WO2009035270A2

WO2009035270A2 - A case having double structure for portable apparatus

Info

Publication number: WO2009035270A2
Application number: PCT/KR2008/005362
Authority: WO
Inventors: Ki-Soo Kim
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2007-09-11
Filing date: 2008-09-11
Publication date: 2009-03-19
Anticipated expiration: 2010-03-11
Also published as: WO2009035270A3; KR200443967Y1; CN101842029A; KR20070001111U

Abstract

Disclosed is a case having a double structure for portable apparatus, the case having functionality to effecfively protect surfaces of the portable apparatus as well as having a good appearance. The case for protecting the portable apparatus includes a hard member having a thin-plate shape to cover the portable apparatus and a soft member coupled with the hard member at a top surface of the hard member, wherein the soft member is coupled with the hard member via a adhesive coated on the top surface.

Description

A CASE HAVING DOUBLE STRUCTURE FOR PORTABLE

APPARATUS

Technical Field

[1] The present invention relates to a case having a double structure for a portable apparatus, and, more particularly, to a case having functionality to protect surfaces of a portable apparatus as well as having a good appearance. Background Art

[2] With the development of electronics and information communications technologies, a variety of portable apparatuses, e.g., mobile phones, PDAs (Personal Digital Assistant), PMPs (Personal Multimedia Player) and the like, are widely popularized.

[3] Characteristically, the portable apparatus is mainly used while a user is moving, which facilitates occurrence of damage on surfaces or breakdown thereof along with careless usage or the lapse of use time.

[4] To prevent such damage on the portable apparatus, cases therefor made of a variety of materials have been proposed.

[5] Cases for portable apparatuses are classified into, according to material thereof, hard cases made of hard material, e.g. synthetic resins, and soft cases made of soft material, e.g., syntheic or natural leather.

[6] The hard cases can be mass-produced. However, the hard cases have drawbacks in that surfaces thereof are easily damaged to spoil appearance of the apparatus and external impact cannot be absorbed thereby.

[7] Meanwhile, as for the soft cases, most of manufacturing process is performed by hand, thereby increasing manufacturing time and cost. Further, the soft cases are deformed as they are used so that original shapes thereof thightly fit to portable apparatuses cannot be maintained, which lowers functionality of the cases to protect the apparatuses. Disclosure of Invention

Technical Problem

[8] In view of the above, the present invention provides a case which holds advantages of both hard and soft cases while removing defects thereof. Technical Solution

[9] In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a case having a double structure for protecting a portable apparatus, including: a hard member having a thin- plate shape to cover the portable apparatus; and a soft member coupled with the hard member at a top surface of the hard member, wherein the soft member is coupled with the hard member via a adhesive coated on the top surface. [10] Preferably, the hard member is made of polycarbonate or ABS (Acrylonitrile

Butadiene Styrene) resins. [11] Preferably, a recess for safely placing the soft member thereon is formed at the top surface of the hard member and the soft member has a same thickness as a depth of the recess. [12] Preferably, a color layer having a specific color and a coating layer for preventing damage of the color layer are formed at a bottom surface of the hard member. [13] Preferably, the soft member is made of a material selected from a group including synthetic leathers, natural leathers and fabrics. [14] Preferably, the soft member is made of a material selected from a group including synthetic leathers, natural leathers and fabrics. [15] Preferably, the finish member is made of CMC (Carboxy Methyl Cellulose).

Advantageous Effects

[16] In accordance with the present invention, a portion of the case in contact with the portable apparatus is made of hard material to tightly coupled with the apparatus, and a portion of the case exposed outside is made of soft material having various patterns and surface textures to provide a good appearance. Brief Description of the Drawings

[17] Fig. 1 illustrates an explosive perspective view of a case in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention;

[18] Fig. 2 illustrates a coupled perspective view of the case in accordance with the first embodiment of the present invention;

[19] Fig. 3 illustrates a cross sectional view of the case cut along with a line A-A of Fig.

2; and

[20] Fig. 4 illustrates a perspective view of a main part of a case in accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention. Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[21] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[22] In the following description, well-known functions or constitutions will not be described in detail if they would obscure the invention in unnecessary detail. However, the terminologies to be described below are defined in consideration with functions in the present invention and may vary depending on a user's or operator's intention or practice. Thus, the definitions should be understood based on all the contents of the specification. [24] First embodiment

[25] First, a case having a double structure for a portable apparatus in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figs. 1 to 3.

[26] Fig. 1 illustrates an explosive perspective view of a case in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 2 illustrates a coupled perspective view of the case in accordance with the first embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 3 illustrates a cross sectional view of the case cut along with a line A-A of Fig. 2.

[27] As shown in the drawings, a case 100 having a double structure for a portable apparatus of the first embodiment (hereinafter, simply reffered to as "case") includes a hard member 110 and a soft member 120, so that the case 100 is coupled with the portable apparatus while covering the apparatus to prevent damage on surfaces of the apparatus and protect the apparatus from external impact.

[28] The hard member 110 is thin-plate shaped to cover the portable apparatus. It is preferable that the hard member 110 is made of transparent or colored PC (polycarborate), ABS (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene) or the like. As well known in the art, PC and ABS have relatively high surface intensity, thus preventing scratches on the portable apparatus. The hard member 110 may have open portions therein depending on a shape of the portable apparatus, positions of buttons and the like. At the end portions of the hard member 110, latch projections 111 are formed to allow the case 100 to be coupled with the portable apparatus while covering the apparatus. It should be noted that materials of the hard member 110 may not be restricted to the above-described synthetic resins, but the hard member 110 can be made of carbon fibers, metals such as alloys and the like as occasion demands.

[29] At the top surface of the hard member 110, a recess 112 for safely placing the soft member 120 thereon is formed to have a specific depth, and an adhesive 114 is coated on the recess 112 to firmly attatch the soft member 120 thereto.

[30] At the bottom surface of the harf portion 110, a color layer 116 and a coating layer

118 may be formed additionally. The color layer 116 is formed, when the hard member 110 is made of a transparent material, to prevent the adhesive 114 from being shown through the hard member 110 to deteriorate a good appearance, and can be omitted when the hard member 110 is made of a colored material. The coating layer 118 is formed to prevent damage of the color layer 116, and, preferably, formed of UV (ultraviolet) paint.

[31] The soft member 120 is safely placed on the recess 112 formed at the top surface of the hard member 110 to be coupled with the hard member 110. The soft member 120 may be made of a synthetic leather having a specific patterns and textures, a natural leather or a fabric. It is preferable that, considering finish of the case 100, the soft member 120 is formed to have a thickness corresponding to the depth of the recess 112.

[32] Between the hard member 110 and the soft member 120, a finish member 130 may be interposed along edges of the hard member 110. The finish member 130 prevents the soft member 120 from coming off the hard member 110 to deteriorate a good appearance. Further, the finish member 130 prevents infiltration of foreign substances through the boundary between the hard member 110 and the soft member 120, and also serves as decoration. It is preferable that the finish member 130 is made of CMC (Carboxy Methyl Cellulose). CMC is suitable for the finish member 130 because CMC does not harm human beings and has high adhesive property, oxidation resistance, stability and viscosity.

[33]

[34] Second embodiment

[35] Below, a case in accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Fig. 4.

[36] Fig. 4 illustrates a perspective view of a main part of a case in accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention.

[37] As shown in Fig. 4, a case 200 in accordance with the second embodiment of the present invention is substantially identical to the case 100 of the first embodiment except that a soft member 220 is also coupled with side surfaces of a hard member 210.

[38] It can be known through the second embodiment that the soft member 220 of the case 200 of the present invention may be also attatched to any surface of the hard member 210, including the bottom surface thereof as occasion demands. Industrial Applicability

[39] Until now, the embodiments of the present invention have been described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[40] While the invention has been shown and described with respect to the embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the following claims.

Claims

[1] A case having a double structure for protecting a portable apparatus, comprising: a hard member having a thin-plate shape to cover the portable apparatus; and a soft member coupled with the hard member at a top surface of the hard member, wherein the soft member is coupled with the hard member via a adhesive coated on the top surface. [2] The case of claim 1, wherein the hard member is made of polycarbonate or ABS

(Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene) resins. [3] The case of claim 1, wherein a recess for safely placing the soft member thereon is formed at the top surface of the hard member and the soft member has a same thickness as a depth of the recess. [4] The case of claim 1, wherein a color layer having a specific color and a coating layer for preventing damage of the color layer are formed at a bottom surface of the hard member. [5] The case of claim 1, wherein the soft member is made of a material selected from a group including synthetic leathers, natural leathers and fabrics. [6] The case of claim 1, wherein a finish member is interposed, along edges of the hard member, between the hard member and the soft member. [7] The case of claim 6, wherein the finish member is made of CMC (Carboxy

Methyl Cellulose).