System, method and apparatus for using overmolded dampeners to absorb shock and vibration

1. A method for protecting electronic components in a computer, comprising:

machining a plurality of chassis openings and a plurality of lid openings in a computer chassis;

injection molding a material such that a first portion of the material covers a first outer side surface of a first chassis corner, a second outer side surface of the first chassis corner, and a third outer side surface of the first chassis corner and wherein the first portion of the material partially flows through a first set of the plurality of chassis openings to form a first chassis corner dampener on the first chassis corner;

injection molding the material such that a second portion of the material covers a first outer side surface of a second chassis corner, a second outer side surface of the second chassis corner, and a third outer side surface of the second chassis corner and wherein the second portion of the material partially flows through a second set of the plurality of chassis openings to form a second chassis corner dampener on the second chassis corner;

injection molding the material such that a third portion of the material covers a portion of a chassis bottom surface and wherein the third portion of the material partially flows through a third set of the plurality of chassis openings to form a chassis bottom surface dampener on the chassis bottom surface; and

hard mounting the electronic components of the computer to the computer chassis,

wherein a size and a position of one or more of the first chassis corner dampener, the second chassis corner dampener and the chassis bottom surface dampener prevents a force from being applied directly to the first chassis corner, the second chassis corner or the chassis bottom surface, and

wherein each of the first chassis corner dampener, the second chassis corner dampener and the chassis bottom surface dampener are formed with an associated thickness that dampens the force applied to the first chassis corner dampener, the second chassis corner dampener or the chassis bottom surface dampener before the force translates to the computer chassis; and

wherein the force applied to the first chassis corner dampener, the second chassis corner dampener or the chassis bottom surface dampener is absorbed in, distributed through, or transferred via the material to inhibit propagation of the force to the computer chassis.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the computer chassis comprises a lid, wherein the method further comprises

injection molding the material such that a fourth portion of the material covers a first outer side of a first lid corner, a second outer side of the first lid corner, and a third outer side of the first lid corner and wherein the fourth portion of the material partially flows through a first set of the plurality of lid openings to form a first lid corner dampener on the first lid corner,

wherein the first chassis corner dampener and the first lid corner dampener are proximate each other when the lid is closed to protect the first chassis corner, wherein the first lid corner dampener and the first chassis corner dampener absorb the force applied to the first chassis corner.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising

injection molding the material such that a fourth portion of the material covers a first outer side surface of a third chassis corner, a second outer side surface of the third chassis corner, and a third outer side surface of the third chassis corner and wherein the fourth portion of the material partially flows through a fourth set of the plurality of chassis openings to form a third chassis corner dampener on the third chassis corner; and

injection molding the material such that a fifth portion of the material covers a first outer side surface of a fourth chassis corner, a second outer side surface of the fourth chassis corner, and a third outer side surface of the fourth chassis corner and wherein the fifth portion of the material partially flows through a fifth set of the plurality of chassis openings to form a fourth chassis corner dampener on the fourth chassis corner;

wherein the first chassis corner dampener, the second chassis corner dampener, the third chassis corner dampener and the fourth chassis corner dampener dampen the force applied to the chassis bottom surface.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising attaching a door over a port on the first outer side surface of the first chassis corner, wherein the size and position of one or more of the first chassis corner dampener, the second chassis corner dampener and the door absorb the force applied to the first outer side surface of the first chassis corner.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the material is selected to bond with the computer chassis during the injection molding process.

6. The method of claim 5 , the material comprises an elastomer.

7. A shock-dampened computer chassis, comprising:

an inside comprising points for hard mounting electronic components;

an outside comprising:

a top surface having a plurality of top surface openings machined therein;

a bottom surface opposite the top surface having a plurality of bottom surface openings machined therein; and

four side surfaces adjacent to the top surface and the bottom surface wherein each side surface of the four side surfaces has a plurality of chassis side surface openings machined therein, wherein a first chassis side surface of the four chassis side surfaces joins a second chassis side surface of the four chassis side surfaces to form a first edge, the first chassis side surface of the four chassis side surfaces and the top surface join to form a second edge, and the second chassis side surface of the four chassis side surfaces and the top surface join to form a third edge, wherein the first edge, the second edge, and the third edge join to form a first chassis corner; and

a plurality of dampeners, comprising:

a top surface dampener, wherein a first portion of a material is injection molded into a set of the plurality of top surface openings to form the top surface dampener;

a bottom surface dampener separate from the top surface dampener, wherein a second portion of the material is injection molded into a set of the plurality of bottom surface openings to form the bottom surface dampener; and

a first chassis corner dampener, wherein a third portion of the material is injection molded into a first one or more chassis side surface openings from the plurality of chassis side surface openings, a second one or more chassis side surface openings from the plurality of chassis side surface openings, and a first one or more of the plurality of top surface openings and the plurality of bottom surface openings to form the first chassis corner dampener; and

a second chassis corner dampener, wherein a fourth portion of the material is injection molded into a third one or more chassis side surface openings from the plurality of first chassis side surface openings, a fourth one or more chassis side surface openings from the plurality of chassis side surface openings, and a second one or more of the plurality of top surface openings and the plurality of bottom surface openings to form the second chassis corner dampener,

wherein a size and a position of one or more of the top surface dampener, the bottom surface dampener, the first chassis corner dampener, and the second chassis corner dampener prevents a force from being applied directly to the first chassis corner, the second chassis corner or the first chassis side surface of the computer chassis, and

wherein each of the top surface dampener, the bottom surface dampener, the first chassis corner dampener, and the second chassis corner dampener is formed with an associated thickness, wherein the force applied to one or more of the top surface dampener, the bottom surface dampener, the first chassis corner dampener, and the second chassis corner dampener is dampened before the force translates to the computer chassis.

8. The shock-dampened computer chassis of claim 7 , wherein injection molding one or more of the top surface dampener, the bottom surface dampener, the first chassis corner dampener, and the second chassis corner dampener further thermally affixes a portion of the one or more of the top surface dampener, the bottom surface dampener, the first chassis corner dampener, and the second chassis corner dampener to the computer chassis.

9. The shock-dampened computer chassis of claim 8 , wherein one or more of the top surface dampener, the bottom surface dampener, the first chassis corner dampener, and the second chassis corner dampener are heat stacked to the computer chassis.

10. The shock-dampened computer chassis of claim 7 , wherein injection molding at least one of the first portion of the material, the second portion of the material, the third portion of the material and the fourth portion of the material to form one or more of the top surface dampener, the bottom surface dampener, the first chassis corner dampener, and the second chassis corner dampener mechanically affixes a portion of the one or more of the top surface dampener, the bottom surface dampener, the first chassis corner dampener, and the second chassis corner dampener to the computer chassis.

11. The shock-dampened computer chassis of claim 7 , wherein the computer chassis is a laptop computer chassis having a chassis and a lid, further comprising:

a third chassis corner dampener, wherein a fifth portion of the material is injection molded into a fifth one or more chassis side surface openings from the plurality of second chassis side surface openings and a sixth one or more chassis side surface openings from the plurality of fourth chassis side surface openings, and a sixth portion of the material is injection molded into a set of the plurality of top surface openings, wherein, when the lid of the computer chassis is in a closed position, the fifth portion of the material and the sixth portion of the material are proximate each other to form the third chassis corner dampener.

12. The shock-dampened computer chassis of claim 11 , wherein the material comprises an elastomer.

13. A system for protecting components in a laptop computer chassis, comprising:

a computer chassis having a plurality of chassis openings machined therein;

a lid having a plurality of lid openings machined therein; and

a plurality of dampeners, wherein each dampener in the plurality of dampeners is formed by injection molding at least a portion of a material into a set of the plurality of chassis openings or the plurality of lid openings, wherein the plurality of dampeners comprises:

a top surface dampener formed by injection molding a first portion of the material into a first one or more lid openings in the plurality of lid openings;

a bottom surface dampener separate from the top surface dampener formed by injection molding a second portion of the material into a first one or more openings in the plurality of chassis openings in a bottom surface; and

a first chassis corner dampener formed by injection molding a third portion of the material into a first one or more chassis side surface openings in the plurality of chassis openings in a first chassis side surface and a second one or more chassis side surface openings in the plurality of chassis openings in a second chassis side surface, and injection molding a fourth portion of the material into a second one or more lid openings in the plurality of lid openings, wherein when the lid is closed, the third portion of the material and the fourth portion of the material form the first chassis corner dampener;

a second chassis corner dampener formed by injection molding a fifth portion of the material into a third one or more lid openings in the plurality of lid openings and injection molding a sixth portion of the material into a third one or more chassis side surface openings in the plurality of chassis openings in the first chassis side surface and a fourth one or more chassis side surface openings in the plurality of chassis openings in a third chassis side surface, wherein when the lid is closed, the fifth portion of the material and the sixth portion of the material form the second chassis corner dampener; and

a set of points for hard mounting electronic components in the computer chassis,

wherein the first chassis corner dampener and the second chassis corner dampener are separate,

wherein a size and a position of the top surface dampener, the bottom surface dampener, the first chassis corner dampener and the second chassis corner dampener prevent a force from being applied directly to the first chassis corner, the second chassis corner, the first chassis side surface or the second chassis side surface, and

wherein each of the top surface dampener, the bottom surface dampener, the first corner dampener and the second corner dampener are formed from the material with an associated thickness that dampens the force before the force translates to the computer chassis,

wherein the material comprises an elastomer.

14. The system of claim 13 , further comprising one or more of: injection molding a seventh portion of the material into a fifth one or more chassis side surface openings in the plurality of chassis openings in the first chassis side surface to form a first chassis side surface dampener, injection molding an eighth portion of the material into a sixth one or more chassis side surface openings in the plurality of chassis openings on a fourth chassis side surface, a ninth portion of the material into an seventh one or more chassis side surface openings in the plurality of chassis openings on the third chassis side surface, and a eighth one or more openings in the plurality of chassis openings on the bottom surface to form a third corner dampener, wherein the third chassis corner dampener comprises at least one of a port access opening and a media storage device access opening.