Inner enclosure with micro shock absorber for a carrying case

Abstract

An improved soft inside enclosure for shock protection of a variety of external electronic and computer peripheral comprises a set of substantially evenly spaced small columns of Micro Shock Absorber (MSA) protrusions that are integrated on the inside surfaces of the soft inside enclosure. Additionally, the base wall of the MSA structure can include a set of micro venting features for the improvement of heat dissipation from the enclosed devices to the ambient. A number of specific candidate materials are also presented for the construction of the soft inside enclosure with the MSA structure. A method for the systematic and experimental determination of a specific design of the MSA structure based on its durometer, thickness, diameter, column height, and pitch are disclosed.

I claim:  
     
         1 . A soft inside enclosure of a carrying case for shock protection of an electronic device in its storage, carrying and operating modes, comprising: 
 a soft top inner enclosure having a soft top base wherein said soft top base comprises further a set of small columns of protrusions made of a first shock absorbing material;    a soft bottom inner enclosure having a soft bottom base and four side walls with a connector access slot located on one of the side walls wherein said soft bottom base further comprises a set of small columns of protrusions made of a second shock absorbing material; and    whereby the soft top inner enclosure and the soft bottom inner enclosure snug fit the enclosed electronic device all around to provide for a desirable shock absorption for the enclosed electronic devices.    
     
     
         2 . The soft inside enclosure according to  claim 1  wherein said set of small columns of protrusions further comprises a set of micro venting features for the improvement of heat dissipation from the enclosed electronic devices to the ambient.  
     
     
         3 . The soft inside enclosure according to  claim 2  wherein said set of micro venting features is selected from the group consisting of a slot, a circle, an ellipse or any other shape suitable for heat dissipation.  
     
     
         4 . The soft inside enclosure according to  claim 1  wherein the first shock absorbing material is selected from the group consisting essentially of soft microcellular urethane, metallically coated soft microcellular urethane and polyurethane.  
     
     
         5 . The soft inside enclosure according to  claim 1  wherein the second shock absorbing material is selected from the group consisting essentially of soft microcellular urethane, metallically coated soft microcellular urethane and polyurethane.  
     
     
         6 . A method of making an soft inside enclosure of a carrying case for an electronic device for providing a customer-specified amount of shock protection to said electronic device in its storage, carrying and operating modes, comprising the steps of: 
 providing a soft top inner enclosure having a soft top base wherein said soft top base comprises further a first set of substantially evenly spaced small columns of Micro Shock Absorber (“MSA”) protrusions made of a shock absorbing material;    providing a soft bottom inner enclosure having a soft bottom base and four side walls with a connector access slot located on one of the side walls wherein said soft bottom base further a second set of substantially evenly spaced small columns of Micro Shock Absorber (“MSA”) protrusions made of a shock absorbing material;    snagging fit the enclosed electronic device by the soft top inner enclosure and the soft bottom inner enclosure to provide for a shock absorption for the enclosed electronic devices;    determining the customer-specified amount of maximum shock protection in terms of a maximum allowable non-damaging drop height of the enclosed device and a hardness of a drop surface of impact;    measuring the size and weight of the enclosed device; and    systematically varying a variety of parameters including durometer, thickness, diameter, column height and pitch of the MSA until one or more combination of said parameters satisfies said maximum allowable non-damaging drop height of the enclosed device upon said drop surface of impact with said specified hardness.    
     
     
         7 . The method of making a soft inside enclosure according to  claim 6  wherein the enclosed device is a typical 2.5 inch hard disk storage device.  
     
     
         8 . The method of making a soft inside enclosure according to  claim 7  wherein the enclosed device is a typical 2.5 inch hard disk storage device.  
     
     
         9 . The method of making a soft inside enclosure according to  claim 8  wherein the maximum allowable non-damaging drop height is 4 feet and the drop surface of impact is a hard concrete surface.  
     
     
         10 . The method of making a soft inside enclosure according to  claim 9  wherein the durometer of the MSA is 30.  
     
     
         11 . The method of making a soft inside enclosure according to  claim 10  wherein the thickness of the MSA is 6.4 mm.  
     
     
         12 . The method of making a soft inside enclosure according to  claim 11  wherein the diameter of the MSA is 7 mm with an acceptable range of 6 mm to 8 mm.  
     
     
         13 . The method of making a soft inside enclosure according to  claim 12  wherein the column height of the MSA is 4 mm with an acceptable range of 4 mm to 5 mm.  
     
     
         14 . The method of making a soft inside enclosure according to  claim 13  wherein the pitch of the MSA is 17 mm.  
     
     
         15 . The method of making a soft inside enclosure according to  claim 6  wherein the first shock absorbing material is selected from the group consisting essentially of soft microcellular urethane, metallically coated soft microcellular urethane and polyurethane.  
     
     
         16 . The method of making a soft inside enclosure according to  claim 6  wherein the second shock absorbing material is selected from the group consisting essentially of soft microcellular urethane, metallically coated soft microcellular urethane and polyurethane.