Abstract:
The present disclosure generally relates to a protective case for a tablet computer, includes: a front plate ( 110 ) having a first surface ( 111 ) configured to protect a display surface of the tablet computer, wherein a magnetic element ( 112 ) is installed on the first surface ( 111 ); a holding plate ( 120 ) being configured to hold a back of the tablet computer; a supporting plate ( 130 ) connecting the front plate ( 110 ) and the holding plate ( 120 ) to prop up the tablet computer; wherein the magnetic element ( 112 ) can be installed at different positions on the first surface ( 111 ), in order to enable the tablet computer to stand up at different angles. The magnetic element ( 112 ) installed on the first surface ( 111 ) of the front plate ( 110 ) is attracted with a bottom end of the tablet computer, thus a steady triangle frame is formed between the tablet computer and the folded protective case, further enabling the tablet computer to stand up at different angles.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims all benefits accruing under 35 U.S.C. §119 from China Patent Application No. 201420694271.7, filed on Nov. 18, 2014 in the China Intellectual Property Office, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. This application is related to a commonly-assigned application, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/706,483, filed May 7, 2015, entitled, “A Multifunctional Protective Case With Wireless Router Functionality”. 
     FIELD 
     The present disclosure herein generally relates to an electronic device package field, more specifically, relates to a protective case for a tablet computer. 
     BACKGROUND 
     The customers who have purchased a tablet computer generally use it to watch films or various TV shows in a Cafe, on travel or in bed, thus a tablet protective case with multi-angle support becomes the option of many customers. At present, Apple protective case and other protective cases provided by third parties generally have protective functionality. In addition, to attract customers, the vendors will design a multi-angle support with the protective case. 
     Many protective cases on the market appear to be a three-fold design as illustrated by  FIG. 1 . A tablet computer  20  is secured in a protective shell  11 , and a supporting shell  12  can be folded into a stand behind the protective shell  11 , thus enabling the tablet computer  20  to stand up. However, since the folds on this design are not deep enough, or the protective shell is too thick to fold, the tablet computer can&#39;t stand firmly against the folded triangle, in particular when placed on bed. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Implementations of the present technology will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the attached figures, wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a schematic diagram of a prior protective case of with a three-fold design. 
         FIG. 2  is a schematic diagram of one embodiment of a protective case for a tablet computer when it is unfolded. 
         FIG. 3  is a schematic diagram of one embodiment of the protective case when it is used to support the tablet computer. 
         FIG. 4  is a cross sectional view of a holding plate and a supporting plate of one embodiment of the protective case when the plates are unfolded. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     It will be appreciated that for simplicity and clarity of illustration, where appropriate, reference numerals have been repeated among the different figures to indicate corresponding or analogous elements. In addition, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the embodiments described herein. However, it will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that the embodiments described herein can be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, methods, procedures and components have not been described in detail so as not to obscure the related relevant feature being described. Also, the description is not to be considered as limiting the scope of the embodiments described herein. The drawings are not necessarily to scale and the proportions of certain parts have been exaggerated to better illustrate details and features of the present disclosure. 
     The disclosure is illustrated by way of example and not by way of limitation in the figures of the accompanying drawings in which like references indicate similar elements. It should be noted that references to “an” or “one” embodiment in this disclosure are not necessarily to the same embodiment, and such references mean at least one. 
     Several definitions that apply throughout this disclosure will now be presented. 
     The term “outside” refers to a region that is beyond the outermost confines of a physical object. The term “inside” indicates that at least a portion of a region is partially contained within a boundary formed by the object. The term “comprising” when utilized, means “including, but not necessarily limited to”; it specifically indicates open-ended inclusion or membership in the so-described combination, group, series and the like. 
     The present disclosure is described in relation to a protective case for a tablet computer. 
       FIG. 2  is a schematic diagram of one embodiment of a protective case for a tablet computer when the case is unfolded.  FIG. 3  is a schematic diagram of one embodiment of the protective case when the case is used to prop up the tablet computer. 
     Referring to  FIG. 2  and  FIG. 3 , the protective case is adapted for a tablet computer  200  according to the present disclosure. The tablet computer  200  comprises a display surface  210 , a back surface  220  opposite to the display surface  210 , and a camera  230  installed at the back surface  220  of tablet computer  200 . The tablet computer  200  comprises four peripheral sides. Every two opposite sides are parallel to each other. One of the four peripheral sides is defined as a bottom end  240  which comprises a permanent magnet or a ferromagnetic element. 
     The protective case comprises a front plate  110 , a holding plate  120  and a supporting plate  130  connecting the front plate  110  and the holding plate  120  via a bendable portion  140 . Each of the front plate  110 , the holding plate  120 , the supporting plate  130  and the bendable portion  140  has a rectangular configuration and a same length along an extending direction of the bottom end  240  of the tablet computer  200 . 
     The front plate  110  comprises at least one magnetic element  112  embedded in the front plate  110 . The front plate  110  comprises a first surface  111 . When the tablet computer  200  is not in use, the first surface  111  of the front plate  110  is attached to the display surface  210  to protect the display surface  210 . When the tablet computer  200  is in use, the bottom end  240  of the tablet computer  200  stands on the top surface  111 , the front plate  110  can support the bottom end  240  of the tablet computer  200 . 
     The at least one magnetic element  112  comprises a plurality of parallel magnetic protrusions. In one embodiment, the at least one magnetic element  112  of the protective case is two parallel magnetic protrusions: a first magnetic protrusion  114  and a second magnetic protrusion  115  which are embedded in the front plate  110  of the protective case. The second magnetic protrusion  115  is closer to the bendable portion  140 , compared with the first magnet protrusion  114 . Top surfaces of the first and second magnetic protrusions  114 ,  115  are coplanar with the first surface  111 . The at least one magnetic element  112  can be a first permanent magnet corresponding to the permanent magnet or the ferromagnetic element of the tablet computer  200 . A magnetic pole of the first permanent magnet towards the bottom end  240  of the tablet computer  200  is opposite to that of the permanent magnet or the ferromagnetic element of the tablet computer  200  towards the first surface  111 . 
     The holding plate  120  comprises a first holding element  121 . The first holding element  121  holds the back of the tablet computer  200  by a latch mechanism. In one embodiment, the holding element  121  comprises a pair of latches for clapping the pair of adjacent peripheral corners which are far away from the bottom end  240 . In this way, when the protective case is in a supporting state to prop up the tablet computer  200 , the at least one magnetic element  112  is capable of attracting the tablet computer  200  by the permanent magnet or the ferromagnetic element installed in the tablet computer, and the holding element  121  on the holding plate  120  can secure the back of the tablet computer  200 , thus preventing the tablet computer  200  from slipping out of the protective case. There is a fold at a joint between the holding plate  120  and the supporting plate  130 . The holding plate  120  or the supporting plate  130  can be rotated around the fold. 
     When the protective case is in the supporting state to prop up the tablet computer  200 , the holding plate  120  is attached to an upper portion of the back of the tablet computer  200 , the bottom end  240  of the tablet computer  200  is secured on the first magnetic protrusion  114 , the first magnetic protrusion  114  will attract with the bottom end  240  of the tablet computer  200  and the supporting plate  130  is spaced from a lower portion of the back of the tablet computer  200 . Meanwhile, the holding plate  120  and the supporting plate  130  are folded at the fold to form a certain angle in order to secure and support the tablet computer  200 . For the above situation, the tablet computer  200  and the first surface  111  form a 60° acute angle, thus enabling the tablet computer  200  to stand up at a 60° angle towards the first surface  111 . Similarly, when the bottom end  240  of the tablet computer  200  is secured on the second magnetic protrusion  115 , by the attraction of the magnetic element  112  with the bottom end  240  of the tablet computer  200 , facilitated by the secure and support of the holding plate  120  and the supporting plate  130 , the tablet computer  200  can stand up at a 45° angle towards the first surface  111 . 
     It should be noted that the tablet computer  200  standing up at a 60° angle or a 45° angle is only one specific mean to illustrate that the protective case can support the tablet computer  200  to stand up at different angles, and it is not intended to be limiting, and similarly, by installing the at least one magnetic element  112  on different positions on the first surface  111  the tablet computer  200  can also stand up at other angles. 
     The holding plate  120  comprises a first coating layer  123  and a first plate  124  enclosed in the first coating layer  123 . The supporting plate  130  comprises a second coating layer  131  and a second plate  132  enclosed in the second coating layer  131 . The first coating layer  123  and the second coating layer  131  are connected with each other to form an integrity, and a gap D is determined in the first plate  124  and the second plate  132 . The gap D is for instance, 6 mm in width as illustrated in  FIG. 3 , wherein the gap D has the same width as that of the bendable portion  140 . The gap is provided to adapt to the varying angular bending between the holding plate  120  and the supporting plate  130 , thus enabling the tablet computer  200  to stand up at varying angles. In this embodiment, the first coating layer  123  and the second coating layer  131  are made of PU leather, and the first plate  124  and the second plate  132  are made of PC sheet material, however the materials are not intended to be limiting, any other material with similar properties can also be applied. 
     PU is the abbreviation of polyurethane, and PU leather stands for the leather containing polyurethane constituents. PU leather has broad applications in luggage, clothing, furniture and many other territories for its outstanding abrasive resistance, breathability and ageing resistance together with its strong flexibility and soft and comfortable texture. Wherein the PU leather being applied to the material of the first coating layer  123  and the second coating layer  131 , its abrasive resistance, softness and other excellent properties can meet the material requirements of the protective case for the tablet computer. Meanwhile, PC is short for polycarbonate, and polycarbonate is the major constituents of PC plates. The PC plates are sheet material made by thermal forming technologies, and have extensive applications in for instance, package and other territories for its light weight and good mechanical properties. 
     In the protective case according to this embodiment, a display window  113  is arranged on the first surface  111  near the magnetic element  112  to display the battery status of the tablet computer  200 . 
     A first hole  122  is further defined in the holding plate  120  of the protective case near the first holding element  121 . The first hole  122  is in accordance with the camera  230  of the tablet computer  200  in position. The tablet computer  200  can be used not only to get online, but also to shoot a photograph or a video, thus the installment of the first hole  122  facilitates the shooting of the tablet computer  200  when it is used as a camera that the protective case needs not to be taken off. 
     The first surface  111  of the front plate  110  adhering to the display surface  210  of the tablet computer  200  can be made by a soft material. When the protective case is closed to protect the tablet computer  200 , this surface adheres to the display surface  210  of the tablet computer  200 , wherein the option of the soft material can well protect the display surface of the tablet computer, thus preventing the display surface  210  of the tablet computer  200  from being scratched. 
     It should be noted that above embodiments are merely exemplary ones of the present invention. Obviously, the present invention is not limited to above embodiments, but has many variations. All variations that a person skilled in the art derives from or directly reaches form the contents disclosed in the present invention shall be considered as falling into the protective scope of the present invention.