Abstract:
A receptacle for receiving a plug-in module with at least one depression at a side surface thereof includes a main body, an elastic element, a first resilient strip and a control element. The main body has a receiving chamber penetrating a bottom thereof for engaging the plug-in module and a first slot extending up and down defined in a front surface thereof and connecting the receiving chamber. The elastic element has an elastic portion received in an upper portion of the receiving chamber. The first resilient strip is received in the first slot, and defines a locking portion extending rearward at a lower portion thereof and penetrating into the receiving chamber for buckling to the depression of the plug-in module. The control element is for driving the locking portion to depart from the depression of the plug-in module for allowing the plug-in module to move outward due to the pulling of the elastic element.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a receptacle, and in particular to a receptacle capable of receiving a plug-in module firmly as well as releasing the plug-in module conveniently. 
     2. The Related Art 
     Nowadays, in order to expand the function thereof and use conveniently, a portable electronic device has a unplugable plug-in module of particular function. The portable electronic device includes a receptacle disposed therein. The receptacle has an insertion opening exposed outside for receiving the plug-in module. 
     A special plug-in module, such as a USB module, includes a metal shell with an opening defined at a side plate thereof. Conventionally, the receptacle has an elastic locking structure for elastically resisting against the metal shell of the plug-in module, when the plug-in module is inserted therein. But, when the portable electronic device suffers from an outer force, the plug-in module is easy to produce a displacement corresponding to the locking structure of the receptacle. Moreover, it is difficult to unplug the plug-in module from the receptacle, when the plug-in module is required to use, because of lack of a driving structure for driving the plug-in module exit from the receptacle. Therefore, a receptacle capable of overcoming the foregoing problem is required. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is an object of the present invention to provide a receptacle capable of receiving a plug-in module firmly as well as releasing the plug-in module conveniently. 
     In order to achieve foregoing objective, the receptacle for receiving a plug-in module with at least one depression at a side surface thereof includes a main body, an elastic element, a first resilient strip and a control element. The main body has a receiving chamber penetrating a bottom thereof for engaging the plug-in module and a first slot extending up and down defined in a front surface thereof and connecting the receiving chamber. The elastic element has an elastic portion received in an upper portion of the receiving chamber and capable of providing a downward pulling force to the plug-in module due to the upward compression by the plug-in module. The first resilient strip is received in the first slot, and defines a locking portion extending rearward at a lower portion thereof and penetrating into the receiving chamber for buckling to the depression of the plug-in module. The control element is for driving the locking portion to depart from the depression of the plug-in module for allowing the plug-in module to move outward due to the pulling of the elastic element. 
     As the above description, the locking portion of the first resilient strip could buckle to the depression of the plug-in module and the control element could drive the locking portion to depart from the depression of the plug-in module for allowing the plug-in module to move outward under the pulling of the elastic element. Therefore, the receptacle is able to receive the plug-in module firmly and release the plug-in module conveniently. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art by reading the following description of an embodiment thereof, with reference to the attached drawings, in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a receptacle according to the present invention with a plug-in module therein; 
         FIG. 2  is an exploded view of the receptacle with the plug-in module; 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of an elastic piece of the receptacle; and 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the receptacle without the plug-in module therein. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the receptacle  100  in accordance with the present invention includes a base plate  1 , a main body  10 , an elastic element  20 , an elastic piece  30  and a control element  40 . 
     With referring to  FIGS. 1 ,  2  and  4 , the main body  10  protrudes upward from the base plate  1  which is a part of a case of a portable electronic device. The main body  10  shows substantially a rectangular shape and includes a top surface  11 , a front surface  12  and a rear surface (not shown). The main body  10  further includes a receiving chamber  13  penetrating the top surface  11  and the base plate  1 , and then respectively forms a circular hole  111  in a middle of the top surface  11  and a rectangular insertion opening  14  on the base plate  1 . A plural of ridges  131  extend inward on inner surfaces  132  of the receiving chamber  13 . A pair of grooves  112  penetrates a rear edge of the top surface  11  and extends frontward to connect the circular hole  111 . Each of the grooves  112  is perpendicular to the rear surface of the main body  10  and tangent with a circumference of the circular hole  111 . A fixing portion  15  protrudes from a side of the top surface  11  and a screw hole  16  is defined on the other side of the top surface  11 . A first slot  121  and a second slot  122 , both of which connect the receiving chamber  13 , respectively penetrate a top edge of the front surface  12  and extend downward in two sides of the front surface  12 . The second slot  122  is longer than the first slot  121 . A cylinder portion  17  has a same height with the main body  10  and protrudes upward from the base plate  1 . Another screw hole  16  is defined in a top surface of the cylinder portion  17 . An outer peripheral surface of the cylinder portion  17  connects a portion of the front surface  12  between the first slot  121  and the second slot  122 . A preventing part  18  extends upward from the base plate  1  and locates in front of the cylinder portion  17 . The preventing part  18  has a first slim plate  181  and a second slim plate  182  which is substantially perpendicular to the first slim plate  181 . One long side of the first slim plate  181  connects the outer peripheral surface of the cylinder portion  17  and the other long side of the first slim plate  181  extends away from the second slot  122  to form the second slim plate  182 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 2 , the elastic element  20  has an elastic portion  21  and a holding portion  22 . The elastic portion  21  could regain its original shape after being compressed or extended, such as a coil spring. The holding portion  22  extends from a free end of the elastic portion  21  to show a substantially U-shape suspended over the elastic portion  21 . Two opposing arms of the holding portion  22  are slightly longer than the grooves  112  in the top surface  11  of the main body  10 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the elastic piece  30  made of a metal sheet has a substantially rectangular sheet-shaped main portion  31 , two sides of which are respectively punched to form a mounting hole  32  corresponding to the fixing portion  15  and the screw hole  16  on the top surface  11  of the main body  10 . The main portion  31  has a front side  311  and a rear side  312 . The rear side  312  extends downward a bit to form an insertion piece  33  at a middle thereof. A first resilient strip  34  and a second resilient strip  35  respectively extend downward from two ends of the front side  311  and slant rearward slightly. The second resilient strip  35  is longer than the first resilient strip  34  and has a curved portion  351  projecting rearward at a portion adjacent to a distal end thereof. The first resilient strip  34  defines two blades  341  respectively extending rearward from two opposing sides adjacent to a distal end thereof. A slim branch  36 , which is adjacent to the second resilient strip  35 , extends frontward from a side of the distal end of the first resilient strip  34  and tilts downward. A preventing piece  37  which has a small space from the slim branch  36  extends from the other side of the distal end of the first resilient strip  34  and shows substantially inverted-L shaped. The preventing piece  37  includes a connecting portion  371  extending frontward from the other side of the distal end of the first resilient strip  34  and inclining downward slightly, and a preventing portion  372  extending downward from a distal end of the connecting portion  371 . 
     Please refer to  FIG. 2  once again, the control element  40  has a substantially plate-shaped base portion  41  which has a front side  411 , a rear side (not shown) opposite to the front side  411  and two opposing lateral sides  412  perpendicularly connecting the front side  411  and the rear side. Two strip-shaped fixing pieces  42 , which have a small space from each other, extend frontward from the front side  411  of the base portion  41  and have two fixing holes  421  respectively passing therethrough. A preventing unit  43  which is defined at a corner of the base portion  41  includes a rear plate  431  and a side plate  432 . The rear plate  431  extends perpendicularly upward from an end of the rear side of the base portion  41 . The side plate  432  extends perpendicularly upward from one of the lateral sides  412  and perpendicularly connects the rear plate  431 . Upper portions of the side plate  432  and the rear plate  431  are together defined as a supporting portion  44 . A button seat  45  away from the preventing unit  43  extends rearward from the other end of the rear side of the base portion  41  and defines a release button  451  protruding downward from a middle portion thereof. 
     Referring back to  FIGS. 1-4 , when the receptacle  100  is assembled, the control element  40  is secured in front of the main body  10  by means of fastening two corresponding fixing portions  15  which protrude from the base plate  1  respectively into the fixing holes  421 . The preventing unit  43  is corresponding to the first slot  121 , with the rear plate  431  against the front surface  12  of the main body  10  and the side plate  432  against a free long side of the second slim plate  182 . The release button  451  protrudes out of a button groove  19  which is formed on the base plate  1  and beside the main body  10 . The elastic portion  21  of elastic element  20  stretches into the receiving chamber  13  from the circular hole  111 . The holding portion  22  has its two opposing arms respectively located in the grooves  112  and stretched rearward beyond the main body  10  to form an insertion space. Consequently, the insertion piece  33  inserts into the insertion space to fix the elastic element  20  on the top surface  11  of the main body  10  and the fixing portion  15  on the top surface  11  protrudes through the corresponding mounting hole  32  to position the elastic piece  30 , when the main portion  31  covers the top surface  11  of the main body  10 . At the same time, the second resilient strip  35  is received in the second slot  122  with the curved portion  351  projecting into the receiving chamber  13  and the first resilient strip  34  is received in the first slot  121  with the blades  341  penetrating into the receiving chamber  13 . The slim branch  36  tilts into a space formed by the first slim plate  181 , the second slim plate  182  and the side plate  432 . A free end of the slim branch  36  is against a rear surface of the second slim plate  182 . The preventing portion  372  is hooked to a front of the supporting portion  44 . Finally, two screws  60  are respectively tightened up in the corresponding screw holes  16  to further fasten the elastic piece  30  to the main body  10 . 
     Referring back to  FIG. 2 , a plug-in module  50  has two opposite side surfaces  51  and has two depressions  52  respectively formed in two sides of each side surface  51 . When the receptacle  100  is in use, the plug-in module  50  is inserted into the receiving chamber  13  from the insertion opening  14  and then compresses the elastic portion  21  of the elastic element  20 . The curved portion  351  of the second resilient strip  35  and the blades  341  of the first resilient strip  34  are against the side surface  51 , and then the blades  341  buckles to one of the depressions  51 , thereby the plug-in module  50  is held firmly in the receptacle  100 . Moreover, the ridges  131  formed on the inner surface  132  of the receiving chamber  13  could reduce the contact area between the inner surface  132  and the side surfaces  51  of the plug-in module  50 , so as to reduce the attrition of the plug-in module  50  effectively. 
     When the plug-in module  50  is removed from the receptacle  100 , the release button  451  is pushed and the preventing unit  43  is led to incline frontward. The preventing piece  37  is pushed forward by the supporting portion  44  of the preventing unit  43  so as to lead the blades  341  to depart from the depression  51 , and then the plug-in module  50  is ejected downward by means of release of the elastic portion  21 . Whereafter, the first resilient strip  34  is moved rearward by means of release thereof and the preventing piece  37  pushes the supporting portion  44  to return the control element  20  to a previous location. Furthermore, a release of the slim branch  36 , which is pressed against the rear surface of the second slim plate  182  when the plug-in module  50  is inserted in the receiving chamber  13 , strengthens a push force of the preventing piece  37  to the supporting portion  44  when the plug-in module  50  is ejected. Because the second resilient strip  35  is longer than the first resilient strip  34 , the curved portion  351  of the second resilient strip  35  is still pressed against the side surface  51  of the plug-in module  50  and then buckles to the other depression  52  as the plug-in module  50  continues being pushed outward. Therefore, the plug-in module  50  is prevented from being directly ejected out of the receiving chamber  13  by excessive force of the releasing elastic portion  21 . By this time, the plug-in module  50  could be taken out of the receptacle  100  easily and prevented from damage. 
     In addition, because the depth of depressions  52  is different on two opposing side surfaces  51  of the plug-in module  50 , the blades  341  are not easy to buckle to the depression  51  which has a less depth. Therefore, the release of the slim branch  36  strengthens a push force of the first resilient strip  34  to enable the blades  341  to buckle to the depression  51  firmly. Because of the first slim plate  181  and the side plate  432  of the preventing unit  43 , the free end of the slim branch  36  would not deviate from the rear side of the second slim plate  182  even when a press force on the slim branch  36  is excessively great. 
     As described above, the blades  341  of the first resilient strip  34  could buckle to the depression  52  of the plug-in module  50  and the control element  40  could drive the blades  341  departing from the depression  52  of the plug-in module  50  to allow the plug-in module  50  to move outward under the pulling of the elastic element  20 . Therefore, the receptacle  100  is able to receive the plug-in module  50  firmly and release the plug-in module  50  conveniently.