Electronic device having a concealed battery latch door

• US 5,851,692 A
• Filed: 05/01/1997
• Issued: 12/22/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 05/01/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Potts, Anthony Morris
• Primary Examiner(s): Maples, John S.
• Application Number:
  US08/847,089
• Time in Patent Office: 600 Days
• Field of Search: 429/96, 429/97, 429/98, 429/99, 429/100
• US Class Current: 429/100
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 50/213 adapted for cells having curved cross-section, e.g. round or elliptic H01M50/209, H01M50/216 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

A battery door latch (106) for use on an electronic device (100) provides convenient access to batteries (406) located within the electronic device (100) by the device user, visually alerts the device user when the battery door latch (106) is in the unlatched position, and is concealed by the ornamental design of the electronic device (100) when the battery door latch (106) is in the latched position.

Claims

1. An electronic device having a concealed battery door latch comprising:

a housing having a surface located adjacent to a battery compartment and including an ornamental design;

a battery door for sealing said battery compartment; and

a battery door latch, moveable between a latched position and an unlatched position, for latching and unlatching said battery door,

said battery door latch being retained within said surface of said housing and including an ornamental design which matches said ornamental design of said surface of said housing, wherein said battery door latch is concealed by said ornamental design when said battery door latch is placed in the latched position.

2. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein said ornamental design on said battery door latch indicates when said battery door latch is placed in the unlatched position.

3. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein said housing has a front surface, a back surface and four side walls, and wherein said surface of said housing is one of said four side walls.

4. The electronic device according to claim 1 wherein said battery door latch comprises:

a moveable body incorporating said ornamental design; and

a tongue for latching said battery door.

5. The electronic device according to claim 4 wherein said ornamental design on said moveable body provides a finger grip for latching and unlatching said battery door latch.

6. The electronic device according to claim 1, wherein said electronic device is a selective call receiver.

7. An electronic device having a concealed battery door latch comprising:

a housing having a top surface, a bottom surface, and four side walls, said four side walls having styling grooves formed thereon, at least one of said four side walls located adjacent to a battery compartment;

a battery door for sealing said battery compartment; and

a battery door latch, moveable between a latched position and an unlatched position, for latching and unlatching said battery door,

said battery door latch including styling grooves which match said styling grooves on said at least one of said four side walls when said battery door latch is placed in the latched position.

8. The electronic device according to claim 7, wherein said styling grooves on said battery door latch indicates when said battery door latch is placed in the unlatched position.

9. The electronic device according to claim 7 wherein said battery door latch comprises:

a moveable body incorporating said styling grooves; and

a tongue for latching said battery door.

10. The electronic device according to claim 9 wherein said styling grooves on said moveable body provides a finger grip for latching and unlatching said battery door latch.

11. The electronic device according to claim 7 wherein said styling grooves are uniform grooves and ridges.

12. The electronic device according to claim 11 wherein said uniform grooves and ridges have a square cross section.

13. The electronic device according to claim 7, wherein said battery door includes styling grooves matching at least a portion of said styling grooves of said housing.

14. The electronic device according to claim 7, wherein said electronic device is a selective call receiver.

15. An electronic device having a concealed battery door latch comprising:

a housing having one or more surfaces which include an ornamental design;

a battery door for sealing a battery compartment, said battery door having a surface which includes an ornamental design matching said ornamental design of said housing; and

a battery door latch, moveable between a latched position and an unlatched position, for latching and unlatching said battery door,

said battery door latch retained within said surface of said battery door and including an ornamental design which matches said ornamental design of said housing, wherein said battery door latch is concealed by said ornamental design when said battery door latch is placed in the latched position.

16. The electronic device according to claim 15, wherein said ornamental design on said battery door latch indicates when said battery door latch is placed in the unlatched position.

17. The electronic device according to claim 15, wherein said housing has a front surface, a back surface and four side walls, and wherein said surface of said housing is one of said four side walls.

18. The electronic device according to claim 15 wherein said battery door latch comprises:

a moveable body incorporating said ornamental design; and

a tongue for latching said battery door.

19. The electronic device according to claim 18 wherein said ornamental design on said moveable body provides a finger grip for latching and unlatching said battery door latch.

20. The electronic device according to claim 15, wherein said electronic device is a selective call receiver.