Abstract:
An electronic device enclosure having a protective layer includes a shell, a first protective piece, a second protective piece and a connecting piece. The shell includes an outer surface and an inner surface, the first protective piece covers the outer surface of the shell, and the second protective piece covers the inner surface of the shell. The connecting piece connects the first protective piece to the second protective piece so that they cooperatively enclose the shell.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0002]     The present invention relates to an electronic device enclosure having a protective layer.  
         [0003]     2. General Background  
         [0004]     Typically, an electronic device enclosure is made of metal or plastic material, and the surface of the material will be plated or painted for protecting the enclosure. However, the surface layer of the enclosure is easily scraped and consequently the aesthetics of the electronic device is diminished. A protective layer covering the surface layer of the enclosure is now widely used to protect the surface layer of the enclosure and provide better wear endurance and aesthetic appearance.  
         [0005]     An electronic device enclosure having a protective layer is disclosed in Taiwan Patent No. 447729, which describes a protective fitting for an enclosure of a portable computer. The fitting is made of leather, and a plurality of fixing portions is defined in the fitting. A plurality of threaded holes is defined in the enclosure corresponding to the fixing portions of the fitting. A plurality of screws is extended through the fixing portions and screwed in the corresponding threaded holes to fix the fitting on the enclosure. However, the method of fixing the fitting on the enclosure is complicated, and the fixing portions of the fitting are easily broken and lead to the fitting falling off.  
         [0006]     What is desired, therefore, is an electronic device enclosure having a protective layer of sound construction, which is easily fixed or detached therefrom.  
       SUMMARY  
       [0007]     In one preferred embodiment, an electronic device enclosure having a protective layer includes a shell, a first protective piece, a second protective piece, and a connecting piece. The shell includes an outer surface and an inner surface, the first protective piece covers the outer surface of the shell, and the second protective piece covers the inner surface of the shell. The connecting piece connects the first protective piece to the second protective piece so that they cooperatively enclose the shell.  
         [0008]     Other advantages and novel features will become more apparent from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiments when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0009]      FIG. 1  is an exploded, isometric view of an electronic device enclosure having a protective layer in accordance with a first preferred embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0010]      FIG. 2  is an assembled view of  FIG. 1 , but with an added frame;  
         [0011]      FIG. 3  is an assembled view of  FIG. 2 ;  
         [0012]      FIG. 4  is an exploded, isometric view of an electronic device enclosure having a protective layer in accordance with a second preferred embodiment of the present invention; and  
         [0013]      FIG. 5  is an assembled view of  FIG. 4 , but with an added frame. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS  
       [0014]     Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , an electronic device enclosure is provided in accordance with a first preferred embodiment of the present invention, which includes a shell  10 , a first protective piece  20 , a second protective piece  30 , a connecting piece, and a frame  50 . In this embodiment, the shell  10  is a shell of a cover unit of a portable computer.  
         [0015]     The shell  10  includes an outer surface  11  and an inner surface  13 , a plurality of fixing portions  15  is formed adjacent edges of the inner surface  13 . A plurality of through holes  51  are defined in the frame  50 , corresponding to the fixing portions  15  of the shell  10 .  
         [0016]     The first protective piece  20  includes a main body  21  for fittingly covering the outer surface  11  of the shell  10 . A hem  23  is formed from four edges of the main body  21  for covering four sides of the shell  10  and the edges of the inner surface  13  of the shell  10 . A plurality of apertures  25  are defined in the hem  23 , corresponding to the fixing portions  15  of the inner surface  13  of the shell  10 , for extension of the fixing portions  15  therethrough and being fixed on the inner surface  13 .  
         [0017]     The second protective piece  30  covers a substantial portion of the inner surface  13  of the shell  10  and is connectable to the hem  23  of the first protective piece  20  in the inner surface  13  of the shell  10 . In this embodiment, the first protective piece  20  and the second protective piece  30  are made of leather.  
         [0018]     In this embodiment, the connecting piece is a zipper  40 . The zipper  40  includes a first engaging portion  41  set in four edges of the first protective piece  20 , and a second engaging portion  43  set in four edges of the second protective piece  30 . A fastener  45  is installed on the first engaging portion  41  for connecting the first engaging portion  41  and the second engaging portion  43 .  
         [0019]     Referring to  FIG. 3 , in assembly, the outer surface  11  of the shell  10  is covered with the first protective piece  20 , and the hem  23  of the first protective piece  20  is folded toward the inner surface  13  of the shell  10 , with the fixing portions  15  of the shell  10  extending through the corresponding apertures  25  of the first protective piece  20 . With the second protective piece  30  in place over the inner surface  13 , the second engaging portion  43  of the second protective piece  30  is engaged with the first engaging portion  41  of the first protective piece  20  by driving the fastener  45 , thereby the shell  10  is enclosed by the first protective piece  20  and the second protective piece  30 . After all of elements such as a Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) panel are installed in the shell  10 , covering the frame  50 , the fixing portions  15  of the shell  10  engage in the corresponding through holes  51  of the frame  50 , thereby the frame  50  is fixed on the shell  10  and the first protective piece  20  is tightly pressed between the shell  10  and the frame  50 .  
         [0020]     To detach or replace the first protective piece  20  and the second protective piece  30 , the frame  50  and the elements inside are first removed, and then the first engaging portion  41  and the second engaging portion  43  are separated from each other by driving the fastener  45 , then the second protective piece  30  is removed. Opening the folded hem  23 , the first protective piece  20  is then detached from the shell  10 .  
         [0021]     Referring to  FIGS. 4 and 5 , an electronic device enclosure is provided in accordance with a second preferred embodiment of the present invention, which includes the same shell  10 , first protective piece  20 , and frame  50  as the first embodiment, and further includes a second protective piece  70 , and a connecting piece. In this embodiment, the second protective piece  70  covers a substantial portion of the inner surface  13  of the shell  10  overlapping the edge of the hem  23  of the first protective piece  20  in the inner surface  13  of the shell  10 . The connecting piece is composed of a hook and loop fabric or Velcro fastener  60 , the fastener  60  includes a first engaging portion  61  set in four edges of the first protective piece  20 , and a second engaging portion  63  set in four sides of the second protective piece  70 .  
         [0022]     In assembly, the outer surface  11  of the shell  10  is covered with the first protective piece  20 , and the hem  23  of the first protective piece  20  is folded toward the inner surface  13  of the shell  10 , with the fixing portions  15  of the shell  10  extending through the corresponding apertures  25  of the first protective piece  20 . With the second protective piece  70  in place on the inner surface  13 , the second engaging portion  63  of the second protective piece  70  is covered and affixed on the first engaging portion  61  by a hook and loop fastening effect of the fastener  60 , thereby the shell  10  is enclosed by the first protective piece  20  and the second protective piece  70 . After all of elements such as a Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) panel are installed in the shell  10 , covering the frame  50 , the fixing portions  15  of the shell  10  engage in the corresponding through holes  51  of the frame  50 , thereby the frame  50  is fixed on the shell  10  and the first protective piece  20  is tightly pressed between the shell  10  and the frame  50 .  
         [0023]     To detach or replace the first protective piece  20  and the second protective piece  70 , the frame  50  and the elements inside are first removed, and then the second engaging portion  63  is pulled up to be separated from the first engaging portion  61 , then the second protective piece  70  is removed. Opening the folded hem  23 , the first protective piece  20  is then detached from the shell  10 .  
         [0024]     It is believed that the present embodiments and their advantages will be understood from the foregoing description, and it will be apparent that various changes may be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention or sacrificing all of its material advantages, the examples hereinbefore described merely being preferred or exemplary embodiments.