Waterproof structure of a casing

A waterproof structure of a casing has a case body and a cover pivotally mounted on the case body. The case body has a recess, a water collecting sump defined in the recess and two abutting protrusions respectively formed on two opposite inner sidewalls of the case body. The cover has an outer shell, and an inner stop and two side stops formed on an inner surface of the outer shell. When the cover pivots to cover the recess of the case body, the inner stop and the side stops prevent moisture and dust from entering the case body from a clearance formed between a pivot edge of the outer shell and the water collecting side surface of the case body.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a waterproof structure of a casing and, especially, to a waterproof structure that prevents moisture and dust from entering a casing from where a case body and a cover of the casing pivotally connect to each other.

2. Description of the Prior Art(s)

A smart card, such as a subscriber identity module (SIM) card, a memory card or the like, is inserted in a portable electronic device, such as a mobile phone, a tablet computer, a digital camera, a personal digital assistant (PDA) or the like, to allow the portable electronic device to read data stored in the smart card.

A conventional electronic device has a case body and a cover. The case body has a slot formed in the case body. The cover selectively covers the slot of the case body. Preferably, the cover has a pivot edge pivotally connected to the case body. Thus, when the cover pivots to reveal the slot, the smart card is capable of being inserted into the slot of the case body to connect with electronic elements in the conventional electronic device. Then the cover pivots reversely to cover the slot of the case body so the smart card is stored in the slot of the case body.

However, since the cover is pivotally mounted on the case body, a clearance of about 0.3 millimeter (mm) between the pivot edge of the cover and the case body has to be reserved to allow the cover to pivot relative to the case body. Thus, moisture and dust inevitably enter the case body through the clearance and damage the electronic elements inside the case body. Consequently, the conventional electronic device is unable to pass an electro static discharge (ESD) test.

To overcome the shortcomings, the present invention provides a waterproof structure of a casing to mitigate or obviate the aforementioned problems.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The main objective of the present invention is to provide a waterproof structure of a casing. The waterproof structure of a casing has a case body and a cover pivotally mounted on the case body. The case body has a recess, a water collecting sump defined in the recess and two abutting protrusions respectively formed on two opposite inner sidewalls of the case body. The cover has an outer shell, and an inner stop and two side stops formed on an inner surface of the outer shell.

When the cover pivots to cover the recess of the case body, the inner stop and the side stops prevent moisture and dust from entering the case body from a clearance formed between a pivot edge of the outer shell and the water collecting side surface of the case body.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

With reference toFIG. 1, a waterproof structure of a casing in accordance with the present invention comprises a case body10and a cover20.

With further reference toFIG. 2, the case body10has a top surface101, an outer side surface102, a recess11, two inner sidewalls103, a water collecting side surface104, a side opening105, a water collecting panel12, a shield13, a water collecting sump15and two abutting protrusions14.

The outer side surface102is adjacent to the top surface101. The recess11is formed in the top surface101and is formed through the outer side surface102. The inner sidewalls103are defined in the recess11and are opposite to each other. The water collecting side surface104is defined in the recess11and has two ends respectively connected to the inner sidewalls103. The side opening105is formed on the outer side surface102and is opposite to the water collecting side surface104.

With further reference toFIG. 4, the water collecting panel12is formed on and protrudes from the water collecting side surface104, protrudes toward the side opening105and has a distal edge and two ends. The ends of the water collecting panel12are respectively connected to the inner sidewalls103.

The shield13is formed on the water collecting panel12and is disposed along the distal edge of the water collecting panel12. The water collecting sump15is formed beside the water collecting side surface104, is defined on the water collecting panel12and is surrounded by the inner sidewalls103, the water collecting side surface104and the shield13. The abutting protrusions14are respectively formed on the inner sidewall103of the case body10. Each abutting protrusion14is elongated and has two ends. One end of each abutting protrusion14is connected to the shield13. The other end of each abutting protrusion14protrudes toward the side opening105.

With further reference toFIG. 3, the cover20is pivotally mounted on the case body10, selectively covers the recess11of the case body10and has an outer shell21, two retaining protrusions23, an inner stop221, an outer stop222and two side stops223.

The outer shell21has a pivot edge212, two pivot portions211, a distal edge213and two opposite side edges214. The pivot portions211are respectively formed on two ends of the pivot edge212and are pivotally connected to the case body10.

With further reference toFIG. 5, the retaining protrusions23are elongated, are formed on an inner surface of the outer shell21and are respectively disposed adjacent to and parallel to the side edges214of the outer shell21.

The inner stop221is made of waterproof adhesive, is elongated, is formed on the inner surface of the outer shell21, is parallel to the pivot edge212of the outer shell21and has two ends, an inner sidewall and a protrusion224. The ends of the inner stop221respectively extend toward the side edges214of the outer shell21. The inner sidewall of the inner stop221corresponds to the pivot edge212of the outer shell21. The protrusion224is elongated, is formed on the inner sidewall of the inner stop221and is disposed between the pivot portions211of the outer shell21.

The outer stop222is made of waterproof adhesive, is formed on the inner surface of the outer shell21, is disposed adjacent to the distal edge213of the outer shell21and selectively covers the side opening105of the case body10.

The side stops223are made of waterproof adhesive, are formed on the inner surface of the outer shell21and are respectively disposed adjacent to the side edges214of the outer shell21. Each side stop223is disposed between one side edge214of the outer shell21and the retaining protrusion23that is adjacent to the side edge214of the outer shell21, and has two ends respectively connected to the outer stop222and the inner stop221.

In this preferred embodiment, the retaining protrusions23and the outer shell21are formed integrally. Alternatively, the retaining protrusions23may also be made of waterproof adhesive, and the retaining protrusions23, the inner stop221, the outer stop222and the side stops223are formed integrally on the inner surface of the outer shell21.

With reference toFIG. 1, a smart card30with a subscriber identity module (SIM) is inserted into the recess11of the case body10from the side opening105.

With further reference toFIG. 4, when the cover20pivots to cover the recess11, the inner stop221and the protrusion224of the inner stop221abut a bottom defined in the water collecting sump15, i.e. the water collecting panel12, and the inner stop221further abuts the shield13.

With further reference toFIG. 5, the side stops223of the cover20are respectively pressed against the abutting protrusions14of the case body10. Thus, the inner stop221and the side stops223prevent moisture and dust from entering the case body10from a clearance formed between the pivot edge212of the outer shell21and the water collecting side surface104of the case body10.