Abstract:
A battery cover mechanism comprises a battery cover ( 10 ), a housing ( 20 ) and a hinge mechanism ( 30 ). The battery cover has an installing side ( 101 ) and a movable side ( 102 ) opposite to the installing side. The housing includes a first surface ( 201 ) and a second surface ( 202 ) that is opposite to the first surface, and the housing defining a receiving chamber ( 21 ) in the first surface. The hinge mechanism rotatably mounts the installing side to the housing, and the cover is rotatable to cover or uncover the receiving chamber.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     The present invention relates to a battery cover mechanism used in a portable electronic device such as a mobile phone, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a laptop, and so on.  
       DESCRIPTION OF RELATED ART  
       [0002]     Attachable batteries are widely used in portable electronic devices such as mobile telephones and PDAs (personal digital assistants) to supply power. During use, a battery is contained in a housing of a portable electronic device and covered by an attachable cover, the cover cooperates with the housing to secure and protect the battery.  
         [0003]     The cover is usually not connected with the housing but attached to the housing via some connecting mechanisms such as latching protrusions and latching grooves formed on the cover and the housing. Generally, the cover can be separated from the housing for replacing the battery more conveniently. However, the cover being separated from the housing is prone to be damaged or be lost when replacing the battery.  
         [0004]     What is needed, therefore, is a battery cover mechanism that can prevent the cover from being separated from the housing of the portable electronic device to overcome above-described problems.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0005]     In a preferred embodiment, a battery cover mechanism comprises a battery cover, a housing and a hinge mechanism. The battery cover has an installing side and a movable side opposite to the installing side. The housing includes a first surface and a second surface that is opposite to the first surface, and the housing defining a receiving chamber in the first surface. The hinge mechanism rotatably mounts the installing side to the housing, and the cover is rotatable to cover or uncover the receiving chamber.  
         [0006]     Other advantages and novel features will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0007]     Many aspects of the battery cover mechanism 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 present portable electronic device. Moreover, in the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts through-out the several views.  
         [0008]      FIG. 1  is an exploded, isometric view along a first direction of a battery cover mechanism in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0009]      FIG. 2  is similar to  FIG. 1 , but showing a second direction of the battery cover mechanism illustrated in  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0010]      FIG. 3  is an assembled view along the first direction of the battery cover mechanism with a closed battery cover;  
         [0011]      FIG. 4  is an assembled view along the second direction of the battery cover mechanism with a closed battery cover;  
         [0012]      FIG. 5  is an assembled view along the second direction of the battery cover mechanism with an open battery cover; and  
         [0013]      FIG. 6  is a cut-away view of the battery cover mechanism. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0014]     Referring now to the drawings,  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2  show a battery cover mechanism according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. The battery cover mechanism is used in a portable electronic device such as a mobile phone, a PDA or a laptop, etc. The battery cover mechanism includes a battery cover  10 , a housing  20 , a hinge mechanism  30  and a confining mechanism  40 . The cover  10  is rotatably installed on the housing  20  via the hinge mechanism  30 . The confining mechanism  40  prevents the hinge mechanism  30  from separating from the housing  20 .  
         [0015]     The battery cover  10  is approximately a rectangular board. The battery cover  10  includes an installing side  101 , a movable side  102  and a latch  11 . The movable side  102  is opposite to the installing side  101 . The latch  11  is a protrusion formed adjacent to the movable side  102 .  
         [0016]     The housing  20  is a part of the portable electronic device. The housing  20  is a board that includes a first surface  201 , a second surface  202 , a receiving chamber  21 , a latching hole  23  and a button  24 . The first surface  201  is positioned opposite to the second surface  202 . The housing  20  defines the receiving chamber  21  in the first surface  201  for receiving a battery (not shown) of the portable electronic device. The battery cover  10  rotatably covers the receiving chamber  21 . A side-wall  211  is formed surrounding the receiving chamber  21 , and the housing  20  defines two through holes  212  through the sidewall  211 . The housing  20  also defines two spaced receiving holes  214  extending through the first surface  201  and the second surface  202 . Each through hole  212  communicates with a respective receiving hole  214 . A convex stage  22  positioned corresponding to the receiving chamber  21  is formed on the second surface  202 , and the two through holes  212  and the two receiving holes  214  run through the convex stage  22 . The housing  20  defines the latching hole  23  in the first surface  201  and adjacent to the receiving chamber  21 . When the battery cover  10  is closed, the latch  11  is inserted into the latching hole  23 . A spring clip (not shown) is installed in the latching hole  23 . When the latch  11  is inserted into the latching hole  23 , the spring clip secures the latch  11  automatically. The button  24  is installed on the first surface  201  and located adjacent to the latching hole  23 . The spring clip is connected with the button  24 . When the button  24  is pressed, the spring clip is released. Additionally, some electrical contacts (not shown) for the battery can be installed on the housing  20 .  
         [0017]     The hinge mechanism  30  includes two hooks  31 , two axles  32 , two torsion springs  33  and two installing portions  34 . The hooks  31  are two parallel protrusions formed on the installing side  101  of the battery cover  10 . The hooks  31  extend perpendicularly to the battery cover  10  and an end of each hook  31  forms a bent portion (not labeled), thus each hook  31  has a shape similar to the letter “U”. The axles  32  consist of two columns, each axle  32  is formed on an individual side of a hook  31 . The axles  32  are orientated parallel to the battery cover  10  and perpendicular to the hooks  31 . Each hook  31  defines an inserting hole  311  adjacent and parallel to one of the axles  32 . The torsion springs  33  are two columnar springs, each torsion spring  33  includes an inserting end  331  and a radial end  332 . The inserting end  331  extends along a direction parallel to the axles of the torsion spring  33 . The radial end  332  extends along a radial direction of the torsion spring  33  and corresponding in direction and shape to the inserting hole  311  of the hook  31 . Each installing portion  34  consists of a frame formed by a group of protrusions formed on the second surface  202  and respectively adjacent to a through hole  212  through the convex stage  22 . Each installing portion  34  includes a retaining wall  341  and two connecting walls  342  perpendicular to the retaining wall  341 . Each retaining wall  341  is located opposite to a through hole  212 , and each retaining wall  341  defines a gap  343  therein. Each connecting wall  342  is located beside a through hole  212 .  
         [0018]     The confining mechanism  40  includes a plurality of retaining holes  41  and two retaining covers  42 . The housing  20  defines the retaining holes  41  in the second surface  202  and adjacent to the installing portions  34 . Screw thread (not shown) is formed in an inner surface of each retaining hole  41 . Each retaining cover  42  includes a receiving portion  421 , a plurality of retaining portions  422 , a plurality of mounting holes  423  and two resisting portions  424 . The receiving portion  421  is a rectangular shield, and the retaining portions  422  are boards extending from the receiving portion  421 . Each retaining portion  422  defines the mounting hole  423  running through the retaining portion  422 , and each mounting hole  423  is positioned corresponding to one of the retaining holes  41 . Screw thread (not shown) is formed in an inner surface of each mounting hole  423 . The resisting portions  424  are protrusions formed on the retaining portions  422 , and the resisting portions  424  are positioned opposite to the receiving portion  421 .  
         [0019]     Referring to  FIG. 3  and  FIG. 4 , in use, firstly, the torsion springs  33  are coiled around the axles  32  respectively, each inserting end  331  is inserted into an inserting hole  311  respectively, and the torsion springs  33  are retained on the axles  32 . Secondly, the battery cover  10  is located adjacent to the first surface  201  of the housing  20 , each hook  31  and each axle  32  of the battery cover  10  is received in a receiving hole  214  of the housing  20 , with the hook  31  aligning with a through hole  212  and the elastic ends  332  locked in the gaps  343 , thus the installing side  101  of the battery cover  10  is rotatably clasped on the first surface  201 .  
         [0020]     Referring to  FIG. 5  and  FIG. 6 , thirdly, each retaining cover  42  is mounted on the second surface  202  of the housing  20  and aligned with the installing portion  34 . The axles  32  are blocked in the installing portions  34  by the resisting portions  424 . Each mounting hole  423  is aligned with one corresponding retaining hole  41 , some bolts (not shown) are used to cooperate with the screw thread of the retaining holes  41  and the mounting hole  423  to connect the retaining covers  42  to housing  20 . In this way, each hook  31  is received in a respective receiving portion  421 . The retaining covers  42  cooperate with the installing portions  34  to prevent the hooks  31  and the axles  32  popping out from the installing portions  34 , thus preventing the battery cover  10  separating from the housing  20 . On the other hand, the axles  32  is rotatably received in the axle holes, thus the hooks  31  can rotate in the receiving hole  214 , in this way the battery cover  10  can rotate around the axles  32 , and the battery cover  10  is thus rotatably installed on the housing  20 .  
         [0021]     Finally, the battery is received in the receiving chamber  21 . When the battery cover  10  is closed, the latch  11  engages in the latching hole  23  and secured by the spring clip in the latching hole  23 , thus the battery cover  10  is secured. In this way, the battery is secured to connect with the electrical contacts and supply power to the portable electronic device. At the same time, the hooks  31  and the axles  32  are driven to rotate by the battery cover  10 , the torsion springs  33  is twisted and produces a predetermined elastic force.  
         [0022]     Also referring back to  FIG. 4 ,  FIG. 5  and  FIG. 6 , when the battery needs to be replaced, the button  24  is pressed and the spring clip is released. The elastic force twisted in the torsion springs  33  is thus released, and the axles  32  and the hooks  31  are driven to rotate by the torsions springs  33 , the battery cover  10  is driven to rotate with the axles  32  and open. When the battery cover  10  rotates to a predetermined angle, the axles  32  are blocked by the resisting portions  424 , and the battery cover  10  is then remains opened to the predetermined angle. In this way, when the battery is being replaced, the hinge mechanism  30  and the battery cover  10  cannot separate from the housing  20 . After replacing the battery, the battery cover  10  is pressed to close, the latch  11  is inserted into the latching hole  23 , the spring clip secures the latch  11 , the mobile phone may then be used.  
         [0023]     It is to be understood, however, that even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the present invention have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and function of the invention, the disclosure is illustrative only, and changes may be made in detail, especially in matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the principles of the invention to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed.