Elastomeric Waterproof Cover for Touchscreen Devices
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing waterproof covers for electronic devices are cumbersome and do not effectively address the issues of water and dust resistance, sound isolation, and protection against wear and tear, particularly for devices with touch screens and camera flash features.
Innovation Solution
A protective cover with a soft, elastomeric shell over-molded onto a hard translucent frame, incorporating sound-isolating acoustic membranes, a waterproof membrane for the home button, and integrated polycarbonate lenses for cameras and flashes, which forms a watertight seal using reciprocal registration and compression profiles.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a waterproof cover is designed with a clasping mechanism and coin slot feature, then water and dust resistance is improved, but the device becomes cumbersome and less easy to operate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a flexible gasket made of elastomeric material that forms a waterproof seal between the cover and the electronic device. This flexible membrane approach eliminates the need for complex clasping mechanisms while maintaining water and dust resistance, thereby improving ease of operation without sacrificing reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent removes the coin slot feature and complex clasping mechanism from the design, extracting only the essential waterproof sealing function. This simplification eliminates the cumbersome elements while preserving the core water and dust resistance capability through a streamlined gasket-based sealing system
2Reliability
If a waterproof gasket is used to seal the housing, then water and dust resistance is improved, but sound isolation is reduced because the gasket is permissive to sound
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a composite sealing system that combines an elastomeric gasket for waterproofing with acoustic foam material integrated into the cover structure. This composite approach allows the gasket to maintain its water and dust sealing properties while the acoustic foam provides sound isolation, thereby resolving the contradiction between waterproof reliability and sound isolation
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces acoustic foam as an intermediary material between the elastomeric gasket and the internal device components. This intermediary layer blocks sound transmission while allowing the gasket to perform its waterproof sealing function, thus achieving both water/dust resistance and sound isolation simultaneously
3Strength
If the cover includes a hard translucent frame with soft elastomeric shell, then protection against wear and tear is improved, but the manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the hard translucent frame and soft elastomeric shell into a single integrated housing structure using overmolding technology. This merging of components into one piece eliminates the need for separate assembly steps, reducing manufacturing complexity while maintaining the protective benefits of both hard and soft materials against wear and tear
4Strength
If the cover fully encases the electronic device, then protection is improved, but the device becomes bulkier and less adaptable
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a flexible elastomeric shell that conforms closely to the contours of the electronic device, providing full encasement protection without adding significant bulk. The thin-film nature of the flexible material allows the device to maintain its original form factor and adaptability while enjoying comprehensive protection from all sides
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The cover provides enhanced water resistance, shock absorbency, improved sound quality by isolating echoes, and allows for fingerprint recognition while protecting the device's screen and camera flash features, ensuring effective operation in adverse conditions.
Implementation Method 1
The over-molded soft, elastomeric shell fully encompasses the outer perimeter of the hard translucent shell, providing shock absorbency
Implementation Method 2
The encasement and the mounted protective membrane may sealably engage together with a combination of reciprocal registration and compression profiles to complete a waterproof seal
Implementation Method 3
The cover includes a sound-isolation chamber and sound isolating, acoustic membranes extending across the cover's speaker and microphone apertures
Data Source
AI summary
A cover for forming a watertight enclosure enclosing an electronic device having a display includes: (a) a first member comprising: (i) a protective membrane operable to transmit touchscreen-type user input to the display; and (ii) a sealing mount attached to the protective member, the sealing mount defining a registration profile extending along the entire perimeter of the protective membrane, the sealing mount defining a stanchion projecting parallel and spaced-apart from the registration profile; and (b) a second member comprising: (iii) a rigid plastic frame; and (iv) a shell over-molded to the frame, the shell being made of a soft and elastomeric material and defining a compression profile extending along the entire perimeter of the shell, the shell at its compression profile being dimensioned for interlocking with the sealing mount at its registration profile so as to removably form a watertight seal between the first and second members.