Patent Application
20190053590
The present invention relates generally to the field of protective and ornamental cases for handheld electronic devices, and more particularly to a case incorporating a temperature-responsive thermochromic panel.
Cases are commonly utilized in connection with smartphones, tablet computers, and other electronic devices, to protect the electronic device from damage and/or for ornamentation and style. Continuing improvements in the field are sought. It is to the provision of cases for electronic devices meeting these and other needs that the present invention is primarily directed.
In example embodiments, the present invention provides a case for an electronic device according to an example embodiment of the invention. The case defines a space or housing for receiving an electronic device such as a smartphone or tablet computer. At least a portion of the case is formed from a thermochromatic material. As used herein, the term thermochromic refers to a material that changes color in response to a change in temperature of the material and/or a temperature of an object contacting the material.
In one aspect, the present invention relates to an electronic device case including a temperature-responsive thermochromic material configured to change color when contacted with an object exhibiting a temperature above room temperature.
In another aspect, the invention relates to an electronic device case including an inner shell comprising a resilient impact absorbing inner bumper, a protective hard outer shell, a soft padding layer on an exterior surface of the outer shell, and a temperature-responsive thermochromic panel applied over the padding layer.
These and other aspects, features and advantages of the invention will be understood with reference to the drawing figures and detailed description herein, and will be realized by means of the various elements and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims. It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following brief description of the drawings and detailed description of example embodiments are explanatory of example embodiments of the invention, and are not restrictive of the invention, as claimed.
The present invention may be understood more readily by reference to the following detailed description of example embodiments taken in connection with the accompanying drawing figures, which form a part of this disclosure. It is to be understood that this invention is not limited to the specific devices, methods, conditions or parameters described and/or shown herein, and that the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments by way of example only and is not intended to be limiting of the claimed invention. Any and all patents and other publications identified in this specification are incorporated by reference as though fully set forth herein.
Also, as used in the specification including the appended claims, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” include the plural, and reference to a particular numerical value includes at least that particular value, unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. Ranges may be expressed herein as from “about” or “approximately” one particular value and/or to “about” or “approximately” another particular value. When such a range is expressed, another embodiment includes from the one particular value and/or to the other particular value. Similarly, when values are expressed as approximations, by use of the antecedent “about,” it will be understood that the particular value forms another embodiment.
With reference now to the drawing figures, wherein like reference numbers represent corresponding parts throughout the several views,
In example embodiments, the case 10 generally comprises a soft inner bumper 50, for example, formed from a flexible thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU), configured to be engaged within a hard outer shell 30 for example formed of polycarbonate (PC), as best seen in
In example embodiments, the thermochromic material can be positioned on the back side of the hard outer shell 30. In example embodiments, the case 10 comprises a thermochromic panel 20 applied to the outer shell 30, for example along at least a portion of the back of the shell and in a position that is externally visible with an electronic device housed in the case, as best seen in
In example embodiments, the thermochromic panel 20 comprises a thermochromic liquid crystal sheet or panel material. The thermochromic sheet 20 can be formed from a polyethylene terephthalate (PET) sheet, panel or film having one or more thermochromic ink, paint or pigment materials applied thereon, such as for example comprising microencapsulated thermochromic liquid crystals or leuco dyes. In example embodiments, the thermochromic panel 20 comprises one or more color-changing, temperature-responsive inks. The inks may be applied to a film or substrate, and provide for the varying colors displayed by the thermochromic panel 20. The thermochromic material can also be formed from polymers having an embedded thermochromic additive. In example embodiments, the thermochromic panel 20 may be die cut or otherwise manufactured, having a size and shape configured to correspond to a panel, recess, surface or other portion of the outer shell 30 to which the thermochromic panel is to be applied.
In example embodiments, the thermochromic panel 20 changes color when contacted by an object that has a higher or lower temperature than the thermochromic panel 20. In example embodiments, only areas of the thermochromic panel 20 directly contacted by the object and/or adjacent to the object change color, while other areas of the thermochromic panel 20 remain unaffected, as shown in
In example embodiments, the thermochromic panel 20 passes through a series or range of different colors in response to different temperatures, for example where each temperature in the range corresponds to a slight variation in color. In example embodiments, the series of colors comprises colors in the visible spectrum including, for example, red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and violet.
In example embodiments, a temperature-sensitive ink mixture turns from colorless (e.g., black against a black background) or a base color to red at a given lower temperature and, as the temperature increases, passes through the range of other colors of the visible spectrum in sequence before turning colorless (e.g., black) again at a higher temperature. Further in example embodiments, upon heating, the thermochromic panel may first display a red color and proceed upon heating to display colors of the visible spectrum associated with decreasing wavelengths and increasing frequencies (e.g., red, orange, yellow, green, blue, violet) before turning colorless again at higher temperatures. In example embodiments, under ideal room temperature conditions, the thermochromic panel 20 can display color-changing properties over the range of about 74° F. to about 95° F. In this embodiment, the thermochromic panel 20 can appear black or colorless (or another base color) at or below 68° F. or at or above 108° F. In other embodiments, the thermochromic material can display color-changing properties over a different temperature range, including a larger or smaller temperature range.
In particular embodiments, the thermochromic panel 120 comprises three inks with slightly different but overlapping ranges of temperature responsiveness. Further in this embodiment, at any given temperature in the temperature range, the three inks can exhibit the same or different colors, as shown in
In other embodiments, the thermochromic properties of the panel result from a combination of inks that exhibit color-changing behavior over different, but overlapping, temperature ranges. For example, the thermochromic panel 20 can comprise a double-event or triple-event thermochromic sheet having two or three (or more) thermochromic inks of different color and/or temperature response characteristics applied thereon. This combination can produce a mix of colors at room temperature, with a non-black base color, for example, a blue or violet base color at room temperature.
In further embodiments, at their lowest active temperatures, the inks begin as colorless inks with a black background for a short temperature duration, followed by a transition to red and further progress through the colors of the visible spectrum in order of decreasing wavelength, ending at violet before becoming colorless again. In one embodiment, the first ink has a thermal range of from about 68° F. to about 97° F., the second ink has a thermal range of from about 74° F. to about 103° F., and the third ink has a thermal range of from about 80° F. to about 108° F. Thus, for example, at about 77° F., the first ink can be blue, the second ink can be green, and the third ink can be colorless, resulting in a bluish-green appearance for the thermochromic panel. In another aspect, at about 80° F., the third ink can begin to take on a red color, while the first and second inks appear blue, resulting in a reddish-violet appearance to the thermochromic panel. In still another aspect, at about 95° F., the first ink may appear violet, while the second and third inks appear blue, resulting in a blue-violet appearance to the thermochromic panel. In an alternative aspect, at about 69° F., the second and third inks appear colorless, while the first ink appears to be a reddish-orange color. In further embodiments, two or more thermochromic panels may be applied to the case, for example having different base colors and/or differing color-change/temperature responsiveness, to provide further varying color effects. The multiple thermochromic panels can be layered on top of one another to produce a mix of colors.
In additional embodiments, the case optionally further comprises a thermally conductive and generally transparent protective film over the thermochromic panel 20 that serves to protect the panel from scratches, dirt, and other factors that would be detrimental to the performance of the thermochromic panel 20.
In use, the user installs the case onto a mobile phone, tablet computer, or other handheld electronic device in typical fashion. Then as the user touches the case during use and handling of the electronic device, the thermochromic panel 20 will change colors due to body heat from the user and/or changes in ambient temperatures. In this manner, the external appearance of the case will present different patterns of two or more colors, shades or intensity over time.
While the invention has been described with reference to example embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that a variety of modifications, additions, and deletions are within the scope of the invention, as defined by the following claims.
This application is related to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 62/546,059 filed Aug. 16, 2017, the entirety of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference for all purposes.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 62546059 | Aug 2017 | US |
