TW201633046A - Protection mechanisms for cover glass of handheld device during drop event - Google Patents

Abstract

A protection mechanism for a cover glass of a handheld device during a drop event includes preventing direct contact between the cover glass and a hard surface or minimizing the impact force on the cover glass when the handheld device lands on the hard surface. The protection mechanism may include a bezel that is deployed or deformed to a position where the bezel is proud of the cover glass when a free-fall motion of the handheld device is detected. Or the protection mechanism may involve folding the handheld device to hide the cover glass during the drop event. An airbag or deceleration device may be used to soften impact on the cover glass. The protection mechanism may include a mass whose motion adjusts an angular momentum of the handheld device such that the handheld device lands at an angle where impact force on the cover glass will be minimized.

Description

Protection mechanism for the glass cover of the handheld device during the drop event Cross-references to related applications

The present application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application Serial No. 62/094,496, filed on Dec. 19, 2014, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference.

The mobile nature of handheld devices, such as smart phones, tablets, portable media players, personal computers, and cameras, makes such devices susceptible to damage, especially if accidentally dropped on a hard surface, such as the ground, or some liquid pool. Such devices typically incorporate a glass cover that can become damaged after impact with a hard surface. In many devices, such glass covers act as display covers and can incorporate touch functionality such that when the glass cover is damaged, the use of the device is negatively affected.

When the device is dropped onto a hard surface, there are two major modes of damage to the glass cover of the handheld device. One mode is flex damage, which is caused by the bending of the glass when the device is subjected to dynamic loading due to impact. Another mode is obvious contact damage, which is introduced to the glass surface. Caused by damage. Impacts of glass with rough, hard surfaces, such as asphalt, granite, etc., can create significant dents on the glass surface. For example, the rough granite surface can have indentations having in-plane feature sizes (widths) of up to 10 mm and out-of-plane feature sizes (heights) of on the order of hundreds of microns. This rough surface can create dents in the glass surface after contact. These dents can become damaged portions in the surface of the glass, and cracks can be generated and spread at the damaged portions.

Glass can become more resistant to flexural damage by ion exchange techniques, which involve inducing compressive stress in the glass surface. However, for dynamic apparent contact, the ion exchange glass is still susceptible to damage due to the higher indentation caused by local indentations in the glass caused by significant contact. Glass manufacturers and handset manufacturers have therefore continued to work to improve the resistance of handheld devices to significant contact damage.

This disclosure describes a mechanism for protecting a glass cover from damage during a hand-held drop event, such as damage due to significant contact damage.

In one aspect, the protection mechanism of the glass cover involves preventing the glass cover from coming into direct contact with the surface by bulging the frame of the handheld device such that the bezel replaces the glass cover in direct contact with the surface. For example, the protection mechanism can include a bezel shaped to fit around a perimeter of the handheld device at a location circumscribing the perimeter of the glass cover, the bezel being arranged to move in a selected direction perpendicular to a plane of the glass cover, The bezel has a normal position and a falling position spaced along the selected direction, wherein In the landing position, the front end of the bezel is raised at a selected height relative to the front surface of the glass cover, the selected height being sufficient to prevent the front surface and surface of the glass cover from falling on the surface during the falling event of the handheld device a direct contact; a sensing device comprising at least one motion sensor for sensing a parameter associated with a free fall motion of the handheld device; and a mechanism for adjusting the position of the bezel along the selected direction The mechanism is configured to adjust the position of the bezel from the normal position to the landing position in response to the output of the sensing device. In another example, the protection mechanism can include a bezel shaped to fit around the perimeter of the handheld device at a location circumscribing the perimeter of the glass cover, the bezel having a normal position along a selected direction perpendicular to a plane of the glass cover And a landing position, the frame being composed of a shape changing structure having a first length in the normal position and a second length in the landing position, the second length being greater than the first length; sensing device, the sensing The device includes at least one motion sensor for sensing a parameter associated with a free fall motion of the handheld device; and a mechanism for inducing a change in shape of the bezel in response to an output of the sensing device.

In another aspect, the protective mechanism of the glass cover involves the use of an air bag to cushion the landing of the handheld device on the surface. For example, the protection mechanism can include an air bag shaped to surround a periphery of the handheld device at a location circumscribing the periphery of the glass cover; a sensing device including a sensor for sensing freedom from the handheld device At least one motion sensor that drops motion related parameters; and a mechanism for deploying the airbag in response to an output of the sensing device.

In another aspect, the protection mechanism of the glass cover involves decelerating the handheld device during a drop event. For example, the protection mechanism may include a bezel formed to surround the periphery of the handheld device at a position circumscribing the periphery of the glass cover; a deceleration device coupled to the bezel; a sensing device, the sensing device includes At least one motion sensor for sensing a parameter related to a free fall motion of the handheld device; and a mechanism for deploying the speed reduce device in response to an output of the sensing device.

In another aspect, the protection mechanism of the glass cover involves changing the angular momentum of the handheld device using fluid in the fluid chamber or channel within the handheld device or a ball in the track. This change in angular momentum can be passive or involve active control. For example, the protection mechanism can include a fluid chamber positioned with the handheld device, the fluid chamber containing a fluid, wherein movement of the fluid within the fluid chamber during the drop event adjusts angular momentum of the handheld device . As another example, the protection mechanism can include a sensing device including at least one motion sensor for sensing a parameter associated with a free fall motion of the handheld device; and positioning with the handheld device a fluid passageway containing a fluid and at least one valve that controls movement of the fluid within the fluid passage, wherein the at least one valve is responsive to an output of the sensing device and movement of the fluid within the fluid passage adjusts The angular momentum of the handheld device. As another example, the protection mechanism can include a rail positioned within the handheld device, the rail including a set of balls, wherein movement of the balls within the rail during the drop event causes angular momentum of the handheld device Selected changes.

In another aspect, the protective mechanism of the glass cover involves the use of a bezel having a viscous surface, suction cup or adhesive pad to prevent rebound of the handheld device. For example, the protection mechanism can include a bezel shaped to fit around the perimeter of the handheld device at a location circumscribing the perimeter of the glass cover, wherein the front end of the bezel positioned closest to the front surface of the bezel can include a releasable Adhesive.

In another aspect, the protection mechanism of the glass cover involves folding the handheld device during a drop event to conceal the glass cover within the handheld device. For example, the protection mechanism can include a sensing device including at least one motion sensor for sensing a parameter related to a free fall motion of the handheld device; and a hinge mechanism for the hinge mechanism The handheld device is folded during the drop event to conceal the glass cover within the handheld device, wherein the hinge mechanism is responsive to the output of the sensing device.

In another aspect, the protective mechanism of the glass cover includes an active material having a variable stiffness. For example, the protection mechanism can include a sensing device including at least one motion sensor for sensing a parameter associated with a free fall motion of the handheld device; and having a location beneath the glass cover A variable stiffness active material wherein the stiffness of the active material is responsive to the output of the sensing device.

In another aspect, the handheld device includes a glass cover and any of the protection mechanisms described herein.

It is to be understood that the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary Summary or framework. The drawings are included to provide a further understanding of the invention and are incorporated in and constitute a part. The drawings illustrate various embodiments of the invention and, together with

D1‧‧‧ line

D2‧‧‧ line

H‧‧‧ Height

H1‧‧‧ Height

20‧‧‧Handheld devices

25‧‧‧Rough surface

27‧‧‧Edge/corner area

30‧‧‧Unshaded area

32‧‧‧Shaded area

100‧‧‧Protection mechanism

101‧‧‧Handheld devices

102‧‧‧ glass cover

102A‧‧‧ front surface

104‧‧‧Border

104A‧‧‧Border front end

104B‧‧‧ Backend

105‧‧‧Protective raised flange

106‧‧‧Border Spring

107‧‧‧Displacement direction

108‧‧‧ Subject

110‧‧‧ lower retainer element

110A‧‧‧flat bottom surface

110B‧‧‧Sloping top surface

112‧‧‧Actuator

114‧‧‧ lugs

116‧‧‧ Spring

118‧‧‧Sensing device

118A‧‧‧Sports sensor

118B‧‧‧Microprocessor

120‧‧‧ upper retainer element

120A‧‧‧flat top surface

120B‧‧‧Sloping bottom surface

122‧‧‧Actuator

124‧‧‧ Spring

126‧‧‧ mechanism

126A‧‧‧ mechanism

201‧‧‧Handheld devices

202‧‧‧ glass cover

202A‧‧‧ front surface

203‧‧‧ Subject

204‧‧‧Border

204A‧‧‧ front end

204B‧‧‧ Backend

205‧‧‧Protective raised flange

210‧‧‧ Circuitry

212‧‧‧ electrodes

213‧‧‧Dielectric Elastomer

214‧‧‧electrode

218‧‧‧Sensing device

300‧‧‧Protection mechanism

301‧‧‧Handheld device

302‧‧‧ glass cover

304A‧‧‧ front end

304‧‧‧Border

306‧‧‧Airbag

308‧‧‧ Cavity

309‧‧‧ Fragile or removable cover

310‧‧‧Inflator

312‧‧‧motion sensor

314‧‧‧Microprocessor

315‧‧‧Sensing device

350‧‧‧Protection mechanism

351‧‧‧Handheld device

352‧‧‧ glass cover

354‧‧‧Border

354A‧‧‧ front end

356‧‧‧Reducing device

358‧‧‧ cavity

360‧‧‧Sensing device

362‧‧‧second reduction gear

400‧‧‧Protection mechanism

401‧‧‧Handheld device

402‧‧‧ glass cover

403‧‧‧ center of gravity

404‧‧‧ fluid chamber

406‧‧‧ fluid

406A‧‧‧ liquid level

408‧‧‧ horizontal line

410‧‧‧Border

420‧‧‧ fluid passage

421‧‧‧Handheld device

424‧‧‧ valve

426‧‧‧Sensing device

450‧‧‧rails

451‧‧‧Handheld device

452‧‧ ‧ glass cover

454‧‧ ‧ ball

500‧‧‧ first type of contact

501‧‧‧Handheld device

503‧‧‧hard surface

505‧‧‧Second type of contact

507‧‧‧Drop angle

508A‧‧‧ line

508B‧‧‧ line

510‧‧‧Handheld devices

512A‧‧‧ front surface

512‧‧‧glass cover

514‧‧‧Border

514A‧‧‧ front surface

516‧‧‧"viscous" material

520‧‧‧Handheld devices

522‧‧‧glass cover

524‧‧‧Border

526‧‧‧Sucker

526A‧‧‧Bend surface

528‧‧‧ Cavity

530‧‧‧Sensing device

531‧‧‧Actuator

532‧‧‧ cushion

534‧‧‧Adhesive surface

600‧‧‧Handheld devices

606A‧‧‧ split device body

606B‧‧‧ splitting body

608A‧‧‧ split border

608B‧‧‧ split border

610‧‧‧Flexible display

610A‧‧‧ glass cover

612‧‧‧Hinging mechanism

620‧‧‧Folding line

650‧‧‧Handheld devices

650A‧‧‧ splitting device body

650B‧‧‧ splitting device body

652‧‧‧Hinging mechanism

658A‧‧‧ split border

658B‧‧‧ split border

660A‧‧‧ split the first half of the display

660B‧‧‧The second half of the split display

662A‧‧‧ glass cover

662B‧‧‧ glass cover

664‧‧‧Folding line

700‧‧‧ glass cover protection mechanism

701‧‧‧Handheld device

702‧‧‧ glass cover

704‧‧‧Border

706‧‧‧Active materials

Line 710‧‧

The following is a description of the drawings in the drawings. The drawings are not necessarily to scale unless the

Figure 1A shows the device dropped onto a rough surface.

Figure 1B shows the high damage and low damage areas of the drop device.

Figure 2A shows the maximum principal stress of the glass stress as a function of drop height for different glass recess levels in the device drop analysis.

Fig. 2B shows the contact force corresponding to the device drop analysis of Fig. 2A.

3A and 3B illustrate a glass cover protection mechanism including an adjustable bezel, according to one embodiment.

4A and 4B illustrate a glass cover protection mechanism including a varying shape bezel, according to one embodiment.

5A and 5B illustrate a glass cover protection mechanism including an air bag in accordance with one embodiment.

6A and 6B illustrate a glass cover protection mechanism including a reduction device incorporated in a handheld device, in accordance with one embodiment.

7A-7D illustrate a glass cover protection mechanism including a fluid chamber, in accordance with one embodiment.

Figure 8 illustrates a glass cover protection mechanism including a fluid passage in accordance with one embodiment.

9A and 9B illustrate a glass cover protection mechanism including a guide rail and a ball, according to one embodiment.

Figures 10A and 10B illustrate two types of contacts in a drop event.

The 10C and 10D drawings show the contact forces that vary with the drop angle for the contact types illustrated in FIGS. 10A and 10B, respectively.

Figure 11A illustrates a glass cover protection mechanism including a viscous border incorporated into a handheld device, in accordance with one embodiment.

Figure 11B illustrates a glass cover protection mechanism including a suction cup incorporated into a handheld device, in accordance with one embodiment.

11C illustrates a glass cover protection mechanism including a liner having a viscous surface incorporated into a handheld device, in accordance with one embodiment.

12A-12C illustrate a glass cover protection mechanism for a handheld device having a flexible display, in accordance with one embodiment.

13A-13C illustrate a glass cover protection mechanism for a handheld device having a split display, in accordance with another embodiment.

Figure 14A illustrates a glass cover protection mechanism comprising an active material having variable stiffness.

Figure 14B is a graph of the maximum principal stress as a function of the number of layers beneath the glass cover.

Falling down/angled face down, as shown in FIG. 1A, the edge/corner region 27 of the hand-held device 20 is in contact with the hard surface 25. The first contact occurs when the handheld device 20 first falls from a height above the rough surface 25. Subsequent contact can occur during the rebound of the handheld device 20. For this type of drop, when the hand-held device 20 is in contact with the hard surface 25, damage can be introduced into the top of the glass cover. The glass can be broken by diffusion from the top of the glass and by the bending stress induced break at the top of the glass. FIG. 1B illustrates a typical broken area of the handheld device 20 due to the first contact with the hard surface 25. The non-shaded area 30 represents a high damage possibility area due to apparent contact, and the shaded area 32 represents a low damage possibility area due to apparent contact. Fig. 1B shows that the glass cover is most susceptible to damage due to damage in the vicinity of the corners and edges due to the inclined/angled face falling downward. Some mechanisms for protecting the glass cover from damage caused by tilting/angled face down are described herein. Some of the mechanisms described herein also protect the glass cover from damage caused by falling completely down.

In one aspect, the protection mechanism of the glass cover involves preventing direct contact of the glass cover with the hard surface during the drop event. As used herein and hereinafter, the term "hard surface" generally refers to any solid surface that can cause damage to the glass cover after impact. The "drop event" may include the drop of the handheld device from above the hard surface and any subsequent rebound of the handheld device. In order to achieve this, the perimeter of the perimeter of the external handheld device is raised during the drop event to cause the handheld device to land on the hard surface. The border, not the glass cover, is in direct contact with the hard surface. If the time during which the bezel is raised during the first contact of the hand-held device with the rough surface is insufficient, if the bezel is raised before the second contact of the hand-held device with the rough surface, the bezel can still function to protect the glass cover. This second contact can occur due to rebound of the handheld device. Figure 2B shows the maximum principal stress of the glass stress during contact of the hand-held device with the second corner of the hard surface for different levels of glass recess in the handheld device in the device drop analysis. In Fig. 2B, line D1 represents a 50 micron glass recess, and line D2 represents a 250 micron glass recess, wherein the glass recess corresponds to the ridge of the bezel. Figure 2B shows the maximum contact force during the second corner contact of Figure 2B. 2A and 2B illustrate that a larger glass recess (higher border) results in a lower contact force on the glass cover, thereby resulting in a lower likelihood of breakage during the drop event.

Referring to Figures 3A and 3B, in one embodiment, the handheld device 101 has a glass cover 102. The handheld device 101 can be any handheld device with a glass cover, such as a smart phone, tablet, portable media player, personal computer, and video camera. The glass cover 102 may or may not be a display cover and may be made of a glass or glass ceramic material. The protection mechanism of the glass cover identified at 100 is generally incorporated into the handheld device 101. In the embodiments illustrated in Figures 3A and 3B, and in subsequent embodiments, only the details of the handheld device associated with the description of the cover protection mechanism are shown. This also means that any of the disclosed protection mechanism embodiments can be used with any handheld device, regardless of the particular configuration or intended use of the handheld device. Should also Note that some features of the protection mechanism embodiment may be exaggerated in proportion to the overall size of the handheld device for clarity.

The protection mechanism 100 has a bezel 104 that can be in the form of a ring that is shaped to be external to the perimeter of the handheld device 101 and to the periphery of the glass cover 102. The bezel 104 is not fixed to the glass cover 102 and is movable relative to the glass cover 102 in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the glass cover 102 (i.e., in a vertical direction relative to the drawings of Figures 3A and 3B). Relative to the glass cover 102 (and along the displacement direction 107), the frame 104 has the normal position shown in FIG. 3A and the landing position shown in FIG. 3B. In the normal position (Fig. 3A), the front end 104A of the bezel 104 is flush with the front surface 102A of the glass cover 102. (In this and in other descriptions, the "front surface" of the glass cover is the exposed glass cover surface, and the "front end" of the bezel is the end of the frame closest to the front surface of the glass cover.) In other embodiments, In the normal position, the bezel front end 104A can be higher than the glass cover front surface 102A (ie, the bezel front end 104A can be raised relative to the glass cover surface 102A) or the glass cover front surface 102A can be higher than the bezel end 104A (ie, the glass cover surface) 102A can be raised relative to the frame end 104A). If in the normal position, the front end 104A of the bezel is higher than the front surface 102A of the glass cover, the height difference between the front end 104A of the bezel and the front surface 102A of the bezel should be slight so as not to interfere with the normal use of the handheld device 101. In the landing position (Fig. 3B), the front end 104A of the bezel 104 is raised relative to the front surface 102A of the glass cover 102 by a height H (or the bezel end 104A is raised by the height H of the cover glass surface 102A). This can also be considered as the front end of the front surface 102A of the glass cover 102 relative to the front end of the bezel 104. 104A is recessed to height H. This height H is selected such that the bezel 104 forms a protective raised flange 105 near the perimeter of the glass cover 102. A suitable height H can be determined from a drop test or simulation.

The handheld device 101 can be used normally with the bezel 104 in the normal position. During the drop event, the bezel 104 is deployed to the landing position before the handheld device 101 landed on the hard surface. In this manner, if the handheld device 101 is dropped on the side that includes the cover glass 102, the protective raised flange 105 of the raised frame 104, rather than the glass cover 102, is in direct contact with the hard surface. After the drop event, the bezel 104 can be returned to the normal position.

Protection mechanism 100 includes the feature of moving frame 104 from a normal position to a landing position. In one embodiment, such features may include a bezel spring 106 between the rear end 104B of the bezel 104 and the body 108 of the handheld device 101. In the normal position of the bezel 104, as shown in FIG. 3A, the bezel spring 106 is compressed between the bezel 104 and the body 108 of the handheld device 101. In the landing position of the bezel 104, as shown in FIG. 3B, the bezel spring 106 extends to a length sufficient to place the bezel 104 in the landing position. Other devices than springs can be used to move the bezel 104 from a normal position to a landing position.

The protection mechanism 100 can include features that hold the bezel 104 in a normal position until the handheld device 101 has a drop event. In one embodiment, such features can include a lower retainer element 110 that is disposed adjacent the bezel 104 to engage the bezel 104 and to the actuator 112 of the lower retainer element 110. Flexible link, such as a bullet A spring 116 may be provided between the lower retainer element 110 and the actuator 112 such that the lower retainer element 110 is displaceable laterally (ie, in a direction generally perpendicular to the direction of displacement 107 of the bezel 104). The actuator 112 is operable to extend or retract the lower retainer element 110 such that the lower retainer element 110 can engage or disengage the bezel 104. The actuator 112 can be selected from the group consisting of a two-way shape memory alloy, a pneumatic actuator, a piezoelectric actuator, a micromotor having a mechanical system that converts rotation into a linear translation, and other actuators.

In one example, the lower end of the bezel 104 includes a lug 114 that is arranged to abut the bottom surface 110A of the lower retainer element 110 when the lower retainer element 110 is in the extended position and the bezel 104 is in the normal position. For example, FIG. 3A shows that in the normal position of the bezel 104, the lower retainer element 110 rests on the lug 114. The lower retainer element 110 is retracted in the direction away from the bezel 104 by the actuator 112 to disengage the lower retainer element 110 from the bezel 104 such that the bezel 104 is free to move to the lowered position.

In Figures 3A and 3B, lower retainer element 110 is shown as having a flat bottom surface 110A and a sloping top surface 110B. One possible use of tilting the top surface 110B is explained later. In general, however, the lower retainer 110 can take a variety of forms other than those illustrated in Figures 3A and 3B, as long as the selected form allows the lower retainer member 110 to selectively engage and disengage the bezel 104. For example, the lower retainer element 110 can be in the form of a wedge or spike that is respectively embedded in a buckle or hole in the bezel 104.

The protection mechanism 100 can include features that hold the bezel 104 in the landing position until a decision is made to return the bezel 104 to a normal position. In one embodiment, such features can include an upper retainer element 120 that is disposed adjacent the bezel 104 to engage the bezel 104 and to the actuator 122 of the upper retainer element 120. A flexible link, such as a spring 124, may be provided between the upper retainer element 120 and the actuator 122 such that the upper retainer element 120 is lateral (ie, generally perpendicular to the direction of displacement 107 of the bezel 104) Direction) displacement. The actuator 122 is operable to extend or retract the upper retainer element 120 and can receive instructions from the handheld device 101. Such instructions may come from, for example, an application running on handheld device 101 or a switch activated by a user. The actuator 122 can be selected from the group consisting of a two-way shape memory alloy, a pneumatic actuator, a piezoelectric actuator, a micromotor having a mechanical system that converts rotation into a linear translation, and other micromachines.

In FIGS. 3A and 3B, the upper retainer element 120 is shown as having a flat top surface 120A and a sloped bottom surface 120B. One possible use of tilting the bottom surface 120B is explained later. In general, however, the upper retainer element 120 can take a variety of forms other than those illustrated in Figures 3A and 3B, as long as the selected form allows the upper retainer element 120 to selectively engage and disengage the bezel 104. For example, the upper retainer element 110 can be in the form of a wedge or spike that is respectively embedded in a buckle or hole in the bezel 104.

In one embodiment, the actuator 112 coupled to the lower retainer element 110 responds to the output of the sensing device 118. Sensing device 118 may include one or more motion sensors 118A (eg, accelerometers, gyroscopes, etc.) for measuring one or more parameters suitable for determining whether handheld device 101 is experiencing a drop event. The motion sensor can measure parameters related to the free fall motion of the handheld device 101. In addition, sensing device 118 can include a microprocessor (or processor) 118B for processing sensor data prior to operation of driving actuator 112 using sensor data. For example, sensor data can be processed to determine if the handheld device 101 is experiencing a drop event or a free fall motion. For example, if the sensor data proves that the handheld device 101 is moving at a speed that exceeds a predetermined threshold or the handheld device experiences a sudden acceleration, the microprocessor 118B can determine that the handheld device 101 is experiencing a drop event and issues an appropriate response to the actuator 112. signal.

If the actuator 112 receives the drop event signal, the actuator 112 responds to the signal disengaging the lower retainer element 110 from the bezel 104, thereby allowing the bezel spring 106 to extend and push the bezel 104 out to the landing position. As the bezel 104 moves to the landing position, it contacts the upper retainer element 120. The flexibility of the inclined surface 120B of the upper retainer 120 and the spring 124 allows the bezel 104 to push the upper retainer element 120 laterally until the bottom of the bezel 104 is pushed over the upper retainer element 120. Once the bottom of the bezel 104 is above the upper retainer element 120, the upper retainer element 120 resiliently returns to its extended position and supports the bezel 104 from the bottom, as shown in Figure 3B.

After the drop event, the bezel 104 can be returned to the normal position. In one embodiment, to move the bezel 104 to a normal position, An instruction is sent to the actuator 122 to move the lower retainer element 110, which is not in the extended position, to its extended position, and to move the upper retainer element 120 to its retracted position. In one example, the instructions can be issued by a user operation, such as by pressing a button on the handheld device 101. In another example, the instructions can be issued by an application running on the handheld device 101. The application itself can be initiated by a user or a pre-programmed event, such as a predetermined timeout after the drop event.

Once the upper retainer element 120 is in the retracted position, the user can push the bezel 104 until the lug 114 encounters the angled surface 110B of the lower retainer 110. Further pushing the bezel 104 causes the lug 114 to slide down the inclined surface 110B, moving the lower retainer element 110 laterally and compressing the spring 116 (the flexibility of the spring 116 allows the lower retainer element 110 to move laterally). Pushing the bezel 104 further places the lug 114 under the lower retainer element 110, thereby allowing the lower retainer element 110 to resiliently return to the extended position and retain the bezel 104 in the normal position.

In one embodiment, the bezel spring 106, the retainer elements 110, 120, the springs 116, 124, and the actuators 112, 122 can be considered as embodiments of the mechanism 126 for adjusting the bezel 104 between normal and landing positions. . A similar mechanism 126A can be placed at another location in the handheld device 101, for example, in an opposing relationship with the mechanism 126, and operates simultaneously with the mechanism 126 to give a balanced motion between the normal and landing positions of the bezel 104. Additionally, the mechanism for adjusting the bezel 104 is not necessarily limited to the particular mechanism described above. Can be used to frame 104 at two intervals Any mechanism for moving between open positions, the mechanism is subject to space limitations in the handheld device 101. For example, a smart deformable material can be used in place of the bezel spring 106 to extend the bezel 104 to a drop position or to retract the bezel 104 to a normal position.

Referring to Figures 4A and 4B, in another embodiment, the handheld device 201 has a glass cover 202. The protection mechanism of the glass cover identified at 200 in general is incorporated into the handheld device 201. The protection mechanism 200 includes a bezel 204 that can be in the form of a ring that is shaped to be external to the perimeter of the handheld device 201 and to the periphery of the glass cover 202. The bezel 204 is not fixed to the glass cover 202. The front end 204A of the bezel 204 is not limited. The rear end 204B of the bezel 204 can be retained on the body 203 of the handheld device 201. As in the embodiment described with reference to Figures 3A and 3B, details of the handheld device 201 associated with the description of the protection mechanism 200 are shown only in Figures 4A and 4B.

The bezel 204 is made of a shape changing material. In one embodiment, the protection mechanism 200 is configured such that a change in the shape of the bezel 204 occurs when the handheld device 201 experiences a drop event. During the drop event, the shape of the bezel 204 may be varied such that the bezel 204 becomes elongated in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the glass cover 202 before the handheld device 201 is landed on the hard surface, as shown in FIG. 4B. This elongation allows the bezel 204 to form a protective raised flange 205 of height H1 near the perimeter of the glass cover 202. In this manner, if the handheld device 201 is dropped on the front side including the glass cover 202, the protective raised flange 205, rather than the glass cover 202, is in direct contact with the hard surface. After the drop event, the bezel 204 can be returned to its normal length and shape.

One example of a material that can be used to construct the shape change bezel 204 is a polymer known as a dielectric elastomer. Some types of polyoxyn and acrylic polymers have properties that act as dielectric elastomers. For example, VHB 4910 acrylic resin from 3M Company is a good example of a 300% elongated dielectric elastomer. These materials are soft like rubber, which helps to cushion the impact caused by falling on the glass cover. When the dielectric elastomer is sandwiched between flexible electrodes, such as graphite powder or gold, it forms an actuator. When a voltage is applied to the electrodes, the electrodes apply pressure to the intermediate elastomer due to Coulomb forces, thereby squeezing the elastomer and creating an elongation of the elastomer.

In the example illustrated in Figures 4A and 4B, the bezel 204 is made of a dielectric elastomer 213 sandwiched between electrodes 212, 214 made of a flexible material. In the normal position of the bezel 204 shown in FIG. 4A, the front end 204A of the bezel 204 is flush with the front surface 202A of the glass cover 202. In other embodiments, the front end 204A of the bezel 204 may be higher than the front surface 202A of the glass cover 202 or the glass cover surface 202A may be higher than the end 204A of the bezel. In this normal position, circuit 210 is turned off and no voltage is applied to electrodes 212, 214. When the drop of the handheld device 201 is detected by the sensing device 218, the circuit 210 is closed and a voltage is applied to the electrodes 212, 214 to produce the desired elongation in the bezel 204, as shown in FIG. 4B. Once the drop event is over and the sensing device 218 detects no acceleration or speed or free fall motion, the circuit 210 can be automatically turned off, causing the bezel 204 to return to its normal length and shape. The instructions to open circuit 210 may come from sensing device 218.

Another example of a material that can be used to construct the shape change bezel 204 is a shape memory alloy (SMA) such as those made of nickel titanium memory alloys (nickel and titanium alloys). SMA is a specially trained material that remembers its shape at two temperatures. The bezel 204 made of SMA maintains its normal length at room temperature. When the SMA frame is heated to a critical temperature (typically greater than 60 ° C), it remembers a higher temperature length than the original length. When the SMA frame cools to room temperature, it automatically returns to its shorter length. With SMA, a reversible strain of up to 10% is obtained, which is sufficient to protect the glass cover 202. A heating device may be required to apply heat to the bezel 204 to achieve the desired increase in length during the drop event.

In another aspect, the protection mechanism of the glass cover involves buffering the landing of the handheld device during a drop event.

Referring to Figures 5A and 5B, in one embodiment, the handheld device 301 has a glass cover 302. The glass cover protection mechanism identified at 300 in general is incorporated into the handheld device 301. The protection mechanism 300 includes a bezel 304 that can be formed in the form of a ring that is shaped to the periphery of the handheld device 301 and the perimeter of the glass cover 302. The protection mechanism 300 further includes an air bag 306 disposed along the perimeter of the handheld device 301 and the periphery of the glass cover 302. In one embodiment, the balloon 306 is folded into the cavity 308 in the bezel 304 with the cavity 308 circumscribing the perimeter of the glass cover 302. The front end 304A of the bezel 304 can include a frangible portion or removable cover 309 that can be broken or removed by inflation of the air bag 306. The air bag 306 is deployed along the edge of the handheld device during a drop event, as shown in Figure 5B, The glass cover 302 is thus protected when the handheld device 302 is landed on a hard surface.

The protection mechanism 300 can include an inflator 310 that inflates the air bag 306. The protection mechanism 300 can include a sensor that senses when the handheld device 301 is in one of the drop events, such as a sensor that measures acceleration or speed. The protection mechanism 300 can include a microprocessor 314 to make a determination as to whether to deploy the airbag based on the information received from the motion sensor 312. Motion sensor 312 and microprocessor 314 may be collectively referred to as sensing device 315. In one embodiment, the inflator 310 includes a powder that can be chemically reacted together to create a hot gas stream that inflates the bladder. Inflator 310 can produce a hot gas stream of nitrogen, for example, from sodium azide, potassium nitrate, and cerium oxide powder. Additionally, the inflator 310 can include a device that heats the powder to trigger the necessary chemical reactions. Once deployed, the air bag 306 needs to be replaced with a new one. In this case, it may be advantageous to mount the air bag 306 in the hand-held device 301 by arranging the air bag 306 in a removable insert that may be disposed, for example, in the cavity 308 of the bezel 304. .

In another aspect, the protection mechanism of the glass cover involves reducing the acceleration of the handheld device during a drop event.

Referring to Figures 6A and 6B, in one embodiment, the handheld device 351 includes a glass cover 352. The glass cover protection mechanism identified at 352 in general is incorporated into the handheld device 351. The protection mechanism 350 includes a bezel 354 that can be formed in the form of a ring that is shaped to the periphery of the hand-held device 351 and the perimeter of the glass cover 352. Protection mechanism 350 includes placement on the side A reduction device 356 in the cavity 358 in block 354, such as a parachute device. The deceleration device 356 is responsive to the output of the sensing device 360, which monitors when the handheld device 351 experiences a drop event, as described above with respect to other embodiments. The deceleration device 356 is deployed when a drop event occurs. The deceleration device 356 reduces the acceleration of the handheld device 351 during a drop event such that the impact force experienced by the glass cover 352 when the handheld device 351 is lowered onto the hard surface is minimized.

In the example illustrated in FIG. 6B, the reduction device 356 is deployed from the back of the handheld device 351. Other measures may be used to protect the glass cover 302 from the front side of the handheld device 351, such as at least the front end 354A of the bezel 354, which absorbs shock when the handheld device 351 is lowered onto the hard surface. Additionally, the protection mechanism 350 can incorporate multiple deceleration devices. For example, the second reduction gear is shown at 362 in Figures 6A and 6B. The second reduction device 362 can also be deployed in response to the output of the sensing device 360.

In another aspect, the protection mechanism of the glass cover involves the use of fluid to alter the angular momentum of the handheld device.

Referring to Figure 7A, in one embodiment, the handheld device 401 includes a glass cover 402. The bezel 401 can be mounted around the handheld device 401 and can be externally attached to the glass cover 402. The glass cover protection mechanism identified at 400 in general is incorporated into the handheld device 401. Protection mechanism 400 includes a fluid chamber 404 containing fluid 406.

At any angle of the hand-held device 401 with respect to the direction of gravity, the fluid 406 occupies a certain position in the fluid chamber 404 to cause flow Body 406 is in hydrostatic equilibrium as shown by level 406A. Any deviation of the handheld device 401 from the horizontal line 408, such as when the handheld device 401 experiences a drop event, causes the fluid 406 to flow to one side of the fluid chamber 404, thereby shifting the center of gravity 403 of the fluid chamber 404 to one side, such as Figure 7B shows. This displacement produces a rotational acceleration that causes the handheld device 401 to rotate further, causing more fluid 406 to be displaced to the other side of the fluid chamber 404, as shown in Figure 7C. This system causes the fluid 406 to move to one side of the handheld device 401, and with sufficient time given, the handheld device 401 eventually landed on the bezel 410, as shown in Figure 7D. The bezel 410 may be made of a shock absorbing material such as rubber.

The weight of the fluid 406, which is the fraction of the total weight of the handheld device 401, is a design parameter. In some embodiments, the weight of the fluid 406 is selected such that for a typical drop height, the handheld device 401 tends to land at a predetermined angle relative to the horizontal line 408. In some embodiments, this predetermined angle is about 15 degrees. Generally, a predetermined angle can be selected to minimize the contact force on the glass cover 402 when the handheld device 401 is landed on a hard surface.

In another embodiment, active control of the flow path, viscosity, and stiffness of the fluid within the fluid chamber can be used to achieve a better drop orientation of the handheld device by varying the center of mass and angular momentum of the handheld device, and by Change the bending stiffness to reduce the bending stress on the surface before the glass cover.

During free fall, the liquid has a tendency to remain in the original position (or "shot") due to its inertia. In order to change the quality center and Angular momentum, a pipe (with baffles) can be designed to determine the path through which the fluid "shots". Figure 8 shows the fluid channel 420 formed in the hand-held device 421 (where the glass cover is not individually identified). Fluid channel 420 is filled with an intelligent fluid, such as an electro-rheological (ER) or magneto-rheological (MR) fluid. The mode of fluid channel 420 determines the path of fluid flow. The channel mode is for illustrative purposes only and can be changed to achieve the desired result. Valve 424 is disposed along fluid passage 420. Valve 424 can be a separately controllable valve and can be used to control the viscosity of the fluid in fluid passage 420. Control of valve 424 may involve determining if valve 424 is open or closed and, if open, to what extent the valve is open. Valve 424 can be controlled in response to the output of sensing device 426, which can include one or more sensors (gylon, accelerometer, inclinometer, etc.) that detect the orientation and speed of the device. Sensing device 426 can also include a microprocessor to calculate the optimal drop orientation of the device based on the sensor data and use this information to control valve 424 in fluid channel 420 to achieve safe landing of hand device 421 on a hard surface. . One or more fluid passages may be disposed in the handheld device and used to achieve the desired safe landing of the handheld device on a hard surface.

In another embodiment, as illustrated in Figures 9A and 9B, the guide rail 450 can be formed in a handheld device 451 having a glass cover 452. The rails 450 can be in the form of rings or loops that extend generally along the perimeter of the hand-held device 452. In one embodiment, the rails 450 are partially filled with balls. When the handheld device 451 is dropped during a drop event, the ball (in Figure 9B, 454) moves along the rail 450 to change the center of gravity of the handheld device 452. The position and thus the angle of landing of the handheld device 451 is varied as shown in Figure 9B. The weight of the ball 454, which is the fraction of the total weight of the handheld device 452, can be selected such that for a typical drop height, the handheld device 451 is dropped at a predetermined angle relative to the horizontal.

FIG. 10A illustrates a first type of contact 500 that may occur between the handheld device 501 and the hard surface 503 when the handheld device 501 landed on the hard surface 503 during a drop event. FIG. 10B illustrates a second type of contact 505 that can occur between the handheld device 501 and the hard surface 503. The second type of contact 505 involves a larger surface area contact between the hand-held device 501 and the hard surface 503 than the first type of contact 500. The second type of contact 505 generally occurs after the rebound of the handheld device. Figure 10C illustrates the contact force associated with the first type of contact 500 as a function of the drop angle, wherein the drop angle is measured relative to the horizontal line (the drop angle 507 is shown in Figure 10A). The 10D plot shows the contact force associated with the second type of contact 505 as a function of the drop angle. In Figures 10C and 10D, on the left side of lines 508A, 508B, only the glass contacts the target surface. On the right side of line 508A, 508B, the frame also contacts the target surface. Figures 10C and 10D illustrate a drop angle of, for example, 15 degrees, wherein the first contact and the second contact force are similar, with no peak contact force. This advantageous drop angle can be achieved by using, for example, a fluid chamber or channel in the handpiece or a ball in the rail to adjust the position of the center of gravity of the handheld device.

In another aspect, the protection mechanism of the glass cover involves preventing the rebound of the handheld device during a drop event.

Referring to Figure 11A, the handheld device 510 has a glass cover 512. The bezel 514 is mounted adjacent the perimeter of the handheld device 510 and the glass cover 512. The front surface 514A of the bezel 514 may be flush with the front surface 512A of the glass cover 512 or slightly raised above the front surface 512 of the glass cover 512. The bezel front surface 514A has a "sticky" material 516 that provides releasable adhesion between the bezel 514 and the hard surface when the hand-held device 510 is landed on the hard surface with the side comprising the glass cover 512. The adhesion between the "sticky" material and the hard surface prevents or minimizes the rebound of the hand held device during the drop event. For example, a releasable adhesive that mimics the key structure on a gecko footpad is developed, and such adhesives can be used on the bezel 514. (See, for example, Haimin Yao and Huajian Gao, "Mechanics of robust and releasable adhesion in biology: Bottom-up designed hierarchical structures of gecko," Journal of the Mechanics and Physics of Solids, 54 (2006) 1120-1146.) It is pointed out that the bezel with the viscous landing surface can also be used in any other glass cover protection mechanism as described above.

The suction cup can alternatively be used to provide releasable adhesion between the handheld device and the hard surface to prevent rebound of the handheld device during a drop event. For illustrative purposes, FIG. 11B illustrates the suction cup 526 deployed from the bezel 524 of the handheld device 520 having the glass cover 522 during a drop event. The suction cup 526 can be stored in the cavity 528 of the bezel 524 and deployed to the landing in response to a drop event signal from the sensing device 530. Location, which can be as described above for other embodiments. Deployment may include pushing the suction cup 526 out of the cavity 528 using the actuator 531 in response to the drop event signal. In the "landing position", the curved surface 526A is in a position to land on the hard surface. The suction cup 526 can be deployed before the handheld device 520 landed on the hard surface or after the handheld device 520 landed on the hard surface. The suction cup 526 is releasably adhered to the hard surface after contacting the hard surface.

Referring to Figure 11C, in another embodiment, the suction cup (in Figure 11B, 526) may be replaced with a liner 532 having a viscous surface 534. The pad 532 can be initially stored in the cavity 528 of the bezel 524 and then deployed to the landing position, such as by the actuator 531, in response to a drop event signal. In the "landing position", the viscous surface 534 is in a position to land on the hard surface. The liner 532 can be made of a deformable material to allow it to be folded into the cavity 528.

In another aspect, the protection mechanism of the glass cover involves folding the glass cover into the handheld device during a drop event.

Referring to Figures 12A and 12B, in one embodiment, the handheld device 600 has splitting device bodies 606A, 606B. The split frames 608A, 608B are mounted around the split device bodies 606A, 606B. A flexible display 610 having a corresponding glass cover 610A is mounted to the device body halves 606A, 606B. A hinge mechanism 612 is provided that folds the flexible display 610 into two, as shown in Figure 12C. The hinge mechanism 612 can be controlled by a microprocessor within the internal handheld device 600 (not individually shown in view of the prior discussion), within the handheld device 600 The one or more motion sensors (considered previously discussed, not individually shown) detect the drop event, the microprocessor uses an actuator (considered previously discussed, not individually shown) to release Hinge 612. The hinge mechanism 612 can have a cushioning mechanism that slows the rate of closure of the handheld device 600. The front bezel halfs 608A, 608B can be slightly raised such that when the handheld device 600 is fully closed, the raised portions of the bezels 608A, 608B meet at the fold line 620 (Fig. 12C) and provide the folded half of the flexible display 610 Separation between.

Referring to Figures 12A and 12B, the handheld device 650 has splitting device bodies 650A, 650B. The device body halves 650A, 650B are coupled together by a hinge mechanism 652. The split frames 658A, 658B are mounted around the device bodies 650A, 650B. The first half 660A of the split display (with the corresponding glass cover 662A) is mounted on the first device body 650A, and the second half 660B of the split display (with the corresponding glass cover 662B) is mounted on the second device body 650B. The hinge mechanism 652 allows the handheld device 650 to fold into two during a drop event, and the glass covers 662A, 662B are hidden within the fold, as shown in Figure 13C. The bezel halves 658A, 658B can be slightly raised such that when the hand-held device 650 is fully closed, the raised portions of the bezel halves 658A, 658B meet at the fold line 664 (Fig. 13C) and provide separation between the glass covers 662A, 662B. . The hinge mechanism 652 can be responsive to signals from a sensing device (not individually shown in view of the previous discussion) that is positioned in the handheld device 650 and is sensitive to motion of the handheld device 650, as in other embodiments Said.

In another aspect, the protective mechanism of the glass cover involves placing the active material whose stiffness is changeable under the glass cover, particularly along the perimeter of the glass cover where most of the impact is expected to occur during the drop event.

Referring to Figure 14A, in one embodiment, the handheld device 701 has a glass cover 702. The frame 704 can be externally connected to the periphery of the handheld device 701 and the glass cover 702. The glass cover protection mechanism identified at 700 in general is incorporated into the handheld device 701. In one embodiment, the protection mechanism 700 includes an active material 706 positioned below the glass cover 702. The active material 706 can have a ring shape that is positioned below and generally along the perimeter of the glass cover 702 and can be made from one or more layers. The active material 706 preferably has a controllable stiffness. In one embodiment, the active material 706 can be a current denatured or magnetic rheological material. When the drop event is detected by a sensing device (not individually shown) in the handheld device, the active material 706 can be made soft by suitable means, such as an electric or magnetic field. When the glass is in contact with a hard surface, the softer underlying material reduces the stress experienced by the glass.

Figure 14B shows the results of stress analysis of the material underneath the glass cover that is subjected to the scoring of the spherical indenter at the corners of the material as the stiffness of the material is reduced. The results of the material thickness in the range of 0.1 to 1.0 mm are shown. Line 710 represents a reference to the absence of active material under the glass cover.

In one embodiment, the active material 706 is a current denatured material. The current denatured material is capable of having a change in solid properties from the application of the current body to a material having fluid properties when no electric field is applied. Under normal operation, it is necessary to keep the active material 706 rigid in order to obtain good users. Experience and operation of the device. In the case of a current denatured material, this is accomplished by maintaining the electric field in the active material 706, thereby maintaining the material in a solid state. For example, an active material can be disposed between two electrodes, and a voltage can be applied to the electrodes to maintain an electric field in the active material. When a drop event is detected, the electric field can be lowered or turned off to cause the active material 706 to have fluid properties, thereby greatly reducing the stiffness of the active material 706, thereby reducing the stress generated in the glass cover 702 during the drop event, Thereby, the possibility of breakage of the glass cover 702 is reduced. It is desirable that the underlying active material 706 does not adhere to the glass cover 702 and that there is sufficient space around the ends of the active material 706 to allow the active material 706 to freely flow into the additional space when compressed and to allow the glass to freely during the drop event The cover is deformed. Once the drop event is over, then the actuator system (not shown individually) can push the active material 706 back to its original configuration, and then the electric field can be reapplied to convert the fluid-like active material to a solid active material. Similar behavior can be obtained using magnetic rheological materials, where the magnetic field is used to change the state of the material from solid to fluid, and vice versa.

While the present invention has been described with respect to a limited number of embodiments, those skilled in the art are entitled Therefore, the scope of the invention should be limited only by the scope of the appended claims.

100‧‧‧Protection mechanism

101‧‧‧Handheld devices

102‧‧‧ glass cover

102A‧‧‧ front surface

104‧‧‧Border

104A‧‧‧Border front end

104B‧‧‧ Backend

106‧‧‧Border Spring

107‧‧‧Displacement direction

108‧‧‧ Subject

110‧‧‧ lower retainer element

110A‧‧‧flat bottom surface

110B‧‧‧Sloping top surface

112‧‧‧Actuator

114‧‧‧ lugs

116‧‧‧ Spring

118‧‧‧Sensing device

118A‧‧‧Sports sensor

118B‧‧‧Microprocessor

120‧‧‧ upper retainer element

120A‧‧‧flat top surface

120B‧‧‧Sloping bottom surface

122‧‧‧Actuator

124‧‧‧ Spring

126‧‧‧ mechanism

126A‧‧‧ mechanism

Claims (13)

A protection mechanism for a glass cover of a handheld device during a drop event, comprising: a frame shaped to surround a periphery of the handheld device at a location external to one of the perimeters of the glass cover Mounting, the frame is arranged to move in a selected direction perpendicular to one of the planes of the glass cover, the frame having a normal position and a landing position spaced along the selected direction, wherein in the landing position, the frame A front end of one of the bezels is raised relative to a front surface of the glass cover by a selected height sufficient to prevent the front surface of the glass cover from the surface when the handheld device is lowered onto a surface during the drop event Direct contact; a sensing device comprising at least one motion sensor for sensing a parameter associated with one of the free fall motions of the handheld device; and a mechanism for following the selected direction Adjusting the position of the bezel, the mechanism is configured to adjust the position of the bezel from the normal position to the landing position in response to an output of the sensing device. The protection mechanism of claim 1, wherein the mechanism for adjusting the position of the bezel includes a spring member disposed relative to the bezel such that the spring member elongates from a compressed state The frame moves from the normal position to the landing position. The protection mechanism of claim 2, wherein the mechanism for adjusting the position of the bezel further comprises a first retainer mechanism for maintaining the bezel at the normal position and for maintaining the bezel One of the second retainer mechanisms at the landing position. A protection mechanism for a glass cover of a handheld device during a drop event, comprising: a frame shaped to surround a periphery of the handheld device at a location external to one of the perimeters of the glass cover Mounting, the frame has a normal position and a landing position in a selected direction perpendicular to one of the planes of the glass cover, the frame having a first length in the normal position and one of the landing positions a shape changing structure of two lengths, the second length being greater than the first length; a sensing device comprising at least one motion for sensing a parameter associated with one of the free fall motions of the handheld device a sensor; and a mechanism responsive to an output of the sensing device to induce a change in one of the shapes of the bezel. A protective mechanism for a glass cover of a handheld device during a drop event, comprising: an air bag shaped to surround a periphery of the handheld device at a location external to one of the perimeters of the glass cover installation; a sensing device comprising at least one motion sensor for sensing a parameter associated with one of the free fall motions of the handheld device; and a mechanism for deploying in response to an output of the sensing device The balloon. A protection mechanism for a glass cover of a handheld device during a drop event, comprising: a frame shaped to surround a periphery of the handheld device at a location external to one of the perimeters of the glass cover a deceleration device coupled to the bezel; a sensing device, the sensing device including at least one motion sensor for sensing a parameter associated with one of the free fall motions of the handheld device; And a mechanism for deploying the deceleration device in response to an output of the sensing device. A protection mechanism for a glass cover of a handheld device during a drop event, comprising: a fluid chamber positioned within the handheld device, the fluid chamber containing a fluid, wherein The movement of the fluid within the fluid chamber during a drop event adjusts an angular momentum of the handheld device. A protection mechanism for a glass cover of one of the handheld devices during a drop event, comprising: a sensing device comprising at least one motion sensor for sensing a parameter associated with one of the free fall motions of the handheld device; and a fluid channel positioned within the handheld device The fluid passageway includes a fluid and at least one valve that controls movement of the fluid within the fluid passage, wherein the at least one valve responds to an output of the sensing device and movement of the fluid within the fluid passage adjusts the handheld One of the angular momentum of the device. A protection mechanism for a glass cover of a handheld device during a drop event, comprising: a rail positioned within the handheld device, the rail comprising a set of balls, wherein during the drop event Movement of the balls within the rail causes a selected change in one of the angular momentum of the handheld device. A protection mechanism for a glass cover of a handheld device during a drop event, comprising: a frame shaped to surround a periphery of the handheld device at a location external to one of the perimeters of the glass cover Mounting, wherein a front end of one of the frames positioned closest to a front surface of the glass cover includes a releasable adhesive. A protection mechanism for a glass cover of a handheld device during a drop event, comprising: a frame shaped to circumscribe one of the periphery of the glass cover a location mounted around a perimeter of the handheld device; a sensing device comprising at least one motion sensor for sensing a parameter associated with one of the free fall motions of the handheld device; at least one surface a mounting member coupled to the bezel; and a mechanism for deploying the surface mount member to a landing position in response to an output of the sensing device. A protection mechanism for a glass cover of a handheld device during a drop event, comprising: a sensing device comprising one of sensing associated with a free fall motion of the handheld device At least one motion sensor of the parameter; and a hinge mechanism for folding the handheld device during the drop event to conceal the glass cover within the handheld device, wherein the hinge mechanism is for the sensing device One of the outputs responds. A protection mechanism for a glass cover of a handheld device during a drop event, comprising: a sensing device comprising one of sensing associated with a free fall motion of the handheld device At least one motion sensor of the parameter; and An active material positioned below the glass cover and having a variable stiffness, wherein the stiffness of the active material is responsive to an output of the sensing device.