Electronic device and housing assembly therefor

Abstract

The application provides an electronic device and a shell assembly thereof; the shell assembly comprises a first shell, a second shell and a locking piece; the locking piece is arranged in a side frame of the first shell and is movable along the extension direction of the side frame; the second shell is provided with a buckle structure which is insertable into a receiving groove on the side frame and is lockable with the locking piece; the locking piece is movable along the extension direction of the side frame to realize the locking and unlocking of the buckle structure. The shell assembly has the characteristics of simple structure and convenient operation by designing the structure of the locking piece which is movable along the extension direction of the side frame of the shell to realize the locking and unlocking of the buckle structure of the other shell, so that the electronic device can meet the requirements of the European Union; in addition, the detachable battery is also beneficial to environmental protection, the replacement and abandonment of the battery are facilitated, the battery can be quickly charged, and the endurance of the electronic device is improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the technical field of electronic device housing structures, specifically to an electronic device and its housing assembly. Background Technology

[0002] The European Union is pushing forward a new regulation aimed at making smartphone batteries easier for users to replace. This regulation is part of the EU's Battery Regulation, which aims to ensure batteries are more sustainable and environmentally friendly throughout their entire lifecycle, from material sourcing to recycling and reuse. Under this regulation, starting in 2027, consumers will be able to remove and replace portable batteries in their electronic devices at any time, extending product lifespan, encouraging reuse, and helping to reduce post-consumer waste.

[0003] Current smartphones all use a one-piece glued battery cover, which does not allow users to remove the battery cover themselves to replace the battery. Therefore, it is necessary to conduct research on a phone structure with a removable battery cover to meet EU regulations.

[0004] The integrated battery cover of existing mobile phones has many drawbacks: First, it does not comply with EU regulations, and as a result, current smartphones will not be able to be sold in the EU by 2027; second, the battery cover cannot be repeatedly disassembled and reassembled, making it impossible to replace the battery, which is inconvenient for users in terms of battery life; and third, once the battery life deteriorates, the entire phone will be discarded along with the battery, resulting in waste. Summary of the Invention

[0005] A first aspect of this application provides a housing assembly for an electronic device, the housing assembly including: a first housing, a second housing, and a locking member; the locking member is disposed within a side frame of the first housing and is movable along the extending direction of the side frame; the second housing is provided with a snap-fit ​​structure, the snap-fit ​​structure being insertable into a receiving groove on the side frame and cooperating with the locking member for locking, the locking member moving along the extending direction of the side frame to lock and unlock the snap-fit ​​structure.

[0006] Secondly, this application provides an electronic device, which includes a display module, a control circuit board, and a housing assembly as described in the above embodiments. The second housing of the display module and the housing assembly are respectively disposed on opposite sides of the first housing. The second housing cooperates with the first housing to form an accommodating space. The control circuit board is disposed in the accommodating space and electrically connected to the display module.

[0007] The housing assembly provided in this application provides a locking component structure that can move along the extension direction of the side frame of the housing to lock and unlock the snap-fit ​​structure of another housing. It features a simple structure and convenient operation, enabling electronic devices to meet EU requirements. In addition, the removable battery is environmentally friendly, facilitates individual battery replacement and disposal, and enables rapid charging, thereby improving the battery life of electronic devices. Attached Figure Description

[0008] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application, the accompanying drawings used in the description of the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the accompanying drawings described below are only some embodiments of this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0009] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of an embodiment of the electronic device of this application;

[0010] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the disassembled structure of the electronic device in the embodiment;

[0011] Figure 3 yes Figure 2 Enlarged schematic diagram of the local structure at point A;

[0012] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of one embodiment of the second housing of this application;

[0013] Figure 5 yes Figure 4 Enlarged schematic diagram of the local structure at point B;

[0014] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of one embodiment of the locking component of this application;

[0015] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of another embodiment of the electronic device of this application;

[0016] Figure 8 yes Figure 7 A schematic diagram of the disassembled structure of the electronic device in the embodiment;

[0017] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the locking member and the side key in the embodiment of this application;

[0018] Figure 10 yes Figure 9 Enlarged schematic diagram of the local structure at point C;

[0019] Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an embodiment of the electronic device of this application;

[0020] Figure 12 yes Figure 11 A cross-sectional view of the electronic device at DD in the embodiment;

[0021] Figure 13 This is a schematic block diagram of the structural composition of an embodiment of the electronic device of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0022] The present application will now be described in further detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be particularly noted that the following embodiments are for illustrative purposes only and do not limit the scope of the application. Similarly, the following embodiments are only some, not all, embodiments of the present application, and all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without inventive effort are within the scope of protection of the present application.

[0023] The terms "first," "second," and "third" used in the embodiments of this application are for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of indicated technical features. Therefore, a feature defined as "first," "second," or "third" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of that feature. In the description of this application, "multiple" means at least two, such as two, three, etc., unless otherwise explicitly specified. All directional indications (such as up, down, left, right, front, back, etc.) in the embodiments of this application are only used to explain the relative positional relationships and movement of components in a specific posture (as shown in the figures). If the specific posture changes, the directional indication will also change accordingly. The terms "comprising" and "having," and any variations thereof, in the embodiments of this application are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion. For example, a process, method, system, product, or device that includes a series of steps or units is not limited to the listed steps or units, but may optionally include steps or units not listed, or may optionally include other steps or components inherent to these processes, methods, products, or devices.

[0024] In this document, the term "embodiment" means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with an embodiment may be included in at least one embodiment of this application. The appearance of this phrase in various places throughout the specification does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, nor is it a separate or alternative embodiment mutually exclusive with other embodiments. It will be explicitly and implicitly understood by those skilled in the art that the embodiments described herein can be combined with other embodiments.

[0025] As used herein, “electronic device” (or simply “terminal”) includes, but is not limited to, means configured to receive / transmit communication signals via a wired connection (such as via a Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN), Digital Subscriber Line (DSL), Digital Cable, Direct Cable Connection, and / or another data connection / network) and / or via a wireless interface (e.g., for cellular networks, Wireless Local Area Networks (WLANs), Digital Television Networks such as DVB-H networks, Satellite Networks, AM-FM Broadcast Transmitters, and / or another communication terminal). A communication terminal configured to communicate via a wireless interface may be referred to as a “wireless communication terminal,” a “wireless terminal,” or a “mobile terminal.” Examples of mobile terminals include, but are not limited to, satellite or cellular phones; personal communication system (PCS) terminals that may combine cellular radiotelephone with data processing, fax, and data communication capabilities; PDAs that may include radiotelephones, pagers, Internet / intranet access, web browsers, notepads, calendars, and / or Global Positioning System (GPS) receivers; and conventional laptop and / or handheld receivers or other electronic devices that include radiotelephone transceivers. A mobile phone is an electronic device equipped with a cellular communication module.

[0026] Please refer to the following: Figure 1 and Figure 2 , Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of an embodiment of the electronic device of this application. Figure 2 yes Figure 1 The diagram illustrates the disassembled structure of the electronic device in this embodiment. It should be noted that the electronic device in this application may include mobile phones, tablets, laptops, wearable devices, and other electronic devices. This electronic device includes, but is not limited to, the following structures: a housing assembly 100 and a display module 200. The electronic device may also include other structures such as a control circuit board, camera, and battery, which will be detailed later. The illustrations in this embodiment only show a portion of the electronic device's structure.

[0027] Specifically, the housing assembly 100 includes a first housing 110, a second housing 120, and a locking member 130. In this embodiment, the first housing 110 can be the mid-frame of an electronic device, specifically including a mid-plate 111 and a side frame 112. The side frame 112 is positioned along the edge of the mid-plate 111. The locking member 130 is located within the side frame 112 of the first housing 110 and can move along the extending direction of the side frame 112 (X direction in the figure). The second housing 120 can be the back cover of the electronic device, i.e., the battery cover. The display module 200 and the second housing 120 are respectively located on opposite sides of the first housing 110. The second housing 120 is provided with a latching structure 121, which can be inserted into a receiving groove 101 on the side frame 112 and can cooperate with the locking member 130 for locking. The locking member 130 moves along the extending direction of the side frame 112 to lock and unlock the latching structure 121. The second housing 120 cooperates with the first housing 110 to form a receiving space, which is used to accommodate devices such as control circuit boards, batteries, vibration motors, cameras, sensors, and speakers. Detailed features of this part are within the understanding of those skilled in the art and will not be described here.

[0028] Optionally, please refer to the following as well. Figure 2 and Figure 3 , Figure 3 yes Figure 2 The enlarged schematic diagram of the partial structure at point A shows that the inner side of the side frame 112 of the first housing 110 is provided with a mounting groove 102, and the locking member 130 is provided in the mounting groove 102 and can move back and forth along the length direction of the mounting groove 102 (X direction in the figure, which is also the length direction of the locking member 130, which is also the extension direction of the side frame 112).

[0029] Please continue reading. Figure 3 In this embodiment, the receiving groove 101 extends inward from the top wall of the side frame 112 of the first housing 110 in the thickness direction (Z direction in the figure) and communicates with the mounting groove 102; the side wall of the mounting groove 102 is provided with a relief groove 103, which is correspondingly provided with the receiving groove 101, and the relief groove 103 is used to avoid the snap-fit ​​structure 121 inserted into the receiving groove 101.

[0030] Optionally, please refer to the following as well. Figure 4 and Figure 5 , Figure 4 This is a structural schematic diagram of an embodiment of the second housing of this application. Figure 5 yes Figure 4The enlarged schematic diagram of the partial structure at point B shows that there are multiple snap-fit ​​structures 121 on the second housing 120, which are arranged sequentially along the edge of the second housing 120. The snap-fit ​​structure 121 may include a connecting part 1211 and a fastening part 1212 of an integral structure. The fastening part 1212 is used to engage with the locking member 130.

[0031] Please continue reading. Figure 2 In this embodiment, the number of receiving slots 101 corresponds to the number of snap-fit ​​structures 121, and they are arranged sequentially along the length of the side frame 112 of the first housing 110; the multiple receiving slots 101 are respectively connected to the mounting slots 102.

[0032] Please refer to the following: Figure 6 , Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of a locking member according to an embodiment of the present application. The locking member 130 has multiple notches 1300 along its length direction (X direction in the figure), which are the same number as the number of latching structures 121 and correspond one-to-one. When the locking member 130 moves along its length direction, the multiple notches 1300 are in a position state that corresponds one-to-one with the positions of the multiple latching structures 121, which can unlock the latching structures 121 and the locking member 130. When the locking member 130 moves along its length direction, the multiple notches 1300 are in a state that is staggered from the positions of the multiple latching structures 121, which can lock the latching structures 121 and the locking member 130.

[0033] Alternatively, please continue reading Figure 3 In this embodiment, the housing assembly 100 further includes an elastic element 140 and a driving element 150. The elastic element 140 is embedded in the side frame 112 of the first housing 110 and abuts against the locking element 130 from one end, so that the locking element 130 has a locking force in the length direction. That is, the elastic element 140 abuts against the locking element 130, so that the multiple notches 1300 of the locking element 130 are kept offset from the positions of the multiple snap structures 121, so as to maintain the locking state.

[0034] The driving member 150 is embedded in the side frame 112 of the first housing 110, and drives the locking member 130 from one end to overcome the locking force and move in the opposite direction to the locking force. Optionally, the elastic member 140 in this embodiment can be a spring, and the driving member 150 can be an electrically strain material rod, such as a shape memory alloy or a dielectric superelastic material, which can undergo (shortening) deformation under current stimulation, thereby pulling the locking member 130 to move, so as to realize the unlocking function.

[0035] Optionally, the strain gauge rod may be disposed inside the spring, with its two ends fixedly connected to the side frame 112 of the first housing 110 and the locking member 130, respectively. Of course, in some other embodiments, the driving member 150 may also be other structures, such as a motor linkage structure or a linear motor, etc., which are not specifically limited here.

[0036] It should be noted that this embodiment is only a schematic illustration of the structure of locking member 130, elastic member 140 and driving member 150 provided in the side frame 112 on one side of the first housing 110. In some other embodiments, the structure may be that locking member 130 is provided in multiple side frames 112 within the four sides of the first housing 110. The detailed features of this part are within the understanding of those skilled in the art and will not be described in detail here.

[0037] The housing assembly provided in this application embodiment, by designing a locking member structure, can move along the extension direction of the side frame of the housing to lock and unlock the snap-fit ​​structure of another housing. It has the characteristics of simple structure and convenient operation, which can enable electronic devices to meet EU requirements. In addition, the removable battery is also beneficial to environmental protection and facilitates individual replacement and disposal of the battery.

[0038] Please refer to the following: Figure 7 and Figure 8 , Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of another embodiment of the electronic device of this application. Figure 8 yes Figure 7 The embodiment shows a schematic diagram of the disassembled structure of the electronic device; the housing assembly 100 in this embodiment may also include: a first housing 110, a second housing 120, a locking member 130, an elastic member 140, and a driving member 150. Detailed features of the first housing 110, the second housing 120, the locking member 130, the elastic member 140, and the driving member 150 can be found in the relevant descriptions of the foregoing embodiments, and will not be repeated here.

[0039] Unlike the previous embodiments, in this embodiment, the side frame 112 of the first housing 110 is provided with an unlocking hole 104 connecting the mounting groove 102 to the outside. The unlocking hole 104 is located at one end of the mounting groove 102 along its length and corresponds to the end of the locking member 130 away from the elastic member 140. Please refer to [further details omitted]. Figure 9 and Figure 10 , Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the locking member and the side key in an embodiment of this application. Figure 10 yes Figure 9The enlarged schematic diagram of the partial structure at point C shows that the locking member 130 has a top holding hole 131 at the end away from the elastic member 140. The top holding hole 131 corresponds to the unlocking hole 104. When the second housing 120 needs to be disassembled, a pin is inserted from the unlocking hole 104. The pin holds the locking member 130 through the top holding hole 131, causing the locking member 130 to move and thus unlocking.

[0040] Alternatively, please continue reading Figure 8 and Figure 9 In this embodiment, the outer side of the side frame 112 of the first housing 110 is provided with an assembly groove 105, which is connected to the mounting groove 102. The housing assembly 100 also includes a side key 160, which is installed in the assembly groove 105 and can slide along the assembly groove 105. One end of the side key 160 is fixedly connected to the locking member 130 (specifically, it can be engaged with the engagement groove 132 on the locking member 130 or glued), and the other end extends to the outer side of the side frame 112. The side key 160 is used to drive the locking member 130 to move in the X direction, thereby realizing the switching between unlocking and locking positions.

[0041] In this embodiment, the housing assembly structure uses a linear locking component that moves vertically up and down. This component has an unlocking slot, allowing for the unlocking and removal of the battery cover (second housing). Unlocking methods include manual side unlocking, manual bottom pin insertion, and automatic electronic control (drive component) unlocking. This allows users to repeatedly remove and install the battery cover and replace the battery. It meets future EU regulations and also addresses user needs for battery replacement, thus improving battery life.

[0042] Furthermore, this application also provides an electronic device, which may include a mobile phone, tablet computer, laptop computer, wearable device, etc. This embodiment uses a mobile phone as an example for illustration. Please refer to the following: Figure 11 and Figure 12 , Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an embodiment of the electronic device of this application. Figure 12 yes Figure 11 The schematic diagram of the electronic device at the DD position in this embodiment shows that the electronic device may include a display module 200, a housing assembly 100, a control circuit board 300, and a battery 400. The housing assembly 100 may be the structure described in the previous embodiments, and will not be repeated here.

[0043] Optionally, the second housing 120 of the display module 200 and the housing assembly 100 respectively cooperate with the first housing 110 to form an accommodating space 1000. The control circuit board 300 and the battery 400 are disposed within the accommodating space 1000. The control circuit board 300 is electrically connected to both the battery 400 and the display module 200, and is used to control the display module 200. Detailed technical features of other parts of the electronic device are within the understanding of those skilled in the art and will not be elaborated here.

[0044] Please see Figure 13 , Figure 13 This is a schematic block diagram illustrating the structural composition of an embodiment of the electronic device described in this application. The electronic device can be a mobile phone, tablet computer, laptop computer, or wearable device, etc. This embodiment uses a mobile phone as an example. The structure of the electronic device may include an RF circuit 910, a memory 920, an input unit 930, a display unit 940 (which may be the display module 200 in the above embodiment), a sensor 950, an audio circuit 960, a Wi-Fi module 970, a processor 980 (which may be the control circuit board 300 in the above embodiment), and a power supply 990 (which may be the battery 400 in the above embodiment). The RF circuit 910, memory 920, input unit 930, display unit 940, sensor 950, audio circuit 960, and Wi-Fi module 970 are all connected to the processor 980; the power supply 990 provides power to the entire electronic device.

[0045] Specifically, the RF circuit 910 is used to transmit and receive signals; the memory 920 is used to store data instruction information; the input unit 930 is used to input information, and may specifically include a touch panel 931 and other input devices 932 such as operation buttons; the display unit 940 may include a display panel 941, etc.; the sensor 950 includes infrared sensors, laser sensors, etc., used to detect user proximity signals, distance signals, etc.; the speaker 961 and the microphone 962 are connected to the processor 980 through the audio circuit 960 for transmitting and receiving sound signals; the Wi-Fi module 970 is used to receive and transmit Wi-Fi signals; and the processor 980 is used to process the data information of the electronic device. For specific structural features of the electronic device, please refer to the relevant descriptions in the above embodiments; detailed descriptions will not be provided here.

[0046] The electronic device in this embodiment has a housing assembly with a locking mechanism designed to lock and unlock another housing latch structure by moving along the extension direction of the side frame of the housing. This mechanism is simple in structure and easy to operate, and can enable the electronic device to meet EU requirements. In addition, the removable battery is environmentally friendly, facilitates individual battery replacement and disposal, and enables rapid recharging, thereby improving the battery life of the electronic device.

[0047] The above description is only a part of the embodiments of this application and does not limit the scope of protection of this application. Any equivalent device or equivalent process transformation made based on the content of this application specification and drawings, or direct or indirect application in other related technical fields, are similarly included in the patent protection scope of this application.

Claims

1. A housing assembly for an electronic device, characterized in that, The housing assembly includes: a first housing, a second housing, and a locking member; the locking member is disposed within the side frame of the first housing and can move along the extending direction of the side frame; the second housing is provided with a snap-fit ​​structure, which can be inserted into a receiving groove on the side frame and can cooperate with the locking member to lock, and the locking member moves along the extending direction of the side frame to lock and unlock the snap-fit ​​structure.

2. The housing assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that, The inner side of the side frame of the first housing is provided with a mounting groove, and the locking member is provided in the mounting groove and can reciprocate along the length direction of the mounting groove.

3. The housing assembly according to claim 2, characterized in that, The receiving groove extends inward from the top wall of the side frame of the first housing in the thickness direction and communicates with the mounting groove; the side wall of the mounting groove is provided with a clearance groove, which is correspondingly provided with the receiving groove.

4. The housing assembly according to claim 3, characterized in that, The second housing has multiple latching structures arranged sequentially along the edge of the second housing. The number of receiving slots corresponds to the number of latching structures, and they are arranged sequentially along the length of the side frame of the first housing. The locking member has multiple notches along its length, the same number as the number of latching structures, that correspond one-to-one. When the locking member moves along its length, the multiple notches correspond one-to-one with the positions of the multiple latching structures, enabling the latching structures to unlock from the locking member. When the locking member moves along its length, the multiple notches are staggered from the positions of the multiple latching structures, enabling the latching structures to lock from the locking member.

5. The housing assembly according to claim 2, characterized in that, The housing assembly further includes an elastic element, which is embedded in the side frame of the first housing and abuts against the locking element from one end, so that the locking element has a locking force in the length direction.

6. The housing assembly according to claim 5, characterized in that, The housing assembly further includes a drive member, which is embedded in the side frame of the first housing and drives the locking member from one end to overcome the locking force and move in the opposite direction to the locking force.

7. The housing assembly according to claim 6, characterized in that, The elastic element is a spring, and the driving element is an electrical strain gauge rod. The electrical strain gauge rod is disposed inside the spring, and its two ends are fixedly connected to the side frame of the first housing and the locking element, respectively.

8. The housing assembly according to claim 5, characterized in that, The side frame of the first housing is provided with an unlocking hole that connects the mounting groove to the outside. The unlocking hole is located at one end of the mounting groove along its length and is provided at the end of the locking member away from the elastic member.

9. The housing assembly according to claim 2, characterized in that, The outer side of the side frame of the first housing is provided with an assembly groove, which communicates with the mounting groove; the housing assembly also includes a side key, which is installed in the assembly groove and can slide along the assembly groove. One end of the side key is fixedly connected to the locking member, and the other end extends to the outer side of the side frame. The side key is used to drive the locking member to move.

10. An electronic device, characterized in that, The electronic device includes a display module, a control circuit board, and a housing assembly as described in any one of claims 1-9. The display module and the second housing of the housing assembly are respectively disposed on opposite sides of the first housing. The second housing cooperates with the first housing to form an accommodating space. The control circuit board is disposed in the accommodating space and electrically connected to the display module.

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