US20050000996A1 - Carrying case for portable electronic device - Google Patents

Abstract

A carrying case for a portable electronic device includes a plurality of wall portions defining a compartment for receiving the portable electronic device. A shock absorber is associated with at least one of the wall portions, and includes a leaf spring that is configured and dimensioned to absorb at least a portion of any forces that are transmitted through the wall portion to the portable electronic device.

Description

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
• The present invention is directed to a carrying case for a portable electronic device. The carrying case includes a plurality of wall portions defining a compartment for receiving the portable electronic device. A shock absorber is associated with at least one of the wall portions, and includes a leaf spring that is configured and dimensioned to absorb at least a portion of any forces that are transmitted through the wall portion to the portable electronic device. The case may include a bottom wall configured and dimensioned for resting on the ground, and the shock absorber may be associated with the bottom wall.
• According to one aspect of the present invention, the shock absorber further includes foam padding surrounding at least a portion of the leaf spring. The foam padding may substantially conform to the shape of the leaf spring.
• According to another aspect of the present invention, the leaf spring may include one or more reinforcing channels extending substantially longitudinally along the leaf spring. Alternatively, the leaf spring may have a generally “W”-shaped or “U”-shaped cross-section.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
• The detailed description will be better understood in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference characters represent like elements, as follows:
• FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the exterior of a first exemplary embodiment of a carrying case according to the present invention;
• FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the carrying case ofFIG. 1;
• FIG. 3 is a perspective view of one exemplary embodiment of a shock absorber according to the present invention;
• FIG. 4 is a perspective view of one exemplary embodiment of a leaf spring of the shock absorber ofFIG. 3;
• FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a second exemplary embodiment of the leaf spring of the shock absorber ofFIG. 3;
• FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a third exemplary embodiment of the leaf spring of the shock absorber ofFIG. 3; and
• FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the exterior of a second exemplary embodiment of a carrying case according to the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
• Referring toFIG. 1, a first exemplary embodiment of a carrying case according to the present invention is shown asreference number10.Case10 is described herein as a case for a portable computer, however,case10 may alternatively be sized and dimensioned for carrying any number of other portable electronic devices, such as calculators, personal digital assistants, printers, scanners, or the like.
• Case10 includes a plurality of exterior wall sections including a front wall12, aback wall14, atop wall16, abottom wall18, andside walls20,22.Bottom wall18 may be configured and dimensioned to rest on the ground and supportcase10 in an upright position while it is not being carried by a user. Althoughcase10 is shown as having a generally box-like shape, it is not limited to the shape shown, and may include any number of exterior walls having any shape or size known in the art.Case10 may optionally include a pair ofhandles24, and/or a shoulder strap26 to assist in carrying thecase10.Case10 may be constructed from any number and combination of materials, including, without limitation, 600D Polyester, 600D Mini Ripstop, 420 Packcloth, 210 Packcloth, 500D Cordura, 1000D Cordura, 1680D Ballistic, 840D Jr. Ballistic, Dobbies and Nailhead, or any other suitable material known to one of ordinary skill in the art. It should be noted that the scope of the present invention is not limited to the material or type of construction ofcase10.
• Still referring toFIG. 1,case10 may also include one or more pockets. For example,case10 may include apocket28 for holding a power supply cable or other accessories for a portable computer. Additionally or alternatively,case10 may include anotherpocket30 for holding computer accessories, such as a disk drive, computer disks, battery packs, PCMCIA cards, modems, or any other computer-related devices known in the art. One ormore pockets32 may also be included for storing papers, documents, folders, and the like.Pockets28,30, and32 may be closeable via zippers, hook-and-loop type fasteners, snaps, or any other type of fasteners known to one of ordinary skill in the art.
• Case10 may also include anopening34, for providing access to a compartment36 (shown inFIG. 2) for storing the portable computer. As shown inFIG. 1, opening34 may be closeable via a zipper, or alternatively via hook-and-loop type fastener, snaps, or any other type of fasteners known to one of ordinary skill in the art. As shown inFIG. 1, opening34 may extend along just one of the exterior wall sections, or alternatively, opening34 may extend along two or more of the exterior wall sections, such that the compartment opens like a clamshell.
• Referring toFIG. 2,compartment36 may be defined by any number of wall portions that are configured and dimensioned to receive a portable computer. In the exemplary embodiment shown,compartment36 is defined by a front wall (not shown), aback wall38, atop wall40, abottom wall42, andside walls44,46. It should be noted, however, that the present invention is not limited to this or any other shape ofcompartment36 orcase10. Thus, as mentioned above, the shape and/or size ofcase10 may be varied for various reasons, such as to accommodate specific uses of thecase10, or to meet a certain stylistic or fashion need. Still referring toFIG. 2, ashock absorber50 may be associated with one or more of the wall portions, such asbottom wall42. Shock absorber50 may be formed integrally with case10 (e.g., by locating it underneath the liner material of case10), may be a separate unit that is attachable to the interior of case10 (e.g., by hook and loop fastener material), or may be otherwise associated with the wall so that it is located between the wall and the computer—shock absorber50 may even be spaced from the wall. The shock absorber may be associated with any of the wall portions ofcompartment36. For example, asecond shock absorber50 may be associated withtop wall40, and third and fourth shock absorbers may be associated with theside walls44,46.
• Turning toFIGS. 3 and 4, one exemplary embodiment ofshock absorber50 is shown in detail. Shock absorber50 may include aleaf spring52 that is configured and dimensioned to deflect under impact and absorb at least a portion of any forces that are transmitted through the wall portion to the portable computer, thus reducing the risk of damage to the computer.Leaf spring52 may extend along a substantial portion of the wall portion (e.g., along more than half of the length of the wall portion). According to the illustrative embodiment shown inFIGS. 2-4,leaf spring52 extends alongbottom wall42 from afirst corner142 to asecond corner144. As shown, theleaf spring52 may be located substantially adjacent the wall portion at the first andsecond corners142,144, with the portion of theleaf spring52 located between thecorners142,144 being spaced apart from the wall portion. As also shown, theleaf spring52 may extend along an arcuate path from thefirst corner142 to thesecond corner144.
• According to one embodiment of the present invention,leaf spring52 may be constructed of a semi-rigid spring material. For example, a sheet of plastic material, such as polycarbonate, may be used. Alternatively, metals, composites, or other types of materials may be used. One of ordinary skill in the art will know and appreciate that any number of other materials may be used, to formleaf spring52, so long as the materials have sufficient stiffness and/or resiliency to adequately absorb forces that are transmitted through the wall portion to the portable computer.Leaf spring52 may include one or more reinforcingchannels58 to increase its impact-absorbing qualities, while at the same time reducing its weight. Preferably, reinforcingchannels58 are oriented substantially longitudinally with respect toleaf spring52.
• Shock absorber50 may also include foam padding that surrounds at least a portion of theleaf spring52. In some instances, the foam padding may serve to displace any impact forces that are not absorbed byleaf spring52, such as, for example, forces that are transmitted at an acute angle with respect toleaf spring52. In the exemplary embodiment of shock absorber50 shown inFIG. 3, a first layer of padding54 substantially conforms to the upper, or first, surface ofleaf spring52, and a second layer of padding56 substantially conforms to the lower, or second, surface ofleaf spring52. As shown,first layer54 andsecond layer56 give shock absorber50 a box-like shape. One of ordinary skill in the art will know and appreciate that any number of layers of padding—having various shapes and/or sizes—may be used and are within the scope of the present invention. One of ordinary skill in the art will also know and appreciate that shock absorber50 may comprise a single item, such asleaf spring52, or multiple items, such asleaf spring52 and one or more layers of foam padding. Open cell foam, closed cell foam, cross-link foam, or any other type of padding known in the art may be used to form the layers ofpadding54,56.
• Referring toFIG. 5, a second exemplary embodiment of a leaf spring according to the present invention is shown asreference number252. According to this embodiment,leaf spring252 has a curved, generally “W”-shaped cross-section260 that extends along its length. The generally “W”-shapedcross-section260 defines acentral surface262, andside surfaces264,266. In this embodiment, the portable computer rests between side surfaces264,266, and atopcentral surface262. Impact forces transmitted through the wall portion ofcase10 are at least partially absorbed byleaf spring252 ascentral surface262 deflects downward (in direction “X” shown inFIG. 5) and the side surfaces264,266 deflect outward (along the axis “Y” shown inFIG. 5).
• Referring toFIG. 6, a third exemplary embodiment of a leaf spring according to the present invention is shown asreference number352. According to this embodiment,leaf spring352 has a generally “U”-shapedcross-section360 that defines atop surface362 andside surfaces364,366. In this embodiment, the portable computer rests ontop surface362, and impact forces transmitted through the wall portion ofcase10 are at least partially absorbed byleaf spring352 astop surface362 deflects downward (in direction “X” shown inFIG. 6) and the side surfaces364,366 deflect outward (along the axis “Y” shown in FIG.6). One of ordinary skill in the art will know and appreciate thatleaf spring52,252,352 is not to be limited to the shapes and/or cross-sections shown herein, and may have any shape, size, or cross-section known in the art, so long asleaf spring52,252,352 absorbs at least a portion of any impact forces transmitted through the wall portion ofcase10.
• A carrying case made in accordance with the above-described invention was loaded with a conventional “laptop” computer and dropped several times onto itsbottom wall42 from approximately 40 inches above the ground. The deceleration forces transmitted to the laptop computer were measured for each drop. The average deceleration forces transmitted to the laptop computer were approximately 30 g's (or 30 times the force of gravity), versus conventional carrying cases which may transmit a force of well over 100 g's to the computer.
• While various descriptions of the present invention are described above, it should be understood that the various features can be used singly or in any combination thereof. In particular, the various inventive concepts need not be used in conjunction and only one of the inventive concepts may be provided without detracting from the invention. Therefore, this invention is not to be limited to only the specific embodiments depicted herein.
• Further, it should be understood that variations and modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention may occur to those skilled in the art to which the invention pertains. For example, while the carrying case has been described as a case for a portable computer, it may alternatively be sized and dimensioned for carrying any number of different portable electronic devices, such as calculators, personal digital assistants, printers, or scanners. Also, while the carrying case has been shown in the form of a brief case, it may alternatively be in the form of a backpack, as shown inFIG. 7, or any other type of carrying case known in the art. Accordingly, all expedient modifications readily attainable by one versed in the art from the disclosure set forth herein that are within the scope and spirit of the present invention are to be included as further embodiments of the present invention. The scope of the present invention is accordingly defined as set forth in the appended claims.

Claims (39)

1. A carrying case for a portable electronic device comprising:

a plurality of wall portions defining a compartment for receiving the portable electronic device; and

a shock absorber associated with at least one of the wall portions, the shock absorber including a leaf spring;

wherein the leaf spring is configured and dimensioned to absorb at least a portion of any forces transmitted through the wall portion to the portable electronic device.

2. The carrying case ofclaim 1, wherein the leaf spring is a semi-rigid spring material.

3. The carrying case ofclaim 1, wherein the leaf spring extends along a substantial portion of the wall portion.

4. The carrying case ofclaim 1, wherein the wall portion extends from a first corner to a second corner, and the leaf spring extends substantially from the first corner to the second corner.

5. The carrying case ofclaim 4, wherein the leaf spring is substantially adjacent the wall portion only at the first corner and the second corner, and the leaf spring is spaced apart from the wall portion at points between the first corner and the second corner.

6. The carrying case ofclaim 5, wherein the leaf spring extends along an arcuate path between the first corner and the second corner.

7. The carrying case ofclaim 1, wherein the shock absorber further includes foam padding surrounding at least a portion of the leaf spring.

8. The carrying case ofclaim 7, wherein the leaf spring has first and second surfaces substantially opposed to one another, and the foam padding substantially conforms to at least one of the first and second surfaces.

9. The carrying case ofclaim 8, wherein the shock absorber includes a first layer of foam padding substantially conforming to the first surface, and a second layer of foam padding substantially conforming to the second surface.

10. The carrying case ofclaim 9, wherein the first and second layers of foam padding define a substantially boxed shape of the shock absorber.

11. The carrying case ofclaim 7, wherein the foam padding is an open-cell foam.

12. The carrying case ofclaim 1, wherein the leaf spring includes at least one reinforcing channel extending substantially longitudinally along the leaf spring.

13. The carrying case ofclaim 1, wherein the leaf spring has a generally “W”-shaped cross-section.

14. The carrying case ofclaim 1, wherein the leaf spring has a generally “U”-shaped cross-section.

15. The carrying case ofclaim 1, wherein the leaf spring is plastic.

16. The carrying case ofclaim 1, wherein the leaf spring is polycarbonate.

17. The carrying case ofclaim 1, wherein the plurality of wall portions includes a bottom wall configured and dimensioned for resting on the ground, and the shock absorber is associated with the bottom wall.

18. The carrying case ofclaim 1, further comprising a shoulder strap for hanging the carrying case from a user's shoulder.

19. The carrying case ofclaim 1, wherein the carrying case is a backpack.

20. The carrying case ofclaim 1, further comprising a compartment configured and dimensioned to hold a power supply cable for the portable computer.

21. The carrying case ofclaim 1, further comprising a compartment configured and dimensioned to hold computer accessories.

22. The carrying case ofclaim 1, wherein at least one of the wall portions is bound by a zipper that allows the compartment to be opened and closed.

23. A carrying case for a portable computer, comprising:

a plurality of walls including a bottom wall configured and dimensioned to rest on the ground;

a compartment located within the carrying case for receiving the portable computer; and

a leaf spring located within the compartment proximate the bottom wall of the carrying case, the leaf spring extending substantially parallel to the bottom wall;

wherein the leaf spring is configured and dimensioned to absorb at least a portion of any forces transmitted from the ground to the portable computer.

24. The carrying case ofclaim 23, wherein the leaf spring is a semi-rigid spring material.

25. The carrying case ofclaim 23, wherein the leaf spring extends along a substantial portion of the bottom wall.

26. The carrying case ofclaim 23, wherein the bottom wall extends from a first corner to a second corner, and the leaf spring extends substantially from the first corner to the second corner.

27. The carrying case ofclaim 26, wherein the leaf spring is substantially adjacent the bottom wall only at the first corner and the second corner, and the leaf spring is spaced apart from the bottom wall at points between the first corner and the second corner.

28. The carrying case ofclaim 27, wherein the leaf spring extends along an arcuate path between the first corner and the second corner.

29. The carrying case ofclaim 23, further including foam padding surrounding at least a portion of the leaf spring.

30. The carrying case ofclaim 29, wherein the foam padding is an open-cell foam.

31. The carrying case ofclaim 29, wherein the foam conforms to the leaf spring and defines a substantially box shape around the leaf spring.

32. The carrying case ofclaim 23, wherein the leaf spring includes at least one reinforcing channel extending substantially longitudinally along the leaf spring.

33. The carrying case ofclaim 23, wherein the leaf spring is a semi-rigid spring material.

34. The carrying case ofclaim 23, wherein the leaf spring is polycarbonate.

35. The carrying case ofclaim 23, further comprising a shoulder strap for hanging the carrying case from a user's shoulder.

36. The carrying case ofclaim 23, wherein the carrying case is a backpack.

37. The carrying case ofclaim 23, further comprising a compartment configured and dimensioned to hold a power supply cable for the portable computer.

38. The carrying case ofclaim 23, further comprising a compartment configured and dimensioned to hold computer accessories.

39. The carrying case ofclaim 23, wherein the compartment further comprises an opening extending through one of the exterior walls of the carrying case, the opening configured and dimensioned for passage of the portable computer therethrough.

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