Abstract:
A jack assembly includes a jack element, an elastic element, and at least one latching portion. The jack element defines a jack opening configured for receiving an electronic element therein. The elastic element is mounted in a side of the jack element. The at least one latching portion protrudes on the elastic element and extends towards the jack opening. The at least one latching portion detachably latches the electronic element to the jack opening so as to secure the electronic element within the jack opening.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims priority to Chinese Patent Application No. 201310411497.1 filed on Sep. 11, 2013, the contents of which are incorporated by reference herein. 
     FIELD 
     The disclosure generally relates to a jack assembly and a portable electronic device with the jack assembly. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Portable electronic device, such as a mobile phone or a personal digital assistant (PDA), commonly has a jack for receiving an electronic element, for example, an earphone plug. When the electronic element is used, an unexpected pull on a line of the electronic element may pull the electronic element out of the jack. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Implementations of the present technology will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the attached figures. 
         FIG. 1  is an exploded, isometric view of an embodiment of a portable electronic device for receiving an electronic element. 
         FIG. 2  is similar to  FIG. 1 , but shown from another angle. 
         FIG. 3  is an assembled, isometric view of the portable electronic device of  FIG. 2 . 
         FIG. 4  is an isometric, partially cross-sectional view of the portable electronic device of  FIG. 3 . 
         FIG. 5  is a cross-sectional view of the portable electronic device of  FIG. 3 , showing the electronic element latched in a jack assembly of the portable electronic device. 
         FIG. 6  is similar to  FIG. 5 , but showing the electronic element unlatched with the jack assembly of the portable electronic device. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     It will be appreciated that for simplicity and clarity of illustration, where appropriate, reference numerals have been repeated among the different figures to indicate corresponding or analogous elements. In addition, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the embodiments described herein. However, it will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that the embodiments described herein can be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, methods, procedures and components have not been described in detail so as not to obscure the related relevant feature being described. Also, the description is not to be considered as limiting the scope of the embodiments described herein. The drawings are not necessarily to scale and the proportions of certain parts have been exaggerated to better illustrate details and features of the present disclosure. 
     Several definitions that apply throughout this disclosure will now be presented. 
     The term “substantially” is defined to be essentially conforming to the particular dimension, shape or other word that substantially modifies, such that the component need not be exact. For example, substantially cylindrical means that the object resembles a cylinder, but can have one or more deviations from a true cylinder. The term “comprising” when utilized, means “including, but not necessarily limited to”; it specifically indicates open-ended inclusion or membership in the so-described combination, group, series and the like. 
       FIG. 1  illustrates an embodiment of a portable electronic device  100 . The portable electronic device  100  may be a mobile phone, a personal digital assistant (PDA), or a handheld computer. The portable electronic device  100  includes a housing  10 , a circuit board  20 , and a jack assembly  40 . The circuit board  20  and the jack assembly  40  are both positioned in the housing  10 . The jack assembly  40  is electronically connected to the circuit board  20  and is configured to receive and latch an electronic element  50 . In this embodiment, the electronic element  50  is an earphone. 
     The housing  10  includes a bottom surface  101  and a peripheral wall  102 . The peripheral wall  102  extends substantially perpendicularly from a periphery of the bottom surface  101 . An assembling hole  11  is defined in an inner surface of the peripheral wall  102  and an outside surface of the peripheral wall  102 . The bottom surface  101  and the peripheral wall  102  cooperatively form a mounting space  13 . The mounting space  13  communicates with the assembling hole  11 . 
     As illustrated, the housing  10  further includes at least one post  15 . In this embodiment, there are two posts  15 . The two posts  15  are positioned in the bottom surface  101  and each post  15  defines an axis hole  151 . 
     The circuit board  20  can be received in the mounting space  13 . The circuit board  20  includes at least one mounting hole  21  corresponding to the at least one post  15  and at least one mounting element  23 . In this embodiment, there are two mounting holes  21  and two mounting elements  23 . The mounting elements  23  can be screws. The circuit board  20  is received in the mounting space  13  through the two mounting elements  23  extending through the corresponding mounting holes  21  and the axis holes  151 , and is supported by the posts  15 . In other embodiments, the circuit board  20  can be received in the mounting space  13  through other means. 
     The jack assembly  40  includes a jack element  41 , an elastic element  43 , a sealing element  45 , and a connector  47 . The jack element  41  is positioned in the inner surface of the peripheral wall  102  and defines a jack  411 . The jack  411  is aligned with the assembling hole  11  and communicates with the assembling hole  11  and the mounting space  13 . 
     The elastic element  43  is substantially a closed ring and is assembled in a side of the jack element  41  opposite to the outside surface of the peripheral wall  102 . The elastic element  43  includes at least one latching portion  431 . In this embodiment, there are four latching portions  431  and the latching portions  431  can be hooks. A through hole  433  is defined in the middle of the elastic element  43 . The latching portions  431  protrude from the edge of the through hole  433  and are inclined towards the through hole  433 . At least one positioning hole  435  is defined in the elastic element  43 . The jack element  41  further includes at least one protrusion  413  corresponding to the at least one positioning hole  435 . In this embodiment, there are two positioning holes  435  and two protrusions  413 . The elastic element  43  can be secured to the jack element  41  through the two protrusions  413  engaging in the positioning holes  435 . 
     As illustrated, at least one receiving slot  415  corresponding to the at least one latching portion  431  is defined and recessed in a bottom surface of the jack  411 . The at least one receiving slot  415  communicates with the jack  411  and is configured to releasably receive the latching portions  431 . 
       FIG. 2  shows one portion of the jack element  41  is exposed from the assembling hole  11 , that is, one portion of the jack element  41  seals a portion of the assembling hole  11 , thereby to form a stepped recess  17 . 
     The sealing member  45  is secured in the stepped recess  17  and seals gaps between the electronic element  50  and the jack element  41  when the electronic element  50  is received in the jack  411 . In this embodiment, the sealing member  45  can be made of resilient materials, such as rubber, sealing cushion. 
     The connector  47  is positioned on a side of the circuit board  20  and is electronically connected to the circuit board  20 . The connector  20  includes a port  471 . The port  471  is aligned with the assembling hole  11  and the jack  411 . The port  471  is configured to receive the electronic element  50  to form an electrical connection with the electronic element  50 . 
     As illustrated, the electronic element  50  includes a plug  51 . The plug  51  defines at least one matching groove  52  corresponding to the latching portion  431 . The electronic element  50  is latched in the jack  411  when the latching portion  431  is received in the matching groove  52  and the electronic element  50  is unlatched with the jack  411  when the latching portion  431  slides out of the matching groove  52 . 
       FIG. 3  shows the housing  10  includes a first label  18  and a second label  19 . The first label  18  and the second label  19  are positioned in the outside surface of the peripheral wall  102  and are adjacent to the assembling hole  11 . In this embodiment, the first label  18  and the second label  19  are configured to indicate a rotate direction of the electronic element  50 . For example, when the electronic element  50  is received in the jack  411  and is rotated along a direction indicated by the first label  18  (for example, clockwise), the element  50  is latched by the latching portion  431 . When the electronic element  50  is received in the jack  411  and is rotated along a direction indicated by the second label  19  (for example, counterclockwise), the element  50  is unlatched with the latching portion  431 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 4 , in assembly, the jack element  41  is secured in the inner surface of the peripheral wall  102  and is aligned with the assembling hole  11 . The protrusions  413  of the jack element  41  extend through the positioning holes  435 , and the elastic element  43  is secured on a side of the jack element  41  opposite to the outside surface of the peripheral wall  102  through glue or other adhesive means. Then, the latching portions  431  extend towards the through hole  433  and are apart from the receiving slot  415 . The mounting hole  21  of the circuit board  20  is aligned with the axis hole  151  of the post  15 . The mounting element  23  is inserted into the mounting hole  21  and the axis hole  151 . Therefore, the circuit board  20  is secured in the mounting space  13  of the housing  10  and is supported by the ports  15 . The sealing element  45  is received in the stepped recess  17  and is exposed from the assembling hole  11 . 
       FIG. 5  shows the electronic element  50  is pushed and received in the jack  411 . A periphery of the plug  51  resists the latching portions  431  and the latching portions  431  are compressed to be received in the receiving slots  415 . Then, the electronic element  50  is rotated along a direction indicated by the first label  18  (for example, clockwise) until the latching portion  431  slides into the matching groove  52  of the electronic element  50  and the electronic element  50  forms an electrical connection with the port  471  of the connector  47 . The electronic element  50  is latched by the latching portions  431  and the sealing element  45  is sandwiched between the stepped recess  17  and the electronic element  50  to seal gaps between the electronic element  50  and the jack element  41 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 6 , the electronic element  50  is rotated along a direction indicated by the second label  19 , for example, counterclockwise, the latching portion  431  slides out the matching groove  52  of the electronic element  50  and the periphery of the plug  51  resists the latching portions  431  again to cause the latching portions  431  to be compressed and received in the receiving slots  415 . The electronic element  50  is unlocked with the jack assembly  40  and can be pulled out from the jack  411 . 
     In other embodiments, the matching grooves  52  of the electronic element  50  can be omitted. An elastic intensity of the latching portions  431  or an inclined angle of the latching portion  431  can be adjusted to cause the electronic element  50  be latched by elasticity of the latching portion  431  and a friction of the electronic element  50 . 
     The embodiments shown and described above are only examples. Therefore, many such details are neither shown nor described. Even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the present technology have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and function of the present disclosure, the disclosure is illustrative only, and changes may be made in the detail, including in matters of shape, size and arrangement of the parts within the principles of the present disclosure up to, and including the full extent established by the broad general meaning of the terms used in the claims. It will therefore be appreciated that the embodiments described above may be modified within the scope of the claims.