Removable Corner Elements for Customizable Mobile Device Impact Protection

Solution Overview

Problem

Current mobile device cases lack customizable impact protection options without significantly altering their appearance, weight, or size, failing to adapt to varying user needs such as increased protection during activities like rock climbing or reduced protection for everyday use.

Innovation Solution

A mobile device case design featuring removable corner elements with a lower durometer than the housing, allowing users to customize impact protection by inserting corner elements with different thicknesses and shapes into apertures, providing additional cushioning and absorbency during impacts.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If the entire housing is surrounded with an additional layer of material such as silicone, then impact protection is improved, but the case becomes heavier and bulkier

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveimpact protectionVSAvoidcase weight

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSWeight of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The protective case is segmented into a housing structure and separate removable corner elements. Instead of uniformly protecting the entire housing with silicone, only the corner regions receive additional protective elements, concentrating protection where impact forces are most likely to occur while minimizing added weight and bulk.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The corner elements provide localized protection with different material properties (lower durometer) than the main housing. This local quality change allows the corners to absorb impact forces more effectively while the rest of the housing maintains its original weight and appearance characteristics.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

2Strength

If the entire housing is surrounded with an additional layer of material such as silicone, then impact protection is improved, but the case becomes bulkier

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveimpact protectionVSAvoidcase size

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSVolume of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The protective case is segmented into a housing structure and separate removable corner elements. Instead of uniformly protecting the entire housing with silicone, only the corner regions receive additional protective elements, concentrating protection where impact forces are most likely to occur while minimizing added weight and bulk.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The corner elements provide localized protection with different material properties (lower durometer) than the main housing. This local quality change allows the corners to absorb impact forces more effectively while the rest of the housing maintains its original weight and appearance characteristics.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

3Adaptability or versatility

If removable corner elements are inserted into apertures, then customizable impact protection is achieved, but the case structure becomes more complex

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecustomizable protectionVSAvoidcase structure

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The protective case is segmented into a housing structure and separate removable corner elements. Instead of uniformly protecting the entire housing with silicone, only the corner regions receive additional protective elements, concentrating protection where impact forces are most likely to occur while minimizing added weight and bulk.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The corner elements are designed to be removable and replaceable, allowing the protective characteristics of the case to dynamically change based on user needs. Users can swap corner elements with different durometers or configurations to adapt to different usage scenarios, transforming a static case into a dynamically adaptable protective system.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

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

Enables users to adjust impact protection levels based on specific needs, enhancing safety without changing the case's appearance or weight, by allowing corner elements to absorb impact forces before transferring them to the housing, thus providing enhanced protection compared to uniformly composed cases.

Implementation Method 1

a corner element removeably insertable within the aperture... a durometer of each corner element is less than a durometer of the housing... the corner element defines a recess sized to engage the edge

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectDeformation: Deformation

Data Source

PatentUS8774882B2Mobile device case with removably insertable corners

Publication Date: 2014.07.08 WIN2000 TELECOM CO LTD

AI summary

A mobile device case including a housing sized to receive a mobile device. The housing includes at least one corner defining an aperture there through. A corner element is included and is removeably insertable within the aperture.