CELLPHONE PROTECTOR

Abstract

A cellphone protector for protecting a portable appliance having a screen, the protector comprising: a cellphone protection mechanism; a protection-requirement detection mechanism adapted to actuate the cellphone protection mechanism; and a housing for housing the cellphone protection mechanism and the protection-requirement detection mechanism. The cellphone protection mechanism comprises: at least one screen protection shutter adapted to cover and uncover the screen and provide protection thereto; and a shutter opening and closure mechanism operably connected to the at least one shutter and adapted to open and close the at least one shutter for respectively uncovering and covering the screen. The protection-requirement detection mechanism is adapted to detect whether or not there is an object adjacent the protection-requirement detection mechanism, and adapted to actuate the shutter opening and closure mechanism of the cellphone protection mechanism.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to impact protection devices, in particular, a device for protecting a cellular telephone or other such portable appliances.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Portable appliances or devices such as cellular telephones and the like are extremely popular devices and users commonly carry cellphones in their hand when walking around. Other examples of portable appliances/devices include personal data assistants, electronic media players, notebook-type computers, video and still-photo cameras, pagers, portable video game players and so forth. As such, cellphones, etc, are often accidentally dropped causing expensive damage and inconvenience.

To ameliorate this issue, there have been disclosed relatively uncomplicated protection devices such as mobile telephone cases; as well as slightly more sophisticated systems as disclosed in KR 100845221 “Liquid crystal display protect apparatus of cellular phone” (Kim) where a user presses a button to activate a screen protection mechanism; and even more sophisticated systems as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,059,182 “Active impact protection system” (Ragner); and U.S. 2011/194,230 “Protecting devices from impact damage” (Hart et al), which provide mechanisms for automatically determining a need for protection.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to an impact protection device, in particular, a device for protecting a cellular telephone or other such portable equipment.

The present device is designed to at least protect the particularly fragile display area (screen) of the portable equipment by activating a protective cover when a need is perceived. The present device or protector operates automatically in that the protector can both deploy the protective cover, when the protector deems it appropriate, and can retract the protective cover when the need for protection is no longer perceived, e.g. when the protected equipment is held in one's hand or resting on a surface such as a table.

In accordance with embodiments of one aspect of the present invention there is provided a cellphone protector for protecting a portable appliance having a screen, the protector comprising: a cellphone protection mechanism; a protection-requirement detection mechanism adapted to actuate the cellphone protection mechanism; and a housing for housing the cellphone protection mechanism and the protection-requirement detection mechanism. The cellphone protection mechanism comprises at least one screen protection shutter adapted to cover and uncover the screen and provide protection thereto; and a shutter opening and closure mechanism operably connected to the at least one shutter and adapted to open and close the at least one shutter for respectively uncovering and covering the screen. The protection-requirement detection mechanism is adapted to detect whether or not there is an object adjacent the protection-requirement detection mechanism, and adapted to actuate the shutter opening and closure mechanism of the cellphone protection mechanism.

In some embodiments the shutter opening and closure mechanism comprises: a winding wheel; a shutter winding shaft associated with the winding wheel; a solenoid operably connected to the winding wheel; a shutter closure shaft; a shutter retraction spring associated with the shutter closure shaft; and a micro-processor adapted to receive a signal from the detection protection-requirement detection mechanism and operably connected to the solenoid.

In some embodiments the shutter opening and closure mechanism comprises: a shutter opening motor; a shutter winding shaft associated with the shutter opening motor; a shutter closure shaft; a spring associated with the shutter closure shaft; a micro-processor adapted to receive a signal from the detection protection-requirement detection mechanism and operably connected to the shutter opening motor; and a shutter closure spring associated with shutter closure shaft.

In some embodiments the shutter opening and closure mechanism comprises: a shutter opening motor; a shutter closure motor; shutter winding shaft associated with the shutter opening motor; a shutter closure shaft associated with the shutter closure motor; a micro-processor adapted to receive a signal from the detection protection-requirement detection mechanism and operably connected to the shutter opening motor and the shutter closure motor.

In some embodiments the protector further comprises at least one track for guiding the shutter.

In some embodiments the protection-requirement detection mechanism comprises a circuit including adjacent serpentine wires. In some embodiments the protection-requirement detection mechanism comprises a distance sensor for detecting the object adjacent the protection-requirement detection mechanism. In some embodiments the protection-requirement detection mechanism comprises both the circuit and the distance sensor. In some embodiments the protection-requirement detection mechanism comprises at least one contact and the housing is adapted to be moveable to press on the at least one contact as a result of the protector being held by a user, to close a circuit.

In some embodiments the shutter comprises upper and lower shutter pulling strips defining upper and lower borders of an open area, which substantially corresponds to the screen area.

The term “cellphone” herein the specification and claims will be used to denote any portable equipment/device/appliance including cellular phones, personal data assistants, electronic media players, notebook-type computers, video and regular cameras, pagers, portable video game players and the like.

The term “screen” herein the specification and claims will be used to denote any surface desirable of protection and not limited to a display portion of an appliance.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention will be understood and appreciated more fully from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the appended drawings in which:

FIGS. 1-3 schematically illustrate an embodiment of a portable device protector of the present invention, exemplified by a cellphone protector—FIG. 1 being a top view, partially cutaway, showing the protector in deployed position; FIG. 2 being a sectional end view of an exemplary impact protection shutter of the protector of FIG. 1; and FIG. 3 being a perspective view of the rear side of FIG. 1 , illustrating exemplary embodiments of a protection-requirement detection mechanism of the protector;

FIGS. 4-6 schematically illustrate another embodiment of the protector of the present invention; FIG. 4 being a front view, partially cut away; FIG. 5 being a perspective view of a section of FIG. 4 along lines AA; and FIG. 6 being a top view of a modified shutter of the protector; and

FIG. 7 is a schematic front view, partially cut away, of a modification of the embodiment of FIGS. 4-6;

FIG. 8 is a schematic front view of another, simplified, embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 9 is a front view of yet another, simplified, embodiment of the present invention.

The following detailed description of embodiments of the invention refers to the accompanying drawings referred to above. Dimensions of components and features shown in the figures are chosen for convenience or clarity of presentation and are not necessarily shown to scale. Wherever possible, the same reference numbers will be used throughout the drawings and the following description to refer to the same and like parts.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Illustrative embodiments of the invention are described below. In the interest of clarity, not all features/components of an actual implementation are necessarily described.

FIGS. 1-3 show an embodiment of a cellphone protector of the present invention comprising a cellphone protection mechanism 10 (FIG. 1) for providing protection to a cellphone, primarily for protecting a display portion or screen S thereof; and a protection-requirement detection mechanism 12 (FIG. 3) for detecting whether the cellphone is in a situation requiring protection—in particular if the cellphone has been dropped or thrown. However, the protector further comprises a housing 100 for housing (at least) protection mechanism 10 and which may provide general impact protection to portions of the cellphone other than cellphone screen S.

Protection mechanism 10 includes a screen impact protection cover or shutter—typically a pair of such shutters 14a and 14b in this embodiment, as shown (one shutter shown in FIG. 2); a pair of shutter motors—a shutter deployment motor 16a and a shutter opening motor 16b operably connected to each shutter for respective closing (deploying) and opening (retracting) the shutters. Use of a pair of shutters 14a and 14b increases the speed at which cellphone screen S can be covered (protected) and uncovered (ready for use), and for convenience, the instant cellphone protector will be described as such; however, it should be understood that only one shutter and related components thereto are required.

Motors 16a and 16b are operably connected to respective shutters 14a and 14b via motor shafts 18a and 18b, respectively, upon which the shutters are wound, when the shutters are open; and from which the shutters are unwound, when the shutters are closed. In some embodiments, as shown, shafts 18a and 18b are connected to respective motor axles or shutter winding axles 20, for example at point 22 (FIG. 2, which only shows one shutter, shutter 14b). Shutters 14a and 14b may be made of a flexible web or strip 24 having spaced-apart impact absorbent shutter ribs 26. Such a design facilitates winding of shutters 14a and 14b on motor shafts 18a and 18b, when the shutter is retracted (open) while still providing a shock/impact absorbent material for protecting the cellphone.

In some embodiments, motors 16a and 16b and motor shafts 18a and 18b are oriented parallel to shutter ribs 26. In other embodiments, motors 16a and 16b are not parallel to shutter ribs 26, for example perpendicular as shown, and protection mechanism 10 includes a rotation transmission mechanism 28 respectively associated with motors 16a and 16b. In some embodiments, protection mechanism 10 further includes one or more guide tracks, such as a pair of guide tracks 30, in which the ends of shutters 14a and 14b pass in order to help properly guide and position the shutters during deployment (covering screen S) and retraction (exposing screen S). In some embodiments, each motor 16a, 16b has an associated limit switch 32; otherwise the motor may merely have a timer (not shown).

With reference to FIG. 3, in some embodiments, protection-requirement detection mechanism 12 (FIG. 2) includes a set of wires, typically a pair of protection-requirement indication wires 40 and 42, typically serpentine, parallel and adjacent to each other, for example as shown, and disposed in an outer layer of housing 100 so the wires are exposed to contact by the user. Wires 40 and 42, which are part of a circuit 44 that connect to motors 16a and 16b, typically run along both the bottom and sides of housing 100 (and potentially along the top and bottom edges). For understanding, wires 40 and 42 are shown along only one side of the cellphone (the left side in FIG. 3; however, typically those wires also run along both sides of the cellphone. Circuit 44 can be powered by a power source, typically one or more batteries 46, preferably rechargeable; or alternatively or in combination, the circuit can be powered via the cellphone, which may be facilitated via housing 100. Closure of circuit 44 actuates a micro-processor 48 that activates motors 16a and 16b (or, as will be discussed below, the micro-processor activates only one motor; or alternatively, a solenoid switch).

Reverting to FIG. 1, in some embodiments, motors 16a and 16b are stepper motors.

Operation: When the cellphone, substantially housed in housing 100 of the instant cellphone protector, is held, the user's hand, being conductive, closes circuit 44 (by bridging between wires 40 and 42) of protection-requirement detection mechanism 12. As a result, micro-processor 48 signals motors 16a and 16b to move shutters 14a and 14b to an open position (or maintain the shutter in an open position, e.g. not change the position if already open) so that cellphone screen S can be viewed and the cellphone can be conveniently used. In the embodiment just described, shutters 14a and 14b are wound/unwound in order to move them, in accordance with the above-described cellphone protection mechanism 10; however, in some embodiments, the shutters are pushed and pulled or otherwise moved, for example by one or more biasing elements, as will be discussed below.

If the user drops the cellphone, the user's hand will no longer close the circuit, and micro-processor 48 will cause motors 16a and 16b to close shutters 14a and 14b, thereby helping protect cellphone screen S from impact damage.

Reverting to FIG. 3, in some embodiments the protector alternatively, or further, includes a sensor, typically a distance sensor 50, for sensing when the cellphone is resting on a table, in a user's hand or the like. Sensor 50 acts more or less like circuit 44 in that when the sensor senses the cellphone is adjacent an object (e.g. in the user's hand, on a table and so on) the sensor will close circuit 44 to have micro-processor 48 signal motors 16a and 16b to open shutters 14a and 14b, or else maintain the shutters open.

If the cellphone is dropped or slips from a table or other such surface, sensor 50 detects the increased distance from the object upon which the cellphone rested and sends a signal to micro-processor 48 to operate motors 16a and 16b to close shutters 14a and 14b, thereby protecting screen S.

Cellphone protector can include both circuit 44 and sensor 50; or just the sensor, or just the circuit. For rigorous operation and increased dependability, the cellphone protector typically includes both circuit 44 and sensor 50.

FIGS. 4-6 illustrate another embodiment of the protector of the present invention wherein instead of motors 16a and 16b pushing shutters 14a and 14b to a closed position, the motors pull a single shutter 14 both to the open and closed position. In the configuration shown in FIG. 4, single shutter 14 is opened when the motor on the right, for clarity, motor 16a, is operated to wind the shutter onto shaft 18a of motor 16a; and wherein the other motor 16b, operates in concert to unwind (release) the shutter.

To accomplish the pulling of single shutter 14, the shutter has a pair of shutter pulling strips 52a and 52b, exemplified in FIG. 6. The open area between strips 52a and 52b provide for screen S to be visible while allowing single shutter 14 to be pulled both opened and closed.

FIG. 7 illustrates another embodiment similar to that of FIGS. 4-6; however, in this embodiment, the protector includes a biasing element such as a shutter retraction spring 54 to wind single shutter 14 on shaft 18a rather than second motor 16a. In such case, when circuit 44 and/or distance sensor 50 provide input to micro-processor 48 to indicate the cellphone is in an unsafe position (e.g. has been dropped or thrown—not held or on a surface) motor 16b is operated to close shutter 14 whereby spring 54 is rotationally compressed to store potential energy. When circuit 44 and/or distance sensor 50 provide input to micro-processor 48 to open single shutter 14, motor 16b is “released” and spring 54 rotates shaft 18a to open single shutter 14. It should be understood that the aforementioned operation can be configured to occur in reverse—i.e. spring 54 can close single shutter 14 and motor 16b can open the shutter.

FIG. 8 shows the rear side of the protector and illustrates another, more simplified, embodiment wherein the protection-requirement detection mechanism 12 requires neither circuit 44 nor distance sensor 50. Rather, the need for screen protection is signaled by way of housing 100 and one or more contacts 56 of protection-requirement detection mechanism 12. In this embodiment (at least) housing 100 is moveable such that by way of choice of material, typically a resilient material, or use of pivot points (not shown) or the like, when held, the housing is moved to a position that presses on at least one contact 56 to close a circuit, such as circuit 44 to operate one or more motors, such as motor 16 and/or 16b). In some embodiments, housing 100 can be configured to cover at least a portion of the backside of the cellphone so that the weight of cellphone moves the housing to close the aforementioned circuit.

FIG. 9 illustrates another simplified embodiment wherein there is no motor (i.e. no motor 16a or 16b) rather single shutter 14, or pair of shutters 14a and 14b, which is/are manually wound on shaft 18a and/or 18b (depending on the number of shutters). Instead of motor(s), the protector includes a solenoid 58 with a solenoid pin 60; and a winding wheel 62—as well as a biasing member such as spring 54.

To open shutter 14 (not seen in FIG. 9), winding wheel 62 is manually turned to rotate shaft 18b and move/wind the shutter thereby exposing screen S for use. Winding wheel 62 has teeth 64 corresponding to solenoid pin 60 so that the wheel is held in place after the user winds the wheel. This manual winding biases spring 54 to store potential energy. When the cellphone is in a state wherein protection-requirement detection mechanism 12 determines the protector should operate to protect screen S, micro-processor 48 sends a signal to solenoid 58 to retract its pin 60 thereby releasing wheel 62 whereby spring 54 rapidly returns shutter 14 to a closed position.

It should be understood that the above description is merely exemplary and that there are various embodiments of the present invention that may be devised, mutatis mutandis, and that the features described in the above-described embodiments, and those not described herein, may be used separately or in any suitable combination; and the invention can be devised in accordance with embodiments not necessarily described above.

Claims

1. A cellphone protector for protecting a portable appliance having a screen, the protector comprising:

a cellphone protection mechanism;

a protection-requirement detection mechanism adapted to actuate the cellphone protection mechanism; and

a housing for housing the cellphone protection mechanism and the protection-requirement detection mechanism,

wherein the cellphone protection mechanism comprises: at least one screen protection shutter adapted to cover and uncover the screen and provide protection thereto; and a shutter opening and closure mechanism operably connected to the at least one shutter and adapted to open and close the at least one shutter for respectively uncovering and covering the screen;

and the protection-requirement detection mechanism is adapted to detect whether or not there is an object adjacent the protection-requirement detection mechanism, and adapted to actuate the shutter opening and closure mechanism of the cellphone protection mechanism.

2. The protector according to claim 1, wherein the shutter opening and closure mechanism comprises: a winding wheel; a shutter winding shaft associated with the winding wheel; a solenoid operably connected to the winding wheel; a shutter closure shaft; a shutter retraction spring associated with the shutter closure shaft; and a micro-processor adapted to receive a signal from the detection protection-requirement detection mechanism and operably connected to the solenoid.

3. The protector according to claim 1, wherein the shutter opening and closure mechanism comprises: a shutter opening motor;

a shutter winding shaft associated with the shutter opening motor; a shutter closure shaft; a spring associated with the shutter closure shaft; a micro-processor adapted to receive a signal from the detection protection-requirement detection mechanism and operably connected to the shutter opening motor; and a shutter closure spring associated with shutter closure shaft.

4. The protector according to claim 1, wherein the shutter opening and closure mechanism comprises: a shutter opening motor; a shutter closure motor; shutter winding shaft associated with the shutter opening motor; a shutter closure shaft associated with the shutter closure motor; a micro-processor adapted to receive a signal from the detection protection-requirement detection mechanism and operably connected to the shutter opening motor and the shutter closure motor.

5. The protector according to claim 1, further comprising at least one track for guiding the shutter.

6. The protector according to claim 1, wherein the protection-requirement detection mechanism comprises a circuit including adjacent serpentine wires.

7. The protector according to claim 1, wherein the protection-requirement detection mechanism comprises a distance sensor for detecting the object adjacent the protection-requirement detection mechanism.

8. The protector according to claim 1, wherein the protection-requirement detection mechanism comprises both a circuit and a distance sensor.

9. The protector according to claim 1, wherein the protection-requirement detection mechanism comprises at least one contact and the housing is adapted to be moveable to press on the at least one contact as a result of the protector being held by a user, to close a circuit.

10. The protector according to claim 1, wherein the shutter comprises upper and lower shutter pulling strips defining upper and lower borders of an open area, which substantially corresponds to the screen area.