Protective case for tablet computer and two-in-one computer

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10871016-B2
Application number	US-201716478363-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 23, 2017
Priority date	Jan 17, 2017
Publication date	Dec 22, 2020
Grant date	Dec 22, 2020

Abstract

A protective case for a tablet computer includes a first support plate, a second support plate, and a cover plate that are located in a same horizontal plane and that are sequentially arranged in a first direction, where the first support plate is hinged to the second support plate by using a damping rotating shaft, the second support plate is rotatably connected to the cover plate, a bottom support is disposed on an edge of one end that is close to the cover plate and that is of an upper surface of the second support plate, the first support plate and the second support plate are configured to support and protect a rear surface of a tablet computer, the bottom support is configured to be detachably connected to a side wall of the tablet computer.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A protective case for a tablet computer, comprising:
a first support plate;
a second support plate, wherein the first support plate is hinged to the second support plate using a damping rotating shaft comprising a shaft sleeve and a shaft core, wherein an elastic notch is opened on a side wall of the shaft sleeve, wherein the elastic notch communicates with a shaft hole in the shaft sleeve, and wherein the elastic notch extends through two end surfaces of the shaft sleeve; and
a cover plate, wherein the first support plate, the second support plate, and the cover plate are located in a same horizontal plane and are sequentially arranged in a first direction,
wherein the second support plate is rotatably connected to the cover plate,
wherein a bottom support is disposed on an edge of one end that is proximate to the cover plate and that is on an upper surface of the second support plate,
wherein the first support plate and the second support plate are configured to support and protect a rear surface of the tablet computer,
wherein the bottom support is configured to be detachably connected to a side wall of the tablet computer,
wherein the cover plate is configured to mount a keyboard on the cover plate,
wherein the cover plate is configured to protect a front surface of the tablet computer after rotating and overlapping the first support plate and the second support plate,
wherein one of the shaft sleeve or the shaft core is secured to the first support plate, wherein the other one of the shaft sleeve or the shaft core is secured to the second support plate, wherein the shaft sleeve is made of an elastic material, wherein a base circle arc section and two changeable-diameter arc section are formed around an inner wall of the shaft sleeve, wherein the two changeable-diameter arc sections are symmetrically disposed using a central axis of the shaft sleeve as a symmetry axis, wherein two flat positions are formed on the outer circular surface of the shaft core, wherein the two flat positions are in a one-to-one correspondence with the two changeable-diameter arc sections, wherein the shaft core is cooperatively sleeved in the base circle arc section, wherein a radius of the changeable-diameter arc section is less than a radius of the base circle arc section, and wherein a flat position is formed at a position that is on an outer circular surface of the shaft core and that fits the changeable-diameter arc sections.

2. The protective case for the tablet computer of claim 1 , wherein a width of the first support plate is equal to a width of the second support plate in the first direction.

3. The protective case for the tablet computer of claim 1 , wherein a helical lube oil groove is opened around a side wall of the shaft core, and wherein the helical lube oil groove extends from one end of the shaft core to the other end of the shaft core.

4. The protective case for the tablet computer of claim 1 , wherein both the shaft core and the shaft sleeve are made of high-carbon steel.

5. The protective case for the tablet computer of claim 1 , wherein the shaft core is machined and molded by a computer numerical control machining center.

6. The protective case for the tablet computer of claim 1 , wherein the shaft sleeve is integrally molded through metal injection molding.

7. A two-in-one computer, comprising:
a tablet computer;
a keyboard; and
a protective case comprising:
a first support plate;
a second support plate, wherein the first support plate is hinged to the second support plate using a damping rotating shaft comprising a shaft sleeve and a shaft core, wherein an elastic notch is opened on a side wall of the shaft sleeve, wherein the elastic notch communicates with a shaft hole in the shaft sleeve, and wherein the elastic notch extends through two end; and
a cover plate,
wherein the first support plate, the second support plate, and the cover plate are located in a same horizontal plane and are sequentially arranged in a first direction, wherein the second support plate is rotatably connected to the cover plate,
wherein a bottom support is disposed on an edge of one end that is proximate to the cover plate and that is on an upper surface of the second support plate,
wherein the cover plate is configured to protect a front surface of the tablet computer after rotating and overlapping the first support plate and the second support plate,
wherein a rear surface of the tablet computer is supported on the first support plate and the second support plate of the protective case,
wherein a side wall of the tablet computer is detachably connected to the bottom support of the protective case,
wherein the keyboard is installed on the cover plate of the protective case,
wherein one of the shaft sleeve or the shaft core is secured to the first support plate, wherein the other one of the shaft sleeve or the shaft core is secured to the second support plate, wherein the shaft sleeve is made of an elastic material, wherein a base circle arc section and two changeable-diameter arc section are formed around an inner wall of the shaft sleeve, wherein the two changeable-diameter arc sections are symmetrically disposed using a central axis of the shaft sleeve as a symmetry axis, wherein two flat positions are formed on the outer circular surface of the shaft core, wherein the two flat positions are in a one-to-one correspondence with the two changeable-diameter arc sections, wherein the shaft core is cooperatively sleeved in the base circle arc section, wherein a radius of the changeable-diameter arc section is less than a radius of the base circle arc section, and wherein a flat position is formed at a position that is on an outer circular surface of the shaft core and that fits the changeable-diameter arc sections.

8. The two-in-one computer of claim 7 , wherein the side wall of the tablet computer is made of a magnetic material, wherein a magnet is secured in the bottom support, and wherein the side wall of the tablet computer is configured to be magnetically coupled to the bottom support.

9. The protective case for the tablet computer of claim 6 , wherein the shaft sleeve is further processed through heat treatment.

10. The protective case for the tablet computer of claim 9 , wherein the shaft sleeve is made of a 17-4PH alloy, and wherein the heat treatment of the shaft comprises:
performing a solution treatment on the shaft sleeve, wherein a temperature during the solution treatment is about 1050 degrees Celsius (° C.), and wherein a duration of the solution treatment is about five hours; and
performing aging processing on the shaft sleeve, wherein a temperature during the aging processing is about 450° C., and wherein a duration of the aging processing is about eight hours.

11. The protective case for the tablet computer of claim 9 , wherein the shaft sleeve is made of an SUS420 steel material, and wherein the heat treatment of the shaft comprises:
heating the shaft sleeve to a first temperature using a quenching treatment technology;
keeping the first temperature for about 40 minutes to about 60 minutes;
heating the shaft sleeve to a second temperature using tempering treatment technology; and
keeping the second temperature for about four hours, wherein the first temperature is about 960 degrees Celsius (° C.), and wherein the second temperature is about 200° C.

12. The two-in-one computer of claim 7 , wherein the protective case comprises either a 17-4PH alloy or an SUS420 steel material.

13. The two-in-one computer of claim 7 , wherein the shaft sleeve is processed through heat treatment.

14. The t

Assignees

• Huawei Tech Co Ltd

Inventors

• Zhai Xiaodong
• He Pan
• Zhang Peng
• Gao Buwei

Classifications

• G06F1/1681 Primary

  Details related solely to hinges (hinge details related to the transmission of signals or power are classified in G06F1/1683) · CPC title

• G06F1/1632

  External expansion units, e.g. docking stations · CPC title

• E05D5/14 Primary

  Construction of sockets or sleeves · CPC title

• G06F1/1628

  Enclosures for carrying portable computers with peripheral devices, e.g. cases for a laptop and a printer · CPC title

• E05D2005/106

  with non-cylindrical portions · CPC title