PROTECTIVE CASE HAVING DETACHABLE IMPACT ABSORBERS FOR A PORTABLE ELECTRONIC DEVICE

Provided is a protective case that can be installed with different replaceable impact absorbers according to various impact situations. The protective case has a housing and multiple impact absorbers. The housing has multiple corners, multiple receiving parts protruding from the corners, and a cavity to set up a portable electronic device. The impact absorbers are detachably mounted onto the receiving parts through multiple connection parts, and each impact absorber has a resilience ratio more than 40%. Various impact absorbers with different protection capabilities (e.g., impact absorbers with different thickness and resilience ratios) or different designs can be easily replaced and installed onto the common housing according to different impact situations or occasions, thereby the protective case can appropriately protect the portable electronic device.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Hereinafter, one skilled in the arts can easily realize the advantages and effects of a protective case having detachable impact absorbers for a portable electronic device in accordance with the present invention from the following embodiments. The descriptions proposed herein are just preferable embodiments for the purpose of illustrations only, not intended to limit the scope of the invention. Various modifications and variations could be made in order to practice or apply the present invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

The first embodiment of the present invention is to provide a protective case having detachable impact absorbers for a portable electronic device, which can convert impact kinetic energy into elastic potential energy when a portable electronic device is dropped onto the ground in varying impact situations.

With reference toFIG. 1, the protective case1comprises a housing10and multiple impact absorbers20. The housing10is used to enclose a portable electronic device30. The portable electronic device30can be, but is not limited to, a cell phone, and the contour of the protective case1can be designed to fit with the portable electronic device30.

With reference toFIGS. 2 and 3, the housing10has a bottom wall11, four sidewalls12, a cavity13, multiple receiving parts14and multiple cutouts15. The four sidewalls12are joined to the bottom wall11and extend upwards from the bottom wall11, and are connected with each other to form four corners. The cavity13is defined by the bottom wall11and the four sidewalls12for receiving and holding the portable electronic device30inside. The multiple receiving parts14are each respectively formed protruding from the corners, and are formed in spherical shapes. In addition, the cutouts15are formed in the bottom wall11and the sidewalls12of the housing10and corresponding in position to the buttons of the portable electronic device30for the convenience of operating the electronic device30.

The impact absorbers20are detachably mounted onto the receiving parts14through multiple connection parts21. The connection parts21are formed in the impact absorbers20, the positions of the connection parts21correspond to those of the receiving parts14, and the shapes of the connection parts21are complementary to those of the receiving parts14. Each connection part21fully caps around the corresponding receiving part14, thereby four impact absorbers20are each individually installed at the four corners of the housing10.

In the present embodiment, the housing10has a hardness equal to or higher than that of each of the impact absorbers20, and the impact absorbers20, the connection parts21, and the receiving parts14are formed in spherical shapes.

With reference toFIGS. 2 to 4, at least two of the impact absorbers20protrude relative to each sidewall12of the housing10, and the outer diameters of the impact absorbers20are each larger than the thickness of the housing10. Each impact absorber20has an outer surface protruding relative to the bottom wall11and the four sidewalls12, and also protruding relative to the edges of the sidewalls opposite to the bottom wall11. Accordingly, when a portable electronic device30is dropped onto the ground accidentally, at least one of the impact absorbers20will contact the impact surface40first, and neither the housing10nor the portable electronic device30will directly contact or be hit by the impact surface40.

Furthermore, the impact absorbers20each has a resilience ratio more than 40%. With the elasticity, the protective case1can convert the impact kinetic energy into the impact absorbers' elastic potential energy and bounce, then further convert the next impact kinetic energy into elastic potential energy by repeating the bouncing process, thereby gradually reducing the impact kinetic energy to minimum. As a result, the impact force towards the portable electronic device30can be reduced to a minimum via multiple conversions during bounces to protect the portable electronic device30from damage.

With reference toFIGS. 2 and 3, the shapes of the connection parts21are partially deformed by applying a slight force, thereby the impact absorbers20can be easily detached from or installed onto the housing10.

One of the advantages of the present invention is that the impact absorbers20are detachably mounted onto the receiving parts14of the housing10for easy replacement according to varying occasions. For example, the impact absorbers in a second embodiment of the present invention can be replaced by impact absorbers20A designed and decorated as balls, as shown inFIG. 5, when the user is watching sports. When the user is visiting an amusement park, the impact absorbers can be decorated with cartoon figures. With said changeability in design or decoration of the impact absorbers, the protective case having detachable impact absorbers of the present invention is more economical than the conventional protective case.

With reference toFIG. 6, a third embodiment of the present invention provides a protective case having receiving parts14B and connection parts21B different from those in the first embodiment. The receiving parts14B of the housing10B are formed in a conical shape and tapered towards the corner of the housing10B. Each connection part21B fully caps around its corresponding receiving part14B and has a shape complementary to that of the receiving part14B.

With reference toFIG. 7, a fourth embodiment of the present invention provides a protective case having receiving parts14C and connection parts21C different from those in the first embodiment. The receiving parts14C of the housing10C are formed in a columnar shape and screwed onto the impact absorber20C. Each connection part21C fully caps around its corresponding receiving part14C and has a shape complementary to that of the receiving part14C.

With reference toFIG. 8, a fifth embodiment of the present invention provides a protective case for a portable electronic device similar to that of the fourth embodiment. The connection part21D partially caps around its corresponding receiving part14D. A length of the receiving part14D capped within the connection part21D is not less than ½ of a total length of the receiving part14D.

In summary, since the impact absorbers are detachably mounted onto the receiving parts of the housing, various impact absorbers with different protection capabilities (e.g., impact absorbers with different thicknesses and resilience ratios) can be easily replaced and installed onto the common housing for use in different situations. Accordingly, the protective case having detachable impact absorbers in accordance with the present invention not only appropriately protects the portable electronic device, but also provides the consumers with a more convenient and economical way to protect their portable electronic devices.