Storing lid for electronic devices

Information

  • Patent Grant
  • 6790060
  • Patent Number
    6,790,060
  • Date Filed
    Tuesday, March 4, 2003
    21 years ago
  • Date Issued
    Tuesday, September 14, 2004
    20 years ago
Abstract
A storing lid to cover a signal transmission port of an electronic device includes a housing and a lid. The housing has an opening corresponding to the signal transmission port. The lid is movably located on the housing, and may be located on a first position when the signal transmission port is not in use to cover the opening and prevent dust or external objects from entering into the port. The lid is moved to a second position when the signal transmission port is in use so that the lid may be stored on one side of the opening without being lost.
Description




FIELD OF THE INVENTION




The invention relates to a storing lid for covering a signal transmission port of an electronic device, and particularly to a storing lid structure that prevents contamination of the signal transmission port by fending off dust or external objects when not in use, and that may be stored in the housing of the electronic device when the signal transmission port is in use.




BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION




Many electronic devices have signal transmission ports to connect external cables and transmit data to other electronic devices. The housing of the electronic devices must have openings corresponding to the signal transmission ports to facilitate external connection. However before the electronic devices are connected, the signal transmission ports are exposed and often contaminated by dust or external objects. This could result in a poor connection or even dysfunction of the signal transmission port.




Recently, a movable lid to cover the opening of the housing of the electronic devices has been designed. The lid may cover the opening when the electronic device is not connected externally, and can prevent the signal transmission port from being contaminated by dust or external objects. When the electronic device is connected, the lid is removed and stored in another location. However, such a design and arrangement often results in loss of the lid.




SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION




In view of the aforesaid disadvantages, the primary object of the invention is to provide a storing lid for electronic devices so that the signal transmission port may be covered when not in use to prevent contamination from dust or external objects, and be opened when in use and stored at a selected location without being lost.




The storing lid for electronic devices of the invention aims to cover the signal transmission port. It includes a housing and a lid. The housing has an opening corresponding to the signal transmission port of the electronic device. The lid is movably located on the housing, and has a first position and a second position. When the signal transmission port is not in use, the lid is at the first position to cover the opening and prevent contamination from dust or external objects. When the signal transmission port is in use, the lid is at the second position and stored on one side of the opening to avoid being lost.




The foregoing, as well as additional objects, features and advantages of the invention will be more readily apparent from the following detailed description, which proceeds with reference to the accompanying drawings.











BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS





FIG. 1

is an exploded view of the invention.





FIG. 2

is a schematic view of the invention with the lid mounted onto the cover.





FIG. 3

is a schematic view of the invention with the lid mounted onto the cover and the cover mounted onto the casing, and the lid being pivotally turned to the edge of the slot opening.





FIGS. 4A and 4B

are schematic views of the invention at the first and the second positions.











DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT




Referring to

FIGS. 1 through 4B

, the storing lid of the invention aims to cover a signal transmission port


13


of an electronic device


1


. The invention includes a housing


11


and a lid


12


of the electronic device


1


. The housing


11


consists of a cover


111


and a casing


112


on which the cover


111


is mounted.




The cover


111


has an opening


1111


, hooks


1112


, extension plates


1113


and a guiding channel


1114


. The opening


1111


corresponds to the signal transmission port


13


of the electronic device


1


. The hooks


1112


are located on the bottom section of the cover


111


, each with a guiding edge


1112




a


. The extension plates


1113


are located on the bottom section of the cover


111


and extend downwards from the opening


1111


. Each extension plate


1113


further has a latch slot


1113




a


and a strut


1113




b


. The guiding channel


1114


is located between the extension plate


1113


and the inner wall of the cover


111


.




The casing


112


has holes


1121


and a slot opening


1122


. The holes


1121


are formed on the top section of the casing


112


corresponding to the hooks


1112


. Each hole


1121


has a sloped surface


1121


a at one end corresponding to the guiding edge


1112




a


to enable the guiding edge


1112




a


to slide thereon and go into the hole


1121


so that the cover


111


may be movably mounted onto the casing


112


with the slot opening


1122


corresponding to the lid


12


.




The lid


12


is movably mounted onto the cover


111


, and has a first position and a second position. When the signal transmission port


13


is not in use, the lid


12


may cover the opening


1111


at the first position to prevent dust or external objects from entering into the port. When the signal transmission port


13


is in use, the lid


12


may be stored on one side of the slot opening


1111


without being lost. The lid


12


has stub shafts


121


and bulged spots


122


. The stub shafts


121


are located on the bottom end of the lid


12


corresponding to the guiding channel


114


. Thus the guiding channel


1114


can guide the movement of the lid


12


. Moreover, the stub shafts


121


may be moved to one distal end of the guiding channel


14


and pivotally turned thereon to allow the lid


12


to be pivotally engaged with the cover


111


. The bulged spots


122


are located on two opposite sides of the lid


12


. When the lid


12


is moved in the guiding channel


1114


towards the casing


112


, the lid


12


is housed in the slot opening


1122


until the bulged spot


122


bucks the distal end of the guiding channel


1114


. Because of the restriction of the bulged spot


122


, the lid


12


may be housed in the slot opening


1122


securely at the second position without wobbling. When the lid


12


is located at the first position, the bulged spot


122


is wedged in the latch slot


1113




a


, and the strut


1113




b


limits the turning angle of the lid


12


. Thus the lid


12


may be securely mounted onto the first position without wobbling.




For assembly of the invention, first, dispose the lid


12


in the guiding channel


1114


with the bulged spots


122


of the lid


12


passing over the distal end of the guiding channel


1114


until the stub shafts


121


of the lid


12


buck the distal end of the guiding channel


1114


. This allows the lid


12


to be movably mounted onto the cover


111


. Next, insert the hooks


1112


of the cover


111


into the holes


1121


of the casing


112


. Apply force to the cover


111


to make the guiding edge


1112




a


of the hook


1112


slide over the sloped surface


1121


a and slip into the holes


1121


to complete the assembly of the invention.




When moving the lid


12


from the first position to the second position for using the signal transmission port


13


, first, move the bulged spots


122


of the lid


12


away from the latch slot


1113




a


to allow the stub shafts


121


of the lid


12


to be pivotally turnable at the distal end of the guiding channel


1114


. Then push the lid


12


into the casing


112


with the bulged spot


122


moving in the guiding slot


1114


until the lid


12


is housed in the slot opening


1122


and the bulged spot


122


reaches the distal end of the guiding channel


1114


. The lid


12


is thus securely located oil the second position without wobbling. Then the cable may be connected to the signal transmission port


13


without being affected by the lid


12


. On the other hand, when moving the lid


12


from the second position to the first position to cover the opening


1111


of the cover


111


and prevent the signal transmission port


13


from being contaminated, first, move the bulged spot


122


from the distal end of the guiding channel


1114


and draw the lid


12


from the slot opening


1122


. The stub shafts


121


are located on the distal end of the guiding channel


1114


. The lid may be turned pivotally to latch the bulged spot


122


on the latch slot


1113




a


. With the restriction of the strut


1113




b


, the lid


12


may be turned to a selected angle (first position) and securely mounted on the first position without wobbling.




While the preferred embodiment of the invention has been set forth for the purpose of disclosure, modifications of the disclosed embodiment of the invention as well as other embodiments thereof may occur to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, the appended claims are intended to cover all embodiments which do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention.



Claims
  • 1. A storing lid for electronic devices to cover a signal transmission port of an electronic device, comprising:a housing of the electronic device having a cover, a casing for supporting the cover, and an opening corresponding to the signal transmission port, the cover having two extension plates extended from a bottom section thereof corresponding to each other and a guiding channel located between each extension plate and an inner wall of the cover; and a lid having a stub shaft located on a bottom end corresponding to the guiding channel to guide the lid moving in the guiding channel until the stub shaft reaching a distal end of the guiding channel so that the lid is pivotally engaged with the cover, the lid being located on a first position when the signal transmission port is not in use to cover the opening to prevent dust or external objects from entering into the signal transmission port, and on a second position when the signal transmission port is in use with the lid housed on one side of the opening without lost.
  • 2. The storing lid for electronic devices of claim 1, wherein the cover has a plurality of hooks located on a bottom section thereof, the casing having a plurality of holes formed on a top section corresponding to the hooks to allow the cover movably mounted onto the casing.
  • 3. The storing lid for electronic devices of claim 2, wherein each of the hooks has a guiding edge, each of the holes having a sloped surface on one end thereof corresponding to the guiding edge to allow the hook sliding into the hole for engaging the cover to the casing.
  • 4. The storing lid for electronic devices of claim 1, wherein the lid has two opposite sides each has a bulged spot to retain the lid in the guiding channel when the lid is moved in the guiding channel towards the casing.
  • 5. The storing lid for electronic devices of claim 4, wherein the extension plate has a latch slot corresponding to the bulged spot for latching the bulged spot when the lid is located on the first position.
  • 6. The storing lid for electronic devices of claim 1, wherein the casing has a slot opening corresponding to the lid to house the lid when the lid is moved in the guiding channel towards the casing.
  • 7. The storing lid for electronic devices of claim 1, wherein the extension plate has a strut extending outwards to restrict the turning angle of the lid about the stub shaft for the lid to be located on the first position.
Priority Claims (1)
Number Date Country Kind
091221027 Dec 2002 TW
US Referenced Citations (45)
Number Name Date Kind
4478005 Mundschenk Oct 1984 A
5050211 Dortu et al. Sep 1991 A
5124506 Briggs et al. Jun 1992 A
5148348 White Sep 1992 A
5199888 Condra et al. Apr 1993 A
5224869 Lee Jul 1993 A
5306178 Huang Apr 1994 A
5331506 Nakajima Jul 1994 A
5379183 Okonsky et al. Jan 1995 A
5534888 Lebby et al. Jul 1996 A
5574625 Ohgami et al. Nov 1996 A
5701232 Tang et al. Dec 1997 A
5724226 Ruch et al. Mar 1998 A
5738536 Ohgami et al. Apr 1998 A
5754397 Howell et al. May 1998 A
5769646 Cavello et al. Jun 1998 A
5808861 Nakajima et al. Sep 1998 A
5815379 Mundt Sep 1998 A
5848719 Goldenberg Dec 1998 A
5924782 Park Jul 1999 A
5936214 Phillips Aug 1999 A
5963422 Golobay et al. Oct 1999 A
5964599 Choi Oct 1999 A
5980279 Muller Nov 1999 A
6038125 Anzai Mar 2000 A
6125031 Della Fiora et al. Sep 2000 A
6198626 Nakajima et al. Mar 2001 B1
6208509 Cha Mar 2001 B1
6219226 Bullington et al. Apr 2001 B1
6229418 Mueller et al. May 2001 B1
6267608 Yagi Jul 2001 B1
6305956 Deng Oct 2001 B1
6314483 Goto et al. Nov 2001 B1
6375480 Chen et al. Apr 2002 B1
6406321 Hayashi et al. Jun 2002 B1
6442637 Hawkins et al. Aug 2002 B1
6454581 Ribeiro Sep 2002 B1
6512178 Goodman Jan 2003 B2
6519142 Lai et al. Feb 2003 B1
6652297 Zhang et al. Nov 2003 B1
6661650 Nakajima et al. Dec 2003 B2
6674639 Wang et al. Jan 2004 B2
6679710 Saito et al. Jan 2004 B2
6690579 Ribeiro Feb 2004 B1
6737577 Liao et al. May 2004 B1