Protective cases for electronic devices

Abstract

We provide protective cases for electronic devices that prevent the printed design from deteriorating. [Solution] The present invention provides a protective case 1 for electronic equipment, comprising a back panel 10 that protects the back of the electronic equipment, a frame 20 that protects the outer surface of the electronic equipment, and a connecting part 30 that detachably connects the back panel 10 and the frame 20, wherein the back panel 10 is formed of a transparent material and the back surface facing the back of the electronic equipment is a printed surface on which a design is printed.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a protective case for electronic devices.

Background Art

[0002] There is known an order-made sales system in which, in accordance with a customer's order received from a customer terminal via a network, a design (e.g., a character from anime or manga) specified by the customer is printed on a protective case for an electronic device of the type specified by the customer (e.g., a case for a smartphone) and shipped (for example, Patent Document 1).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] Such an order-made protective case for an electronic device has a back panel that protects the back surface of the electronic device and a frame that protects the outer peripheral surface of the electronic device, and the back panel and the frame are integrally molded. In this case, due to the characteristics of the printer, a design has to be printed on the surface of the back panel. As a result, when this protective case for an electronic device is attached to the electronic device, since the user can directly touch the surface of the back panel, the design printed on the surface of the back panel may be rubbed off, peeled off, or scratched, etc., and thus the design of the protective case for the electronic device is likely to deteriorate.

[0005] The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and an object thereof is to provide a protective case for an electronic device in which a design printed by a printer is less likely to deteriorate.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] The main invention of this invention for solving the above problems is: A back panel that protects the back of electronic devices, A frame that protects the outer surface of electronic devices, A connecting part that detachably connects the rear panel and the frame, Equipped with, The aforementioned back panel is formed from a transparent material, and the back surface facing the back of the electronic device is a printed surface on which the design is printed. This is a protective case for electronic devices characterized by the following features. Other features of the present invention will be made apparent by description in this specification and the accompanying drawings. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0007] [Figure 1] This is an external perspective view showing the configuration of the protective case 1 for electronic equipment according to this embodiment. [Figure 2] This is a perspective view of the electronic device protective case 1 according to this embodiment, showing the rear panel 10 and frame 20 separated, as seen from the front. [Figure 3] This is a perspective view of the rear view of the protective case 1 for electronic equipment according to this embodiment, showing the rear panel 10 and frame 20 separated. [Figure 4] This is an external view showing the back surface of the rear panel 10 according to this embodiment. [Figure 5] This is an external view showing the surface of the rear panel 10 according to this embodiment. [Figure 6] Figure 6A is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the projection 13 of the rear panel 10 according to this embodiment. Figure 6A is a schematic cross-sectional view along line AA in Figure 5. Figure 6B is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating the printed surface of the rear panel 10 shown in Figure 6A. [Figure 7] This is an external view showing the front side of the frame 20 according to this embodiment. [Figure 8] This is an external view showing the rear side of the frame 20 according to this embodiment. [Figure 9]Figure 9A is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the groove 27 of the frame 20 according to this embodiment. Figure 9A is a schematic cross-sectional view along the line BB in Figure 8. Figure 9B is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the frame 20 shown in Figure 9A connected to the rear panel 10 shown in Figure 6A. [Figure 10] This is an external view showing the front of the square-shaped frame 20. [Figure 11] This is an external view showing the rear of the square-shaped frame 20. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0008] The following matters become clear from this specification and the accompanying drawings: That is, a back panel that protects the back of the electronic device, A frame that protects the outer surface of electronic devices, A connecting part that detachably connects the rear panel and the frame, Equipped with, The aforementioned back panel is formed from a transparent material, and the back surface facing the back of the electronic device is a printed surface on which the design is printed. This is a protective case for electronic devices characterized by the following features. Unlike cases where the back panel and frame are molded as a single unit, this type of electronic device protective case allows the back panel to be separated from the frame. This makes it possible to use the back surface of the transparent back panel (the flat surface facing the back of the electronic device when the case is installed) as a printing surface, enabling reverse printing by a printer. By printing the design on the back surface of the back panel, when the electronic device protective case, which consists of a printed back panel attached to a frame, is installed on an electronic device, the user can directly touch the front surface of the back panel, but cannot touch the back surface. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the design printed on the back surface of the back panel from rubbing off, peeling, or getting scratched, thus preventing deterioration of the design of the electronic device protective case.

[0009] Furthermore, a protective case for such electronic equipment, The back panel has a flat portion covering the back of the electronic device, and an outer peripheral portion provided outward along the periphery of the flat portion, and the frame has an annular side wall covering the outer peripheral surface of the electronic device, and an inner peripheral portion provided inward along the periphery of the side wall, and the connecting portion may connect the back panel and the frame by fitting a protrusion portion of the outer peripheral portion into a groove portion of the inner peripheral portion when the outer peripheral portion of the back panel abuts against the inner peripheral portion of the frame. According to such a protective case for an electronic device, the back panel can be attached to the frame so as to be integrated by pushing and fitting the protrusion portion of the back panel into the groove portion of the frame. Then, the back panel can also be removed from the frame by pulling out the protrusion portion of the back panel from the groove portion of the frame.

[0010] Also, such a protective case for an electronic device where the outer peripheral portion of the back panel has a curved portion and a straight portion, the protrusion portion of the outer peripheral portion extends along the straight portion of the curved portion and the straight portion of the outer peripheral portion, the inner peripheral portion of the frame has a curved portion and a straight portion, and the groove portion of the inner peripheral portion may extend along the straight portion of the curved portion and the straight portion of the inner peripheral portion. According to such a protective case for an electronic device, by providing the protrusion portion only on the straight portion of the outer peripheral portion and the groove portion only on the straight portion of the inner peripheral portion, it is easy to push and fit the protrusion portion of the back panel into the groove portion of the frame and also easy to pull out the protrusion portion of the back panel from the groove portion of the frame.

[0011] Also, such a protective case for an electronic device The connecting portion may be configured such that a projection provided on one of the rear panel and the frame is fitted into a groove provided on the other of the rear panel and the frame, thereby connecting the rear panel and the frame. With this type of protective case for electronic devices, the back panel can be attached to the frame as a single unit by pushing the protrusions into the grooves and fitting them together. The back panel can also be removed from the frame by pulling the protrusions out of the grooves.

[0012] Furthermore, a protective case for such electronic equipment, The frame is formed by integrating a front outer frame having a front opening for exposing the operating surface of the electronic device, and a rear outer frame having a rear opening for exposing the surface of the rear panel. The aforementioned front outer frame is made of soft resin, The aforementioned rear outer frame may be made of a hard resin. With this type of electronic device protective case, the front outer frame is made of a more elastic material than the rear outer frame, making it easier to insert the electronic device into the case through the front opening of the front outer frame. Also, the rear outer frame is made of a more rigid material than the front outer frame, making it easier to secure the device to the frame with the surface of the back panel exposed through the rear opening of the rear outer frame.

[0013] Furthermore, a protective case for such electronic equipment, The frame comprises a front outer frame having a front opening for exposing the operating surface of the electronic device, and a rear outer frame having a rear opening for exposing the surface of the rear panel. The rear outer frame may be made of a material with higher hardness than the front outer frame. With this type of protective case for electronic devices, the rear outer frame is made of a harder material than the front outer frame, which reduces twisting and distortion of the frame, and makes it easier to attach the back panel to the frame with the surface of the back panel exposed through the rear opening of the rear outer frame.

[0014] ===Implementation Method=== <<About the configuration of the protective case 1 for electronic devices>> An example of the configuration of the electronic device protective case 1 according to this embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 1 to 3. Figure 1 is an external perspective view showing the configuration of the electronic device protective case 1 according to this embodiment. Figure 2 is an external perspective view of the electronic device protective case 1 according to this embodiment, with the rear panel 10 and frame 20 separated, as seen from the front. Figure 3 is an external perspective view of the electronic device protective case 1 according to this embodiment, with the rear panel 10 and frame 20 separated, as seen from the rear.

[0015] In the following section, we will specifically describe a smartphone case, which protects a smartphone, as an example of an electronic device, as an example of a protective case for electronic devices.

[0016] Furthermore, in the following explanation, each direction is defined as shown in each figure. Specifically, the vertical direction is defined as the "up and down direction," and "up" and "down" are defined according to gravity. In addition, the "front-to-back direction" is defined as the front side and the back side as the reference point when viewed from the perspective of a user facing the front of the electronic device protective case 1, and the "left-to-right direction" is defined as the left side and the right side as the "right" side. In this case, the direction in which electronic devices are inserted into and removed from the electronic device protective case 1, and the direction in which the rear panel 10 is attached to and detached from the frame 20, will coincide with the "front-to-back direction."

[0017] The protective case 1 for electronic devices according to this embodiment is a smartphone case for protecting a smartphone, and as shown in Figures 1 to 3, it comprises a back panel 10 that protects the back of the smartphone, a frame 20 that protects the outer surface of the smartphone, and a connecting part 30 that detachably connects the back panel 10 and the frame 20.

[0018] In this embodiment, as shown in Figures 2 and 3, the user supports the rear panel 10 parallel to the frame 20 and inserts it through the front opening 23. Further pushing the back surface of the rear panel 10 toward the rear in the front-to-back direction causes it to contact the frame 20, exposing the surface of the rear panel 10 through the rear opening 24, thereby connecting the connecting portion 30 and allowing the rear panel 10 to be attached to the frame 20. The connection by the connecting portion 30 is then released by pushing the surface of the rear panel 10, which is exposed through the rear opening 24, toward the front in the front-to-back direction, and the rear panel 10 can be removed from the frame 20 by pulling it out through the front opening 23. The specific configuration of the connecting portion 30 will be described later.

[0019] Generally, in protective cases for electronic devices where the back panel and frame are molded as a single unit and cannot be separated, due to the characteristics of the printer, it is difficult to print the design on the back of the back panel, and the design must be printed on the front of the back panel.

[0020] Specifically, for example, if you try to print a design on the back of a rear panel that is integrated with the frame, by setting it in the printer's printing area, the printer head will collide with the frame and be unable to move back and forth. Also, if you increase the distance (gap) between the ink ejected from the nozzles of the printer head and the back of the rear panel in order to avoid collision between the printer head and the frame, the print quality will deteriorate. For these reasons, printing a design on the back of a rear panel that is integrated with the frame has been extremely difficult.

[0021] In contrast, the protective case 1 for electronic equipment according to this embodiment is configured so that the rear panel 10 can be separated from the frame 20, allowing only the rear panel 10 to be set in the printer's printing area. As a result, the printer head will not collide with the frame, nor will the print quality be reduced by increasing the gap to avoid collision between the head and the frame, making it possible to print a design on the back of the rear panel 10 (in particular, by making the rear panel 10 a transparent material, reverse printing by the printer becomes possible).

[0022] By printing the design on the back of the back panel 10 in this way, when the protective case 1 for electronic devices, which consists of the printed back panel 10 attached to the frame 20, is attached to a smartphone, the user can directly touch the surface of the back panel 10, but cannot touch the back of the back panel 10. Therefore, the design printed on the back of the back panel 10 is less likely to be rubbed off or scratched, and the design of the protective case 1 for electronic devices is less likely to deteriorate, allowing it to maintain its aesthetic appearance for a long period of time.

[0023] Furthermore, in the electronic device protective case 1 according to this embodiment, the rear panel 10 can be separated from the frame 20, so the user can freely change the design of the electronic device protective case 1 by removing the rear panel 10 connected to the frame 20 and attaching a different rear panel 10.

[0024] Specifically, by selling a set of multiple back panels 10 printed with various designs, the design of the electronic device protective case 1 can be changed by freely swapping the back panels 10. This allows for design changes at a lower cost compared to purchasing multiple types of electronic device protective cases where the frame and back panel are molded as a single unit.

[0025] <<Regarding the configuration of the rear panel 10>> An example of the configuration of the back panel 10 according to this embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 2 to 6. Figure 4 is an external view showing the back surface of the back panel 10 according to this embodiment. Figure 5 is an external view showing the front surface of the back panel 10 according to this embodiment. Figure 6 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the protrusion 13 of the back panel 10 according to this embodiment. Figure 6A is a schematic cross-sectional view along line AA in Figure 5. Figure 6B is a schematic cross-sectional view for explaining the printed surface of the back panel 10 shown in Figure 6A.

[0026] The back panel 10 according to this embodiment is made of a transparent material and protects the back of the smartphone when the protective case 1 for electronic devices is attached. The back panel 10 according to this embodiment is made of a hard resin (for example, polycarbonate). As shown in Figures 2 to 5, the back panel 10 has a front surface and a back surface.

[0027] The back surface of the back panel 10 is a flat surface that faces the back of the smartphone when the case is attached, and is used as a printing surface on which the design is printed. When printing with a printer, as shown in Figure 6B, the design is formed by ink landing on the back surface (printing surface) of the back panel 10. The front surface of the back panel 10 is a flat surface that can be directly touched by the user operating the smartphone when the case is attached.

[0028] Even when a smartphone is attached to the protective case 1 for electronic devices, the back panel 10 is made of a transparent material, so the design printed on the back of the back panel 10 can be seen from the front of the back panel 10.

[0029] As shown in Figures 2 to 5, the back panel 10 according to this embodiment has a flat portion 11 that covers the back of the smartphone when the case is attached, and an outer peripheral portion 12 that is provided outward along the periphery of the flat portion 11. The outer peripheral portion 12 has a straight portion 12a that forms the straight parts other than the four corners, and a curved portion 12b that forms the curved parts at the four corners.

[0030] In this embodiment, the straight portion 12a of the outer peripheral portion 12 of the rear panel 10, which includes both a straight portion 12a and a curved portion 12b, is provided with a projection 13 that protrudes toward the surface side (rear side in the front-rear direction), as shown in Figures 5 and 6A. The projection 13 in this embodiment extends along each of the straight portions 12a in all directions (up, down, left, and right), as shown in Figures 3 and 5.

[0031] In this embodiment, the projection 13 protrudes from the front surface of the back panel 10, rather than the back surface which is the printing surface, making it easier to print on the back side with a printer. For example, when printing on the back side by setting only the back panel 10 in the printer's printing area, the printer head will not collide with the projection, nor will the print quality be reduced by increasing the gap to avoid collision between the head and the projection.

[0032] <<Regarding the configuration of Frame 20>> An example of the configuration of the frame 20 according to this embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 2, 3, 7 to 9. Figure 7 is an external view showing the front side of the frame 20 according to this embodiment. Figure 8 is an external view showing the rear side of the frame 20 according to this embodiment. Figure 9 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the groove portion 27 of the frame 20 according to this embodiment. Figure 9A is a schematic cross-sectional view along the line BB in Figure 8. Figure 9B is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the frame 20 shown in Figure 9A connected to the rear panel 10 shown in Figure 6A.

[0033] The frame 20 according to this embodiment is formed of a transparent or opaque material and protects the outer surface of the smartphone when the protective case 1 for electronic devices is attached. As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the frame 20 is formed by integrating a front frame 21 and a rear frame 22.

[0034] The front frame 21 according to this embodiment constitutes the front portion of the frame 20 and is made of a soft resin (for example, thermoplastic polyurethane). As shown in Figures 2 and 9A, the front frame 21 has a front opening 23 for exposing the operating surface of a smartphone.

[0035] The rear frame 22 according to this embodiment constitutes the rear portion of the frame 20 and is made of a hard resin (for example, polycarbonate). As shown in Figures 3 and 9A, the rear frame 22 has a rear opening 24 for exposing the surface of the rear panel 10.

[0036] In this embodiment, since the front outer frame 21 is made of a material with higher elasticity than the rear outer frame 22, it becomes easier to insert the smartphone into the protective case for electronic devices through the front opening 23 of the front outer frame 21, and also easier to remove it from the protective case for electronic devices. Furthermore, since the rear outer frame 22 is made of a material with higher rigidity than the front outer frame 21, even when the surface of the back panel 10 is exposed through the rear opening 24 of the rear outer frame 22 and the back panel 10 is attached to the frame 20, distortion is minimized and the back panel can be stably fixed.

[0037] As shown in Figures 2, 3, and 9A, the frame 20 according to this embodiment has an annular side wall 25 that covers the outer surface of the smartphone when the case is attached, and an inner circumferential portion 26 that is provided inward along the periphery of the side wall 25.

[0038] As shown in Figures 7 and 8, the side wall 25 according to this embodiment has a right side wall 25a that constitutes the right side portion of the side wall 25, a left side wall 25b that constitutes the left side portion of the side wall 25, an upper side wall 25c that constitutes the upper portion of the side wall 25, a lower side wall 25d that constitutes the lower portion of the side wall 25, and corner walls 25e that constitute the four corners of the side wall 25. That is, in the side wall 25, the right side wall 25a, the left side wall 25b, the upper side wall 25c, and the lower side wall 25d form straight portions, and the corner walls 25e form curved portions.

[0039] As shown in Figure 9A, the inner circumference portion 26 according to this embodiment is provided inward along the periphery on the rear side of the side wall 25, or in other words, along the periphery of the rear opening 24. As shown in Figure 8, the inner circumference portion 26 has a straight portion corresponding to the straight portion of the side wall 25 and a curved portion corresponding to the curved portion of the side wall 25. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 9A, the straight portion of the inner circumference portion 26 has a groove portion 27 that is recessed on the rear side in the front-rear direction.

[0040] As shown in Figures 2 and 9, the grooves 27 in this embodiment extend along all straight sections in the upper, lower, left, and right directions on the inner circumference 26. In this embodiment, when the rear panel 10 is attached to the frame 20, the grooves 27 extending along all straight sections in the upper, lower, left, and right directions on the inner circumference 26 of the frame 20 are positioned to align with the projections 13 extending along all straight sections in the upper, lower, left, and right directions on the outer circumference 12 of the rear panel 10.

[0041] <<Regarding the connection between the rear panel and frame 20>> The connection between the rear panel and the frame 20 according to this embodiment will be explained mainly with reference to Figures 6 to 9. In Figure 9A, as shown in Figures 5 and 8, the connection between the rear panel and the frame 20 is shown at the right side of the outer peripheral portion 12 and the right side of the inner peripheral portion 26, but the connection at any of the top, bottom, left, or right portions is configured similarly.

[0042] In this embodiment, as shown in Figures 2 and 3, the front frame 21 of the frame 20 is made of a relatively soft material, so the user can easily insert the rear panel 10 through the front opening 23 by supporting it so that it is parallel to the frame 20.

[0043] Furthermore, when the user pushes the back surface of the rear panel 10, which has been inserted through the front opening 23, towards the rear in the front-to-back direction, as shown in Figures 9A and 9B, the outer periphery 12 of the rear panel 10 comes into contact with the inner periphery 26 of the frame 20, stopping with the surface of the rear panel 10 exposed through the rear opening 24. In other words, when the outer periphery 12 of the rear panel 10 comes into contact with the inner periphery 26 of the frame 20, the inner periphery 26 functions as a stopper.

[0044] When the outer periphery 12 of the rear panel 10 comes into contact with the inner periphery 26 of the frame 20, as shown in Figures 6A, 9A, and 9B, the projection 13 of the outer periphery 12 of the rear panel 10 is fitted into the groove 27 of the inner periphery 26 of the frame 20, thereby connecting the rear panel 10 and the frame 20. In other words, the projection 13 of the outer periphery 12 and the groove 27 of the inner periphery 26 engage to function as a connecting portion 30.

[0045] When the rear panel and the frame 20 are connected in this way, the rear outer frame 22 of the frame 20 is made of a relatively hard material. Therefore, even when the rear panel 10 is attached to the frame 20 with its surface exposed through the rear opening 24, there is less distortion and it is less likely to come loose, thus allowing the rear panel to be stably fixed to the frame 20.

[0046] Subsequently, when the user pushes the surface of the rear panel 10, which is exposed through the rear opening 24, forward in the front-to-back direction, the projection 13 on the outer periphery 12 of the rear panel 10 disengages from the groove 27 on the inner periphery 26 of the frame 20, causing the outer periphery 12 of the rear panel 10 to separate from the inner periphery 26 of the frame 20. In other words, the connection between the rear panel and the frame 20 by the connecting portion 30 is released.

[0047] When the connection between the rear panel 10 and the frame 20 is released, the user can easily remove the rear panel 10 from the frame 20 by pulling it out through the front opening 23, since the front frame 21 of the frame 20 is made of a relatively soft material.

[0048] ===Other Embodiments=== The embodiments described above are for the purpose of facilitating understanding of the present invention and are not intended to limit its interpretation. The present invention can be modified and improved without departing from its spirit, and equivalents thereof are also included. In particular, embodiments described below are also included in the present invention. That is, the present invention can also be constructed by appropriately combining the embodiments described above and the embodiments described below.

[0049] <Connection section> In the above-described embodiment, the connecting portion 30 of the protective case 1 for electronic equipment was explained using as an example a case in which the rear panel 10 and the frame 20 are connected by fitting the projection 13 on the outer peripheral portion 12 of the rear panel 10 into the groove 27 on the inner peripheral portion 26 of the frame 20. However, the present invention is not limited to this.

[0050] For example, the outer periphery 12 of the rear panel 10 may have a groove, and the inner periphery 26 of the frame 20 may have a projection. In other words, the connecting portion 30 of the electronic device protective case 1 may be configured to connect the rear panel 10 and the frame 20 by fitting a projection provided on one of the rear panel 10 and the frame 20 into a groove provided on the other of the rear panel 10 and the frame 20.

[0051] Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, the connecting portion 30 of the protective case 1 for electronic equipment was described using as an example a case in which projections 13 are provided on all straight sections of the outer circumference 12 (up, down, left, and right) and grooves 27 are provided on all straight sections of the inner circumference 26 (up, down, left, and right) and arranged so that the positions align in each direction. However, the present invention is not limited to this.

[0052] For example, the projections 13 may be provided only on the upper and lower straight sections of the outer circumference 12, and the grooves 27 may be provided only on the upper and lower straight sections of the inner circumference 26, so that they align vertically. Alternatively, for example, the projections 13 may be provided only on the left and right straight sections of the outer circumference 12, and the grooves 27 may be provided only on the left and right straight sections of the inner circumference 26, so that they align horizontally.

[0053] For example, multiple protrusions 13 may be provided only on the upper and lower straight sections of the outer circumference 12, and multiple grooves 27 may be provided only on the upper and lower straight sections of the inner circumference 26, so that multiple positions on the upper and lower sides align. Alternatively, multiple protrusions 13 may be provided only on the left and right straight sections of the outer circumference 12, and multiple grooves 27 may be provided only on the left and right straight sections of the inner circumference 26, so that multiple positions on the left and right sides align.

[0054] Furthermore, in the connecting portion 30 of the electronic device protective case 1 in the above embodiment, one projection 13 is provided on each of the straight sections of the outer peripheral portion 12 (up, down, left, and right), and one groove 27 is provided on each of the straight sections of the inner peripheral portion 26 (up, down, left, and right), and they are arranged to align in each direction. However, multiple projections 13 may be provided on each of the straight sections of the outer peripheral portion 12 (up, down, left, and right), and multiple grooves 27 may be provided on each of the straight sections of the inner peripheral portion 26 (up, down, left, and right), and they may be arranged to align in each direction.

[0055] Furthermore, in the connecting portion 30 of the electronic device protective case 1 in the above embodiment, a projection 13 may be provided around the entire circumference of the outer peripheral portion 12 of the rear panel 10, and a groove 27 may be provided around the entire circumference of the inner peripheral portion 26 of the frame 20, so that they fit together.

[0056] <Protective cases for electronic devices> In the above embodiment, a protective case for a smartphone was described as an example of a protective case 1 for an electronic device, but the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, a protective case for a tablet device, a protective case for a mobile phone, a protective case for a laptop computer, etc., may also be used.

[0057] <Frame shape> The shape of the frame 20 according to this embodiment may be appropriately modified to match the shape of the protective case 1 for electronic equipment.

[0058] For example, if the shape of the protective case 1 for electronic equipment is square, the frame 20 can be a square shape with corners that are not curved (R-shaped). The configuration of the square frame 20 will be explained below using Figures 10 and 11. Figure 10 is an external view showing the front of the square frame 20. Figure 11 is an external view showing the rear of the square frame 20.

[0059] As shown in Figures 10 and 11, the side walls 25 of the square-shaped frame 20 have a right side wall 25a that constitutes the right side, a left side wall 25b that constitutes the left side, an upper side wall 25c that constitutes the upper side, a lower side wall 25d that constitutes the lower side, and corner walls 25e that constitute the four corners. That is, in the side wall 25, the right side wall 25a, the left side wall 25b, the upper side wall 25c, and the lower side wall 25d form straight sections, and the corner walls 25e form vertices.

[0060] As shown in Figure 10, the front frame 21 of the square-shaped frame 20 has a front opening 23 for exposing the operating surface of a square-shaped smartphone. The shape of this front opening 23 is a square shape without curved parts at the four corners, to match the shape of a square-shaped smartphone.

[0061] As shown in Figure 11, the rear frame 22 of the square-shaped frame 20 has a rear opening 24 for exposing the surface of the rear panel 10. This rear opening 24 has curved portions formed at the four corners to match the shape of the rear panel 10 shown in Figure 4.

[0062] The grooves 27 of the square-shaped frame 20 extend along all straight sections on the top, bottom, left, and right of the inner circumference 26. When the rear panel 10 is attached to the frame 20, the positions of the grooves 27 extending along all straight sections on the top, bottom, left, and right of the inner circumference 26 of the frame 20 are aligned with the positions of the protrusions 13 extending along all straight sections on the top, bottom, left, and right of the outer circumference 12 of the rear panel 10.

[0063] Furthermore, the shape of the back panel 10 attached to this square-shaped frame 20 may also be a square shape (rectangular shape) with the curved corners removed to match the shape of the square-shaped frame 20.

[0064] <Frame material> In the above embodiment, the case in which the frame 20 of the protective case 1 for electronic equipment is made of resin was described as an example, but it may also be made of metal. For example, the frame 20 may be made of aluminum, titanium, or the like.

[0065] In this embodiment, the frame 20 only needs to be made of a material with higher hardness than the front outer frame 21. Therefore, in the frame 20, the front frame 21 and the rear frame 22 may be configured to be separable, or the front frame 21 and the rear frame 22 may be integrally molded, and only the rear frame 22 that fixes the back panel 10 may be made of metal (aluminum, titanium, etc.). [Explanation of Symbols]

[0066] 1. Protective case for electronic devices 10. Rear panel 11 Plane part 12 Outer periphery 12a Straight section 12b Curved section 13 Protrusion 20 frames 21 Front frame 22 Rear frame 23 Front opening 24 Rear opening 25 side wall 25a Right side wall 25b Left side wall 25c Upper sidewall 25d lower sidewall 25e Corner 26. Inner Peripheral Region 27. Ditch 30 Connecting parts

Claims

1. A back panel that protects the back of electronic devices, A frame that protects the outer surface of electronic devices, A connecting part that detachably connects the rear panel and the frame, Equipped with, The aforementioned back panel is formed from a transparent material, and the back surface facing the back of the electronic device is a printed surface on which the design is printed. The frame is formed by integrating a front outer frame having a front opening for exposing the operating surface of the electronic device, and a rear outer frame having a rear opening for exposing the surface of the rear panel. The aforementioned front outer frame is made of soft resin, The aforementioned rear outer frame is made of hard resin. A protective case for electronic devices characterized by the following features.

2. A back panel that protects the back of electronic devices, A frame that protects the outer surface of electronic devices, A connecting part that detachably connects the rear panel and the frame, Equipped with, The aforementioned back panel is formed from a transparent material, and the back surface facing the back of the electronic device is a printed surface on which the design is printed. The frame comprises a front outer frame having a front opening for exposing the operating surface of the electronic device, and a rear outer frame having a rear opening for exposing the surface of the rear panel. The rear outer frame is formed of a material with higher hardness than the front outer frame. A protective case for electronic devices characterized by the following features.

3. A protective case for electronic equipment according to claim 1 or 2, The aforementioned rear panel is A flat surface that covers the back of the electronic device, An outer peripheral portion provided outward along the periphery of the flat portion, It has, The aforementioned frame is An annular side wall covering the outer surface of the electronic device, An inner circumferential portion provided inward along the periphery of the side wall, It has, The connecting portion connects the rear panel and the frame by fitting a projection on the outer periphery of the rear panel into a groove on the inner periphery of the frame when the outer periphery of the rear panel and the inner periphery of the frame come into contact. A protective case for electronic devices characterized by the following features.

4. A protective case for electronic equipment as described in Claim 3, The outer periphery of the aforementioned rear panel has a curved portion and a straight portion. The projection on the outer circumference extends along the straight portion of the curved portion and the straight portion of the outer circumference, The inner circumference of the frame has a curved portion and a straight portion. The groove portion of the inner circumference extends along the straight portion of the curved portion and the straight portion of the inner circumference. A protective case for electronic devices characterized by the following features.

5. A protective case for electronic equipment according to claim 1 or 2, The connecting portion connects the rear panel and the frame by fitting a projection provided on one of the rear panel and the frame into a groove provided on the other of the rear panel and the frame. A protective case for electronic devices characterized by the following features.

Images