Battery cover and latch assembly for a portable electronic device
AssigneeResearch In Motion Limited
InventorsVijai Rajagopal, James Carl Infanti, Timothy Herbert Kyowski
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An apparatus for securing a cover over an opening defined in a housing of a portable electronic device includes a pair of latches along opposite edges of the cover. Each latch assembly has a cap affixed to the cover and partially housing a latch that is slideable therein. Each latch is biased by a separate spring into a first position, at which a tab on that latch projects from the cap and engages the housing. An actuator on each latch extends outside the respective cap for engagement by a user to slide the latch into a second position in which the associated tab is retracted from engaging the housing.
Claims22
An apparatus for securing a cover over an opening defined in a housing of a portable electronic device, wherein the cover has non-collinear first and second edges between which third and fourth edges extend, said apparatus comprising:
- a first latch assembly affixed to the cover and having a first latch that is moveable along the first edge into and out of engagement with the housing, and a first biasing member arranged to bias the first latch into engagement with the housing;
- and
- a second latch assembly affixed to the cover and having a second latch that is moveable along the second edge into and out of engagement with the housing, and a second biasing member arranged to bias the second latch into engagement with the housing;
- wherein each of the first and second latches comprises:
- a U-shaped central portion having a pair of spaced apart legs with a cross leg extending there between, a stop block attached to the cover and located between the pair of spaced apart legs, the stop block having an aperture therein, a guide pin projecting from the cross leg, between the pair of spaced apart legs and into the aperture in the stop block, wherein the stop block guides the pin as the respective one of the first and second latches moves, and a tab projecting from the cross leg for engaging a respective catch on the housing.
An apparatus for securing a cover over an opening defined in a housing of a portable electronic device, wherein the cover has first and second opposing edges and third and fourth edges at least one of which extends from the first edge to the second edge, and the housing has first and second catches, said apparatus comprising:
- a first latch assembly affixed to the cover and having a first latch that is slideable along the first edge into and out of engagement with the first catch, wherein the first latch has a first actuator accessible from an exterior of the housing by a user and configured for moving the first latch, and a first biasing member arranged to bias the first latch into engagement with the first catch;
- a second latch assembly affixed to the cover and having a second latch that is slideable along the second edge into and out of engagement with the second catch, wherein the second latch has a second actuator accessible from an exterior of the housing by the user and configured for moving the first latch, and a second biasing member arranged to bias the second latch into engagement with the second catch;
- and
- a spring biased electrical contact on the housing and engaging the cover that is secured to the housing, the spring biased electrical contact being adapted to provide an electrical path between the cover and the housing and to cause the cover to move away from the housing when the first latch and second latch are out of engagement with the housing.
An apparatus for securing a cover over an opening defined in a housing of a portable electronic device, wherein the cover has an inside surface and non-collinear first and second edges extending away from the inside surface, said apparatus comprising:
- a first latch assembly affixed to the cover and having a first latch that is moveable along the first edge into and out of engagement with the housing, and a first biasing member arranged to bias the first latch into engagement with the housing;
- and
- a second latch assembly affixed to the cover and having a second latch that is moveable along the second edge into and out of engagement with the housing, and a second biasing member arranged to bias the second latch into engagement with the housing;
- wherein each of the first and second latches comprises a central portion that slideably abuts the inside surface of the cover and that is U-shaped with a pair of spaced apart legs between which a cross leg extends, each of the first and second latch assemblies further comprises a stop block attached to the cover, located between the spaced apart legs, and having an aperture therein, and comprises a guide pin projecting from the cross leg between the pair of spaced apart legs and into the aperture in the stop block, wherein the stop block guides the pin as the respective one of the first and second latches moves, and each of the first and second latch assemblies further comprises a manual actuator projecting through an aperture in one of the first and second edges, and a tab for projecting outward from a third edge into engagement with the housing.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.