U.S. patent application number 13/430698 was filed with the patent office on 2013-05-23 for protective case for portable electronic device.
This patent application is currently assigned to FIH (HONG KONG) LIMITED. The applicant listed for this patent is WEN-WEI SONG. Invention is credited to WEN-WEI SONG.
Application Number | 20130126372 13/430698 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 48425756 |
Filed Date | 2013-05-23 |
United States Patent
Application |
20130126372 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
SONG; WEN-WEI |
May 23, 2013 |
PROTECTIVE CASE FOR PORTABLE ELECTRONIC DEVICE
Abstract
A protective case includes a housing defining a receptacle for
accommodating an electronic device including a main body and a
display fixed to the main body, a first buffer layer fixed in the
receptacle, a cover releasably latched to the housing, and a second
buffer layer fixed to the cover. The first buffer layer encloses
the main body to protect the main body from damage when the
electronic device is accommodated in the receptacle. When the cover
is latched to the housing, the second buffer layer, the second
buffer layer contacts with and protect the display from damage.
Inventors: |
SONG; WEN-WEI; (Shenzhen
City, CN) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
SONG; WEN-WEI |
Shenzhen City |
|
CN |
|
|
Assignee: |
FIH (HONG KONG) LIMITED
Kowloon
HK
SHENZHEN FUTAIHONG PRECISION INDUSTRY CO., LTD.
ShenZhen City
CN
|
Family ID: |
48425756 |
Appl. No.: |
13/430698 |
Filed: |
March 27, 2012 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
206/320 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H04M 1/185 20130101;
G06F 2200/1633 20130101; H04M 1/0252 20130101; G06F 1/1626
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
206/320 |
International
Class: |
B65D 85/00 20060101
B65D085/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Nov 21, 2011 |
CN |
201110370984.9 |
Claims
1. A protective case used for protecting an electronic device
including a main board and a display fixed to the main body, the
protective case comprising: a housing defining a receptacle; a
first buffer layer fixed in the receptacle; a cover latched to the
housing; a second buffer layer is fixed to the cover.; wherein the
cover and the housing cooperatively form a compartment therebetween
to accommodate the electronic device such that the first buffer
layer contacts with and protects the main body from damage, the
second buffer layer contacts with and protects the display from
damage.
2. The protective case of claim 1, wherein a rib protruding from
the first buffer layer and a groove defined in the cover, when the
rib is accommodated in the groove, the rib is compressed by the
cover to form a sealing element so the compartment is sealed by
sealing element.
3. The protective case of claim 2, wherein the first buffer layer
includes a main section, and a side section protruding from and
surrounding the main section; a flange protrudes from an outer
surface of the side section and surrounding the side section; the
rib protrudes from an surface of flange facing away from the main
section.
4. The protective case of claim 3, wherein the housing includes a
main board, a peripheral wall protruding an peripheral edge of the
main board and surrounding the main board; the main board and the
peripheral wall cooperatively enclose the receptacle.
5. The protective case of claim 4, wherein a plurality of first
hooks protruding from peripheral wall, a plurality of second hooks
protruding from the cover; each first hook is latched with one of
the second hooks to latch the cover to the housing.
6. The protective case of claim 5, wherein the cover includes an
inner surface and a groove defined in the inner surface; the second
buffer layer is fixed to the inner surface and surrounded by the
groove.
7. The protective case of claim 1, wherein the first buffer layer
is made of resin or silicone.
8. The protective case of claim 1, wherein the second buffer layer
is made of a foam.
9. A protective case, comprising: a housing defining a receptacle
for accommodating an electronic device including a main body and a
display fixed to the main body; a first buffer layer fixed in the
receptacle, the first buffer layer use for enclosing the main body
to protect the main body from damage; a cover releasably latched to
the housing; a second buffer layer fixed to the cover; wherein when
the cover is latched to the housing, the second buffer layer, the
second buffer layer contacts with and protect the display from
damage.
10. The protective case of claim 9, wherein a rib protruding from
the first buffer layer and a groove defined in the cover, when the
rib is accommodated in the groove, the rib is compressed by the
cover to seal a compartment formed between the cover and the
housing.
11. The protective case of claim 10, wherein the first buffer layer
includes a main section, and a side section protruding from and
surrounding the main section; a flange protrudes from an outer
surface of the side section and surrounding the side section; the
rib protrudes from an surface of flange facing away from the main
section.
12. The protective case of claim 11, wherein the housing includes a
main board, a peripheral wall protruding a peripheral edge of the
main board and surrounding the main board; the main board and the
peripheral wall cooperatively enclose a receptacle.
13. The protective case of claim 12, wherein a plurality of first
hooks protruding from peripheral wall, a plurality of second hooks
protruding from the cover; each first hook is latched with one of
the second hooks to latch the cover to the housing.
14. The protective case of claim 13, wherein the cover includes an
inner surface and a groove defined in the inner surface; the second
buffer layer is fixed to the inner surface and surrounded by the
groove.
15. The protective case of claim 9, wherein the first buffer layer
is made of resin or silicone.
16. The protective case of claim 9, wherein the second buffer layer
is made of foam.
Description
BACKGROUND
[0001] 1. Technical Field
[0002] The exemplary disclosure relates to cases for portable
electronic devices, particularly, to a protective case for
protecting portable electronic devices.
[0003] 2. Description of Related Art
[0004] Protective cases are used to protect portable electronic
devices of many different types and configurations, including but
not limited to PDAs, tablet style personal computer (tablet PC),
laptop computer, notebook, and personal stereos, thereby the
display of the portable electronic device can be protected when not
in use. However, typical protective cases can not efficiently
prevent the electronic device from damage when the electronic
device falls down.
[0005] Therefore, there is room for improvement within the art.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0006] Many aspects of the multifunctional case can be better
understood with reference to the following drawings. The components
in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, the emphasis
instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of
the multifunctional case.
[0007] FIG. 1 is an exploded view of a protective case according to
an exemplary embodiment.
[0008] FIG. 2 is an assembled view of the protective case of FIG.
1, and an electronic device is protected by the protective
case.
[0009] FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view of the protective case of
FIG. 2 along the line of IV-IV.
[0010] FIG. 4 is a partially enlarged view of the protective case
of FIG. 3 in a circle of IV.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0011] FIGS. 1 to 3 show an exemplary embodiment of a protective
case 100. The case 100 is used to receive and protect an electronic
device 200 like shown in FIGS. 1 and 3. The case 100 includes a
housing 10, a first buffer layer 20 fixed to the housing 10, a
cover 30 and a second buffer layer 40 fixed to the cover 30. The
cover 30 is latched to the housing 10 by a latching element 50, and
a sealing element 60 is formed between the cover 30 and the housing
10 to seal a gap which may be formed between the cover 30 and the
housing 10. The electronic device 200 is latched between the first
buffer layer 20 and the second buffer layer 40. The electronic
device 200 includes a main body 210 and a display 220 mounted on
the main body 210.
[0012] The housing 10 includes a main board 11, a peripheral wall
12 protruding from an peripheral edge of the main board 11 and
surrounding the main board 11, a plurality of first hooks 13. In
this exemplary embodiment, the number of the first hooks 13 is six.
The main board 11 and the peripheral wall 12 cooperatively enclose
a receptacle 14 accommodating the electronic device 200.
[0013] Referring to FIG. 4, the first buffer layer 20 may be made
of resin or silicone. The first buffer layer 20 has a shape similar
to the housing 10, but is slightly smaller than the housing 10. The
first buffer layer 20 includes a main section 21, and a side
section 22 protruding from and surrounding the main section 21. A
flange 23 protrudes from an outer surface of the side section 22
and surrounding the side section 22. A rib 231 protrudes from a
surface of flange 23 facing away from the main section 21. The rib
231 surrounds the main section 21. The first buffer layer 20 is
received in the receptacle 14 with the main section 21 covering the
main board 11 and the side section 22 covering the peripheral wall
12. In this exemplary embodiment, the housing 10 and the first
buffer layer 20 are integrally molded together by injection molding
method
[0014] The cover 30 is latched to the housing 10 to form a
compartment 70 accommodating the electronic device 200, to protect
the electronic device 200 from damage. The cover 30 includes an
inner surface 31, a groove 32 and a plurality of second hooks 33
equal to the first hooks 13. The groove 32 has a shape and a size
corresponding to the rib 231. When the rib 231 is accommodated in
the groove 32, the rib 231 is compressed by the cover 30, i.e., the
rib 231 tightly contacts with the cover 30, to form the sealing
element 60 so the compartment 70 is sealed by sealing element 60.
The second hooks 33 are latched to the second hooks 33, forming the
latching element 50 so the cover 30 and the housing 10 are latched
together.
[0015] The second buffer layer 40 is made of a soft material, such
as foam. The second buffer layer 40 is fixed (adhered) to the inner
surface 31 of the cover 30.
[0016] Referring to FIG. 3, in use, the electronic device 200 is
received in the receptacle 14. At this time, the first buffer layer
20 contacts with and encloses the main body 210, to protect the
main board from damage. Each first hook 13 is latched with one of
the second hooks 33 to latch the cover 30 to the housing 10. The
second buffer layer 40 contacts with the display 220 to reduce
shock due to an impact on the display 220. Additionally, the
sealing element 60 seals the compartment 70 to prevent impurities,
such as dust or water, from going into the display 220.
[0017] Even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the
present embodiments have been set forth in the foregoing
description, together with details of structures and functions of
various embodiments, the disclosure is illustrative only, and
changes may be made in detail, especially in matters of shape,
size, and arrangement of parts within the principles of the present
disclosure to the full extent indicated by the broad general
meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are
expressed.
* * * * *