KR102626225B1 - Automatic hinge protective case for foldable mobile device - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to an automatic hinge protection case for a foldable portable device, and more specifically, to a front case mounted on one side of a portable device body configured to be folded via a body hinge, and a rear case mounted on the other side of the portable device body. , characterized in that it includes a hinge protection cover rotatably mounted on the end of the rear case and one or more elastic parts mounted between the outer surface of the rear case and the inner surface of the hinge protection cover, and the hinge protection cover is held by the elastic force of the elastic part. This is about an automatic hinge protection case for a foldable mobile device that can continuously adhere to the case.

Description

Automatic hinge protection case for foldable mobile devices {AUTOMATIC HINGE PROTECTIVE CASE FOR FOLDABLE MOBILE DEVICE}

The present invention relates to a case for a portable device, and more specifically, to an automatic hinge protection case for a foldable portable device that can continuously adhere the hinge protection cover to the case by the elastic force of the elastic portion when the case is closed.

With the rapid development of information and communication technology, the functions of wireless communication terminals (e.g., smartphones) go beyond simple calls and text transmission to a complex portable computer concept such as Internet search, games, email, and DMB (Digital Multimedia Broadcasting). has been expanded to

As the number of smartphone users increases exponentially, the market for protective cases, mounting devices, and accessories related to smartphones is also growing significantly, and research and development on these are also actively underway.

Smartphone cases are used to protect the screen or exterior of a smartphone. Smartphone cases are generally used by injection molding plastic to cover the back of the smartphone. In the case of wallet-type cases made of leather or artificial leather, smartphones are inserted in the same way as regular cards, or are simply used to secure them inside the wallet.

Recently, a variety of foldable mobile devices (for example, the Galaxy Z Flip smartphone) with improved portability and display expandability have been released. However, foldable smartphones have a folding part (hinge) on the device, so existing protective cases cannot be applied.

Accordingly, methods such as applying a detachable protective case that protects only the part excluding the folded part of the device are being used. However, the folded part of the device cannot be protected, and the detachable structure can easily cause unwanted separation of the case from the device. There are problems such as:

The matters described as background technology above are only for the purpose of improving understanding of the background of the present invention, and should not be taken as recognition that they correspond to prior art already known to those skilled in the art.

The present invention is intended to solve the problems of the prior art described above, and its purpose is to provide an automatic hinge protection case for a foldable portable device that has a cover function that can be automatically closed using an elastic portion.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an automatic hinge protection case for a foldable mobile device that can continuously adhere the hinge protection cover to the case using the elastic force of the elastic portion.

The technical problems to be achieved by the present invention are not limited to the technical problems mentioned above, and other technical problems not mentioned can be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the description of the present invention. .

The configuration of the present invention to achieve the above object includes: a front case mounted on one side of a portable device body configured to be folded via a body hinge; A rear case mounted on the other side of the mobile device body; A hinged protective cover rotatably mounted on the end of the rear case; and one or more elastic parts mounted between the outer surface of the rear case and the inner surface of the hinge protection cover; It includes, and the hinge protection cover is in close contact with the main body hinge direction due to the elastic force provided by the elastic portion.

In the automatic hinge protection case for a foldable portable device according to an embodiment of the present invention, the rear case includes a circular seating groove recessed in the outer surface of the rear case; and a rotating portion protruding outward from the center of the seating groove. It is desirable to include.

In the automatic hinge protection case for a foldable portable device according to an embodiment of the present invention, an insertion portion formed to penetrate the inside of the rotating portion; It is desirable to further include.

In the automatic hinge protection case for a foldable portable device according to an embodiment of the present invention, the hinge protection cover includes a cover body having a hinge receiving portion formed therein to accommodate the main body hinge; and a cover extension extending from the rear of the cover body to be perpendicular to the cover body. It is preferable that the cover extension part is rotatably connected to the side of the rear case.

In the automatic hinge protection case for a foldable portable device according to an embodiment of the present invention, an elastic receiving portion is recessed inside the cover extension portion to accommodate the elastic portion; and an elastic support part disposed to surround the elastic receiving part and protruding in the inner direction of the cover extension part. It further includes, and it is preferable that one side of the elastic portion is supported in contact with the elastic support portion.

In the automatic hinge protection case for a foldable mobile device according to an embodiment of the present invention, the elastic portion includes an elastic center wound in a circular shape; An elastic extension portion extending outward from one end of the elastic center portion; and an elastic bending portion bent and extending inward from the other end of the elastic center portion; It is desirable to include.

In the automatic hinge protection case for a foldable mobile device according to an embodiment of the present invention, when the front case and the rear case are folded to be arranged in parallel, the elastic portion applies an elastic force so that the hinge protection cover can rotate in the direction of the front case, It is desirable that the end of the hinge protection cover is in close contact with the end of the front case.

In the automatic hinge protection case for a foldable mobile device according to an embodiment of the present invention, when the front case and the rear case are unfolded so that they are arranged side by side, the elastic part applies elastic force so that the hinge protection cover can be pushed in the direction of the front case, and protects the hinge. It is desirable to keep the cover in contact with the back of the front case.

In the present invention having the above configuration, the hinge protection cover can be automatically closed by rotating in the direction of the front case due to the elastic force of the elastic portion, and has the effect of continuously keeping the hinge protection cover in close contact with the main body hinge.

In addition, in the present invention, the hinge protection cover prevents exposure of the main body hinge and has the effect of protecting the main body hinge from scratches or impacts.

Furthermore, the present invention has the effect of providing an automatic hinge protective case suitable as a protective case for a foldable smartphone or a mobile device with a similar hinge.

The attached drawings are intended as reference for understanding the technical idea of the present invention, and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention.
Figure 1 is a diagram showing the overall appearance of an automatic hinge protection case for a foldable mobile device according to an embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 2 is a view showing each part of the automatic hinge protection case for a foldable mobile device disassembled according to an embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 3 is a view showing the rear case according to an embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 4 is a view showing the hinge protection cover according to an embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 5 is a view showing an elastic portion according to an embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 6 is an enlarged view of the hinge protection cover when the front case and rear case are folded according to an embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 7 is an enlarged view of the hinge protection cover when the front case and rear case are unfolded according to an embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 8 is a view showing the front case and rear case being sequentially unfolded according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Hereinafter, based on the attached drawings, the present invention will be described in detail so that those skilled in the art can easily practice it. However, the present invention may be implemented in many different forms and is not limited to the embodiments described herein.

In order to clearly explain the present invention, parts that are not relevant to the description are omitted, and identical or similar components are assigned the same reference numerals throughout the specification.

In addition, terms or words used in this specification and patent claims should not be construed as limited to their usual or dictionary meanings, and the inventor must appropriately use the concept of terms to explain his or her invention in the best way. It must be interpreted as meaning and concept consistent with the technical idea of the present invention based on the principle of definability.

Figure 1 is a diagram showing the overall appearance of an automatic hinge protection case for a foldable mobile device according to an embodiment of the present invention, and Figure 2 is a diagram showing the automatic hinge protection case for a foldable mobile device according to an embodiment of the present invention. This is a drawing showing how each part is disassembled.

As shown, the automatic hinge protection case for a foldable portable device according to the present invention includes a front case 100, a rear case 200, a hinge protection cover 300, and an elastic portion 400.

The front case 100 is mounted on one side of the mobile device body 10, which is configured to be foldable via a body hinge (11 in FIG. 6). The rear case 200 is mounted on the other side of the mobile device body 10.

The front case 100 and the rear case 200 are formed by injection molding a general plastic material and can cover the rear of the mobile device body 10. The front case 100 and the rear case 200 may be made of a transparent material or may be made with added color.

The mobile device body 10 includes commonly used smartphones, feature phones, tablet PCs, laptop PCs, MP3 devices, and game consoles, but there are no restrictions on its form or name as long as it satisfies the definition. The mobile device body 10 can be folded or unfolded using the body hinge 11.

The hinge protection cover 300 is rotatably mounted on the top of the rear case 200. The hinge protection cover 300 may be injection molded from the same material as the front case 100 and the rear case 200, or may be made of a different material from the front case 100 and the rear case 200.

The front case 100 and the rear case 200 are separated so that they can be mounted on the mobile device body 10, respectively, and the hinge protection cover 300 is rotatably connected to the rear case 200.

The elastic portion 400 is mounted between the outer surface of the rear case 200 and the inner surface of the hinge protection cover 300. The elastic portion 400 can be applied to one or both sides in consideration of the structure of the mobile device main body 10 and the elastic force required by the hinge protection cover 300.

Due to the elastic force provided by the elastic portion 400, the hinge protection cover 300 rotates (counterclockwise in FIG. 1) and comes into close contact with the main body hinge 11. That is, the main body hinge 11 can be protected by the hinge protection cover 300 without being exposed to the outside.

In this way, in the present invention, the hinge protection cover 300 always protects the main body hinge 11 to prevent the main body hinge 11 from being exposed to the outside, thereby protecting the main body hinge 11 from scratches or impacts.

Figure 3 is a view showing the appearance of the rear case according to an embodiment of the present invention, Figure 4 is a view showing the appearance of the hinge protection cover according to an embodiment of the present invention, and Figure 5 is an embodiment of the present invention. This is a drawing showing the elastic part according to an embodiment.

As shown, the rear case 200 is composed of two side parts 201 and one lower surface part 202 so that it can be mounted on the mobile device body 10 by surrounding the rear of the mobile device body 10. .

At the top of the side portion 201, a seating surface 210 that provides space for the hinge protection cover 300 to rotate is recessed in a square shape, and a circular seating groove is formed in the center of the seating surface 210 ( 220) is further depressed. The seating groove 220 accommodates the elastic center portion 410 of the elastic portion 400, which will be described later. Since the elastic center portion 410 is accommodated in the seating groove 220, clearance of the elastic portion 400 up, down, left, and right is prevented.

At the center of the seating groove 220, a cylindrical rotating part 230 is formed to protrude outward. The rotation hole 321 of the hinge protection cover 300 is rotatably inserted into the rotation part 230, and thus the hinge protection cover 300 is rotatably coupled to the rear case 200.

An insertion part 231 is formed penetrating inside the rotating part 230. The insertion portion 231 is formed by cutting the rotating portion 230 in the longitudinal direction, and the insertion portion 231 accommodates an elastic bending portion 430, which will be described later.

Specifically, the insertion part 231 is formed to have an upward inclination angle forward from the center of the rotating part 230. Since the elastic bending part 430 is inserted into the insertion part 231, the elastic part 400 does not spin, and the elastic extension part 420, which will be described later, can apply elastic force in a certain direction (main body hinge direction).

As shown in FIG. 4, the hinge protection cover 300 includes a cover body 310 and a cover extension 320, and is rotatably mounted on the rear case 200 to protect the main body hinge 11. do.

The cover body 310 has a hinge receiving portion 311 formed therein to accommodate the main body hinge 11. When the front case 100 and the rear case 200 are folded to be arranged in parallel, the main body hinge 11 is accommodated inside the hinge receiving portion 311.

The cover extension 320 extends from the rear of the cover body 310 to be perpendicular to the cover body 310. A rotating hole 321 is drilled in the cover extension 320, and the rotating part 230 of the rear case 200 is inserted into this rotating hole 321.

An elastic receiving portion 322 is recessed inside the cover extension portion 320. The elastic part 400 is accommodated in the elastic receiving part 322, and accordingly, the elastic part 400 is disposed between the outer surface of the rear case 200 and the inner surface of the elastic receiving part 322.

An elastic support part 323 is disposed on the edge of the elastic receiving part 322 to surround the elastic receiving part 322. The elastic support part 323 protrudes in the inner direction of the cover extension part 320, and an elastic extension part 420 of a spring, which will be described later, is contacted and supported by the elastic support part 323.

At this time, the elastic support portion 323 can be divided into a front elastic support portion 323a disposed on the front side and a rear elastic support portion 323b disposed on the rear side. The elastic extension portion 420 is the front elastic support portion 323a. ) is supported only in contact.

As shown in Figure 5, the elastic portion 400 includes an elastic center portion 410 wound in a circle multiple times, an elastic extension portion 420 extending long outward from one end of the elastic center portion 410, and an elastic center portion ( It includes an elastic bent portion 430 bent and extending inward from the other end of 410).

The elastic center portion 410 is accommodated in the seating groove 220 of the rear case 200, and the elastic extension portion 420 is supported in contact with the front elastic support portion 323a formed on the inside of the hinge protection cover 300. , the elastic bent portion 430 is inserted into the insertion portion 231 formed in the rotating portion 230.

Since the elastic bent portion 430 is inserted into the insertion portion 231, the elastic center portion 410 does not spin around in the seating groove 220, and the elastic extension portion 420 exerts an elastic force on the hinge protection cover 300. can be provided.

Figure 6 is an enlarged view of the hinge protection cover when the front case and rear case are folded according to an embodiment of the present invention, and Figure 7 is an enlarged view of the front case and rear case according to an embodiment of the present invention when the front case and rear case are unfolded. This is an enlarged view of the hinge protection cover, and Figure 8 is a view showing the front case and rear case being sequentially unfolded according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 8 (a) is a diagram showing the front case and the rear case unfolded at an acute angle, and Figure 8 (b) is a diagram showing the front case and the rear case unfolded at a right angle, and in Figure 8 ( c) is a drawing showing the front case and rear case unfolded at an obtuse angle.

As shown, when the front case 100 and the rear case 200 are folded to be arranged in parallel, that is, when the automatic hinge protection case for a foldable mobile device is folded, the elastic portion 400 serves as a hinge protection. An elastic force is applied so that the cover 300 can rotate in the direction of the front case 100 (to the right in FIG. 6), and the end of the hinge protection cover 300 is in close contact with the end of the front case 100. The main body hinge 11 is accommodated in the hinge receiving portion 311 of the hinge protection cover 300.

At this time, the insertion portion 231 is formed to have an upward inclination angle forward from the center of the rotating portion 230, and since the elastic bent portion 430 is inserted into the insertion portion 231, the elastic extension portion 420 acts as a hinge protection cover. Elastic force can be applied continuously to the right at (300).

In this way, in the present invention, when the protective case is folded, the hinge protection cover 300 protects the main body hinge 11 so that the main body hinge 11 is not exposed to the outside, so that the main body hinge 11 is not damaged from external impact. You can prevent it from happening.

In addition, it is possible to prevent the hinge protection cover 300 from opening due to the elastic force of the elastic portion 400 when the foldable mobile device body 10 is folded, so that the mobile device body 10 does not open contrary to the user's intention. This phenomenon can be prevented.

As shown in FIG. 7, when the front case 100 and the rear case 200 are unfolded to be arranged side by side, that is, when the automatic hinge protection case for a foldable mobile device is unfolded, the elastic portion 400 is Elastic force is applied so that the hinge protection cover 300 can be pushed in the direction of the front case 100 (upper direction in FIG. 7), and the hinge protection cover 300 is maintained in contact with the rear of the front case 100.

That is, since the force pushing the hinge protection cover 300 is continuously applied by the elastic force of the elastic portion 400, the hinge protection cover 300 tends to close automatically even when the foldable mobile device body 10 is opened. can continue to be maintained.

Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 8, even when the front case 100 and the rear case 200 are only partially folded at an acute angle, a right angle, an obtuse angle, etc., the hinge protection cover 300 is maintained by the main body hinge due to the elastic force of the elastic portion 400. 11), and can always protect the main body hinge (11).

The present invention described above is not limited to the above-described embodiments and the accompanying drawings, and it is commonly known in the technical field to which the present invention pertains that various substitutions, modifications, and changes can be made without departing from the technical spirit of the present invention. It will be clear to those who have the knowledge of.

10: Mobile device body 11: Body hinge
100: Front case 200: Rear case
201: side part 202: lower part
210: Seating surface 220: Seating groove
230: Rotating part 231: Inserting part
300: Hinge protection cover 310: Cover body
311: Hinge receiving portion 320: Cover extension portion
321: Rotating hole 322: Elastic receptor
323: elastic support 323a: front elastic support
323b: rear elastic support part 400: elastic part
410: elastic center part 420: elastic extension part
430: elastic bending part

Claims (8)

A front case mounted on one side of the mobile device body configured to be foldable via the body hinge; A rear case mounted on the other side of the mobile device body; A hinged protective cover rotatably mounted on the end of the rear case; and one or more elastic parts mounted between the outer surface of the rear case and the inner surface of the hinge protection cover; Includes,
The rear case is,
A circular seating groove recessed in the outer surface of the rear case; a rotating portion protruding outward from the center of the seating groove; and an insertion portion formed to penetrate the inside of the rotating portion; Including,
The elastic part,
Elastic core wound in a circle; An elastic extension portion extending outward from one end of the elastic center portion; and an elastic bending portion bent and extending inward from the other end of the elastic center portion; Includes,
The rotation hole of the hinge protection cover is rotatably inserted into the rotating part so that the hinge protection cover rotates based on the rotating part, and a seating groove is formed to surround the rotating part with the rotating part in the center. The elastic center part is accommodated in the seating groove, and the elastic center is inserted. The part is formed by cutting the rotating part longitudinally, and the elastic bending part is accommodated in the insertion part,
The insertion part is formed to have an upward inclination angle forward from the center of the rotating part, so that the elastic extension part can always apply elastic force in the direction of the main body hinge, and can prevent the mobile device main body from opening when the mobile device main body is folded. Automatic hinge protective case for foldable mobile devices.
delete delete The method of claim 1, wherein the hinge protection cover is:
a cover body in which a hinge receiving portion is formed to accommodate the body hinge; and
a cover extension extending from the rear of the cover body to be perpendicular to the cover body; Includes,
An automatic hinge protection case for a foldable mobile device, wherein the cover extension part is rotatably connected to the side of the rear case.
According to claim 4,
an elastic receiving portion that is recessed inside the cover extension portion and accommodates the elastic portion; and
An elastic support portion disposed to surround the elastic receiving portion and protruding in the inner direction of the cover extension portion; It further includes,
An automatic hinge protection case for a foldable mobile device, wherein one side of the elastic portion is supported by contact with an elastic support portion.
delete According to claim 1,
When the front case and the rear case are folded to be arranged in parallel, the elastic portion applies an elastic force so that the hinge protection cover can rotate in the direction of the front case, and the end of the hinge protection cover is in close contact with the end of the front case. Automatic hinge protective case for foldable mobile devices.
According to claim 1,
When the front case and the rear case are unfolded so that they are arranged side by side, the elastic portion applies elastic force so that the hinge protection cover can be pushed in the direction of the front case, and the hinge protection cover maintains a state in contact with the rear of the front case. Automatic hinge protective case for foldable mobile devices.

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