Protective Case With Temperature-Controlled Charging Circuit
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing protective cover devices for portable mobile terminal devices often obstruct the narrow sides, preventing insertion into cradles and impairing speaker outputs and plug connections, while lacking protection for these sides.
Innovation Solution
A protective cover device with three side walls that leave one narrow side uncovered, allowing for cradle insertion and maintaining access to electrical connections, microphone, and loudspeaker outputs, and incorporating a plug-in element with a charging circuit, temperature sensor, and additional electronics like a secondary coil or data memory.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If side walls are added to protect narrow sides of the terminal device, then protection against bumping or scratching is improved, but accessibility to electrical connections and cradle insertion is impaired
Solution Approach 1:
The protective cover is divided into a main body portion and separate side wall portions that can be selectively attached. The side walls are not permanently fixed but can be removed or detached when access to electrical connections or cradle insertion is needed, thus providing protection when required while maintaining accessibility when needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The side walls are designed to be dynamically adjustable - they can be in a protective position during normal use and then moved or removed when access is required. This dynamic configuration allows the same structure to serve multiple functions: protection during operation and access when needed.
2Strength
If thick side walls are used to provide adequate protection, then structural strength is improved, but compatibility with cradles and plug insertion is worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The protective cover structure is segmented into a main body with standard thickness and separate side wall attachments. This allows the main body to maintain compatibility with cradles while the side walls provide additional protection where needed without interfering with cradle insertion or plug access.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of making the entire protective cover thick, side walls are added only at specific locations where protection is most needed. The side walls are designed with precise dimensions to provide local reinforcement without extending beyond the boundaries required for cradle compatibility.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If side walls encompass all four narrow sides for complete protection, then protection coverage is improved, but access to speaker outputs and microphone inputs is impaired
Solution Approach 1:
The side wall protection is segmented into modular sections that can be selectively positioned. Side walls are provided for three of the four narrow sides, while the fourth side remains open to allow access to speaker outputs and microphone inputs. This segmented approach provides comprehensive protection where needed while maintaining accessibility for audio functions.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables secure protection of the rear side, wireless charging, and additional functionality like extended battery power or memory without hindering device operation or cradle compatibility, ensuring accessible audio and data ports.
Implementation Method 1
The charging circuit has a temperature sensor and is set up to set a charging current delivered to the terminal device via the electrical contacts as a function of a temperature signal from the temperature sensor
Implementation Method 2
a module for wireless charging that can be built into the protective cover of a mobile terminal, a device that connects the power supply connection of the mobile terminal, an induction coil and an electrical circuit that allows charging of the mobile terminal the current generated by the induction coil
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a protective case apparatus (1) for a mobile terminal (30), having a case base body (2) having a baseplate region (4) for covering a rear of the terminal (30), wherein the baseplate region (4) has an abutment area (7) for abutting the rear of the terminal (30), and having side walls (8, 9) that are integrally moulded on the baseplate region (4) and are each configured to directly abut a respective narrow side (32) of the terminal (30) and thereby to hold the terminal (30) against the abutment area (7). The invention provides for the case base body (4) to have only three side walls (8, 9) and for one short side (13) of the abutment area (7) to be configured without a wall, so that when the terminal (30) is arranged in the protective case apparatus (1), a narrow side (33) of the terminal (30) that is arranged on the short side (13) is not covered by the case base body (4). Moreover, the protective case apparatus (1) comprises a plug-in element (3) having electrical contacts (16) and having a charging circuit (23) that has a temperature sensor (T) and is set up to adjust a charging current delivered to the terminal (30) via the electrical contacts (16) on the basis of a temperature signal from the temperature sensor (T), so that a current level of a charging current is set lower for a temperature above a temperature threshold value than for a temperature below the temperature threshold value.