Protective cover for portable communication device

A protective cover for a portable communication device includes a battery cover and a protective cover part coupled with the battery cover. The protective cover is detachably coupled with the portable communication device, and the protective cover part is disposed at a front surface of a display unit part of the portable communication device when the protective cover is coupled with the portable communication device. The portable communication device being turned off/on when the portable communication device is attached to/detached from the protective cover.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims priority from and the benefit of Korean Application No. 10-2007-0085588, filed on Aug. 24, 2007, which is hereby incorporated by reference for all purposes as if fully set forth herein.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a protective cover for a portable communication device having a touch screen, and more particularly to a protective cover that has a structure in which a battery cover and a protective cover for a display unit part are assembled such that they may be detached from the portable communication device together.

2. Discussion of the Background

In general, “a portable communication device” refers to a device allowing a user to wirelessly communicate with another person. Portable communication devices include a HHP, a CT-2 cellular phone, a digital phone, a Personal Communication Service (PCS) phone, and a personal digital assistance (PDA). Also, portable communication devices may be classified as various types according to their appearances.

A typical bar-type portable terminal includes a body, an antenna unit installed at the upper end of the body, an earpiece including a speaker positioned at a lower side of the antenna unit, a display unit to perform a displaying function positioned at a lower side of the earpiece, a key pad including a plurality of numeric keys and a plurality of function keys positioned at a lower side of the display unit, and a microphone unit positioned at a lower side of the key pad.

A PDA performs voice communication and has a large display unit to perform a displaying function. The large display unit may include a touch screen to perform video communication, an electronic scheduler function, and a function of inputting/outputting various pieces of information. However, a large display unit may be vulnerable to external impact.

As shown inFIG. 1andFIG. 2, a wireless PDA includes a main housing10including a large touch screen display unit11, and the main housing10includes a microphone12and a speaker13, which are disposed at upper and lower portions of the display unit part11, respectively.

A plurality of keys14is positioned near the microphone12.

As shown inFIG. 2, a battery pack20is detachably assembled with the rear surface of the main housing10, and a battery cover21to protect the battery pack20is formed thereon. A separate leather case or a separate protective cover30may be provided for the large display unit11to prevent scratching or breaking of the display unit11.

However, a conventional protective cover30for a portable communication device has a structure in which a protective cover to protect an external appearance of the communication device and a battery cover to protect a battery pack are separately assembled with the portable communication device. Therefore, a user may have to carry the covers with the portable communication device. As such, there may be inconvenience in that the user may easily lose the two covers and may have to perform multiple detaching operations when the user wants to detach the two covers from the communication device.

Also, when the two covers are assembled with the portable communication device, the thickness of the communication device may increase, thereby hindering the slimness of the device.

Further, there is a disadvantage in that, in order to use the communication device, the user may have to turn the portable communication device on after detaching the protective cover from the portable communication device.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a protective cover for a portable communication device. The protective cover has a structure in which a battery cover and a protective cover for a display unit are assembled such that they may be attached to/detached from the portable communication device together so that portability of the protective cover may be improved, loss of the covers may be prevented, and the thickness of the device may be decreased by reducing the number of parts thereof.

The present invention also provides a protective cover for a portable communication device, which includes a magnetic force applying part to detect if the protective cover is detached from the portable communication device and operate the device, which may improve effectiveness in using the device.

The present invention discloses a protective cover for a portable communication device. The protective cover includes a battery cover and a protective cover part coupled with the battery cover, and the protective cover is detachably coupled with the portable communication device. The protective cover part is disposed at a front surface of a display unit part of the portable communication device when the protective cover is coupled with the portable communication device, and the portable communication device turns off/on when the portable communication device is attached to/detached from the protective cover.

The present invention also discloses a protective cover for a portable communication device including a protective cover part and a battery cover. The protective cover part includes a display unit protecting cover including a magnetic force applying part, a supporting member, and a connecting member connecting the display unit protecting cover and the supporting member. The battery cover is arranged between the display unit protecting cover and the supporting member and is fixed to the protective cover part. The protective cover is detachably coupled with the portable communication terminal, and the magnetic force applying part allows a magnetic force sensor included in the portable communication device to sense a change in magnetic force when the portable communication device is attached to/detached from the protective cover to turn the portable communication device off/on.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENTS

As shown inFIG. 3andFIG. 7, a protective cover for a portable communication device includes a battery cover21and a protective cover part100. The protective cover part100is assembled with the battery cover21so as to be attached to/detached from the portable communication device10together with the battery cover21. When the protective cover part100is attached to the portable device10, the protective cover part100is positioned at the front surface of an LDC part11of the portable communication device10, and the battery cover21is positioned at the rear surface of the portable communication device10.

Herein, the display unit part11has a touch screen.

As shown inFIG. 6, a magnetic force applying part300is included in the protective cover part100. The magnetic force applying part300allows a magnetic force sensor301included in the portable communication device10to sense a change in magnetic force so as to turn the portable communication device10on when the portable communication device10is separated from the protective cover part100, and allows the magnetic force sensor301to sense change in magnetic force so as to turn the portable communication device10off when the portable communication device10is assembled with the protective cover part100.

As shown inFIG. 3,FIG. 4, andFIG. 5, the protective cover part100includes a display unit protecting cover101, a supporting member102, and a connecting member103. The display unit protecting cover101allows the protective cover part100to be assembled with the portable communication device10and is positioned at a front surface of the display unit part11. The supporting member102is disposed at one end of the display unit protecting cover101to be assembled with the battery cover21and support it. The connecting member103is disposed between the display unit protecting cover101and the supporting member102to connect the display unit protecting cover101with the supporting member102.

As shown inFIG. 3,FIG. 4, andFIG. 5, a first fixing member200is included in the supporting member102to allow the battery cover21to be assembled and fixed, and a second fixing member210is included in the connecting member103to allow the battery cover21to be assembled and fixed. The first and second fixing members200and210have a decorated appearance made from metallic material and have at least one screw assembling part201and211so that a screw extends through a screw hole400formed at the protective cover part100to be assembled with a screw hole400formed at the battery cover21.

The protective cover part100is U-shaped.

With reference toFIG. 3,FIG. 4,FIG. 5,FIG. 6, andFIG. 7, the operating of a protective cover for a portable communication device, which has the above-described structure, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention will be described in more detail.

As shown inFIG. 3,FIG. 4, andFIG. 5, the protective cover for the portable communication device10, which includes the display unit part11with a touch screen capability, includes the battery cover21and the protective cover part100. The protective cover part100includes the display unit protecting cover101, the supporting member102, and the connecting member103. The supporting member102is included at one end of the display unit protecting cover101, and the connecting member103is formed between the display unit protecting cover101and the supporting member102. The battery cover21is assembled with the supporting member102and the connecting member103.

At this state, as shown inFIG. 4andFIG. 5, at least one screw assembling part201formed at the first fixing member200allows a screw to extend through a screw hole400formed at the supporting member102to be fastened to the screw hole400formed at the battery cover21. At least one screw assembling part211formed at the second fixing member210allows a screw to extend through the screw hole400formed at the connecting member103to be fastened to the screw hole400formed at the battery cover21.

Herein, as shown inFIG. 6andFIG. 7, when the portable communication device is assembled with the protective cover part100, the display unit protecting cover101is disposed at a front surface of the portable communication device10to protect the display unit part11, and the battery cover21is disposed at a rear surface of the portable communication device10to protect the battery pack20mounted in the portable communication device10.

As such, the protective cover part100, which includes the display unit protecting cover101, and the battery cover21are assembled together to form the protective cover, and when the protective cover is assembled with the portable communication device10, the display unit part11as well as the battery pack20can be protected.

At this time, as shown inFIG. 6, the magnetic force applying part300is included in the display unit protecting cover101. Therefore, when the protective cover part100is assembled with the portable communication device10, the magnetic force sensor301senses the change in magnetic force of the magnetic force applying part300and turns off the portable communication device10.

The magnetic force sensor301senses a change in magnetic force of the magnetic force applying part300, and converts the change into a signal, which is applied to the controller302. The controller302turns the portable communication device10off.

Herein, as shown inFIG. 6andFIG. 7, when the protective cover part100is removed from the portable communication device10again, the display unit protecting cover101and the battery cover21are removed from the portable communication device together.

At this time, the magnetic force applying part300included in the display unit protecting cover101is removed from the portable communication device together with the display unit protecting cover101, and the magnetic force sensor301included in the portable communication device10senses such removal. Accordingly, the controller302turns the portable communication device10on.

As such, it may be possible to operate the portable communication device10without a need to additionally push a power button (not shown).