Closure fasteners – Bolts – Spring arm
Reexamination Certificate
1998-09-10
2001-02-20
Luu, Teri Pham (Department: 3627)
Closure fasteners
Bolts
Spring arm
C292S080000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06189938
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a device including mutually movable housing portions and locking means for locking the housing portions to each other. More particularly, the present invention relates to a structure for releasably locking a covering element in a closed position on a housing. The present invention may be considered as a structure for locking a covering element attached to a housing of a portable electrical unit, such as a hand-held terminal unit, a portable telephone, a video camera, a notebook-size personal computer, and so forth, to selectively open and close an opening defined in the housing.
2. Description of the Related Art
Various locking structures have been known in the art, which can releasably lock a covering element or lid in a closed position for closing an opening, such as an opening of a battery receptacle, a memory-card receptacle, and so on, defined in a housing of a portable electrical unit, such as a hand-held terminal unit, a portable telephone, a video camera, a notebook-size personal computer, and so forth. For example, it is known to provide a resilient hook, made of resin, along an edge portion of the covering element. The resilient hook can be engaged in a snap-fit manner with an inner shoulder formed along a peripheral edge of the opening defined in the housing when the covering element is attached to close the opening, and thus can lock the covering element in a closed position.
Another conventional locking structure is known as a shiftable member rotatably or slidably supported on the covering element to be able to move between locked and unlocked positions. The shiftable member is normally provided at one end thereof with a knob accessibly arranged outside the covering element, and at the other end thereof with an engagement piece disposed inside the covering element. The engagement piece can be engaged with an inner shoulder formed along a peripheral edge of the opening defined in the housing when the covering element is located to close the opening and the shiftable member is shifted into the locked position, and thus can lock the covering element in a closed position.
The above-mentioned conventional locking structures for the covering elements have several problems, as follows. Since the stability and reliability of the locking function of the resilient-hook locking structure depend only on the resilient property of the hook, the resilient-hook locking structure is relatively easily released or disengaged from the peripheral-edge inner shoulder of the opening when the covering element and/or the housing is subjected to vibration or shock.
Also, the shiftable-member locking structure increases the number of parts, and generally makes it difficult to reduce the size and/or weight of the portable electrical unit. Further, in the shiftable-member locking structure, the operation for shifting the shiftable member is usually troublesome. Moreover, since the shiftable member cannot be fully shifted into the locked position until the covering element is completely located in the closed position, it is necessary to confirm that the shiftable member has certainly or correctly locked the covering element in the closed position, to eliminate inadvertently opening or half-opening the covering element.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a locking structure, for a covering element, which can improve the stability and reliability of the locking function of the locking structure, even when the covering element is subjected to a significant vibration or shock.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a locking structure for a covering element, which can certainly lock the covering element in a closed position by a relatively easy operation of the locking structure.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a locking structure which can readily eliminate inadvertently opening or half-opening the covering element.
An yet further object of the invention is to provide a device including such a locking structure.
In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a locking structure for releasably locking a covering element in a closed position on a unit housing, comprising a resiliently engaging member integrally formed on the covering element for releasable engagement with the unit housing; and a supporting member pivotably connected to the covering element for releasable engagement with the resiliently engaging member, the resiliently engaging member being stably supported by the supporting member in a locked position of the locking structure.
In the preferred aspect of the invention, the resiliently engaging member includes at least one resilient first support projecting from the covering element and at least one projection formed on a free end of the resilient first support to be releasably engaged with the unit housing.
In this arrangement, the resiliently engaging member may include a pair of resilient first supports projecting from the covering element, a bar connecting respective free ends of the resilient first supports with each other and a pair of projections formed on the bar to be releasably engaged with the unit housing.
In another preferred aspect of the invention, the supporting member includes a base plate pivotably connected to the covering element and a second support extending from the base plate to be releasably engaged with the resiliently engaging member.
In this arrangement, the second support may be formed as a flat plate extending from the base plate, and at least one catch may be provided at a free end of the flat plate, the base plate being held in the locked position by an interengagement between the catch and the resiliently engaging member.
Also, in this arrangement, the second support may be formed as at least one rib extending from the base plate, and a slanted edge may be provided at a free end of the rib, the base plate being held in the locked position by an interengagement between the slanted edge and the resiliently engaging member.
In a further preferred aspect of the invention, the supporting member is arranged to force the resiliently engaging member into a fixed engagement with the unit housing.
Advantageously, the locking structure further comprises a switching mechanism for detecting the closed position of the covering element, the switching mechanism being actuated by the supporting member when the supporting member is pivoted on the covering element.
The present invention also provides a device comprising a housing including a first portion and a second portion, the first portion being movable relative to the second portion; an engaging member provided on the first portion for releasable engagement with the second portion; and a supporting member pivotably provided in the housing for supporting the engaging member in engagement with the second portion, to lock the first portion to the second portion.
It is preferred that the supporting member is provided on the second portion.
It is also preferred that the second portion includes a recess for the releasable engagement with the engaging member.
In this arrangement, the supporting member may be arranged to force the engaging member into a fixed engagement with the recess.
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Kobayashi Toshiyuki
Kumagai Mitsuaki
Nakadaira Fumio
Obata Takao
Fujitsu Limited
Luu Teri Pham
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