Abstract:
A battery cover latching mechanism employed in an electronic device is used to assemble a battery cover to a housing. The battery cover latching mechanism includes a hook, a base body, a sliding element, and an operating element. The hook is mounted on the battery cover, and the base body is detachably assembled to the housing. The sliding element is detachably and slidably assembled to the base body and includes a latching block corresponding to the hook. The operating element is detachably assembled to the sliding element, and is pushed relative to the sliding element, the operating element forces the sliding element to move relative to the base body, the latching block unlocks the hook to detach the battery cover, when the latching block locks the hook, the battery cover is latched.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
       [0001]    1. Technical Field 
         [0002]    The disclosure generally relates to latching mechanisms used in electronic devices, and more particularly relates to, a latching mechanism for latching a battery cover. 
         [0003]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0004]    Batteries are widely used in various electronic devices, such as personal digital assistants (PDAs), and mobile phones, to provide power to them. To secure more stable electrical connections, the batteries are latched within a housing of the electronic device. 
         [0005]    A typical battery cover latching assembly usually includes two or more hooks at one end of the battery cover and a locking pin protruding from other end of the battery cover. The housing defines two or more grooves and a locking hole. In assembly, the hooks are inserted into the grooves; the battery cover is pressed downwards the housing until the locking pin is inserted into the locking hole. Thus, the battery cover is detachably assembled to the housing by the latching assembly. However, removal of the battery cover may require a strong force, which may damage the locking pin, making it inconvenient to install or remove the battery. 
         [0006]    Therefore, there is room for improvement within the art. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0007]    Many aspects of an exemplary battery cover latching mechanism and electronic device using the same 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 exemplary battery cover latching mechanism and electronic device using the same. Moreover, in the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views. Wherever possible, the same reference numbers are used throughout the drawings to refer to the same or like elements of an embodiment. 
           [0008]      FIG. 1  is an exploded view of a battery cover latching mechanism used in an electronic device, according to an exemplary embodiment. 
           [0009]      FIG. 2  is similar to  FIG. 1 , but viewed from another aspect. 
           [0010]      FIG. 3  is an assembled view of the battery cover latching mechanism, showing the battery cover latching mechanism assembled to the electronic device. 
           [0011]      FIG. 4  is an assembled cross-sectional view taken along line VI-VI of  FIG. 3 , showing the battery cover latching mechanism in a locked state. 
           [0012]      FIG. 5  is an assembled cross-sectional view taken along line VI-VI of  FIG. 3 , showing the battery cover latching mechanism in an unlocked state. 
           [0013]      FIG. 6  is an enlarged view of a circled portion VI of the battery cover latching mechanism shown in  FIG. 5 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0014]    Embodiments of the present disclosure will now be described in detail below, with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
         [0015]      FIGS. 1 and 2  show an exemplary embodiment of a battery cover latching mechanism used in an electronic device  100 , which may be a mobile phone, or a personal digital assistant (PDA). The mobile phone is used here as an example for the purpose of describing the details of the battery cover latching mechanism. The electronic device  100  includes a housing  10  and a battery cover  20 . 
         [0016]    The battery cover  20  is detachably assembled to the housing  10  through the battery cover latching mechanism. The battery cover latching mechanism is detachably mounted on the housing  10 , and is positioned between the housing  10  and the battery cover  20  to secure a battery within the housing  10  and provide latching and unlatching of the battery cover  20  relative to the housing  10 . The battery cover latching mechanism includes a hook  23 , a base body  30 , a sliding element  40 , an operating element  50 , a first elastic element  60 , and a second elastic element  70 . 
         [0017]    The housing  10  includes a main plate  11 , an end edge  12 , and two opposite side edges  13 . A receiving space  15  is defined in substantially the middle of the main plate  11  to receive and secure the battery. The main plate  11  includes an outer surface  111  and an inner surface  113  opposite to the outer surface  111 . The two side edges  13  are connected to opposite ends of the end edge  12 . The receiving space  15  is formed on the outer surface  111 , receding towards the inner surface  113 . The receiving space  15  includes an end wall  151  opposite to the end edge  12 . The end wall  151 , the end edge  12 , and the inner surface  113  form an accommodating space  14 . An assembling surface  153  is formed around the receiving space  15 , receding down towards the outer surface  111 . The assembling surface  153  is capable of securing the battery cover  20 . 
         [0018]    The housing  10  defines a button hole  16 , a rectangular opening  17 , and an accepting slot  18 . The button hole  16  is located at the main plate  11  and is adjacent to the receiving space  15 . The opening  17  is substantially positioned in the middle or adjacent to the middle of the end wall  151 , and is adjacent to the button hole  16 . The opening  17  communicates with the receiving space  15  and includes a bottom surface  171 . The accepting slot  18  is defined and positioned on the bottom surface  171 . 
         [0019]    The housing  10  further includes a locking element  19 . The locking element  19  includes a through hole  191 , a locking slot  193 , and locking block  195 . The through hole  191  passes through the end wall  151 , so the accommodating space  14  can communicate with the accepting slot  18  via the through hole  191 . The locking slot  193  is adjacent to the through hole  191 , and is positioned on the end wall  151 , and communicates with the accommodating space  14 . The locking block  195  is aligned with the locking slot  193  and protrudes from the inner surface of the end edge  12  towards the accommodation space  14 . 
         [0020]    The battery cover  20  includes a press cover  21  and two side plates  22  located at opposite sides of the press cover  21 . The side plates  22  can be formed by bending the opposite sides of the press cover  21 . The hook  23  is elasticably positioned on the inner surface of the press plate  21  and corresponds to the accepting slot  18 . When the battery cover  20  is assembled to the housing  10 , the press plate  21  covers the receiving space  15 , the two side plates  22  resist against the assembling surface  153 , and the hook  23  is detachably received and secured in the accepting slot  18 . 
         [0021]    The base body  30  includes a bottom plate  31 , two sheet portions  32 , a protruding block  33 , a groove  34 , and a convex portion  35 . The bottom plate  31  and the sheet portions  32  are substantially rectangular plates, the two sheet portions  32  are substantially perpendicularly connected to opposite sides of the bottom plate  31 . The protruding block  33  is substantially rectangular block and is positioned on the bottom plate  31  and between the two sheet portions  32 . The groove  34  is defined in the bottom plate  31  and is adjacent to the protruding block  33 . The convex portion  35  is located at one end of the bottom plate  31 , and is detachably received in the locking slot  193 . 
         [0022]    The sliding element  40  includes a frame body  41 , a latching block  43 , and a first post body  44 . The frame body  41  defines a positioning space  412  and includes a first resisting surface  42  and two opposite end frames  411 . The latching block  43  protrudes from one of the end frames  411 ; the first post body  44  protrudes from the other end frame  411 . The first resisting surface  42  and the first post body  44  are located at opposite sides of the end frames  411 . The sliding element  40  can be detachably assembled within the two sheet portions  32  of the base body  30 , and the protruding block  33  slides along the protruding block  33 . 
         [0023]    The operating element  50  includes a main body  51 , a second resisting surface  52 , a button  54 , and a second post body  55 . The size and the shape of the main body  51  substantially match that of the positioning space  412 . In this exemplary embodiment, the main body  51  is a substantially right trapezoid and includes a first surface  511  and a second surface  512  parallel to the first surface  511 . The second resisting surface  52  connects the first surface  511  and the second surface  512 , and has the same slope gradient as the first resisting surface  42  for resisting against each other. The button  54  is positioned on the first surface  511  and can be detachably received in the button hole  16 . The second post body  55  is positioned on the second surface  512 . 
         [0024]    In this exemplary embodiment, the first elastic element  60  and the second elastic element  70  can be cylindrical spiral springs. The first post body  44  can be detachably assembled to the first elastic element  60 , and the second post body  55  can be detachably assembled to the second elastic element  70 . The first elastic element  60  is capable of providing a restoring elastic force for the sliding element  40 ; the second elastic element  70  is capable of providing a restoring elastic force for the operating element  50 . 
         [0025]    Further referring to  FIGS. 3 and 4 , in assembly, the second post body  55  of the operating element  50  passes through the positioning space  412  of the sliding element  40 , making the first resisting surface  42  resist against the second resisting surface  52 , so the operating element  50  is assembled to the sliding element  40 . The operating element  50  and the sliding element  40  are received in the accommodating space  14 , and the button  54  is aligned with and passes through the button hole  16 . The latching block  43  passes through the through hole  191  and is exposed to the accepting slot  18 . One end of the first elastic element  60  is located at the first post body  44 ; the other end resists against the end edge  12  and is secured by the locking block  195 , so the first elastic element  60  is in a compressed state. One end of the second elastic element  70  is located at the second post body  55 ; the other end of the second elastic element  70  is detachably received in the groove  34 . The frame body  41  resists against the protruding block  33 . The convex portion  35  located at one end of the bottom plate  31  is detachably received in the locking slot  193 , and the other end of the bottom plate  31  is secured and locked by the locking block  195 . Thus, the battery cover latching mechanism is assembled together. 
         [0026]    To lock the battery cover  20  to the housing  10 , one end of the press plate  21  is connected to the housing  10  through a hinge mechanism (not shown). Pressing the other end of the housing press plate  21  towards the receiving space  15 , the hook  23  is removably received in the accepting slot  18 , and is latched by the latching block  43 . Due to the elastic deformation of the first elastic element  60 , the hook  23 , and the latching block  43  maintains a locked state. Thus, the battery cover  20  is latched to the housing  10 . 
         [0027]    Further referring to  FIGS. 5 and 6 , to unlock the battery cover  20  from the housing  10 , by substantially perpendicularly pressing the button  54  towards the sliding element  40 , the second post body  55  pushes and compresses the second elastic element  70 , and the second resisting surface  52  slides relative to and pushes the first resisting surface  42 . The first post body  44  pushes and compresses the first elastic element  60 , the latching block  43  moves in the direction away from the accepting slot  18 . Thus, the hook  23  detaches from the latching block  43 , the battery cover  20  is unlocked from the housing  10 . 
         [0028]    In summary, in the battery cover latching mechanism of the exemplary embodiment, by externally pressing the battery cover  20  towards the housing  10 , the battery cover  20  is attached and latched to the housing  10 . The battery cover  20  can be detached from the housing  10  by operating the button  54  on the housing  10 . Moreover, the battery cover latching mechanism has a simple structure and is easy to operate to install or remove the battery. 
         [0029]    It is to be understood, however, that even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the exemplary disclosure have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and function of the exemplary disclosure, 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 exemplary disclosure to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed.