Abstract:
A chip card retaining mechanism for retaining a chip card ( 30 ) mounted in a electronic device  200  is provided. The electronic device includes a housing ( 10 ) having a battery compartment ( 12 ) defined therein. The chip card retaining mechanism includes a receiving portion ( 14 ) formed on the housing for fittingly receiving the chip card therein, and a locking assembly. The receiving portion is opening in the battery compartment of the electronic device. The locking assembly includes a stop mechanism configured for preventing the chip card retreating from the receiving portion, and a latch plate ( 28 ). A first end portion of the latch plate is rotatably connected with the housing such that an opposite second end portion of the latch plate is capable of opening or closing the opening of the receiving portion.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   The present invention generally relates to chip card retaining mechanisms and, more particularly, to a chip card retaining mechanism for seating a chip card in a electronic device such as a mobile phone. 
   2. Discussion of the Related Art 
   Nowadays, electronic devices such as mobile phones are widely used and bring convenience to our lives, electronic devices have become a part of modern life. Every electronic device has a chip card such as a SIM (subscriber identification module) card for carrying information which is necessary for people to operate the mobile phone. The chip card may also contain personal information for the subscriber, for example, a listing of frequently used telephone numbers. Therefore, a chip card retaining mechanism is necessary for holding the chip card in electronic devices such as mobile phones. 
   Referring to  FIG. 8 , a typical chip card retaining mechanism is disclosed as follows. The chip card retaining mechanism includes a mounting base  80  and a locking element  90 . A receiving groove  801  is defined in the mounting base  80  for receiving a chip card. The locking element  90  includes a fixing portion  901 , an operating portion  903  and a deformable portion  905 . The locking element  90  is mounted on the mounting base  80 . The fixing portion  901  protrudes over the receiving groove  801  to hold the chip card. When the operating portion  903  is pulled manually, the deformable portion  905  deforms and the fixing portion  901  moves away from the receiving groove  801 , the chip card can thereby be removed from the receiving groove  801  of the mounting base  80 . 
   It can be seen that the deformable portion  905  of the locking element  90  is very large, and a height of the deformable portion  905  will increase when pulling the operating portion  903 . Thus, the chip card retaining mechanism occupies too much space, which results in an overly large size for electronic devices such as mobile phones. In addition, when a person is installing or removing the chip card, he or she must hold the mobile phone and operate the locking element  90  with one hand and remove the chip card simultaneously with another hand. That is, the chip card retaining mechanism can be difficult for users to operate. 
   What is needed, therefore, is a chip card retaining mechanism which has small height and which can be easily operated. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   A chip card retaining mechanism for retaining a chip card mounted in a electronic device. The electronic device includes a housing having a battery compartment defined therein. The chip card retaining mechanism comprises a receiving portion formed on the housing for fittingly receiving the chip card therein, and a locking assembly. The receiving portion is an opening in the battery compartment of the electronic device. The locking assembly comprises a stop mechanism configured for preventing the chip card capable of ejecting or being withdrawn from the receiving portion, and a latch plate. A first end portion of the latch plate is rotatably connected with the housing such that an opposite second end portion of the latch plate opening or closing the opening of the receiving portion. 
   Other advantages and novel features of the preferred embodiments of the present hinge system and its applications will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     Many aspects of the present chip card retaining mechanisms and their applications can be better understood with reference to the following drawings. The components in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, the emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the chip card retaining mechanisms. Moreover, in the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views. 
       FIG. 1  is an isometric view of an electronic device, which employs a chip card retaining mechanism in accordance with a first preferred embodiment. 
       FIG. 2  is an exploded, isometric view of the chip card retaining mechanism of the chip card retaining mechanism of the preferred embodiment; 
       FIG. 3  is an assembled, isometric view of the chip card retaining mechanism of  FIG. 2 ; 
       FIG. 4  is an enlarged view of portion labeled III in  FIG. 3 ; 
       FIG. 5  is an assembled view of the chip card retaining mechanism, not showing the SIM card; 
       FIG. 6  is view of a stage in a process of assembling the chip card retaining mechanism; 
       FIG. 7  is similar to  FIG. 2 , but showing another chip card retaining mechanism in accordance with a second preferred embodiment; and 
       FIG. 8  an exploded, isometric view of a typical chip card retaining mechanism. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
   A chip card retaining mechanism is adapted for retaining a chip card in an electronic device such that the chip card is electrically connected with a connector in the electronic device. Referring to  FIG. 1 , The chip card retaining mechanism is applied to an exemplary mobile phone  200 , which includes a front cover  202 , a housing  10 , and a rear cover  204 . The front cover  202  and the rear cover  204  cooperatively define an enclosed space. The housing  10  is mounted in the enclosed space. Referring to  FIG. 2 , in order to identify the used mobile phone, when communicating via e.g. a GSM-net, a chip card  30 , such as a subscribers identification module, also called SIM-card, is provided. Referring to  FIG. 2 , in the figure parts of the housing  10  have been omitted for reasons of clarity. Referring also to  FIG. 3 , the housing  10  has a battery compartment  12  (partly shown) defined in an upper surface  11  thereof, and defined by an inner wall  122 . The chip card  30  is electrically connected to a printed circuit board (PCB, not shown) by a connector  32 . The battery compartment  12  is for receiving a battery (not shown). 
   Referring to  FIG. 2 , the chip card retaining mechanism includes a receiving portion such as a receiving groove  14  for receiving the chip card  30 , and a locking assembly (not labelled). 
   The receiving groove  14  is disposed adjacent the battery compartment  12 , corresponding to the chip card  30 . The receiving groove  14  has an open end  142  facing the battery compartment, for insertion or withdrawing of the chip card  30 . The open end  142  is located adjacent to the inner wall  122 . A strip  16  protrudes from the upper surface  11  of the housing  10 . The strip  16  and a portion of the upper surface  11  cooperatively define the receiving groove  14 . The strip  16  includes a first side portion  162  and a second side portion  164 . The first side portion  162  and the second side portion  164  are parallel to each other. The first side portion  162  is adjacent to a peripheral edge of the housing  10 . The connector  32  is exposed out of the receiving groove  14 . 
   The chip card  30  carries information that is necessary for operating the telephone and personal information of the owner and is a kind of integrated circuit card. The chip card  30  is mounted in the receiving groove  114  in contact with the connector  32 . 
   The locking assembly includes two wings  22 , a fixing post  24  disposed on the housing  10 , an elastic latching piece  26 , and a latch plate  28 . 
   The two wings  22  respectively extend from the first side portion  162  and the second side portion  164  toward the receiving groove  14 . The two wings  22  can be rectangular. The inner wall  122  defines an arcuate slot  124  deflecting away from the receiving groove  14 . A connecting plate  126  extends vertically from a bottom of the arcuate slot  124  and the inner wall  122 . The fixing post  24  extends upwardly from the support plate  126 . The fixing post  24  extends in parallel, to the inner wall  122 . The housing  10  has a stage  16  adjacent the first side portion  162 . Referring also to  FIG. 4 , the elastic latching piece  26  extends from the stage  16  toward the battery compartment  12 . The elastic latching piece  26  has an arcuate protrusion  262  extending downwardly from a bottom thereof. 
   The latch plate  28  is substantially strip-shaped, and includes a first end portion  282  and a second end portion  284 . The first end portion  282  is substantially cylindrical. The first end portion  282  defines a through hole  286  extending axially therethrough. The through hole  286  receives the fixing post  24  so that the latch plate  28  is rotatably connected with the housing  10 . The latch plate  28  can be rotated to cover the open end  142  of the receiving groove  142 . The second end portion  284  can be releasably locked by the elastic latching piece  26 . 
   The housing  10  has a clip plate  128  extending from the inner wall  122  toward the battery compartment  12 , and adjacent to the second side portion  164 . A distance between the elastic latching piece  26  and the clip plate  128  is equal to a width of the receiving groove  14 . The housing  10  has a support plate  130  extending from the inner wall  122  toward the battery compartment  12 , and corresponding to the open end  142  of the receiving groove  14 . The length of the support plate  130  is larger than a width of the open end  142  of the receiving groove  14 . The support plate  130 , the elastic latching piece  26  and the clip plate  128  cooperatively define a latching trough  132 . The latch plate  28  can be received in the latching trough  132 . 
   Referring to  FIGS. 5 through 6 , in assembling and mounting the chip card  30  the chip card  30  is pushed into the receiving groove  14  via the open end  142  and slides in the receiving groove  14  under the guidance of the first side portion  162  and the second side portion  164 . When the chip card  30  is completely contained in the receiving groove  14 , the first end portion  282  of the latch plate  28  is located around the fixing post  24 . The latch plate  28  is pushed by an outer force to abut against the elastic latching piece  26  such that the elastic latching piece  26  twists a predetermined elastic force when the latch plate  28  is rotated to contact the elastic latching piece  26 . Simultaneously, the second end portion  284  of the latch plate  28  passes over the arcuate protrusion  262  of the elastic latching piece  26 , and is securely latched beneath the elastic latching piece  26  and in the latching trough  132 . Thus, the chip card  30  is securely mounted in the receiving groove  14 . 
   When removing the chip card  30 , at first, the latch plate  28  is pulled out of the latching trough  132  by an outer force, which makes the elastic latching piece  26  deforms. Then, the latch plate  28  is rotated about 90 degree. As such, the chip card  30  can be removed from the housing  10 . 
   The chip card retaining mechanism merely includes two simple elements, i.e. the housing  10 , and the latch plate  28 . Thus, the chip card retaining mechanism is quite simple. In addition, the latch plate  28  is a thin board. Therefore, the chip card retaining mechanism does not occupy much space. 
   In alternative embodiment, the two wings  22  can be one or more, and also can be of other shapes. When the latch plate  28  is located around the fixing post  24 , the fixing post  24  can dispose a flange at one end thereof, for preventing the latch plate  28  from falling. In addition, the elastic latching piece  26 , the support plate  130  and the clip plate  128  can be omitted. After the chip card  30  is received in the receiving groove  14  and the latch plate  28  is located around the fixing post  24 , the battery is mounted in the battery compartment  12  of the housing  10 . The latch plate  28  can be secured to cover the open end  142  of the receiving groove  14  by the battery when the battery is mounted in the battery compartment  12 . 
   In further embodiment, the wings  22  can be another stop mechanism. For example, at least one of the first side portion  162  and the second side portion  164  can define a sliding slot in a side thereof facing the receiving groove  14 . As such, the chip card  30  can slide along the sliding slot into the receiving groove  14  and be secured in the receiving groove  14 . 
   Referring to  FIG. 7 , a SIM card retaining mechanism according to a second preferred embodiment is provided. The chip card retaining mechanism includes a housing  40  and a latch plate  38 . The housing  40  has a battery compartment  42  (partly shown) defined in an upper surface  41  thereof, and defined by an inner wall  422 . The chip card  30  is electrically connected to a printed circuit board (PCB, not shown) by a connector  46 . The battery compartment  42  is for receiving a battery (not shown). The housing  40  has a receiving groove  44  similar to the receiving groove  14 . The latch plate  38  is substantially strip-shaped, and includes a first end portion  382  and a second end portion  386 . Two fixing pins  384  extend from two ends of the first end portion  382 . Two opposite connecting plates  48  extend from the inner wall  422  facing each other and separated by a distance. The connecting plates  48  respectively define a fixing hole  442 . The two fixing holes  442  of the connecting plates  48  align with each other. A distance between the fixing holes  442  is larger than or equal to a breadth of the latch plate  38 , and less than a distance between the two fixing pins  384  of the latch plate  38 . The latch plate  38  locks or unlocks the chip card  30  by means of the fixing pins engaging with the fixing holes  442  of the connecting plate  48 . 
   The receiving groove  14  can also be a slot defined in the housing  10  with the strips  16  correspondingly being omitted. 
   It is believed that the embodiments and their advantages will be understood from the foregoing description, and it will be apparent that various changes may be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention or sacrificing all of its material advantages, the examples hereinbefore described merely being preferred or exemplary embodiments of the invention.