PROTECTIVE CASE FOR AN ELECTRONIC DEVICE AND AN INPUT METHOD USING THE SAME

• US 20150301655A1
• Filed: 04/17/2015
• Published: 10/22/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/17/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: LIU, Jie, XU, Xingong, PARK, Jae-sun
• Granted Patent: US 10,437,393 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1613 for portable computers cooling arrangements therefor G06F1/203; constructional details or arrangements for pocket calculators, electronic agendas or books G06F15/0216; constructional details of portable telephone sets: with several bodies H04M1/0202
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1626 with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1628 Carrying enclosures containing additional elements, e.g. case for a laptop and a printer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1636 Sensing arrangement for detection of a tap gesture on the housing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0443 using a single layer of sensing electrodes

Abstract

A protective case for an electronic device and an input method using the same, the protective case includes a front cover for covering a touch screen of the electronic device, and a conductive layer for generating a touch input, wherein the conductive layer at least includes a first conductive layer provided on the front cover. The protective case according to present disclosure may perform operation on the touch screen.

Claims

1. A protective case for protecting an electronic device, the protective case comprising:

a front cover for covering a touch screen of the electronic device; and

a conductive layer for generating a touch input on the touch screen,

wherein the conductive layer comprises at least one first conductive layer disposed at the front cover, and a groove is formed in an internal surface of the front cover.

2. The protective case of claim 1, wherein a region of the front cover where the first conductive layer is located is partially or entirely elastic.

3. The protective case of claim 1, wherein the region of the front cover has an area that is greater than an area of a predetermined first region.

4. The protective case of claim 1, wherein the conductive layer further comprises a second conductive layer that is disposed at a position different from that of the first conductive layer.

5. The protective case of claim 1, wherein the first conductive layer comprises a plurality of conductive regions and a connecting wire for electrically connecting the conductive regions adjacent to each other from among the plurality of conductive regions.

6. The protective case of claim 5, wherein an area of each of the plurality of conductive regions is greater than an area of a predetermined second region, and the area of the predetermined second region is less than the area of the region of the first conductive layer.

7. The protective case of claim 5, wherein a width of the connecting wire is less than a predetermined value.

8. The protective case of claim 1, further comprising a protective layer,

wherein the first conductive layer is disposed between the protective layer and an internal surface of the front cover.

9. The protective case of claim 5, wherein at least one from among the plurality of conductive regions comprises a protrusion disposed in the groove that is formed in the internal surface of the front cover.

10. The protective case of claim 9, wherein the at least one conductive region has an arc-shaped surface, and the groove comprises:

an arc portion formed as an arc shape matching with the arc-shaped surface of the at least one conductive region;

horizontal extension portions extending outwards from an edge of the arc portion; and

vertical extension portions extending outwards from an end portion of the horizontal extension portions.

11. The protective case of claim 10, wherein an inlet of the groove is covered by an insulating layer, and the insulating layer is hollowed to cover the protrusion included in the groove and coupled to the horizontal extension portions and the vertical extension portions.

12. The protective case of claim 10, wherein the connecting wire is located between the insulating layer and the horizontal extension portions, and the horizontal extension portions are provided in a hole for connecting the connecting wire.

13. The protective case of claim 12, wherein the protective layer is disposed in the hollowed position of the insulating layer.

14. The protective case of claim 11, wherein an area of the protrusion is greater than the area of the second area.

15. The protective case of claim 5, wherein a support plate is formed on the internal surface of the front cover, the first conductive layer is formed on the first conductive layer, each of the conductive regions of the first conductive layer comprises a first portion, a second portion, and a third portion, the first portion, the second portion, and the connecting wire are arranged at a side of the support plate facing the internal surface of the front cover, and the third portion is arranged at the other side of the support plate.

16. The protective case of claim 15, wherein the first portion and the third portion are electrically connected to each other, and the second portion is electrically connected to the connecting wire.

17. The protective case of claim 15, wherein a key is arranged above the first portion, and the first portion and the second portion are electrically connected to each other via the key when the key is pressed.

18. The protective case of claim 17, wherein the front cover comprises a first leather layer, a base layer, and the support plate, the base layer is disposed between the first leather layer and the support plate, and the key is embedded in the first leather layer and the base layer.

19. The protective case of claim 17, wherein a visible identifier is provided on the key.

20. The protective case of claim 1, wherein the front cover is partially or entirely transparent.