Protective Cover With Integrated Electrical Adapter

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing protective covers for portable electronic devices, such as smartphones and tablets, lack the ability to provide efficient and reliable docking capabilities with docking stations, as they do not include a built-in docking connector, limiting their functionality for pass-through power and external wired functions.

Innovation Solution

A flexible protective cover with an integral electrical adapter that mates with the device's input/output socket and includes contacts for easy docking into a cradle, featuring a male plug for the device's socket and a contactor for the cradle, allowing for pass-through power and external functions like audio and USB connections.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If a protective cover is designed as a simple flexible shell, then it provides basic protection and flexibility, but it lacks docking capability and cannot provide pass-through power or external wired functions

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedocking capabilityVSAvoidcover structure

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines the protective cover with an integrated electrical adapter into a single unified structure. The adapter includes a male plug that mates with the device's I/O socket and a contactor with contacts that interface with the docking cradle, merging protection and docking functionality into one component system.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The protective cover is designed to serve multiple functions: it provides physical protection for the device, enables docking capability through the integrated adapter, and facilitates pass-through power and external wired functions. This multi-functionality resolves the contradiction by adding versatility without requiring separate components.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Adaptability or versatility

If a protective cover is made flexible to wrap around the device, then it provides protection, but it cannot accommodate rigid electrical connectors for docking

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedocking interfaceVSAvoidcover flexibility

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSShape

Solution Approach 1:

The flexible protective cover is merged with a rigid electrical adapter structure. The adapter contains the male plug and contactor components that provide the necessary rigid electrical interfaces for docking, while the flexible cover maintains its protective wrapping function. This combination allows both flexibility and rigid connector accommodation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Adaptability or versatility

If the protective cover includes an integral electrical adapter, then it enables docking and external functions, but it increases manufacturing complexity

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveexternal wired functionsVSAvoidcover production

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The electrical adapter components (male plug, contactor, and contacts) are integrated into the protective cover as a single assembly. This merging approach allows the components to be manufactured and assembled together as one unit, reducing the number of separate parts and simplifying the overall manufacturing process despite the increased functionality.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

4Object-affected harmful factors

If the male plug is positioned interior to the shell, then it protects the device's I/O socket, but it limits access to the docking connector

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesocket protectionVSAvoiddocking access

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The electrical adapter is segmented into two distinct functional parts: the male plug positioned interior to the shell for protecting the I/O socket, and the contactor with contacts positioned exterior to the shell for interfacing with the docking cradle. This segmentation allows both protection and easy docking access to coexist.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The electrical adapter acts as an intermediary component between the device's I/O socket and the docking cradle connector. The male plug interfaces with the socket interior to the shell, while the contactor interfaces with the cradle exterior to the shell, mediating the connection and enabling both protection and accessibility.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentUS9331444B2Docking sleeve with electrical adapter

Publication Date: 2016.05.03 NP LIQUIDATING CO INC

AI summary

A docking sleeve having an elastomeric protective cover, or skin, adapted for partially enveloping a portable electronic device, such as a smartphone or tablet or another portable electronic device of the prior art having a port for a docking connector. The protective cover is a sheath molded of a suitable elastic or flexibly resilient elastomer in a size and shape to fit over and closely conform to the particular portable electronic device so that the cover fits the device like a surgical glove. An adapter is provided for electrically connecting to the female input/output socket of the particular electronic device, including a male plug having a plurality of electrical connectors extended internally of the sheath and arranged for mating with the female input/output socket of the device, and a plurality of contacts electrically coupled to different ones of the plurality of electrical connectors and exposed externally of the sheath.