IP Library Granted Patent US 12,328,137
Granted Patent B2
US 12,328,137 · App. 17/880,781 · Granted Jun 10, 2025

Accessory and electronic device comprising the same

Inventors: Jinyong Lee (Gyeonggi-do, KR); Chulin Cho (Gyeonggi-do, KR); Jinhyeok Heo (Gyeonggi-do, KR); Yeongsu Choi (Gyeonggi-do, KR)
Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd
H04B1/3888H04M1/0216
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,328,137
App. No.
17/880,781
Granted
Jun 10, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

An accessory according to an example embodiment may be for an electronic device including a first housing, a second housing, and a hinge cover connecting the first housing to the second housing, and may include a first cover to cover the first housing, a second cover to cover the second housing, a holder configured to receive a body part of a user to hold the electronic device, and a connector to connect the holder to the first cover and the second cover. The connector may be configured have a first shape in an unfolded state of the electronic device, and have a second shape different from the first shape in a folded state of the electronic device. At least a portion of the connector may be deformed in the second shape. Other embodiments are also possible.

Claims (62)

1. An accessory for an electronic device comprising a first housing, a second housing, a hinge cover connecting the first housing to the second housing, the accessory comprising:

a first cover configured to cover the first housing;

a second cover configured to cover the second housing;

a holder configured to receive a body part of a user; and

a connector having a first deformable portion and a second deformable portion, the first deformable portion connecting the holder to the first cover and the second deformable portion connecting the holder to the second cover, wherein the connector is configured to have a first shape in an unfolded state of the electronic device, and have a second shape different from the first shape in a folded state of the electronic device, and

wherein surfaces of the first deformable portion and the second deformable portion have a substantially the same shape during the folded and unfolded states of the electronic device.

2. The accessory of claim 1 , wherein the connector further comprises:

the first deformable portion disposed between the first cover and the holder; and

the second deformable portion disposed between the second cover and the holder.

3. The accessory of claim 2 , wherein the first deformable portion and the second deformable portion are configured to enclose at least a portion of the hinge cover in the folded state.

4. The accessory of claim 3 , wherein the first deformable portion and the second deformable portion are further configured to face each other in the unfolded state.

5. The accessory of claim 3 , wherein the first deformable portion and the second deformable portion are further configured to be bent outwardly in the folded state.

6. The accessory of claim 2 , wherein the connector further comprises:

a first coupling portion connected to the first deformable portion and coupled to the first cover; and

a second coupling portion connected to the second deformable portion and coupled to the second cover.

7. The accessory of claim 6 , wherein the first coupling portion is detachably coupled to the first cover, and the second coupling portion is detachably coupled to the second cover.

8. The accessory of claim 6 , wherein the first cover further comprises a first recess configured to be coupled by interference fit to the first coupling portion, and the second cover comprises a second recess configured to be coupled by interference fit to the second coupling portion.

9. The accessory of claim 6 , wherein the first deformable portion and the second deformable portion are made of a first material, and the first coupling portion and the second coupling portion are made of a second material different from the first material.

10. The accessory of claim 9 , wherein a hardness of the first material is greater than a hardness of the second material.

11. The accessory of claim 2 , wherein the connector further comprises a wrapper configured to connect the first deformable portion to the second deformable portion, enclose at least a portion of the holder, and be coupled to the holder.

12. The accessory of claim 2 , further comprising:

a first reinforcing portion and a second reinforcing portion attached to the first deformable portion and the second deformable portion, respectively.

13. The accessory of claim 1 , further comprising:

a rivet configured to couple the holder to the connector.

14. The accessory of claim 1 , wherein the connector further comprises:

a first coupling portion coupled to the first cover;

a second coupling portion coupled to the second cover;

a first neck disposed between the holder and the first coupling portion;

a second neck disposed between the holder and the second coupling portion; and

a stitch configured to bond the first neck to the second neck.

15. The accessory of claim 1 , wherein the connector further comprises:

a first coupling portion coupled to the first cover;

a second coupling portion coupled to the second cover;

a first neck disposed between the holder and the first coupling portion; and

a second neck disposed between the holder and the second coupling portion, and

wherein the first neck and the second neck are thermocompression bonded to each other.

16. The accessory of claim 1 , wherein the holder is configured to rotate on a connecting portion disposed between the holder and the connector.

17. The accessory of claim 1 , wherein the holder and the connector are integrated with the first cover and the second cover.

18. The accessory of claim 1 , wherein the first cover comprises:

a first base surface;

a plurality of first side surfaces connected to at least some edges of the first base surface; and

a rib formed at an edge of the first base surface and/or an edge of at least one of a pair of the plurality of first side surfaces positioned on two sides of the first base surface.

19. An electronic device comprising:

a first housing;

a second housing;

a hinge cover configured to connect the first housing to the second housing; and

an accessory comprising a first cover configured to cover the first housing, a second cover configured to cover the second housing, a holder configured to receive a body part of a user, and a connector having a first deformable portion and a second deformable portion, the first deformable portion connecting holder to the first cover and the second deformable portion connecting the holder to the second cover,

wherein the connector is configured to have a first shape in an unfolded state of the electronic device, and have a second shape different from the first shape in a folded state of the electronic device, and wherein at least a portion of the connector is deformed in the second shape, and

wherein surfaces of the first deformable portion and the second deformable portion have a substantially the same shape during the folded and unfolded states of the electronic device.

20. The electronic device of claim 19 , wherein the connector further comprises:

the first deformable portion disposed between the first cover and the holder; and

the second deformable portion disposed between the second cover and the holder.

21. The electronic device of claim 20 , wherein the first deformable portion and the second deformable portion are configured to enclose at least a portion of the hinge cover in the folded state.

22. The electronic device of claim 21 , wherein the first deformable portion and the second deformable portion are further configured to face each other in the unfolded state, and configured to be bent outwardly in the folded state.

23. An electronic device comprising:

a first housing;

a second housing; and

an accessory comprising a first cover configured to cover the first housing, a second cover configured to cover the second housing, a holder configured to receive a body part of a user, and a connector configured to connect the holder to the first cover and the second cover,

a connector having a first deformable portion and a second deformable portion, the first deformable portion connecting configured to connect the holder to the first cover and the second deformable portion connecting the holder to the second cover,

wherein the first housing and the second housing are configured to slide between a first position in which the first housing and the second housing are spaced apart by a first distance and a second position in which the first housing and the second housing are spaced apart by a second distance greater than the first distance,

wherein the connector is configured to have a first shape in an unfolded state of the electronic device, and have a second shape different from the first shape in a folded state of the electronic device, and wherein at least a portion of the connector is deformed in the second shape, and

wherein surfaces of the first deformable portion and the second deformable portion have a substantially the same shape during the folded and unfolded states of the electronic device.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 4, 2022
From: LEE, JINYONG; CHO, CHULIN; HEO, JINHYEOK; CHOI, YEONGSU
To: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 060716/0740 →
Priority Claims (2)
KR 10-2021-0082468 · Jun 24, 2021 · national
KR 10-2021-0103225 · Aug 5, 2021 · national
Continuity (2)
Continuation PCTKR2022008273 · Jun 13, 2022
Related Publication 20220416832A1 · Dec 29, 2022
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