Protective Case Suggestions and Ideas

[Bloodhoundje 78]

First testprint made last night. I've split the bottom up in 2 parts to figure out how well the fit is. there is some slight (2mm) missalignment of the buttons and usb-c header and the camera placement is slightly off. I can now properly add the chamfer which is about 1.5mm (eyeballed, stil got to measure that tonight) and correct these errors. 

 

I expect the next version to be a perfect tight fit. from thereon I can start designing the mold and order some silicone to give it a try. 

@EskeRahn I will try to add a slight "edge" to the top of the cover to latch on the phone. There is some room to realize this (about 1mm). 

For the headphone and usb-c connectors I will likely go for an "open" approach. considering the line between the top/bottom on these is so thin that it would likely not last long anyways. as extra benefit it will be easier to get fitting connectors while the enclosure is around the phone.

 

Also, would you guys prefer the buttons to be covered and the silicone to protect these (makes them tougher to click). Or would you prefer an open design around them with direct reach to the original buttons?

 

p.s.

Once this design is fully done I will offer the files in .STL and .STEP free of charge so anyone can print/use them if they want to 😄.

Edited January 21, 2020 by Bloodhoundje
Extra info

[TeZtdevice 303]

2 minutes ago, Bloodhoundje said:

Also, would you guys prefer the buttons to be covered and the silicone to protect these (makes them tougher to click). Or would you prefer an open design around them with direct reach to the original buttons?

First... great job!
For these test print, it looks really good.

+1 covered buttons with silicone.

[EskeRahn 5,471]

53 minutes ago, Bloodhoundje said:

Also, would you guys prefer the buttons to be covered and the silicone to protect these (makes them tougher to click). Or would you prefer an open design around them with direct reach to the original buttons?

Awesome job!

On the buttons, I commonly see cases where the buttons are covered BUT the material is thinned around the 'block' covering the button. That is, there is a thin flex-zone that allows the button to move, .

Apart from that, in my experience cutting cases for the Pro1, the opening for the fingerprint reader need to be rather large, and preferably with slanted edges towards the device

Tried to make a rough and exaggerated sketch, blue button, orange case, read fingerprint reader

[Doktor Oswaldo 906]

1 hour ago, EskeRahn said:

Apart from that, in my experience cutting cases for the Pro1, the opening for the fingerprint reader need to be rather large, and preferably with slanted edges towards the device

Or just cover it completely it is not that useful anyway 😄

[EskeRahn 5,471]

2 hours ago, Doktor Oswaldo said:

Or just cover it completely it is not that useful anyway 😄

He he. You will find the fingerprint reader is MUCH more useful with a case, as it will not accidentally get triggered, so practically no more "Too many attempts...."

[silversolver 849]

2 hours ago, Doktor Oswaldo said:

Or just cover it completely it is not that useful anyway 😄

You meant "not useful at all," I think. :P I despise the presence of a fingerprint reader. I will disable mine at a hardware level if I can figure out how.

Edited January 21, 2020 by silversolver

[Uncledingo 25]

I love that guys are 3D printing cases. Just another reason I need to buy one for myself.

Im sure some of you remember the glorious droid 4. It had a two piece case and the part for the screen just clipped on the corners on the bevel. If the pro1 didn’t have the curved screen this would be easy... but I’m curious if something like this is still possible?

[Sero 89]

6 hours ago, Bloodhoundje said:

First testprint made last night. I've split the bottom up in 2 parts to figure out how well the fit is. there is some slight (2mm) missalignment of the buttons and usb-c header and the camera placement is slightly off. I can now properly add the chamfer which is about 1.5mm (eyeballed, stil got to measure that tonight) and correct these errors. 

Once this design is fully done I will offer the files in .STL and .STEP free of charge so anyone can print/use them if they want to 😄.

Please do! I'd be keen to print one out, or mess around with it. Cheers to @Keyahnig for the same.

If I'm not mistaken, a lot of the cheap mass-produced flip cases are just a hard case glued onto a cover. Therefore with these STLs it hopefully shouldn't be too difficult to get a flip case that's good enough. And we can work from there 😄

[EskeRahn 5,471]

21 minutes ago, Serolfic said:

If I'm not mistaken, a lot of the cheap mass-produced flip cases are just a hard case glued onto a cover. Therefore with these STLs it hopefully shouldn't be too difficult to get a flip case that's good enough. And we can work from there 😄

I can confirm that goes for the ones I have tested. 🙂

[lameboyadvance 98]

...Considering the screen/front of the phone is the same as the Elephone U/U Pro, what about the idea of fusing the inner rubber of a P20 pro flip case with the outer leather of an Elephone flip case? Would that remove the need to drill holes in the front of the case? (ignoring the rear camera/mic ones)

Edit: While these 3D printed cases are looking good, until they're ready for everyday use I'll still have to look into other alternatives in the meantime...

Edited January 23, 2020 by lameboyadvance

[lameboyadvance 98]

While it does seem the Elephone uses a centered rear camera design, they do make some interesting screen accessible case options for the Elephone.

Its a shame we can't slice the front off those and paste them on a P20 rear.

[EskeRahn 5,471]

6 hours ago, lameboyadvance said:

...Considering the screen/front of the phone is the same as the Elephone U/U Pro, what about the idea of fusing the inner rubber of a P20 pro flip case with the outer leather of an Elephone flip case? Would that remove the need to drill holes in the front of the case? (ignoring the rear camera/mic ones)

Edit: While these 3D printed cases are looking good, until they're ready for everyday use I'll still have to look into other alternatives in the meantime...

That might work, yes. But the Elephone being both 1mm less wide and 5.6mm less thick, we would miss quite a bit in circumference, so it would have to be a flip case that offered a quite loose fit.

I added a little on re-gluing the flip case here.

[EskeRahn 5,471]

5 hours ago, lameboyadvance said:

While it does seem the Elephone uses a centered rear camera design, they do make some interesting screen accessible case options for the Elephone.

Googled a bit for the interesting window-cases you found, and some seem to use a different approach for the hold. Reusable glue, rather than a inner soft shell.

 

One like this might work right out of the box without any modifications at all, as it is just the cover (though the front interaction on the lock screen might not, especially if used reversed).

This also used glue, but should be just fine to reverse, but would need a new camera hole

 

[lameboyadvance 98]

11 minutes ago, EskeRahn said:

One like this might work right out of the box without any modifications at all, as it is just the cover (though the front interaction on the lock screen might not, especially if used reversed).

That case does look interesting, but would that extra screen cutout match up with the Pro1s call screen (and lock screen as you said)?

The unique way it flips out at the back means no drilling holes for the camera/mic, and that large speaker hole on the front would probably also handle the notification led.

The only thing I'd have against it is their method of attaching it to the phone. A rubber holder lets you remove the phone at will and also protect the side of the phone, that glue strip would be a single use thing.

If only we could combine it with a rubber P20 holder, but that would probably then make the case not deep enough to hold the Pro1...

[EskeRahn 5,471]

47 minutes ago, lameboyadvance said:

That case does look interesting, but would that extra screen cutout match up with the Pro1s call screen (and lock screen as you said)?

The unique way it flips out at the back means no drilling holes for the camera/mic, and that large speaker hole on the front would probably also handle the notification led.

The only thing I'd have against it is their method of attaching it to the phone. A rubber holder lets you remove the phone at will and also protect the side of the phone, that glue strip would be a single use thing.

If only we could combine it with a rubber P20 holder, but that would probably then make the case not deep enough to hold the Pro1...

I doubt the window will fit, and especially not mounted up side down,,,, But could be wrong, If we are REALLY lucky then up side down small window will match the number, and the large one allow for a swipe up or down....

And the glue is supposed to be reusable, but for how many times I do not know. I also find the soft inner case approach more appealing, also giving better protection.

 

[lameboyadvance 98]

9 minutes ago, EskeRahn said:

I doubt the window will fit, and especially not mounted up side down,,,, But could be wrong, If we are REALLY lucky then up side down small window will match the number, and the large one allow for a swipe up or down....

Is that a screenshot from a Pro1? It doesn't look the correct aspect ratio.

Trying to resize that screenshot to fit this one from that site makes the screenshot way too long to fit the case in the picture.

[EskeRahn 5,471]

18 minutes ago, lameboyadvance said:

Is that a screenshot from a Pro1? It doesn't look the correct aspect ratio.

Trying to resize that screenshot to fit this one from that site makes the screenshot way too long to fit the case in the picture.

It is, after applying a red square and reducing to 40%. The Pro1 has 2:1 aspect ratio, and at least the uploaded image was 864x432.

Here a fake one with a fill of the background

 

(they use images from other phones in the listing...)

[EskeRahn 5,471]

HOLD it, it is their search-function that show wrong results!!!!! So it is NOT for the Elephone U Pro  🙄😫

http://www.mycaseshop.de/epages/64909749.sf/de_DE/?ObjectPath=/Shops/64909749/Categories/Elephone/Elephone_U__U_Pro

It is a generic case fitting many, and the images are misleading too... Hmm will try to find it somewhere else!!

Just ordered one, and we will see if/how it fits....

[lameboyadvance 98]

21 minutes ago, EskeRahn said:

HOLD it, it is their search-function that show wrong results!!!!! So it is NOT for the Elephone U Pro  🙄😫

Ah, that would explain the wrong case ratio/dimensions.

...Trying to locate a P20 flip case with the rear design of that linked case I did come across some front window variations for the P20 Pro (supposedly):

The first one uses some sort of conductive horizontal bar to allow swiping left/right. Since the Pro1 uses vertical swiping its kinda useless though (unless the Pro1 caller APK can be swapped for one with vertical swiping?).

The second appears to have a larger window for swiping, probably enough room there to register a swipe.

...The problem with using these window cases would be they end up being slimmer since you can't gain the extra height by removing the internal card pocket most cases put there instead.

Edited January 23, 2020 by lameboyadvance

[lameboyadvance 98]

...It looks as if the 'P20' small window cases might use a side window instead. Kinda useless for normal Android usage. ☹️

[EskeRahn 5,471]

8 minutes ago, lameboyadvance said:

The second appears to have a larger window for swiping, probably enough room there to register a swipe.

Note that for the Pro1, we would want the book to open to the right (Japan-style) to have the flap away to the back when using the keyboard. So the windows are going to be swapped, and the large top windows could be large enough for swiping up/down.

We would still need to cut/punch holes for the earpiece, used up side down though.

[lameboyadvance 98]

3 minutes ago, EskeRahn said:

Note that for the Pro1, we would want the book to open to the right (Japan-style) to have the flap away to the back when using the keyboard.

Is there any reason you can't leave the case the right way up? Normally you fold the front half of those cases out of the way to use them, any reason you can't do that when using the Pro1 normally + keyboard extended?

[EskeRahn 5,471]

3 minutes ago, lameboyadvance said:

Is there any reason you can't leave the case the right way up? Normally you fold the front half of those cases out of the way to use them, any reason you can't do that when using the Pro1 normally + keyboard extended?

Well You could do that (depending on how soft the case is), But it would be awkward at a table at the least, tilting the keyboard away. Also having it to the right prevents accidental key/fingerprint interaction.

I think the optimal would be to find one like the one we just found, but with a full front window, so people could mount it either way as they please. (Still those that would like it to the right would have to make speaker holes)

But the interesting is that by this we found a design that is cheap to make, and thus could be quite cheap to have produced specifically for the Pro1 at low volumes...

I Imagine a totally generic with/without the window, and with holes at both top and bottom so it can be used for any phone of similar dimesions, and open to either side as people would prefer to mount it...,

[lameboyadvance 98]

9 minutes ago, EskeRahn said:

I think the optimal would be to find one like the one we just found, but with a full front window, so people could mount it either way as they please. (Still those that would like it to the right would have to make speaker holes)

...Is a (existing, not Pro1 custom made) front window even viable? From what I've seen of the window cases (small, or large window) is they add an indent to the window edge, meaning you can't cut out the inside of the case to gain the extra height needed to fit the Pro1.

And while I would actually prefer a double sided clip on bumper case design, realistically this is the cheaper design method companies (and possibly even FxTec) will go with to provide a case for the Pro1...

[EskeRahn 5,471]

57 minutes ago, lameboyadvance said:

...Is a (existing, not Pro1 custom made) front window even viable? From what I've seen of the window cases (small, or large window) is they add an indent to the window edge, meaning you can't cut out the inside of the case to gain the extra height needed to fit the Pro1.

And while I would actually prefer a double sided clip on bumper case design, realistically this is the cheaper design method companies (and possibly even FxTec) will go with to provide a case for the Pro1...

Well a transparent window in a flip case would obviously not cover the entire area, but might be enough for basic interaction like answer/reject call and read an incoming mail/sms.

The touch interaction might not be totally fluent through a window - though the touch works perfectly if I put a clear case on a pro1 screen half (obviously too thick, but it technically works)

It will be interesting to see if anyone can make a bumper for the top half that can coexist with a shell for the lower. We will see.
I also see these flip-cases as temporary simple workaround, until a better solutions, as it is a bit annoying to both open a flip and open the keyboard. Not that it is complex or anything, just not super fluent.

Though I can with the roll-in method open BOTH the flip AND the keyboard in one movement!!
Here in factor 4 slow motion