Electronic device with locking module

An electronic device includes a chassis, a cover on the chassis, a fixing member fixed on the cover and a handling member. A pair of latches are arranged on the chassis and each define a latching hole. The fixing member includes a substrate and a pair of side plates each defining a locking groove. A pair of catches extend upwards from the substrate and each define a locking groove. Cooperatively the locking groove and the latching groove forms a closed groove. The handling member includes a pivot received in the closed groove, and a pair of shafts in the guiding grooves. Firstly, the handling member rotates around the shafts to cause the pivot to engage with the latch, and then rotates into the aperture around the pivot to cause the shafts to move upwards to make the cover moving relative to the chassis to lock with the chassis.

BACKGROUND

1. Technical Field

The present disclosure relates to electronic devices, and particularly to a locking module of an electronic device for assembling the electronic device.

2. Description of Related Art

Generally, an electronic device has a shell for accommodating a plurality of electronic components therein. The shell includes a base and a cover detachably assembled on the base. Thus the cover can be disassembled to replace the electronic components when any of the electronic components needs to be replaced. However, conventionally, the cover is assembled to the base using a plurality of screws, which is inconvenient for either assembly or disassembly.

What is need, therefore, is an electronic device which can overcome the above limitations.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring toFIGS. 1 through 3, an electronic device100according to an exemplary embodiment includes a chassis10, a cover20, and a locking module30for assembling the cover20onto the chassis10. The cover20and the chassis10cooperatively define a space13receiving electronic components therein.

The chassis10includes a bottom wall11and a pair of side walls12. The bottom wall11is rectangular and elongated. The pair of side walls12extend from two longer sides of the bottom wall11. A limiting groove121is defined in a middle of each of the side walls12. The limiting groove121is L-shaped, and extends through a top side of the side wall12. A mounting board14is arranged on the bottom wall11of the chassis10and located near a front shorter side of the bottom wall11. A pair of latches15extend upwards from the mounting board14. The latches15are parallel to and spaced from each other. A latching groove151(seeFIG. 6) is defined in each of the latches15. The latching grooves151are L-shaped, and extend through top sides of the latches15.

The cover20includes a top wall22and a pair of lateral walls21. The top wall22of the cover20is similar to the bottom wall11of the chassis10in profile and size. The lateral walls21extend downwards from opposite longer sides of the top wall22, respectively. A pole211extends perpendicularly and inwards from an inner side of each lateral wall21corresponding to the limiting groove121of the side wall12of the chassis10. An aperture24is defined in the top wall22of the cover20at a position corresponding to the latches15. Four bores23extend through the top wall22of the cover20. The bores23are arranged around the aperture24.

Referring toFIGS. 4 and 5, the locking module30includes a fixing member40, a handling member50, a spring60, a locking member70and a clip80.

The fixing member40includes a substrate41. The substrate41includes a first portion42, a second portion43, and a connecting portion44interconnecting the first portion42and the second portion43. The first portion42and the second portion43are rectangular. The second portion43is higher than the first portion42, and is arranged parallel to the first portion42. The connecting portion44perpendicularly intersects with inner edges of the first portion42and the second portion43. A pair of end plates46,47extend upwards from outer edges of the first portion42and the second portion43of the substrate41, respectively.

A pair of first side plates45extend upwards from opposite sides of the first portion42of the substrate41. A guiding groove451is defined in each of the first side plate45. The guiding grooves451are V-shaped, and extend through top sides of the first side plates45. A first flange452bents outwards from each of the top sides of the first side plates45. A first fixing hole453is defined in each of the first flanges452. A pair of catches421extends upwards from the first portion42of the substrate41. The catches421are parallel to each other, and are formed adjacent to the first side plates45, respectively. A locking groove422is defined in each of the catches421, and extends through the catch421along a longitudinal direction of the fixing member40. Two opening423are defined in the first portion42of the substrate41between the catches421for extension of the latches15therethrough.

An engaging hole431is defined in the second portion43of the substrate41at a position adjacent to the connecting portion44. A pair of second side plates48extend upwards from opposite sides of the second portion43of the substrate41correspondingly. A second flange481bents outwards and transversely from each of the top sides of the second side plates48. A second fixing hole482is defined in each of the second flanges481. The first fixing holes453of the first side plates45and the second fixing holes482of the second side plates48are arranged corresponding to the bores23of the top wall22of the cover20. The substrate41, the end plates46,47, the first side plates45, and the second side plates48cooperatively define a chamber49for receiving the handling member50.

The handling member50includes a rectangular top plate51and a pair of lateral plates52extending downwards from opposite longer sides of the top plate51, respectively. A semi-circular shaped cutout511is defined at a front shorter side of the top plate51for facilitating operation of the handling member50. A mounting hole512is defined in the top plate51of the handling member50for extension of the locking member70. The mounting hole512is formed corresponding to the engaging hole431of the first portion42of the substrate41, and is adjacent to the cutout511of the top plate51.

A pivot53interconnects the lateral plates52of the handling member50. The pivot53is located adjacent to a rear shorter side of the top plate51. A shaft521extends perpendicularly and outwards from each of the pair of lateral plates52. The shafts521are collinear, and are not coaxial with the pivot53. In this embodiment, the shafts521are higher than the pivot53, and are closer to the mounting hole512relative to the pivot53.

The locking member70includes a column-shaped main body71, a head72formed at a top of the main body71, and an engaging end73formed at a bottom of the main body71. The head72is wider than the main body71of the locking member70. An circular notch74is defined in the main body71at a position adjacent to the head72for engaging the clip80.

When being assembled, firstly, the locking member70is locked on the handling member50by the clip80. The main body71of the locking member70extends downwards through the mounting hole512of the top plate51, and the head72of the locking member70abuts the top plate51at a periphery of the mounting hole512. The clip80engages in the notch74of the locking member70to hold the locking member70on the handling member50. The handling member50with the locking member70is then arranged into the chamber49of the fixing member40with the shafts521of the lateral plates52received in the guiding grooves451of the first side plates45of the fixing member40, and the pivot53received in the locking grooves422of the catches421of fixing member40. Then one end of the spring60is connected to the connecting portion44of the substrate41of the fixing member40, and the other end of the spring60is connected to the pivot53. Preferably, a length of the spring60at normal is slightly shorter than a distance between the connecting portion44and the locking groove422, thus the pivot53is limited in the locking grooves422of the catches421by the spring60which deforms slightly to apply a pulling force on the pivot53. Thus the handling member50and the fixing member40are assembled together.

Then the handling member50and the fixing member40together are arranged under the top wall22of cover20with the first fixing holes453and the second fixing holes482of the fixing member40aligned with the bores23of the top wall22, thus screws can extend through the bores23to engage with the first and second fixing holes482to assemble the handling member50, and the fixing member40to the cover20. In such a state, the handling member50is located in the aperture24and can rotate out of the aperture24.

Referring toFIGS. 2 and 6, in assembling the cover20to the chassis10, firstly, the cover20with the handling member50and the fixing member40is arranged on the chassis10and offset from the chassis10with a narrow distance L1. The poles211of the lateral plates21slide into the limiting grooves121of the side walls12of the chassis10, and the latches15of the mounting board14extend through the opening423of the first portion42of the substrate41. The latches15are located between the catches421, and adjacent to the catches421. Each locking groove422of the catch421and the corresponding latching groove151of the latch15face each other, and cooperatively form a closed groove to avoid escaping of the pivot53. The handling member50of the locking module30is rotated to be substantially perpendicular to the top wall22of the cover20. In such a state, the pivot53engages the catches421.

Then a force is applied on the handling member50to cause the handling member50to rotate anti-clockwise around the shafts521received in the guiding grooves451of the fixing member40. Firstly, the pivot53moves transversely into the latching grooves151and engages with the latches15since the pivot53limited by the latches15and the catches421, and can not move upwards. Referring toFIG. 7, the handling member50rotates around the pivot53after the pivot53moves to abut the catches421for limiting the latches15. In such a state, referring toFIG. 9, the shafts521in the guiding grooves451move upwards during rotation of the handling member50along the broken line A, and cause the fixing member40moves frontwards. The movement of the fixing member40causes the cover20to move frontwards relative to the chassis10since the fixing member40and the top wall22of the cover20are assembled together by screws.

Referring toFIGS. 1 and 8, when the handling member50is rotated to be received in the aperture24of the top plate51of the cover20, the cover20is moved to overlap with the chassis10, and the poles211of the cover20are engaged in the limiting grooves121to assemble the cover20and the chassis10together. Finally, the engaging end73of the locking member70is rotated to engage into the engaging hole431of the second portion43of the substrate41to enhance a stability of the electronic device100. Thus the cover20is locked onto the chassis10. When the cover20needs to be disassembled, firstly the engaging end73of the locking member70is rotated out of the engaging hole431of the substrate41, and then the handling member50is rotated clockwise to cause the cover20to move backwards. Thus the poles211of the cover20can be freed from the limiting grooves121of the chassis10, and accordingly, the cover20can be taken away from the chassis10. For the guiding grooves451are V-shaped, a track of the shafts521of the locking module30during disassembly of the cover20which is indicated as broken line B inFIG. 9is different from the track of the shafts521during assembly of the cover20which is indicated as broken line A. Thus rotation of the handling member50is easy, and assembly or disassembly of the cover20is convenient.