Mobile phone protective case
By setting clearance holes on the edge of the phone case and using a cover plate that is magnetically attached, the problem of damage caused by the hollow design of the clearance area is solved, achieving stable protection of the phone's functional areas and convenient operation.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- CN202521508434.2
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Utility models(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2025-07-17
- Publication Date
- 2026-07-07
- Estimated Expiration
- 2035-07-17
Smart Images

Figure CN224473348U_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] This application relates to the field of mobile phone protective case technology, and more particularly to a mobile phone protective case. Background Technology
[0002] In related technologies, in order to protect mobile phones from damage caused by accidental drops during use, a protective case is usually put on the surface of the mobile phone, and a avoidance area corresponding to the functional areas of the mobile phone is set on the protective case so that the mobile phone can still be used normally after the protective case is put on. However, since the avoidance area is usually hollow, there is still a possibility of damage during the use of the mobile phone. Utility Model Content
[0003] This application provides a mobile phone protective case that solves the technical problem that the phone may still be damaged during use because the avoidance area of the phone case is hollow.
[0004] In a first aspect, embodiments of this application provide a mobile phone protective case, including a housing and a cover plate. The housing includes a back plate and a frame disposed on the edge of the back plate. A receiving cavity for accommodating a mobile phone is formed between the back plate and the frame. An avoidance hole communicating with the receiving cavity is provided on the frame. The cover plate is disposed corresponding to the avoidance hole. The cover plate is movably connected to the frame and has a first position and a second position.
[0005] When the cover plate is in the first position, the cover plate is magnetically attracted to the frame to cover the clearance hole; when the cover plate is in the second position, at least a portion of the cover plate is attached to the back plate and magnetically attracted to the back plate, so that the clearance hole is exposed.
[0006] According to the embodiments of this application, a mobile phone protective case has a clearance hole on the edge of the case and a cover plate corresponding to the clearance hole. The cover plate is movably connected to the case and has a first position and a second position. When the cover plate is in the first position, the cover plate is magnetically attracted to the edge to cover the clearance hole. In this way, when the user does not use the functional area on the edge of the phone, the cover plate can be used to cover the clearance hole to protect the functional area, thereby improving the protection of the phone and reducing the probability of damage to the functional area of the phone. When the cover plate is in the first position, at least part of the cover plate is attached to the back plate and magnetically attracted to the back plate so that the clearance hole is exposed, thereby not affecting the user's use of the functional area.
[0007] In addition, the magnetic connection method ensures that the cover remains stable when covering or exposing the clearance hole, reducing the possibility of the cover shaking in the first and second positions, thereby improving the ease of operation of the phone case. Attached Figure Description
[0008] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.
[0009] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of a mobile phone protective case with exposed clearance holes according to the first embodiment of this application;
[0010] Figure 2 A schematic diagram of a mobile phone protective case with the clearance hole covered, according to the first embodiment of this application;
[0011] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a mobile phone protective case in the first embodiment of this application, with the cover plate and the housing separated.
[0012] Figure 4 A schematic diagram of a mobile phone protective case with the clearance hole covered, as provided in the second embodiment of this application;
[0013] Figure 5 for Figure 4 A structural diagram of the structure shown from another perspective;
[0014] Figure 6 for Figure 5 A schematic diagram of the cross-sectional structure at point AA of the structure shown.
[0015] Figure 7 for Figure 6 Enlarged schematic diagram of the structure of section A in the middle.
[0016] Figure reference numerals:
[0017] 100, Housing; 100a, Receiving cavity; 110, Back plate; 111, Fixing plate; 111a, Rotating shaft hole; 120, Frame; 120a, Clearance hole; 120b, Recess; 101, Second magnetic component;
[0018] 200, cover plate; 201, pivot; 210, first end; 211, bending part; 220, second end; 221, first magnetic component; Detailed Implementation
[0019] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this application clearer, the embodiments of this application will be described in further detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.
[0020] Where the following description relates to the accompanying drawings, unless otherwise indicated, the same numbers in different drawings denote the same or similar elements. The embodiments described in the following exemplary embodiments do not represent all embodiments consistent with this application. Rather, they are merely examples of apparatuses and methods consistent with some aspects of this application as detailed in the appended claims.
[0021] In the description of this application, it should be understood that the terms "first," "second," etc., are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this application based on the specific circumstances. Furthermore, in the description of this application, unless otherwise stated, "multiple" refers to two or more. "And / or" describes the relationship between related objects, indicating that three relationships can exist. For example, A and / or B can represent: A existing alone, A and B existing simultaneously, or B existing alone. The character " / " generally indicates that the preceding and following related objects are in an "or" relationship.
[0022] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this application belongs. The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of this application. The term "and / or" as used herein includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.
[0023] To protect mobile phones from accidental drops and damage, protective cases are usually placed on the surface of the phone. These cases have avoidance zones that correspond to the phone's functional areas, allowing the phone to be used normally even with the case on. However, since these avoidance zones are usually open, there is still a possibility of damage during use.
[0024] To address the aforementioned technical issues, this application proposes a mobile phone protective case for protecting mobile phones and preventing them from making noise or being bumped when dropped. The protective case can be made of liquid silicone or TPU (Tensor Processing Unit, thermoplastic polyurethane elastomer) soft rubber, or other flexible materials that combine lightweight and impact resistance.
[0025] In the embodiments of this application, please refer to Figures 1 to 3The mobile phone case includes a housing 100 and a cover plate 200. The housing 100 includes a back plate 110 and a frame 120 located on the side of the back plate 110. A receiving cavity 100a for accommodating the mobile phone is formed between the back plate 110 and the frame 120. The frame 120 has a clearance hole 120a communicating with the receiving cavity 100a. The back plate 110 is the main part of the protective case that covers the back of the mobile phone. It can resist the wear and tear of the back of the mobile phone by sharp objects such as keys and gravel, and absorb the impact energy when the phone is dropped. The frame 120 is used to protect the edges and four corners of the mobile phone. The frame 120 protrudes from the design of the mobile phone screen to ensure that the frame 120 contacts the ground first when the front of the mobile phone is dropped.
[0026] The clearance hole 120a can provide clearance for functional areas on the side of the phone, such as volume control buttons, power button, camera button (take a picture button), and charging port. The cover plate 200 is set to correspond to the clearance hole 120a and is movably connected to the frame 120. When the cover plate 200 is in the first position, the cover plate 200 is magnetically attracted to the frame 120 to cover the clearance hole 120a. When the cover plate 200 is in the second position, at least part of the cover plate 200 is attached to the back plate 110 and magnetically attracted to the back plate 110, so that the clearance hole 120a is exposed. It should be understood that one functional area corresponds to one clearance hole 120a, and the number of cover plates 200 matches the number of clearance holes 120a. By covering the clearance holes 120a with the cover plate 200, the functional area can be protected, reducing the possibility of damage or scratches to the functional area. In this embodiment of the application, the camera key is exemplarily explained by the avoidance hole 120a. That is, when the user is not taking pictures with the phone, the cover plate 200 can cover the avoidance hole 120a to protect the camera key and reduce the possibility of damage or scratches to the camera key. When it is necessary to take pictures with the phone, the cover plate 200 can be moved to expose the avoidance hole 120a and expose the camera key.
[0027] Furthermore, in this embodiment, when the cover plate 200 is in the first position, it can be magnetically connected to the frame 120. When the cover plate 200 is in the second position, at least a portion of the cover plate 200 is magnetically connected to the back plate 110. Thus, the cover plate 200 can be stably positioned in the first or second position, preventing the cover plate 200 from shaking or returning to its original position, making operation more convenient and smooth. On the other hand, when the cover plate 200 exposes the clearance hole 120a, the cover plate 200 moves to the point where at least a portion of the cover plate 200 is attached to the back plate 110 instead of being placed randomly. This prevents the cover plate 200 from being lost and maximizes the operating space in the area of the exposed clearance hole 120a. At the same time, the back plate 110 can be used as a temporary storage location for the cover plate 200.
[0028] In some possible embodiments, the protective case is not only used to protect mobile phones, but also to protect other electronic devices, such as tablets, smartwatches, and other electronic devices with functional areas on the edges.
[0029] Since the cover plate 200 is movably connected to the frame 120, that is, the cover plate 200 and the frame 120 can be slidably connected or rotatably connected. When the cover plate 200 and the frame 120 can be slidably connected, one of the cover plate 200 and the frame 120 is provided with a slide rail, and the other is provided with a slide groove. Through the sliding cooperation of the slide rail and the slide groove, the cover plate 200 can move linearly, thereby achieving the coverage and exposure of the clearance hole 120a.
[0030] In this embodiment of the application, the cover plate 200 and the frame 120 are rotatably connected. When the cover plate 200 and the frame 120 are rotatably connected, the rotatable connection realizes the opening and closing of the cover plate 200 through axial rotation, thereby covering and exposing the avoidance hole 120a. By using the rotatable connection, the impact of the cover plate 200 on the overall structure can be reduced, thereby reducing the impact on the space design layout of the mobile phone case.
[0031] When the cover plate 200 is rotatably connected to the frame 120, the cover plate 200 may rotate relative to the frame 120 in a plane, or the cover plate 200 may flip relative to the frame 120. In this embodiment, the cover plate 200 may be flipped relative to the frame 120 for exemplary description.
[0032] In this embodiment, please refer to Figure 4 The cover plate 200 has a first end 210 and a second end 220 opposite to each other. The first end 210 is rotatably connected to the frame 120 and the first end 210 is closer to the back plate 110 than the second end 220.
[0033] Since the receiving cavity 100a has an opening, the user inserts the phone into the receiving cavity 100a through the opening, and the phone screen is located on the opening side. Since the first end 210 is closer to the back panel 110 than the second end 220, when the cover 200 switches from the position of covering the clearance hole 120a to the position of exposing the clearance hole 120a, the cover 200 rotates towards the side where the back panel 110 is located. That is, the cover 200 rotates away from the phone screen. In this way, the cover 200 is difficult to cover the phone screen, ensuring that the user's line of sight and touch operation are unobstructed.
[0034] Please see Figures 5 to 7 When the cover plate 200 covers the clearance hole 120a, that is, when the cover plate 200 is in the first position, at least the second end 220 of the cover plate 200 can be magnetically attracted and connected to the frame 120.
[0035] In some embodiments, the cover plate 200 may be magnetic as a whole, thereby magnetically engaging with the frame 120. Alternatively, the second end 220 of the cover plate 200 may be magnetically engaged with the frame 120. The specific configuration depends on the actual situation. Through magnetic attraction, when the cover plate 200 covers the clearance hole 120a, even if the phone is in a bumpy state, the cover plate 200 can stably cover the clearance hole 120a, thereby providing good protection for the camera button.
[0036] In another embodiment, when the cover plate 200 is in the second position, the clearance hole 120a is exposed. At this time, at least the second end 220 is attached to the back plate 110. At least the second end 220 of the cover plate 200 can be magnetically attracted to the back plate 110. That is, after the clearance hole 120a is exposed, the cover plate 200 can be automatically attracted to the back plate 110 after being rotated to a certain position. There is no need to manually adjust the position, which avoids the user from repeatedly rotating the cover plate 200 during shooting, thereby interfering with the user's shooting and ensuring the user's convenience during shooting.
[0037] Furthermore, since the cover plate 200 is magnetically connected to the frame 120, the cover plate 200 can be as close to the frame 120 as possible. The magnetic connection between the cover plate 200 and the back plate 110 also allows the cover plate 200 to be as close to the back plate 110 as possible, which is beneficial to the miniaturization design of the entire mobile phone case.
[0038] Please see Figure 7 In one embodiment of this application, a first magnetic element 221 is provided in the second end 220. When the frame 120 is also magnetic, when the cover plate 200 is in the first position, it can be magnetically attracted and connected to the frame 120 via the first magnetic element 221. When the cover plate 200 is in the second position and the second end 220 is attached to the back plate 110, it can be magnetically attracted and connected to the back plate 110 via the first magnetic element 221.
[0039] The cover plate 200 can be kept in a stable state by magnetic attraction. When not shooting, the stable cover plate 200 can stably cover the clearance hole 120a, thereby protecting the camera button. When shooting, the cover plate 200 can be stably magnetically attracted to the back plate 110, reducing the possibility of the cover plate 200 shaking, thereby reducing interference to the user when shooting.
[0040] The first magnetic component 221 is disposed inside the second end 220. It can be integrally molded, that is, when the material of the cover plate 200 is liquid silicone or TPU, it can be formed by overmolding or injection molding, and after curing, it can form an integral structure. Alternatively, an installation groove can be formed inside the second end 220 of the cover plate 200, and a snap-fit structure can be provided in the installation groove. The first magnetic component 221 can be installed into the installation groove and snapped together with the snap-fit structure.
[0041] Furthermore, one or more first magnetic elements 221 may be provided in the second end 220. It is understood that when multiple first magnetic elements 221 are provided, the multiple first magnetic elements 221 are distributed at intervals along the length direction of the housing 100 or arranged at intervals along the edge of the second end 220, which is beneficial to the force balance of the cover plate 200.
[0042] Furthermore, since the first magnetic element 221 is only installed inside the second end 220, there is no need to provide magnetic elements in other locations inside the cover plate 200, nor is it necessary for the cover plate 200 itself to be a magnetic element, thereby reducing costs to a certain extent. It should be understood that the first magnetic element 221 generally refers to a magnet.
[0043] In one embodiment of this application, in order to facilitate the user to flip the cover plate 200 and make it easy to switch between the first position and the second position, the thickness of the second end 220 of the cover plate 200 is reduced along the arrangement direction from the first end 210 to the second end 220, that is, the second end 220 of the cover plate 200 is raised. Thus, when the cover plate 200 is in the first position, the second end 220 can have a certain gap with the frame 120, and when the cover plate 200 is in the second position, the second end 220 can also have a certain gap with the back plate 110, thereby facilitating the user to flip the cover plate 200.
[0044] In another embodiment of this application, please refer to Figure 7 A second magnetic element 101 is provided inside the frame 120 and the back plate 110. When the cover plate 200 covers the clearance hole 120a, it can be magnetically attracted and connected to the cover plate 200 through the second magnetic element 101 inside the frame 120. When the cover plate 200 exposes the clearance hole 120a, it can be magnetically attracted and connected to the cover plate 200 through the second magnetic element 101 inside the back plate 110.
[0045] That is, a second magnetic element 101 can be set in a predetermined area within the frame 120 and the back plate 110. Since the material of the mobile phone protective case is generally selected as a flexible material such as liquid silicone or TPU, in this embodiment of the application, the second magnetic element 101 is also integrally formed with the frame 120 and the back plate 110 by integral encapsulation or injection molding. Through the magnetic attraction of the second magnetic element 101, the cover plate 200 can be in a stable state when covering the avoidance hole 120a, thereby improving the protection of the camera button. When the cover plate 200 is exposed to the avoidance hole 120a, it can also be in a stable state, reducing the interference of the cover plate 200 to the user's shooting.
[0046] The second magnetic component 101 can also be a magnet. In this way, when the second magnetic component 101 is respectively set in the frame 120 and the back plate 110, it can play a certain protective role for the second magnetic component 101, improve the service life of the second magnetic component 101, and also not occupy the space of the entire mobile phone case, which is conducive to the miniaturization design of the entire mobile phone case.
[0047] In some embodiments, a third magnetic element may be provided inside the back panel 110. This third magnetic element can increase the magnetism of the entire phone case and magnetically connect with the wireless charging dock. In this way, the stability of the phone and the wireless charging dock is ensured when the phone is wirelessly charged, thereby improving the reliability of wireless charging.
[0048] Based on the rotatable connection between the cover plate 200 and the frame 120, in one embodiment, please refer to [link to previous document]. Figure 4 The cover plate 200 and the frame 120 are integrally formed. The first end 210 of the cover plate 200 connected to the frame 120 is bent to form a bent part 211. The bent part 211 can be deformed to allow the cover plate 200 to cover or expose the avoidance hole 120a.
[0049] When the frame 120 is made of a flexible material such as liquid silicone or TPU, the cover plate 200 and the frame 120 can be connected by integral injection molding. In this way, during the rotation of the cover plate 200, since the stress point is mainly concentrated in the bending part 211, the bending part 211 can deform, thereby enabling the cover plate 200 to cover or expose the avoidance hole 120a. When the phone is dropped, the impact energy is absorbed by the flexible deformation of the bending part 211, while the bending part 211 can still stably connect the cover plate 200 and the frame 120, improving the service life of the entire phone case.
[0050] By integrating the cover plate 200 and the frame 120 into one piece, the number of parts can be reduced, the assembly complexity can be lowered, and the one-piece molding may reduce production steps, reduce material waste, and lower costs.
[0051] In another embodiment, please refer to Figures 2 to 3 At least one of the portion of the frame 120 adjacent to the clearance hole 120a and the first end 210 of the cover plate 200 is provided with a pivot 201, and at least the other is provided with a pivot hole 111a. The pivot 201 extends into the pivot hole 111a, and the pivot 201 rotates in the pivot hole 111a to cover or expose the clearance hole 120a.
[0052] By using the rotating connection of the hinge 201, the hinge 201 can have high strength and fatigue resistance. After the cover plate is opened and closed more than 200 times, the hinge 201 can still maintain its shape and function, reduce failure caused by material deformation, and improve the service life of the entire mobile phone case.
[0053] In this embodiment, when the rotating shaft 201 is located on the cover plate 200, the rotating shaft hole 111a is located on the frame 120. When the rotating shaft hole 111a is located on the cover plate 200, the rotating shaft 201 is located on the frame 120. This is not a limitation. In this embodiment, the rotating shaft 201 is located on the cover plate 200 and the rotating shaft hole 111a is located on the frame 120 for illustrative purposes. That is, two fixing plates 111 are arranged opposite each other on the frame 120 along the length direction of the housing 100. The rotating shaft hole 111a is located on the fixing plate 111. The rotating shaft 201 on the cover plate 200 extends into the rotating shaft hole 111a on the fixing plate 111. By flipping the cover plate 200, the rotating shaft 201 can rotate within the rotating shaft hole 111a so that the cover plate 200 covers or exposes the clearance hole 120a.
[0054] In a further embodiment, the cover plate 200 can also be integrally formed with the rotating shaft 201. When the cover plate 200 is made of flexible materials such as liquid silicone and TPU, the rotating shaft 201 can also deform. This reduces the assembly difficulty of the cover plate 200 and the frame 120, thereby improving production efficiency. In addition, since the cover plate 200 is located between two fixed plates 111, the deformable rotating shaft 201 extends into the rotating shaft hole 111a, which makes it easy to design the gap between the cover plate 200 and the fixed plate 111. For example, along the thickness direction of the fixed plate 111, the gap can be 0mm, or the gap range is between 0-1mm, thereby reducing the possibility of the cover plate 200 shaking and thus reducing the wear of the rotating shaft 201.
[0055] Optionally, in order to improve the stability of the cover plate 200, in one embodiment of this application, the rotating shaft 201 abuts against the inner wall of the rotating shaft hole 111a, that is, the rotating shaft 201 and the inner wall of the rotating shaft hole 111a are interference fit (that is, the outer diameter of the rotating shaft 201 is slightly larger than the inner diameter of the rotating shaft hole 111a, and pressure assembly is required). In this way, a certain rotational resistance can be given to the rotating shaft 201, that is, when the cover plate 200 covers the clearance hole 120a, the cover plate 200 is not easy to shake, thereby effectively protecting the camera key.
[0056] Please see Figures 1 to 2In one embodiment of this application, the outer surface of the frame 120 is recessed at the adjacent clearance hole 120a to form a recess 120b. When the cover plate 200 is in the first position, that is, when the cover plate 200 covers the clearance hole 120a, at least a portion of the cover plate 200 is disposed in the recess 120b. That is, the cover plate 200 may be partially located in the recess 120b, or the entire cover plate 200 may be located in the recess 120b.
[0057] The recessed portion 120b is also a recessed groove. At least part of the cover plate 200 is located in the recessed groove, meaning that the cover plate 200 will not occupy too much space on the edge of the protective shell, which facilitates the miniaturization and lightweight design of the entire protective shell.
[0058] Furthermore, since at least part of the cover plate 200 is located in the recessed groove, the cover plate 200 located in the recessed groove will not protrude from the groove opening. This makes it difficult for the cover plate 200 to be hooked or pushed open by external objects. For example, when placed in a bag or pocket, it is not easy for it to be hooked or pushed open by items such as keys or cards, thereby ensuring that the camera button is not easily scratched or damaged.
[0059] In the accompanying drawings of this embodiment, the same or similar reference numerals correspond to the same or similar components. In the description of this application, it should be understood that if terms such as "upper," "lower," "left," and "right" indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, they are only for the convenience of describing this application and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, the terms used to describe positional relationships in the accompanying drawings are only for illustrative purposes and should not be construed as limiting this patent. For those skilled in the art, the specific meaning of the above terms can be understood according to the specific circumstances.
[0060] The above are merely preferred embodiments of this application and are not intended to limit this application. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, and improvements made within the spirit and principles of this application should be included within the protection scope of this application.
Claims
1. A mobile phone protective case, characterized in that, include: The housing includes a back panel and a frame disposed on the edge of the back panel, a receiving cavity for accommodating a mobile phone is formed between the back panel and the frame, and a clearance hole communicating with the receiving cavity is provided on the frame; as well as A cover plate, the cover plate being provided corresponding to the clearance hole, and the cover plate being movably connected to the frame, the cover plate having a first position and a second position; When the cover plate is in the first position, the cover plate is magnetically attracted to the frame to cover the clearance hole; when the cover plate is in the second position, at least a portion of the cover plate is attached to the back plate and magnetically attracted to the back plate, so that the clearance hole is exposed.
2. The mobile phone protective case according to claim 1, characterized in that, The cover plate is rotatably connected to the frame.
3. The mobile phone protective case according to claim 2, characterized in that, The cover plate has a first end and a second end opposite to each other. The first end is rotatably connected to the frame and is closer to the back plate than the second end.
4. The mobile phone protective case according to claim 3, characterized in that, When the cover plate is in the first position, at least the second end of the cover plate can be magnetically attracted and connected to the frame; And / or, when the cover plate is in the second position and at least the second end is attached to the back plate, at least the second end can be magnetically attracted to the back plate.
5. The mobile phone protective case according to claim 3, characterized in that, A first magnetic element is provided inside the second end; When the cover plate is in the first position, it can be magnetically attracted and connected to the frame via the first magnetic element, and / or, when the cover plate is in the second position and the second end is attached to the back plate, it can be magnetically attracted and connected to the back plate via the first magnetic element.
6. The mobile phone protective case according to claim 1 or 5, characterized in that, A second magnetic element is provided inside both the frame and the back plate. When the cover plate is in the first position, it can be magnetically attracted and connected to the cover plate via the second magnetic element inside the frame. When the cover plate is in the first position, it can be magnetically attracted and connected to the cover plate via the second magnetic element inside the back plate.
7. The mobile phone protective case according to claim 2, characterized in that, The cover plate is integrally formed with the frame. The first end of the cover plate connected to the frame is bent to form a bent portion. The bent portion can deform to cover or expose the avoidance hole.
8. The mobile phone protective case according to claim 1, characterized in that, At least one of the portion of the frame adjacent to the clearance hole and the first end of the cover plate is provided with a pivot, and at least the other is provided with a pivot hole. The pivot extends into the pivot hole, and the pivot rotates within the pivot hole to cover or expose the clearance hole.
9. The mobile phone protective case according to claim 8, characterized in that, The rotating shaft abuts against the inner wall of the rotating shaft hole.
10. The mobile phone protective case according to claim 1, characterized in that, The outer surface of the frame is recessed near the clearance hole to form a recessed portion. When the cover plate is in the first position, at least a portion of the cover plate is disposed in the recessed portion.