The present invention relates to protective cases and in particular protective cases suitable for providing physical protection to an electronic device.

Many people routinely carry valuable portable electronic devices which can be susceptible to mechanical damage from impacts with or abrasion against other surfaces, particularly when frequently carried loose in bags, cases and other receptacles, and frequently removed for use in various disturbed or relatively uncontrolled environments such as on rail or air transport, outdoors or elsewhere outside a home or office setting.

Such portable electronic devices are often highly desirable commodities having a premium quality finish and / or user interfaces such as touchscreens, control surfaces and buttons which could be significantly degraded in ordinary transit and use. It is, however, commonplace for users to wish to easily remove such devices for use in more controlled environments or to appreciate the premium quality finish and "look-and-feel" of the device.

It is an object of the invention to provide an improved or alternative form of detachable protective case for carrying portable electronic devices.

According to one aspect, the present invention provides a detachable protective case for an electronic device, comprising a plurality of panels each separated from, and coupled to, an adjacent panel by a hinge section, the panels being foldable relative to one another to create a first configuration forming a three dimensional enclosure having top, bottom, front, back and two sides and a magnetic latching structure configured to retain the panels in the first configuration.

The panels may be foldable relative to one another to create a flat-packed second configuration in which the panels are all coplanar or parallel to one another. The detachable protective case may have: a front panel for forming the front of the three dimensional enclosure; a back panel for forming the back of the three dimensional enclosure; two side panels for forming the sides of the three dimensional enclosure; and rear magnetic engagement tabs configured for magnetically coupling the side panels to the adjacent back panel. The detachable protective case may further include front magnetic engagement tabs configured for magnetically coupling the side panels to the adjacent front panel. The magnetic engagement tabs may be coupled to a respective side panel and be foidable relative thereto, the magnetic engagement tabs each configured for magnetic engagement with one of the front panel and the back panel. The detachable protective case may comprise a sheet magnet incorporated into each side panel tab and a sheet magnet incorporated into each of the front panel and the back panel for magnetic coupling when the tabs and the panels are in overlying relationship. The detachable protective case may further include a top panel for forming the top of the three dimensional enclosure, the top panel including a top tab configured for magnetically coupling the top panel to the front panel when the three dimensional enclosure is closed. At least one panel may comprise ventilation apertures for allowing ambient air to a device within the three dimensional enclosure. The front and back panels may comprise opposing ventilation apertures for allowing ambient air to flow through the case via a device within the three dimensional enclosure. At least one panel may comprise a waterproof, breathable material. At least one panel may comprise a hydrophobic, breathable material. At least one panel may comprise an activated charcoal filter. At least one panel may have first and second ends and be fabricated to have axially-dependent thermal conductivity such that heat is preferentially transferred between the first and second ends rather than through the plane of the panel. At least one panel may include a graphite element. The detachable protective case may be configured for use with a fuel cell power source and fuel cartridge.

According to another aspect, the invention provides a fuel cell power source and fuel cartridge in combination with the detachable protective case as described above.

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 shows a front and side perspective view of a protective case for a fuel cell power source in an assembled and closed configuration;

Figure 2 shows a rear and side perspective view of the protective case of figure 1 in assembled and closed configuration;

Figure 3 shows a front and side perspective view of the protective case of figure 1 in assembled and open configuration;

Figure 4 shows a rear and side perspective view of the protective case of figure 1 in assembled and open configuration; Figure 5 shows a rear and side perspective view of the protective case of figure 1 in partly assembled configuration;

Figure 6 shows a rear and side perspective view of the protective case of figure 1 in almost completely disassembled configuration;

Figure 7 shows a rear and side perspective view of the protective case of figure 1 in fully disassembled and flat condition, showing a first side of the flat case;

Figure 8 shows a rear and side perspective view of the protective case of figure 1 in fully disassembled and flat condition, showing a second side of the flat case. Throughout the present specification, the descriptors relating to relative orientation and position, such as "top", "bottom", "front", "back", "side", "horizontal", "vertical", "left", "right", "up", "down" etc, as well as any adjective and adverb derivatives thereof, are used in the sense of the orientation of the case as presented in the drawings and a conventional mode of use as pictured in the drawings. However, such descriptors are not intended to be in any way limiting to an intended use of the described or claimed invention.

An illustrative detachable protective case for an electronic device is described herein, in which the intended electronic device is a fuel cell power supply which incorporates a fuel cell power source and a fuel cartridge supplying hydrogen thereto in an integrated or connectable package. An exemplary fuel cell power supply is the Upp™ personal electrical energy generator. However, the protective case can readily be configured for use with any portable electronic device including smart phones, tablets, laptop computers, and the like. The protective case may be readily configured for use with other items requiring protection from damage.

The fuel cell power supply, for which the presently described protective case is particularly suited, comprises an elongate cuboid housing having a first end which houses an air ventilated fuel cell module and a second end which houses a hydrogen fuel source module for supplying hydrogen fuel to the fuel cell module for electricity generation. The two modules connect together to form the elongate cuboid profile of the connected fuel cell power source or personal energy generator. Particular features of general fuel cell power sources which may be relevant to protective case design may include:

• the ability to incorporate ventilation apertures for ingress of air to a cathode flow path and egress of warm and humid air from the cathode flow path; • the ability to easily remove the casing to allow detachment or removal of a fuel cartridge for replacement or replenishment;

• access to a power outlet such as a USB socket on the fuel cell power source;

• access to any control surfaces on the fuel cell power source;

· heat transfer to and / or from the fuel cell power source and / or heat redistribution between the fuel cartridge and the fuel cell modules (in some instances, the fuel cell module may generate heat in an exothermic process, at the same time that the fuel supply module is absorbing heat in an endothermic process);

• protection from impact damage;

· environmental protection against airborne particulates or chemicals which might degrade fuel cell performance or fuel generating reactions.

Some or all of these factors may be relevant to some types of fuel cell power sources or to other electronic devices suitable for providing with a protective case as described herein. The list might not be exhaustive.

With reference to figures 1 and 2 a protective case 1 comprises a plurality of panels including a front panel 2, a rear panel 3, a top panel 4, a bottom panel 5, a left side panel 6 and a right side panel 7. The top panel 4 is coupled to a top tab 8 (e.g. a flap) by a hinge section 9, which enables the top tab 8 to extend downwardly from the top panel 4 adjacent to the front panel 2.

With reference to figures 3 and 4, the side panels 6, 7 are each connected to a respective front tab 11 , 12 and a respective rear tab 13, 14 by a hinge section 15, 16, 17, 18. The hinge sections can be more clearly identified in figure 6 to 8. The front section 2 is coupled to the bottom panel 5 by a hinge section 19. The rear panel 3 is coupled to the bottom panel 5 by a hinge section 20, and coupled to the top panel 4 by a hinge section 21. The bottom panel 5 is coupled to the left side panel 6 by a hinge section 22 and coupled to the right side panel by a hinge section 23.

As clearly seen in figures 7 and 8, all of the panels, tabs and hinge sections may be formed as a single sheet or web 30. In a preferred arrangement, the web 30 comprises a layered construction comprising outer surface layers 31 , 32 which extend across the entire web 30 and stiffening elements between the surface layers 31 , 32 defining each of the panels 2-7 and each of the tabs 8 and 11-14. The stiffening elements are laterally separated from one another by sufficient distance to enable the formation of the each of the hinge sections 9 and 15-23 by the surface layers 31 , 32 where they extend between the stiffening elements. Preferably, the hinge sections 9 and 15-21 are configured such that they can flex in either direction, so that the case 1 can be formed by the web 30 using either of the outer surface layers 31 , 32 as the outside of the three dimensional construction so created. In this way, the case can be fully reversible, and can offer different colours and / or different materials and / or textures of finish on each face.

Each of the tabs 11-14 comprises a magnetic element, e.g. a sheet magnet 41-44, incorporated within the tab, as shown in dashed outline in figure 8. Correspondingly, the front panel 2 comprises magnetic elements 41 a and 42a which are positioned for magnetic engagement respectively with the front tabs 11 , 12 when the three dimensional case construction is created. Similarly, the rear panel 3 comprises magnetic elements 43a and 44a which are positioned for magnetic engagement respectively with the rear tabs 13, 14 when the three dimensional case construction is created. Similarly, the top tab 8 comprises a magnetic element 45 as shown in dashed outline in figures 7 and 8 and the front panel 4 may include a further magnetic element 45a which is positioned for magnetic engagement with the top tab magnetic element 45 when the three dimensional case construction is created.

Each of the magnetic elements may comprise the entire panel or tab in which they reside, or may occupy only strategically positioned portions of the panel or tab in which they reside. The magnetic elements may form part of or all of the stiffening elements within the panels or tabs, or may be additional thereto.

The magnetic elements may comprise complementary pairs of permanent magnet and soft magnetic material. For example, the magnetic elements 41-44 in tabs 11 -14 may comprise permanently magnetised material and the magnetic elements 41 a-44a may comprise a soft magnetic material attractable thereto, or vice versa. Alternatively, complementary pairs of magnetic elements may both comprise permanent magnetic elements configured for complementary poles to come together for magnetic engagement when the three dimensional case construction is created. Similar arrangements may be used for the magnetic elements 45 and 45a. The magnetic element 45a may be omitted if the presence of magnetic elements 41a and 42a are also sufficient to provide the necessary magnetic engagement of top tab 8 with front panel 4 when they are brought into overlapping relationship to one another.

Construction of the three dimensional enclosure as best seen in figures 1 to 4, from the web 30, is now described. Starting from the web 30 of figure 7, surface 32 of the web 30 is in this arrangement to be the inside surface of the three dimensional enclosure of figure 1. As shown in figure 6, the left side panel 6 is folded upwards about hinge section 22. The front tab 11 is folded about hinge section 15 and the rear tab 13 is folded about hinge section 17. With reference to figure 5, a corresponding set of actions is performed with respect to right side panel 7, front tab 12, rear tab 14 and hinge sections 23, 16 and 18. The front panel 2 is then raised to a vertical position and captured in position by the magnetic elements 41 , 42, 41 a, 42a when the tabs 11 , 12 are brought into overlying / overlapping relationship with the front panel 2. With reference to figure 4, the rear panel 3 is then raised to a vertical position and captured in position by the magnetic elements 43, 44, 43a, 44a when the tabs 13, 14 are brought into overlying / overlapping relationship with the rear panel 3, resulting in an open three dimensional enclosure as seen in figures 3 and 4. The interior volume receives a suitable electronic device or other item.

The top panel 4 provides a lid which may be closed by folding about hinge section 20, and folding of the top tab 8 about the hinge section 9 so that it is captured in overlying overlapping relationship with the front panel 2 by the magnetic elements 45, 45a, to achieve the enclosure as seen in figures 1 and 2. This may be considered as forming a closed three dimensional enclosure. In the arrangement of figures 3 and 4 the three dimensional enclosure may be referred to as an open three dimensional enclosure.

In the arrangement of figures 7 and 8, the panels and tabs of the web are disposed in a flat, planar configuration which may be convenient for packing or storage. Preferably some or all of the hinge sections are configured such that adjacent panels can be folded flat on top of one another. For example, a 180 degree folding of the web 30 on hinge sections 17, 18 and 20 may enable the web to be folded approximately in half, achieving a flat- packed configuration in which all panels are coplanar or parallel to one another. Similar arrangements could be made for a 180 folding of the web on hinge sections 21 , 22 and 23 to achieve a smaller flat-packed configuration in which all panels are coplanar or parallel to one another. It will be seen that the tabs may be connected to the overall web structure differently than shown. For example, the front tabs 11 , 12 could be coupled to the front panel 2 by hinge sections, rather than to the side panels 6, 7. Similarly, the rear tabs 13, 14 could be coupled to the rear panel 3 by hinge sections, rather than to the side panels 6, 7. Similarly, the top tab 8 could be coupled to the front panel 2 rather than to the top panel 4.

The protective case 1 may be provided with ventilation features for an enclosed electronic device. In the illustrated example, ventilation apertures 50, 51 are formed on opposing faces of the enclosure, in front and rear panels 3 and 4. In the arrangement shown, the ventilation apertures are directly opposite one another to allow air to flow through the case via a device within the three dimensional enclosure. The device may be a fuel cell power source having a flow-through cathode arrangement, in which the device has a cathode air inlet/outlet face on one side and a cathode air outlet/inlet face on the other side, allowing free flow of air through the cathode air flow path.

The ventilation features may include a filtration device, such as a filter membrane or filter element, e.g. a woven element. The filtration device may be integrated into the panels, e.g. integrated into the stiffening elements within the panel. The filtration device may be a chemically passive filtration device, e.g. for physically trapping particulates or molecules, or it may include a chemically active filtration device for chemically combining with certain elements or molecules to prevent or mitigate potential poisoning of catalysts, or damage to, membranes or other materials / components within the electronic device. The filtration device may comprise a charcoal filter. The case may comprise a waterproof breathable material to prevent or resist water ingress and protect a device therein from water damage.

The case may comprise a hydrophobic breathable material, also suitable for preventing or resisting water ingress to protect a device therein from water damage.

Where the case is being used for housing a fuel cell power supply device, the waterproofing and hydrophobic features may be used to assist ensuring that water / high humidity air emerging from the cathode ventilation faces of the fuel cell is not able to substantially wet or soak the case material and is rejected from the case ventilation apertures as quickly as possible. The waterproofing and hydrophobic features may be concentrated around the ventilation apertures 50, 51. The region around the ventilation apertures may comprise a sealing surface which is configured to provide a moisture tight seal against the device when it is within the case 1. The case 1 may be configured to enable heat transfer to and / or from a device within the enclosure. For example, a fuel cell power source may comprise a fuel cartridge module at one end of the enclosure and a fuel cell module at the other end of the enclosure. In some instances, a fuel cell module may generate heat in an exothermic process and the fuel supply module may absorb heat in an endothermic process. In such circumstances, it may be useful for the case 1 to be designed to transfer heat from one end or side to the other end or side, such that the heat generated from the fuel cell end is transferred to assist the endothermic reaction taking place in the fuel cartridge end. One or more of the panels, e.g. front panel 2, rear panel 3, top panel 4 and bottom panel 5, may comprise an axially- dependent thermal conductivity such that heat is preferentially transferred between the first and second ends (e.g. in the direction of side 7 to side 6) rather than through the plane of the panel. In this way, heat balance within the enclosure is assisted thereby reducing the extremes of temperature change needed at the outer surfaces of the three dimensional enclosure. A material suitable for axially-dependent thermal conductivity could comprise graphite. The graphite could be incorporated into an element forming one or more of the panels.

In other arrangements, the case may be configured to enable heat transfer out of the case at certain points, e.g. with thermally conductive materials, and to insulate the case at other points, e.g. with thermally insulative materials.

The case may be configured with features that allow access to an electronic device within the three dimensional enclosure formed by the case. These may include an aperture 60 for a power outlet / communication channel such as a USB socket on the fuel cell power source, and an aperture 61 or an optically transparent window material for enabling a view of a status light on the electronic device. Other features could include a flexible membrane portion of the case 1 / web 30 enabling operation of switches or other control surfaces on the electronic device, within the three dimensional enclosure formed by the case, through the case panels. The web 30 may comprise any suitable material adapted for achieving protection against a predetermined level of impact damage or abrasion resistance.

The magnetic latching of the panels of the case enables the case to be very easily assembled and collapsed by a user and also enables the assembly and collapse to be repeated many times without significant degradation of the case. The magnetic latching also enables the latching elements to be completely integrated into the web of the case such that the latching elements are not exposed to mechanical wear and tear. The magnetic latching also allows the case to be constructed / assembly around the device which is to reside in the interior volume.

Other embodiments are intentionally within the scope of the accompanying claims.