GB2512860A

GB2512860A - Electronic device holder

Info

Publication number: GB2512860A
Application number: GB201306398A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Steve Brown
Original assignee: ZEN EUROP Ltd
Current assignee: ZEN EUROP Ltd
Priority date: 2013-04-09
Filing date: 2013-04-09
Publication date: 2014-10-15
Also published as: GB201306398D0

Abstract

The invention concerns a case 10 for a plurality of portable electronic tablet devices. The case comprising a generally rigid, three-dimensional cellular material support structure 12 shaped to provide a plurality of cells for storing the tablets. The support structure is self supporting in use and is surrounded by a sheet material membrane 32 on which one or more handle 34 is provided. The cellular material can comprise of a foam having density in the range of 15kg/m3 to 60kg/m3. The support structure may be devoid of any further support members and may comprise a monolithic foam block. The sheet material membrane may be detachable from the support structure and it may comprise of a lid that is detachably fastened to the membrane. The interior walls of the support structure can also comprise of apertures (42, 44 fig. 2) suitable for receiving charging or syncing cables and the case may be provided with an electronic charging/synchronising device (fig. 4).

Description

Title -Electronic Device Holder The present invention relates to apparatus for the storage and transportation of portable electronic devices, and more particularly, although not exclusively, to the storage and transportation of tablet computing devices.

Tablet computing devices provide many of the same functions as a laptop or desktop PC, yet also provide the additional benefits of being typically lighter and more readily portable. Such tablets are becoming increasingly popular, due at least in part to intuitive user interfaces and the significant variety of software applications that are available to download and install by the end user to cater for all manner of desired functionality.

The above benefits have lead to the consideration of tablets within the education sector as a way of providing alternative methods of learning for students. Tablets are particularly suited for this usage due to their relatively small physical dimensions in combination with their connectivity to the internet, and the customisable, interactive learning environment provided by a touch screen.

Accordingly, tablet computers have the potential to displace a proportion of conventional desktop PC-based learning which requires a classroom to be set up with bespoke, more-permanent Information and Communications Technology (ICT) teaching equipment. In contrast, tablet computers can allow wider access to relevant media and software teaching tools in a less formal setting.

The potential influx of tablets into the education system is not, however, without problems. In order to effectively utilise tablets, many teachers are now faced with the disadvantage of having frequently to carry multiple tablets at a time, plus any accessories that they may need such as chargers and connection cables. There also exists the additional problem of how to store tablets in a convenient manner so as not to prevent the ease of access required to make best use to their portable nature. Furthermore there is a need to prevent the tablets from sustaining damage when they are being transported and/or stored so as to ensure the desired lifetime of the tablets is achieved.

In the field of computer equipment and accessories, it is known to store valuable or sensitive objects in hard, lockable flight cases having a plastic or metal outer wall structure to prevent physical damage to the objects within. These cases however tend to be large and unwieldy and therefore difficult for a single person to carry alone. Flight cases also tend to be relatively heavy, particularly when full and may thus pose a health risk to anyone attempting to lift one on their own. In this regard, it is noted that an empty flight case may typically weigh significantly more than the weight of its intended contents. Whilst some such cases are provided with castors due to their weight and size, such a solution does not facilitate transport across uneven surfaces, up or down stairs, etc. It is also known to provide soft padded bags for individual items such as a single laptop. The padding can provide a degree of impact protection for everyday handling, however such bags tend to sacrifice the level of protection provided by a rigid flight case in order to maintain the desired portability and ergonomics. The size and flexibility of such textile bags also generally prohibits them from being used to carry more than one device of the same kind. An example of such a bag is disclosed in CN201099455.

Furthermore the storage of conventional bags of this kind on shelves, racks or similar arrangements is not convenient or space efficient for multiple devices.

It is an aim of the present invention to provide a case for which one or more of the above problems is at least partially mitigated.

According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a case for a plurality of portable electronic tablet devices, the case comprising a generally rigid, three-dimensional cellular material support structure shaped to provide (i) a plurality of upstanding side walls such that the outer periphery of the support structure is generally polygonal in plan and (ii) a plurality of slots contained within said outer periphery, wherein said support structure is self supporting in use and is surrounded by a sheet material membrane on which one or more strap is provided.

The support structure may be devoid of any further support members. That is to say, the support structure may be entirely formed of one or more cellular material.

The cellular material may be a foam. The support structure may be of a monolithic nature. The support structure may alternatively comprise a plurality of sections which are joined together such that they approximate a monolithic structure. One such section may be a base, which may be planar. The sections may be held together by an adhesive. Whether formed of a plurality of sections or a single piece, the support structure may take the form of a single block of predetermined shape.

The invention is beneficial in that the foam support, in contrast to conventional padding that is provided in panels held on a rigid support structure, can fulfil both functions of impact protection as well as defining a rigid structure for supporting the contents in use. This provides a particularly lightweight protective structure in which the contents can be carried or otherwise transported. Furthermore the predefined shape of the foam structure allows space efficient storage/stacking on shelving or floor space.

The support structure may be quadrilateral, e.g. rectangular, in plan.

The support structure may comprise an internal wall which divides the interior of the support structure into two portions. A first portion (i.e. to one side of the dividing wall) may comprise the slots. A second portion (i.e. to the other side of the dividing wall) may comprise a recess for receiving one or more accessories.

The dividing wall may span the entire width of the interior of the support structure.

The dividing wall may extend between opposing side walls of the support structure, for example at right angles thereto. The dividing wall may span substantially the entire interior depth of the support structure. The dividing wall may contact a base of the support structure.

A dividing wall of the type described above is particularly beneficial in improving the rigidity of the support structure such that is can retain its shape when fully laden.

The support structure may comprise a plurality of further, or internal, walls. The internal walls may define the slots and/or one or more internal compartments in the support structure. A plurality of substantially parallel walls may define the slots.

Those walls may be continuous for the length of the slot. That is to say the internal walls defining the slots may be of substantially constant cross sectional area along the length of the slot or else may not comprise gross discontinuities therein.

The internal walls defining the slots may be parallel to a first side wall of the support structure. Additionally or alternatively those walls may be perpendicular to a second side wall of the support structure.

The slots may generally conform to the shape of an electronic tablet. The slots may be generally rectangular in plan. The slots may further provide extra securing structures to hold a portable electronic tablet device in place.

The support structure may comprise a plurality of internal walls which define an internal compartment used for providing an integrated charging/synchronising electronic device. The internal compartment may be shaped to substantially conform to the shape of the integrated charging/synchronising electronic device.

The internal compartment may be provided with further structures for securing the integrated charging/synchronising electronic device.

The internal compartment may alternatively be used for providing a power supply.

The internal compartment may be shaped to substantially conform to the shape of a power supply device. The internal compartment may be provided with further structures for securing the power supply device.

The support structure may comprise a plurality of internal compartments which are capable of housing either an integrated charging/synchronising electronic device or a power supply.

The membrane material may closely fit the perimeter of the support structure. The membrane material may be flexible. The membrane material may be a textile material. The membrane material may provide a bag about the support structure.

The membrane material may be liquid-impervious.

A pair of handles may be provided, for example on opposing sides of the support structure.

The membrane material may be open or openable to expose the slots in the support structure. The membrane may have a closure, such as a lid, which may be detachably or hingedly mounted to the membrane material. A detachable membrane has the advantage of providing ventilation to the case. The closure and/or membrane may have one or more fastener to allow the closure to be selectively fastened in a closed condition. The fastener may comprise a zip (e.g. extending about at least a portion of the periphery of the support structure), a popper, Velcro, a clip, a clasp or other releasable fastener.

The support structure may further be shaped so as to provide storage space for portable electronic device accessories. The accessories may include, but are not limited to: USB cables; charging cables; headphones; and power cables.

The support structure may be provided with an internal formation which functions as a cable tidy. The formation may take the form of one or more receiving slits, channels or other openings in an internal wall of the support structure. The formation may be placed on an internal wall of the support structure, for example which divides the slots from a further internal compartment. The formation may be provided in the dividing wall. Each slot may have a corresponding formation in the dividing wall, which may be located at an end of the slot.

The foam may have a density in the range of 1 5kg/m3 to 6Okg/m3.

Fig 1 shows an exploded, three-dimensional view of a case assembly according to an example of the invention; Fig 2 shows a plan view of the support structure of Fig. 1; Fig 3 shows a sectional view of the support structure of Fig. 1 at interface 30; and, Fig 4 shows a three-dimensional view of a connection module for location within a case according to the invention.

With reference to Figures 1 to 3, there is shown a case 10 for a plurality of portable electronic tablet devices, the case comprising a generally rigid three-dimensional cellular material support structure 12. The support structure 12 is shaped to define a plurality of upstanding side walls 14, such that the outer periphery of the support structure 12 is generally rectangular in plan. The support structure 12 has a planar base 16 from which the upstanding walls 14 depend so as to define an interior 18 that is generally cuboid in shape. Thus the interior of the support structure 12 is bounded on five sides and is open across one surface, which is generally upwardly facing in use.

The support structure 12 is further shaped to define a plurality of internal walls 20 extending into the interior space 18 of the support structure. The internal walls 20 comprise the same material as, and are integral with, the side wallsl4. The internal walls depend inwardly from the side walls at an angle, typically approximately 90°, so as to define a T-shaped juncton or intersection therewith. A plurality of internal walls 20 are provided as will be described in further detail with respect to Figs. 2 and 3. The walls define a plurality of slots 22 within the case interior 18 for receiving electronic devices such as tablet computers.

The support structure 12 is self-supporting in use and, in this example, is formed of a foam material, such as a polymer foam. The foam material typically has a density in the range of 15 to 60 kg/rn3 and preferably in the range 30 to 55 kg/rn3.

Additionally or alternatively, the foam rnay have a hardness of between 30 and 90 on the Shore 00 scale. The Shore 00 hardness may be between 40 and 80.

The properties of the foarn define a rigid, self supporting foam, unlike soft open cell foams, which typically collapse upon application of a force in the region of 10 N or less. However the foam used for the construction of the support structure 12 is compliant in that it can deform slightly in cornpression under normal handling forces and tend to recover by at least a portion of said compression over tirne.

Thus the foarn is resiliently deformable but not elastic. The foam may achieve 10% compression at somewhere in the range of 50-150 kPa (e.g. 60-90 kPa) and/or rnay have a tensile strength in the range 400-800 kPa (e.g. 500 to 600 or 700 kPa).

In one example the foam rnay achieve greater than 150% tensile elongation.

The average cell size/diarneter for the foam rnay be in the region 0.2-0.6 mm, e.g. approximately 0.4 or 0.5 mm.

Any or any cornbination of the above material properties may contribute to a definition of the invention since such properties allow the support structure to provide a degree of impact protection for the tablets contained therein, whilst also avoiding impact with the screens that could cause scratches or the like, as well as rernaining sufficiently lightweight to be readily lifted by a single person (e.g. in one hand). These properties are achieved in a forrn factor that does not result in a case that is awkward or bulky to carry.

In the present example of the invention, a low density polyethylene foam has been selected, having a density in the range 40-50 kg/rn3 (approxirnately 45 kg/rn3) and a Shore 00 hardness of 50-70 (approximately 60).

The foam properties also allow machining/cutting of the foam to form the desired wall structure. That is to say the foam allows relatively uniform and straight edges to be cut, offering a good surface finish in the final product without the need for further processing. In this way the internal wall arrangement of the support structure can be machined from a uniform foam block.

In the present example, the support structure 12 is formed of a plurality of sections, comprising base 16, mid section 24, and upper section 26, which are joined together such that they approximate a monolithic structure. In this embodiment, the sections are joined together by adhesive applied at the relevant interfaces, as depicted by join lines 28 and 30 in Fig. 1. In this construction, the base 16 is generally planar. The depth of the base may be, for example, between and 20mm. The middle 24 and upper 26 sections are stacked one atop the other on the base such that their walls 14 are aligned to form common outer walls of the support structure. The middle and upper sections may be substantially identical or may have differing geometry as will be described below. In an alternative embodiment the entirety of the support structure may be formed from a single block or body of foam or else the middle and upper sections may be formed from a single foam body and attached to the base.

The support structure 12 comprises an internal wall 20A (see Fig. 2) which divides the interior of the support structure 12 into two parts. The support structure further 12 comprises a plurality of internal walls 20B which, in combination with internal wall 30, define a plurality of slots 18. Each of the internal walls 32 is regularly spaced, such that each of the plurality of slots 18 has the same dimensions. Each of the internal walls 20B are rectangular in plan, and are substantially parallel to each other. Thus each of the plurality of slots 18 is shaped to receive a portable electronic tablet device.

The support structure 12 is inserted within a flexible membrane 32, which in this example takes the form of a carrier of dimensions such that the membrane closely fits around the outer walls 14 of the support structure 12. The membrane thus has a base and four upstanding side walls so as to define a flexible open bag that is generally rectangular in plan. In other examples, the membrane may be adhered to the walls 14 and/or base 16 such that it is permanently attached to the support structure. However in the example of Fig. 1, the support structure is removable from membrane 32. This allows the support structure to act as a standalone storage means for tablets, for example which can be placed on shelving or floor space.

The membrane is formed of a textile material, such as a woven material. A polymer textile or other conventional textile, sheet material or coating may be used to provide moisture resistant properties. It will be appreciated that there are a significant number of material options which provide a suitable membrane. In some examples, the membrane may be breathable and/or may offer a degree of puncture resistance.

A handle formation in the form of one or more strap 34 is provided on opposing sides of the membrane. The strap 34 may be stitched or otherwise attached to the membrane in a conventional manner. The strap 34 may be formed of a conventional webbing/textile material.

The straps on opposing sides of the membrane meet above the membrane, wherein a grip formation 36 may be provided. The grip 36 may be releasably fastenable to collect the handles or may be omitted in other examples.

A lid member 37 is provided to selectively cover the opening 40 of the membrane carrier and/or the open interior of the support structure 12. The lid 37 is preferably formed of the same material as the membrane 32. The lid may take the form of a shallow tray which is selectively positionable over the upper edge of the membrane. The membrane and lid may be provided with one or more corresponding releasable fastener formations, such as poppers, VELCRO (RTM), buttons, magnets, zips or the like to allow the lid to be resiliently held in place, whilst also allowing simple access. Although not shown in Fig. 1, the lid 37 preferably has lobed side wall portions in the form of ears having the fastener formations thereon.

The lid is completely removable from the membrane 32 in this embodiment but may otherwise be permanently attached to, or integrally formed with, the membrane along an edge thereof. Thus the lid may take the form of a closure that can be opened and closed over the support structure as required.

Furthermore the lid 37 may be formed as a simple membrane layer or else may be provided as a three-dimensional body having a depth of material therein. For example, the lid may have an internal space filled with foam, padding or other soft material to provide some impact protection. The depth of the protective material may be, for example, 50 mm or less such that the lid is still substantially tray-like in form.

Turning to Figs. 2 and 3, there are shown respective plan views of the upper26 and mid 24 sections of the support structure 12. The internal walls 20 of the support structure comprise a dividing wall, which runs the full width of the support structure, thereby dividing the interior of the support structure into two opposing compartments. In this example the dividing wall splits the interior into uneven spaces, the larger compartment being for receiving tablet computers and the smaller space being for receiving accessories.

A plurality of intervening walls are arranged in parallel and extend from side wall 14A to the dividing wall 20A. The space between adjacent intervening walls provides a slot 38 for receiving a tablet computer 40 or other similarly shaped electronic device (i.e. having a screen or other generally planar user interface and one or more processors). A series of parallel slots are thus provided. In this example, eight such slots are provided in the support structure although it is envisaged that in other embodiments, anywhere between four and twelve such slots may be provided in a single support structure. Such examples may comprise six, ten or twelve slots.

The slots 38 are larger than the profile of the device 40 to be received therein, particularly in a width dimension, to allow airflow around the device when inserted.

This allows a degree of convective cooling as necessary, particularly when the lid 38 is removed. The slots may be for example in the order of 10mm larger than the width of a tablet 40. This also allows multiple different types of tablet to be accommodated.

The internal wall 20A comprises a series of channels 42, which are intended to function as cable tidy formation. The channels 42 extend from an upper end of the dividing wall 20A part way towards the base 16. The channels terminate at a ledge formation 43, shown in Fig. 3, and are accordingly not present in the mid section 24. The ledge formation 44 takes the form of a recess in the wall, which may be generally rectangular in shape, so as to allow the cables to run through the entire length of the channels.

Narrow openings 44 provide an entrance to each channel 42 such that the cable can be pushed through the opening 44 into the wider channel 42 within the dividing wall to thereby retain the cable in the channel in use. Each opening 44 is elongate in form, typically running the entire length of the channel, so as to provide a slit. Such slits typically have a width dimension that is less than the diameter of a conventional cable, such as 6 mm or less. Such slits allow access to the channel from the side such that the cables do not need to be fed longitudinally from the end into each respective channel.

A cable tidy channel 42 is provided adjacent each slot 38 so as to allow a simple cable management arrangement for all the devices stored in the case.

The walls 20A and 20B may be anywhere between 10 and 30 mm as required to increase the structural rigidity of the support structure 12.

The support structure 12 further comprises a compartment 46 defined between the dividing wall 20A and the side wall 1 4B. The compartment 46 is intended to hold portable electronic tablet device accessories. In this example further compartment walls 48 are provided, depending from outer wall 1 4B, in order to divide up the compartment space.

One compartment space is shaped to receive a connector module 50 of the kind shown in Fig. 4. The connector module may be loosely or tightly fitted in the case or otherwise fastened inside the case. Another compartment space is shaped to receive an electric power supply device, such as a transformer 51, typically having a connector formation 53. A final compartment 56 is arranged to receive further accessories, such as cables, adapters, plugs or the like.

Also visible in Fig. 3 are a plurality of partial walls or webs 49 which depend from compartment walls 48 and contact an adjacent portion of dividing wall 20A or side wall 14. Such webs 49 are low walls, typically being of height less than half that of the depth of the support structure, so as to provide further structural reinforcement of the case. Such partial walls may be considered to provide an internal ledge, akin to, or including, ledge 43 shown in Fig. 3.

The connector module 50 shown in Fig. 4 comprises an outer housing 52, within which is mounted charging and/or synchronising circuitry, typically mounted on a common circuit board (not shown). The module has a power supply connector port 54 and a plurality of data connection ports 56. The module further has a plurality of ports 58 for connection to the tablets stored in the case 10. The number of ports 58 thus matches or exceeds the number of slots in the support structure.

Any or any combination of ports 56 or 58 may be USB ports. The tablet connection ports 58 thus allow both a data and power connection to be established with each tablet. The circuitry is programmed to recognise connection with known makes/models of tablet computers such that a bespoke power supply is provided to accommodate the desired rate of charge of the identified device. The circuitry may monitor the level of charge on each connected device and control and/or shut off power supply in response thereto.

The housing 52 may be metallic so as to act as a heat sink for the circuitry therein and/or may have a plurality of cooling holes 60 therein.

In use, the tablet computers 40 are inserted into slots 22 with their power/data connectors facing upwardly. Cable connections can be established with the ports 58 of the connection module so that each stored tablet is connected thereto. A cable may be connected from upwardly facing power supply transformer 51 to port 54 on the module 52. Thus tablets can be stored and charged by a single, common power supply in use. Furthermore software updates can also be commonly applied via module 50 by connecting a relevant supervising or host device (such as a PC, tablet, or other suitably programmable device) to one of the data ports 56. In this way, all software on the tablets can be synchronised by way of a single data connection to the module within the case.

The further data ports 56 allow further connection modules 50 in further cases to be connected up in a daisy chain arrangement. Thus at least one port 56 may serve as a data in port and one further port may serve as a data out port. Such ports may be USB ports or similar. In this manner tablets in multiple cases can all be synchronise from a single host device at the same time.

The lid may be removed/opened to allow power or data connections to be established and for insertion/removal of the tablets from the case. The lid can be applied for transport of the case.

The case as described above provides a particularly convenient and space efficient storage and transport solution for tablet computers or other electronic devices, such as laptops, web books as well as other slate-like devices.

In various other embodiments, it is possible to provide a support structure which omits the internal dividing wall 20A. Accordingly, the entire internal space of such an embodiment may comprise slots 38. In such an embodiment, the end user may keep a charging and/or synchronising device at a convenient location, for example on shelving or other storage, and may transport the case without such peripherals.

Cable tidy features of the type described above may be provided in an outer wall 14 in such an embodiment if desired.

Additionally or alternatively, the support structure may be provided with a shelf formation beneath base 16. A further base may be provided beneath base 16 and typically spaced therefrom by a plurality of side walls. Such a shelf may be bounded on three sides by side walls so as to provide an opening on the fourth side thereof. A shelf of this type may have a depth of, for example between 400- 600 mm so as to be able to accommodate a laptop PC or similar device. A flap or other closure arrangement may be provided in the membrane 32 for selective access to the shelf. In other embodiments, a laptop may be accommodated within the main interior 18 of the support structure, for example by providing an additional, enlarged slot or compartment therein.

The provision of accommodation for a laptop in addition to the tablet computers is beneficial in that it can allow a supervisor/user to carry and store a computer for controlling synchronisation/customisation of software on the tablets. A teacher may also require easy access to a conventional PC for other reasons.

In any embodiment, the exposed edges of support structure 12 (i.e. the upper edges of the walls 14 and/or 20) may be provided with a protective layer. A more-rigid plastic material may cover the upper edges so as to prevent degradation thereof through use. The cover may be provided in a frame-like formation to match the geometry of the upper edges of the support structure 12 or else may be provided as strips of material overlaying each respective edge. The cover may be adhered using a glue or otherwise attached to the support structure.

Claims

Claims 1. A case for a plurality of portable electronic tablet devices, the case comprising a generally rigid, three-dimensional cellular material support structure shaped to provide: (i) a plurality of upstanding side walls such that the outer periphery of the support structure is generally polygonal in plan; and (H) a plurality of slots contained within said outer periphery, wherein said support structure is self-supporting in use and is surrounded by a sheet material membrane on which one or more handle is provided.
2. A case as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the support structure comprises a plurality of sections permanently attached together to provide a single body.
3. A case as claimed in Claim 2, wherein the sections are joined together by an adhesive.
4. A case as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the support structure is monolithic.
5. A case as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the support structure comprises a plurality of internal walls.
6. A case as claimed in Claim 5, wherein the plurality of walls define the plurality of slots.
7. A case as claimed in Claim 6, wherein the plurality of slots are substantially parallel to a first side wall of the support structure.
8. A case as claimed in Claim 6 or 7, wherein the plurality of walls are continuous for the length of the slots.
9. A case as claimed in any one of Claims 5 to 8, wherein the plurality of walls define a plurality of internal compartments.
10. A case as claimed in Claim 9, wherein at least one internal wall comprises a dividing wall spanning a width dimension of an interior of the support structure.
11. A case as claimed in Claim 10, wherein a plurality of slot defining walls extend from a side wall to the dividing wall.
12. A case as claimed in any one of Claims 5 to 11, wherein a cable receiving formation is provided on one of the plurality of inner walls.
13. A case as claimed in Claim 12, wherein a cable receiving formation is provided for each slot.
14. A case as claimed in any previous claim, wherein the sheet material membrane is detachable from the support structure.
15. A case as claimed in any previous claim, wherein the sheet material membrane has a lid that is detachably fastened to the sheet material liner.
16. A case as claimed in any previous claim, wherein the cellular material of the support structure is a foam.
17. A case as claimed in Claim 17, wherein the foam has a density in the range of 1 Skg/m3 to 6Okg/m3.
18. A case as claimed in Claim 17 or 18, wherein the foam has Shore 00 hardness of between 40 and 90.
19. A case as claimed in any previous claim, wherein the case is provided with an electronic charging and/or synchronising device.
20. A case as claimed in Claim 19, wherein the device has a plurality of ports for connecting each tablet within the case to a common data or power connection.
21. A support structure for a plurality of portable electronic tablet devices, the structure comprising a generally rigid, three-dimensional cellular material body shaped to provide (i) a plurality of upstanding side walls such that the outer periphery of the support structure is generally polygonal in plan; and (ii) a plurality of slots contained within said outer periphery, wherein the cellular material comprises a foam of density in the range of 15 to 60kg/rn3.
22. A case or support structure substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.