JP2004055630A - Cover structure and electronic apparatus employing the same - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a cover structure capable of decreasing the number of components in an electronic apparatus, e.g. a portable telephone, while maintaing its operability. <P>SOLUTION: The cover 4, covering an electronic component 31, is born on a case 1 rotatably about a rotary shaft 42 and is urged to normal close state by means of a spring 5. Abutting part 47 of a recess 45 in the back surface of the cover 4 abuts against a protrusion 13 provided on the case 1, thus determining the close state position of the cover 4. When the cover 4 is rotated to open, while resisting against the force of the spring 5, a stopper part 46 of the recess 45 in the cover 4 rides over the protrusion 13, and they are set at the open state, while abutting each other. For making the cover 4 return to the close state, the stopper part 46 and the protrusion 13 are released, by moving the cover 4 in the axial direction of the rotary shaft 42, and a closed state is reset by the urging force of the spring 5. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a cover structure and an electronic device using the same, and more particularly, to an improvement in a cover structure that is attached to a device housing of an electronic device or the like and covers an object contained in the housing.
[0002]
[Prior art]
2. Description of the Related Art In electronic devices, there is a case in which, among items stored in an apparatus housing, a cover is always shielded, and an operator can operate the items by opening the cover as needed. . For example, taking a mobile phone with a camera as an example, if it is not necessary to take an image, cover the image pickup part of the camera with a cover and protect it. Open the cover only when it is necessary to take an image. Is used.
[0003]
In such an electronic device with a cover, it is one of the important factors to protect functions and the like that are desired to be normally hidden. For this purpose, a technique is usually adopted in which a cover is provided, removed when used, and attached when not in use.
[0004]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, such a method has a problem that the cover is lost or the removal and attachment of the cover are troublesome. Therefore, for example, Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open Publication No. 03-097054 discloses a sliding lid structure. According to this technique, since the inclined plate spring is used, although a certain effect is achieved in the lock mechanism, there is a problem that the number of parts is large and the cost is high. Therefore, in such a sliding cover structure, simplicity of operation and a reduction in the number of parts are desired, and as a result, the appearance of a low-cost cover structure is strongly desired.
[0005]
Therefore, the present invention has been made to satisfy such a demand, and an object of the present invention is to provide a cover structure capable of reducing the number of parts while maintaining simplicity of operability, and using the same. It is to provide an electronic device.
[0006]
That is, an object of the present invention is to provide a simple structure, which can be easily opened when needed and can be kept open, and can be easily closed when not needed, and keep the closed state. It is an object of the present invention to provide a cover structure and an electronic device using the same.
[0007]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The cover structure according to the present invention is a cover structure that is attached to the device housing to cover the contents in the housing, and includes a cover rotatably supported by the housing, and a cover in a normally closed state. A biasing member that biases the cover, a regulating member that is attached to the housing to determine both the closed and open positions of the cover and regulates rotation of the cover, and a biasing member that is provided on the cover and in the closed state. A contact portion that contacts the regulating member, and a stopper portion that is provided on the cover and that passes over the regulating member by an external force that opposes the urging force of the urging member and contacts the regulating member.
[0008]
The cover is movably movable in the axial direction of the rotation shaft and is urged in a direction in which the cover is in pressure contact with the housing. The stopper portion can get over the regulating member by an external force in a direction opposite to the direction described above.
[0009]
Further, the biasing member is a spring that generates a biasing force to the closed state and a biasing force to press the housing. Further, a recess is provided on the back surface of the cover, between the contact portion and the stopper portion, into which the regulating member is inserted. Further, the stopper portion has a tapered shape or an elastic member which is easy to get over when it gets over the regulating member by an external force against the urging force of the urging member.
[0010]
The object is an imaging device, and the object is a mobile phone equipped with the imaging device.
[0011]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is an external perspective view of an electronic apparatus to which the cover structure of the present invention is applied, in a case where the cover is in a closed state, and FIG. 2 is an external perspective view in which the cover is in an open state. FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the electronic apparatus shown in FIGS. In these figures, equivalent parts are denoted by the same reference numerals.
[0012]
An electronic device to which the present invention is applied has a front case 1 and a rear case 2 as device housings. A printed circuit board 3 on which electric components 31 are mounted is provided inside the housing. The printed circuit board 3 is sandwiched between the front case 1 and the rear case 2. An electric component 31 to be normally shielded by the cover 4 is inserted into the electric component hole 11 of the front case 1. The front case 1 is provided with a cover hole 12 near the electric component hole 11 for inserting the rotation shaft 42 of the cover 4.
[0013]
The cover 4 has a substantially fan-shaped cover main body 41 and a rotating shaft 42, and the rotating shaft 42 is provided at a vertex portion (center position of the fan-shaped) of the fan-shaped cover main body 41. A cover support 14 is provided inside the front case 1, and a hole 15 is provided in the cover support 14. By inserting the rotary shaft 42 into these cover holes 12 and 15, the cover 4 is supported by the cover support 14 of the front cover 1 so as to be rotatable about the rotary shaft 42. .
[0014]
A notch 43 is provided at the tip of the rotating shaft 42, and a cover hook 44 is provided at the tip of the notch 43. Accordingly, the insertion of the rotating shaft 42 into the hole 15 is facilitated, and when the rotating shaft 42 is to be pulled out, it is difficult for the rotating shaft 42 to be pulled out by the action of the cover hook 44. .
[0015]
A cover recess 45 is provided on the back surface of the cover body 41, and a stopper 46 is provided at one end of the cover recess 45. A projection 13 is attached to the surface of the front case 1, and the projection 13 is fitted into the cover recess 45.
[0016]
One end of the spring 5 is a case arm 52 extending from the outer shape of the spring main body 51, and the other end is a cover arm 53 extending diametrically inside the spring main body 51. A spring hook 16 is provided inside the front case 1. A rotation shaft 42 is inserted into the spring 5, and a cover arm of the spring 5 is inserted into a notch 43 at the tip of the rotation shaft. Is engaged with the spring hook 16.
[0017]
As a result, by the action of the spring 5, the cover 4 is constantly urged to the closed position shown in FIG. Therefore, the cover 4 can be maintained in a closed state where the cover concave portion 45 of the cover 4 contacts the case convex portion 13 of the front case 1 (the contact portion 47).
[0018]
When the cover 4 is opened as shown in FIG. 2, the operator rotates the cover 4 about the rotation shaft 42 against the urging force of the spring 5. At this time, since the stopper portion 46 of the cover 4 comes into contact with the convex portion 13 when the stopper portion 46 has climbed over the convex portion 13 of the front case 1, the state in which the cover 4 is opened can be maintained. Therefore, the protrusion 13 serves as a regulating member that regulates the rotation of the cover 4 in order to determine both the closed state and the open state of the cover 4.
[0019]
Further, since the cover 4 is movable in the axial direction of the rotary shaft 42 by the action of the spring 5, when the cover 4 is closed from the opened state, the force of the operator pulling the cover 4 in the direction of the rotary shaft 42. Is added, the stopper 46 of the cover 4 rides over the convex portion 13, so that the stopper can be easily closed by the restoring force (biasing force) of the spring 5.
[0020]
As a result, it can be easily opened and kept open when needed, and can be easily closed and kept closed when not needed.
[0021]
When the stopper portion 46 of the cover 4 moves over the convex portion 13 during the transition from the closed state of FIG. 1 to the open state of FIG. It is conceivable that the stopper 46 is formed of a deformable material or that the stopper 46 is tapered as shown in FIG.
[0022]
FIG. 4 is an external perspective view of an electronic apparatus having a camera function (imaging device) to which the present invention is applied, and FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view thereof. In these figures, the same parts as those in FIGS. The electronic device having the camera function includes a printed circuit board 3 on which a camera unit 32 is mounted inside a housing, and the camera unit 32 is mounted in the camera hole 11 of the front case 1.
[0023]
In such a configuration, the biasing force in the direction in which the cover 4 always closes in the rotation direction of the rotation shaft 42 is applied by the spring 5. Therefore, the cover 4 can be maintained in a closed state where the cover concave portion 45 of the cover 4 contacts the case convex portion 13 of the front case 1 (the contact portion 47). When the cover 4 is opened, the cover 4 is rotated about the rotation shaft 42. At this time, when the stopper 46 of the cover 4 rides over the protrusion 13 of the front case 1, the stopper 4 and the protrusion 13 come into contact with each other, so that the cover 4 can be kept open.
[0024]
When the cover 4 is closed from the open state, the cover 4 can be easily closed by applying a force to pull the cover 4 in the axial direction of the rotating shaft 42, as in the previous embodiment.
[0025]
By doing so, it is possible to easily open and maintain the open state when needed, and to easily close and keep the closed state when not needed. By covering the camera with the cover when it is not necessary, adhesion of dust can be prevented and the lens of the camera can be prevented from being damaged.
[0026]
In the above embodiment, it is needless to say that a push button for operation may be used instead of the camera unit 32. It can be easily opened when needed and can be kept open, and can be easily closed and kept closed when not needed. Further, by covering the push button with a cover when unnecessary, it is possible to prevent dust from entering the gap between the button and the front case, and to prevent erroneous operation of the push button.
[0027]
In the embodiments of FIGS. 4 and 5, the present invention is applied to an electronic apparatus having a camera, but the present invention can be similarly applied to a mobile phone with a camera. FIG. 6 shows the configuration. FIG. 6 is an external perspective view of a camera-equipped mobile phone to which the present invention is applied, and the same parts as those in the above drawings are denoted by the same reference numerals. Reference numeral 17 denotes a camera hole.
[0028]
In this camera-equipped mobile phone, the spring 5 applies an urging force in the direction in which the cover 4 always closes in the rotation direction of the rotating shaft 42, as in the previous embodiment. Therefore, the cover 4 can be maintained in a closed state where the cover concave portion 45 of the cover 4 contacts the case convex portion 13 of the front case 1. When the cover 4 is opened, the cover 4 is rotated about the rotation shaft 42. At this time, since the stopper portion 46 of the cover 4 hits the position where the stopper portion 46 of the front case 1 has passed over, the state where the cover 4 is opened can be maintained. When the cover 4 is closed from the opened state, the cover 4 can be easily closed by applying a force to pull the cover 4 in the axial direction.
[0029]
Thereby, it can be easily opened when necessary and can be maintained in an open state, and can be easily closed and maintained in a closed state when not needed. By covering the camera with the cover when it is not needed, adhesion of dust can be prevented and the lens of the camera can be prevented from being damaged.
[0030]
Further, it can be used not only for the cover of the camera of the mobile phone but also for the cover of the push button for operation as described above.
[0031]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the present invention, an extremely simple structure allows easy opening when required and can maintain the opened state, and easy closing when not required. There is an effect that the state of being able to be maintained can be maintained.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is an external perspective view illustrating a closed state of an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is an external perspective view showing an open state of the cover according to the embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of one embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 4 is an external perspective view showing a closed state of a cover of another embodiment (electronic device having a camera function) of the present invention.
FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of another embodiment (electronic device having a camera function) of the present invention.
FIG. 6 is an external perspective view of still another embodiment (cellular phone with camera) of the present invention.
[Explanation of symbols]
REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 front case 2 of case 2 rear case 3 of printed circuit board 4 cover 5 spring 11 electric component hole 12 cover hole 13 case protrusion 14 cover support 15 hole 16 spring hook 17 camera hole 31 electric component 32 camera unit 41 cover body 42 Rotating shaft 43 Notch 44 Cover hook 45 Cover concave portion 46 Stopper portion 47 Contact portion 51 Spring body 52 Case arm 53 Cover arm

Claims (9)

A cover structure attached to the device housing to cover the contents in the housing,
A cover rotatably supported by the housing,
An urging member for urging the cover to a normally closed state;
A regulating member that is attached to the housing to determine both the closed and open positions of the cover and regulates rotation of the cover;
A contact portion provided on the cover and in contact with the regulating member in the closed state;
A stopper portion provided on the cover, which rides over the regulating member by an external force against the urging force of the urging member and abuts on the regulating member;
A cover structure characterized by including. The cover is movable in the axial direction of the rotation axis thereof and is urged in a direction in which the cover comes into pressure contact with the housing. 2. The cover structure according to claim 1, wherein said stopper portion is able to get over said regulating member by an external force in a direction. The cover structure according to claim 2, wherein the biasing member is a spring that generates a biasing force to the closed state and a biasing force to press the housing. The cover structure according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein a concave portion in which the regulating member is inserted is provided between the contact portion and the stopper portion on the back surface of the cover. The cover structure according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the stopper portion has a tapered shape so that the stopper member can easily get over the restricting member when it gets over the regulating member by an external force against the urging force of the urging member. . The cover structure according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the stopper portion is an elastic member that can easily get over the regulating member when it gets over the regulating member by an external force that opposes the urging force of the urging member. . The cover structure according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the object is an imaging device. An electronic device having the cover structure according to claim 1. The electronic device according to claim 8, wherein the electronic device is a mobile phone.

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