Flexible impact protective cases, methods of making and methods of using

Abstract

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

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A protective case for a device, comprising:
 a flexible structural panel comprising a panel interior surface and a panel exterior surface, one of the structural panel interior and exterior surfaces comprising an extensible material, and one of the structural panel interior and exterior surfaces comprising a non-extensible material;   at least one flexible retaining device disposed on the panel interior surface, the at least one flexible retaining device comprising a layer of a rate dependent material disposed between an extensible inner material layer and an non-extensible outer material layer; and   a cover defining an inner cover surface, an outer cover surface, and opposing first and second cover edges, the cover being interconnected to the structural panel at the first edge.   
     
     
         2 . The protective case of  claim 1 , further comprising a logo disposed on one or both of the inner cover surface and the outer cover surface. 
     
     
         3 . The protective case of  claim 1 , wherein the cover comprises an extensible material. 
     
     
         4 . The protective case of  claim 3 , wherein the structural panel and the cover are connected at the second edge to define a compression sleeve. 
     
     
         5 . The protective case of  claim 1 , wherein the cover comprises at least one flexible protective element disposed on one or both of the inner cover surface and the outer cover surface, the at least one protective element comprising a layer of a rate dependent material disposed between two opposing layers. 
     
     
         6 . The protective case of  claim 5 , wherein the at least one protective element comprises a logo. 
     
     
         7 . The protective case of  claim 1 , wherein the cover is releasably connected to the structural panel at the first cover edge by a releasable fastener. 
     
     
         8 . The protective case of  claim 7 , wherein the releasable fastener is selected from the group consisting of a buckle, a clip, a hook and loop tape, a zipper, a plastic zipper, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         9 . The protective case of  claim 7 , further comprising a strap disposed between the structural panel and the releasable fastener. 
     
     
         10 . The protective case of  claim 9 , wherein the strap is an extensible material. 
     
     
         11 . The protective case of  claim 1 , wherein the cover comprises an inner cover material layer comprising the inner cover surface, and an outer cover material layer comprising the outer cover surface, at least one protective element disposed on one or both of the inner cover surface and the outer cover surface, the at least one protective element comprising a layer of a rate dependent material disposed between two opposing layers. 
     
     
         12 . The protective case of  claim 11 , wherein the at least one protective element comprises a logo. 
     
     
         13 . The protective case of  claim 11 , further comprising a logo disposed on one or both of the inner cover surface and the outer cover surface. 
     
     
         14 . The protective case of  claim 11 , wherein the inner cover material layer and the outer cover material layer of the cover define at least one pocket. 
     
     
         15 . The protective case of  claim 14 , further comprising a rigid panel disposed in the at least one pocket. 
     
     
         16 . The protective case of  claim 11 , wherein the cover comprises at least two parallel fold lines, wherein the cover is capable of being folded along the fold lines to form an easel configuration. 
     
     
         17 . The protective case of  claim 16 , wherein the fold lines define at least three pockets, and further comprising a rigid panel disposed in each of the three pockets. 
     
     
         18 . The protective case of  claim 17 , wherein the at least one protective element extends from an upper edge of the cover to a lower edge of the cover. 
     
     
         19 . The protective case of  claim 18 , wherein the at least one protective element is parallel and disposed between at least two of the fold lines. 
     
     
         20 . The protective case of  claims 11 , wherein both of the inner and outer cover material layers is an extensible material. 
     
     
         21 . The protective case of  claims 11 , wherein both of the inner and outer cover material layers is a non-extensible material. 
     
     
         22 . The protective case of  claims 11 , wherein one of the inner and outer cover material layers is an extensible material, and one of the inner and outer cover material layers is a non-extensible material. 
     
     
         23 . The protective case of  claims 20 , further comprising a layer of a rate dependent material disposed between the inner and outer cover material layers. 
     
     
         24 . The protective case of  claim 1 , wherein the structural panel and the cover each comprise a length and a width, and the width of the cover is greater than the width of the structural panel, and the cover extends over at least a portion of the panel exterior surface.