Energy deflection case
View Patent ↗A protective case for an electronic device may have flexible components in impact areas, such as corners of the case, where the case may be designed to flex. In many 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.
1. A protective case for an electronic device, said protective case comprising:
two hard shell components configured to snap together to capture said electronic device by engaging said electronic device on at least three contact areas such that said electronic device does not shift with respect to said contact areas during an impact event;
said hard shell components having corners configured to each provide an air gap between said protective case and said electronic device, each corner configured to deflect toward said electronic device and reduce a size of said air gap when said corner is subjected to said impact event in order to protect said electronic device from damage from an external force associated with said impact event, said hard shell components remaining in contact with said electronic device in said contact areas, wherein said air gap is in excess of 0.010 in and said impact event is at least a one foot drop, at least one of said corners comprising an impact absorbing finger, a cutout area adjacent to said at least one corner, and a flexible membrane joined to a respective one of said hard shell components by molding said flexible membrane into a step having a step surface parallel to an external surface of the respective hard shell component.
2. The protective case of claim 1 , said flexible membrane comprising thermoplastic elastomer.
3. The protective case of claim 2 , at least one of said hard shell components being formed using a two-shot molding process.
4. The protective case of claim 1 , said at least one of said corners having at least two impact absorbing fingers.
5. The protective case of claim 1 wherein the corners are further configured to generate a spring action in response to said impact event.
6. A protective case for an electronic device, said protective case comprising:
a plurality of hard shell components being fastened together to capture said electronic device as an assembled case;
said assembled case capturing said electronic device on at least three contact areas such that said electronic device does not shift with respect to said assembled case during an impact event;
said assembled case having flexible corner components configured to each provide an air gap between said assembled case and said electronic device and configured to flex when receiving said impact event to protect said electronic device from damage from said impact event while said assembled case contacts said electronic device in said contact areas, wherein said air gap is in excess of 0.010 in and said impact event is at least a one foot drop;
said hard shell components each comprising a cutout area and a flexible membrane in proximity to at least one of said flexible corner components, said flexible membrane comprising thermoplastic elastomer, said thermoplastic elastomer molded into a step having a step surface parallel to an external surface of the respective hard shell component; and
said assembled case having at least one impact absorbing finger adjacent to a corner area of said protective case.