Battery cover fixing mechanism and battery cover and housing assembly

A battery cover fixing mechanism is provided for coupling a cover (1) to a housing (2) of a portable electronic device. The battery cover fixing mechanism includes a blocking mechanism, an opening (16), a latching mechanism, a slot (20) and a cutout (24). The cover forms the blocking mechanism and defines the opening. The housing defines the slot and the cutout. The latching mechanism includes a block (30), an elastic member (32), a slider (34) having a blocking part, and a holder (36) fixed to the housing. The slider is slidably attached on the holder. The block is fixed on the slider and extends through the cutout and the opening. The blocking mechanism of the cover engages in the slot of the housing and with the blocking part of the slider. Two ends of the elastic member are respectively attached to the holder and the slider.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention generally relates to battery cover assemblies, and more particularly to a battery cover fixing mechanism and a battery cover and housing assembly for use in a portable electronic device.

GENERAL BACKGROUND

Batteries are widely used in portable electronic devices such as personal digital assistants (PDAs) and cellphones. A battery is generally removably mounted in a receptacle of a housing of an electronic device. The receptacle is generally covered by a battery cover. When the battery is damaged or dead or needs to be recharged, the cover is removed from the housing, whereupon the battery can be taken out and later replaced.

A fixing mechanism is generally employed in a conventional battery cover, to engage with a housing of the portable electronic device. For example, a battery cover of an Alcatel® OT310 cellphone comprises a fixing mechanism. The fixing mechanism comprises a pair of hooks arranged at a lower end of the battery cover, and a locking pin arranged at an upper end of the battery cover. Correspondingly, a pair of slots is defined at a lower end of a back side of the housing, and a locking hole is defined at an upper end of the back side. In assembly, the hooks are inserted into the corresponding slots. Then, the battery cover is pressed downwardly such that the locking pins of the battery cover are inserted into the corresponding locking holes of the housing. The battery cover is thus assembled to the housing of the cellphone. The battery cover is simple in structure, and the engagement between the battery cover and the housing of the cellphone is secure. However, during disassembly of the cover from the housing of the cellphone, the battery cover is liable to be damaged because great force has to be exerted on the battery cover to detach the battery cover from the housing. As a result, it can be inconvenient for a user to change a battery.

Referring toFIG. 1, this shows another fixing mechanism, which is used to fix a battery104′ onto a back side of a cellphone housing102′. The fixing mechanism includes a hook106′, a spring108′, and a slot112′. The hook106′ includes an operating portion114′, an accepting portion116′, and a protrusion110′. The hook106′ is movably assembled to the back side of the cellphone housing102′. The spring108′ is disposed around the accepting portion116′, and lies between the cellphone housing102′ and the hook106′. The slot112′ is defined in the battery104′. The protrusion110′ is located in the slot112′ to fix the battery104′. When the battery104′ needs to be installed into the cellphone housing102′, the battery104′ is pressed into the cellphone housing102′. The hook106′ is caused to move lengthwise in a first direction along the cellphone housing102′, and the spring108′ is compressed. Eventually, the hook106′ reaches the slot112′. The spring108′ rebounds, and the hook106′ moves lengthwise in an opposite second direction along the cellphone housing102′. Thus the protrusion110′ snappingly engages in the slot112′, and the battery104′ is firmly fixed in the cellphone housing102′. When the battery104′ needs to released from the cellphone housing102′, the operating portion114′ is pressed in the first direction. Then the spring108′ is compressed, and the hook106′ disengages from the slot112′. The battery104′ can then be readily released. However, the fixing mechanism uses up extra space in the cellphone housing102′. The needed extra space may result in the cellphone being unduly large.

What is needed, therefore, is a new battery cover fixing mechanism for a portable electronic device which makes it convenient for a user to detach a battery cover from a housing of the portable electronic device, and which occupies minimal space of the housing of the portable electronic device.

SUMMARY

A battery cover fixing mechanism for a portable electronic device is provided. In a preferred embodiment, the cover couples to a housing of an electronic device by the battery cover fixing mechanism. The battery cover fixing mechanism includes a blocking mechanism, an opening, a latching mechanism, a slot and a cutout. The blocking mechanism is formed on the cover. The opening is defined in the cover. The latching mechanism includes a block, an elastic member, a slider having a blocking part, and a holder. The slot and the cutout are defined in the housing. The holder is fixed to the housing, the slider is slidably attached on the holder, the block is fixed on the slider and extends through the cutout and the opening so as to be exposed to a user, the blocking mechanism of the cover engages in the slot of the housing and with the blocking part of the slider, one end of the elastic member is attached to the holder, and an opposite end of the elastic member is attached to the slider.

A battery cover and housing assembly for a portable electronic device is provided. The battery cover and housing assembly includes a housing, a cover, and a latching mechanism. The housing has a slot and a cutout thereon. The cover has a blocking mechanism and an opening. The latching mechanism includes a block, an elastic member, a slider having a blocking part, and a holder. The holder is fixed to the housing, the slider is slidably attached on the holder, the block is fixed on the slider and extends through the cutout and the opening so as to be exposed to a user, the blocking mechanism of the cover engages in the slot of the housing and with the blocking part of the slider, one end of the elastic member is attached to the holder, and an opposite end of the elastic member is attached to the slider.

A main advantage of the battery cover fixing mechanism is that all the elements of the battery cover fixing mechanism are integrated together, to be a whole. Therefore, the battery cover fixing mechanism is steady. In addition, the battery cover is convenient to open and close. The cover can be released from the housing easily and conveniently just by pushing the block. Furthermore, the mechanism occupies a little space and will not waste space for the holder and the slider are very thin.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring toFIG. 2, this shows a battery cover fixing mechanism for use in an electronic device like a mobile phone (not shown), in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention. The battery cover fixing mechanism is shown and detailed as follows for the purposes of providing a simple description of the preferred embodiment of the present invention, and the present invention and embodiments thereof are not to be construed as being limited to the following description. The battery cover fixing mechanism is for fixing a cover1onto a housing2, and includes a latching mechanism (not labeled), a blocking mechanism (not labeled), an opening16, a slot20and a cutout24. The latching mechanism includes a block30, two springs32, a sliding frame34forming at least two engagement means thereon for the latching mechanism, and a holder36.

The cover1can be a single piece of shaped sheet material. The cover1has an inside surface100. The cover1also has a rearward section102, a central section104, and a front section106. The blocking mechanism includes a pair of rearward claws10, a pair of central claws12, and a pair of front claws14having a different forming orientation from the central claws12. The rearward claws10are symmetrically formed on the inside surface100of the cover1at the rearward section102. The central claws12symmetrically extend from two opposite edges of the inside surface100of the cover1at the central section104. The front claws14symmetrically extend from the inside surface100of the cover1at the front section106. The opening16is defined in the cover1between the front claws14. An end of each central claw12and each front claw14is chamfered, in order to facilitate installation of the cover1.

The housing2typically contains electric elements such as printed circuit boards (PCBs), and can for example be a part of a cellphone body. A receptacle21formed by an opening and an inner space of the housing2is defined in the housing2to receive a component of the mobile phone like a battery (not shown). The cover1covers the receptacle21. Two slots20are symmetrically defined in the housing2at one end thereof. The rearward claws10of the cover1engage in the slots20. The housing2has three sidewalls22around the receptacle21. Said cutout24is defined in the housing2, and faces the slots20.

Referring also toFIG. 3, the block30is generally cuboidal. A pair of posts300extends from one main surface of the block30. A projection302extends from an opposite main surface of the block30. The projection302is slightly smaller than the opening16, while the block30is larger than the opening16.

The springs32are helical and compressible. Each spring32has a hook320at each of opposite ends thereof.

The sliding frame34has a generally inverted ‘U’ shape, and is elastic. The sliding frame34comprises two opposite side portions3402, and a transverse portion3400perpendicularly interconnecting top ends of the side portions3402. The sliding frame34also comprises a blocking part (not labeled) as the at least two engagement means, which includes two first clasps342as a first engagement means and two second clasps345as a second engagement means. The second clasps345extend from the side portions3402respectively. An L-shaped catch piece340is formed on the middle of the transverse portion3400, corresponding to the cutout24. Two holes341are defined in a vertical portion of the catch piece340. The posts300of the block30are inserted into the holes341. The first clasps342are symmetrically formed on the transverse portion3400, and a pair of grooves343is symmetrically defined in the transverse portion3400. Each groove343is located between the catch piece340and a corresponding first clasp342. A first track344and a second track347are defined in each side portion3402. The first track344is adjacent the top end of the side portion3402near the transverse portion3400. The second track347is adjacent a bottom end of the transverse portion3400. A first catch346is formed on each side portion3402adjoining the second track347.

The holder36includes a generally rectangular plate3600. Two sidepieces3602are perpendicularly bent from two opposite long sides of the plate3600. A top piece3604is perpendicularly bent from a top side of the plate3600. A pair of inserting pieces360is vertically formed on the top piece3604. An aperture361is defined in the plate3600for receiving a SIM (subscriber identity module) card. A first tab363is formed on an upper portion of each sidepiece3602. A second tab365is formed on each sidepiece3602below the first tab363. An L-shaped second catch364is formed on each sidepiece3602below the second tab365. A gap366is defined in each sidepiece3602immediately below where the second catch364adjoins the sidepiece3602. A vertical portion of the second catch364is located opposite an upper portion of the gap366.

A process of assembling the latching mechanism on the housing2is as follows. Referring toFIG. 4, firstly, the holder36is fixed to the housing2by conventional methods such as adhering or welding. For example, the sidepieces3602and a bottom side opposite to the top piece3604of the holder36are adhered with the sidewalls22of the housing2. Next, the sliding frame34is assembled on the holder36. The transverse portion3400and the side portions3402of the sliding frame34respectively abut the top piece3604and the sidepieces3602of the holder36. The inserting pieces360of the holder36are received in the grooves343of the sliding frame34. The first tracks344and the second tracks347are respectively longer than the first tabs363and the second tabs365. The first tabs363and the second tabs365of the holder36are slidably received in the first tracks344and the second tracks347of the sliding frame34, respectively. Thus, the sliding frame34is slidable relative to the holder36. Then the springs32are installed on the sliding frame34and the holder36. The springs32are first stretched, and then the hooks320of each spring32are respectively engaged on one first catch346of the sliding frame34and one second catch364of the holder36. Finally, the posts300of the block30are inserted into the holes341of the sliding frame34, to thereby fix the block30in place.

Referring toFIGS. 4 and 5, when assembling the cover1and the housing2together, firstly, the rearward claws10of the cover1are engaged in the slots20of the housing2. Then the cover1is pushed toward the housing2. The front claws14and the central claws12of the cover1are respectively engaged with the first clasps342and the second clasps345of the sliding frame34, and the projection302of the block30extends through the opening16of the cover1and protrudes out from a front of the cover1. The cover1is thereby assembled onto the housing2by the latching mechanism. When the cover1needs to be opened, the block30is pushed upward by a user. The block30forces the sliding frame34to slide relative to the holder36and the cover1. The springs32are further stretched, and the first clasps342and the second clasps345of the sliding frame34respectively disengage from the front claws14and the central claws12of the cover1. Thereby, the cover1can be readily released from the housing2. Finally, the cover1is taken away from the housing2by a user. Thereupon, the springs32rebound, and the sliding frame34returns to its original position relative to the holder36under the elastic force of the springs32.

In other exemplary embodiments, the springs32can be replaced by other elastic members such as rubber bars. The sliding frame34is not limited to having an inverted ‘U’ shape. For example, the sliding frame34can instead by a rectangular plate with suitable holes, slots and hooks. The block30and the sliding frame34can be a unitary component. That is, a protuberance such as a block can be integrally formed on the sliding frame34. The holder36and the housing2can be manufactured as a unitary whole, or manufactured separately.