CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is related to co-pending U.S. patent applications (Attorney Docket Nos. US45483, US45484 and US45472), all entitled â€œHOLDER FOR PORTABLE ELECTRONIC DEVICEâ€ , and all invented by CHUEH LEE. All these related applications have the same assignee as the present application and have been concurrently filed herewith. The above-identified applications are incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUNDTechnical Field

This disclosure relates to holders for portable electronic devices, particularly, to a multifunction holder for protecting and supporting portable electronic devices.

Holders are widely used to protect portable electronic devices and support the portable electronic device for a user to, for example, read an eBook or watch video. However, it can be difficult to carry the holder and the electronic device at the same time.

Therefore, there is room for improvement within the art.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Many aspects of the holder can be better understood with reference to the following drawings. The components in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, the emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the holder.

FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a holder, in accordance with an exemplary embodiment.

FIG. 2 is similar to FIG. 1, but shown from another aspect.

FIG. 3 is an isometric view of the holder, showing the holder for receiving a portable electronic device.

FIG. 4 is similar to FIG. 2, showing the holder in a state of being partially folded.

FIG. 5 is similar to FIG. 4, showing the holder folded as a support.

FIG. 6 is similar to FIG. 5, showing the latching portion of the holder to be bent.

FIG. 7 shows the holder supporting the portable electronic device in a first state.

FIG. 8 shows the holder supporting the portable electronic device in a second state.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIGS. 1 and 2 show an exemplary embodiment of a holder 100. The holder 100 can receive and protect a portable electronic device 200, and can also support and hold the portable electronic device 200.

FIGS. 2 and 3 show that the holder 100 includes a first outer sheet 10, a second outer sheet 20, a expandable portion 30, and a handle portion 40. A receiving space (not labeled) is defined between the second outer sheet 20 and the first outer sheet 10 for receiving the portable electronic device 200. The second outer sheet 20 and the first outer sheet 10 are connected to each other along their edges by the expandable portion 30, leaving an entrance 31 that allows the portable electronic device 200 to be inserted into the receiving space. The holder 100 shown herein for illustrative purpose includes the first outer sheet 10 and the expandable portion 30; however, the expandable portion 30 may be omitted and the first and second outer sheets 10, 20 connected to each other along their perimeters. In another example, if the holder 100 is not used for receiving the portable electronic device 200 therein, only one of the first outer sheet 10 and the second outer sheet 20 may also be used. The first outer sheet 10, the expandable portion 30, and the second outer sheet 20 are made of soft material, e.g., fiber, cotton, vinyl, thermoplastics.

The handle portion 40 includes two extending sheets, one extending sheet extending from the first outer sheet 10 and the other extending sheet extending from the second outer sheet 20. The handle portion 40 defines a through hole 41 passing through the two extending sheets. The through hole 41 makes the holder 100 convenient to carry. To lock the handle portion 40, two attractive magnet members may be attached to the two extending sheets for preventing the portable electronic device 100 from separating from the entrance 31.

The handle portion 40 defines a slot 21 on one side of the through hole 41. A tongue portion 50 is formed in the slot 21. One edge of the tongue portion 50 is connected to the handle portion 40. Referring to FIGS. 6 and 8, the tongue portion 50 may be bent away the handle portion 40 to allow the portable electronic device 200 to be supported by the tongue portion 50.

FIG. 2 shows that a base plate 61, a first main supporting plate 62, a second main supporting plate 63, two first side supporting plates 64, and two second side supporting plates 66 are formed on the second outer sheet 20. The base plate 61, the supporting plates 62, 63, 64, and 66 are made of rigid material.

In the exemplary embodiment, the base plate 61 is adjacent to the covering portion 40, and is rectangular. The first main supporting plate 62 is positioned between the base plate 61 and the second main supporting plate 63. In the exemplary embodiment, the first main supporting plate 62 and the second main supporting plate 63 are isosceles trapezoid-shaped. The two first side supporting plates 64 are symmetrically positioned at two sides of the first main supporting plate 62. The two second side supporting plates 64 are symmetrically positioned at two sides of the second main supporting plate 63. A first folding region 71 is positioned between the base plate 61 and the first main supporting plate 62. A second folding region 73 is positioned between the first main supporting plate 62 and the second main supporting plate 63. The first side supporting plates 64 and the second side supporting plates 66 are triangular, and are respectively positioned at two sides of the second folding region 73. The first main supporting plate 62 includes two side edges 623. Each first side supporting plate 64 has a sloping edge 643, which is adjacent to and parallel to one of the side edges 623 of the first main supporting plate 62. The second main supporting plate 63 includes two side edges 633. Each second side supporting plate 66 has a sloping edge 663, which is adjacent to and parallel to one of the side edges 633 of the second main supporting plate 633. Thus, a third folding region 75 is positioned between the first main supporting plate 62 and the first side supporting plate 64, and a fourth folding region 77 is positioned between the second main supporting plate 63 and the second side supporting plate 66.

The base plate 61, the first main supporting plate 62, the second main supporting plate 63, the first side supporting plates 64 and the second side supporting plates 66 can be folded relative to each other along the folding regions 71, 73, 75, 77. However, since the base plate 61, the four supporting plates 62,63,64,66 are made of rigid material; the base plate 61, the first main supporting plate 62, the second main supporting plate 63, the first side supporting plates 64, and the second side supporting plates 66 cannot be folded.

The base portion 61 has a latching piece 55 formed thereon adjacent to the handle portion 40. The latching piece 55 is positioned at another side of the through hole 41, and has a bendable portion 551. The bendable portion 551 may be folded away the base portion 61 to allow the second supporting portion 63 to be supported thereon.

When the portable electronic device 200 needs to be received in the holder 100, the handle portion 40 is opened to expose the entrance 31. The device 200 can then be inserted into the receiving space of the holder 100 via the entrance 31 for storage.

FIGS. 4 and 5 show that in order to fold the holder 100 to form a support, the first main supporting plate 62 and the second main supporting plate 63 are folded toward the base plate 61 along the first folding region 71 and the second folding region 73 until the second main supporting plate 63 stands on the base plate 61. Then, the first side supporting plate 64 and the second side supporting plate 66 at each side of the first main supporting plate 62 and the second main supporting plate 63 is folded along the third folding region 75 and the fourth folding region 77. The bendable portion 551 is folded to allow the second main supporting plate 63 to be supported by the bendable portion 551. The first main first supporting plate 62 is angled with the base plate 61, the second main supporting plate 63 is supported by the base plate 61, and each of the first side supporting plates 64 and the second side supporting plates 66 are angled with the first main supporting plate 62 and the second main supporting plate 63. Thus, the base plate 61, the first main supporting plate 62, the second main supporting plate 63, the first side supporting plates 64, and the second side supporting plates 66 can form a three-dimensional structure that will not collapse. FIG. 7 shows that the portable electronic device 200 is set on the holder 100 as a support. One end of the portable electronic device 200 is supported between the foldable piece 551 and the second main supporting plate 62. The portable electronic device 200 is supported by the first main supporting plate 62, the second main supporting plate 63, the first side supporting plates 64, and the second side supporting plates 66 at an angle. Thus, users can comfortably view the display of the portable electronic device 200.

FIGS. 6 and 8 show that if the viewed angled of the portable electronic device 200 needs to be adjusted, the tongue portion 50 can be bent around the edge along a direction far away from the covering portion 40. The portable electronic device 200 is held on the tongue portion 50. Thus, users can comfortably view the display of the portable electronic device 200 at a different angle.

It is to be understood that even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the present embodiments have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structures and functions of the embodiments, the disclosure is illustrative only, and changes may be made in detail, especially in matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the principles of the disclosure to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed.