Apparatus for use in a battery compartment of an electronic device, an electronic device and an operation method thereof

Abstract

An apparatus for use in a battery compartment of an electronic device to secure placement of a battery pack in the battery compartment, the apparatus comprising: a cap being configured to be releasably mounted in a receiving cavity on a side wall of the battery compartment, and movable into or out of the receiving cavity, wherein the cap comprises: a front surface facing an opening of the battery compartment and tilted towards the side wall of the battery compartment; and a stopper disposed on the front surface of the cap, in response to a positioning slot on a front edge of the battery pack being mated with the stopper, to allow the front edge of the battery pack to engage with the front surface of the cap and push the cap towards the side wall of the battery compartment and into the receiving cavity.

Description

APPARATUS FOR USE IN A BATTERY COMPARTMENT OFAN EEECTRONIC DEVICE, AN EEECTRONIC DEVICE ANDAN OPERATION METHOD THEREOFTECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present application relates to an electronic meter, and more particularly, to an apparatus for use in a battery compartment of an electronic device, an electronic device with the apparatus, and an operation method of the electronic device.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] A separate battery usually needs to be attached to an electronic device, especially a portable electronic device, so as to avoid movement limitation of wired power supply and increase use flexibility of the portable electronic device. For endurance reasons, the portable electronic device may be equipped with several replaceable batteries, so as to replace a battery when the battery is depleted. In a process of inserting the battery into a battery compartment of the portable electronic device, the battery needs to be oriented correctly, so as to ensure that the conductive interface of the battery has an electrical contact with a terminal in the battery compartment. Once the battery is inserted in a wrong orientation, the conductive interface of the battery not only cannot have an electrical contact with the terminal in the battery compartment, but also causes physical damage to the battery and the battery compartment due to collision, thereby shortening service life of the battery and the battery compartment.

[0003] Therefore, it is desired to improve the battery compartment of the electronic device to prevent the battery from being inserted into the battery compartment in a wrong orientation.SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0004] An objective of this application is to provide an apparatus for ensuring that a battery pack is correctly inserted into an electronic device, thereby preventing the electronic device from being damaged when the battery is inserted into a battery compartment of the electronic device in a wrong orientation.

[0005] According to an aspect of this application, an apparatus for use in a battery compartment of an electronic device to ensure that a battery pack is placed in the battery compartment is provided. The apparatus may include: a cap being configured to be releasably mounted in a receiving cavity on a side wall of the battery compartment, and movable into or out of the receiving cavity, wherein the cap includes: a front surface facing an opening of the battery compartment and tilted towards the side wall of the battery compartment; and a stopper disposed on the front surface of the cap, in response to a positioning slot on a front edge of the battery pack being mated with the stopper, to allow the front edge of the battery pack to engage with the front surface of the cap and push the cap towards the side wall of the battery compartment and into the receiving cavity, thereby permitting the battery pack to be inserted into the battery compartment to have an electrical contact with the electronic device.

[0006] In some embodiments, the stopper is further configured to: in response to an insertion of the battery pack where the positioning slot of the battery pack is not mating with the stopper, engage with the front edge or a rear edge of the battery pack to maintain the cap out of the receiving cavity, thereby preventing the battery pack from being inserted into the battery compartment to have an electrical contact with the electronic device.

[0007] In some embodiments, the stopper is a retaining bump protruding from the front surface of the cap, and the retaining bump includes a front surface that is substantially perpendicular to the side wall of the battery compartment.

[0008] In some embodiments, the front surface of the cap has a tilt angle ranging between 7° and 45° relative to the side wall of the battery compartment.

[0009] In some embodiments, the cap is further configured to, after the battery pack is inserted into the battery compartment and has an electrical contact with the electronic device, secure the battery pack in the battery compartment.

[0010] In some embodiments, the cap further includes a rear surface opposite to the front surface of the cap, and a reverse retaining bump protruding from the rear surface, and configured to, after the battery pack is inserted into the battery compartment and has an electrical contact with the electronic device, abut against a rear edge of the battery pack to secure the battery pack in the battery compartment.

[0011] In some embodiments, the apparatus further includes: a release button coupled with the cap, wherein the release button is configured to move the cap towards the side wall of the battery compartment and into the receiving cavity in response to a user’s triggering action.

[0012] In some embodiments, the apparatus further includes: a fastener for releasably mounting the cap in the receiving cavity to allow the cap to move into or out of the receiving cavity.

[0013] In some embodiments, the fastener includes: a first pin and a second pin inserted into the cap; a resilient biasing component disposed between the first pin and the cap, wherein the resilient biasing component is configured to bias the cap in a direction away from the side wall of the battery compartment, and elastically deform when the cap is subjected to a force in the direction of the first pin to allow the cap to move towards the side wall of the battery compartment; and a retaining component disposed on the second pin, wherein the retaining component is configured to limit a maximum distance of the cap away from the side wall of the battery compartment when the cap moves out of the receiving cavity.

[0014] According to another aspect of this application, an electronic device for sensing or visualizing signals is further provided. The electronic device includes: the apparatus configured to be used in a battery compartment of an electronic device according to the foregoing aspect; and a battery compartment configured to receive the battery pack through an opening of the battery compartment.

[0015] In some embodiments, the electronic device further includes: at least one sensor configured to detect an electrical, magnetic, optical, thermal, or acoustic property of a device under test or a scene.

[0016] According to still another aspect of this application, a method for using a battery pack in an electronic device is further provided. The method includes: orientating the battery pack relative to an opening of a battery compartment of the electronic device to mate a positioning slot of the battery pack with a stopper on a front surface of a cap mounted in the battery compartment; and inserting the battery pack into the battery compartment through the opening until the battery pack has an electrical contact with the electronic device.

[0017] In some embodiments, the cap is releasably mounted in a receiving cavity on a side wall of the battery compartment.

[0018] In some embodiments, the inserting the battery pack into the battery compartment through the opening until the battery pack has an electrical contact with the electronic device includes: inserting the battery pack into the battery compartment through the opening to have the stopper received within the positioning slot and a front edge of the battery pack engaged with the front surface of the cap; pushing the battery pack forward inside the battery compartment so that the battery pack moves over the front surface of the cap and pushes the cap towards the side wall of the battery compartment and into the receiving cavity; andpushing further the battery pack forward inside the battery compartment until the battery pack has an electrical contact with the electronic device.

[0019] In some embodiments, the cap further includes a rear surface opposite to the front surface of the cap and a reverse retaining bump protruding from the rear surface of the cap, wherein the pushing further the battery pack forward inside the battery compartment until the battery pack has an electrical contact with the electronic device further includes: pushing the battery pack until the battery pack moves over the rear surface of the cap, such that the reverse retaining bump abuts against a rear edge of the battery pack to secure the battery pack in the battery compartment.

[0020] In some embodiments, the electronic device further includes a release button coupled with the cap, and the method further includes: operating the release button to move the cap into the receiving cavity on the side wall of the battery compartment; and removing the battery pack from the battery compartment.

[0021] The foregoing is a brief description of this application, and there may be cases in which details are simplified, summarized, and omitted. Therefore, a person skilled in the art should recognize that this part is merely exemplary and is not intended to limit the scope of this application in any manner. This brief part is not intended to determine key features or necessary features of the claimed subject, nor is intended to be used as an auxiliary means for determining the scope of the claimed subject.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0022] A person skilled in the art may clearly understand the foregoing and other features of this application more fully by using the following detailed description and appended claims with reference to the drawings. It can be understood that the drawings and detailed descriptions only describe several exemplary embodiments of the content of this application, and shall not be considered as limiting the scope of the content of this application. The content of this application will be described more clearly and in detail with reference to the drawings.

[0023] Fig. 1 is a structural schematic diagram of an electronic device and battery packs according to an embodiment of this application.

[0024] Fig. 2 is a partially enlarged view of the battery pack in Fig. 1.

[0025] Fig. 3 is a structural schematic diagram of a retaining piece according to an embodiment of this application.

[0026] Fig. 4A and Fig. 4B are schematic diagrams of different working states of a retaining piece according to an embodiment of this application.

[0027] Fig. 5A and Fig. 5B are three-dimensional schematic diagrams of interaction between a battery pack and a retaining piece according to an embodiment of this application.

[0028] Fig. 6A and Fig. 6B are side views of the battery pack and the retaining piece in Fig. 5A and Fig. 5B, respectively.

[0029] Fig. 7 is a three-dimensional schematic diagram of interaction between a battery pack and a retaining piece according to another embodiment of this application.

[0030] Fig. 8A to Fig. 8C are schematic diagrams of assembly of a retaining piece in an electronic device according to an embodiment of this application.

[0031] Fig. 9A to Fig. 9C are schematic diagrams of assembly of a retaining piece in an electronic device according to another embodiment of this application.

[0032] Fig. 10A is a schematic diagram of assembly of a retaining piece in an electronic device according to another embodiment of this application.

[0033] Fig. 10B is a structural schematic diagram of the retaining piece in Fig. 10A.

[0034] Fig. 11A and FIG. 11B are structural schematic diagrams of a retaining piece according to another embodiment of this application.

[0035] Fig. 12A and Fig. 12B are structural schematic diagrams of a retaining piece according to another embodiment of this application.

[0036] Fig. 13 A and Fig. 13B are structural schematic diagrams of a retaining piece according to another embodiment of this application.

[0037] Fig. 14A and Fig. 14B are structural schematic diagrams of a retaining piece according to another embodiment of this application.

[0038] Fig. 15A and Fig. 15B are structural schematic diagrams of a retaining piece according to another embodiment of this application.

[0039] Fig. 16 is a flowchart of a method for operating an electronic device according to an embodiment of this application.

[0040] Fig. 17A to Fig. 17C are schematic diagrams of insertion of a battery pack into a battery compartment of an electronic device according to an embodiment of this application.DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0041] The following detailed description of exemplary embodiments of this application refers to the drawings that form a part of the description. In the drawings, a similar symbolusually represents a similar component, unless otherwise specified in context. Illustrative embodiments described in the detailed description, the drawings, and the claims are not intended to be limiting. Other embodiments may be used, and other changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the subject of this application. It can be understood that various compositional configurations, replacements, combinations, and designs may be performed on various aspects of content of this application that are generally described in this application and that are illustrated in the drawings, all of which definitely constitute a part of the content of this application.

[0042] Usually, in order to increase a battery capacity or a battery voltage, a plurality of standard-sized batteries (for example, ICR19 / 66 batteries, 18650 batteries, or 20700 batteries) may be packaged together in parallel or series to form a battery module or a battery pack (collectively referred to as a “battery pack” in this application) to supply power to an electronic device. Specifically, a battery compartment for accommodating a battery pack is formed in an electronic device, and a plug connector for electrically connecting the battery pack is disposed on a bottom wall of the battery compartment. The battery pack includes a housing for encapsulating a plurality of batteries. A socket matable with the plug connector is set on an edge (that is, a front edge) of the housing that abuts against a bottom surface of the battery compartment. When the battery pack completely enters the battery compartment, the front edge of the battery pack abuts against the bottom surface of the battery compartment. In this case, the plug connector is plugged into and mated with the socket, and the battery pack is coupled with a circuit in the battery compartment, so that the battery pack supplies power to the electronic device by means of electrical connection between the socket and the plug connector.

[0043] The housing of the battery pack generally has a symmetrical shape (for example, a rectangular shape or a runway shape) in a cross section perpendicular to a lengthwise direction. Therefore, when the battery pack is rotated in the lengthwise direction, the battery pack is caused to be upside down, which is not easily found by a user. In addition, the front edge of the battery pack, which is configured to abut against the bottom surface of the battery compartment, and a rear edge opposite to the front edge have similar morphology. Therefore, when the battery pack is rotated in the widthwise direction, the front edge of the battery pack is reversed back to front, which is not easily found by the user. When the battery pack is inserted into the battery compartment in a reverse direction (that is, a direction in which the socket on the housing is not mated with or not aligned with the plug connector of the battery compartment because the battery pack is upside down or reversed front and back), the socketon the housing of the battery pack cannot have an electrical contact with the plug connector in the battery compartment. Moreover, physical damages may be caused to the battery pack and the plug connector in the battery compartment due to collision if an external force acting on the battery pack is significantly large, thereby shortening service life of the battery pack and the electronic device.

[0044] According to an aspect of this application, an apparatus for ensuring correct insertion of a battery pack into an electronic device is provided. In this application, the apparatus is alternatively or interchangeably referred to as a retaining piece. Specifically, the retaining piece includes a cap which is configured to be releasably mounted in a receiving cavity on a side wall of a battery compartment of the electronic device and movable into or out of the receiving cavity. The retaining piece is configured to allow the battery pack to be inserted into the battery compartment to have an electrical contact with the electronic device only when the battery pack is in a specified orientation relative to the retaining piece. For example, the cap of the retaining piece may have a stopper. When the battery pack is inserted into the battery compartment in the specified orientation, the stopper of the retaining piece is mated with a positioning slot of the battery pack to allow the battery pack to be inserted into the battery compartment to have an electrical contact with the electronic device. In addition, when the battery pack is not inserted into the battery compartment in the specified orientation, the stopper of the cap of the retaining piece is not mated or not aligned with the positioning slot of the battery pack to prevent the battery pack from being inserted into the battery compartment to have an electrical contact with the electronic device. Correspondingly, this application further provides an electronic device in which the foregoing retaining piece is mounted in the battery compartment.

[0045] Referring to Fig. 1, a partial schematic diagram of an electronic device 10 and schematic diagrams of two battery packs 20A and 20B are illustrated according to an embodiment of this application. The electronic device 10 is selectively powered by either of the battery packs 20A and 20B.

[0046] The electronic device 10 includes a battery compartment 12, the battery compartment 12 has an opening oriented to an exterior of the electronic device 10, and the electronic device 10 detachably receives the battery pack 20 A or 20B through the opening. The battery compartment 12 further includes a side wall extending along the opening to an interior of the electronic device 10, and a bottom wall that is located at the other end of the side wall and opposite to the opening. A space formed by the side wall and the bottom wall of the battery compartment 12 is mated with a shape of the battery pack 20A or 20B, so as to accommodatethe battery pack 20A or 20B inserted therein. In addition, a plug connector and a circuit component (not shown) that mate with a socket 22 of the battery pack 20A or 20B are formed on the bottom wall of the battery compartment 12, so as to implement an electrical connection between the electronic device 10 and the battery pack 20A or 20B. This application does not specifically limit the shape or function of the electronic device 10, and the electronic device 10 may be any electronic device that needs to be supplied with power by the battery pack 20A or 20B and have the battery compartment 12 that is mated with the battery pack 20A or 20B. As an example, the electronic device 10 may be a Fluke ii910 multifunctional acoustic imager, a Fluke ii900 industrial acoustic imager, Fluke ScopeMeter® series digital oscilloscopes, and the like from Fluke Corporation. It can be understood that the electronic device 10 may be any other electronic devices for sensing or visualizing signals. In some embodiments, the electronic device may include at least one sensor configured to detect an electrical property (such as a current, a voltage, a resistance, an inductance, or a capacitance), a magnetic property (such as a magnetic field or a magneto-resistance), an optical property (such as a light intensity, a frequency, or a spectrum), a thermal property (such as a temperature), an acoustic property (such as a sound pressure, a frequency, or a noise power), or the like of a device under test. Alternatively, the sensor may be configured to detect an electrical, magnetic, optical, thermal, or acoustic property of a scene, or any other required property.

[0047] The battery pack 20A and the battery pack 20B have substantially the same shape configuration, except that the battery pack 20A has a length greater than that of the battery pack 20B to accommodate more standard-sized batteries. The battery pack 20A and the battery pack 20B include a housing and a plurality of standard-sized batteries that are encapsulated in the housing. The housing may be made of an insulation and fire-resistant plastic material or another suitable material. As an example, the battery pack 20 A may be a Fluke BP291 4800 mAh high-capacity detachable lithium battery from Fluke Corporation. Six standard-sized ICR19 / 66 lithium-ion batteries are encapsulated in the Fluke BP291 4800 mAh high-capacity detachable lithium battery. Every three ICR19 / 66 lithium-ion batteries are connected in series, and then are connected in parallel. The battery pack 20B may be a Fluke BP290 2400 mAh high-capacity detachable lithium battery manufactured by Fluke Corporation. Three standard-sized ICR19 / 66 lithium-ion batteries that are connected in series are encapsulated in the Fluke BP290 2400 mAh high-capacity detachable lithium battery.

[0048] Referring to Fig. 1 and Fig. 2, Fig. 2 is a partially enlarged view of the battery pack 20A and 20B in Fig. 1. A socket 22 and a positioning slot 24 are both disposed on a frontedge 21 of the housing of the battery pack 20A and 20B. The socket 22 and the positioning slot 24 are located at one side of a front end face 23, extend into a part of the front end face 23 of the battery pack 20A and 20B, but do not pass through the front end face 23. In some examples, at least a metal contact tab electrically connected to a positive electrode of the battery pack and a metal contact tab electrically connected to a negative electrode of the battery pack are disposed in the socket 22. In some other examples, a metal contact tab having another function is further disposed in the socket 22, for example, a metal contact tab configured for data communication between the battery pack and the electronic device, a metal contact tab configured for clock communication between the battery pack and the electronic device, and a metal contact tab configured for the electronic device to detect a temperature of the battery pack or identify the battery pack.

[0049] In some embodiments, a positioning bump is disposed on a bottom wall of the battery compartment 12 of the electronic device 10, and the positioning slot 24 is configured to mate with the positioning bump. When the positioning slot 24 is mated or aligned with the positioning bump on the bottom wall of the battery compartment 12 and the battery pack 20 A or 20B is inserted into the battery compartment 12, the positioning slot 24 can receive the positioning bump, so that the battery pack 20A or 20B is mounted in place in the battery compartment 12, thereby implementing an electrical connection between the battery pack 20A or 20B and the electronic device 10. When the positioning slot 24 is not mated or aligned with the positioning bump on the bottom wall of the battery compartment 12 and the battery pack 20A or 20B is inserted into the battery compartment 12, another part, other than the positioning slot 24, of the front end face 23 of the battery pack 20A or 20B collides with the positioning bump of the battery compartment 12, and the battery pack 20 A or 20B cannot be mounted in place. That is, the battery pack 20A or 20B cannot be inserted into the battery compartment 12 in a wrong orientation. In some other embodiments, the bottom wall of the battery compartment 12 of the electronic device 10 may not have a positioning bump, so that incorrect insertion of the battery pack 20A or 20B cannot be prevented by means of mating of the positioning slot 24 and the positioning bump. In addition, because the positioning bump is disposed on the bottom wall of the battery compartment 12, only when the battery pack 20A or 20B is substantially completely inserted into the battery compartment 12, a user can determine whether the insertion orientation of the battery pack 20A or 20B is wrong. This not only causes inconvenience to the user when adjusting the orientation of a battery, but also causes collision against the plug connector and the circuit component on the bottom wall of the battery compartment 12 when the user uses a relatively large force to insert the batterypack 20A or 20B in a wrong orientation, which causes physical damage. It can be understood that the plug connector and the socket described herein are merely intended to describe that the two may be engaged with each other to achieve a circuit connection, and it is not required that the plug connector should protrude from the bottom wall and the socket should be recessed into in the battery pack; and otherwise, the plug connector and the socket may alternatively be engaged with each other to achieve the circuit connection.

[0050] To further prevent the battery pack 20A or 20B from being inserted into the battery compartment 12 of the electronic device 10 in a wrong orientation, the electronic device 10 in an embodiment of this application further includes an apparatus or retaining piece 30 shown in Fig. 3 that is used to ensure that the battery pack 20A or 20B is correctly inserted into the battery compartment 12 of the electronic device 10. The retaining piece 30 is mounted in the battery compartment 12 and has a stopper. The stopper is configured to: allow, in response to that the stopper is mated or aligned with the positioning slot 24 of the battery pack 20A or 20B, the battery pack 20 A or 20B to be inserted into the battery compartment 12 to have an electrical contact with the electronic device 10; and prevent, in response to that the stopper is not mated or aligned with the positioning slot 24 of the battery pack 20A or 20B, the battery pack 20 A or 20B from being inserted into the battery compartment 12 to have an electrical contact with the electronic device 10.

[0051] Referring to Figs. 1, 4A and 4B, the retaining piece 30 may be disposed on the side wall 14 of the battery compartment 12 of the electronic device 10, and is closer to the opening of the battery compartment 12 than the bottom wall, so that the battery pack reaches the retaining piece 30 earlier when being inserted into the battery compartment 12. Specifically, the retaining piece 30 can be switched between a released state SI (as shown in Fig. 4A) in which the battery pack 20A or 20B is prevented from being inserted into the battery compartment 12 to have an electrical contact with the electronic device 10, and a retracted state S2 (as shown in Fig. 4B) in which the battery pack 20A or 20B is allowed to be inserted into the battery compartment 12 to have an electrical contact with the electronic device 10. When there is no battery pack inserted, the retaining piece 30 is in the released state SI by default. The retaining piece 30 is configured such that, in the released state SI, when the battery pack 20A or 20B is inserted into the battery compartment 12 and the retaining piece 30 is mated or is aligned with the positioning slot 24, the front edge 21 of the housing of the battery pack 20 A or 20B can be mated or aligned with the retaining piece 30 at the positioning slot 24 and press the retaining piece 30 towards the side wall 14 of the battery compartment 12, so that the retaining piece 30 is switched to the retracted state S2 shown inFig. 4B. In this way, the battery pack 20A or 20B can cross the retaining piece 30 and be inserted into the battery compartment 12 to have an electrical contact with the electronic device 10. Further, the retaining piece 30 is further configured such that, in the released state SI, when the battery pack 20A or 20B is inserted into the battery compartment 12 and the retaining piece 30 is not mated or not aligned with the positioning slot 24, the front edge 21 of the housing of the battery pack 20A or 20B is engaged with the retaining piece 30 outside the positioning slot 24 to avoid pressing the retaining piece 30 towards the side wall 14 of the battery compartment 12, so that the retaining piece 30 is maintained in the released state SI shown in Fig. 4A. In this way, the retaining piece 30 may prevent the battery pack 20A or 20B from crossing the retaining piece 30 and being inserted into the battery compartment 12 to have an electrical contact with the electronic device 10.

[0052] As shown in Fig. 3, in some embodiments, the retaining piece 30 may include a cap 31. The cap 31 may be made of a plastic or metal material having sufficient strength and smoothness, or another suitable material or material combination. For example, the cap 31 may be made of polyformaldehyde (POM) plastic, which has advantages such as wear resistance and a small coefficient of friction. Referring to the example of Fig. 4A and Fig. 4B, the side wall 14 of the battery compartment 12 has a predetermined thickness and includes various support structures or ridge portions (referring to Fig. 17Ato Fig. 17C simultaneously) formed on the side wall 14 of the battery compartment 12. These support structures or ridge portions may form a receiving cavity (not shown) on the side wall 14 of the battery compartment 12. The cap 31 may be releasably mounted in the receiving cavity on the side wall 14 of the battery compartment 12, and can be moved into the receiving cavity (that is, entering the retracted state S2 shown in Fig. 4B) or moved out of the receiving cavity (that is, entering the released state SI shown in Fig. 4A). The cap 31 may include a tilted front surface 32a and a tilted rear surface 32b. When the retaining piece 30 is mounted on the side wall 14 of the battery compartment 12 of the electronic device 10, the front surface 32a faces the opening of the battery compartment 12, and the rear surface 32b faces away from the opening of the battery compartment 12. The front surface 32a and the rear surface 32b of the cap 31 may be formed as a plane or a curved surface, for example, a zigzag surface, a parabolic surface, or an arc surface. As an example, the front surface 32a of the cap 31 is substantially planar, and the front surface 32a of the cap 31 has a tilt angle ranging between 7° and 45° relative to the side wall 14 of the battery compartment 12. Preferably, the front surface 32a of the cap 31 has a tilt angle of 30° relative to the side wall 14 of the battery compartment 12. However, this application is not limited thereto. The tilt angle of the frontsurface 32a of the cap 31 relative to the side wall 14 of the battery compartment 12 may vary according to a material and / or a coefficient of friction of the cap 31. In some embodiments, the rear surface 32b of the cap 31 is opposite to and substantially symmetrical to the front surface 32a. For example, the rear surface 32b has a tilt angle ranging between 7° and 45° relative to the side wall 14 of the battery compartment 12.

[0053] As shown in Fig. 3, the stopper of the retaining piece 30 is a retaining bump 34 disposed on the front surface 32a, and the retaining bump 34 protrudes from the front surface 32a of the cap 31. In the example of Fig. 3, the retaining bump 34 has a cuboid shape embedded into the front surface 32a of the cap 31. In another example, a shape of the retaining bump 34 may alternatively be a trapezoid, a polygonal prism, or the like. Preferably, a front surface of the retaining bump 34 that faces towards the opening of the battery compartment 12 is substantially perpendicular to a direction in which the battery pack 20A or 20B is inserted into the battery compartment 12. In the example of Fig. 3, the retaining piece 30 has a bilaterally symmetrical structure in a direction in which the battery pack 20 A or 20B is inserted into the battery compartment 12, and the retaining bump 34 is disposed on a center line serving as an axis of symmetry of the front surface 32a. However, this application is not limited thereto. In some other embodiments, the retaining bump 34 may alternatively be disposed at a position deviating from the center line of the front surface 32a. In addition, a profile and a size of the retaining bump 34 are mated with those of the positioning slot 24 of the battery pack 20A or 20B, and are slightly smaller than those of the positioning slot 24, so that the retaining bump 34 can be completely accommodated in the positioning slot 24. In some embodiments, the retaining bump 34 is integrally formed with the cap 31, and is made of the same material. However, this application is not limited thereto. In some other embodiments, the retaining bump 34 is formed of a material different from that of the cap 31, and is assembled onto the front surface 32a of the cap 31. It can be understood that when the retaining bump 34 is completely received in the positioning slot 24, the shape of the retaining bump 34 should not limit the retaining bump 34 to be pressed down towards the side wall 14 of the battery compartment 12.

[0054] Referring to Fig. 4A and Fig. 4B, the retaining piece 30 is mounted on the side wall 14 of the battery compartment 12 by a fastener. In different embodiments, according to an actual requirement, the retaining piece 30 may be mounted at a position closer to the opening of the battery compartment 12 or a position closer to the bottom wall of the battery compartment 12 by the fastener. This will be further described below with reference to Fig. 8Ato Fig. 8C, Fig. 9Ato Fig. 9C, and Fig. lOA and Fig. 10B.

[0055] In the example of Fig. 4A and Fig. 4B, the fastener includes a first pin 41 and a second pin 42, the retaining piece 30 includes a first support column 33 and a second support column 35 that are hollow and are connected to the cap 31, and the first pin 41 and the second pin 42 are respectively inserted into the first support column 33 and the second support column 35. The first support column 33 and the second support column 35 may be integrally formed with the cap 31 and made of the same material, but this application is not limited thereto. The fastener further includes a resilient biasing component 43 and a retaining component 44. The resilient biasing component 43 is disposed between the first pin 41 and the first support column 33 of the cap 31, and the retaining component 44 passes through the second support column 35 and is disposed on the second pin 42. As an example, the first pin 41 and the second pin 42 may be columns formed on or fixed to the side wall 14, the resilient biasing component 43 may be a coil spring or a spring plate, and the retaining component 44 may be a bolt or a screw having a screw cap. When the retaining piece 30 is in the released state SI shown in Fig. 4A, and the cap 31 is subjected to a pressure in a direction of the first pin 41 towards the side wall 14, the resilient biasing component 43 can be compressed and elastically deform, so as to allow the cap 31 to move towards the side wall 14 of the battery compartment 12 until the retaining piece 30 is switched to the retracted state S2 shown in Fig. 4B. When the retaining piece 30 is in the retracted state S2 shown in Fig. 4B and the pressure applied to the cap 31 is removed, the compressed resilient biasing component 43 can rebound to bias the cap 31 in a direction away from the side wall 14 of the battery compartment 12 until the retaining piece 30 is switched to the released state SI shown in Fig. 4A. The retaining component 44 is configured to limit a maximum distance that the cap 31 is away from the side wall 14 of the battery compartment 12 in the released state SI. Specifically, when the retaining component 44 is a bolt or a screw having a screw cap, the retaining component 44 may be coaxially mounted on the second pin 42 towards the side wall 14 of the battery compartment 12, and the screw cap protrudes out of the second pin 42. In addition, an inner diameter of a lower portion of a through hole of the second support column 35 to which the second pin 42 is mounted close to the side wall 14 of the battery compartment 12 is smaller than an inner diameter of an upper portion of the through hole away from the side wall 14 of the battery compartment 12, so that an in-hole boss is formed in the through hole. When the resilient biasing component 43 biases the cap 31 in a direction away from the side wall 14 of the battery compartment 12, the screw cap of the bolt or the screw abuts against the boss in the through hole of the cap 31 at a position shown in Fig. 4A, thereby limiting movement of the cap 31 further away from the side wall 14 of the battery compartment 12. Insome embodiments, as shown in Fig. 4A, a height difference Ah between a top surface 3 It of the cap 31 of the retaining piece 30 in the released state SI and the top surface 14t of the side wall 14 of the battery compartment 12 ranges between 3 mm and 8 mm, for example, about 4 mm to 5 mm. As shown in Fig. 4B, the top surface 3 It of the cap 31 of the retaining piece 30 in the retracted state S2 is substantially at the same height as the top surface 14t of the side wall 14 of the battery compartment 12. That is, when the retaining piece 30 is switched from the released state SI to the retracted state S2, a movement distance of the retaining piece 30 towards the side wall 14 of the battery compartment 12 is Ah, for example, 3 mm to 8 mm.

[0056] Referring to Fig. 5A, 5B, 6A and 6B, Figs. 5A and 5B are three-dimensional schematic diagrams showing interaction between the battery pack 20A or 20B and the retaining piece 30 when the positioning slot 24 of the battery pack 20A or 20B is mated or aligned with the retaining piece 30; and Figs. 6A and 6B are side views respectively corresponding to Figs. 5A and 5B.

[0057] As shown in Fig. 5A and Fig. 6A, the front edge of the housing of the battery pack 20A or 20B first abuts against the tilted front surface 32a of the retaining piece 30, and sliding of the battery pack 20A or 20B in an insertion direction may generate a pressure on the cap 31 of the retaining piece 30 in a direction towards the side wall of the battery compartment (that is, a downward direction in Fig. 6A). The pressure causes elastic deformation of the resilient biasing component which is configured to mount the retaining piece 30, and the cap 31 of the retaining piece 30 moves downward, so that the battery pack 20A or 20B can continue to move in the insertion direction. When the retaining piece 30 is mated or aligned with the positioning slot, the positioning slot 24 of the battery pack 20A or 20B is mated or aligned with the retaining piece 30, and more specifically, is mated or aligned with the retaining bump 34 on the front surface 32a of the retaining piece 30. Therefore, when the battery pack 20A or 20B continues to move in the insertion direction, the retaining bump 34 can be accommodated and enter the positioning slot 24 of the battery pack 20A or 20B. Still referring to Fig. 5B and Fig. 6B, as the battery pack 20A or 20B continues to move in the insertion direction, more parts of the retaining bump 34 are accommodated by the positioning slot 24, and the cap 31 of the retaining piece 30 continues to move downward until the cap 31 of the retaining piece 30 is completely located below the battery pack 20A or 20B. Movement of the battery pack 20A or 20B in the insertion direction is no longer affected by the retaining piece 30. After the battery pack 20A or 20B continues to slide in the insertion direction and abuts against the bottom wall of the battery compartment, the battery pack 20A or 20B has an electrical contact with the electronic device 10.

[0058] Referring to Fig. 7, it shows a three-dimensional schematic diagram of interaction between a battery pack 20 A or 20B and a retaining piece 30 when a positioning slot 24 of the battery pack 20 A or 20B is not mated or aligned with the retaining piece 30, for example, after the battery pack 20A or 20B is rotated by 180 degrees from a correct orientation in the insertion direction. As shown in Fig. 7, when the battery pack 20A or 20B is inserted into the battery compartment, the front edge of the housing of the battery pack 20A or 20B abuts against the retaining bump 34 on the front surface 32a of the retaining piece 30. Because the front surface of the retaining bump 34 that faces the direction of the opening of the battery compartment is substantially perpendicular to the insertion direction, the force of the battery pack 20 A or 20B acting on the retaining piece 30 cannot generate a pressure in the direction towards the side wall of the battery compartment, or the generated pressure is insufficient to enable the resilient biasing component configured to mount the retaining piece 30 to elastically deform. Therefore, the cap 31 of the retaining piece 30 does not move in the direction towards the side wall of the battery compartment, thereby preventing the battery pack 20A or 20B from being further inserted into the battery compartment.

[0059] Referring to Fig. 8A to Fig. 8C, schematic diagrams of states of the retaining piece 30 are illustrated according to some embodiments in which the retaining piece 30 is mounted at a position closer to the opening 13 of the battery compartment 12 of the electronic device 10. For example, a distance between the retaining piece 30 and the opening 13 of the battery compartment 12 of the electronic device 10 is 5% to 45% of a total length of the battery compartment 12.

[0060] In the example of Fig. 8A, the relatively long battery pack 20A is inserted into the battery compartment 12 of the electronic device 10, and has an electrical contact with a plug connector of the electronic device 10, which is located at a bottom wall 15 of the battery compartment 12. The battery pack 20A substantially fills the battery compartment 12 and maintains the retaining piece 30 in the retracted state S2. Subsequently, the opening 13 of the battery compartment 12 may be closed by a compartment cap, so that the battery pack 20A is secured. Subsequently, when the battery pack 20A needs to be taken out, the electronic device 10 is rotated to enable the opening 13 of the battery compartment 12 to face downward, and the battery pack 20 A can be easily removed from the battery compartment 12 under the action of gravity. In some embodiments, as shown in Fig. 1, a pulling strap 26 is further disposed on a rear edge of the battery pack 20A, and a user may drag the pulling strap 26 to assist in removing the battery pack 20A from the battery compartment 12.

[0061] In the example of Fig. 8B, the relatively short battery pack 20B is inserted into the battery compartment 12 of the electronic device 10, and has an electrical contact with the electronic device 10. A distance between the retaining piece 30 and the bottom wall 15 of the battery compartment 12 is greater than a length of the battery pack 20B, so that when the battery pack 20B abuts against the bottom wall 15 of the battery compartment 12, the battery pack 20B has crossed the retaining piece 30, and the retaining piece 30 is in the released state SI. Referring to Fig. 8C, in some embodiments of this application, the electronic device 10 further includes a dummy battery pack 20C to fixedly hold the battery pack 20B in the battery compartment 12. The dummy battery pack 20C may be, for example, a plastic module having a similar shape to that of the battery pack 20B, and is configured to fill a remaining space of the battery compartment 12 after the battery pack 20B is inserted into the battery compartment 12 and has an electrical contact with the electronic device 10. Correspondingly, the dummy battery pack 20C further has a positioning slot similar to the positioning slot 24 of the battery pack 20B located on a front edge of the dummy battery pack 20C. Referring to Fig. 8B and Fig. 8C, when the dummy battery pack 20C is inserted into the battery compartment12 and the positioning slot of the dummy battery pack 20C is mated or aligned with the retaining piece 30, the front edge of the dummy battery pack 20C can be engaged with the retaining piece 30 at the positioning slot and press the retaining piece 30 towards the side wall of the battery compartment 12, so that the retaining piece 30 is switched from the released state SI shown in Fig. 8B to the retracted state S2 shown in Fig. 8C. Subsequently, the opening 13 of the battery compartment 12 may be closed by the compartment cap, and the battery pack 20B is secured by the dummy battery pack 20C. In the example shown in Fig. 8B and Fig. 8C, the retaining piece 30 has a tilted rear surface facing away from the opening13 of the battery compartment 12. When the battery pack 20B needs to be taken out in subsequent processes, the dummy battery pack 20C may be removed first, and the retaining piece 30 is switched from the retracted state S2 shown in Fig. 8C to the released state SI shown in Fig. 8B. The battery pack 20B is then moved towards the opening 13 of the battery compartment 12. A rear edge of the housing of the battery pack 20B can abut against the tilted rear surface of the retaining piece 30, and the retaining piece 30 is pressed towards the side wall of the battery compartment 12, so that the retaining piece 30 is switched from the released state SI back to the retracted state S2, thereby removing the battery pack 20B.

[0062] It can be understood that, in the example of Fig. 8A to Fig. 8C, because the retaining piece 30 is mounted at the position close to the opening 13 of the battery compartment 12 of the electronic device 10, when a user inserts the battery pack 20 A, the battery pack 20B, orthe dummy battery pack 20C into the battery compartment 12 in a wrong orientation, the battery pack 20A, the battery pack 20B, or the dummy battery pack 20C is limited by the retaining piece 30 and cannot continue to enter the battery compartment 12, so that the user can be reminded that the orientation of the battery pack 20A, the battery pack 20B, or the dummy battery pack 20C needs to be adjusted.

[0063] Referring to Fig. 9A to Fig. 9C, schematic diagrams of states of the retaining piece 30 are illustrated according to some embodiments in which the retaining piece 30 is mounted at a position closer to the bottom wall 15 of the battery compartment 12 of the electronic device 10. For example, a distance between the retaining piece 30 and the bottom wall 15 of the battery compartment 12 of the electronic device 10 is 5% to 45% of a total length of the battery compartment 12.

[0064] In the example of Fig. 9A, the relatively long battery pack 20A is inserted into the battery compartment 12 of the electronic device 10, and has an electrical contact with the electronic device 10. The battery pack 20A substantially fills the battery compartment 12 and maintains the retaining piece 30 in the retracted state S2. Subsequently, the opening 13 of the battery compartment 12 may be closed by a compartment cap, so that the battery pack 20A is secured.

[0065] In the example of Fig. 9B, the relatively short battery pack 20B is inserted into the battery compartment 12 of the electronic device 10, and has an electrical contact with the electronic device 10. A distance between the retaining piece 30 and the bottom wall 15 of the battery compartment 12 is less than a length of the battery pack 20B, so that when the battery pack 20B abuts against the bottom wall 15 of the battery compartment 12, the battery pack 20B maintains the retaining piece 30 in the retracted state S2. Next, referring to Fig. 9C, a dummy battery pack 20D is inserted into the battery compartment 12 to fill a remaining space of the battery compartment 12. Subsequently, the opening 13 of the battery compartment 12 may be closed by the compartment cap, and the battery pack 20B is secured by the dummy battery pack 20D.

[0066] Compared with the example of Fig. 8C, the dummy battery pack 20D in Fig. 9C is not in contact with the retaining piece 30. Therefore, there is no need to dispose a positioning slot on the dummy battery pack 20D, resulting in a simpler structure. In addition, in the example of Fig. 9C, when the battery pack 20B is removed from the battery compartment 12, the retaining piece 30 is always in the retracted state S2, and does not impede movement of the battery pack 20B. Therefore, the rear surface of the retaining piece 30 that faces away from the opening 13 of the battery compartment 12 may tilt or may not tilt.

[0067] Referring to Fig. 10A, according to some embodiments of this application, a retaining piece 30' is mounted at a position of the battery compartment 12 of the electronic device 10, so that a distance between the retaining piece 30' and the bottom wall 15 of the battery compartment 12 is equal to a length of the battery pack 20B. Fig. 10B is a structural schematic diagram of the retaining piece 30'. Similar to the retaining piece 30 shown in Fig. 3, the retaining piece 30' may include a cap 31', the cap 31' includes a tilted front surface 32'a and a tilted rear surface 32'b, and a retaining bump 34' is disposed on the front surface 32'a. Different from the retaining piece 30 shown in Fig. 3, the cap 31' further includes a reverse retaining bump 36' protruding from the rear surface 32'b.

[0068] As shown in Fig. 10A, the relatively short battery pack 20B is inserted into the battery compartment 12 of the electronic device 10, and is in electrical contact with the electronic device 10. Because a distance between the retaining piece 30' and the bottom wall 15 of the battery compartment 12 is equal to a length of the battery pack 20B, when the battery pack 20B abuts against the bottom wall 15 of the battery compartment 12, the battery pack 20B may cross the retaining piece 30', and therefore the retaining piece 30' is switched to the released state SI. In this case, the reverse retaining bump 36' of the retaining piece 30' in the released state SI abuts against the rear edge of the housing of the battery pack 20B, to secure the battery pack 20B in the battery compartment 12.

[0069] Compared with the examples of Fig. 8C and Fig. 9C, the electronic device 10 in Fig. 10A can secure the relatively short battery pack 20B in the battery compartment 12 without an additional dummy battery pack, so that its structure is more compact. In some embodiments, a plurality of retaining piece 30' may be disposed at the same depth of the battery compartment 12 of the electronic device 10, to further enhance stability of the secured battery pack 20B. In some embodiments, a release button (not shown) is further disposed outside the electronic device 10 shown in Fig. 10A. The release button is coupled with the retaining piece 30', and is configured to switch the retaining piece 30' from the released state SI to the retracted state S2 in response to a triggering action of a user, so that the battery pack 20B can be removed from the battery compartment 12.

[0070] The structure and configuration of the retaining piece in some embodiments of this application are described above with reference to Fig. 3, Fig. 4A, Fig. 4B, and Fig. 10B. It can be understood that the structure and configuration of the retaining piece are merely used as an example. In other embodiments, the retaining piece may alternatively have other different configurations.

[0071] For example, Fig. HA and Fig. 11B show a retaining piece 1130 according to another embodiment of this application. Fig. 11A is a three-dimensional schematic diagram of a retaining piece 1130, and Fig. 11B is a side view in a direction X1X2 in Fig. 11 A. The retaining piece 1130 has a configuration similar to that of the retaining piece 30 shown in Fig. 3. Specifically, the retaining piece 1130 has a cap 1131, a front surface 1132a tilted towards the opening of the battery compartment, a rear surface 1132b tilted away from the opening of the battery compartment, and a retaining bump 1134 protruding from the front surface 1132a. A difference between the retaining piece 1130 and the retaining piece 30 shown in Fig. 3 lies in that a reverse retaining bump 1136 is disposed on the rear surface 1132b of the retaining piece 1130, and the retaining piece 1130 has only one hollow support column 1137. Correspondingly, a fastener configured to mount the retaining piece 1130 to the side wall of the battery compartment may include only one pin, and the pin is inserted into the support column 1137. A resilient biasing component and a retaining component of the fastener are disposed on the same pin in the support column 1137, so that its structure is more compact.

[0072] Fig. 12A and Fig. 12B show a retaining piece 1230 according to another embodiment of this application. Fig. 12A is a three-dimensional schematic diagram of a retaining piece 1230, and Fig. 12B is a side view in a direction X1X2 in Fig. 12A. The retaining piece 1230 has a configuration similar to that of the retaining piece 1130 shown in Fig. 11. Specifically, the retaining piece 1230 has a cap 1231, a front surface 1232a tilted towards the opening of the battery compartment, a rear surface 1232b tilted away from the opening of the battery compartment, a retaining bump 1234 protruding from the front surface 1232a, a reverse retaining bump 1236 protruding from the rear surface 1232b, and a hollow support column 1237 connected to the cap 1231. A difference between the retaining piece 1230 shown in FIG. 12 and the retaining piece 1130 shown in Fig. 11 lies in that the retaining bump 1134 and the reverse retaining bump 1136 of the retaining piece 1130 are disposed at center positions of the front surface 1132a and the rear surface 1132b respectively, while the retaining bump 1234 and the reverse retaining bump 1236 of the retaining piece 1230 are disposed at off- center positions of the front surface 1232a and the rear surface 1232b respectively.

[0073] Fig. 13A and Fig. 13B show a retaining piece 1330 according to another embodiment of this application. Fig. 13 A is a three-dimensional schematic diagram of a retaining piece 1330, and Fig. 13B is a side view in a direction X1X2 in Fig. 13A. The retaining piece 1330 has a configuration similar to that of the retaining piece 1130 shown in Fig. 11. Specifically, the retaining piece 1330 has a cap 1331, a front surface 1332a tilted towards an opening of the battery compartment, a retaining bump 1334 protruding from the front surface 1332a, anda hollow support column 1337 connected to the cap 1331. A difference between the retaining piece 1330 shown in Fig. 13 and the retaining piece 1130 shown in Fig. 11 lies in that the retaining piece 1130 includes the front surface 1132a and the rear surface 1132b that are substantially symmetrical, and the retaining bump 1134 and the reverse retaining bump 1136 that are substantially symmetrical; while the retaining piece 1330 only has the front surface 1332a and the retaining bump 1334, but does not have a tilted rear surface and a reverse retaining bump protruding from the rear surface.

[0074] Fig. 14A and Fig. 14B show a retaining piece 1430 according to another embodiment of this application. Fig. 14A is a three-dimensional schematic diagram of a retaining piece 1430, and Fig. 14B is a side view in a direction X1X2 in Fig. 14A. The retaining piece 1430 has a configuration similar to that of the retaining piece 1330 shown in Fig. 13. Specifically, the retaining piece 1430 has a cap 1431, a front surface 1432a tilted towards an opening of the battery compartment, a retaining bump 1434 protruding from the front surface 1432a, and a hollow support column 1437 connected to the cap 1431. A difference between the retaining piece 1430 shown in Fig. 14 and the retaining piece 1330 shown in Fig. 13 lies in that the retaining bump 1334 of the retaining piece 1330 is disposed at a center position of the front surface 1332a, while the retaining bump 1434 of the retaining piece 1430 is disposed at a position deviating from a center line of the front surface 1432a.

[0075] Fig. 15A and Fig. 15B show a retaining piece 1530 according to another embodiment of this application. Fig. 15A is a three-dimensional schematic diagram of a retaining piece 1530, and Fig. 15B is a side view in a direction X1X2 in Fig. 15 A. The retaining piece 1530 has a configuration similar to that of the retaining piece 1430 shown in Fig. 14. Specifically, the retaining piece 1530 has a cap 1531, a front surface 1532a tilted towards an opening of the battery compartment, a retaining bump 1534 protruding from the front surface 1532a, and a hollow support column 1537 connected to the cap 1531.

[0076] A difference between the retaining piece 1530 shown in Fig. 15 and the retaining piece 1430 shown in Fig. 14 lies in that a through hole of the support column 1437 of the retaining piece 1430 passes through the cap 1431, but a through hole of the support column 1537 of the retaining piece 1530 does not pass through the cap 1531, that is, the through hole is a blind hole formed in the cap 1531. Therefore, in the retaining piece 1430, a retaining component (for example, a bolt or screw having a screw cap) of the fastener may be disposed in the through hole of the support column 1437 downward from a top of the cap 1431. However, in the retaining piece 1530, a retaining component of the fastener needs to bedisposed in the through hole of the support column 1537 upward from a bottom of the cap 1531.

[0077] The foregoing describes the structure and configuration of the retaining piece in this application with reference to various embodiments. A person skilled in the art may modify, replace, and combine technical features of the retaining piece based on the foregoing embodiments, without departing from the spirit and scope of this application.

[0078] Referring to Fig. 16, according to another aspect of this application, a method 160 for operating an electronic device is further provided. For example, as described above with reference to Figs. 1 to 3, Figs. 4A and 4B, Figs. 5A and 5B, Figs. 6A and 6B, Fig. 7, Figs. 8A to 8C, Figs. 9A to 9C, Figs. 10A and 10B to Figs. 15A and 15B, the electronic device includes a battery compartment having an opening, and a retaining piece mounted on a side wall of the battery compartment. The battery pack has a positioning slot located on a front edge of a housing of the battery pack.

[0079] Steps of the method 160 are described below by using the electronic device 10 and the battery pack 20B in Fig. 1, and the retaining piece 30 in Fig. 3 as examples. Referring to Fig. 16 and Fig. 17A to Fig. 17C, at step 162, the battery pack 20B is oriented relative to the opening of the battery compartment 12 of the electronic device 10, so that the positioning slot 24 of the battery pack 20B is mated with the stopper on the front surface of the cap 31 of the retaining piece 30. Next, at step 164, the battery pack 20B is inserted into the battery compartment 12 through the opening of the battery compartment 12 until the battery pack 20B has an electrical contact with the electronic device 10. Specifically, the battery pack 20B may be inserted into the battery compartment 12 so that the stopper on the cap 31 is received in the positioning slot 24 of the battery pack 20B, and a front edge of the battery pack 20B is engaged with a front surface of the cap 31. In some embodiments, the method 160 may further include: pushing the battery pack 20B forward inside the battery compartment 12 so that the battery pack 20B moves over the front surface of the cap 31 and pushes the cap 31 towards the side wall of the battery compartment 12 and into the receiving cavity; and further pushing the battery pack 20B forward inside the battery compartment 12 to have an electrical contact with the electronic device 10, thereby allowing the battery pack 20B to cross the retaining piece 30 to have an electrical contact with the electronic device 10. Specifically, in an insertion process, as shown in Fig. 17A, the stopper on the retaining piece 30 is mated with the positioning slot 24 of the battery pack 20B. Next, as shown in Fig. 17B, the stopper on the retaining piece 30 enters the positioning slot 24 of the battery pack 20B, and the front edge of the housing of the battery pack 20B is engaged with the front surface of the cap 31 ofthe retaining piece 30, to apply a pressure towards the side wall of the battery compartment 12 on the cap 31 of the retaining piece 30, so that the retaining piece 30 is switched from the released state to the retracted state. Next, as shown in Fig. 17C, the front edge of the housing of the battery pack 20B crosses the retaining piece 30. Finally, the battery pack 20B continues to slide until the socket 22 on the battery pack 20B is engaged with the plug connector 16 of the electronic device 10, thereby achieving an electrical contact between the battery pack 20B and the electronic device 10. In the examples shown in Fig. 17A to Fig. 17C, the battery pack 20B is inserted into the battery compartment 12 in a correct orientation (that is, the positioning slot 24 of the battery pack 20B is mated or aligned with the stopper on the retaining piece 30). In response to that the stopper of the retaining piece 30 is mated with the positioning slot 24 of the battery pack 20B, the battery pack 20B is allowed to be inserted into the battery compartment 12 to have an electrical contact with the electronic device 10. However, when the battery pack 20B is inserted into the battery compartment 12 in a wrong orientation (for example, the battery pack 20B is rotated by 180 degrees in a lengthwise direction or a widthwise direction of the battery pack in Fig. 17A, so that the positioning slot 24 of the battery pack 20B is not mated or aligned with the stopper on the retaining piece 30), the stopper of the retaining piece 30 will be engaged with the battery pack 20B out of the positioning slot 24 of the battery pack 20B, thereby limiting the battery pack 20B to press the retaining piece 30 towards the side wall of the battery compartment 12, and allowing the retaining piece 30 to be maintained in the released state, and preventing the battery pack 20B from being inserted into the battery compartment 12 to have an electrical contact with the electronic device 10. It may be understood that, because the retaining piece 30 is mounted on the side wall of the battery compartment 12 of the electronic device 10, the battery pack 20B can be in contact with the retaining piece 30 earlier before being in contact with the plug connector 16 of the electronic device 10, thereby preventing physical damages to the plug connector 16 of the electronic device 10 and the battery pack 20B when the battery pack 20B is inserted in a wrong orientation. The steps of the method 160 are described above by using the battery pack 20B and the retaining piece 30 as examples. However, it can be understood that the steps of the method and beneficial effects thereof are applicable to the battery pack and the retaining piece in other embodiments of this application.

[0080] In some embodiments, the cap further includes a rear surface opposite to the front surface of the cap and a reverse retaining bump protruding from the rear surface of the cap. That the battery pack is further pushed forward inside the battery compartment to have an electrical contact with the electronic device further includes: pushing the battery pack untilthe battery pack moves over the rear surface of the cap, such that the reverse retaining bump abuts against a rear edge of the battery pack to secure the battery pack in the battery compartment.

[0081] In view of the foregoing disclosure, an apparatus used in a battery compartment of an electronic device to ensure that a battery pack is placed in the battery compartment may include any one or a combination of the following features: a cap being configured to be releasably mounted in a receiving cavity on a side wall of the battery compartment; the cap being configured to be movable into or out of the receiving cavity; the cap including a front surface; the front surface facing an opening of the battery compartment and tilted towards the side wall of the battery compartment; the cap including a stopper; the stopper being disposed on the front surface of the cap; and the stopper, in response to a positioning slot on a front edge of the battery pack being mated with the stopper, allowing the front edge of the battery pack to engage with the front surface of the cap and pushing the cap towards the side wall of the battery compartment and into the receiving cavity, thereby permitting the battery pack to be inserted into the battery compartment to have an electrical contact with the electronic device.

[0082] Optionally, in some examples, the apparatus used in a battery compartment of an electronic device to ensure that a battery pack is placed in the battery compartment may include one or more of the following features: the stopper being further configured to: in response to an insertion of the battery pack where the positioning slot of the battery pack is not mating with the stopper, engage with the front edge or a rear edge of the battery pack to maintain the cap out of the receiving cavity, thereby preventing the battery pack from being inserted into the battery compartment to have an electrical contact with the electronic device; the stopper being a retaining bump protruding from the front surface of the cap; the retaining bump including a front surface that is substantially perpendicular to the side wall of the battery compartment; and the front surface of the cap having a tilt angle ranging between 7° and 45° relative to the side wall of the battery compartment.

[0083] Optionally, in some examples, the apparatus used in a battery compartment of an electronic device to ensure that a battery pack is placed in the battery compartment may include one or more of the following features: the cap being further configured to, after the battery pack is inserted into the battery compartment and has an electrical contact with the electronic device, secure the battery pack in the battery compartment; the cap including a rear surface opposite to the front surface of the cap; the cap including a reverse retaining bump protruding from the rear surface; the reverse retaining bump being configured to, after thebattery pack is inserted into the battery compartment and has an electrical contact with the electronic device, abut against a rear edge of the battery pack to secure the battery pack in the battery compartment; a release button; the release button being coupled with the cap; and the release button being configured to move the cap towards the side wall of the battery compartment and into the receiving cavity in response to a user’s triggering action.

[0084] Optionally, in some examples, the apparatus used in a battery compartment of an electronic device to ensure that a battery pack is placed in the battery compartment may include one or more of the following features: a fastener; the fastener being configured to releasably mount the cap in the receiving cavity to allow the cap to move into or out of the receiving cavity; the fastener including a first pin and a second pin inserted into the cap; the fastener including a resilient biasing component; the resilient biasing component being disposed between the first pin and the cap; the resilient biasing component being configured to bias the cap in a direction away from the side wall of the battery compartment, and elastically deform when the cap is subjected to a force in the direction of the first pin to allow the cap to move towards the side wall of the battery compartment; the fastener including a retaining component; the retaining component being disposed on the second pin; and the retaining component being configured to limit a maximum distance of the cap away from the side wall of the battery compartment when the cap moves out of the receiving cavity.

[0085] In view of the foregoing disclosure, an electronic device for sensing or visualizing signals may include any one of or a combination of the following features: the apparatus used in a battery compartment of an electronic device in any one of the foregoing examples; and a battery compartment configured to receive the battery pack through an opening of the battery compartment.

[0086] Optionally, in some examples, the electronic device for sensing or visualizing signals may include one or more of the following features: at least one sensor; the at least one sensor being configured to detect an electrical property of a device under test or a scene; the at least one sensor being configured to detect a magnetic property of a device under test or a scene; the at least one sensor being configured to detect an optical property of a device under test or a scene; the at least one sensor being configured to detect an electrical property of a device under test or a scene; and the at least one sensor being configured to detect an acoustic property of a device under test or a scene.

[0087] In view of the foregoing disclosure, various examples of a method for using a battery pack in an electronic device may include any one of or a combination of the following features: orientating the battery pack relative to an opening of a battery compartment of theelectronic device to mate a positioning slot of the battery pack with a stopper on a front surface of a cap mounted in the battery compartment; and inserting the battery pack into the battery compartment through the opening until the battery pack has an electrical contact with the electronic device.

[0088] Optionally, in some examples, that the battery pack is inserted into the battery compartment through the opening until the battery pack has an electrical contact with the electronic device includes one or more of the following features: a cap being releasably mounted in a receiving cavity on a side wall of a battery compartment; inserting the battery pack into the battery compartment through the opening to have the stopper received within the positioning slot and a front edge of the battery pack engaged with the front surface of the cap; pushing the battery pack forward inside the battery compartment so that the battery pack moves over the front surface of the cap and pushes the cap towards the side wall of the battery compartment and into the receiving cavity; and pushing further the battery pack forward inside the battery compartment until the battery pack has an electrical contact with the electronic device.

[0089] Optionally, in some examples, the method for inserting a battery pack into an electronic device may include one or more of the following features: the cap including a rear surface opposite to the front surface of the cap; the cap including a reverse retaining bump protruding from a rear surface of the cap; that the battery pack is further pushed forward inside the battery compartment until the battery pack has an electrical contact with the electronic device including: pushing the battery pack until the battery pack moves over the rear surface of the cap, such that the reverse retaining bump abuts against a rear edge of the battery pack to secure the battery pack in the battery compartment; the electronic device further including a release button coupled with the cap; operating the release button to move the cap into the receiving cavity on the side wall of the battery compartment; and removing the battery pack from the battery compartment.

[0090] A person of ordinary skill in the art may understand and implement other changes to the disclosed embodiments by studying this specification, the disclosed content, the drawings, and the appended claims. In the claims, the word “include” does not exclude other elements and steps, and the words “a” and “an” do not exclude a plurality. In an actual application of this application, one part may perform functions of a plurality of technical features cited in the claims. Any reference signs in the claims are not to be construed as limiting the scope.

[0091] Although various aspects and embodiments of this application are disclosed herein, other aspects and embodiments are apparent to a person skilled in the art. A person skilled inthe art may make modifications, equivalent replacements, and combinations to the technical features of the electronic device, especially the retaining piece based on the aspects and embodiments described in this specification, without departing from the spirit and scope of this application. Various aspects and embodiments disclosed herein are merely for illustrative purposes, but not for limiting purposes. The protection scope and spirit of this application are determined by the claim appended hereto.

Claims

Claims1. An apparatus for use in a battery compartment of an electronic device to secure placement of a battery pack in the battery compartment, the apparatus comprising: a cap being configured to be releasably mounted in a receiving cavity on a side wall of the battery compartment, and movable into or out of the receiving cavity, wherein the cap comprises: a front surface facing an opening of the battery compartment and tilted towards the side wall of the battery compartment; and a stopper disposed on the front surface of the cap, in response to a positioning slot on a front edge of the battery pack being mated with the stopper, to allow the front edge of the battery pack to engage with the front surface of the cap and push the cap towards the side wall of the battery compartment and into the receiving cavity, thereby permitting the battery pack to be inserted into the battery compartment to have an electrical contact with the electronic device.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the stopper is further configured to, in response to an insertion of the battery pack where the positioning slot of the battery pack is not mating with the stopper, engage with the front edge or a rear edge of the battery pack to maintain the cap out of the receiving cavity, thereby preventing the battery pack from being inserted into the battery compartment to have an electrical contact with the electronic device.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the stopper is a retaining bump protruding from the front surface of the cap, and the retaining bump comprises a front surface that is substantially perpendicular to the side wall of the battery compartment.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the front surface of the cap has a tilt angle ranging between 7° and 45° relative to the side wall of the battery compartment.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the cap is further configured to, after the battery pack is inserted into the battery compartment and has an electrical contact with the electronic device, secure the battery pack in the battery compartment.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the cap further comprises a rear surface opposite to the front surface of the cap, and a reverse retaining bump protruding from the rear surface and configured to, after the battery pack is inserted into the battery compartment and has an electrical contact with the electronic device, abut against a rear edge of the battery pack to secure the battery pack in the battery compartment.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, further comprising: a release button coupled with the cap, wherein the release button is configured to move the cap towards the side wall of the battery compartment and into the receiving cavity in response to a user’s triggering action.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising: a fastener configured for releasably mounting the cap in the receiving cavity to allow the cap to move into or out of the receiving cavity.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the fastener comprises: a first pin and a second pin inserted into the cap; a resilient biasing component disposed between the first pin and the cap, wherein the resilient biasing component is configured to bias the cap in a direction away from the side wall of the battery compartment, and elastically deform when the cap is subjected to a force in the direction of the first pin to allow the cap to move towards the side wall of the battery compartment; and a retaining component disposed on the second pin, wherein the retaining component is configured to limit a maximum distance of the cap away from the side wall of the battery compartment when the cap moves out of the receiving cavity.

10. An electronic device for sensing or visualizing signals, comprising: the apparatus of any of claims 1 to 9; and the battery compartment configured to receive the battery pack through the opening of the battery compartment.

11. The electronic device of claim 10, further comprising:at least one sensor configured to detect an electrical, magnetic, optical, thermal, or acoustic property of a device under test or a scene.

12. A method for using a battery pack in an electronic device, comprising: orientating the battery pack relative to an opening of a battery compartment of the electronic device to mate a positioning slot of the battery pack with a stopper on a front surface of a cap mounted in the battery compartment; and inserting the battery pack into the battery compartment through the opening until the battery pack has an electrical contact with the electronic device.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the cap is releasably mounted in a receiving cavity on a side wall of the battery compartment.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the inserting the battery pack into the battery compartment through the opening until the battery pack has an electrical contact with the electronic device comprises: inserting the battery pack into the battery compartment through the opening to have the stopper received within the positioning slot and a front edge of the battery pack engaged with the front surface of the cap; pushing the battery pack forward inside the battery compartment so that the battery pack moves over the front surface of the cap and pushes the cap towards the side wall of the battery compartment and into the receiving cavity; and pushing further the battery pack forward inside the battery compartment until the battery pack has an electrical contact with the electronic device.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the cap further comprises a rear surface opposite to the front surface of the cap and a reverse retaining bump protruding from the rear surface of the cap; and wherein the pushing further the battery pack forward inside the battery compartment until the battery pack has an electrical contact with the electronic device comprises:pushing the battery pack until the battery pack moves over the rear surface of the cap, such that the reverse retaining bump abuts against a rear edge of the battery pack to secure the battery pack in the battery compartment.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the electronic device further comprises a release button coupled with the cap; and wherein the method further comprises: operating the release button to move the cap into the receiving cavity on the side wall of the battery compartment; and removing the battery pack from the battery compartment.

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