# US 7,520,540 B2 · Cover latch

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- Number: US 7,520,540 B2
- Document ID: US7520540B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 11/818,601
- Filed: 2007-06-15
- Published: 2008-12-18
- Granted: 2009-04-21
- Earliest claimed: 2007-06-15
- Assignees: Shin Zu Shing Co., Ltd.
- Inventors: Tzu-Yu Lin; Shun-Yu Hung
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US7520540B2

## CPC

- E05B 65/006: {for covers or panels (for manholes E02D29/1427; for holes enabling access to installations in buildings E04F19/08; for pressure vessels F16J13/00)}
- E05C 1/14: the handle or member moving essentially towards or away from the plane of the wing or frame
- G06F 1/1616: {with folding flat displays, e.g. laptop computers or notebooks having a clamshell configuration, with body parts pivoting to an open position around an axis parallel to the plane they define in closed position}
- 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)}
- G06F 1/1679: {for locking or maintaining the movable parts of the enclosure in a fixed position, e.g. latching mechanism at the edge of the display in a laptop or for the screen protective cover of a PDA (G06F1/1681 takes precedence)}
- G06F 1/1686: {the I/O peripheral being an integrated camera}
- H04M 1/0216: {Foldable in one direction, i.e. using a one degree of freedom hinge}
- H04M 1/0281: {for providing single handed use or left/right hand conversion}
- E05C 9/02: with one sliding bar for fastening when moved in one direction and unfastening when moved in opposite direction; with two sliding bars moved in the same direction when fastening or unfastening
- G06F 2200/1634: Integrated protective display lid, e.g. for touch-sensitive display in handheld computer
- Y10T 292/0898: Cam
- Y10T 292/0985: Discrete pivotable or rotatable actuator
- E05B: LOCKS; ACCESSORIES THEREFOR; HANDCUFFS
- E05C: BOLTS OR FASTENING DEVICES FOR WINGS, SPECIALLY FOR DOORS OR WINDOWS (latching means for sideboard or tailgate structures for vehicles B62D, {B62D33/02}; fastening devices for constructional or engineering elements E04, F16B; locks, fastening devices structurally or operatively combined or having significant cooperation with locks E05B; means for operating or controlling wing fasteners in conjunction with mechanisms for moving the wing E05F)
- G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N)
- H04M: TELEPHONIC COMMUNICATION (circuits for controlling other apparatus via a telephone cable and not involving telephone switching apparatus G08)
- Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION

## Abstract

The present invention relates to a cover latch for an electronic device and includes a body, a latch bar, an actuator and a driver. The driver is connected to the cover body, the actuator and the latch bar. Only one hand is required to unlatch the cover latch by rotating the actuator and the driver that moves the latch bar.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A cover latch comprising
a cover body having
an inner surface;
a proximal edge; and
a distal edge;
a latch bar being mounted slidably on and parallel to the inner surface of the body near the distal edge of the cover body and having
two ends; and
two latches being formed on and protruding from the latch bar away from the inner surface of the cover body, each latch being formed at one of the ends of the latch bar;
an actuator being mounted rotatably in the distal edge of the body between the two ends of the latch bar; and
a driver being connected to the body, the latch bar and the actuator, such that the driver being rotated by the actuator when the actuator is rotated and thereby driving the latch bar to slide, the driver having
a shaft connected to the inner surface of the cover body coaxially with the actuator and having
a proximal end;
a distal end;
a leaf formed on and protruding longitudinally from the proximal end of the shaft and connected securely to the inner surface of the cover body;
a keyed shaft formed on and protruding longitudinally from the distal end of the shaft; and
a flange formed on and protruding radially out from the shaft between the leaf and the keyed shaft;
a slide mounted slidably on the keyed shaft, being connected to the latch bar and having
a coaxial keyhole formed coaxially through the slide and corresponding to and being mounted slidably on the keyed shaft;
an outer surface;
a proximal end; and
a distal end having two elongated protrusions formed on and protruding longitudinally from the distal end of the slide opposite to each other, each elongated protrusion having
two inclined edges; and
a flat distal surface;
a spring mounted around the keyed shaft between the flange and the slide and pressing the slide toward the distal end of the keyed shaft; and
a rotator being mounted on and being rotated by the actuator, engaging and moving the slide along the shaft and having
a mounting bracket attached to and rotating with the actuator and having
a proximal end attached to the actuator; and
a distal end; and
a head being attached to and protruding longitudinally from the distal end of the mounting bracket, engaging and pushing the slide against the spring along the keyed shaft and having a distal end having
two elongated protrusions formed on and protruding longitudinally from the distal end of the head opposite to each other, each elongated protrusion having
two inclined edges, one of the inclined edges on each elongated protrusion on the head engaging and pressing against the corresponding inclined edge on the slide; and
a flat distal surface, the flat distal surfaces being the same as the flat distal surfaces on the elongated protrusions on the slide.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The cover latch as claimed in claim 1, wherein
the distal end of the slide further has two flat surfaces being formed on the distal end of the slide between the elongated protrusions opposite to each other, and each flat surface being larger than the flat distal surface of the elongated protrusion;
the distal end of the head further has two flat surfaces being formed between the elongated protrusions opposite to each other and being larger than the flat distal surfaces of the elongated protrusions.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The cover latch as claimed in claim 2, wherein the actuator has a web camera mounted in the actuator.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The cover latch as claimed in claim 1, wherein
the latch bar is U-shaped and further has
a main bar having two ends; and
two end bars being L-shaped and being formed respectively on and extending transversely from the ends of the main bar parallel to each other and extend longitudinally opposite to each other; and each end bar has
a transverse leg;
a longitudinal leg aligning with and extending away from each other parallel to the main bar and having a distal end; and
a perpendicular junction;
a connecting tab being formed on and protruding transversely from the main bar toward the distal edge of the cover body and having a distal end;
the latches are formed on and protrude respectively from the perpendicular junctions, and each latch has
a neck being formed on and protruding from the latch bar and having a distal end; and
a lip being formed on and protruding transversely from the distal end of the neck parallel to the latch bar and toward one end of the latch bar, the lips extending toward the same end; and
the slide of the driver has a connecting arm being formed on and protruding transversely from the outer surface of the slide away from the distal edge of the cover body and connecting to the distal end of the connecting tab of the latch bar.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The cover latch as claimed in claim 4, wherein
the cover body further has
a central bracket being formed on and protruding from the inner surface of the body close and parallel to the distal edge and having
two ends; and
a longitudinal slot;
two limits being formed on and protruding from the inner surface respectively outside the two ends of the central bracket;
two outer brackets being formed on and protruding from the inner surface of the body adjacent to the distal edge respectively outside the limits, each outer bracket having a longitudinal slot parallel to the longitudinal slot in the central bracket, and the longitudinal slots of the outer brackets being aligned with each other;
the main bar is mounted slidably in the longitudinal slot in the central bracket and protrudes from the two ends of the central bracket;
the end bars are mounted slidably respectively in the longitudinal slots of the outer brackets;
the actuator is mounted between the two outer brackets; and
the leaf connects securely to the inner surface of the cover body between one of the outer bracket and the actuator.