Protective Case with Rigid Actuator Plate and Transparent Screen Cover
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing protective cases for portable electronic devices fail to provide adequate protection and usability when handled by young children or infants, as they either do not allow device use or insufficiently protect the device from damage and misuse.
Innovation Solution
A child-friendly and 'kid-tough' protective case design that includes a semi-rigid thin film screen cover, a rigid plate to cover and lock certain device actuators, a tray with resilient members for secure positioning, and entertainment elements like clacker beads or a mirror, allowing the device to be used safely and entertainingly by children.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a protective case is designed to fully enclose the device for maximum protection, then device protection is improved, but device usability is worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The protective case is segmented into multiple functional zones: a rigid back portion for protection, a transparent front portion for screen visibility and touch input, and a recessed tray for secure device positioning. This segmentation allows different parts of the case to serve different purposes, maintaining both protection and usability.
Solution Approach 2:
The transparent front portion acts as an intermediary element that transmits touch forces from the user's finger through the case material to the device screen, enabling touch input without direct contact with the device. This intermediary maintains the protective barrier while preserving usability.
2Reliability
If a rigid plate is added to cover device actuators for security, then unauthorized use prevention is improved, but device accessibility is worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The case incorporates a rotatable tray mechanism that can be rotated between a locked position (covering actuators) and an unlocked position (exposing actuators). This dynamic element allows the case to switch between protective/security modes and accessible/usable modes, resolving the contradiction between prevention and accessibility.
3Illumination intensity
If a transparent cover is used for screen visibility, then device visibility is improved, but touch sensitivity is worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The front portion of the case uses a thin, flexible transparent material that allows touch forces to penetrate through to the device screen. The material is thin enough to maintain touch sensitivity while being transparent enough to provide screen visibility, resolving the contradiction between these two requirements.
4Adaptability or versatility
If entertainment elements are added to the case for child engagement, then child entertainment is improved, but device protection is worsened
Solution Approach 1:
Entertainment elements such as clacker beads are nested within the case structure, specifically positioned within the recessed tray or attached to the rotatable mechanism. This nesting integrates the entertainment elements into the protective case structure, allowing them to function without compromising the overall protective integrity of the case.
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 case effectively protects the device from damage and misuse while allowing it to be used by children, with the ability to selectively restrict access to certain features and provide entertainment, enhancing usability and safety.
Implementation Method 1
A resilient member extending outwardly from and coupled to the base of the tray is compressible against the portable electronic device so that the portable electronic device is biased away from the base of the tray and toward the transparent planar portion
Implementation Method 2
The base of the main body includes a transparent planar portion. The portable electronic device is disposable between the base of the tray and the transparent planar portion of the main body so that at least a portion of a display of the portable electronic device is visible through the transparent planar portion
Data Source
AI summary
A protective case for an electronic portable device includes a main body portion having a transparent base and sidewalls defining a recess configured for releasably receiving a portable electronic device. A plate is disposed against or defined by a portion of the base of the main body. The plate covers a portion of the front face or a portion of the display of the portable electronic device. The covered portion of the display is not actuable through the plate.