Patent Document

FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     The present invention generally relates to battery cover assemblies, and more particularly to a battery cover fixing mechanism and a battery cover and housing assembly for use in a portable electronic device.  
       GENERAL BACKGROUND  
       [0002]     Batteries are widely used in portable electronic devices such as personal digital assistants (PDAs) and cellphones. A battery is generally removably mounted in a receptacle of a housing of an electronic device. The receptacle is generally covered by a battery cover. When the battery is damaged or dead or needs to be recharged, the cover is removed from the housing, whereupon the battery can be taken out and later replaced.  
         [0003]     A fixing mechanism is generally employed in a conventional battery cover, to engage with a housing of the portable electronic device. For example, a battery cover of an Alcatel® OT310 cellphone comprises a fixing mechanism. The fixing mechanism comprises a pair of hooks arranged at a lower end of the battery cover, and a locking pin arranged at an upper end of the battery cover. Correspondingly, a pair of slots is defined at a lower end of a back side of the housing, and a locking hole is defined at an upper end of the back side. In assembly, the hooks are inserted into the corresponding slots. Then, the battery cover is pressed downwardly such that the locking pins of the battery cover are inserted into the corresponding locking holes of the housing. The battery cover is thus assembled to the housing of the cellphone. The battery cover is simple in structure, and the engagement between the battery cover and the housing of the cellphone is secure. However, during disassembly of the cover from the housing of the cellphone, the battery cover is liable to be damaged because great force has to be exerted on the battery cover to detach the battery cover from the housing. As a result, it can be inconvenient for a user to change a battery.  
         [0004]     Referring to  FIG. 1 , this shows another fixing mechanism, which is used to fix a battery  104 ′ onto a back side of a cellphone housing  102 ′. The fixing mechanism includes a hook  106 ′, a spring  108 ′, and a slot  112 ′. The hook  106 ′ includes an operating portion  114 ′, an accepting portion  116 ′, and a protrusion  110 ′. The hook  106 ′ is movably assembled to the back side of the cellphone housing  102 ′. The spring  108 ′ is disposed around the accepting portion  116 ′, and lies between the cellphone housing  102 ′ and the hook  106 ′. The slot  112 ′ is defined in the battery  104 ′. The protrusion  110 ′ is located in the slot  112 ′ to fix the battery  104 ′. When the battery  104 ′ needs to be installed into the cellphone housing  102 ′, the battery  104 ′ is pressed into the cellphone housing  102 ′. The hook  106 ′ is caused to move lengthwise in a first direction along the cellphone housing  102 ′, and the spring  108 ′ is compressed. Eventually, the hook  106 ′ reaches the slot  112 ′. The spring  108 ′ rebounds, and the hook  106 ′ moves lengthwise in an opposite second direction along the cellphone housing  102 ′. Thus the protrusion  110 ′ snappingly engages in the slot  112 ′, and the battery  104 ′ is firmly fixed in the cellphone housing  102 ′. When the battery  104 ′ needs to released from the cellphone housing  102 ′, the operating portion  114 ′ is pressed in the first direction. Then the spring  108 ′ is compressed, and the hook  106 ′ disengages from the slot  112 ′. The battery  104 ′ can then be readily released. However, the fixing mechanism uses up extra space in the cellphone housing  102 ′. The needed extra space may result in the cellphone being unduly large.  
         [0005]     What is needed, therefore, is a new battery cover fixing mechanism for a portable electronic device which makes it convenient for a user to detach a battery cover from a housing of the portable electronic device, and which occupies minimal space of the housing of the portable electronic device.  
       SUMMARY  
       [0006]     A battery cover fixing mechanism for a portable electronic device is provided. In a preferred embodiment, the cover couples to a housing of an electronic device by the battery cover fixing mechanism. The battery cover fixing mechanism includes a blocking mechanism, an opening, a latching mechanism, a slot and a cutout. The blocking mechanism is formed on the cover. The opening is defined in the cover. The latching mechanism includes a block, an elastic member, a slider having a blocking part, and a holder. The slot and the cutout are defined in the housing. The holder is fixed to the housing, the slider is slidably attached on the holder, the block is fixed on the slider and extends through the cutout and the opening so as to be exposed to a user, the blocking mechanism of the cover engages in the slot of the housing and with the blocking part of the slider, one end of the elastic member is attached to the holder, and an opposite end of the elastic member is attached to the slider.  
         [0007]     A battery cover and housing assembly for a portable electronic device is provided. The battery cover and housing assembly includes a housing, a cover, and a latching mechanism. The housing has a slot and a cutout thereon. The cover has a blocking mechanism and an opening. The latching mechanism includes a block, an elastic member, a slider having a blocking part, and a holder. The holder is fixed to the housing, the slider is slidably attached on the holder, the block is fixed on the slider and extends through the cutout and the opening so as to be exposed to a user, the blocking mechanism of the cover engages in the slot of the housing and with the blocking part of the slider, one end of the elastic member is attached to the holder, and an opposite end of the elastic member is attached to the slider.  
         [0008]     A main advantage of the battery cover fixing mechanism is that all the elements of the battery cover fixing mechanism are integrated together, to be a whole. Therefore, the battery cover fixing mechanism is steady. In addition, the battery cover is convenient to open and close. The cover can be released from the housing easily and conveniently just by pushing the block. Furthermore, the mechanism occupies a little space and will not waste space for the holder and the slider are very thin.  
         [0009]     Other advantages and novel features will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0010]      FIG. 1  is a cross-sectional view of a conventional battery cover fixing mechanism of a housing, together with part of a battery;  
         [0011]      FIG. 2  is an exploded, isometric view of a housing and a cover including a battery cover fixing mechanism in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0012]      FIG. 3  is an enlarged, exploded, isometric view of a latching mechanism of the battery cover fixing mechanism of  FIG. 2 ;  
         [0013]      FIG. 4  is an assembled, cut-away view of  FIG. 2 ; and  
         [0014]      FIG. 5  is an assembled view of  FIG. 2 , but viewed from another aspect. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0015]     Referring to  FIG. 2 , this shows a battery cover fixing mechanism for use in an electronic device like a mobile phone (not shown), in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention. The battery cover fixing mechanism is shown and detailed as follows for the purposes of providing a simple description of the preferred embodiment of the present invention, and the present invention and embodiments thereof are not to be construed as being limited to the following description. The battery cover fixing mechanism is for fixing a cover  1  onto a housing  2 , and includes a latching mechanism (not labeled), a blocking mechanism (not labeled), an opening  16 , a slot  20  and a cutout  24 . The latching mechanism includes a block  30 , two springs  32 , a sliding frame  34  forming at least two engagement means thereon for the latching mechanism, and a holder  36 .  
         [0016]     The cover  1  can be a single piece of shaped sheet material. The cover  1  has an inside surface  100 . The cover  1  also has a rearward section  102 , a central section  104 , and a front section  106 . The blocking mechanism includes a pair of rearward claws  10 , a pair of central claws  12 , and a pair of front claws  14  having a different forming orientation from the central claws  12 . The rearward claws  10  are symmetrically formed on the inside surface  100  of the cover  1  at the rearward section  102 . The central claws  12  symmetrically extend from two opposite edges of the inside surface  100  of the cover  1  at the central section  104 . The front claws  14  symmetrically extend from the inside surface  100  of the cover  1  at the front section  106 . The opening  16  is defined in the cover  1  between the front claws  14 . An end of each central claw  12  and each front claw  14  is chamfered, in order to facilitate installation of the cover  1 .  
         [0017]     The housing  2  typically contains electric elements such as printed circuit boards (PCBs), and can for example be a part of a cellphone body. A receptacle  21  formed by an opening and inner space of the housing is defined in the housing  2  to receive a component of the mobile phone like a battery (not shown). The cover  1  covers the receptacle  21 . Two slots  20  are symmetrically defined in the housing  2  at one end thereof. The rearward claws  10  of the cover  1  engage in the slots  20 . The housing  2  has three sidewalls  22  around the receptacle  21 . Said cutout  24  is defined in the housing  2 , and faces the slots  20 .  
         [0018]     Referring also to  FIG. 3 , the block  30  is generally cuboidal. A pair of posts  300  extends from one main surface of the block  30 . A projection  302  extends from an opposite main surface of the block  30 . The projection  302  is slightly smaller than the opening  16 , while the block  30  is larger than the opening  16 .  
         [0019]     The springs  32  are helical and compressible. Each spring  32  has a hook  320  at each of opposite ends thereof.  
         [0020]     The sliding frame  34  has a generally inverted ‘U’ shape, and is elastic. The sliding frame  34  comprises two opposite side portions  3402 , and a transverse portion  3400  perpendicularly interconnecting top ends of the side portions  3402 . The sliding frame  34  also comprises a blocking part (not labeled) as the at least two engagement means, which includes two first clasps  342  as a first engagement means and two second clasps  345  as a second engagement means. The second clasps  345  extend from the side portions  3402  respectively. An L-shaped catch piece  340  is formed on the middle of the transverse portion  3400 , corresponding to the cutout  24 . Two holes  341  are defined in a vertical portion of the catch piece  340 . The posts  300  of the block  30  are inserted into the holes  341 . The first clasps  342  are symmetrically formed on the transverse portion  3400 , and a pair of grooves  343  is symmetrically defined in the transverse portion  3400 . Each groove  343  is located between the catch piece  340  and a corresponding first clasp  342 . A first track  344  and a second track  347  are defined in each side portion  3402 . The first track  344  is adjacent the top end of the side portion  3402  near the transverse portion  3400 . The second track  347  is adjacent a bottom end of the transverse portion  3400 . A first catch  346  is formed on each side portion  3402  adjoining the second track  347 .  
         [0021]     The holder  36  includes a generally rectangular plate  3600 . Two sidepieces  3602  are perpendicularly bent from two opposite long sides of the plate  3600 . A top piece  3604  is perpendicularly bent from a top side of the plate  3600 . A pair of inserting pieces  360  is vertically formed on the top piece  3604 . An aperture  361  is defined in the plate  3600  for receiving a SIM (subscriber identity module) card. A first tab  363  is formed on an upper portion of each sidepiece  3602 . A second tab  365  is formed on each sidepiece  3602  below the first tab  363 . An L-shaped second catch  364  is formed on each sidepiece  3602  below the second tab  365 . A gap  366  is defined in each sidepiece  3602  immediately below where the second catch  364  adjoins the sidepiece  3602 . A vertical portion of the second catch  364  is located opposite an upper portion of the gap  366 .  
         [0022]     A process of assembling the latching mechanism on the housing  2  is as follows. Firstly, the holder  36  is fixed to the housing  2  by conventional methods such as adhering or welding. For example, the sidepieces  3602  and a bottom side of the top piece  3604  of the holder  36  are adhered with the sidewalls  22  of the housing  2 . Next, the sliding frame  34  is assembled on the holder  36 . The transverse portion  3400  and the side portions  3402  of the sliding frame  34  respectively abut the top piece  3604  and the sidepieces  3602  of the holder  36 . The inserting pieces  360  of the holder  36  are received in the grooves  343  of the sliding frame  34 . The first tracks  344  and the second tracks  347  are respectively longer than the first tabs  363  and the second tabs  365 . The first tabs  363  and the second tabs  365  of the holder  36  are slidably received in the first tracks  344  and the second tracks  347  of the sliding frame  34 , respectively. Thus, the sliding frame  34  is slidable relative to the holder  36 . Then the springs  32  are installed on the sliding frame  34  and the holder  36 . The springs  32  are first stretched, and then the hooks  320  of each spring  32  are respectively engaged on one first catch  346  of the sliding frame  34  and one second catch  364  of the holder  36 . Finally, the posts  300  of the block  30  are inserted into the holes  341  of the sliding frame  34 , to thereby fix the block  30  in place.  
         [0023]     When assembling the cover  1  and the housing  2  together, the rearward claws  10  of the cover  1  are engaged in the slots  20  of the housing  2  firstly. Then the cover  1  is pushed toward the housing  2 . The front claws  14  and the central claws  12  of the cover  1  are respectively engaged with the first clasps  342  and the second clasps  345  of the sliding frame  34 , and the projection  302  of the block  30  extends through the opening  16  of the cover  1  and protrudes out from a front of the cover  1 . The cover  1  is thereby assembled onto the housing  2  by the latching mechanism. When the cover  1  needs to be opened, the block  30  is pushed upward by a user. The block  30  forces the sliding frame  34  to slide relative to the holder  36  and the cover  1 . The springs  32  are further stretched, and the first clasps  342  and the second clasps  345  of the sliding frame  34  respectively disengage from the front claws  14  and the central claws  12  of the cover  1 . Thereby, the cover  1  can be readily released from the housing  2 . Finally, the cover  1  is taken away from the housing  2  by a user. Thereupon, the springs  32  rebound, and the sliding frame  34  returns to its original position relative to the holder  36  under the elastic force of the springs  32 .  
         [0024]     In other exemplary embodiments, the springs  32  can be replaced by other elastic members such as rubber bars. The sliding frame  34  is not limited to having an inverted ‘U’ shape. For example, the sliding frame  34  can instead by a rectangular plate with suitable holes, slots and hooks. The block  30  and the sliding frame  34  can be a unitary component. That is, a protuberance such as a block can be integrally formed on the sliding frame  34 . The holder  36  and the housing  2  can be manufactured as a unitary whole, or manufactured separately.  
         [0025]     It is believed that the present embodiments and their advantages will be understood from the foregoing description, and it will be apparent that various changes may be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention or sacrificing all of its material advantages, the examples hereinbefore described merely being preferred or exemplary embodiments of the invention.

Technology Category: 5