Universal and lockable tablet personal computer protective case

Abstract

A universal and lockable tablet PC protective case serves to accommodate an external tablet PC and has a housing, four support pads and a lock assembly. The housing has an upper frame and a lower cover pivotally mounted on the upper frame. The support pads are detachably mounted on four corners of the lower cover. A thickness of each support pad plus a thickness of the tablet PC matches a height of a chamber inside the housing. Each support pad has a curved surface formed in a top of the support pad. The lock assembly locks the upper frame and the lower cover. The support pads are replaceable to provide different types of curved surfaces to accommodate tablet PCs having different shapes. Additionally, as the upper frame is securely locked on the lower cover, it is unnecessary to replace the protective case for insecure locking therebetween.

1 . A universal and lockable tablet personal computer (PC) protective case for accommodating an external tablet PC having a thickness and a rear panel, comprising:
 a housing having:
 a chamber defined in the housing; 
 an upper frame; and 
 a lower cover correspondingly mounted on the upper frame with one side of the lower cover pivotally mounted on a corresponding side of the upper frame and having:
 an inner bottom having four corners; 
 
   four support pads detachably mounted on the respective corners of the inner bottom of the lower cover, each support pad having:
 a top; and 
 a curved surface formed in the top of the support pad; and 
   a lock assembly mounted on the lower cover for locking the upper frame and the lower cover.   
     
     
         2 . The protective case as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein
 the lower cover further has:
 a peripheral wall formed around and protruding upwardly from a perimeter of the inner bottom of the lower cover and having:
 a top edge; 
 an outer surface; and 
 an inner surface; 
 
 four slip strips mounted on the inner bottom of the lower cover and adjacent to respective corners of the inner bottom, each slip strip being T-shaped in cross section and having a raised portion formed on the slip strip and facing a portion of the peripheral wall adjoining the pivoting side of the lower cover; 
 four tabs, each tab formed on and protruding from the top edge of the peripheral wall toward one of the slip strips; and 
 four fixing slots, each fixing slot formed in the inner bottom and between one of the slip strips and the tab adjacent to the slip strip; and 
   each support pad further has:
 a bottom; 
 a sidewall; 
 a release lever formed on the bottom of the support pad; 
 a slide channel formed in the sidewall of the support pad; and 
 a bevel block formed on the bottom of the support pad; 
   wherein after the raised portion of each slide strip is slidably inserted in the slide channels of one of the support pads, one side of the support pad opposite to the slide channel is slidably mounted between one of the tabs and the inner bottom of the lower cover so that the bevel block of the support pad is slidably moved to align with and engage the fixing slot and the support pad is fixed on the inner bottom of the lower cover.   
     
     
         3 . The protective case as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein
 the upper frame has:
 two buckle plates separately formed on and protruding downwardly from a side opposite to the side of the upper frame pivotally mounted to the lower cover, each buckle plate having a buckle hole formed through the buckle plate; and 
   the lower cover further has:
 two buckle inserts, each buckle insert formed on and protruding from the outer surface of the peripheral wall of the lower cover and corresponding to the buckle hole of one of the buckle plates, wherein after the upper frame is pivoted to correspondingly cover the lower cover, the two buckle inserts are respectively inserted in the buckle holes of the buckle plates to combine the upper frame with the lower cover. 
   
     
     
         4 . The protective case as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein
 the upper frame has:
 two buckle plates separately formed on and protruding downwardly from a side opposite to the side of the upper frame pivotally mounted to the lower cover, each buckle plate having a buckle hole formed through the buckle plate; and 
   the lower cover further has:
 two buckle inserts, each buckle insert formed on and protruding from the outer surface of the peripheral wall of the lower cover and corresponding to the buckle hole of one of the buckle plates, wherein after the upper frame is pivoted to correspondingly cover the lower cover, the two buckle inserts are respectively inserted in the buckle holes of the buckle plates to combine the upper frame with the lower cover. 
   
     
     
         5 . The protective case as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein
 the lower cover further has a lock hole formed through the peripheral wall and between the buckle inserts; and   the lock assembly has:
 a seat being L-shaped, abutting against the buckle plates of the upper frame and the outer bottom of the lower cover, and having a through hole corresponding to the lock hole of the lower cover between the two buckle inserts; and 
 a lock having:
 a key hole formed in the lock; 
 a pin having two retractable portions, being rod-like when the two retractable portions are retracted and hidden inside the pin by inserting and rotating an external key in the key hole, taking a cross-shaped form after the rod-like pin sequentially penetrates through the through hole of the seat and the lock hole of the lower cover and the retractable portions of the pin are restored to protrude beyond a periphery of the pin so as to hold the seat to abut against the two buckle plates of the upper frame; and 
 an anti-theft chain securely connected to the lock and adapted to be chained to a fixture. 
 
   
     
     
         6 . The protective case as claimed in  claim 4 , wherein
 the lower cover further has a lock hole formed through the peripheral wall and between the buckle inserts; and   the lock assembly has:
 a seat being L-shaped, abutting against the buckle plates of the upper frame and the outer bottom of the lower cover, and having a through hole corresponding to the lock hole of the lower cover between the two buckle inserts; and 
 a lock having:
 a key hole formed in the lock; 
 a pin having two retractable portions, being rod-like when the two retractable portions are retracted and hidden inside the pin by inserting and rotating an external key in the key hole, taking a cross-shaped form after the rod-like pin sequentially penetrates through the through hole of the seat and the lock hole of the lower cover and the retractable portions of the pin are restored to protrude beyond a periphery of the pin so as to hold the seat to abut against the two buckle plates of the upper frame; and 
 an anti-theft chain securely connected to the lock and adapted to be chained to a fixture. 
 
   
     
     
         7 . The protective case as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the lower cover further has a support stand pivotally mounted on the outer bottom of the lower cover, and supporting the protective case to stand after the support stand is pivoted and fixed relative to the lower cover. 
     
     
         8 . The protective case as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein the lower cover further has a support stand pivotally mounted on the outer bottom of the lower cover, and supporting the protective case to stand after the support stand is pivoted and fixed relative to the lower cover. 
     
     
         9 . The protective case as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein the lower cover further has a support stand pivotally mounted on the outer bottom of the lower cover, and supporting the protective case to stand after the support stand is pivoted and fixed relative to the lower cover. 
     
     
         10 . The protective case as claimed in  claim 4 , wherein the lower cover further has a support stand pivotally mounted on the outer bottom of the lower cover, and supporting the protective case to stand after the support stand is pivoted and fixed relative to the lower cover. 
     
     
         11 . The protective case as claimed in  claim 5 , wherein the lower cover further has a support stand pivotally mounted on the outer bottom of the lower cover, and supporting the protective case to stand after the support stand is pivoted and fixed relative to the lower cover. 
     
     
         12 . The protective case as claimed in  claim 6 , wherein the lower cover further has a support stand pivotally mounted on the outer bottom of the lower cover, and supporting the protective case to stand after the support stand is pivoted and fixed relative to the lower cover.