COVER OPENING/CLOSING APPARATUS FOR PORTABLE COMMUNICATION DEVICE

• US 20110157791A1
• Filed: 10/29/2010
• Published: 06/30/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: PARK, Jae-Hong, LEE, Seung-Ha, CHO, Byung-Hun, KIM, Young-Suk, GO, Jung-Hee
• Granted Patent: US 8,958,205 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 361/679.01
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1656 Details related to functional adaptations of the enclosure, e.g. to provide protection against EMI, shock, water, or to host detachable peripherals like a mouse or removable expansions units like PCMCIA cards, or to provide access to internal components for maintenance or to removable storage supports like CDs or DVDs, or to mechanically mount accessories mounting of accessories to a computer display G06F1/1607; display hoods G06F1/1603; cooling arrangements for portable computers G06F1/203
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0202 Portable telephone sets, e.g. cordless phones, mobile phones or bar type handsets constructional features of telephone transmitters or receivers, e.g. of speakers or microphones H04M1/03
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0274 for an electrical connector module
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/0221 Locks; Latches

Abstract

Disclosed is a cover system for a portable communication device which is latched or separated according to pulling or pushing a cover unit so as to open/close a slot entrance of a portable communication device. The cover opening/closing apparatus includes a slot entrance formed on a body of the portable communication device; a cover unit for opening/closing the slot entrance, the cover unit being assembled with the slot entrance and latched to or separated from the slot entrance according to pulling or pushing the cover unit; a plurality of assembly units formed on the slot entrance; and a plurality of latching units formed on the cover unit, assembled to be inserted into and withdrawn from the assembly units, and latched to or separated from the assembly units according to pulling and pushing or lifting the cover unit.

Claims

1. A cover system for a portable communication device, comprising:

a slot entrance formed on a body of the portable communication device;

a cover unit for opening/closing the slot entrance, the cover unit being latched to or separated from the slot entrance according to a pulling or pushing action of the cover unit;

a plurality of assembly units formed on the slot entrance; and

a plurality of latching units formed on the cover unit, assembled to be inserted into and withdrawn from the assembly units, and latched to or separated from the assembly units according to the pulling and pushing or lifting of the cover unit.

2. The cover system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the assembly unit comprises:

a first assembly groove formed in a location adjacent to the slot entrance and movably assembled with the latching units; and

a second assembly groove formed in a location adjacent to the slot entrance and forcefully fitted into the latching units after the pulling and pushing or lifting the cover unit.

3. The cover system as claimed in claim 2, wherein the second assembly groove is smaller than the first assembly groove for detachably fitting with the latching unit.

4. The cover system as claimed in claim 2, wherein the latching units comprise a first latching unit and a second latching unit,

the first latching unit is formed on one end of the cover unit and the second latching unit is formed on the other end of the cover unit, and

the first and second latching units comprise an anti-separation jaw so as to prevent the first and second latching units from being separated from the first and second assembly grooves.

5. The cover system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the cover unit is made of a shape memory alloy or rubber material so that the cover unit is easily opened/closed when an external connection terminal is inserted into and separated from the cover unit.

6. A cover system for a portable communication device, comprising:

a slot entrance formed on a body of the portable communication device;

a cover unit moving by an elastic force to open/close the slot entrance, the cover unit being slidably assembled with the slot entrance;

a sliding locking unit for locking the cover unit according to an activation of the cover unit via the elastic force.

7. The cover system as claimed in claim 6, wherein the body comprises a movement unit having a movement groove to be slidable in response to the activation of the cover unit,

8. The cover system as claimed in claim 6, wherein the sliding locking unit comprises:

a latching unit formed on the cover unit;

an attachment/detachment locker selectively attached to and detached from the latching unit in response to the activation of the cover unit; and

an elastic member formed on the body to provide the elastic force for slidably moving the cover unit.

9. The cover system as claimed in claim 8, wherein the cover unit comprises a stopper knob for limiting the sliding of the cover unit at one end of the cover unit,

the stopper knob comprises a latching jaw latched to or separated from the latching unit, and

the cover unit comprises at least one supporting protrusion assembled with the elastic member to support the elastic member at the other end of the cover unit.

10. The cover system as claimed in claim 9, wherein the latching jaw and the latching unit are formed in a hemisphere shape.

11. A cover system for a portable communication device, comprising:

a slot entrance formed on a body of the portable communication device;

a first magnet formed on a location adjacent to the slot entrance; and

a cover unit having a second magnet to slidably open/close the slot entrance via a magnetic force between the first magnet and the second magnet.

12. The cover system as claimed in claim 11, wherein the cover unit embeds the second magnet by a dual injection process.

13. The cover system as claimed in claim 11, wherein the first magnet is formed on a location corresponding to the second magnet.

14. The cover system as claimed in claim 11, wherein the cover unit closes the slot entrance by magnetic force of the first and second magnets, and wherein the cover unit opens the slot entrance when the second magnet slides to be separated from the first magnet.

15. The cover system as claimed in claim 11, wherein the body comprises a guide rail for guiding the sliding of the cover unit and a knob protrudes from an external side of the cover unit to be exposed to an outside.

16. A cover system for a portable communication device, comprising:

a slot entrance formed on a body of the portable communication device;

a cover unit semi-automatically moving by an elastic force to open/close the slot entrance; and

an elastic member formed between the body and the cover unit to provide the elastic force so as to semi-automatically slide the cover unit to open/close the slot entrance.

17. The cover system as claimed in claim 16, wherein the body comprises a movement space allowing the sliding of the cover unit.

18. The cover system as claimed in claim 16, wherein the body is fastened with one end of the elastic member and the cover unit is fastened with another end of the elastic member, so that the elastic member is tensioned when the cover unit initially slides and is compressed when the cover unit moves beyond a predetermined location.

19. The cover system as claimed in claim 16, wherein the elastic member comprises a push rod.