Flexible impact protective cases and methods of making

Abstract

Disclosed herein are protective cases for sensitive devices, including devices with screen interfaces, which cases provide protection from front, back and edge impacts.

1 . A protective case for a device, comprising:
 a case body comprising a closure; and   at least one protective element disposed on the case body, the at least one protective element comprising a base layer, an intermediate layer of a rate dependent material, and a surface layer;   wherein the rate dependent material is encapsulated by the base layer and the surface layer.   
     
     
         2 . The protective case of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one protective element is disposed on one or more surfaces selected from the group consisting of an external surface of the case body, an internal surface of the case body, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         3 . The protective case of  claim 1 , wherein the case body comprises a base, a sidewall extending upwardly from the base, and at least one sidewall protective element disposed against the sidewall. 
     
     
         4 . The protective case of  claim 1 , wherein the case body comprises four corners, and further comprising a corner protective element disposed in the at least one corner. 
     
     
         5 . The protective case of  claim 3 , wherein the case body comprises a base, and further comprising a protective element disposed in the base. 
     
     
         6 . The protective case of  claim 4 , wherein the case body comprises a base, and further comprising a protective element disposed in the base. 
     
     
         7 . The protective case of  claim 1 , wherein the protective element comprises a flange, and wherein the rate dependent material in the flange is encapsulated by the base layer and the outer layer. 
     
     
         8 . The protective case of  claim 1 , wherein the protective element comprises a flange, the flange is spaced apart from the protective element by a channel, and the channel comprises the base layer and the outer layer, and the base layer and the outer layer in the channel are bonded together. 
     
     
         9 . The protective case of  claim 10 , wherein a portion of the rate dependent foam is disposed between the bonded base and outer layers in the channel. 
     
     
         10 . The protective case of  claim 1 , wherein the surface layer is continuously bonded to the rate dependent material. 
     
     
         11 . The protective case of  claim 1 , wherein the base layer is continuously bonded to the rate dependent material. 
     
     
         12 . The protective case of  claim 1 , wherein the surface layer and the base layer are both continuously bonded to the rate dependent material. 
     
     
         13 . The protective case of  claim 1 , wherein one or more channels are defined in the protective element. 
     
     
         14 . The protective case of  claim 1 , wherein one or more grooves are defined in the protective element. 
     
     
         15 . The protective case of  claim 1 , wherein the rate dependent material comprises a rate dependent foam. 
     
     
         16 . The protective case of  claim 1 , wherein the rate dependent material comprises a rate dependent polyurethane. 
     
     
         17 . The protective case of  claim 1 , wherein the rate dependent material comprises a polyurethane foam. 
     
     
         18 . The protective case of  claim 1 , wherein each of the base layer and the surface layer are selected from the group consisting of film, fabric composites thereof, and combinations of the foregoing. 
     
     
         19 . The protective case of  claim 6 , wherein the film is a thermoplastic elastomer. 
     
     
         20 . The protective case of  claim 18 , wherein the thermoplastic elastomer is a thermoplastic polyurethane. 
     
     
         21 . The protective case of  claim 19 , wherein the thermoplastic polyurethane is selected from aliphatic or aromatic polyether polyurethane, aliphatic or aromatic polyester polyurethane, and combinations of the foregoing. 
     
     
         22 . The protective case of  claim 18 , wherein the film has a thickness ranging from about 1 milli-inch (“mil”) to about 15 mils. 
     
     
         23 . The protective case of  claim 18 , wherein the film has a thickness ranging from about 2 mils to about 10 mils 
     
     
         24 . The protective case of  claim 18 , wherein the film has a thickness ranging from about 3 mils to about 7 mils. 
     
     
         25 . The protective case of  claim 18 , wherein the film has a thickness of greater than about 10 mils to about 60 mils. 
     
     
         26 . The protective case of  claim 1 , wherein the case body comprises a woven nylon fabric or composite thereof. 
     
     
         27 . The protective case of  claim 1 , wherein the case body comprises an extensible material. 
     
     
         28 . The protective case of  claim 9 , wherein the extensible material comprises elastane. 
     
     
         29 . The protective case of  claim 10 , wherein, when the case body is disposed on an item comprising an outer surface, and the case body conforms to the outer surface of the item. 
     
     
         30 . A protective case for a device, comprising:
 a case body comprising a closure, the case body comprising an extensible material comprising elastane; and   at least one protective element disposed on the case body, the at least one protective element comprising a base layer, an intermediate layer of a rate dependent polyurethane foam, and a surface film of polyester polyurethane;   wherein the protective element comprises a flange spaced apart from the protective element by a channel.   
     
     
         31 . The protective case of  claim 30 , wherein the base layer and the outer layer in the channel are bonded together. 
     
     
         32 . The protective case of  claim 30 , wherein the base layer and the outer layer in the channel are continuously bonded together. 
     
     
         33 . The protective case of  claim 30 , wherein the rate dependent rate dependent polyurethane foam is encapsulated by the base layer and the surface layer. 
     
     
         34 . The protective case of  claim 32 , wherein the base layer and the outer layer in the channel are continuously bonded together. 
     
     
         35 . The protective case of  claim 30 , wherein the base layer comprise an extensible material comprising elastane. 
     
     
         36 . A protective case for a device, comprising:
 a case body comprising a closure, the case body comprising an extensible material layer comprising elastane; and   at least one protective element disposed on the case body, the at least one protective element comprising a cushioning region disposed between a surface layer of polyester polyurethane and the extensible material layer;   wherein the protective element comprises a channel, and the extensible layer and the surface layer in the channel are bonded together.   
     
     
         36 . The protective case of  claim 35 , further comprising a flange, and wherein the flange is spaced apart from the cushioning region by the channel. 
     
     
         37 . The protective case of  claim 35 , wherein the extensible material and the surface layer in the channel are continuously bonded together. 
     
     
         38 . The protective case of  claim 35 , wherein the rate dependent polyurethane foam is encapsulated by the extensible layer and the surface layer.