Hand held electronic device or game impact protector

[0002] 1. Field of the Invention

[0003] The present invention relates to impact protection devices, and more particularly to aftermarket resilient shields conformed to engage the edges of hand held electronic assemblies and to attenuate the impact energy imposed-thereto.

[0004] 2. The Prior Art

[0005] The use of hand held electronic devices has proliferated in the recent past, along with, however, an increasing frequency of those inadvertently dropped and damaged by the consequent impact. As the complement of such hand held devices increases in our daily processes the attention and care we give them decreases and the loss rates are soaring. Such losses, however, are particularly troublesome when devices that serve as our notebooks, palm held e-mail communication terminals or even memory devices that record addresses and telephone numbers are destroyed since it is not just the cost of replacement that is incurred but also the loss of the information collected therein. Protection from such inadvertent loss is therefore a matter of universal concern.

[0006] In the past there have been various shock attenuation structures devised which in one way or another cushion the dropping impact. Examples of such devices can be found in the teachings of U.S. Pat. No. 4,925,149 to DiFrancesca et al; U.S. Pat. No. 5,368,159 to Doria; U.S. Pat. No. 4,824,059 to Butler; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,002,184 to Lloyd. While suitable for the purposes intended each of the foregoing describes elaborate, multi-element foam rubber structures, which are costly to produce, and/or which often conceal or obstruct access to the controls by which the protected device is operated.

[0007] A universally useful impact attenuation structure is therefore sought and it is one such structure that is disclosed herein.

[0008] Accordingly it is the general purpose and object of the present invention to provide an impact attenuation elastomeric apparatus including a plurality of edge capturing structures connected to each other by a resilient web.

[0009] Other objects of the invention are to provide a resilient apparatus conformed to elastically capture and shield from impact the edges of various electronic devices.

[0010] Yet additional objects of the invention are to provide a universally adaptable impact attenuation apparatus useful in shielding various electronic devices from impact.

[0011] Briefly, these and other objects are accomplished within the present invention by providing a generally rectangular elastomeric recess conformed for elastic expansion to receive one edge of an electronic device attached proximate its ends to an elastomeric web which, in turn, is attached to two opposed pockets which upon the stretching of the web capture the corners of the opposite edge of the device. Preferably, the web, pockets and the recess piece are all formed by casting or molding as a single, common structure of one of the several generally known elastomers including those in the latex group or one of the several silicon or latex polymers that are each associated with some substantial internal energy dissipation by hysteresis or heat. These are each formed to a sectional dimension sufficient to project beyond the surfaces of the device captured therein to provide a resilient modulus in combination with the mass of the device for attenuating the major spectra of the impact energy imposed to the device when dropped. Additional energy dissipation is thereafter realized in the frictional interface between the attenuation apparatus and the device itself. In this manner an inexpensive impact attenuation structure is devised which is easily conformed to electronic devices of various dimensions.

[0012] FIG. 1 is a perspective illustration of the inventive impact attenuation apparatus exposing the front surface of an electronic device received therein; and

[0013] FIG. 2 is a further perspective illustration of the inventive attenuation apparatus illustrating the rear structural components thereof

[0014] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the inventive protective apparatus, generally designated by the numeral 10, is conformed to capture one edge of a hand held electronic device ED in the interior of an elongate, generally trough-shaped, resilient receiving piece 11 closed at each end to define a pocket 11athat preferably is of a somewhat smaller dimension than the corresponding received edge of device ED. In consequence some stretching of the receiving piece 11 is necessary to receive the device ED, assuring retention thereof. The device ED may be one of several kinds of palm held computing or communicating devices, like a hand help personal computer, or even a portable game, and therefore includes a face surface FS on which various displays DI may be positioned adjacent various switches and manual buttons BB for the effective use of the device. Of course, these need to remain exposed and for that reason the structure 11bof the receiving piece 11 overlying the face surface FS may include cut-off portions exposing such access.

[0015] The opposite structure 11cof the receiving piece 11 overlies the passive rear surface RS of the device ED and therefore may be attached to the ends of an X-shaped resilient web 14 that at its other ends ties to corresponding separate corner pieces 12aand 12b. Again, in order to provide a retaining engagement the dimensions of the web 14 are smaller than the plan form dimensions of the rear surface RS and therefore need to be stretched in order to mount the respective corner 12aand 12bon the corresponding corners of device ED. Similarly, each of the corner pieces 12aand 12bis provided with a cavity 12cconformed for a stretched capture of the corresponding corner. Other cutouts 13 may also be provided to allow access to controls or carrying straps attached to the device (not shown).

[0016] The foregoing structure may be formed of any one of the several elastomeric materials, by casting, injection molding or other known process thereby forming elastomeric shields at the edge of the device. Preferably the material of this shielding structure includes some internal hysteresis for impact energy absorption, with further impact energy dissipation occurring in the frictional translations at the respective interfaces between the inventive apparatus and the device on which it is stretched.

[0017] Obviously, many modifications and variations are possible without departing from the spirit of the invention instantly disclosed. It is therefore intended that the scope of the invention be determined solely by the claims appended hereto.