EXTERIOR COVER FOR ELECTRONIC DEVICE

Various embodiments of the disclosure relate to an exterior cover for an electronic device. According to various embodiments, an exterior cover for an electronic device includes: a cover; and a support connected to a rear surface of the cover and having a variable shape according to any one of a plurality of mounting modes for the electronic device to maintain a designated angle with respect to the ground, wherein, in a state in which the electronic device is coupled to the exterior cover, the plurality of mounting modes include a rear camera photographing mode where a direction in which a rear camera of the electronic device faces is perpendicular to the ground or forms an obtuse angle with the ground, and a front camera photographing mode where a direction in which a front camera of the electronic device faces is perpendicular to the ground or forms an obtuse angle with the ground, and, in the rear camera photographing mode or the front camera photographing mode, the rear surface of the cover is in contact with a first contact point of the support and a portion of the electronic device or a portion of a side surface of the cover is mounted in contact with a second contact point of the support.

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Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is based on and claims priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119 to Korean Patent Application No. 10-2019-0073069, filed on Jun. 19, 2019, in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.

BACKGROUND Field

The disclosure relates to an exterior cover for an electronic device.

Description of Related Art

Recently, various types of electronic devices, such as a mobile phone, a tablet personal computer (tablet PC), an MP3 player, a portable multimedia player (PMP), an e-book, and the like, have been provided so that a user can access various contents through such electronic devices. In addition to wireless transmission and reception functions, various functions such as multimedia functions such as picture, music, and video playback, entertainment functions such as games, and the like are concentrated in the electronic device. As the mobile communication service extends to the multimedia service area, a user can use multimedia services as well as voice calls and short messages through electronic devices.

The electronic device is made thin and light for portable purposes. Since the electronic device may be damaged due to an external physical shock, the electronic device may be used together with an exterior cover (or case) surrounding the exterior of the electronic device. The exterior cover surrounding the exterior of the electronic device may not only provide a function of protecting the electronic device but also may exert an aesthetic effect on a user.

Meanwhile, the electronic device is provided with a camera on the front, rear, or both surfaces thereof so that a user can take a picture of a desired object. Here, when the user takes a picture of himself or herself using the camera provided in the electronic device, the user may not be able to take a picture at a desired angle and distance due to a limitation of the body length (e.g., the length of the arm of the user). In order to solve this problem, according to some embodiments, a user may take a picture using a “tripod” or using a tool called a “selfie stick” which is popular in recent years.

However, a tool such as a tripod or a selfie stick is bulky, so it is practically difficult for the user to carry it at all times. Even if the tripod or selfie stick is carried at the time of taking a picture, there is a problem that a time-consuming and cumbersome preliminary process is required in coupling and operatively connecting the tripod or the selfie stick to the electronic device.

SUMMARY

Embodiments of the disclosure provide various embodiments for stably mounting the electronic device at various angles desired by a user using a case coupled to the electronic device.

According to various example embodiments, an exterior cover for an electronic device may include: a cover; and a support connected to a rear surface of the cover and having a variable shape according to any one of a plurality of mounting modes for the electronic device to maintain a designated angle with respect to ground, wherein, based on the electronic device being coupled to the exterior cover, the plurality of mounting modes include a rear camera photographing mode wherein a direction in which a rear camera of the electronic device faces is perpendicular to the ground or is at an obtuse angle with the ground, and a front camera photographing mode wherein a direction in which a front camera of the electronic device faces is perpendicular to the ground or is at an obtuse angle with the ground, and, in the rear camera photographing mode or the front camera photographing mode, the rear surface of the cover portion is in contact with a first contact point of the support and a portion of the electronic device or a portion of a side surface of the cover is mounted in contact with a second contact point of the support.

According to various example embodiments, an exterior cover for an electronic device may include: a cover; and a support connected to a rear surface of the cover and coupled to be foldable or unfoldable according to any one of a plurality of mounting modes for the electronic device to maintain an inclination angle with respect to ground, wherein the support includes: a first support portion in contact with a floor in the mounting mode; a second support portion rotatably coupled to the first support portion in a first rotational axis direction; and a third support portion rotatably coupled in at least a portion thereof to the second support portion in a second rotational axis direction parallel to the first rotational axis direction, and fixed in at least another portion thereof to the rear surface of the cover portion, and further configured to allow the first support portion and the second support portion to rotate in a third rotational axis direction perpendicular to the first rotational axis direction and the second rotational axis direction.

According to various example embodiments, an exterior cover for an electronic device may include: a first plate including a front surface facing a first direction and a rear surface facing a second direction opposite the first direction, and a side member extending from an edge of the first plate; and a support connected to a rear surface of the cover and coupled to be foldable or unfoldable according to any one of a plurality of mounting modes for the electronic device to maintain an inclination angle with respect to ground, wherein the support includes: a first support portion including an opening, a frame surrounding the opening, and a planar portion at least partially surrounded by the frame, and in contact with a floor in the plurality of mounting modes; a second support portion rotatably coupled to the first support portion in a first rotational axis; and a third support portion rotatably coupled in at least a portion thereof to the second support portion in a second rotational axis direction parallel to the first rotational axis direction, and fixed in at least another portion thereof to the rear surface of the cover portion, and configured to allow the first support portion and the second support portion to rotate in a third rotational axis direction perpendicular to the first rotational axis direction and the second rotational axis direction, and wherein, based on the support portion being folded, the second support portion is disposed in the opening of the first support portion, and the planar portion, the third support portion, and the second support portion are sequentially arranged from one side of the support portion to define a second plate parallel to the first plate.

As described above, according to various example embodiments, a case which is usually used in combination with an electronic device to protect the electronic device and enhance the aesthetic appearance thereof may implement a plurality of mounting modes, thereby increasing user convenience.

According to various example embodiments, it is possible to provide an exterior cover for an electronic device that can freely adjust a mounting mode, whereby a user can take a picture at a desired angle using a camera provided in the electronic device in any situation.

According to various example embodiments, a support coupled to a rear surface of an exterior cover may include three rotational axes that can be rotated independently of each other, whereby a camera of an electronic device can be configured to face various directions such as the front direction, the rear direction, the horizontal direction, or the vertical direction and the electronic device can be stably mounted in a corresponding direction.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above and other aspects, features, and advantages of certain embodiments of the present disclosure will be more apparent from the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating a front surface of an example exterior cover according to various embodiments;

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a front surface of an example exterior cover according to various embodiments;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view illustrating a rear surface of an example exterior cover according to various embodiments;

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a rear surface of an example exterior cover according to various embodiments;

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an example operation of unfolding a support portion of an example exterior cover according to various embodiments;

FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an example support according to various embodiments;

FIG. 7 is a cross sectional view of the support illustrated in FIG. 6 taken along index line B-B′ and index line C-C′ according to various embodiments;

FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating a state in which an exterior cover is mounted on a support in a rear camera photographing mode of an electronic device according to various embodiments;

FIG. 9A is a diagram illustrating a state in which an exterior cover is mounted on a support portion at various angles based on a camera photographing mode of the electronic device according to various embodiments;

FIG. 9B is a diagram illustrating a state in which an exterior cover is mounted on a support portion at various angles based on a camera photographing mode of the electronic device according various embodiments;

FIG. 9C is a diagram illustrating a state in which an exterior cover is mounted on a support portion at various angles based on a camera photographing mode of the electronic device according to various embodiments;

FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a state in which an exterior cover is mounted on a support in a rear camera photographing mode of an electronic device according to various embodiments;

FIG. 11A is a diagram illustrating a state in which an exterior cover is mounted on a support portion at various angles based on a camera photographing mode of the electronic device according to various embodiments;

FIG. 11B is a diagram illustrating a state in which an exterior cover is mounted on a support portion at various angles based on a camera photographing mode of the electronic device according to various embodiments;

FIG. 11C is a diagram illustrating a state in which an exterior cover is mounted on a support portion at various angles based on a camera photographing mode of the electronic device according to various embodiments;

FIG. 12 is a diagram illustrating a state in which an exterior cover is seated on a support in a front camera photographing mode of an electronic device according to various embodiments;

FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating a state in which an exterior cover is seated on a support in a front camera photographing mode of an electronic device according to various embodiments;

FIG. 14A is a diagram illustrating a state in which a magnetic material is provided on an exterior cover according to various embodiments;

FIG. 14B is a perspective view illustrating a cross section of an exterior cover illustrated in FIG. 14A taken along a direction of index line D-D′ according to various embodiments; and

FIG. 15 is a diagram illustrating various relative illustrative dimensions of each component included in an exterior cover according to various embodiments.

 DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Hereinafter, various example embodiments of the disclosure will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the various example are not intended to limit the technology disclosed herein, and should be understood to include various modifications, equivalents, and/or alternatives to the corresponding embodiments. As used herein, the expression “have”, “may have”, “include”, or “may include” refers to the existence of a corresponding feature (e.g., numeral, function, operation, or constituent element such as component) and does not exclude the existence of additional features.

The terms used in the disclosure are only used to describe specific embodiments, and are not intended to limit the disclosure. A singular expression may include a plural expression unless they are definitely different in a context. Unless defined otherwise, all terms used herein, including technical and scientific terms, have the same meaning as those commonly understood by a person skilled in the art to which the disclosure pertains. Such terms as those defined in a generally used dictionary may be interpreted to have the meanings equal to the contextual meanings in the relevant field of art, and are not to be interpreted to have ideal or excessively formal meanings unless clearly defined in the disclosure. In some cases, even the term defined in the disclosure should not be interpreted to exclude embodiments of the disclosure.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating a front surface of an example exterior cover 10 according to various embodiments, and FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a front surface 111 of an example exterior cover 10 according to various embodiments.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the exterior cover 10 according to various embodiments may include a cover portion 100 configured to surround at least a portion of an electronic device. The cover portion 100 may protect the electronic device from external shocks (e.g., such as chemical or physical shocks) and may provide various colors and textures to the exterior of the electronic device to exert an aesthetic effect on a user.

Various types of electronic devices may be mounted on the cover portion 100. The electronic device may include, for example, and without limitation, at least one of a portable communication device (e.g., a smartphone), a tablet personal computer (PC), a mobile phone, a video phone, an e-book reader, a desktop personal computer (PC), a laptop PC, a netbook computer, a workstation, a server, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a portable multimedia player (PMP), an MP3 player, a mobile medical device, a camera, a wearable device, or the like. According to an embodiment, the electronic device mounted on the cover portion 100 may include all electronic devices that are generally small so as to be portable by a user and in which a camera may be disposed on the front, rear, or both surfaces thereof.

The cover portion 100 may include a first plate 110 that is provided with a front surface 111 facing a first direction (e.g., a direction “{circle around (1)}” described later in FIG. 9) and a rear surface (e.g., 112 of FIG. 3 described later) facing a direction (a direction “{circle around (2)}” described later in FIG. 9) opposite the first direction, and may further include a side member (e.g., side surface) 120 extending from an edge of the first plate 110. For reference, in relation to direction components illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, and the following drawings, direction components X, Y, and Z may refer to a reference direction corresponding to a rectangular coordinate system in space. According to various embodiments, the first direction (e.g., the direction “{circle around (1)}” described later in FIG. 9) may be a direction parallel to a direction in which the direction component Z faces, and the second direction (e.g., the direction “{circle around (2)}” described later in FIG. 9) may be a direction parallel to a direction opposite the direction in which the direction component Z faces. According to various embodiments, the side surface of the cover portion 100 may face a direction perpendicular to the front surface 111 and the rear surface 112, respectively. For example, a direction in which the side surface faces may include a direction parallel to an X-axis or a Y-axis in the direction components.

The side member 120 of the cover portion 100 may be provided to surround at least a portion of the electronic device. The side member 120 may extend in a direction substantially perpendicular to the edge of the plate 110. In this case, the side member 120 may have a partially curved shape while facing in a substantially vertical direction from the plate 110.

Referring to FIG. 2, when the cover portion 100 is viewed from the front, the opening 114 may be provided at a lower end of the side member 120. According to various embodiments, the opening 114 may be provided to correspond to an ear jack insertion hole, a USB terminal insertion hole, or the like provided in a housing of the electronic device. The opening 114 may be deformable according to the electronic device mounted on the cover portion 100, and thus may be placed at a position different from that shown in the drawing. According to various embodiments, a plurality of openings 114 may be provided in the side member 120. As an example, as shown in FIG. 2, two openings 114 may be provided in the side member 120. The two openings 114 may be provided at one side and the other side of the side member 120, respectively. As shown in FIG. 2, when the cover portion 100 is viewed from the front, the opening 114 may be formed at an upper end and a lower end of the side member 120, but is not limited thereto, and other various embodiments related to the size, shape, or position of the opening 114 may be applicable.

According to an embodiment, a surface that the side member 120 faces may be referred to as the side surface of the cover portion 100, but is not necessarily limited thereto. For example, as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, the outermost portion (e.g., the end of the first plate 110) of the cover portion 100 in which the opening 114 is provided may also form the side surface. For example, in a vertical mounting mode of the electronic device, when the side surface of the cover portion 100 contacts the support portion, a portion contacting the support portion may correspond to the side surface of the support portion.

According to various embodiments, another opening 115 may be additionally provided in the cover portion 100. The opening 115 may be provided at a position corresponding to a rear camera of the electronic device. It is possible to take a picture in a state in which the rear camera of the electronic device is exposed to the outside through the opening 115.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view illustrating a rear surface of the exterior cover according to various embodiments. FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a rear surface 112 of the exterior cover 10 according to various embodiments.

Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, the exterior cover 10 according to various embodiments may further include a support portion (e.g., a support) 200 for mounting the cover portion (e.g., cover) 100 at various angles with respect to the ground while stably supporting the cover portion 100.

The support portion 200 may be connected to the rear surface 112 of the cover portion 100, and the shape of the support portion 200 may vary according to any one of a plurality of mounting modes for the electronic device to maintain a designated angle with respect to the ground.

The ground does not refer only the surface of the earth or the ground, but may refer to a reference surface according to various embodiments on which an electronic device or the exterior cover 10 may be placed. For example, the ground may refer to various surfaces, such as, for example, and without limitation, a rock, a work table, a dining table, an automobile center fascia, or the like, in addition to the ground surface and the ground. In addition, the ground does not necessarily refer only the ground parallel to the horizontal plane, and may also include all inclined, irregular, and uneven ground.

The support portion 200 may support the cover portion 100 in accordance with the plurality of mounting modes for the electronic device to maintain a designated angle with respect to the ground.

The plurality of mounting modes may include, for example, a rear camera photographing mode where a direction in which the rear camera of an electronic device (e.g., a mobile terminal) faces is perpendicular to the ground or forms an obtuse angle with the ground while the electronic device is coupled to the exterior cover 10, and a front camera photographing mode where a direction in which the front camera of the electronic device faces is perpendicular to the ground or faces an obtuse angle with the ground. The rear camera photographing mode may refer, for example, to an inclined angle being maintained while the rear camera of the electronic device faces a direction horizontal to the ground or faces more upward than the direction horizontal to the ground. The front camera photographing mode may refer, for example, to an inclined angle being maintained while the front camera of the electronic device faces a direction horizontal to the ground or faces more upward than the direction horizontal to the ground. When the rear camera is perpendicular to the ground or the front camera is perpendicular to the ground, one of, for example, the rear camera photographing mode and the front camera photographing mode may be selected.

According to various embodiments, the rear camera photographing mode and the front camera photographing mode may further include a horizontal photographing mode and a vertical photographing mode, respectively. For example, the rear camera photographing mode may be divided into a rear camera horizontal photographing mode and a rear camera vertical photographing mode. This will be described in detail with reference to the following drawings.

According to an embodiment, in the rear camera photographing mode and the front camera photographing mode, the rear surface 112 of the cover portion 100 may be in contact with a first contact point of the support portion 200, and a portion of the electronic device or a portion of the side surface of the cover portion 100 may be mounted while being in contact with a second contact point of the support portion 200 (see FIG. 5 described later).

In any one of the plurality of mounting modes, the electronic device and/or the exterior cover 10 may maintain an angle designated in the corresponding mounting mode.

According to various embodiments, in the plurality of mounting modes, the cover portion 100 may be provided to be in contact with the support portion 200 in at least two different portions thereof. For example, in the rear camera photographing mode as well as the front camera photographing mode, the cover portion 100 may be in contact with the support portion 200 in at least two different portions thereof, thereby stably maintaining a designated angle.

The support portion 200 may generally have a shape extending in the longitudinal direction (e.g., a direction parallel to an X-axis) of the exterior cover in another area other than an area in which the opening 115 is provided, on the rear surface 112 of the cover portion 100.

According to various embodiments, a groove 113 for allowing the support portion 200 to be seated thereon may be provided in the rear surface 112 of the cover portion. One surface (a surface facing in a direction parallel to the Z-axis direction of FIG. 3 when the support portion is folded into a plate shape) of the entire support portion 200 may be provided to face the groove 113 while the support portion 200 is in a folded state. According to an embodiment, the support portion 200 may have a shape that fits into the groove 113.

When the support portion 200 is folded, the support portion 200 may have a flat plate shape such as the first plate 110 of the cover portion 100. Hereinafter, when the support portion 200 has a plate shape, the support portion 200 may be referred to as a “second plate” to clearly distinguish from the first plate 110.

Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, the support portion 200 may include a first support portion 210 configured to be in contact with the floor in the plurality of mounting modes; a second support portion 220 configured to be rotatably coupled to the first support portion 210; and a third support portion 230 configured to be rotatably coupled to the second support portion 220 and to be fixedly provided on the rear surface 112 of the cover portion 100.

The first support portion 210 may be configured to be in contact with the ground in the support portion 200 in the plurality of mounting modes, and when the first support portion 210 has a plate shape, the first support portion 210 may be configured to surround the second support portion 220 and the third support portion 230. In the foregoing description of the rear camera photographing mode and the front camera photographing mode, the above-described second contact point which may, for example, be a portion where the side surface of the electronic device or the cover portion 100 is in contact with the support portion 200 may correspond to any one portion of the first support portion 210.

The third support portion 230 may be configured to be fixed to the rear surface 112 (or the groove 113) of the cover portion 100. In the foregoing description of the rear camera photographing mode and the front camera photographing mode, the above-described first contact point which may, for example, be a portion where the rear surface 112 of the cover portion 100 is in contact with the support portion 200 may be provided through the third support portion 230.

The second support portion 220 may be connected at one side thereof to the first support portion 210 and connected at the other side thereof to the third support portion 230. In relation to the cover portion 100, the first support portion 210 may correspond to an intermediate member provided between the third support portion 230 forming the first contact point and the first support portion 210 forming the second contact point.

According to various embodiments, the second support portion 200 may be configured to include three rotational axes to give various and free angle changes to the electronic device or the cover portion 100. According to an embodiment, the three rotational axes may include a first rotational axis (e.g., a first rotational axis A1 of FIG. 5 to be described later), a second rotational axis (e.g., a second rotational axis A2 of FIG. 5 to be described later), and a third rotational axis (e.g., a third rotational axis A3 of FIG. 8 to be described later). In addition, according to an embodiment, the second support portion 220 may be rotatably coupled to the first support portion 210 in a first rotational axis direction, and the third support portion 230 may be rotationally coupled to the second support portion 220 in a second rotational axis direction. In addition, the third support portion 230 may be configured to allow the first support portion 210 and the second support portion 220 to be rotatable in a third rotational axis direction perpendicular to the first rotational axis direction and the second rotational axis direction, in addition to the second rotational axis direction.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view illustrating an example operation of unfolding the support portion 200 of the exterior cover 10 according to various embodiments. In FIG. 5, a state in which the shape of the support portion 200 of the exterior cover 10 varies is illustrated.

As to the support portion 200 that is separated from the groove 113 of the cover portion 100, the first support portion 210 may rotate independently of the second support portion 220, the second support portion 220 may rotate independently of the third support portion 230, or the third support portion 230 may rotate independently of the first support portion 210 and the second support portion 220.

The first support portion 210 may rotate by a predetermined angle along the direction of the first rotational axis A1 with respect to the second support portion 220, and the second support portion 220 may rotate by a predetermined angle along the direction of the second rotational axis A2 with respect to the third support portion 230.

Referring to FIG. 5, as sequentially illustrated in FIG. 5, the second support portion 220 may be separated from the groove 113 while the first support portion 210 is separated from the groove 113, and the second support portion 220 may be separated from an opening O provided in the first support portion 210. The first support portion 210 may be inclined at a predetermined angle with respect to the second support portion 220 by rotating along the direction of the first rotational axis A1 with respect to the second support portion 220. The second support portion 220 may rotate along the direction of the second rotational axis A2 with respect to the third support portion 230 whose position is fixed. In this state, when the second support portion 220 further rotates along the direction of the second rotational axis A2, the first support portion 210 may approach a side of the lower end of the exterior cover 10. When the second support portion 220 further rotates, the first support portion 210 may face at least a portion of the front surface of the cover portion by passing by the lower end of the exterior cover 10. Through this operation, the first support portion 210 may be positioned below the lower end of the exterior cover 10, and one surface of the first support portion 210 may support a portion of the exterior cover 10 (or a portion of the electronic device) from below.

As illustrated in FIG. 5, according to various embodiments, by simply rotating the first support portion 210 and the second support portion 220 along the directions of the two rotational axes A1 and A2, respectively, a stable mounting mode can be provided. According to various embodiments, as illustrated in FIG. 5, the exterior cover 10 has an advantage of easily implementing a mounting operation in the rear camera photographing mode.

Hereinafter, according to various embodiments, the support portion 200 will be described in more detail.

FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating the support portion 200 according to various embodiments. FIG. 7 is a cross sectional view of the support portion 200 illustrated in FIG. 6 taken along index line B-B′ and index line C-C′. Referring to FIG. 6, a front view of the support portion 200 and a side view of the support portion 200 viewed from four different sides are illustrated.

Referring to FIG. 6, the support portion 200 may include at least three components, for example, the first support portion 210, the second support portion 220, and the third support portion 230. According to various embodiments, the support portion 220 may further include additional components (e.g., when the first support portion 210 is divided into a 1-1 support portion and a 1-2 support portion as at least two different link members), but description will be made below based on the three components.

According to various embodiments, the first support portion 210 may include an opening O described with reference to FIG. 5; a frame 211 configured to surround the opening; and a planar portion 212 to be configured to be at least partially surrounded by the frame 211.

The frame 211 may be provided to surround the opening O and the planar portion 212, and the second support portion 220 and the third support portion 230. Thus, a width L1 of the frame 211 may be larger than the widths of the second support portion 220 and the third support portion 230. A length L2 of the frame 211 may also be larger than the lengths of the second support portion 220 and the third support portion 230.

The planar portion 212 may be provided such that at least a portion of the planar portion 212 faces the third support portion 230 in a folded state (or “non-mounting mode”) of the support portion 200, as illustrated in FIG. 6. According to an embodiment, the at least one portion thereof may have a shape corresponding to the outer shape of the third support portion 230. For example, when the third support portion 230 has a substantially circular shape as illustrated in FIG. 5, at least a portion of the planar portion 212 may form an arc.

As illustrated in FIG. 6, at least a portion of the second support portion 220 may also be provided to face the third support portion 230 in a folded state (or “non-mounting mode”) of the support portion. According to an embodiment, the at least a portion of the second support portion 220 may have a shape corresponding to the outer shape of the third support portion 230. For example, when the third support portion 230 has a substantially circular shape when viewed from above as shown in FIG. 5, the at least a portion of the second support portion 220 may form an arc.

According to an embodiment, the third support portion 230 may have a circular shape when viewed from above the rear surface 112 of the cover portion 100, but is not necessarily limited thereto. The third support portion 230 may have a variety of shapes such as, for example, and without limitation, a triangle, a rectangle, five or more polygons, etc., and the shapes of the planar portion 212 and the second support portion 220 may also be changed to shapes corresponding thereto.

According to various embodiments, the second support portion 220 may have at least one fastening structure to prevent and/or reduce from being separated from the third support portion 230 while the above-described rotation operations (e.g., rotation in the second rotational axis direction and rotation in the third rotational axis direction) are performed. For example, as shown in the cross sections (e.g., the cross-section in a direction of index line C-C′) of the second support portion 220 and the third support portion 230 of FIG. 7, a protrusion 221 protruding from the second support portion 220 toward the third support portion 230 may be fastened to a groove 231 provided in the third support portion 230. In addition, a fastening structure according to various embodiments is applicable.

According to an embodiment, the planar portion 212 may form a flat plate shape with the second support portion 220 and the third support portion 230. Referring to FIGS. 6 and 7 together, in the folded state (or “non-mounting mode”) of the support portion 200, the planar portion 212, the third support portion 230, and the second support portion 220 may be sequentially arranged from one side of the support portion 200 and may be coupled to each other to form one flat plate. In addition, according to an embodiment, the planar portion 212, the second support portion 220, and the third support portion 230 may be provided to have substantially the same thickness. For example, as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, as the first support portion 210 has a thickness L3, each of the planar portion 212, the second support portion 220, and the third support portion 230 may have the thickness L3 or a thickness thinner than the thickness L3 to form one flat plate.

The conventional exterior cover discloses only the configuration of a simple cover portion for providing protected usage or various colors or textures. However, according to the disclosure, the support portion 200 may have the same structure as the above-descried embodiment to form a smooth appearance, thereby providing an effective user convenience function without compromising the aesthetics.

According to various embodiments, the first support 210 may include a first surface 214 and a second surface 215 facing in a direction opposite the first surface 214. The first surface 214 may face the same direction as the rear surface 112 of the cover portion 100 in the folded state and may be in contact with the ground in the plurality of mounting modes. The second surface 215 may be in contact with a portion of the electronic device or a portion of the side surface of the cover portion in the plurality of mounting modes. The second contact point may be formed between the portion of the electronic device or the side surface of the cover portion on the second surface 215.

FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating a state in which the exterior cover 10 is mounted on the support portion 200 in a rear camera photographing mode of an electronic device according to various embodiments. FIG. 9A is a diagram illustrating a state in which the exterior cover 10 is mounted on the support portion 200 at various angles based on a camera photographing mode of the electronic device according to the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 8, FIG. 9B is a diagram illustrating a state in which the exterior cover 10 is mounted on the support portion 200 at various angles based on a camera photographing mode of the electronic device according to the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 8, and FIG. 9C is a diagram illustrating a state in which the exterior cover 10 is mounted on the support portion 200 at various angles based on a camera photographing mode of the electronic device according to the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 8.

FIG. 8 and FIGS. 9A, 9B, and 9C illustrate embodiments corresponding to a vertical photographing mode in which an electronic device may, for example, be operated while standing approximately with respect to the ground even in the rear camera photographing mode.

Referring to FIG. 8, in the rear camera photographing mode of the electronic device, a portion (or a portion of the electronic device) of the lower end or side surface of the exterior cover 10 may be in contact with the second surface 215 of the first support portion 210 thereon.

A user may implement the same photographing mode as the embodiment shown in FIG. 8 through an unfolding operation of the support portion 200 described above with reference to FIG. 5.

Referring to FIGS. 9A, 9B, and 9C, various examples of the vertical photographing mode are shown. Various angles α1, α2, and α3 formed by the first support portion 210 and the second support 220 may be an acute angle, respectively. Angles β1, β2, and β3 formed by the first support portion 210 and the cover portion 100 may be changed depending on angles α1, α2, and α3 formed by the first support portion 210 and the second support portion 220.

FIG. 9A illustrates a normal rear camera vertical photographing mode in which each of angle α1 formed by the first support portion 210 and the second support portion 220 and angle β1 formed by the first support portion 210 and the cover portion 100 is an acute angle.

FIG. 9B illustrates a rear camera vertical photographing mode that is substantially perpendicular to the ground, wherein angle α2 formed by the first support portion 210 and the second support portion 220 is an acute angle, and angle β2 formed by the first support portion 210 and the cover portion 100 is substantially perpendicular. In this case, a user may select a front camera vertical photographing mode instead of the rear camera vertical photographing mode.

FIG. 9C illustrates a front camera vertical photographing mode in which angle α3 formed by the first support portion 210 and the second support portion 220 is an acute angle, but angle β3 formed by the first support portion 210 and the cover portion 100 is an obtuse angle.

Referring to FIGS. 9A, 9B, and 9C, the user may simply adjust angle α formed by the first support portion 210 and the second support portion 220 to change angle β formed by the first support portion 210 and the cover portion 100, whereby the mounting mode of the electronic device can be implemented more variously and freely. The user may finely adjust an inclination angle of the electronic device with respect to the ground, and if it is determined that a predetermined angle is suitable for taking a picture, the user may perform a photographing operation while stably maintaining the corresponding angle.

According to various embodiments, in the vertical photographing mode, at least a portion (e.g., an edge portion e) of the cover portion 100 may be in contact with the ground together with the first support portion 210. Thus, a portion in which the electronic device is in contact with a fixed contact point may be added, thereby implementing a more stable mounting state than the above-described embodiments.

FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a state in which the exterior cover 10 is mounted on the support portion 200 in a rear camera photographing mode of an electronic device according to an embodiment. FIG. 11A is a diagram illustrating a state in which the exterior cover 10 is mounted on the support portion 200 at various angles based on a camera photographing mode of the electronic device according to the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 10, FIG. 11B is a diagram illustrating a state in which the exterior cover 10 is mounted on the support portion 200 at various angles based on a camera photographing mode of the electronic device according to the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 10, and FIG. 11C is a diagram illustrating a state in which the exterior cover 10 is mounted on the support portion 200 at various angles based on a camera photographing mode of the electronic device according to the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 10.

FIG. 10 and FIGS. 11A, 11B, and 11C illustrate embodiments corresponding to the horizontal photographing mode in which the electronic device is operated in a state of being laid down with respect to the ground even in the rear camera photographing mode.

Referring to FIG. 10, in the rear camera photographing mode of the electronic device, a portion (or a portion of the electronic device) of the side surface of the exterior cover 10 may be in contact with the second surface 215 of the first support portion 210 thereon.

In the vertical photographing mode of the embodiment shown in FIG. 8, a user may simply rotate the cover portion 100 along the third rotational axis A3 by a predetermined angle (e.g., 90 degrees), and thus the same photographing mode as the embodiment shown in FIG. 10 may be implemented.

Referring to FIGS. 11A, 11B, and 11C, various examples of the horizontal photographing mode are shown. Various angles α1′, α2′, and α3′ formed by the first support portion 210 and the second support portion 220 may be an acute angle. Angles β1′, β2′, and β3′ formed by the first support portion 210 and the cover portion 100 may be changed depending on angles α1′, α2′, and α3′ formed by the first support portion 210 and the second support portion 220.

FIG. 11A illustrates a general rear camera horizontal photographing mode in which each of angle α1′ formed by the first support portion 210 and the second support portion 220 and angle β1′ formed by the first support portion 210 and the cover portion 100 is an acute angle.

FIG. 11B illustrates a rear camera vertical photographing mode that is approximately perpendicular to the ground, wherein angle α2′ formed by the first support portion 210 and the second support portion 220 is an acute angle, and angle β2′ formed by the support portion 210 and the cover portion 100 is substantially perpendicular. In this case, the user may select the front camera horizontal photographing mode instead of the rear camera horizontal photographing mode.

FIG. 11C illustrates a front camera horizontal photographing mode in which angle α3′ formed by the first support portion 210 and the second support portion 220 is an acute angle, but angle β3′ formed by the support portion 210 and the cover portion 100 is an obtuse angle.

Referring to FIGS. 11A, 11B, and 11C, a user may simply adjust angle α′ formed by the first support portion 210 and the second support portion 220 to change angle β′ formed by the first support portion 210 and the cover portion 100, whereby the mounting mode of the electronic device can be implemented more variously and freely. The user may finely adjust an inclination angle of the electronic device with respect to the ground, and if it is determined that a predetermined angle is suitable for taking a picture, the user may perform a photographing operation while stably maintaining the corresponding angle.

Based on a comparison between the embodiments of FIGS. 9A, 9B, and 9C and FIGS. 11A, 11B, and 11C, in the horizontal photographing mode of FIGS. 11A, 11B, and 11C, the side surface of the cover portion 100 may contact the second surface 215 and a portion contacting the ground may not be provided.

According to various embodiments, in the rear camera photographing mode and the front camera photographing mode, a portion of the first support portion 210 in contact with at least a portion of the electronic device or the exterior cover 10 (e.g., at least a portion of the second surface 215) may include an anti-slip portion (e.g., a portion containing a frictional material). For example, the at least a portion of the second surface 215 may be made of a material having high frictional force such as rubber and urethane. As a result, when the electronic device or the external cover is mounted on the first support portion 210, it is possible to prevent the electronic device or the external cover from sliding on the second surface 215 unless the user forcibly applies an external force.

Referring to FIGS. 5 and 8 and FIGS. 11A, 11B, and 11C together, according to various embodiments, the first support portion 210 may rotate with respect to the second support portion 220 by a first maximum allowable angle along the direction of the first rotational axis A1. According to various embodiments, the second support portion 220 may rotate with respect to the third support portion 230 by a second maximum allowable angle greater than the first maximum allowable angle along the direction of the second rotational axis A2. Here, the first maximum allowable angle may be a maximum allowable angle of angle α formed by the first support portion 210 and the second support portion 220, and may correspond to, for example, 60 degrees or 90 degrees. The second maximum allowable angle may be a maximum allowable angle of an angle formed by the second support portion 220 with respect to the third support portion 220, and may correspond to, for example, 180 degrees. On the other hand, since the third support portion 230 rotates in place in a state of being fixed to the rear surface 112 of the cover portion 100 and does not have a structure preventing rotation around the third support portion 230, thereby allowing the first support portion 210 and the second support portion 220 to rotate (rotate 360 degrees) along the direction of the third rotation axis A3 without angle limitation.

FIG. 12 is a diagram illustrating a state in which the exterior cover 10 is seated on the support portion 200 in a front camera photographing mode of an electronic device according to various embodiments. FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating a state in which the exterior cover 10 is seated on the support portion 200 in a front camera photographing mode of an electronic device according to an embodiment.

FIG. 12 illustrates a front camera vertical photographing mode, and FIG. 13 illustrates a front camera horizontal photographing mode.

According to various embodiments, the support portion may be simply separated from a folded state in which the support portion is folded in the cover portion, whereby the rear camera photographing mode can be easily implemented, and as shown in FIGS. 12 and 13, the front camera photographing mode can be easily implemented.

FIG. 14A is a diagram illustrating a state in which magnetic materials 216 and 222 are provided on the exterior cover 10 according to various embodiments. FIG. 14B is a perspective view illustrating a cross section of the exterior cover illustrated in FIG. 14A taken along a direction of index line D-D′.

Referring to 14A and 14B together, the exterior cover according to various embodiments may include a magnetic material. According to an embodiment, a plurality of magnetic materials may be provided.

According to an embodiment, the magnetic material may be provided in the support portion 200. For example, at least a portion of the first support portion 210 (e.g., an upper end of the first support portion 210) may include a first magnetic material 216, and the second support portion 220 may include a second magnetic material 220 at a position (e.g., an upper end of the second support portion 220) corresponding to the at least a portion of the first support portion in which the first magnetic material 216 is disposed. Here, the first magnetic material 216 and the second magnetic material 220 may be configured to form mutual attraction. By an attraction force acting between the first magnetic material 216 and the second magnetic material 220, a user may restore the support portion 200 in a folded state with little force. Embodiments of the first magnetic material 216 and the second magnetic material 220 shown in FIGS. 14A and 14B are merely examples. In addition, various numbers of magnetic materials may be provided and used at various positions.

According to various embodiments, the exterior cover 10 may include one or more nail grooves 213 and 213′. The nail grooves 213 and 213′ may be provided to enable a user to easily implement the electronic device or the exterior cover 10 according to the plurality of mounting modes described above. According to an embodiment, the one or more nail grooves 213 and 213′ may be provided at one end of the first support portion 210.

As shown in FIG. 14A, when the rear surface 112 of the cover portion 100 is viewed from above, the first nail groove 213 may be provided at the upper end of the first support portion 210, and the second nail groove 213′ may be provided at the lower end of the first support portion 210. The user may unfold the support portion 200 using either the first nail groove 213 or the second nail groove 213′. According to an embodiment, when the user unfolds the support portion 200 using the first nail groove 213, the rear camera photographing mode may be implemented according to the operation of unfolding the support portion 200 illustrated in FIG. 5. According to another embodiment, when the user unfolds the support portion 200 using the second nail groove 213′, an unfolding operation different from that shown in FIG. 5 may be implemented. For example, when the user unfolds the support portion 200 using the second nail groove 213′, the front camera photographing mode may be implemented. The user may simply unfold the support portion 200 by selectively using either the first nail groove 213 or the second nail groove 213′, thereby selectively implementing any one of the rear camera photographing mode and the front camera photographing mode.

FIG. 15 is a diagram illustrating dimensions of each component included in the exterior cover 10 according to various embodiments.

According to various embodiments, the components of the support portion 200 provided on the rear surface 112 of the exterior cover 10 may be defined as follows in terms of dimensions, in view of the relative components of each component, according to the embodiment shown in FIG. 15. According to an embodiment, when the rear surface 112 of the cover portion 100 is viewed from above, the third support portion 230 may be disposed at a position spaced apart downward from a central portion C of the rear surface 112 of the cover portion by a predetermined distance, and a length X2 of the second support portion 220 may be longer than a length X3 from the center of the third support portion 230 to the bottom end of the exterior cover 10. When the overall length of the exterior cover 10 is X1, X2 and X3 may be formed shorter than X1. Further, by forming X2 to be longer than X3, it is possible to enable a stable mounting operation in the plurality of mounting modes described above.

It should be appreciated that various embodiments of the disclosure and the terms used therein are not intended to limit the technological features set forth herein to particular embodiments and include various changes, equivalents, or replacements for a corresponding embodiment. With regard to the description of the drawings, similar reference numerals may be used to refer to similar or related elements. It is to be is understood that a singular form of a noun corresponding to an item may include one or more of the things, unless the relevant context clearly indicates otherwise. As used herein, each of such phrases as “A or B”, “at least one of A and B”, “at least one of A or B”, “A, B, or C”, “at least one of A, B, and C”, and “at least one of A, B, or C” may include all possible combinations of the items enumerated together in a corresponding one of the phrases. As used herein, such terms as “1st” and “2nd”, or “first” and “second” may be used to simply distinguish a corresponding component from another, and does not limit the components in other aspect (e.g., importance or order). It is to be understood that if any one element (e.g., first element) is “connected to” another element (e.g., second element), the element may be coupled with the other element directly, or indirectly via a third element.

According to various embodiments, each component of the above-described components may include a single entity or multiple entities. According to various embodiments, one or more of the above-described components may be omitted, or one or more other components may be added. Alternatively or additionally, a plurality of components may be integrated into a single component. In such a case, the integrated component may still perform one or more functions of each of the plurality of components in the same or similar manner as they are performed by a corresponding one of the plurality of components before the integration.

According to various example embodiments, an exterior cover for an electronic device may include: a cover; and a support connected to a rear surface of the cover and to have a variable shape according to any one of a plurality of mounting modes for the electronic device to maintain a designated angle with respect to the ground, wherein, based on the electronic device being coupled to the exterior cover, the plurality of mounting modes include a rear camera photographing mode where a direction in which a rear camera of the electronic device faces is perpendicular to the ground or forms an obtuse angle with the ground, and a front camera photographing mode where a direction in which a front camera of the electronic device faces is perpendicular to the ground or forms an obtuse angle with the ground, and in the rear camera photographing mode or the front camera photographing mode, the rear surface of the cover contacts a first contact point of the support and a portion of the electronic device or a portion of a side surface of the cover is mounted in contact with a second contact point of the support.

According to various example embodiments, an exterior cover for an electronic device may include: a cover; and a support connected to a rear surface of the cover and configured to be coupled to be foldable or unfoldable according to any one of a plurality of mounting modes for the electronic device to maintain an inclination angle with respect to ground, wherein the support includes: a first support portion in contact with a floor in the mounting mode; a second support portion rotatably coupled to the first support portion in a first rotational axis direction; and a third support portion rotatably coupled in at least a portion thereof to the second support portion in a second rotational axis direction parallel to the first rotational axis direction, and configured to be fixed in at least another portion thereof to the rear surface of the cover portion, and to allow the first support portion and the second support portion to rotate in a third rotational axis direction perpendicular to the first rotational axis direction and the second rotational axis direction.

According to various example embodiments, the support may include: a first support portion configured to be in contact with a floor in the plurality of mounting modes; a second support portion configured to be rotatably coupled to the first support portion; and a third support portion configured to be rotatably coupled to the second support portion and to be fixedly provided on the rear surface of the cover portion.

According to various example embodiments, the first support portion may include a first surface and a second surface facing a direction opposite the first surface, and the first surface may face a same direction as the rear surface in a folded state and may be in contact with the floor in the plurality of mounting modes, and the second surface may be in contact with the electronic device or the exterior cover in the plurality of mounting modes.

According to various example embodiments, the second support portion may be rotatably coupled to the first support portion in a first rotational axis direction, the third support portion may be rotatably coupled to the second support portion in a second rotational axis direction, and the third support portion may be configured to allow the first support portion and the second support portion to rotate in a third rotational axis direction perpendicular to the first rotational axis direction and the second rotational axis direction.

According to various example embodiments, the first support portion may be rotatable with respect to the second support portion by a first allowable angle along the first rotational axis direction, and the second support portion may be rotatable with respect to the third support portion by a second allowable angle larger than the first allowable angle along the second rotational axis direction.

According to various example embodiments, the third support portion may be configured to allow the first support portion and the second support portion to rotate along the third rotational axis direction without angle limitation.

According to various example embodiments, the first support portion may include: an opening; a frame surrounding the opening; and a planar portion at least partially surrounded by the frame. The second support portion may be disposed in the opening in a state in which the support portion is folded.

According to various example embodiments, in the state in which the support portion is folded, the planar portion, the third support portion, and the second support portion may be sequentially arranged from one side of the support portion and may be coupled to each other to define one substantially flat plate.

According to various example embodiments, the planar portion, the second support portion, and the third support portion may have substantially the same thickness.

According to various example embodiments, when the rear surface of the exterior cover is viewed from above, the third support portion may be disposed to be spaced apart downward from a central portion of the rear surface of the exterior cover by a predetermined distance, and a length of the second support portion may be longer than a length from the third support portion to a bottom end of the exterior cover.

According to various example embodiments, in the rear camera photographing mode and the front camera photographing mode, a portion of the first support portion which is in contact with at least a portion of the electronic device or the exterior cover may include a frictional material.

According to various example embodiments, at least a portion of the first support portion may include a first magnetic material, and the second support portion may include a second magnetic material at a position corresponding to the at least a portion of the first support portion in which the first magnetic material is disposed.

According to various example embodiments, at least one nail groove may be provided at one end of the first support portion.

According to various example embodiments, a groove configured to allow the support portion to be seated thereon may be provided on the rear surface of the cover portion, and one surface of the entire support portion may face the groove in a state in which the support portion is folded.

According to various example embodiments, the rear camera photographing mode and the front camera photographing mode may include a horizontal photographing mode and a vertical photographing mode, respectively.

According to various example embodiments, an exterior cover for an electronic device may include: a cover; and a support connected to a rear surface of the cover and coupled to be foldable or unfoldable according to any one of a plurality of mounting modes for the electronic device to maintain an inclination angle with respect to the ground, wherein the support includes: a first support portion in contact with a floor in the mounting mode; a second support portion rotatably coupled to the first support portion in a first rotational axis direction; and a third support portion rotatably coupled in at least a portion thereof to the second support portion in a second rotational axis direction parallel to the first rotational axis direction, and configured to be fixed in at least another portion thereof to the rear surface of the cover portion, and to allow the first support portion and the second support portion to rotate in a third rotational axis direction perpendicular to the first rotational axis direction and the second rotational axis direction.

According to various example embodiments, the first support portion may be rotatable with respect to the second support portion along the first rotational axis direction by a first allowable angle, and the second support portion may be rotatable with respect to the third support portion along the second rotational axis direction by a second allowable angle larger than the first allowable angle.

According to various example embodiments, the first support portion may include: an opening; a frame surrounding the opening; and a planar portion at least partially surrounded by the frame, and, in a state in which the support portion is folded, the second support portion is disposed in the opening, and the planar portion, the third support portion, and the second support portion are sequentially arranged from one side of the support portion and coupled to each other to form one substantially flat plate.

According to various example embodiments, an exterior cover for an electronic device may include: a first plate having a front surface facing a first direction and a rear surface facing a second direction opposite the first direction, and a side surface extending from an edge of the first plate; and a support connected to a rear surface of the cover and coupled to be foldable or unfoldable according to any one of a plurality of mounting modes for the electronic device to maintain an inclination angle with respect to the ground, wherein the support includes: a first support portion including an opening, a frame surrounding the opening, and a planar portion at least partially surrounded by the frame, and configured to be in contact with a floor in the plurality of mounting modes; a second support portion rotatably coupled to the first support portion in a first rotational axis; and a third support portion rotatably coupled in at least a portion thereof to the second support portion in a second rotational axis direction parallel to the first rotational axis direction, and configured to be fixed in at least another portion thereof to the rear surface of the cover portion, and to allow the first support portion and the second support portion to rotate in a third rotational axis direction perpendicular to the first rotational axis direction and the second rotational axis direction, and wherein, in a state in which the support portion is folded, the second support portion is disposed in the opening of the first support portion, and the planar portion, the third support portion, and the second support portion are sequentially arranged from one side of the support portion to form a second plate parallel to the first plate.

According to various example embodiments, the first support portion may be rotatable with respect to the second support portion along the first rotational axis direction by up to 90 degrees, and the second support portion may be rotatable with respect to the third support portion along the second rotational axis direction by up to 180 degrees.

While the disclosure has been illustrated and described with reference to various example embodiments, it will be understood that the various example embodiments are intended to be illustrative, not limiting. One of ordinary skill in the art will understand that various changes in form and detail may be made without departing from the true spirit and full scope of the disclosure, including the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. An exterior cover for an electronic device comprising:

a cover; and
a support connected to a rear surface of the cover and having a variable shape according to any one of a plurality of mounting modes for the electronic device to maintain a designated angle with respect to the ground,
wherein, based on the electronic device being coupled to the exterior cover, the plurality of mounting modes include a rear camera photographing mode wherein a direction in which a rear camera of the electronic device faces is perpendicular to ground or is at an obtuse angle with the ground, and a front camera photographing mode wherein a direction in which a front camera of the electronic device faces is perpendicular to the ground or is at an obtuse angle with the ground, and
wherein, in the rear camera photographing mode or the front camera photographing mode, the rear surface of the cover is in contact with a first contact point of the support and a portion of the electronic device or a portion of a side surface of the cover is in contact with a second contact point of the support.

2. The exterior cover of claim 1, wherein the support comprises:

a first support portion in contact with a floor in the plurality of mounting modes;
a second support portion rotatably coupled to the first support portion; and
a third support portion rotatably coupled to the second support portion and fixedly provided on the rear surface of the cover portion.

3. The exterior cover of claim 2, wherein

the first support portion comprises a first surface and a second surface facing a direction opposite the first surface, and
the first surface faces a same direction as the rear surface in a folded state and is in contact with the ground in the plurality of mounting modes, and the second surface is in contact with a portion of the electronic device or a portion of the side surface of the cover in the plurality of mounting modes.

4. The exterior cover of claim 2, wherein

the second support portion is rotatably coupled to the first support portion in a first rotational axis direction,
the third support portion is rotatably coupled to the second support portion in a second rotational axis direction, and
the third support portion is configured to allow the first support portion and the second support portion to rotate in a third rotational axis direction perpendicular to the first rotational axis direction and the second rotational axis direction.

5. The exterior cover of claim 4, wherein

the first support portion is rotatable with respect to the second support portion by a first allowable angle along the first rotational axis direction, and
the second support portion is rotatable with respect to the third support portion by a second allowable angle larger than the first allowable angle along the second rotational axis direction.

6. The exterior cover of claim 4, wherein the third support portion is configured to allow the first support portion and the second support portion to rotate along the third rotational axis direction without angle limitation.

7. The exterior cover of claim 2, wherein

the first support portion comprises:
an opening;
a frame surrounding the opening; and
a planar portion at least partially surrounded by the frame, and
the second support portion is disposed in the opening in a state in which the support portion is folded.

8. The exterior cover of claim 7, wherein, in the state in which the support portion is folded, the planar portion, the third support portion, and the second support portion are sequentially arranged from one side of the support portion and coupled to each other to form a substantially flat plate.

9. The exterior cover of claim 7, wherein the planar portion, the second support portion, and the third support portion have a substantially same thickness.

10. The exterior cover of claim 7, wherein,

when the rear surface of the exterior cover is viewed from above, the third support portion is disposed to be spaced apart downward from a central portion of the rear surface of the exterior cover by a predetermined distance, and
a length of the second support portion is longer than a length from the third support portion to a bottom end of the exterior cover.

11. The exterior cover of claim 2, wherein, in the rear camera photographing mode and the front camera photographing mode, a portion of the first support portion which is in contact with at least a portion of the electronic device or the exterior cover includes a frictional material.

12. The exterior cover of claim 2, wherein

at least a portion of the first support portion includes a first magnetic material, and
the second support portion includes a second magnetic material at a position corresponding to the at least a portion of the first support portion in which the first magnetic material is disposed.

13. The exterior cover of claim 2, wherein at least one nail groove is provided at one end of the first support portion.

14. The exterior cover of claim 1, wherein the cover includes a groove configured to allow the support to be seated thereon on the rear surface of the cover portion, and wherein the support includes one surface facing the groove in a state in which the support portion is folded.

15. The exterior cover of claim 1, wherein the rear camera photographing mode and the front camera photographing mode include a horizontal photographing mode and a vertical photographing mode, respectively.

16. An exterior cover for an electronic device, the exterior cover comprising:

a cover; and
a support connected to a rear surface of the cover and coupled to be foldable or unfoldable according to any one of a plurality of mounting modes for the electronic device to maintain an inclination angle with respect to the ground, wherein
the support comprises:
a first support portion in contact with a floor in the mounting mode;
a second support portion rotatably coupled to the first support portion in a first rotational axis direction; and
a third support portion rotatably coupled in at least a portion thereof to the second support portion in a second rotational axis direction parallel to the first rotational axis direction, the third support portion being fixed in at least another portion thereof to the rear surface of the cover, and configured to allow the first support portion and the second support portion to rotate in a third rotational axis direction perpendicular to the first rotational axis direction and the second rotational axis direction.

17. The exterior cover of claim 16, wherein

the first support portion is rotatable with respect to the second support portion along the first rotational axis direction by a first allowable angle, and
the second support portion is rotatable with respect to the third support portion along the second rotational axis direction by a second allowable angle larger than the first allowable angle.

18. The exterior cover of claim 16, wherein the first support portion comprises:

an opening;
a frame surrounding the opening; and
a planar portion at least partially surrounded by the frame, and
in a state in which the support is folded, the second support portion is disposed in the opening, and the planar portion, the third support portion, and the second support portion are sequentially arranged from one side of the support and coupled to each other to form a substantially flat plate.

19. An exterior cover for an electronic device, the exterior cover comprising:

a first plate provided with a front surface facing a first direction and a rear surface facing a second direction opposite the first direction, and a side member extending from an edge of the first plate; and
a support connected to a rear surface of the cover portion and coupled to be foldable or unfoldable according to any one of a plurality of mounting modes for the electronic device to maintain an inclination angle with respect to the ground, wherein
the support comprises:
a first support portion including an opening, a frame surrounding the opening, and a planar portion at least partially surrounded by the frame, and in contact with a floor in the plurality of mounting modes;
a second support portion rotatably coupled to the first support portion in the first rotational axis; and
a third support portion rotatably coupled in at least a portion thereof to the second support portion in a second rotational axis direction parallel to the first rotational axis direction, the third support portion being fixed in at least another portion thereof to the rear surface of the cover, and configured to allow the first support portion and the second support portion to rotate in a third rotational axis direction perpendicular to the first rotational axis direction and the second rotational axis direction, and wherein
in a state in which the support is folded, the second support portion is disposed in the opening of the first support portion, and the planar portion, the third support portion, and the second support portion are sequentially arranged from one side of the support portion to define a second plate parallel to the first plate.

20. The exterior cover of claim 19, wherein

the first support portion is rotatable with respect to the second support portion along the first rotational axis direction by up to 90 degrees, and
the second support portion is rotatable with respect to the third support portion along the second rotational axis direction by up to 180 degrees.
Patent History
Publication number: 20200397105
Type: Application
Filed: Jun 19, 2020
Publication Date: Dec 24, 2020
Inventors: Taeho KIM (Suwon-si), Junyong SONG (Suwon-si)
Application Number: 16/906,504
Classifications
International Classification: A45C 11/00 (20060101);