Abstract:
An earphone jack includes a main body, a number of guiding plates, at least one positioning plate, a number of blades, and a frame. The main body defines a hole. The guiding plates surround the hole, and the positioning plate is formed on the guiding plates. The blades rotatably engage with the guiding plates. The frame is mounted with the blades. When the frame is rotated, the blades moves along the guiding plates to allow the blades to provide different latching spaces for receiving different sizes earphone plugs.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
       [0001]    1. Technical Field 
         [0002]    The present disclosure generally relates to earphone jacks, and particularly, to an earphone jack for use in an electronic device. 
         [0003]    2. Description of Related Art 
         [0004]    Electronic devices, such as mobile phones, computers have an earphone jack. An earphone plug can be inserted into the earphone jack to transfer sound frequency signals to an earphone/headphone. 
         [0005]    However, conventional earphone plugs include two types, e.g. 2.5 mm diameter and 3.5 mm diameter. The 2.5 mm diameter of the earphone plug is used in the mobile phones, and the 3.5 mm diameter of the earphone plug is used in the computer. Consumers cannot use different kinds of earphones in the same electronic device. It can be inconvenient for consumers. 
         [0006]    Therefore, there is a room for improvement within the art. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0007]    Many aspects of the earphone jack and electronic device using the same can be better understood with reference to the following drawings. The components in the drawings are not necessarily to scale, the emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the earphone jack and electronic device using the same. Moreover, in the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views. 
           [0008]      FIG. 1  is an isometric view of an earphone jack into which an earphone plug is plugged. 
           [0009]      FIG. 2  is a disassembly isometric view of the earphone jack and the earphone shown in  FIG. 1 . 
           [0010]      FIG. 3  is an exploded, isometric view of the earphone jack. 
           [0011]      FIG. 4  is a plan view of the guiding plates arranged on the earphone jack. 
           [0012]      FIG. 5  is a partially assembled view of the earphone jack shown in  FIG. 4 . 
           [0013]      FIG. 6  is a partially assembled view of the earphone jack omitting the guiding plates. 
           [0014]      FIG. 7  is a cross-sectional view of  FIG. 1  taken along line VII-VII. 
           [0015]      FIG. 8  is a cross-sectional view of  FIG. 1  taken along line VII-VII when another size earphone plug is plugged into the earphone jack. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0016]      FIGS. 1 and 2  show an earphone jack  100  engaging with an earphone  200  according to an exemplary embodiment. The earphone jack  100  can be installed in a portable electronic device, such as a mobile phone or a computer, to convert electrical signals provided thereby into audio signals. The earphone  200  includes a cylindrical plug  210  with a first contact  201 , a second contact  202 , a third contact  203  and a fourth contact  204  for respectively electronically connecting the earphone jack  100 . In this exemplary embodiment, the diameter of the cylindrical plug  210  is 3.5 mm. 
         [0017]    Referring to  FIG. 3 , the earphone jack  100  includes a main body  10 , a plurality of guiding plates  20 , at least one positioning plate  30 , a plurality of blades  40 , and a frame  50 . The guiding plates  20  are mounted to the main body  10 , and are configured for engaging with the blades  40  to guide the movement of the blades  40 . The positioning plate  30  is used for limiting the blades  40  at a predetermined position. The frame  50  is configured for rotating the blades  40  along the guiding plates  20 . 
         [0018]    The main body  10  may be an independent element, or may be one part of the portable electronic device. The main body  10  includes an earphone hole  12  surrounded by a ring-like peripheral wall  14 . 
         [0019]    The guiding plates  20  are attached to the peripheral wall  14 , and are centered with the earphone hole  12 . In the exemplary embodiment, there are four guiding plates  20 . Referring to  FIG. 4 , each guiding plate  20  is an arcuate plate, and includes a first end surface  22 , a second end surface  23 , and an inner guiding surface  24 . The first end surface  22  is mounted to the peripheral wall  14  for mounting each guiding plate  20  to the peripheral wall  14 . Each second end surface  23  is arcuate. The second end surfaces  23  of the guiding plates  20  are arranged on a circle A having a center O 1  for receiving the earphone plug  200 . Each inner guiding surface  24  is arcuate, and is one part of a circle B having a center O 2 . The circle B extends though the center O 1  of the circle A. 
         [0020]    The positioning plates  30  are mounted to the inner guiding surfaces  24  of the guiding plates  20 . In the exemplary embodiment, there are three positioning plates  30 . The positioning plates  30  are mounted to the inner guiding surfaces  24  of three of the guiding plates  20 . Each positioning plate  30  includes a stopper surface  32  at one end thereof. 
         [0021]    The blades  40  are positioned on the guiding plates  24 , and can rotate along the guiding surfaces  24 . A length of each blade  40  depends on the length and height of its respective contacts  201 ,  202 ,  203 ,  204  on the plug  210 . In the exemplary embodiment, the blades  40  include a first blade  41 , a second blade  42 , a third blade  43  and a fourth blade  44 . The lengths of the first blade  41 , the second blade  42 , the third blade  43  and the fourth blade  44  respectively correspond to the first contact  201 , the second contact  202 , the third contact  203  and the fourth contact  204  for electronically connecting the first contact  201 , the second contact  202 , the third contact  203  and the fourth contact  204 . Each blade  40  includes a first surface  421 , a second surface  422 , a mounting end  44 , a mating end  48 , and a resisting end  46 . The shape of the first surface  421  mates with the inner guiding surface  24 , and the mating end  48  slidably abuts against the stopper surface  32  of each positioning plate  30 . The mounting end  44  defines a latching hole  442  for mounting with the frame  50 . When the blades  40  are rotated relative to the guiding surfaces  24 , the mating end  48  of the blades  40  will move on the stopper surfaces  32 . The stopper surfaces  32  can limit the blades  40  at a predetermined position relative to the guiding plates  20 . A conductive contact  49  is formed on the resisting end  46  of each blade  40  for electrically abutting against one of the first contact  201 , the second contact  202 , the third contact  203  and the fourth contact  204  of the earphone plug  210 . 
         [0022]    The frame  50  is made of elastic material, and includes a ring portion  52 , and a plurality of poles  54  and an operating rod  56 . The ring portion  52  defines an opening  522 . The poles  54  extend from one side of the ring portion  52 , and are parallel with each other. The length of the poles  54  correspond to the length of the blades  41 ,  42 ,  43 ,  44 , and are configured for mounting in the latching holes  442 . The operating rod  56  extends from another side of the ring portion  52  for driving the frame  50  to rotate in the earphone hole  14 . 
         [0023]    In assembly, referring to  FIGS. 5 and 6 , the positioning plates  30  are mounted to the inner guiding surface  24  of the guiding plates  20 . The positions of the positioning plates  30  are configured for abutting against the blades  40 . Then, the guiding plates  20  are adhered to the peripheral wall  14 . The poles  54  are inserted into the latching holes  442  to assemble the blades  40  on the frame  50 . After that, the frame  50  with the blades  40  are placed into the earphone hole  12  until the mating ends  48  abut against the stopper surfaces  32 . 
         [0024]    Referring to  FIG. 7 , the blades  40  abut against the earphone plug  210 . Referring to  FIG. 8 , when another size of earphone plug  310 , e.g. 2.5 mm diameter, is inserted into the space, the user only rotate the operating rod  56  along the hole  12  to rotate the frame  50 , the poles  54  of the frame  50  moves the blades  40  along the guiding plates  20  and the stopper surfaces  32 , the blades  40  will move toward the center O 1  of the hole  12 . When the blades  40  slide to a predetermined position, the blades  40  are kept in that position because of the role of the positioning plates  30 . Thus, the blades  40  define a differently sized space to receive a corresponding sized earphone plug  310 . 
         [0025]    It is to be understood, however, that even through numerous characteristics and advantages of the present disclosure have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and function of the disclosure, 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 disclosure to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed.