Case for a portable electronic device with over-molded thermo-formed film
View Patent ↗The present disclosure relates to a case for a personal electronic device comprising one or more layers formed from a thin-film thermo-formed material and methods to manufacture the same. In a disclosed embodiment, the case for the personal electronic device comprises a flexible inner layer and a thin-film thermo-formed outer-layer.
1. A case for a portable electronic device comprising:
a flexible elastomeric inner layer having an inner portion and an outer portion,
wherein the inner portion has a back portion and a side portion forming an enclosure for the portable electronic device and;
wherein the flexible elastomeric inner layer has an attachment for retaining the portable electronic device within the enclosure; and
a thermo-formed thin film outer-layer sized and shaped to cover the outer portion of the flexible elastomeric inner layer.
2. The case of claim 1 wherein the thermo-formed thin film outer layer is attached to the flexible elastomeric inner layer.
3. The case of claim 1 wherein the thermo-formed thin film outer-layer is sufficiently deformable to allow for insertion of the personal electronic device into the enclosure, and
wherein the thermo-formed thin film outer-layer returns to its original shape after insertion of the personal electronic device into the enclosure.
4. The case of claim 1 wherein the thermo-formed thin film outer-layer is formed from at least one of the following:
plastic, polyethylene terephthalate, polycarbonate, polypropylen, biaxially oriented polypropylene, oriented polypropylene, styrene, amorphous polyester terephthalate, and biaxially oriented polyethylene terephthalate.
5. The case of claim 1 wherein the flexible elastomeric inner layer is formed from at least one of the following:
silicone, rubber, neoprene, thermoplastic polyurethane and thermoplastic elastomer.
6. The case of claim 2 wherein the thermo-formed thin film outer layer substantially covers the outer portion of the flexible elastomeric inner layer.
7. The case of claim 1 wherein the thermo-formed thin film outer layer is permanently attached to the flexible elastomeric inner layer by at least one of the following:
chemical bonding, thermal bonding, co-molding and mechanical attachments.
8. The case of claim 1 wherein the thermo-formed thin film outer-layer has a thermo-formed thin film outer-layer inner surface and a thermo-formed thin film outer-layer outer surface,
wherein the thermo-formed thin film outer-layer inner surface contacts the outer surface of the flexible elastomeric inner layer, and
wherein the thermo-formed thin film outer-layer outer surface contains a graphic.
9. The case of claim 8 wherein the thermo-formed thin film outer-layer outer surface is smooth.
10. A method for forming a case for a personal electronic device with a thermo-formed thin film outer-layer and a flexible elastomeric inner layer comprising the steps of:
applying a sheet of thermo-formed film to a form;
forming a thin film outer-layer from the thermo-formed film;
trimming the formed thin film outer-layer to its final configuration;
attaching the trimmed thin film outer-layer to a flexible elastomeric inner layer.
11. The method of claim 10 wherein the attaching is performed by at least one of the following:
co-molding, chemical bonding, vibration welding, thermal bonding, and mechanical bonding.