Abstract:
An electronic device with an inbuilt mechanism sealing unused interface holes, or gaps, against dust is disclosed. The dust-proof mechanism includes two blocking members and two elastic members. The two blocking members are movably mounted on a bottom wall of a housing and close an interface hole in the manner of drawn curtains. The two blocking members are urged together by the elastic members. When an object is inserted into the interface hole, the guiding surfaces guide and ride over the inserted object, moving the two blocking members away from each other. When the object is pulled out of the interface hole, the two blocking members are moved back toward each other by the elastic members.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     1. Technical Field 
     The present disclosure relates to dust-proof mechanisms, and particularly to a dust-proof mechanism for an electronic device and the electronic device using the dust-proof mechanism. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     Electronic devices include a plurality of interfaces, such as an earphone hole, a USB interface, and an electrical recharging interface. Dust may enter into the interfaces. Detachable covers may be placed on the interfaces for preventing the dust from entering into the interfaces. However, users may forget to replace the cover after usage, or the covers may be easily lost or damaged. 
     Therefore, there is room for improvement within the art. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The components in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, the emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the present disclosure. Moreover, in the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout several views. 
         FIG. 1  is an assembled, isometric view of one embodiment of an electronic device. 
         FIG. 2  is a partially exploded, isometric view of the electronic device of  FIG. 1 , including a first embodiment of a dust-proof mechanism. 
         FIG. 3  is an exploded, isometric view of the first embodiment of a dust-proof mechanism. 
         FIG. 4  is an enlarged, assembled, isometric view of the dust-proof mechanism in  FIG. 3 . 
         FIG. 5  is an enlarged view of portion V in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 6  shows an insert in an interface hole of the electronic device of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 7  is an assembled, isometric view of a second embodiment of a dust-proof mechanism. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       FIGS. 1 and 2  show an embodiment of an electronic device  100 . The electronic device  100  includes a housing assembly  101 . The housing assembly  101  includes a top housing  10 , a bottom housing  20 , and a dust-proof mechanism  30 . The electronic device  100  further includes other functional modules, such as a circuit board  103 , a display module (not shown), and a CPU module (not shown), for example. For simplicity, only the top housing  10 , the bottom housing  20 , and the dust-proof mechanism  30  are described in detail. The top housing  10  is matched with the bottom housing  20 . The electronic device  100  can be a mobile phone, a PDA, an MP4, or a tablet computer. In the embodiment, the electronic device  100  is a mobile phone. 
     The top housing  10  includes a frame  11  and a display portion  12  formed in the frame  11 . The bottom housing  20  includes a bottom wall  21 , and a sidewall  22  substantially perpendicularly extending from a periphery of the bottom wall  21 . The bottom wall  21  and the sidewall  22  cooperatively define a receiving space, for receiving the dust-proof mechanism  50  and other function modules. The sidewall  22  defines an interface hole  221  (shown in  FIG. 3 ). An insert  200  can be inserted into the interface hole  221 , for connection into the electronic device  100  for a certain function, such as for recharging, for connecting to an earphone, and for connecting to an independent computer, for example. 
       FIGS. 3 through 6  show the dust-proof mechanism  30  in detail. The dust-proof mechanism  30  is placed inside of the bottom housing  20  corresponding to the interface hole  221 . The interface hole  221  can be opened or sealed by the dust-proof mechanism  30 . The interface hole  221  can be an earphone hole, a charging hole, a USB hole, or the like. In the embodiment, the interface hole  221  is an earphone hole. The dust-proof mechanism  30  includes a pair of mounting members  31 , a pair of blocking members  32 , and a pair of elastic members  33 . The mounting members  31  are oppositely mounted inside of the bottom housing  20 . Each blocking member  32  is connected to a mounting member  31  by an elastic member  33 , such that the blocking members  32  are movable relative to the bottom housing  20 . In other words, an elastic member  33  is between one mounting member  31  and one blocking member  32 . 
     Each of the mounting members  31  includes a main body  311  and a receiving portion  313  formed by a depression in the main body  311 . The main body  311  includes a top surface  312 . The receiving portion  313  has an opening facing the sidewall  22  and the other mounting member  31 . The mounting member  31  is securely mounted on the bottom housing  20  by screws, pins, or adhesive. The top surface  312  and the sidewall  22  cooperatively define a support portion  23  (shown in  FIG. 6 ). In the embodiment, the support portion  23  is a guiding groove. The blocking members  32  are slidable in the support portion  23 . In other embodiments, the mounting members  31  can be integrally formed with the bottom housing  20 . That is to say, the mounting members  31  can be a part of the bottom housing  20 . 
     Each of the blocking members  32  includes a base portion  321  and a resisting portion  322  extending from the base portion  321 . The base portion  321  is slidably received in the receiving portion  313 . Opposite surfaces of the base portion  321  contact the bottom wall  21  and the receiving portion  313 . The resisting portion  322  includes a resisting surface  3221  and an end surface  3222  connected to the resisting surface  3221 . The resisting surface  3221  contacts the sidewall  22 . The end surface  3222  contacts the top surface  312  of the main body  311 . In other words, the blocking member  32  is latched in the receiving portion  313  and in the support portion  23  by the mounting member  31  and the bottom housing  20 . The resisting portion  322  further includes an inclined guiding surface  3223  communicating with the interface hole  221 , such that when the insert  200  is inserted into the interface hole  221 , the blocking members  32  are forced away from each other because of the inclined guiding surface  3223 . 
     The elastic member  33  can be a bent elastic sheet or a hairpin spring. In the first embodiment, the elastic member  33  is a bent elastic sheet. One end of the elastic member  33  is connected to the mounting member  31 , and the other end of the elastic member  33  is connected to the blocking member  32 . 
     In assembly, the same ends of the elastic members  33  are connected to the mounting members  31 . The mounting members  31  with the elastic members  33  attached are fixed to two sides of the interface hole  211  on the bottom wall  21 . The base portions  321  of the blocking members  32  are inserted into the receiving portion  313  and connected to the other ends of the elastic members  33 , and thereby the resisting portions  322  are received in the support portion  23 . 
     The elastic member  33  is compressible between the mounting member  31  and the blocking member  32 , and the two blocking members  32  are pushed together by the elastic members  33 . Thus, until the insert  200  is inserted, the two blocking members  33  seal the interface hole  221 . When the insert  200  is inserted into the interface hole  221 , the two blocking members  32  are moved away from each other, thereby the elastic members  33  are deformed. When the insert  200  is pulled out of the interface hole  221 , the two blocking members  32  are moved toward each other under the elastic force of the elastic members  33 , and again seal the interface hole  221 . Therefore, the interface hole  221  can be opened and closed as needed. 
     In other embodiments, the mounting members  31  can be omitted, and the elastic members  33  are connected to the bottom wall  21 . The base portion  321  of the blocking member  32  can be omitted, and the elastic member  33  then resists against the resisting portion  32 . The blocking member  32  can be other shapes, as long as the interface hole  221  can be opened or closed by moving the blocking member  32  relative to the bottom housing  20 . 
       FIG. 7  shows a second embodiment of a dust-proof mechanism  40 . The dust-proof mechanism  40  has a similar structure to the dust-proof mechanism  30 . However, the dust-proof mechanism  40  includes two blocking members  42  and one elastic member  43 . The blocking members  42  are rotatably mounted on the bottom wall  21  by two rotation shafts  53 . The elastic member  43  interconnects one blocking member  42  with the other blocking member  42 . The blocking member  42  is substantially triangular. The elastic member  43  is a tension spring. In alternative embodiments, the blocking members  42  can be connected to the bottom housing  20  by another structure, as long as the blocking members  42  are rotatable relative to each other. The elastic member  43  is connected to the blocking members  42  by screws or pins. 
     The blocking member  42  includes a base portion  421  and a resisting portion  422  protruding from one end of the base portion  421 . The two blocking members  42  are pulled towards each other under an elastic force of the elastic member  43 , thereby closing the interface hole  221 . The blocking member  42  includes a guiding surface  4223  corresponding to the interface hole  221 , for guiding the insert  200 . When the insert  200  is inserted into the interface hole  221 , the two blocking members  42  are rotated away from each other. When the insert  200  is pulled out of the interface hole  221 , the two blocking members  42  rotate back towards each other under the elastic force of the elastic member  43 , thereby again sealing the interface hole  221  against dust. 
     It is to be understood, however, that even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the disclosure have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and function of the embodiments, the disclosure is illustrative only, and changes may be made in detail, especially in the matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the principles of the embodiments to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed.