CN203259918U - Foldable coat - Google Patents

Abstract

A foldable enclosure including a hinge and a flip portion adapted to be removably attached to the main unit. The flip portion is pivotally connected to the hinge and includes a plurality of segments having substantially the same dimensions and being substantially rigid with foldable areas between the segments. The flip portion is foldable into a rectangular configuration in which the segments thereof are folded to stack substantially flush against one another. The dimensions and position of the resulting rectangular structure allow the rear face of the main unit to be further reinforced in order to improve its utility or ergonomics, for example by adding a handle.

Description

foldable jacket

technical field

The present invention relates to cases for portable electronic devices, and in particular to segmented foldable cases. the

Background technique

Modern handheld electronic devices, such as mobile phones and tablet computers, typically have a front-facing display on which information is presented to the user. Interchangeable covers are a popular accessory for such devices. One basic type of such case may have a housing into which the electronic device may be inserted. The housing is typically molded to house the electronics. Thereby, certain protection is provided for electronic equipment against impacts such as those caused by dropping. the

Certain cases may include an adjustable base operable to provide support for the electronic device so that the electronic device may rest on a surface such that the display screen is at a comfortable reading and/or typing angle. It is obvious that the base can also be designed to be used as a carrying handle for the device, for example as disclosed in International Publication WO 2009/153494. These features are desirable because handheld electronic devices can be relatively heavy and operators can become fatigued from handling them, especially when a constant grip is required. If a base is included, it is common practice to allow it to rotate in a fixable manner, as disclosed in US2001/0045939A1, so that the electronic device can be operated in either landscape or portrait mode. Since the base is also designed to act as a handle, this swivel capability has the added benefit of facilitating the operator to hold and operate the device at an ergonomically preferred angle, or to carry it in a briefcase style. the

Alternatively, such a case may comprise only a flap with a hinge for attachment to the electronic device. The front flap may provide protection for the display, and may also provide some other benefit, for example, the front flap may be adapted to store credit cards, or it may hold a magnetic element that interacts with the electronics such as to activate the device, or it could be segmented so that it folds into a triangular configuration that folds to elevate the display to a comfortable reading angle. the

Other cases may include a combination of the features described above, such as a shell and flap. However, where the case has both a housing with a handle and a flip, there is no apparent way to prevent the flip to allow access to the display while the device is being operated, while still allowing use of the handle. This problem is especially serious when the device is not resting on a surface but is being carried. The problem is compounded when the handle is rotatable. the

None of the previous efforts to design jackets incorporating flaps have addressed this problem. Conventional segmented flaps, such as those described in US Pat. It interferes with folding the segments to stack flush against each other, and with placing and releasably retaining the folded flap to allow the handle to be used in an ergonomic manner. the

Therefore, there is a need to design a case with a flap that can be compactly folded and stored adjacent the case to allow access to the base or handle. It is an object of the present invention to provide a jacket with a segmented flap which can be compactly folded and conveniently placed when in its folded configuration. the

Contents of the invention

The present invention relates to a foldable jacket comprising: a hinge adapted to be detachably attached to a main unit, the main unit having a front and a back; and a flap portion pivotally connected to the hinge, the The flap portion comprises: a plurality of segments; a foldable region between the segments; wherein the flap portion is foldable into a rectangular configuration in which each segment of the flap portion folds to stack flush against each other. the

Preferably, said segments are of the same size and are rigid. the

Preferably, each segment includes at least one magnetic element. the

Preferably, attractive forces between the magnetic elements are capable of releasably attaching adjacent segments together. the

Preferably, said rectangular structure is pivotable about said hinge. the

Preferably, said main unit comprises at least one magnetic element. the

Preferably, said hinge includes at least one magnetic element. the

Preferably, said rectangular structure is magnetically attachable to the back of said main unit when said rectangular structure is pivoted to reside at the back of said main unit. the

Preferably, said rectangular structure is magnetically attachable to said hinge when said rectangular structure is pivoted to reside at said hinge. the

Preferably, the main unit is a casing capable of accommodating electronic equipment. the

Preferably, said main unit is an electronic device. the

Preferably, the back of the main unit includes a handle. the

Preferably, the dimensions of the rectangular structure allow the rectangular structure to reside on the back of the main unit without touching the handle. the

Preferably, the handle can be rotated in a fixed manner. the

Preferably, the electronic device is a tablet computer. the

The present invention also includes a foldable cover for an electronic device, comprising a housing adapted to receive the electronic device within a front cavity; a flap portion pivotally connected to the housing by a hinge; the flip The portion comprises a plurality of segments having the same dimensions and being rigid and comprising at least one magnetic element, with a foldable region between each of the segments, wherein the flap portion is capable of being folded into a rectangular configuration in which A rectangular structure in which each segment of the flap portion folds to stack flush against each other and can be releasably held together by attractive force between its magnetic elements and which can be pivoted to reside in the front At the rear of the cavity and releasably retained at the rear of the front cavity by magnetic attraction force between the rectangular structure and a magnetic element included within the housing. the

Preferably, the housing further includes a rotatable handle. the

In order to better understand the invention and to show how it can be carried out, a preferred embodiment thereof will now be described, by way of non-limiting example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings. the

Description of drawings

Non-limiting embodiments are described with reference to the following figures, in which:

Figure 1 shows a front view of a main unit with a foldable cover attached thereto according to an embodiment of the present invention, wherein the foldable cover is partially folded so as to cover the front of the main unit;

Fig. 2 shows the side view of cooperation system shown in Fig. 1;

Figure 3 shows a side view of a collapsible case in a fully collapsed configuration and pivoted to reside on the back of the main unit, according to an embodiment of the present invention;

Fig. 4 shows the back view of cooperation system shown in Fig. 3;

Figure 5 shows a partially cut-away top view of a foldable coat according to an embodiment of the present invention, wherein the foldable coat is in a fully unfolded position;

Fig. 6 shows a rear view of the cooperation system shown in Fig. 3, wherein the main unit further includes a rotatable handle. the

Detailed ways

The following description generally relates to a foldable cover that enhances the protection of electronic devices and facilitates ergonomic handling of the electronic devices. Figures 1 and 2 show a preferred embodiment of such a foldable jacket according to the invention. the

The foldable cover 1 comprises a hinge 9 adapted to be detachably attached to a main unit 3 having a front 7 and a back 5 . The flap part 11 is pivotably connected 14 to the hinge 9, said flap part 11 comprising a plurality of segments 13 with foldable regions 15 between each segment. In one embodiment, the hinge 9 and the flip part 11 may be integrally formed, wherein the pivot 14 is provided by the edge of the main unit 3 . the

In one embodiment, the main unit 3 is an electronic device, such as a tablet computer, in which case the front 7 of the main unit 3 is typically a display screen and/or an input device. In a preferred embodiment, the main unit 3 is a housing adapted to accommodate electronic equipment, in which case the front face 7 of the main unit is generally a cavity into which the electronic equipment can be inserted. the

In a preferred embodiment, segments 13 are each approximately the same size and are substantially rigid. Between the segments 13 there are more flexible foldable regions 15 . The segmented design of the flap portion 11 allows the flap portion 11 to be folded into a compact rectangular configuration 12 in which each segment 13 is folded to stack substantially flush on top of each other. the

As can be seen in FIG. 5 , in the preferred embodiment segment 13 includes a magnetic element 17 . The magnetic element 17 may be located on the outside of the flap portion 11 or within the segment 13 . The figure shows a preferred arrangement in which the magnetic element 17 is located within the segment 13 . When adjacent segments 13 are folded together, the attractive force between the magnetic elements 17 can releasably attach adjacent segments 13 together one on top of the other. The arrangement of the magnetic elements 17 allows the magnetic attraction in and around the folded flap portion 11 to hold the flap portion 11 in the compact rectangular structure 12 until the applied release force is greater than the magnetic attraction so as to overcome the magnetic attraction and snap the fragments together. 13 release from each other. the

The pivot connection 14 enables the flip part 11 to pivot between the front 7 of the main unit 3 and the back 5 of the main unit 3, whether in an unfolded, fully folded or partially folded configuration. Preferably, the flip part 11 is able to reside either on the front 7 of the main unit 3 or on the back 5 of the main unit 3 when pivoted. In an alternative embodiment, the hinge 9 is designed and arranged such that when pivoted the flip part 11 can reside at the front 7 of the main unit 3 or at the hinge. In one embodiment, pivot connection 14 and hinge 9 may be identical. the

As shown in FIG. 5 , in a preferred embodiment, the main unit 3 includes a magnetic element 19 . The magnetic element 19 can be located on the front 7 or the back 5 of the main unit 3 or preferably embedded in the main unit 3 . In an alternative embodiment, said hinge 9 comprises magnetic elements. In either case, the magnetic attraction between the magnetic elements 19 in the back 5 of the main unit 3 or those in the hinge 9 and the net magnetic force of the already folded rectangular structure 12 can releasably attach the rectangular structure 12. to the back 5 of the main unit 3, or in the case of a hinge 9 to the hinge 9. the

In a preferred embodiment, when the rectangular structure 12 is pivoted away from the front 7 of the main unit 3 to the back 5 of the main unit 3, the attractive force between the rectangular structure 12 and the magnetic element 19 included in the main unit 3 will The rectangular structure 12 is magnetically attached to the back 5 of the main unit 3 . In an alternative embodiment, when the rectangular structure 12 is pivoted to reside on said hinge 9, the attractive force between the rectangular structure 12 and a magnetic element 19 located within the hinge 9 magnetically attaches the rectangular structure 12 to hinge 9. the

FIG. 6 shows a preferred embodiment of the invention, wherein the back 5 of the main unit 3 includes a handle 21 . The handle 21 facilitates resting the main unit on a surface at a desired angle and facilitates holding the main unit in an ergonomic manner. The handle 21 may be of the fixed type, or it may turn about a central axis perpendicular to the back 5 of the main unit 3 . The handle 21 is also pivotable so that the distance between a part of the handle and the back 5 of the main unit 3 can be adjusted by the operator. the

The compactness of the rectangular structure 12, and the way it is magnetically held together, as well as magnetically attaching the rectangular structure 12 to the back 5 of the main unit 3, allows the rectangular structure 12 to reside on the back of the main unit 3 5 or hinge 9 without touching the handle 21. Furthermore, in the preferred embodiment, the rectangular structure 12 is so compact, held together and in place so well, that the handle 21 can be ergonomically designed so that it is large enough to accommodate the handling The opening of the operator's hand or wrist, so that the main unit 3 does not need to be actively grasped by the operator, and the handle 21 can freely rotate 360 degrees around its central axis. the

Changes, modifications and/or additions other than those specifically described may be made to the invention described herein, and it is to be understood that the invention includes all such changes, modifications and/or additions which fall within the scope of the following claims. the

Claims (17)

1. folding overcoat, it comprises:

Be suitable for removably being attached to the hinge of master unit, described master unit has front and the back side; And

Be pivotably connected to the flip potion of described hinge, described flip potion comprises:

A plurality of fragments;

Foldable area between each fragment;

It is characterized in that described flip potion can be folded into rectangular configuration, in this rectangular configuration, each fragment of described flip potion be folded into flush ground stacking each other.

2. collapsible overcoat according to claim 1 is characterized in that, described fragment has identical size, and is rigidity.

3. collapsible overcoat according to claim 2 is characterized in that, each fragment comprises at least one magnetic element.

4. collapsible overcoat according to claim 3 is characterized in that, the attractive force between the magnetic element can be attached to adjacent segment together releasedly.

5. collapsible overcoat according to claim 4 is characterized in that, described rectangular configuration can be pivoted about the hinge.

6. collapsible overcoat according to claim 5 is characterized in that, described master unit comprises at least one magnetic element.

7. collapsible overcoat according to claim 5 is characterized in that, described hinge comprises at least one magnetic element.

8. collapsible overcoat according to claim 6 is characterized in that, when described rectangular configuration is switched to back side when place that resides at described master unit, described rectangular configuration can magnetic attachment to the back side of described master unit.

9. collapsible overcoat according to claim 7 is characterized in that, when described rectangular configuration is switched to when residing at described hinge place, described rectangular configuration can magnetic attachment to described hinge.

10. collapsible overcoat according to claim 8 is characterized in that, described master unit is the shell that can hold electronic equipment.

11. collapsible overcoat according to claim 9 is characterized in that described master unit is electronic equipment.

12. collapsible overcoat according to claim 10 is characterized in that the back side of described master unit comprises handle.

13. collapsible overcoat according to claim 12 is characterized in that, the size of described rectangular configuration allows described rectangular configuration to reside on the back side of described master unit and does not touch described handle.

14. collapsible overcoat according to claim 12 is characterized in that described handle rotates in the mode that can fix.

15. according to claim 10 or 11 described collapsible overcoats, it is characterized in that described electronic equipment is flat computer.

16. a collapsible overcoat that is used for electronic equipment, it comprises and is suitable for electronic equipment is contained in shell in the front cavity; Be pivotably connected to the flip potion of described shell by hinge; Described flip potion comprises a plurality of fragments, described fragment has identical size and is rigidity, and comprise at least one magnetic element, has foldable area between each described fragment, it is characterized in that, described flip potion can be folded into rectangular configuration, in this rectangular configuration, each fragment of described flip potion is folded into that to flush ground stacking and can keep together releasedly by the attractive force between its magnetic element each other, and described rectangular configuration can be switched to the place, rear portion that resides at front cavity and locates by the rear portion that rectangular configuration and magnetic attracting force between the magnetic element that is included in the described shell remain on front cavity releasedly.

17. collapsible overcoat according to claim 16 is characterized in that described shell also comprises rotating handle.

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