Electronic device with latching assembly

An electronic device with a latching assembly includes a housing, a battery cover, a circuit board, and a latching assembly. The battery cover includes a pair of hook portions. The circuit board is mounted in the housing. The latching assembly includes a touch element, a magnetic element, and a pair of latching elements. The touch element and the magnetic element are electrically connected to the circuit board. The latching elements are connected with two opposite ends of the magnetic element, respectively. The latching elements cooperate with the hook portions to secure the battery cover to the housing. When the touch element is touched, a touch signal is generated and transmitted to the circuit board, the circuit board charges the magnetic element in response to the touch signal, and when the magnetic element is charged, the magnetic element contract to cause the latching elements to disengage from the hook portions.

BACKGROUND

1. Technical Field

The present disclosure relates to electronic devices and, particularly, to an electronic device with a latching assembly.

2. Description of Related Art

A latching structure is generally used to engage a battery cover with a housing of a portable electronic device such as a mobile phone. The latching assembly usually includes a pair of hooks formed at one end of the battery cover and a locking pin protruding from the other opposite end of the battery cover. Accordingly, a pair of grooves is defined in one end portion of a backside of the housing of the mobile phone, and a locking hole is defined in the other opposite end portion of the backside of the housing. In assembly, the hooks of the battery cover are firstly inserted into the grooves of the housing, respectively. Then, the battery cover is pressed to the housing until the locking pin of the battery cover is inserted into the locking hole of the housing. Such kind of a latching assembly is simple in structure, and the engagement between the battery cover and the mobile phone is firm. However, during disassembly, great effort is needed to remove the battery cover from the housing, which makes the battery cover susceptible to damage and makes it is inconvenient for a user to replace the battery.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring toFIGS. 1-3, an embodiment of an electronic device99is illustrated. The electronic device99includes a housing188, a battery cover300, a latching assembly400, a display500, a circuit board600, and a battery700. The latching assembly400is configured for fastening/securing the battery cover300to the housing188and also for removing the battery cover300from the housing188. The housing188cooperates with the battery cover300to form an interior space for receiving the display500, the circuit board600, and the battery700.

Referring also toFIGS. 4-5, the housing188includes a first shell100and a second shell200secured to the first shell100. The first shell100includes a first base board120and four first sideboards140perpendicularly secured to the first base board120. The display500is mounted on the first base board120.

The second shell200includes a second base board220and four second sideboards230perpendicularly secured to the second base board220. The second base board220defines a receiving space210for receiving the battery cover300. Also defined in the second base board220is a battery cavity240below and communicating with the receiving space210for receiving the battery700. The bottom surface215of the receiving space210defines a pair of latching holes270and a pair of first through holes280. The latching holes270and the first through holes280are adjacent to one sidewall of the battery cavity240. The latching holes270are disposed between the first through holes280. A pair of apertures290is formed on the bottom surface215of the receiving space210. The apertures290are far away from the latching holes270and the first through holes280and adjacent to opposite sidewalls of the battery cavity240, respectively.

A receiving portion250and a pair of receiving posts262are formed on the second base board220facing the first shell100. Each of the receiving posts262defines a second through hole262. Each of the second through holes262communicates with one of the first through holes280. The diameter of each of the second through holes262is larger than that of each of the first through holes280.

The receiving portion250is disposed between the receiving posts262. The receiving portion250includes a first baffle252, a second baffle254, and a limiting portion256disposed between the first baffle252and the second baffle254. The first baffle252cooperates with the second baffle254to form a receiving cavity258. An opening2522is formed in the first baffle252. The limiting portion256is aligned with the opening2522.

A pair of hook portions320protrudes from one end of the battery cover300facing the second shell200. Each of the hook portions320is aligned with one of the latching holes270. A pair of projections340corresponding to the apertures290protrudes from the opposite end of the battery cover300.

The latching assembly400includes a touch element410, a magnetic element420, a pair of latching elements430, and a pair of resisting elements445.

In the embodiment, the touch element410is made of metal. The touch element410includes a touch portion412and a first connecting portion414. When the touch portion412is touched by a user, a touch signal is generated.

The magnetic element420includes two coaxial magnetic coils422and424. The magnetic coils422and424are connected in series to form a loop. A second connecting portion4234is formed on the magnetic element420to connect the magnetic coils422and424to each other. A limiting space4236is formed between the magnetic coils422and424.

Each of the latching elements430includes a fixing portion432and a latching portion434secured to the fixing portion432. Each of the latching portions434corresponds to one of the hook portions320.

Each of the resisting elements445includes an elastic portion440and a resisting portion450. In the embodiment, the elastic portion440is a spring. The resisting portion450includes a first cylinder452and a second cylinder454secured to the first cylinder452. The spring440resists the first cylinder452. The diameter of the first cylinder452is less than that of the second through hole262and is larger than that of the first through hole280. The diameter of the second cylinder454is less than that of the first through hole280.

The following description is for illustrating the process of assembling the electronic device99. The magnetic element420is mounted in the receiving cavity258by passing the limiting portion256through the limiting space4236and placing the second connecting portion4234into the opening2522. Each of the fixing portions432is inserted into one of the opposite ends of the magnetic element420. Each of the second cylinders454is placed into one of the first through holes280, each of the first cylinders452is placed into one of the second through holes262, and each of the springs440is placed into one of the second through holes262to resist one of the first cylinders452. The display500and the circuit board600are mounted on the first shell140. The first shell140is secured to the second shell200to cause the second connecting portion4234to be electrically connected to the circuit board600. The touch element410is mounted on the bottom surface215of the receiving space210to cause the first connecting portion414to be electrically connected to the circuit board600. The battery700is placed in the battery cavity240. The battery cover300is secured to the second shell200by placing the projections340into the apertures290, and by passing the hook portions320through the latching holes270to hook onto the latching portions430. After assembly, each of the springs440is compressed by the pressure of the battery cover300.

Referring also toFIG. 6, when the touch portion410is touched by a force via the battery cover300, a touch signal is transmitted to the circuit board600. The circuit board600charges the magnetic element420via the second connecting portion4234in response to the touch signal. When the magnetic element420is charged, the magnetic coils422and424contract, thus the latching portions434disengage from the hook portions320, and each of the springs440rebounds to resist one of the resisting portions450. Each of the resisting portions450resists the battery cover300until the battery cover300can be removed from the housing188due to the spring force of each of the springs440.