Patent Publication Number: US-2013250541-A1

Title: Electronic device having sensor window cover

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     1. Technical Field 
     The present disclosure relates to electronic devices, and particularly to an electronic device having a sensor window cover. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     Electronic devices, such as DVD players, may include a housing, a circuit board received in the housing, a signal receiving unit arranged on the circuit board, and a sensor window cover secured to the housing and corresponding to the signal receiving unit. A sign is printed on the sensor window for identification. However, the sensor window cover may be inadvertently installed in reverse, thus the sign is also reversed. 
     Therefore, there is room for improvement in the art. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Many aspects of the embodiments 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 embodiments. Moreover, in the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the six views. 
         FIG. 1  is a partial perspective view of an electronic device having a sensor window cover in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 2  is a partially disassembled view of the electronic device of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is similar to  FIG. 2 , but viewed from another aspect. 
         FIG. 4  is an enlarged view of portion IV in  FIG. 3 . 
         FIG. 5  is an enlarged view of portion V in  FIG. 2 . 
         FIG. 6  is a partial assembly view of the electronic device of  FIG. 2 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The disclosure is illustrated by way of example and not by way of limitation in the figures of the accompanying drawings in which like references indicate similar elements. It should be noted that references to “an” or “one” embodiment in this disclosure are not necessarily to the same embodiment, and such references mean at least one. 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , an electronic device  100  having a sensor window cover  50  is shown. Referring also to  FIGS. 2-3 , the electronic device  100  includes a housing  10 , a circuit board  30  received in the housing  10 , a signal receiving unit  40  arranged on the circuit board  30 , a sensor window cover  50  secured to the housing  10  and corresponding to the signal receiving unit  40 , and a stopping mechanism  60  for preventing the sensor window  50  from being installed incorrectly. 
     The housing  10  includes a front case  101  (see  FIG. 2 ) and a rear case (not shown). The front case  101  engages with the rear case to define a receiving space  102  for receiving the circuit board  30 , the signal receiving unit  40 , and other electronic components (not shown) of the electronic device  100 . The front case  101  includes a front wall  110  and a plurality of sidewalls  120  protruding from the rims of the front wall  110 . The front wall  110  defines an opening  112 . The opening  112  is substantially rectangular, and is used for securing the sensor window cover  50 . A plurality of fixing posts  130  are secured on an inner surface of the front wall  110 . Each fixing post  130  defines a fixing hole  132 . Two limiting posts  114  ( FIG. 4 ) are perpendicularly arranged on the inner surface of the front wall  110  and are symmetrically arranged on opposite sides of the opening  112 . In the embodiment, the limiting posts  114  are aligned in a line (referred herein as the connecting line) extending along the length of the front wall  110 . 
     The circuit board  30  is substantially rectangular, and is arranged parallel to the front wall  110 . The circuit board  30  defines a plurality of through hole  310  corresponding to the fixing holes  132 . Fixing members (such as screws, not shown) extend through the through holes  310  and are further threaded into the fixing holes  132 , to fix the circuit board  30  to the front case  101 . The signal receiving unit  40  is secured to the circuit board  30  and corresponds to the opening  112 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 5 , the sensor window cover  50  includes a base  510  and a window  520  arranged on the base  510 . The base  510  is substantially rectangular and includes a first end  511 , and a second end  512  opposite to the first end  511 . The base  510  defines two limiting holes  516 . The limiting holes  516  are spaced from each other and are symmetrically arranged on the base  510 . The limiting holes  516  correspond to and receive the limiting posts  114  respectively. The window  520  is arranged on a front surface  513  of the base  510  and is between the limiting holes  516 . The size of the window  520  is slightly less than the size of the opening  112 . When viewed from the front surface  513  of the base  510 , the window  520  protrudes out of the front surface  513 ; when viewed from a rear surface  514  of the base  510 , the window  520  is recessed in the rear surface  514  of the base  510 . In the embodiment, the sensor window cover  50  is made of polymethyl methacrylate. 
     Furthermore, two supporting plates  530  are perpendicularly secured to the rear surface  514  of the base  510 . The supporting plates  530  are parallel to each other and are arranged at opposite sides of the opening  112 . In the embodiment, each supporting plate  530  is arranged between one of the limiting hole  516  and the opening  112 . 
     The stopping mechanism  60  includes a resisting member  620 , a first stopping member  640  and a second stopping member  660 . Referring to  FIG. 5 , the resisting member  620  is secured to the first end  511  of the base  510 . The resisting member  620  is arranged at an upper end of the first end  511  in the embodiment. An end of the resisting member  620  away from the first end  511  is recessed to form a substantially U-shaped receiving portion  622 . 
     Referring also to  FIG. 4 , the first stopping member  640  and the second stopping member  660  are secured to the inner surface of the front wall  110 . Longitudinal planes of the first and second stopping members  640 ,  660  are perpendicular to each other, and the distance between the first and second stopping members  640 ,  660  is slightly greater than the distance between the first and second ends  511 ,  512 . When viewed in a direction perpendicular to the front wall  110 , the first and second stopping members  640 ,  660  are arranged at opposite sides of the opening  112 ; when viewed in a direction parallel to the the front wall  110 , the first and second stopping members  640 ,  660  are arranged at opposite sides of the connecting line where the limiting posts  114  are aligned, with the first stopping member  640  parallel to the connecting line and the second stopping member  660  perpendicular to the connecting line. The distance between an end of the first stopping member  640  adjacent to the opening  112  and the longitudinal plane of the second stopping member  660  is less than the distance between the second end  512  and the distal end of the resisting member  620 , but is slightly greater than the distance between the second end  512  and the bottom of the receiving portion  622 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 6  in assembly, the limiting posts  114  are received in the corresponding limiting holes  516 , and the window  520  is received in the opening  112  with the first stopping member  640  being received in the receiving portion  622  and the second stopping member  660  abutting the second end  512 . The circuit board  30  is secured to the fixing posts  130  and further abuts ends of the supporting plates  530  away from the base  510  to prevent the sensor window cover  50  from disengaging with the front case  101 . Because the distance between an end of the first stopping member  640  adjacent to the opening  112  and the longitudinal plane of the second stopping member  660  is less than the distance between the second end  512  and the distal end of the resisting member  620 , when the sensor window cover  50  is installed reversely, the first stopping member  640  abut the second end  512  and the second stopping member  660  abut the resisting member  620  to prevent the window  520  from being received in the opening  112 . Thus, by virtue of the stopping mechanism  60 , the sensor window cover  50  is prevented from being installed reversely. 
     It is to be understood, even though information as to, and advantages of, the present embodiments have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structures and functions of the present embodiments, the disclosure is illustrative only; and that changes may be made in detail, especially in the matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the principles of the present embodiments to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed.