Battery cover assembly for portable electronic device

A battery cover assembly (100) includes a housing (10), a button assembly (20), a driving assembly (30), and a back cover (40). The button assembly includes a button portion (21) and a first latching portion (23). The back cover has a second latching portion (451). The driving assembly is configured for driving the back cover along a second axis. The button assembly is mounted on the housing and is movable along a first axis. The back cover covers the housing and is movable along the second axis. The first latching portion engages with the second latching portion in order to lock it to the back cover. When the button portion is pressed to move along the first axis, the second latching portion disengages from the first latching portion, and the back cover is moved along the second axis, under the force of the driving assembly.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

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

2. Discussion of the Related Art

Batteries are widely used in portable electronic devices, such as personal digital assistants (PDAs), mobile phones, and so on. The batteries are attachably received in the electronic device, and battery covers are designed to connect with housings of the electronic devices to package the batteries. The batteries have to be replaced by opening the battery covers when, e.g., the batteries are damaged or dead (i.e., no longer rechargeable). Thus, the battery covers can be separated from the housings for replacing the battery.

A typical battery cover assembly for a portable electronic device includes a cover, a housing, a button and a spring. The housing has a groove defined therein. The bottom of the button is connected with the spring. The button and the spring are received together in the groove of the housing, and the button may move relative to the housing under the role of the elastic force of the spring. A pair of clasps is disposed on two sides of the button. The cover has two spaced cutouts defined therein, which receive the clasps of the button. In assembly, the button is pressed downward. At the same time, the cover is disposed on the housing. Then, the button is released, and the button moves upward under the force of the spring. Accordingly, each of the clasps is engaged in a given cutout of the cover. The battery cover is thus assembled to the housing of the mobile phone. However, during disassembly, a relatively great effort is needed to disassemble the battery cover, since a substantial force is exerted thereon. Therefore, the battery cover is susceptible to damage during such disassembly. As a result, it is inconvenient for a user to replace a battery in the housing of the mobile phone.

A new battery cover assembly is desired in order to overcome the above-described shortcomings.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In one embodiment, a battery cover assembly is provided. The battery cover assembly includes a housing, a button assembly, a driving assembly, and a back cover. The button assembly includes a button portion and a first latching portion. The back cover has a second latching portion. The driving assembly is configured (i.e., structured and arranged) for driving the back cover along the second axis. The button assembly is mounted on the housing and is movable along a first axis. The back cover covers/encloses the housing and is movable along a second axis. The first latching portion engages with the second latching portion and is thereby configured for locking the back cover. When the button portion is pressed to move along the first axis, the second latching portion disengages from the first latching portion, and the back cover is moved along the second axis under the driving assembly.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring toFIG. 1, a battery cover assembly100for use in an electronic device includes a housing10, a button assembly20, a driving assembly30and a back cover40.

The housing10includes a first housing portion11with a first upper surface110and a second housing portion12with a second upper surface120. The first housing portion11and the second housing portion12are integrally formed together, and the first upper surface110is higher than the second upper surface120. Thus, a step wall112is defined between the first upper surface110and the second upper surface120. The first housing portion11has a semi-circular groove16defined therein adjacent to the second housing portion12. An arcuate grooved wall161and a flat bottom wall162co-operatively define the semi-circular groove16. The bottom wall162has a protruding post163formed thereon and two receiving holes164. The two receiving holes164are defined at two sides of the protruding post163, respectively. Each end of the step wall112has a fixing hole113defined therein. The second housing portion12has a recessed portion121recessed/indented from the second upper surface120and has two fix stoppers122formed thereon. The recessed portion121is located at one end of the second upper surface120adjacent to the step wall112and is configured for receiving a battery. The fix stoppers122are located at the other end the second upper surface120, opposite to the step wall112. Each fix stopper122has a latching notch124formed therein. Each latching notch124is aligned concentrically with and laterally spaced from a corresponding fixing hole113.

Referring toFIG. 2, the button assembly20includes a pressing portion21, two elastic L-shaped arms22, a first latching portion23, and a first resilient member24. The pressing portion21is half disc-shaped. The two L-shaped arms22are symmetrically disposed on a bottom surface211of the pressing portion21and configured for engaging in the receiving holes164. The first latching portion23includes a fixing portion231and a hook portion232. The fixing portion231is attached to the bottom surface211located between the elastic L-shaped arms22. The hook portion232bends from the fixing portion231, and is oriented perpendicular to the fixing portion231, thereby forming a hooked configuration. The resilient member24can, for example, be a coil spring. One end of the resilient member24resists the bottom surface211of the pressing portion21. The other end of the first resilient member24can be fixed on the protruding post163of the housing10.

The driving assembly30includes two guide poles31and two second resilient members32. The second resilient members32are coil springs. Each second resilient member32is coiled around a corresponding guide pole31. Each guide pole31can be fixed on the housing10, with one end being inserted in the fixing hole113, with the other end being locked in the latching notch124.

Referring toFIG. 3, the back cover40has a base wall41, two opposite sidewalls42, and an end wall43. The two opposite sidewalls42and the end wall43are located on an outer periphery of the base wall41. Each sidewall42has two spaced guiding blocks44mounted thereon. Each guiding block44has a guiding hole441. Each guiding hole441is aligned concentrically with another neighboring guiding hole441(i.e., within the other guiding block44mounted on the same sidewall42). A rectangular protrusion45extends from one end of the base wall41, opposite to the end wall43. The rectangular protrusion45has a second latching portion451formed thereon. The second latching portion451is hook shaped and can engage with the first hooked latching portion23.

Referring toFIG. 4,FIG. 5, andFIG. 6, in assembly of the battery cover assembly100, one end of the first resilient member24is coiled around the protruding post163. The L-shaped arms22of the button assembly20are slidably inserted in the receiving holes164, with the bottom surface211resisting the other end of the first resilient member24. The first latching portion23extends out of the semi-circular groove16. Thus, the button assembly20is slidably received in the semi-circular groove16. The two guide poles31are slidably mounted on back cover40with each guide pole31running through two neighboring guiding holes441of the guiding blocks44. Each second resilient member32is coiled around one end of a corresponding guide pole31, opposite to the end wall43, and resists one of the guiding blocks44. Each of the guide poles31is then fixed to the housing10, with a first end thereof opposite to the end wall43being inserted in the fixing hole113and an opposite second end adjacent to the end wall43being locked in the latching notch124. The second resilient members32are compressed between the step wall112and the guiding blocks44. Thus, the back cover40is assembled together with the housing10.

When the battery cover assembly100is closed, the back cover40covers the second housing portion12of the housing with the second resilient members32being compressed, and the second latching portion451engages with the first hooked latching portion23of the button assembly20.

When the battery cover assembly100is being opened, the pressing portion21of the button assembly20is pressed into the semi-circular groove16. The second latching portion451, then releases itself from the engagement with the first hooked latching portion23. The second resilient members32applies an elastic (i.e., spring) force to the back cover40to push the back cover40to move away from the step wall112of the first housing portion11along the guide poles31, so as to expose the recessed portion121. A battery (not labeled) received in the recessed portion121can then be replaced.