  and  3 B, a case that is similar to the case in  FIG. 2  is produced simply by inserting the bladder into a shell. In this way, the bladder does not need to be welded to itself to form the case.  
      Also, exoskeleton  100  may include a fastener  102 , such as a VELCRO strip to connect with fastener  80  on case  10 . Although shown with VELCRO, it will be appreciated that essentially any type of fastener may be used. Also, a variety of attachment mechanisms may be secured to exoskeleton  100  to permit case  105  to be attached to another object.  
       FIG. 4  illustrates yet another use for the inflatable protective device of  FIG. 1 . Inflatable bladder  40  is integrated with a pocket  300  of suitcase  305 . The inflatable bladder  40  may be sewn, glued, welded or any other suitable means for permanently affixing the bladder to the receptive object. Alternatively, bladder  40  could be removably placed into pocket  300 . The combination of pocket  300  and inflatable bladder  40  creates an insulated pouch on the suitcase that is adaptable to receive a consumer product and protect it from damage. One advantage of producing inflatable bladders, such as bladder  40  is that they may be incorporated into luggage at the time of manufacture or later retrofit. As previously described, bladder  40  may be constructed to be essentially any size or shape to fit within a wide variety of pocket designs. Also, although pump assembly  15  is shown as a flap that extends outside of the pocket, it will be appreciated that pump assembly  15  could be incorporated into the bladder (so as to be within the pocket) or be removable or extend from the pocket (such as with a hinged connection or a length of tubing). As long as pump assembly  15  may be squeezed to inflate the bladder, it may be incorporated essentially anywhere on the piece of luggage.  
       FIG. 5A  shows the bladder  40  secured to an outer layer of textile material  200  that functions as an exoskeleton in a manner similar to other embodiments. Outer layer of material  200  comprises a high burst pressure material that is highly durable yet aesthetically pleasing. In this way, a case may be formed simply by securing material  200  to itself as shown in  FIG. 5B  and folding bladder  40  over itself. Material  200  may be sealable and weldable, or other securing techniques may be used, such as gluing, sewing, snapping or the like. Examples of materials that may be used include, but are not limited nylon, Kevlar, PVC, polyester, cotton, LYCRA, plastics, mesh materials, elastomers and the like.  
      As just mentioned,  FIG. 5B  illustrates the inflatable case  40  folded in half, with the outer layer of material  200  is welded to form the exoskeleton for the inflatable case  205 . In this manner, the combination of inflatable protective bladder  40  and outer layer of material  200  form a case  205  that may be used as a stand alone protective case or attached to other products. Air release valve  25  may extend through an opening in material  200  to permit the case to be deflated when needed.  
       FIG. 5C  shows the inflatable case  205  affixed to a briefcase  210 , thereby providing a protective case for a PDA, mobile phone or the like. Case  205  may be removably attached to the briefcase, such as with a clip, or may be integrally formed within the briefcase. For example, case  205  may be incorporated into the briefcase using the techniques described in connection with  FIG. 4 , and in some cases may be incorporated without using material  200 , but may utilize an existing pocket in the briefcase.  
       FIGS. 6A and 6B  illustrate examples of using inflatable protective case  41  in connection with a piece of luggage. As shown, the inflatable protective case  41  is removably joined to the interior of suitcase  400  (although it may be used with briefcase  405  as well). In operation, a product may be inserted into case  41  and withstand the damage that occurs to luggage from baggage handlers or to briefcases from falls from a car seat or a conference room table.  
      To attach case  41  to the piece of luggage, essentially any type of connector may be used as described herein. In this way, case  41  may be permanently or removably attached to the piece of luggage. In some examples, case  41  may simply be inserted into an existing pocket of the luggage and will not need any attachment means. Also, case  41  could be integrally formed within a pocket of the piece of luggage at the time of manufacture, so that the bladder  40  is an integral part of the luggage. Alternatively, a bladder may be inserted into the pocket after manufacture as a retrofit item.  
       FIG. 7  illustrates another embodiment of an inflatable case  500  that is similar to the case of  FIG. 2  with the addition of material  505  along the perimeter of the inflatable protective case  500 . Also, eyelets  510 ,  515  are provided for attaching or sewing the inflatable device to an object. Material  505  may be comprised of additional bladder material or it may be textile from part of the exoskeleton that forms protective case  500 . Also, it will be appreciated that additional material may be provided at other locations on the case to provide a convenient way to coupled to case to another object.  
      As shown in  FIG. 8 , a protective case  605  may be provided with a hooking points  600  that allows the case to be attached to items such as belt loops, bike frames, or day packs. Some examples of such clip attachments are described in U.S. Prov. App. No. 60/519,523 filed Nov. 12, 2003, the complete disclosure of which is herein incorporated by reference.  
      Use of the Inflatable Protective Case  
      In one embodiment, the bladder forms a protective case that functions as a stand-alone product. Examples of consumer items that may be held in such a case include but are in no way limited to the following: personal electronics such as mobile phones, PDAs, MP3 players, personal music players, game boys/hand held computer games, data/memory storage, GPS, cameras, CD, DVD &amp; audio players, and laptops; eyewear such as sunglasses, glasses and goggles; sporting goods such as rifle scopes/spotters, binoculars, fishing reels, compasses, pistols, pool cues and golf clubs; and miscellaneous consumer products such as scientific instruments, music mouthpieces, cigars, perfume bottles, jewelry/watches, personal items (e.g. keys, wallet, etc.) and measuring instruments.  
      In another embodiment, the bladder forms a protective case that at least partially encloses a consumer item. The case is adapted to be integrated with other products. The resulting protective case may be implemented into products including but in no way limited to clothing, suitcases, briefcases, backpacks, surfboard cases (protect edges of boards), travel golf cases, ski/snowboard cases, waterski/wakeboard cases camera cases, rifle cases, general travel cases and shipping cases fishing rod/reel cases, fanny packs, purses, tote bags, diaper bags, duffel bags, sport bags, saddle bags, life jackets, ski vests and hard storage cases (e.g. tool boxes, tote boxes, storage bins for motorized land and water crafts).  
      Other Embodiments  
       FIG. 9  illustrates an inflatable protective case  700  for insulating a personal electronic device from damage. Insulated protective case  700  is adapted to receive a personal electronics device  720 , such as a PDA or the equivalent. Insulated protective case  700  has a transparent cover  712  (or simply an opening or a window) that allows the display of personal electronics device  720  to be visible. The protective case  700  has an inflatable, pull-down inflated flap portion  725  that covers transparent cover  712 . Pull-down flap portion  725  forms an inflatable protective cover for personal electronic device  720  when folded and engaged with device  720 . In this way, flap portion  725  protects the device  720  and may be folded down to expose the display through transparent cover  712 . Case  700  is provided with VELCRO strips  710  that engage VELCRO strips (not shown) affixed to flap portion  725 . However, it will be appreciated that other connectors could be used as well.  
      Insulated protective case  700  is constructed in much the same manner as the embodiment described in conjunction with  FIG. 1 . A pump assembly (not shown) is contained within a pump flap  705  for inflating case  700 . As illustrated in  FIG. 9 , pump flap  705  may be adapted to display a custom logo. Release valve  715  deflates case  700  when not in use in a manner similar to other embodiments.  
       FIG. 10A  shows an inflatable protective device  800  adapted to receive and protect mobile phone  802 . Inflatable protective case  800  provides a transparent protective cover  803  that forms a protective cover over the buttons and/or display of phone  802 . Alternatively, an open window may be provided to give access to the display and/or buttons. A transparent cover  803  is constructed of a material that allows the buttons to be both viewed and pressed, as well as the screen. Flap  805  contains a pump assembly (not shown) that infuses air into device  800  in a manner similar to other embodiments thereby creating a raised protective air cell  807  that form a protective case around the display face of mobile phone  802 .  
       FIG. 10B  and  FIG. 10C  illustrate an inflatable protective case  810  adapted to receive and protect a flip-style electronic device  815 . Inflatable protective case  810  has two portions. First portion  820  protects the base electronics of flip-style electronic device  815 . Second portion  825  protects the flip-up electronics of device  815 . Both first portion  820  and second portion  825  have a transparent cover (not shown) that forms a protective cover over the buttons of device  815  while allowing the buttons to be viewed and pressed. Alternatively, an open window could be used. The combination of first portion  820  and second portion  825  forms an inflatable protective shell around flip-style electronics device  815  when the device is in a closed position. In the open position, first portion  820  and transparent cover form a protective shell around the base electronics and second portion  825  and transparent cover form a protective shell around the flip-up electronics. The remaining elements of case  810  may be constructed in much the same manner as described in conjunction with the embodiment of  FIG. 1 , including a pump assembly, release valve and the like.  
       FIGS. 11A and 11B  illustrate another embodiment of a potential use of an inflatable protective case. As shown in  FIG. 11A , inflatable protective case  900  may be integrated with an inside pocket of a jacket using any of the techniques described herein. Similarly,  FIG. 11B  shows an inflatable protective case  905  integrated with a cargo pocket on the front side of a pant leg using any of the techniques described herein. For instance, cases  900 ,  905  may be sewn into the jacket or pant or affixed in any suitable manner so as not to impair the integrity of the material. Cases  900 ,  905  may also be removably affixed to the jacket or pant. This arrangement provides an inconspicuous protective case for holding sunglasses, mobile phones or the like during any activity that involves sudden jarring movement or impact to the front side of the body. Cases  900  and  905  may be constructed similar to any of the cases described herein, including pump assemblies, bladders, release valves and the like.  
       FIG. 12  shows an inflatable protective case  910  integrated with a backpack. Protective case  910  may be removably attached to the backpack, incorporated into the material of the backpack (such as by sewing or gluing) or affixed in any suitable manner so as not to impair the integrity of the backpack material. This arrangement provides a highly effective protective case for a personal listening device, mobile phone, sunglasses or the like.  FIGS. 13A and 13B  show an inflatable protective carry case  920  in accordance with the present invention. Structural air cells  915 ,  917  of protective case  920  are inflated by a pump assembly (not shown) in a manner similar to other embodiments. In operation, air cells  915 ,  917  provide a support for the shape of case  920  and a damage protective barrier for any product contained within case  920 . As shown in  FIG. 13B , protective carry case  920  deflates for flat packing and light weigh portability.  
       FIG. 14  shows an inflatable protective case in accordance with yet another aspect of the present invention. Inflatable case  960  is comprised of a first inflatable bladder  950  and a second inflatable bladder  951 . Inflatable bladder  950  has a pump assembly  952  comprising a pump chamber  966 , a compressible material, a one-way air valve  956  and a hole  952 . Inflatable bladder  951  has a pump assembly  953  comprising a pump chamber  965 , a compressible bladder, a one-way air valve  957  and a hole  955 . Pump assembly  952  injects air into bladder  950  and pump assembly  953  injects air into bladder  951 . Bladder  950  has a plurality of air cells  958  and bladder  951  has a plurality of air cells  959 . In the illustrated embodiment, there is no continuous path of air between air cells  958  of bladder  950  and air cells  959  of bladder  951 . Inflatable bladder  951  may be folded over and welded to inflatable bladder  950 , thereby forming an inflatable protective case with separately inflatable sections of protective inflatable bladder.  
      In the foregoing specification, the invention has been described with reference to a specific exemplary embodiment thereof. It will be evident that various modifications and changes may be made thereunto without departing from the broader spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims. The specification and drawings are, accordingly, to be regarded in an illustrative rather than a restrictive sense, the invention being limited only by the provided claims.