Electronic device including card tray

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9622364-B2
Application number	US-201514624735-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 18, 2015
Priority date	Feb 21, 2014
Publication date	Apr 11, 2017
Grant date	Apr 11, 2017

Abstract

An electronic device is provided which may include a tray, an exterior cover, and/or a first hooking structure. The tray may be inserted or drawn to or from an inside via an opening of a housing of the electronic device, and may include a space for receiving a card. The exterior cover may be movably coupled to the tray. The first hooking structure may be disposed inside the electronic device, and may maintain a closed state of the exterior cover, and may release the closed state of the exterior cover in response to pressing of the exterior cover.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electronic device comprising:
a housing comprising an opening;
a tray inserted within the opening of the housing, the tray comprising a space for receiving a card;
an exterior cover movably coupled to the tray; and
a locking structure comprising a first hooking structure disposed inside the housing, the locking structure configured to transition between a locked state maintaining a closed state of the exterior cover and an unlocked state releasing the exterior cover, transitioning of the locking structure being caused by a pressing of the exterior cover, wherein the first hooking structure comprises:
a first hooking portion extending from an inner surface of the exterior cover; and
a first retainer for maintaining a closed state of the exterior cover using coupling with the first hooking portion,
wherein the first retainer is configured using a plate spring manufactured independently, or integrally formed with the housing via injection molding.

2. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein when the exterior cover is pressed, the exterior cover is moved such that it has a trajectory in the tray by a coupling structure.

3. The electronic device of claim 2 , wherein the coupling structure comprises:
one or more openings provided to the exterior cover and enabling trajectory movement of the exterior cover; and
one or more coupling pins provided to the tray and inserted to the openings, respectively.

4. The electronic device of claim 3 , wherein the openings are formed to have a space between the openings having an interval, and having a long and bent configuration.

5. The electronic device of claim 3 , wherein each coupling pin is coupled such that it faces a direction perpendicular to a tray insertion/drawing direction, and the tray is one of: independent formed and coupled to the tray; and integrally formed with the tray via injection molding.

6. The electronic device of claim 2 , wherein an upper surface of the tray is partially cut to provide a movement space of the exterior cover.

7. The electronic device of claim 6 , wherein the tray further has a recess caved in an insertion direction in the cut portion, and a protrusion is formed on a backside of pressed one end portion of the exterior cover, and when the exterior cover is pressed, the protrusion inhibits movement via adherence to the recess.

8. The electronic device of claim 2 , wherein with the exterior cover pressed, a portion of the exterior cover positioned in an opposite direction of the pressed portion also serves as a knob for drawing the tray.

9. The electronic device of claim 2 , wherein the exterior cover further has a pressing protrusion protruding to an outside on an outer surface of the pressed portion.

10. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the locking structure further comprises a second hooking structure inhibiting detachment of the tray,
wherein the second hooking structure comprises:
a second hooking portion formed on one side at an upper end of the tray; and
a second retainer preventing detachment of the tray via coupling with the second hooking portion,
wherein the second retainer is configured using a plate spring that is one of manufactured independently, and integrally formed with the housing via injection molding.

11. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein a gap is prepared between an end portion of the exterior cover and one end of a tray entry with the exterior cover pressed, so that interference with the one end by movement of the exterior cover is inhibited.

12. An electronic device comprising:
a tray inserted or drawn to or from an inside via an opening of a housing of the electronic device, and comprising a space for receiving a card;
an exterior cover rotatably coupled to a partial region of the tray by a hinge; and
a first hooking structure disposed in an inside of the electronic device, and maintaining a fixed state of the tray, or releasing a fixed maintenance state of the tray depending on pressing of the exterior cover in an insertion/drawing direction of the tray, wherein the first hooking structure comprises:
a first hooking portion extending from an inner surface of the exterior cover; and
a first retainer for maintaining a closed state of the exterior cover using coupling with the first hooking portion,
wherein the first retainer is configured using a plate spring manufactured independently, or integrally formed with the housing via injection molding.

13. The electronic device of claim 12 , wherein the hinge is disposed in a corner region on one side of the tray, and disposed in a portion of the tray inside a region of a cut portion of a card put in the tray, wherein the hinge faces a direction perpendicular to an insertion/drawing direction of the tray.

14. An electronic device comprising:
a tray inserted or drawn via an opening provided to a housing and comprising a space for receiving a card;
an exterior cover rotatably coupled to an upper end of the tray by a hinge, and at least a portion of which is pressed, so that another portion positioned in an opposite direction of the at least portion is detached;
a first hooking portion extending from an inner surface of the exterior cover; and
a first retainer for maintaining a closed state of the exterior cover using coupling with the first hooking portion,
wherein the first retainer is configured using a plate spring manufactured independently, or integrally formed with the housing via injection molding.

15. The electronic device of claim 14 , wherein the hinge is positioned on an intermediate portion at an upper end of the tray and moves like a seesaw.

16. The electronic device of claim 15 , wherein a partial region of the tray is cut in a predetermined shape to provide a rotational space of the exterior cover, and the pressed portion of the exterior cover cuts a portion of a backside to extend the rotational space of the exterior cover, and a cut surface comprises a plurality of inclined planes.

17. An electronic device comprising:
a tray inserted or drawn via an opening provided to the electronic device, wherein the tray comprises a space for receiving a card;
an exterior cover having a recess in a partial region of its outer surface and integrally formed with the tray to open/close the opening; and
a first hooking structure disposed in an inside of a housing of the electronic device, and maintaining a closed state of the tray or releasing a closed maintenance state of the tray depending on insertion/drawing of the tray,
wherein the first hooking structure comprises:
a first hooking portion extending from an inner surface of the exterior cover; and
a first retainer for maintaining a closed state of the exterior cover using coupling with the first hooking portion,
wherein the first retainer is configured using a plate spring manufactured independently, or integrally formed with the housing via injection molding.

18. The electronic device of claim 17 , wherein the exterior cover is integrally formed with the tray via injection molding.

19. The electronic device of claim 18 , wherein the recess is configured in a sufficient size such that a user's nail is inserted to the recess.

20. An electronic device comprising:
a portable electronic device housing;
a recess formed in one side of the housing;
a socket positioned inside the recess;
a tray inserted or drawn to or from the socket inside the recess and comprising a space for receiving a card;
a tray cover being one of attached and bound to the

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Baek Sang-In
• Bae Kwang-Jin
• Yang Soon-Woong
• Chun Hong-Moon

Classifications

• H05K5/0286 Primary

  Receptacles therefor, e.g. card slots, module sockets, card groundings · CPC title

• H05K5/0226

  Hinges · CPC title

• G06F1/1613

  for portable computers (cooling arrangements therefor G06F1/203; constructional details or arrangements for pocket calculators, electronic agendas or books G06F15/0216; constructional details of portable telephone sets: with several bodies H04M1/0202) · CPC title

• G06F1/1658 Primary

  related to the mounting of internal components, e.g. disc drive or any other functional module · CPC title

• H05K5/0221

  Locks; Latches · CPC title