Abstract:
A portable electronic device includes a main body defining a locking hole therein and an auxiliary body having a latch therein. The latch includes a button, a slider, and a spring member positioned between the button and the auxiliary body. The slider includes a locking portion retractably inserted into the locking hole. The slider is slidably engaged with the button in a manner that when the button is pressed along a first direction, the slider is pushed by the button to slide along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, thereby retracting the locking portion from the locking hole. The spring member is for elastically loading the button in a third direction opposite to the first direction.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention generally relates to an auxiliary body with a securing mechanism and a portable electronic device using the same and, more particularly, to an auxiliary body with a securing mechanism for detachably mounting the auxiliary body to a main body of a portable electronic device, and a portable electronic device using the same. 
     DESCRIPTION OF RELATED ART 
     In recent years, electronic apparatus such as portable DVD players, Notebook computers, and PDAs (Personal Digital Assistants) have been widely used due to their portability and convenience. In order to work anywhere and anytime, the portable electronic apparatus usually needs batteries. However, conventional batteries are usually unsuitable because they are not small enough to be received in the portable electronic apparatus, and portable electronic apparatuses are getting smaller and smaller. 
     Therefore, a portable electronic device with an exterior power supply has been proposed. The portable electronic device includes a main body and a subsidiary casing containing batteries for supplying power to the main body. Screws and nuts are used to connect the main body and the subsidiary casing. However, it is not convenient for users to attach the subsidiary casing to the main body. 
     Accordingly, as shown in  FIGS. 6 and 7 , an improved fastening mechanism for an optical disc player is proposed. The optical disc player  100  includes a main body  910  and a subsidiary casing  920  removably attached to the main body  910 . The main body  910  has a first lateral surface  919  with a receptacle  991  horizontally extended therein. Two pairs of blocks  913 ,  914 , and  915 ,  916  vertically extend from the first lateral surface  919  covering portions of the receptacle  991 . A locking hole  912  is also defined in the first lateral surface  919  and communicates with the receptacle  991 , so as to lock the subsidiary casing  920  onto the main body  910 . 
     The subsidiary casing  920  has a second lateral surface  929 , which mates with the first lateral surface  919  of the main body  910  when the subsidiary casing  920  is attached to the main body  910 . The second lateral surface  929  has a hole  923 . An L-shaped latch  921  perpendicularly extends from the second lateral surface  929 , and is configured for being received in the receptacle  911  of the main body  910 . A slider  922  is movably installed in the subsidiary casing  920 . The slider  922  has a protrusion  926  at a distal end thereof. The protrusion  926  protrudes out of the subsidiary casing  920  from the hole  923  and is received into the locking hole  912  of the main body  910  for locking the subsidiary casing  920  onto the main body  910 , and can be drawn back into the subsidiary casing  920  for releasing the subsidiary casing  920  from the main body  910 . The slider  922  further forms a pushing part  924  on a surface of the slider  922 , adjacent to the protrusion  926 . The pushing part  924  is exposed on an adjacent side surface (not labeled) to the second lateral surface  929 , for users to applying a pushing force thereto. Therefore, the subsidiary casing  920  is attachable to and detachable from the main body  910 . 
     When the subsidiary casing  920  is being attached to the main body  910 , the latch  921  of the subsidiary casing  920  is inserted into the receptacle  911  and slide into position to be received and blocked by the blocks  913 ,  914 ,  915 ,  916 . The protrusion  926  is inserted into the locking hole  912  for preventing the latch  921  from sliding along the receptacle  911 . Therefore, the subsidiary casing  920  is fastened onto the main body  910 . 
     As described above, the optical disc player  900  provides users with portability and convenience. There is, however, a shortcoming with the above procedure. When disassembling the subsidiary casing  920  from the main body  910 , a friction force should be applied to the pushing part  926  of the slider  922  to force the protrusion  924  of the slider  922  to be retracted into the subsidiary casing  920 . At the same time, a thrust force should be applied to the subsidiary casing  920 , to push the second lateral surface  929  to slide along the first lateral surface  919 . The friction force and the thrust force are substantially perpendicular to each other, and should be applied to the subsidiary casing  920  simultaneously, so that it is difficult to disassemble the subsidiary casing  920  with ease. 
     Accordingly, a need exists for a securing mechanism for a portable electronic device in the industry to address the aforementioned deficiencies and inadequacies. 
     SUMMARY OF INVENTION 
     A portable electronic device includes a main body defining a locking hole therein and an auxiliary body having a latch therein. The latch includes a button, a slider, and a spring member positioned between the button and the auxiliary body. The slider includes a locking portion retractably inserted into the locking hole. The slider is slidably engaged with the button in a manner that when the button is pressed along a first direction, the slider is pushed by the button to slide along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, thereby retracting the locking portion from the locking hole. The spring member is for elastically loading the button in a third direction opposite to the first direction. 
     Other systems, methods, features, and advantages of the present auxiliary body and the present portable electronic device will be or become apparent to one with skill in the art upon examination of the following drawings and detailed description. It is intended that all such additional systems, methods, features, and advantages be included within this description, be within the scope of the present apparatus, and be protected by the accompanying claims. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
       Many aspects of the present auxiliary body and the present portable electronic device can be better understood with reference to the following drawings. The components in the drawings are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the present device. Moreover, in the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views. 
         FIG. 1  is a partially exploded, isometric view of a portable electronic device in accordance with an exemplary embodiment thereof, the portable electronic device including an upper housing, a lower housing, and a latch; 
         FIG. 2  is an isometric view of the upper housing of the portable electronic device of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is an isometric view of the lower housing of the portable electronic device of  FIG. 1 , with the latch mounted thereon; 
         FIG. 4  is an exploded, isometric view of  FIG. 3 ; 
         FIG. 5  is an enlarged, exploded view of the latch of  FIG. 3 ; 
         FIG. 6  is an exploded, isometric view of a conventional portable electronic device; and 
         FIG. 7  is similar to  FIG. 6 , but viewed from another aspect. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Reference will now be made to the drawings to describe the preferred embodiments of the present auxiliary body and the present portable electronic device, in detail. 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , a portable electronic device  10  is illustrated to set up an exemplary embodiment. The portable electronic device  10  includes a main body  12  and an auxiliary body  14  removably attached to a first side wall  220  of the main body  12 . The main body  12  is an essential part of the portable electronic device  10 , performing most functions of the portable electronic device  10 . The auxiliary body  14  may be an accessorial case, such as a battery case, a speaker, etc. The main body  12  includes a base  22  and a top  24  covering the base  22 . The auxiliary body  14  includes an upper housing  40  and a lower housing  42 . The upper housing  40  and the lower housing  42  are hollow, and cooperatively form a space therein. The main body  12  and the auxiliary body  14  are electrically connected to each other via a first connector  26  of the main body  12  and a second connector  70  of the auxiliary body  14 . The first connector  26  includes a plurality of first contacts  260  spaced apart from each other by a plurality of first spaces (not labeled). The second connector  70  includes a plurality of second contacts  72  spaced apart from each other by a plurality of second spaces (not labeled). The first and second connectors  260 ,  72  are electrically conductive, and can be respectively inserted in the corresponding second and first spaces. 
     A pair of channels  224 ,  226  and a locking hole  228  are respectively defined in two approximately opposite edges and an approximate center of the first side wall  220  of the main body  12 . Correspondingly, a pair of plugs  64 ,  66  and a latch  62  is respectively formed on two approximately opposite edges and an approximate center of the auxiliary body  14 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 2 , the upper housing  40  of the auxiliary body  14  includes a top plate  400 , a first side plate  402  perpendicular to the top plate  400 , and a joint plate  408  slantways joining the top plate  400  and the first side plate  402 . Four parallel guiding ribs  403   a ,  403   b ,  403   c , and  403   d  are successively formed on the top plate  400 , extending to the joint plate  408  and the first side plate  402 . A first guiding groove  404  is defined between the guiding ribs  403   b ,  403   c . A pair of second guiding grooves  405  is respectively defined between the guiding ribs  403   a ,  403   b  and the guiding ribs  403   c ,  403   d . A pair of receiving posts  406  extends perpendicularly from the top plate  400 . The receiving posts  406  are spaced apart by the guiding ribs  403   a ,  403   d . A notch  409  is defined in a middle of the first side plate  402 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 3  and  FIG. 4 , the lower housing  42  of the auxiliary body  14  includes a bottom plate  420 , a second side plate  422  perpendicular to the bottom plate  420 , and a joint plate  426  slantways joining the bottom plate  420  and the second side plate  422 . The plugs  64 ,  66  are formed on an exterior surface of the second side plate  422  to be removably inserted in the channels  224 ,  226  of the main body  12  respectively. Between the plugs  64 ,  66 , an opening  424  is defined in the joint plate  426  to allow a portion of the latch  62  to extend thereinto. 
     Referring also to  FIG. 5 , which is an enlarged, exploded view of the latch  62 , the latch  62  includes a button  67 , a pair of springs  69  elastically supporting the button  67 , and a slider  68  slidably engaged with the button  67 . 
     The button  67  includes a horizontal plate portion  670 , a pressing portion  671 , a pair of lug portions  672 , a pair of post portions  673  (as shown in  FIG. 4 ), and a first wedge portion  674 . The pressing portion  671  is formed on a surface of the plate portion  670 . The pressing portion  671  defines travel in a first direction ‘A’ for the button  67  when pressed. The first direction ‘A’ is substantially perpendicular to the plate portion  671 . The pressing portion  671  protrudes down from the opening  424  of the lower housing  42 , thereby allowing users to press thereon to activate the latch  62 . The lug portions  672 , the post portions  673 , and the first wedge portion  674  are respectively formed on another surface of the plate portion  670 , opposite to the pressing portion  671 . The first wedge portion  674  with a first bevel  676  is formed on a middle of the plate portion  670 . The lug portions  672  are spaced apart by the first wedge portion  674 , to a same distance as between the second guiding grooves  405  of the upper housing  40 . An oblique slot  675  is defined in each of the lug portions  672 . The slots  675  are parallel to each other, and have a same gradient as the first bevel  676  of the first wedge portion  674 . The lug portions  672  are respectively received or partially received in the second guiding grooves  405  of the upper housing  40 . The post portions  673  are spaced apart by the lug portions  675 . One end of each of the springs  69  fits over the corresponding post portion  673 , while the other end is received in the corresponding receiving post  406  of the upper housing  40 . Therefore, an elastic deformation direction of the springs  69  is parallel to the first direction ‘A’ of the pressing portion  671 . That is, the elastic force provided by the springs  69  performs as a restoration force for the button  67 , after a pressing force has been applied and released. 
     The slider  68  includes a block portion  680 , a pair of pin portions  682 , a tongue portion  684 , a rib portion  686 , and a second wedge portion  688  respectively extending from five different directions of the block portion  680 . The pin portions  682  extending in opposite directions from the block portion  680  are slidably received in the slots  675  of the button  67 . The tongue portion  684  extends along a second direction ‘B’, which is in a substantially perpendicular direction to the first direction ‘A’ in  FIG. 5 . The tongue portion  684  is received in the notch  409  of the upper housing  40 , and is retractable relative to the first side plate  402 . The second wedge portion  688  is formed opposite to the first wedge portion  674  of the button  67 . A second bevel  689  of the second wedge portion  688  and the first bevel  676  of the first wedge portion  674  of the button  67  are slidably mated together, and the second bevel  689  has a same gradient as that of the slots  675  of the button  67 . The rib portion  686  extends along a direction opposite to the second wedge portion  674  to support the slider  68  and the button  67  thereon. The rib portion  686  is slidable in the first guiding groove  404  of the upper housing  40 , along the second direction ‘B’. 
     In assembly of the auxiliary body  14 , the pin portions  682  of the slider  68  are forced into the corresponding slots  675  of the button  67 , with the second bevel  689  being mated with the first bevel  676 . The springs  69  are respectively positioned in the receiving posts  406  of the upper housing  40 . After that, the button  67  with the slider  68  engaged therewith is placed on the springs  69 . The post portions  673  of the button  67  are inserted into the springs  69 , with the ends of the springs  69  pressing against the plate portion  670 . The rib portion  686  of the slider  68  is received in the first guiding groove  404  of the upper housing  40 . Finally, the lower housing  42  is screwed to or coupled to the upper housing  40  by other known means, and the assembly of the auxiliary body  14  is thus accomplished. 
     In assembly of the auxiliary body  14  to the main body  12 , the main body  12  of the portable electronic device  10  and the auxiliary body  14  are held upside down. The plugs  64 ,  66  of the inverted auxiliary body  14  are aligned with the channels  224 ,  226  of the inverted main body  12 . The button  67  is pressed down and the tongue portion  684  of the slider  68  retracts into the auxiliary body  14 , while the plugs  64 ,  66  are inserted into the channels  224 ,  226 . Gradually, the plugs  64 ,  66  are inserted, and the tongue portion  684  of the slider  68  resists against the first side wall  220  of the main body  12 . After the plugs  64 ,  66  are wholly inserted into the channels  224 ,  226 , the tongue portion  684  of the slider  68  extends into the locking hole  228  of the main body  12 . Accordingly, the auxiliary body  14  is firmly secured to the main body  12 . 
     When removing the auxiliary body  14 , the pressing portion  671  of the button  67  is pressed along the first direction ‘A’. With the button  67  being pressed along the first direction ‘A’, the springs  69  are compressed, and the slider  68  is forced to slide along the second direction ‘B’ due to either of the engagement of the pin portions  682  of the slider  68  and slots  675  of the button  67  or the engagement of the first wedge portion  674  and the second wedge portion  688 . Meanwhile, the tongue portion  684  of the slider  68  is retracted from the locking hole  228 . Then, the auxiliary body  14  is pushed to slide along the channels  224 ,  226  of the main body  12 , until the plugs  64 ,  66  exit the channels  224 ,  226 . Therefore, the auxiliary body  14  is detached from the main body  12 . The button  67  is restored by the elastic force applied by the springs  69 , after being released. 
     As described above, a commutating configuration constructed by the pin portions  682  of the slider  68  and the slots  675  of the button  67  or the first wedge portion  674  and the second wedge portion  688 , commutes a pressing force along the first direction ‘A’ into a force along the second direction ‘B’. That is, the pressing force acted on the button  67  and the pushing forces acted on the plugs  64 ,  66  are perpendicular to each other. Thus, it is easy to detach the auxiliary body  14  from the main body  12 . 
     It should be emphasized that the above-described embodiments of the present invention, including any preferred embodiments, are merely possible examples of implementation of the principles of the invention, and are merely set forth for a clear understanding of the principles of the invention. Many variations and modifications may be made to the above-described embodiments of the invention without departing substantially from the spirit and principles of the invention. All such modifications and variations are intended to be included herein within the scope of this disclosure and the present invention and be protected by the following claims.