EP1632145B1 - Protection shell for a portable computer - Google Patents

Abstract

The case has a base (2) and a cover (3) connected by rear pillars (7, 8) that define a free zone to constitute a traversing opening extending on entire rear side of the case. The base has front pillars (10) made up of same material as the pillars (7, 8). Peripheral skirts (4, 5) respectively extending from the base and the cover constitute a peripheral envelope, where the opening is closed by the skirts.

Description

The invention relates to a hull or protective cover for a laptop, intended to protect the latter against shocks that may occur during its transport or use.

Due to its portable nature, such a computer is intended to be transported according to its place of use. In doing so, it is likely to fall or be subject to shocks, potentially affecting its integrity and sometimes requiring its replacement. In addition, these different risks are especially exacerbated when the computer is in use, that is to say open.

So we developed protective covers or covers, designed to ensure as much as possible, the effective protection of the laptop against this type of shock.

Such covers or protective shells are traditionally made of a bottom and a lid, possibly equipped with shock absorbing or damping means integrated within their inner face, that is to say their face intended to come into contact with the computer. In addition, a peripheral skirt of flexible material, and typically fabric, extends between the cover and the bottom, said skirt being closed by a means to ensure access to the interior of the useful volume defined by the combination of the bottom and lid, including the laptop (see for example the documents US2003 / 0217940 or EP 1069493 ).

However, traditionally this skirt extends only on three consecutive sides of the hull, that is to say the two lateral sides and the front face, and not at the level of the rear face of the hull, traditionally devolved to the hinge area of the lid on the bottom, or on an intermediate element, and in addition, generally left open, to allow accessibility to the connection areas of the different peripherals that can cooperate with the drinking computer, of the mouse type , ... power cord on the domestic sector, etc.

In some versions a little more advanced, it has been proposed to partially close this posterior face by means of a hatch reversibly fixed by any reversible fastening means, adhesive type or loops / hooks system (trademark VELCRO ^® ), or by an additional zipper, in order to protect this sensitive area from dust.

Among a number of the systems implemented to date, some of the protective covers can not therefore provide a seal to the useful volume they define, precisely because of the preservation of this accessibility to the rear face of the hull. protection, imperative to be able to fully use the laptop it is supposed to protect.

However, while some of these protective covers are certainly capable of conferring such a seal on the volume in question, on the other hand, they do not simultaneously make it possible to easily access all the different connection areas of said computer. In addition, the systems they advocate require an additional step in their implementation, outbidding production costs.

Furthermore, the covers of the prior art comprise two parts forming half-envelopes, which are always mutually connected by a hinge or the like, so that one can not detach them from one another. However, it is sometimes desirable to be able to separate them, for example to replace cheaply a bottom or a damaged or worn cover or to form assemblies aesthetically different patterns and / or renewed colors (e) s.

The object of the invention is to overcome these disadvantages. It thus proposes a protective cover for a laptop comprising a bottom and a cover, each consisting of a plate made of a rigid material or not, said shell being provided with at least one peripheral skirt extending substantially from at least the peripheral edge the bottom or the cover, the free edge of said skirt being intended to cooperate with the free edge of a complementary skirt or with the vicinity of the periphery of the bottom or the cover, ie of the element without a skirt by means of a closing and opening member, so as, on the one hand, to close the useful volume of the shell, and on the other hand, to ensure access to the interior of said useful volume, and especially to the laptop.
It is characterized in that said skirt extends over the entire periphery respectively of the bottom and the lid, and in that the bottom can be completely detached from the lid.

In other words, the invention consists in providing the protective shell with an integral peripheral envelope and, as a corollary, providing this envelope with a reversible closure means that is also integral or quasi-integral, said means extending continuously. over the entire length of the envelope.

Advantageously, the bottom can be completely detached from the lid.

According to the invention, the constituent plates of the bottom and the lid are solid or perforated. As a corollary, said plates can be flat or curved, and in the latter case, have a concavity or convexity.

According to an advantageous characteristic of the invention, the lid and the bottom of the protective shell are connected to each other on the posterior face by means of pillars, extending perpendicularly with respect to the general plane of the plates which constitute them, and reported, in particular on the bottom by gluing, sewing or any other means near the two posterior angles. In this way, they define a through-light at the level of the posterior surface, allowing access to the different connection zones of the rear face of the portable computer, this through-light being reversibly closable by the peripheral skirt (s) or envelope of the 'invention.

According to another characteristic of the invention, the cover and the bottom of the protective shell are connected to each other, in the rear face by means of a wall, extending perpendicularly with respect to the general plane of the plates which constitute them, and reported, in particular on the bottom by gluing, sewing or any other means in the vicinity of the two posterior angles, said wall being pierced with one or more through orifices, adapted to allow accessibility at the rear surface of the computer and therefore to the different connection areas of said rear face of the laptop, this or these through lights being closable reversibly by the peripheral skirt or skirts of the invention.

According to the invention, the reversible closure means is constituted by a zipper, a plastic slide, a self-gripping tape, or even magnetic joints, and generally by any means allowing such a reversible closure.

• La figure 1 est une représentation schématique en perspective de la coque protectrice conforme à l'invention représentée en positon fermée vue de trois quarts avant.
• La figure 2 est une vue analogue à la figure 1 représentée en position ouverte vue de trois quart avant.
• La figure 3 est une représentation schématique en perspective de la coque protectrice de l'invention en position fermée, vue face arrière avec jupes fermées.
• La figure 4 est une représentation schématique en perspective de la coque protectrice de l'invention en position ouverte, vue face arrière avec jupes ouvertes.
• La figure 5 est une représentation schématique en perspective de la coque protectrice de l'invention en position fermée, vue face arrière avec jupes partiellement ouvertes.
• La figure 6 est une vue éclatée de la coque protectrice des figures 1 et 2 vue face avant. La figure 7 est une vue éclatée de la coque protectrice des figures 1 et 2 vue face arrière.

The manner of carrying out the invention and the advantages which result therefrom will emerge more clearly from the exemplary embodiment which follows, given by way of non-limiting indication in support of the appended figures.

• The figure 1 is a schematic representation in perspective of the protective shell according to the invention shown in closed position seen three quarters front.
• The figure 2 is a view similar to the figure 1 represented in open position seen from three quarters before.
• The figure 3 is a schematic representation in perspective of the protective shell of the invention in closed position, rear view with closed skirts.
• The figure 4 is a schematic representation in perspective of the protective shell of the invention in the open position, rear view with open skirts.
• The figure 5 is a schematic representation in perspective of the protective shell of the invention in the closed position, rear view with partially open skirts.
• The figure 6 is an exploded view of the protective shell of figures 1 and 2 front view. The figure 7 is an exploded view of the protective shell of figures 1 and 2 rear view.

The protective shell of the invention basically consists of a bottom (2) and a cover (3), also called "flap", both consisting of a flat plate of a rigid material or not, such as for example in synthetic material, and in particular plastic, metal, wood .... These two plates, possibly dressed with fabric, or even possibly openwork, are of dimensions at least equal to the main dimensions (length, width) of the volume that the we want to define, and therefore corresponding to the game, to the volume of the laptop that the shell in question is intended to protect.

Extending respectively from the bottom and the cover, a peripheral peripheral skirt (4, 5), made of a flexible material, typically fabric, and intended to form a peripheral envelope clean to seal the internal volume of the shell.

This resulting envelope is obtained by activation of a reversible closure means, typically a zipper (6) secured to the free edge of the two skirts (4, 5), and extending on all four sides of the protective shell of the invention. In other words, this zipper (6) secures to one another the two skirts (4, 5) over the entire periphery of the shell, including the rear face.

In one embodiment (not described), the bottom and the cover are connected to each other only by the envelope, and therefore constitute two completely independent entities. Such a configuration using a completely independent lid and detachable bottom, can be useful in particular when the shell is intended to protect against shocks, a tablet PC, that is to say a type of computer integrating on a same element, including plan, means of interaction and a screen.

According to the invention, it is possible to completely separate the two envelopes constituting the protective shell. To do this it is preferable to use a plastic zipper, of the type used to bag food.

However, in a more traditional version, the bottom and the lid are secured to each other at least in the posterior area, by means of rear pillars (7, 8) positioned substantially in the vicinity of the two rear corners of the bottom plate. These pillars, for example made of polypropylene, extend perpendicularly to the bottom plate at a height substantially corresponding to the thickness of the computer that the resulting shell is intended to receive. They are secured on the latter by gluing, sewing or by any other means. These pillars may be replaced by a wall (not shown), having one or more through lights.

In an advantageous version of the invention, the upper end of said pillars has a tab (9) extending parallel to the bottom plate, and intended to be fixed, in particular by gluing or stitching at the corresponding posterior edge of the plate. lid. This tab is rigid, so that the cover plate is pre-worked, to allow the opening and closing of said cover at a virtual hinge, extending parallel to said posterior edge, but slightly below this last.

In doing so, the two rear pillars (7, 8) define an area free of any material, thus constituting a through-light extending substantially over the entire rear surface of the protective shell, and allowing free access to all connection areas. traditionally present at the back of a laptop.

However, according to an essential characteristic of the invention, these zones are capable of being closed by means of the envelope constituted by the aforementioned skirts (4, 5).

In order to have access to these zones, it is sufficient to open the zipper (6) solidarisant the two skirts to one another, and for example to carry the cursor to its maximum point, structurally positioned at level of one of the posterior pillars (7, 8), or at any point on the back side.

In the embodiment shown, the bottom plate (2) is also provided with anterior pillars (10), made of a material identical or similar to that constituting the rear pillars (7, 8), and also reported by gluing, sewing or any other means. They are intended to fight against the possible risks of crushing the hull.

As a corollary, by the method of fixing the cover on the bottom, in particular by the use of the rear pillars (7, 8), it is possible to use bottom plates and cover of dimensions greater than the main dimensions (length , width) of the useful volume, that is to say the volume of the laptop that is to be protected.

In doing so, it becomes possible to define peripheral rims protruding from the lateral faces substantially corresponding to the envelope defined by the skirts (4, 5). These peripheral flanges (11, 12) are thus likely to constitute impact damping means intervening at this level and statistically the most numerous.

Finally, and as already indicated, the pillars may be replaced by a peripheral wall, also made of a rigid material, and extending perpendicularly to the bottom. The height of this wall corresponds substantially to the thickness of the laptop to be integrated into the shell. This wall is provided with a number of through lights positioned at appropriate locations, to allow accessibility to the connection means, in addition to the insertion areas of floppy disks or CD ROMs in a possible floppy disk drive or CD ROM.

It is thus observed that the invention makes it possible to confer the required seal on the protective shells, using simple means to implement, while allowing easy accessibility to the different connection areas, which is provided with a laptop. Moreover, by its design, it also makes it possible to provide said shells with projecting peripheral rims at the level of the lateral faces defining them, suitable for constituting as many damping or shock absorbing means as may affect the hulls. question.

Claims (5)

1. A protective case (1) for a laptop comprising a base (2) and a cover (3), each consisting of a sheet made of a rigid or non-rigid material, said case having at least one peripheral skirt (4, 5) extending substantially from the peripheral edge of the base or the cover, the free edge of said skirt being intended to cooperate with the free edge of a matching skirt or with the vicinity of the periphery of the base or the cover, i.e. the element that constitutes the case without a skirt by means of a closing and opening device (6) so as to, firstly, constitute a lateral peripheral enclosure capable of enclosing the useful volume of the case and, secondly, ensure access inside said useful volume, especially to the laptop, characterised in that said skirt or skirts (4, 5) extend(s) along the entire periphery of the base (2) and the cover (3) respectively, and in that the closing and opening device (6) of the lateral peripheral enclosure extends continuously along the entire length of the enclosure, and in that the base (2) can be completely disconnected from the cover (3).
2. A protective case (1) for a laptop as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that the cover (3) and base (2) are connected to each other at the rear surface by means of pillars (7, 8) that extend at right angles relative to the general plane of the sheets that constitute them in the vicinity of the two rear corners, said pillars (7, 8) defining a throughslot in the rear surface of the case, allowing access to the various connection areas of the rear surface of the laptop, this throughslot being reversibly closed off by the peripheral skirts (4, 5).
3. A protective case (1) for a laptop as claimed in any of claims 1 and 2, characterised in that the reversible closing and opening device (6) is selected from a product family that includes a zip fastener, a plastic zipper, a hook-and-loop strip or even magnetic fasteners.
4. A protective case (1) for a laptop as claimed in any of claims 1 to 3, characterised in that the sheets that constitute the base (2) and the cover (3) have dimensions that are larger than the main dimensions of the computer so as to each define an external peripheral rim (11, 12) that projects relative to the space that they define, said rim extending at least to the vicinity of the four corners of said sheets.
5. A protective case for a laptop as claimed in any of claims 1 to 4, characterised in that the sheets that constitute the base (2) and the cover (3) are solid or have cut-outs and in that they are flat or curved.

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