PROTECTIVE ENCLOSURE FOR TOUCH SCREEN DEVICE
A protective enclosure adapted to hold a touch screen device and allow operation of both the touch screen and actuators on a side of the device, the enclosure formed of a tray having a rim surrounding an interior device seating surface; a lid having a rim corresponding to the rim of the tray and surrounding a window aperture; a protective membrane having a transparent membrane forming an interior window portion positioned in the viewing aperture of the lid, and a resiliently pliable skirt about the interior window portion, the skirt projecting the interior window portion outwardly of the rim around the aperture of the lid; a continuous pliable seal adapted to be compressible between the corresponding rims of the lid and the tray; and a mechanism for clamping the rim of the lid and the rim of the tray with the pliable seal forming a continuous seal therebetween.
1 . A protective enclosure for a device responsive to a tactile stimulus, the enclosure allowing operation of the device while the device is disposed in the enclosure, the enclosure comprising:
a tray comprising an interior device seating area and a rim around the device seating area, the tray adapted for receiving the device on the device seating area and oriented with a portion thereof responsive to a tactile input facing away from the device seating area; and
a lid movable relative to the device seating area of the tray between an open position and a closed position, the lid comprising:
a rim around a viewing aperture, the aperture positioned for viewing an interior portion of the enclosure there through,
a substantially transparent inelastic sheet forming an interior window portion positioned in the viewing aperture of the lid, and
a resiliently pliable skirt portion joined to the interior window portion, the skirt portion projecting the interior window portion outwardly of the rim around the aperture of the lid;
a continuous pliable seal positioned between the rim of the lid and the rim of the tray when the lid is in the closed position relative to the tray; and
wherein the enclosure comprises a protective case portion adapted to hold the touch screen device and allowing operation of the touch screen and of one or more actuators on a side of the touch screen device.
2 . The enclosure of claim 1 , wherein the substantially transparent inelastic sheet forming the interior window portion further comprises a hard and noncompressible plastic membrane.
3 . The enclosure of claim 2 , wherein the relatively hard plastic membrane further comprises a polyethylene terephthalate (PET) membrane.
4 . The enclosure of claim 1 , wherein the skirt portion further comprises the pliable seal.
5 . The enclosure of claim 1 , wherein the device seating area of the tray is further projected outwardly of the rim thereof.
6 . The enclosure of claim 1 , wherein the device seating area of the tray is further adapted to position at least a portion of the touch screen device outwardly of the rim of the lid and through the aperture thereof, with the touch screen of the touch screen device and the one or more actuators thereof being positioned substantially outwardly of the rim of the lid and through the aperture thereof when the lid is in the closed position relative to the tray.
7 . The enclosure of claim 1 , further comprising a clamping mechanism structured for clamping the pliable seal between the rim of the lid and the rim of the tray.
8 . The enclosure of claim 7 , wherein the clamping mechanism is further structured for clamping the pliable seal between the rim of the lid and the rim of the tray in a continuous substantially water-resistant seal.
9 . The enclosure of claim 7 , wherein the lid is further hinged relative to the device seating area of the tray for moving between the open position and the closed position.
10 . The enclosure of claim 1 , further comprising a substantially watertight seal between the skirt portion and the interior window portion.
11 . The enclosure of claim 10 , wherein the substantially watertight seal further comprises a substantially continuous joint between the skirt portion and the peripheral edge portion of the interior window portion.
12 . The enclosure of claim 1 , further comprising a joint between the skirt portion and the interior window portion, the joint comprising one of: an over-molded joint, an ultra-sonic weld joint, a chemical weld joint, and an adhesive bond joint.
13 . An enclosure for a touch screen device that allows operation of a touch screen on the touch screen device while the touch screen device is disposed in the enclosure, the enclosure comprising:
a shell that is adapted to contain the touch screen device;
an aperture in the shell in such a position as to be disposed over the touch screen of the touch screen device when the touch screen device is disposed in the enclosure;
a protective membrane sized for substantially filling the aperture in the shell, the protective membrane comprising:
a continuous pliable seal portion,
a noncompressible interior viewing and operating window panel that is adapted to allow tactile inputs to be communicated to the touch screen, and
a compressible skirt portion joined between the seal portion and the interior window panel and being adapted to allow tactile inputs to be communicated to one or more actuators on a side of the touch screen device;
the protective membrane adapted to mount in the aperture with the interior window panel and skirt portion thereof and being projected outwardly of the aperture in the shell; and
wherein the shell comprises a protective case portion adapted to hold the touch screen device and allowing operation of the touch screen and of one or more actuators on sides of the touch screen device through the interior window panel and skirt portions of the protective membrane.
14 . The enclosure of claim 13 , wherein the skirt portion of the protective membrane is further joined to the interior window panel and forms a substantially watertight seal with a peripheral edge portion thereof.
15 . The enclosure of claim 13 , wherein the interior window panel of the protective membrane further comprises a hard and inelastic plastic sheet.
16 . The enclosure of claim 15 , wherein the plastic sheet further comprises a polyethylene terephthalate (PET) material.
17 . The enclosure of claim 13 , wherein the shell further comprises a tray and a lid, wherein the aperture is further formed in the lid, and wherein the lid is movable between an open position and a closed position relative to the tray.
18 . The enclosure of claim 17 , wherein the tray further comprises an interior device seating surface and a rim around the device seating surface, the tray adapted for receiving the touch screen device on the device seating surface and oriented with a portion thereof responsive to a tactile input facing away from the device seating surface, the tray further adapted for projecting the touch screen device at least partially outwardly of the aperture in the shell with the touch screen portion being exposed outwardly of the aperture in the shell within the protective membrane, and the one or more actuators on the side of the touch screen device being at least partially exposed outwardly of the aperture in the shell within the protective membrane for allowing operation of the touch screen and of one or more actuators on sides of the touch screen device through the protective membrane.
19 . The enclosure of claim 18 , wherein the lid further comprises a rim around the aperture, the rim substantially corresponding to the rim of the tray, and wherein the seal portion of the protective membrane is further positioned between the rim of the lid and the rim of the tray when the lid is in the closed position relative to the tray.
20 . The enclosure of claim 19 , further comprising a clamping mechanism structured for compressing the pliable seal between the rim of the lid and the rim of the tray.
21 . A protective enclosure for a touch screen device, the enclosure comprising:
a substantially rigid tray comprising a rim surrounding an interior device seating surface;
a lid comprising a substantially rigid rim surrounding a window aperture, the rim of the lid corresponding to the rim of the tray;
a protective membrane comprising a thin interior window portion surrounded by a thick and pliable skirt portion joined to a peripheral edge portion thereof and extended therefrom, the protective membrane is structured for viewing there through and is sized to project outwardly of the rim surrounding the window aperture of the lid;
a continuous pliable seal adapted to be compressible between the rim of the lid and the rim of the tray; and
a clamping mechanism structured for clamping the rim of the lid and the rim of the tray with the pliable seal forming a continuous substantially water-resistant seal therebetween.
22 . The enclosure of claim 21 , wherein the protective membrane further comprises the continuous pliable seal.
23 . The enclosure of claim 22 , wherein the skirt portion of the protective membrane is further positioned between the interior window portion and the continuous pliable seal, the skirt portion being joined with the peripheral edge portion of the interior window portion for forming a substantially watertight seal therewith and being sized to project outwardly of the rim surrounding the window aperture of the lid adjacent to the interior window portion.
24 . The enclosure of claim 23 , wherein the interior window portion of the protective membrane further comprises a noncompressible material.
25 . The enclosure of claim 24 , wherein the interior window portion of the protective membrane further comprises a polyethylene terephthalate (PET) material.
26 . The enclosure of claim 24 , wherein the skirt portion of the protective membrane further comprises a compressible material.
27 . The enclosure of claim 22 , further comprising a hinge between the lid and the tray, whereby the lid is moveable between an open position and a closed position relative to the tray.
28 . The enclosure of claim 27 , wherein the clamping mechanism is further structured for clamping the lid in the closed position relative to the tray.