A lens cover selectively covers and exposes a, camera lens on the back of mobile device, such as a cellular phone. The lens cover can be adhered to the back of the mobile device. The lens cover has a flap that pivots 180 degrees about an axis parallel with the back of the mobile device, and between an open/storage position and a closed position. The flap can be off-set with respect to the axle so that in the open/storage position, the flap is adjacent or abutting to the back of the mobile device, and so that in the closed position, the flap is spaced-apart from the back of the mobile device, creating a gap to receive a protruding camera or camera lens. The flap can also comprise a detent to maintain the flap in a selected position until selectively moved.
1. A lens cover configured to selectively cover and expose a camera lens on a mobile device, the lens cover comprising:
a) a base with an inner side configured to be affixed to a back of the mobile device;
b) a flap pivotally coupled to the base about an axle and having opposite sides;
c) the flap folding 180 degrees about the axle and between two positions, comprising:
i) an open position in which a first side of the flap faces outward opposite the inner side of the base, and a second side faces inward, configured to expose the camera lens; and
ii) a closed position adjacent the open position in which the flap is folded 180 degrees and the second side of the flap faces outward opposite the inner side of the base, and the first side faces inward, configured to cover the camera lens; and
d) the flap being off-set with respect to the axle so that in the open position the second side is closer to the inner side of the base, and in the closed position the first side is farther from the inner side of the base creating a gap configured to receive the camera lens in the closed position.
2. The lens cover in accordance with claim 1 , further comprising:
a) indicia on one or both of the opposite sides of the flap; and
b) the indicia being indicative of or representing a business, a product, or both.
3. The lens cover in accordance with claim 1 , further comprising:
an exterior perimeter notch formed in an exterior perimeter of the base, and configured to align with a component of the mobile device.
4. A lens cover configured to selectively cover and expose a camera lens on a mobile device, the lens cover comprising:
a) a base with an inner side configured to be affixed to a back of the mobile device;
b) a flap pivotally coupled to the base about an axle and having opposite sides; and
c) the flap folding 180 degrees about the axle and between two positions, comprising:
i) an open position in which a first side of the flap faces outward opposite the inner side of the base, and a second side faces inward, configured to expose the camera lens; and
ii) a closed position adjacent the open position in which the flap is folded 180 degrees and the second side of the flap faces outward opposite the inner side of the base, and the first side faces inward, configured to cover the camera lens; and
d) the axle being snap-fit to the base by a snap-fit comprising:
i) opposing holes in the base spaced-apart from one another and facing one another;
ii) opposite ends of the axle being pivotally disposed in the opposing holes, respectively;
iii) opposite radial openings extending into the opposing holes, respectively, and extending radially with respect to the axle; and
iv) the radial openings being narrower than the opposing holes and the opposite ends of the axle such that the opposite ends of the axle are capable of being forced past the radial openings and into the opposing holes.
5. A lens cover configured to selectively cover and expose a camera lens on a mobile device, the lens cover comprising:
a) a base with an inner side configured to be affixed to a back of the mobile device and an aperture in the base defining a base ring;
b) a flap pivotally coupled to the base about an axle and having opposite sides, the axle extending across the aperture, and dividing the aperture into a lens side and a storage side; and
c) the flap folding 180 degrees about the axle and between two positions, comprising:
i) an open position in which a first side of the flap faces outward opposite the inner side of the base, and a second side faces inward, configured to expose the camera lens; and
ii) a closed position adjacent the open position in which the flap is folded 180 degrees and the second side of the flap faces outward opposite the inner side of the base, and the first side faces inward, configured to cover the camera lens; and
d) the open position further comprising the flap covering the storage side of the aperture, and the closed position further comprising the flap covering the lens side of the aperture.
6. The lens cover in accordance with claim 5 , wherein the flap nests within the aperture of the base ring in both the open position and the closed position.
7. The lens cover in accordance with claim 5 , further comprising:
a) opposite finger notches on opposite ends of the base ring and on opposite sides of the axle;
b) a channel formed in a distal free end of the flap, the channel being exposed in both the open position and the closed position by the opposite finger notches; and
c) the channel being off-set with respect to the flap.
8. The lens cover in accordance with claim 7 , further comprising:
a) a snap-fit formed between the distal free end of the flap and the base ring, the snap-fit comprising:
b) at least one detent extending from the base ring or the distal free end of the flap; and
c) at least one dimple extending into the other of the distal free end of the flap or the base ring, and removably receiving the detent therein.
9. A lens cover in combination with a mobile device to selectively cover and expose a camera lens on the mobile device, the lens cover comprising:
a) a base ring disposed on a back of the mobile device and circumscribing the camera lens;
b) a flap pivotally coupled to the base ring by an axle oriented parallel to the back of the mobile device, the axle positioned to extend across an aperture in the base ring and divide the aperture of the base ring into a lens side and a storage side; and
c) the flap folding about the axle between two positions, comprising:
i) an open position in which the flap covers the storage side and is adjacent the back of the mobile device and the camera lens is exposed; and
ii) a closed position in which the flap covers the lens side and is disposed over the camera lens and above the back of the mobile device.
10. The combination in accordance with claim 9 , wherein the flap folds 180 degrees about the axle and between the two positions.
11. The combination in accordance with claim 9 , wherein the flap has opposite sides; and wherein the flap is off-set with respect to the axle so that in the open position a second side is closer to the back of the mobile device, and in the closed position a first side is farther from the back of the mobile device creating a gap receiving the camera lens in the closed position.
12. The combination in accordance with claim 9 , further comprising:
a) the axle being snap-fit to the ring base by a snap-fit comprising:
b) opposing holes in the base ring spaced-apart from one another on opposite sides of the ring base and facing one another;
c) opposite ends of the axle being pivotally disposed in the opposing holes, respectively;
d) opposite radial openings extending into the opposing holes, respectively, and extending radially with respect to the axle; and
e) the radial openings being narrower than the opposing holes and the opposite ends of the axle such that the opposite ends of the axle are capable of being forced past the radial openings and into the opposing holes.
13. The combination in accordance with claim 9 , further comprising:
a) the flap has opposite sides;
b) indicia on one or both of the opposite sides of the flap; and
c) the indicia being indicative of or representing a business, a product, or both.
14. The combination in accordance with claim 9 , wherein the flap nests within the aperture of the base ring in both the open position and the closed position.
15. The combination in accordance with claim 9 , further comprising:
a) opposite finger notches on opposite ends of the base ring and on opposite sides of the axle;
b) a channel formed in a distal free end of the flap, the channel being exposed in both the open position and the closed position by the opposite finger notches; and
c) the channel being off-set with respect to the flap.
16. The combination in accordance with claim 15 , further comprising:
a) a snap-fit formed between the distal free end of the flap and the base ring, the snap-fit comprising:
b) at least one detent extending from the base ring or the distal free end of the flap; and
c) at least one dimple extending into the other of the distal free end of the flap or the base ring, and removably receiving the detent therein.
17. The combination in accordance with claim 9 , further comprising:
an exterior perimeter notch formed in an exterior perimeter of the base ring, and aligning with a component of the mobile device.
18. A method for selectively covering and exposing a camera lens of a mobile device, comprising:
a) securing a base ring on the back of the mobile device with an aperture of the base ring over the camera lens and with the base ring circumscribing the camera lens; and
b) selectively folding a flap, pivotally coupled to the base ring by an axle parallel with the back of the mobile device, 180 degrees between two positions, including:
i) an open position in which the flap is adjacent the back of the mobile device and the camera lens is exposed; and
ii) a closed position in which the flap is disposed over the camera lens and above the back of the mobile device.