Abstract:
A portable electronic device ( 40 ) includes a main body ( 10 ), a speaker ( 20 ), and a latching mechanism ( 30 ). The speaker is movable relative to the main body and has a positioning stop member ( 262 ) associated therewith. The latching mechanism is mounted in a longitudinal side of the main body and has a latching body ( 31 ). The latching body is configured for selectable biased engagement with the positioning stop member to enable the speaker to be selectably retained within the main body. The speaker further includes a speaker-driving elastic member ( 28 ), and the main body further includes a partition wall ( 132 ) and has a cavity ( 131 ) defined therein. The partition wall is in communication with the cavity. A first end of the speaker-driving elastic member resists the partition wall, and a second opposite end of the speaker-driving elastic member resists the speaker.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    The present invention relates to portable electronic devices and, particularly, to a portable electronic device configured (i.e., structured and arranged) for having at least one movable speaker. 
         [0003]    2. Description of Related Art 
         [0004]    Nowadays, portable electronic devices such as mobile phones and PDAs (personal digital assistants) are in widespread use around the world. Some high-end portable electronic devices are being developed to be increasingly multi-functional. Many of these portable electronic devices are now equipped with a MP3 (i.e., Moving Picture Experts Group Audio Layer III, MPEG AudioLayer-3) module. These electronic devices can enable consumers to enjoy music anytime and anywhere. 
         [0005]    A given portable electronic device with a MP3 module has a speaker formed on one end thereof. The speaker is used for converting electrical signals from a phone call into sounds and for playing music stored in the MP3 module. When listening to the call, the end with the speaker of the portable electronic device is placed near a user&#39;s ear. While playing music, the user may place the portable electronic device in a hand, in a bag, or on a desk. However, the single speaker can only emit sound in one direction and cannot provide stereo capability and, thus, does not fully suit the use of the portable electronic device with an MP3 player as a stationary music player. 
         [0006]    A new portable electronic device with a movable speaker is desired in order to overcome the above-described problems. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0007]    In one aspect thereof, a portable electronic device includes a main body, a speaker, and a latching mechanism. The speaker is movable relative to the main body and has a positioning stop member configured for facilitating control of movement thereof. The latching mechanism is formed or mounted on the main body and has a latching body. The latching body is configured for releasably/detachably engaging with the positioning member. 
         [0008]    Other advantages and novel features of the embodiments will become more apparent from the following detailed description thereof, when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0009]    Many aspects of the present portable electronic device 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 and its potential applications. Moreover, in the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views. 
           [0010]      FIG. 1  is an assembled, isometric view of a portable electronic device in a speaker operational state, in accordance with a present embodiment; 
           [0011]      FIG. 2  is an assembled, isometric view of the portable electronic device of  FIG. 1 , shown in a speaker non-operational state; 
           [0012]      FIG. 3  is an exploded, isometric view of the portable electronic device, as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 ; and 
           [0013]      FIG. 4  is an enlarged, partially cut-away view of the portable electronic device, as shown in  FIG. 2 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS 
       [0014]    Referring now to the drawings in detail,  FIG. 1  shows a portable electronic device  40 . The portable electronic device  40  includes a main body  10 , two speakers  20 , and two latching mechanisms  30 . Each speaker  20  is movably mounted to one respective side of the main body  10  by a corresponding latching mechanism  30 . 
         [0015]    Also referring to  FIGS. 2-4 , the main body  10  is substantially rectangular in shape and has a top surface  11  and two opposite longitudinal sides  112 . A display  112  and a keypad  114  are provided on the top surface  11 , from top to bottom. Each longitudinal side  12  defines a groove  122  (i.e., an inner side surface) and a slot  126  therein. The slot  126  communicates with the groove  122 , and thereby a stage  124  is formed within the side  12 . The stage  124  defines two stage positioning holes  1242  therein, each communicating with the slot  126 . The two longitudinal sides  12  define two respective cavities  131  therein, divided by a partition wall  132  positioned within the main body  10  (e.g., a separate element or co-molded as part of the main body  10 ). Each cavity  131 , of course, respectively faces outwardly via the corresponding longitudinal side  12  through which it opens, and each cavity  131  further communicates with a respective groove  122 . The partition wall  132  has two opposing surfaces, each surface facing and thus communicating with a respective cavity  131 . Two receiving holes  133  are defined in each opposing surface. A first pole  134  extends perpendicularly from the partition wall  132  into one respective receiving hole  133  and cavity  131 . The main body  10  defines two pairs of guiding slots  135  therein. Each pair of guiding slots  135  respectively communicates with a corresponding cavity  131 . The main body  10  further defines two cutouts  128 . Each cutout  128  communicates with a corresponding groove  122  and a corresponding cavity  131 . 
         [0016]    Each speaker  20  is configured (i.e., structured and arranged) for being receivable in a corresponding cavity  131 . Each speaker  20  includes a speaker body (not labeled) and two speaker-driving first elastic members  28 . Each speaker body is a substantially rectangular block in shape and has a top body surface  22 , a bottom body surface  23  opposite/opposing to the top body surface  22 , a first body side  24 , and a second body side  26 . The second body side  26  is adjacent to and is oriented substantially perpendicularly to the first body side  24 . The top body surface  22  defines a round opening  222  configured for receiving electronic components (e.g., audio elements, not shown) therein. Two body guiding protrusions  224  extend respectively from the top body surface  22  and the bottom body surface  23  and are adjacent to the first body side  24 . Each body protrusion  224  is configured for being slidable in a corresponding guiding slot  135  of the main body  10 , thereby enabling the speaker  20  to selectably slide in or out relative to the main body  10 . 
         [0017]    Each first body side  24  defines two positioning holes  242  therein. Each positioning hole  242  is configured for receiving a first end of a corresponding first elastic member  28 . A second opposite end of each first elastic member  28  is configured for being slidably mounted around a corresponding first pole  134  of the main body  10 . A positioning block  262  is formed on one end (i.e., directly extending therefrom, either molded as part of the given second body side  26  or attached directly thereto) of each second body side  26  and is located far away (i.e., nearly diametrically opposed) from the first body side  24 . Each positioning block  262  is configured for being receivable in a corresponding cutout  128  of the main body  10  and is configured to serve as stop element, via which the corresponding speaker  20  can be held within a respective cavity  131 . The first elastic members  28  advantageously are made of metal and are spiral-shaped (i.e., a coil spring). 
         [0018]    Each latching mechanism  30  is movably mounted in a respective longitudinal side  12  and includes a latching body  31  and two latch-driving second elastic members  32 , which are each advantageously made of metal and are spiral-shaped (e.g., coil springs). Each latching body  31  is substantially rectangular in shape and is configured for being receivable in the groove  122  of the main body  10 . A guiding block  34  extends perpendicularly from a first side of the latching body  31 . Two second poles  36  extend perpendicularly from the guiding block  34  and are substantially parallel to an extending direction of the latching body  31 . A first end of each second elastic member  32  is configured for wrapping/sliding around a corresponding second pole  36  in a manner such that a given second pole  36  is matingly received (e.g., slidably fits) within the first end of a corresponding second elastic member  32 . An opposite second end of each second elastic member  32  is configured for being matingly receivable in a corresponding positioning hole  1242  of the main body  10 . An opposite second side of the latching body  31  is provided with a plurality of strip-shaped projections  38 , each configured for facilitating operation of pulling the latching body  31 . 
         [0019]    Also referring to  FIG. 4 , in assembly, the first end of each first elastic member  28  is placed around a corresponding first pole  134 , and located in a corresponding receiving hole  133  of the main body  10 . Each speaker  20  is inserted into the cavity  131 , with the second end of each first elastic member  28  being received in a corresponding positioning hole  242 , and each guiding protrusion  224  being received in a corresponding guiding slot  135 , until each positioning block  262  is received in a corresponding cutout  128  (i.e., now at a fully retracted position of a given speaker  20 ). The first elastic members  28  are compressed. Then, the first end of each second elastic member  32  is placed around a corresponding second pole  36  of the latching body  31 . The second end of each second elastic member  32  is inserted into a corresponding positioning hole  1242  of the main body  10 , and the latching body  31  is placed in the groove  122  of the main body  10 , with the guiding block  34  being received in a corresponding slot  126 . Each second elastic member  32  is then permitted to expand to push the latching body  31  to resist/abut the positioning block  262  (i.e., specifically abutting a side of the positioning block  22  facing the corresponding longitudinal side  12 ) in the cutout  128 . Such abutment thereby prevents the speaker  20  from moving out of the cavity  131  (i.e., thus retaining the speaker  20  therein), due to the decompression (i.e., expansion) of the first elastic members  28 . Thus, the speakers  20  are respectively mounted into the main body  10  and held therein by the corresponding latching mechanisms  30 , as shown in  FIGS. 2 and 4 . 
         [0020]    Also referring to  FIG. 1 , in use, the latching body  31  of each latching mechanism  30  can be pulled away from the respective speaker  20  and the respective cavity  131 , by pulling the projections  38  of a given latching body  31 , by a user. The second elastic member  32  is further compressed and the latching body  31  disengages from the positioning block  262 . Then, the speaker  20  is automatically pushed out of the cavity  131 , due to the decompression of the first elastic members  28 . Now, the user can listen music with dimensional sounds (i.e., in stereo) through two speakers  20 . When the speakers  20  are not in use, the speakers  20  can be manually pushed back into the cavities  131 , after the respective first elastic members  28  are compressed to retract an appropriate latching body  31 . Once a speaker  20  is in place within a corresponding cavity  131 , the corresponding latching body  31  is released and is automatically moved toward the speaker  20 , due to the decompression of the second elastic members  32 , to resist the positioning block  262 . Thus, the speakers  20  are held in the main body  10 . 
         [0021]    It should be understood that there may be only one movable speaker  20 . The other speaker may be a conventional speaker fixed in the main body  10  (e.g., in the standard earphone location at the top of the main body  10 ). Furthermore, the number of the speakers  20  may be three or more. The positioning block  262  may be another positioning stop member, such as a hole defined in the second body side  26  of the speaker  20 , and correspondingly, one end of the latching body  31  can be configured to be receivable in the hole so as to hold the speaker  20  in the main body  10 . The first and second elastic members  28 ,  32  may alternatively be made of another material (e.g., plastic or rubber) and may alternatively have a different configuration, for example, a leaf spring or an elastic or elastomeric cylinder. 
         [0022]    It is to be understood, however, that even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the present embodiments have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structures and functions of the embodiments, 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.