PORTABLE ELECTRONIC DEVICE

• US 20090084040A1
• Filed: 09/25/2008
• Published: 04/02/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Xacti Corporation (Office Support KK)
• Original Assignee: Sanyo Electric Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Kondo, Yasuhiro, Kitai, Takahiro
• Granted Patent: US 8,081,488 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 49/394
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/51 Housings
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

A portable electronic device includes: a casing provided therein with a battery compartment, the battery compartment being given an opening for the installation of the battery; a cover body pivotally supported on the casing to open and close the opening; a spring part for causing the battery inside the battery compartment to be spring-biased in a direction toward the opening; a lock lever provided to the casing, the lock lever being capable of moving back and forth between a locking position entering the opening and a lock releasing position retreating from the opening, while being spring-biased in a direction from the lock releasing position to the locking position; and a pressure applying part formed on the inner surface of the cover body, the pressure applying part pressing the lock lever placed in the lock releasing position toward the locking position immediately before the cover body is completely closed.

Claims

1. A portable electronic device, comprising:

a casing provided therein with a compartment for a cartridge body as a component, the compartment being given an opening for the installation of the cartridge body;

a cover body pivotally supported on said casing to open and close said opening, and is capable of being held in a position for closing the opening;

a spring part for causing the cartridge body inside said compartment to be spring-biased in a direction toward said opening;

a lock lever provided to said casing, the lock lever being capable of moving back and forth between a locking position entering said opening and a lock releasing position retreating from the opening, while being spring-biased in a direction from the lock releasing position to the locking position; and

a pressure applying part formed on the inner surface of said cover body, said pressure applying part pressing the lock lever placed in the lock releasing position toward the locking position immediately before the cover body is completely closed.

2. The portable electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the pressure applying part of said cover body is received by the lock lever placed in the lock releasing position by applying a first force to close the cover body, and the pressure applying part forces the lock lever placed in the lock releasing position to move toward the locking position by applying a second force greater than said first force to close the cover body.

3. The portable electronic device according to claim 2, wherein the inner surface of the cover body includes a sealing surface that closely contacts an opening edge for surrounding an opening of the compartment of the casing when the cover body is closed, the sealing surface applying no pressure upon the cartridge body inside the compartment.

4. The portable electronic device according to claim 3, wherein

the cover body includes a metal plate pivotally supported on the casing, a sealing cover fixed to the inner surface of the metal plate, and a sliding cover slidably engaging the metal plate,

the inner surface of said sealing cover defines said sealing surface, and

an end of said sliding cover comes into engagement with the casing by the sliding movement of the sliding cover to hold the cover body in a closed position.

5. The portable electronic device according to claim 4, wherein said lock lever is formed with a cam surface that presses the cartridge body toward the back portion of the compartment on receipt of a pressure applied from said pressure applying part.

6. The portable electronic device according to claim 5, wherein said cartridge body is a battery or a card-type IC chip.

7. The portable electronic device according to claim 2, wherein said lock lever is formed with a cam surface that presses the cartridge body toward the back portion of the compartment on receipt of a pressure applied from said pressure applying part.

8. The portable electronic device according to claim 1, wherein the inner surface of the cover body includes a sealing surface that closely contacts an opening edge for surrounding an opening of the compartment of the casing when the cover body is closed, the sealing surface applying no pressure upon the cartridge body inside the compartment.

9. The portable electronic device according to claim 8, wherein

the cover body includes a metal plate pivotally supported on the casing, a sealing cover fixed to the inner surface of the metal plate, and a sliding cover slidably engaging the metal plate,

the inner surface of said sealing cover defines said sealing surface, and

an end of said sliding cover comes into engagement with the casing by the sliding movement of the sliding cover to hold the cover body in a closed position.

10. The portable electronic device according to claim 1, wherein said lock lever is formed with a cam surface that presses the cartridge body toward the back portion of the compartment on receipt of a pressure applied from said pressure applying part.

11. The portable electronic device according to claim 1, wherein said cartridge body is a battery or a card-type IC chip.