BACKGROUND
1. Technical Field
The disclosure relates to a fixing apparatus for fixing a battery in an electronic device.
2. Description of the Related Art
A portable electronic device, such as a mobile phone, an e-reader, or a notebook computer, often includes a compartment for accommodating a battery and a cover for closing the battery in the compartment. However, when removing the battery, a user must open the cover first, and then take the battery out from the compartment; when installing the battery, a user must insert the battery into the compartment, and then close the cover. As a result, such operations may be inconvenient for users.
Therefore, what is needed is a battery fixing apparatus which can simplify the process of replacing a battery.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The components in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, the emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of an electronic device with a battery fixing apparatus. Moreover, in the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views.
FIG. 1 is an isometric view of an electronic device having a battery fixing apparatus in accordance with an exemplary embodiment.
FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the battery fixing apparatus of FIG. 1.
FIG. 3 is a partly exploded view of FIG. 1, showing one state of a battery fixed in the battery fixing apparatus.
FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of the circled portion IV of FIG. 3.
FIG. 5 is a partial, cross-sectional view taken along the line V-V of FIG. 1.
FIG. 6 is a partly exploded view of FIG. 1, showing another state of the battery unfixed from the battery fixing apparatus.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
Referring to FIG. 1, an electronic device 10 includes a housing 20 and a battery fixing apparatus 40 mounted in the housing 20. The electronic device 10 can be, for example, a mobile phone, an e-reader, a PDA, a notebook computer, or the like. In the exemplary embodiment, the electronic device 10 is a notebook computer. The housing 20 is a base shell of the notebook computer, which includes a first enclosure 21 and a second enclosure 22 engaged with the first enclosure 21.
As shown in FIG. 2, a substantially rectangular compartment 25 is defined in the housing 20 for accommodating a battery 30. The compartment 25 has an opening 205 defined in a sidewall of the housing 20. A pair of inner walls 202 is disposed on each of the two sides of the opening 205. An electrode connector 301 is mounted at an end of the compartment 25 opposite to the opening 205.
Further referring to FIG. 2, the battery fixing apparatus 40 includes a cover 401, a pair of transmission bars 405, a pair of connecting portions 403 connecting the cover 401 with the transmission bars 405, and a pair of rotary portions 407.
The cover 401 is slidably disposed in the opening 205. In this embodiment, the cover 401, which is configured for closing the opening 205, is slidably received in a pair of slide-grooves 201 defined in the inner walls 202, once the battery 30 is accommodated in the compartment 25.
Referring to FIG. 3, one end of each of the connecting portion 403 is connected to the cover 401 via a first hinge 400; the other end of the connecting portion 403 is connected to one end of one of the transmission bar 405 via a second hinge 410. The housing 20 defines a pair of guide grooves 415 respectively adjacent to two sides of the compartment 25. Each of the transmission bars 405 is slidably received in one of the guide grooves 415. The rotary portions 407 are rotatablely mounted in the compartment 25 distal from the opening 205. In the exemplary embodiment, the rotary portions 407 are disposed respectively adjacent to the two sides of the electrode connector 301.
Referring to FIG. 4, a pair of guide channels 222 are next to the opening 205, and are defined in the edge of the compartment 25. Axis 433 of the second hinge 410 fit in the guide channels 222, and enable the second hinge 410 to slide along the guide channel 222.
Referring to FIG. 5, the battery fixing apparatus 40 further includes a locking module 45 configured for locking the cover 401 at the opening 205 when the cover 401 closes the opening 205. In the exemplary embodiment, the locking module 45 includes a pair of pinholes 460 defined in two ends of the axis of the first hinge 400, a pair of receiving holes 208 defined in the inner walls 202, a pair of springs 417, and a pair of balls 414. Two ends of the springs 417 are fixed in the receiving holes 208 and the balls 414 respectively. The balls 414 compress the springs 417. When the cover 401 closes the opening 205, the receiving holes 208 are aligned with the pinholes 460, the springs 417 recover and push the balls 414 to enter into the pinholes 460, thus locking the cover 401.
To fix the battery 30 in the electronic device 10, first, pull the cover 401 to open the opening 205; second, insert the battery 30 into the compartment 25 through the opening 205 (as show in FIG. 6); finally, push the cover 401 to close the opening 205. As the cover 401 moves along the slide-groove 201 to close the opening 205, the connecting portions 403 are driven to arch in the opening 205. A repelling force from the connecting portion 403 is applied to the battery 30, which makes the electrode of the battery 30 to contact with the electrode connector 301 (as show in FIG. 3). Further referring to FIG. 5, parts of the balls 414 are pushed into the pinholes 460 by the springs 417 to lock the cover 401. In this way, the battery 30 is fixed in the electronic device 10.
Referring to FIG. 3, to take out the battery 30 from the electronic device 10, pull the cover 401 to open the opening 205. Further referring to FIG. 5, when the cover 401 moves along the slide-groove 201, the balls 414 are extruded out of the pinholes 460 and compress the spring 417. The cover 401 drives the connecting portions 403 to lie low in the opening 205 via the first hinge 400. Then the connecting portions 403 push the transmission bars 405 to move away from the opening 20 via the second hinge 410, the transmission bars 405 drive the rotary portions 407 to rotate, the rotary portions 407 push the battery 301 to the opening 205. As a result, the electrode of the battery 30 disconnects from the electrode connector 301, and one end of the battery 30 moves out of the compartment 25 through the opening 205.
It is understood that the disclosure may be embodied in other forms without departing from the spirit thereof. Thus, the present examples and embodiments are to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, and the disclosure is not to be limited to the details given herein.
Patent Application
20110256439
