Touch Screen Protective Enclosure With Flexible Membrane Seal
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing protective cases for touch screen devices limit complete access and reliability for operating the touch screen interface efficiently.
Innovation Solution
A protective enclosure with a tray and a hinged lid featuring a transparent pliable membrane and a continuous pliable seal, allowing tactile input and water-resistant sealing, enabling operation of touch screen devices while maintaining protection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If a protective case is used to protect the touch screen device, then protection is improved, but access to operate the touch screen interface is limited
Solution Approach 1:
A flexible transparent membrane is integrated into the protective case at the location of the touch screen interface. This membrane allows tactile input to be transmitted through it while maintaining the protective enclosure, enabling users to operate the touch screen without removing the device from the case.
Solution Approach 2:
The flexible membrane acts as an intermediary element between the user's finger and the touch screen interface. It transmits the tactile stimulus while providing a barrier that maintains protection, thus mediating between the need for protection and the need for operational access.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If a sealed enclosure is used to provide water-resistant protection, then protection is improved, but access to actuators on the side of the device is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The protective case is designed with segmented openings or apertures at the side portion where actuators are located. These segmented openings allow access to buttons, switches, or other actuators while maintaining the overall sealed and water-resistant structure of the enclosure.
3Strength
If a rigid protective case is used to protect the device, then strength is improved, but tactile input transmission to the touch screen is impeded
Solution Approach 1:
The flexible membrane used in the protective case provides a contrast to rigid structures. While the overall case maintains rigidity for protection, the membrane portion at the touch screen interface is specifically designed to be flexible and responsive to tactile input, allowing effective touch transmission.
Solution Approach 2:
The protective case exhibits different material properties in different locations: rigid and strong in most areas for protection, but flexible and responsive at the touch screen interface area to allow tactile input transmission. This local differentiation of material properties resolves the contradiction between strength and tactile responsiveness.
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 enclosure provides reliable and efficient access to the touch screen interface, ensuring water-resistant protection and unimpeded tactile input, even when the device is enclosed.
Implementation Method 1
a protective enclosure for a device responsive to a tactile stimulus... allowing operation of the touch screen and of one or more actuators on a side of the touch screen device
Implementation Method 2
A continuous pliable seal is positioned between the rim of the lid and the rim of the tray when the lid is in the closed position relative to the tray
Data Source
AI summary
A protective enclosure for a touch screen device, the enclosure formed of a substantially rigid tray having a rim surrounding an interior device seating surface; a lid having a substantially rigid rim surrounding a window aperture, the rim of the lid corresponding to the rim of the tray; a pliable membrane having an interior window portion that is structured for viewing there through and is sized to project outwardly of the rim surrounding the window aperture of the lid; a continuous pliable seal adapted to be compressible between the rim of the lid and the rim of the tray; and a clamping mechanism structured for clamping the rim of the lid and the rim of the tray with the pliable seal forming a continuous substantially water-resistant seal therebetween.