Cover latching mechanism for electronic device

A cover latching mechanism for an electronic device includes a housing and a cover slidably mounted with the housing. The housing has a latching member and at least one limiting member. The cover has a cover body and a guiding rail formed on the cover body. The guiding rail is slidably mounted with the latching member. The limiting member is for preventing the guiding rail sliding apart from the housing.

BACKGROUND

1. Technical Field

The present disclosure generally relates to cover latching mechanisms, specifically to cover latching mechanisms for electronic devices, such as mobile phones.

2. Description of Related Art

Portable electronic devices such as digital cameras, mp3 players, video cameras, mobile phones, and personal digital assistants (PDAs) are widely used. Such portable electronic devices often use memory cards to store data and applications.

In some electronic devices, the memory cards are detachably received in the housings of the electronic devices. The memory card has a first electronic interface element. The housing of the electronic device has an opening in a wall thereof. A second electronic interface element is provided in the housing and exposed by the opening. When the memory card is used, the first electronic interface element is inserted into the second electronic interface element through the opening. This enables connectivity of the memory card and the electronic devices to facilitate data transfer between each. However, when no memory card is connected to the electronic device, the second electronic interface element of the electronic device is exposed to outside and liable to be polluted by dust and/or water. Consequently, the performance of the second electronic interface element is liable to be degraded.

Therefore, there is room for improvement within the art.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIGS. 1-2show a cover latching mechanism100for an electronic device including a housing10and a cover30slidable relative to the housing10.

The housing10has a bottom board11and a side wall12extending from a circumferential edge of the bottom board11. The side wall12defines an opening13and forms a positioning bar14at each edge of the opening13. A latching member15and two limiting members16are formed on the bottom board11and adjacent the opening13. The latching member15is L-shaped and has a latching body151and a projection152. The latching body151extends perpendicularly from the bottom board11. The projection152extends from a distal end of the latching body151and away from the opening13. Each limiting member16is formed at each side of the latching member15. Each limiting member16is L-shaped and has a limiting body161and a limiting projection162extending perpendicularly from a distal end of the limiting body161and towards the latching member15. The end of each limiting projection162has a wedge-shaped surface163.

The cover30includes a cover body31, two locking portions32, and a guiding rail33. The cover body31is made of hard plastic, e.g., admixture of acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene and polycarbonate. The cover body31has an inner surface311and defines an operating cutout312through one end thereof. The locking portions32are made of a softer plastic, e.g., thermoplastic urethanes. Each locking portion32is formed on the inner surface311and respectively at each end of the cover body31. Each locking portion32has a clasp321extending from a distal end thereof and each clasp321extends away from each other. Each locking portions32is for resisting the positioning bar14of the housing10. The guiding rail33is fixed on the inner surface311and formed between the locking portions32. The guiding rail33is made of a softer plastic, and advantageously made of thermoplastic urethanes. The guiding rail33defines a central channel331. The latching body151of the latching member15is slidably received in the channel331. The guiding rail33defines mounting cutouts332in each edge thereof and the guiding rail33is mounted with the housing10by the limiting projections162respectively travel through a corresponding mounting cutout332. The cover body31, the locking portions32, and the guiding rail33can be integrally formed by dual-molding.

In assembly, each mounting cutout332of the cover30faces a corresponding wedge-shaped surface163of the limiting member16of the housing10, then the guiding rail33is pressed downwardly to elastically deform the limiting projections162so that the limiting projections162travel through the mounting cutouts332thereby mounting the cover30with the housing10. The limiting projections162resist the guiding rail33to limit the movement of the guiding rail33in a vertical direction. The guiding rail33is located between the limiting bodies161and the latching member15is received in the channel331. The cover body31is pushed towards the housing10and the latching member15slides in the channel331, until the locking portions32reach the positioning bars14. The cover body31is further pushed to elastically deform the clasps321to slide over the positioning bars14and resist the positioning bars14. Thus, the cover latching mechanism100is assembled, as represented inFIG. 2.

FIG. 3shows an unlatched (i.e., opened) position of the cover latching mechanism100. To open the cover30, the cover body31is pulled away from the housing10by the operating cutout312. The locking portions32are elastically deformed to release from the positioning bars14. The guiding rail33slides relative to the latching member15, until the latching member15abuts against one end of the guiding rail33. Thus, the cover body31moves away from the housing10, forming a gap between the cover body31and the side wall12. A plug can be inserted into the housing10through the gap and the opening13.

The present cover latching mechanism100is simple to assemble. The cover30cannot release from the housing10due to the engagement of the projection152and the guiding rail33, and the engagement of the positioning bars14and the locking portions32.

It should be understood that the locking portions32and the positioning bars14may be omitted, and the cover body31may directly resist the side wall12of the housing through the opening13. The housing10may include only one limiting member16.