US20040118588A1 - Sliding lid with anchoring structure for electronic devices - Google Patents

Abstract

A sliding lid with an anchoring structure for covering a signal transmission port of an electronic device includes a housing of the electronic device, a first lid and a second lid. The housing has a first opening and a second opening corresponding respectively to the upper side and a lateral side of the signal transmission port. The first lid and the second lid correspond to the first opening and the second opening. The second lid is pivotally engaged with the first lid. The second lid may be slid in the second opening and spare a slot opening to allow a flat cable to pass through. The first lid is pivotally turned to cover the first opening. The invention improves the convenience of assembly and detachment of the lids, and also can prevent dusts or external objects from entering into the exposed signal transmission port of the electronic device.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
• The invention relates to a sliding lid with an anchoring structure for covering a signal transmission port of electronic devices, particularly to a sliding lid with an anchoring structure that improves the convenience of assembly and detachment and prevents dust or external objects from entering into the exposed signal transmission port.[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
• Many electronic devices have a signal transmission port to connect other electronic devices through a flat cable for data-transmitting. Hence it is necessary to provide an opening on two normal side walls of the housing of the electronic device to mate the signal transmission port, receiving the flat cable for connecting other electronic devices. However, before the electronic devices are connected, the signal transmission ports are exposed and often contaminated by dust or external objects. That could result in poor connection or even dysfunction of the signal transmission port.[0002]
• Lately, there has been design providing an L-shaped lid to cover the opening, formed on the two normal side walls of the housing of the electronic devices. To solve the problem mentioned above, the lid covers the opening when the electronic device is not connected externally. When the electronic device is connected, the L-shaped lid is removed from the opening for connecting the flat cable to the signal transmission port. However, such a design also has problems. For instance, when two electronic devices are too close to each other, or there is a need to inspect the flat cable, it is difficult to remove the L-shaped lid. Installation of the lid on the opening of the housing of the electronic device is also not easy.[0003]
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
• In view of the aforesaid disadvantages, the primary object of the invention is to provide a sliding lid with an anchoring structure for electronic devices. The invention improves the convenience of detachment and assembly of a lid and prevents dust or external objects from entering into the exposed signal transmission port of electronic devices.[0004]
• The sliding lid, with an anchoring structure for electronic devices of the invention, aims to cover the signal transmission port of electronic devices. It includes a housing of an electronic device, a first lid and a second lid. The housing has a first opening and a second opening corresponding respectively to an upper side and a lateral side of the signal transmission port. The first lid corresponds to the first opening. The second lid is pivotally engaged with the first lid and corresponds to the second opening. The second lid is slid in the second opening with lateral sides thereof coupling with lateral sides of the second opening but has space on one side of the second opening to form a slot opening. The first lid is pivotally engaged with the second lid and has one side reaching a lateral side of the first opening to cover the first and the second opening. Only the slot opening remains uncovered. Thus the invention improves the convenience of detachment and assembly of the lid, and prevents dust or external objects from entering into the exposed signal transmission port.[0005]
• The foregoing, as well as additional objects, features and advantages of the invention will be more readily apparent from the following detailed description, which proceeds with reference to the accompanying drawings.[0006]
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
• FIG. 1 is an exploded view of the invention.[0007]
• FIGS. 2A, 2B and[0008]2C are schematic views of the invention showing the operating conditions of the first lid and the second lid covering the first opening and the second opening.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
• Referring to FIGS. 1 through 2C, the sliding lid with an anchoring structure of the covers a signal transmission port for electronic devices. The invention includes a[0009]housing10 of an electronic device, afirst lid20 and asecond lid30. Thehousing10 has afirst opening11 and asecond opening12, corresponding respectively to an upper side and a lateral side of asignal transmission port40 of the electronic device. Thefirst opening11 haslatch troughs111, located on two lateral sides. Thesecond opening12 has two lateral sides each has adovetail trough121 and a buckingmember122 which is extended to form abucking surface123.
• The[0010]first lid20 corresponds to thefirst opening11, and includes a bulgedspot21 and asloped surface22. Thebulged spot21 is located on one lateral side of thefirst lid20 corresponding to thelatch trough111 of the first opening, so when the side edge of thefirst lid20 is coupled with the lateral side of thefirst opening11, thesloped surface22 is located on one end of thefirst lid20. Moreover, the top surface of thefirst lid20 has a greater length than the bottom surface to facilitate moving of the first lid with force to separate thebulged spot21 from thelatch trough111.
• The[0011]second lid30 has one end pivotally engaged with one end of thefirst lid20 opposite to thesloped surface22. Thesecond lid30 corresponds to thesecond opening12. It includes adovetail surface31 and aram ridge32. Thedovetail surface31 is located on the lateral side of thesecond lid30 to couple with thedove tail trough121 located on the lateral side of the second opening12 so that the lateral side of thesecond lid30 is coupled with the lateral side of thesecond opening12. Theram ridge32 is located on an inner wall of thesecond lid30 corresponding to thebucking members122, located on two lateral sides of the second opening12. When thesecond lid30 slides in the second opening12, theram ridge32 presses thefastening parts122 which is expanded outwards to allow theram ridge32 to pass through so that thesecond lid30 may be anchored on thesecond opening12.
• Referring to FIGS. 2A, 2B and[0012]2C, when covering thefirst opening11 and the second opening12 with thefirst lid20 and thesecond lid30, first, move thesecond lid30 in contact with thebucking surface123 on the lateral side of the second opening12, and slide thesecond lid30 in the second opening12. During the sliding process, thedovetail surface31 also slides in thedovetail trough121 on the lateral side of thesecond opening12, and theram ridge32 on the inner wall presses the buckingmember122 to expand outwards so that theram ridge32 passes through the buckingmember122 to allow thesecond lid30 be anchored on thesecond opening12 to cover thesecond opening12. Aslot opening13 is spared to allow aflat cable50 to pass through. Next, pivotally turn thefirst lid20 relative to thesecond lid30 to enable thefirst lid20 to cover thefirst opening11. In the mean time, thebulged spot21 on the lateral side of thefirst lid20 is latched in thelatch trough111 on the lateral side of the first opening11 so that thefirst lid20 is anchored in thefirst opening11 to cover thefirst opening11. Thus the invention is easily assembled.
• For removing, apply a force on the sloped surface of the[0013]first lid20 to move thebulged spot21 on the lateral side of thefirst lid20 away from thelatch trough111 on the lateral side of thefirst opening11; then pivotally turn thefirst lid20 relative to thesecond lid30 and apply a force on thesecond lid30 such that theram ridge32 presses the buckingmember122 outwards and passes through, and thedovetail surface31 on the lateral side of thesecond lid30 is slid out of thedovetail trough121 on the lateral side of the second opening12. Thus the lids are easily detached.
• Moreover, as the[0014]first opening11 and thesecond opening12 are covered by thefirst lid20 and thesecond lid30, the invention prevents dust or external objects from entering into the exposedsignal transmission port40 of the electronic device.
• While the preferred embodiment of the invention has been set forth for the purpose of disclosure, modifications of the disclosed embodiment of the invention as well as other embodiments thereof may occur to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, the appended claims are intended to cover all embodiments which do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention.[0015]

Claims (6)

What is claimed is:

1. A sliding lid with an anchoring structure for covering a signal transmission port of electronic devices, comprising:

a housing of an electronic device having a first opening and a second opening corresponding respectively to an upper side and a lateral side of the signal transmission port;

a first lid corresponding to the first opening; and

a second lid pivotally engaging with the first lid and corresponding to the second opening for sliding in the second opening with lateral sides of the second lid coupling with lateral sides of the second opening but sparing a slot opening;

wherein after the first lid is pivotally turned relative to the second lid lateral sides of the first lid being coupled with lateral sides of the first opening to cover the first opening and the second opening except the slot opening.

2. The sliding lid with an anchoring structure ofclaim 1, wherein the first lid includes a bulged spot located on a lateral side thereof, the first opening having a latch trough located on a lateral side thereof corresponding to the bulged spot for the lateral side of the first lid to couple with the lateral side of the first opening.

3. The sliding lid with an anchoring structure ofclaim 1, wherein the first lid has a sloped surface on one end opposite to where the second lid is pivotally engaged, the first lid has a top surface of a greater length than the bottom surface thereof.

4. The sliding lid with an anchoring structure ofclaim 1, wherein each of the lateral sides of the second lid forms a dovetail surface, and each of the lateral sides of the second opening forms a dovetail trough corresponding to the dovetail surface for the lateral sides of the second lid to couple with the lateral sides of the second opening.

5. The sliding lid with an anchoring structure ofclaim 1, wherein the second lid has a ram ridge located on an inner wall, the second opening having two bucking members located on the lateral sides corresponding to the ram ridge such that the bucking members are pushed by the ram ridge and expanded outwards and to be passed through by the ram ridge for anchoring the second lid on the second opening.

6. The sliding lid with an anchoring structure ofclaim 1, wherein the two lateral sides of the second opening have respectively a bucking surface to allow the second lid to press and slide in the second opening.

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