Patent Application
20060128352
This invention relates generally to latches, and more particularly to a latch and associated product housing manufactured using in-mold assembly techniques.
Cell phones, for the most part, use batteries that are replaceable by the end user. This allows the user to choose between various battery sizes, and to replace a battery that is out of charge with a fresh battery. The battery is typically captured by the phone, and covered with a battery door. In some cases the cosmetic surfaces of the battery door are incorporated into the battery geometry. In both cases it is usually possible to bump the battery door in some way that causes it to open or disengage, allowing the battery to come out of the phone. In a worst-case scenario the battery door as well as the battery itself could be lost without the knowledge of the user. This creates a perception of poor quality and causes serious customer dissatisfaction. Although door latches are small components in portable electronic products, no existing door latch utilizes in-mold assembly techniques to provide a high quality locking mechanism.
Embodiments in accordance with the present invention provide a locking door latch that prevents accidental removal of the door. In a first embodiment of the present invention, a door latch for a compartment for a portable product housing can include an outer shell arranged and constructed to capture the door latch to the portable product housing, to capture a spring mechanism, and to enable the door latch to translate on the portable product housing. The door latch can further include an inner latch piece arranged and constructed to rotate while remaining captured by the outer shell and create engagement between the door latch and the portable product housing that prevents a disengaging motion. The outer shell can be further arranged and constructed to capture the inner latch piece whereas the inner latch piece can be further arranged and constructed to include a feature for rotating the inner latch piece. The inner latch piece can further include a feature for preventing over-rotation such as a rib on the inner latch piece that can prevent over-rotation in both a locked and an unlocked position. The door latch can be made using double shot molding or in-mold assembly techniques. In this regard, the outer shell can be constructed of a first material and the inner latch piece can be constructed of a second material. Operationally, the door latch can be captured by the portable product housing and can translate on the portable product housing by traversing a slot including a c-shaped slot using a locking tooth on the inner latch piece. The door latch can lock a compartment door in a first position and completely unlock the compartment door without further user intervention. Further note, the portable product can be a mobile radio and the compartment can be a battery compartment.
In a second embodiment of the present invention, a portable product, can include a portable product housing having a compartment and a removable compartment door and a door latch for the compartment door for the portable product housing. The door latch can include an outer shell arranged and constructed to capture the door latch to the portable product housing, to capture a spring mechanism, and to enable the door latch to translate on the portable product housing. The door latch can further include an inner latch piece arranged and constructed to rotate while remaining captured by the outer shell and create engagement between the door latch and the portable product housing that prevents a disengaging motion.
Other embodiments, when configured in accordance with the inventive arrangements disclosed herein, can include a wide varying number of embodiments all contemplated within the scope and spirit of the appended claims.
While the specification concludes with claims defining the features of embodiments of the invention that are regarded as novel, it is believed that the invention will be better understood from a consideration of the following description in conjunction with the figures, in which like reference numerals are carried forward.
Referring to
In one embodiment, the door latch can be created using In-Mold Assembly (IMA) techniques which allows the locking features to be incorporated in a standard size latch body. As discussed above, the door latch can generally include two major components. The first component, the outer shell 14, can give the door latch 20 its shape, provide features 15 to capture the latch in a housing 10 (via slot 30), provide features 93 to capture a spring mechanism 40, provide bearing surfaces 91 and 93 as shown in
Embodiments in accordance with this invention can utilize the strengths of In-mold assembly to provide a locking latch that is not significantly bigger than existing latches. In this regard, using In-mold assembly techniques in a door latch assembly can satisfy the functional aspects by preventing the door latch from opening accidentally while providing sufficient flexibility to change the aesthetic aspects of the product housing and the door latch as desired.
In light of the foregoing description, it should also be recognized that embodiments in accordance with the present invention can be realized in numerous configurations contemplated to be within the scope and spirit of the claims. Additionally, the description above is intended by way of example only and is not intended to limit the present invention in any way, except as set forth in the following claims.
