Patent Application
20070240323
Many aspects of the template for assisting cover design 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 template for assisting cover design. Moreover, in the drawings like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views.
Referring to
The decorative surface 12 includes an essentially flat portion 121 and a curved portion 122 defined in the center of the flat portion 121. The curved portion 122 can be, e.g., a spherical convex surface or a spherical concave surface. The curved portion 122 could instead be aspherical.
The flat portion 121 has six slots 124 defined therein, the depth of which is less than the thickness of the template 10 (i.e., the slots 124 are not through-slots). Each slot 124 extends from an outer edge of the decorative surface 12 to a fringe around the curved portion 122 and preferably extends from a corresponding corner of the decorative surface 12 to a fringe around the curved portion 122, along a radial direction (e.g., a diagonal direction, if at an angle to vertical/horizontal) of the decorative surface 12. Each respective slot 124 has a width different from that of any other slot, such width being in an approximate range from 0.1 mm to 0.5 mm. Thus, the flat portion 121 is divided into six sections by the slots 124. Each section has been respectively processed via a corresponding surface treatment process to form a particular texture. The particular texture of a given section is different from that of any of the other sections, in depth and/or in the treatment process used to form it. Each section has a circular hole 128 formed therein. Each circular hole 128 has a diameter different from that of any other circular hole. Each section and its corresponding side surface 14 define a semi-circular edge. Each semi-circular edge has a size different from any other semi-circular edge.
The decorative surface 12 has three positioning holes 16 defined therein. The positioning holes 16 are arranged in, e.g., a first triangle, which is concentric with the decorative surface 12. Each positioning hole 16 is located in a corresponding slot 124 and positioned adjacent to a corresponding corner of the template 10.
The back surface 13 has several affixing/attachment sections 132. Each affixing section 132 has a frame-shaped projection 134 formed around it. The affixing sections 132 can, for example, be coated with adhesive or have magnetic elements mounted thereon. Thus, the template 10 can be affixed to a desk or a demonstration board (neither of which is shown).
The back surface 13 further has three positioning pins 18 disposed thereon. The positioning pins 18 are arranged in a second triangle corresponding to the positioning holes 16. The second triangle is matingly aligned with the first triangle. When several templates 10 are stacked together, the positioning pins 18 of one template 10 are able to be inserted into corresponding positioning holes 16 of any other one template 10, ensuring a desired template set alignment. Other numbers of positioning pins 13 and corresponding positioning holes 16 could be used, so long as these also are equal in number and matingly aligned.
The decorative surface 12 of the template 10 can be further processed via, e.g., spray painting, electronic plating, physical vacuum deposition, anodizing, or electrophoresis plating. Thus, after being processed via one of those surface treatment technologies, decorative appearances of the decorative surface 10 in varying texture surfaces, semi-circular edges, slots, and/or holes can be shown. Designers can choose desired shapes and surface characteristics for covers for mobile devices, based upon a comparison between the decorative appearances of the various sections on the decorative surface 10, each of which with varying combination of texture surfaces, semi-circular edges, slots, and/or holes. Designers also can choose a desired surface treatment process for covers for mobile devices according to comparison between the decorative appearances of the decorative surface 10 processed via varying surface treatment technologies. It is further understood that multiple decorative surfaces 10 could be prepared to provide a greater number of textures and/or layouts to choose from.
It should be understood, however, 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 invention to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 200610060307.6 | Apr 2006 | CN | national |
