Portable electronic device with clip mechanism

1. Technical Field

The present disclosure generally relates to portable electronic devices and, particularly, to a portable electronic device having a clip mechanism.

2. Description of Related Art

Generally, many portable electronic devices include a liquid crystal display (LCD), a keypad, and so on. In order to electronically connect the LCD and the keypad to a printed circuit board (PCB), several flexible printed circuit boards (FPCBs) need to be positioned among them to electrically connect the LCD and the keypad to the PCB. However, the FPCBs need to be bent at several places, and contact with the PCB can easily work loose resulting in an unstable connection.

Therefore, there is room for improvement within the art.

Many aspects of the portable electronic device with a clip mechanism can be better understood with reference to the following drawings. The components in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, the emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the portable electronic device with the clip mechanism. Moreover, in the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, in which:

FIG. 1 is an exploded, isometric view of a portable electronic device with a clip mechanism in accordance with an exemplary embodiment;

FIG. 2 is similar to FIG. 1 , but shown from another aspect;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of a first clip in FIG. 1 ;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of a second clip in FIG. 1 ;

FIG. 5 is similar to FIG. 4 , but shown from another aspect;

FIG. 6 is a partially assembled view of FIG. 1 ;

FIG. 7 is an assembled view of FIG. 1 .

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of FIG. 7 along line VIII-VIII;

FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of FIG. 7 along line IX-IX; and

FIG. 10 is an enlarged view of circled portion X of FIG. 6 .

FIGS. 1 and 2 show a portable electronic device 100 , such as a mobile phone, employing a clip mechanism. The mobile phone 100 is an exemplary application, for the purposes of describing details of an exemplary embodiment of the clip mechanism. The mobile phone 100 includes a first clip 11 , a second clip 13 , a first FPCB 20 , an LCD module 30 , a PCB 40 , and a housing 50 . The first clip 11 and the second clip 13 are mounted to the housing 50 . The LCD module 30 is positioned at one side of the housing 50 , and the PCB 40 is positioned at an opposite side of the housing 50 . The first clip 11 is configured to stably secure the FPCB 20 to the PCB 40 . The second clip 13 is configured to stably secure the LCD module 30 to the PCB 40 .

Referring to FIG. 3 , the first clip 11 is made of metal, and may be stamped or punched from a metal sheet. The first clip 11 includes a main section 111 . Two tabs 113 extend from one end of the main section 111 . A latching portion 115 extends from a middle area at another end of the main section 111 . The latching portion 115 includes two legs 1151 parallel to each other. A beam 1153 is connected between the legs 1151 . A foot 1155 is formed at each end of the legs 1151 . The main section 111 defines an opening 1111 , and forms two opposite tongue portions 117 extending into the opening 1111 . An arcuate portion 1171 is formed at a distal end of each tongue portion 117 .

Referring to FIGS. 4 and 5 , the second clip 13 includes a main base 131 . The main base 131 defines an aperture 1311 . A block 135 is formed at one end of the main base 131 adjacent to the aperture 1311 . A cantilevered portion 137 extends from another end of the main base 131 into the aperture 1311 . A projection 1371 is formed on a distal end of the cantilevered portion 137 . Two recessed portions 133 are formed at two corners of the main base 131 . A protrusion 1319 is formed at one side of the main base 131 .

The first FPCB 20 includes a first section 21 and a second section 23 . The first section 21 is configured to fix the first FPCB 20 to the housing 50 . The second section 23 corresponds to the first clip 11 , and is electrically connected to the PCB 40 .

The LCD module 30 includes a display 31 and a second FPCB 33 . The second FPCB 33 is fixed to the display 31 , and is configured to electronically connect to the PCB 40 . One portion of the second FPCB 33 surrounds the display 31 , and another portion is bent to define a cavity 335 for receiving the second clip 13 .

The PCB 40 includes a first connecter 43 and a second connector 45 . The first connector 43 is electrically connected to the second section 23 of the first FPCB 20 . The second connector 45 is electrically connected to the second FPCB 33 .

The housing 50 includes a base wall 51 , a first sidewall 52 , a second sidewall 53 , and an end wall 54 . The first sidewall 52 is opposite to the second sidewall 53 . The end wall 54 is connected with ends of the first sidewall 52 and the second sidewall 53 . The first sidewall 52 defines a notch 521 and forms a hook 522 for latching with the first clip 11 . The base wall 51 defines a first hole 511 and a second hole 512 adjacent to the end wall 54 . Two slots 5111 are defined at one side of the first hole 511 of the base wall 51 opposite to the first sidewall 52 . A stopper wall 541 is formed at one end of the second hole 512 , and two stepped portions 5122 are formed at the other end of the second hole 512 .

During assembly, referring to FIG. 6 to FIG. 10 , the PCB 40 is assembled to one side of the housing 50 , and the first FPCB 20 is latched to the other side of the housing 50 . The first connector 43 extends into the first hole 511 , the second section 23 is aligned with the first hole 511 . Then, the first clip 11 is attached to the base wall 51 of the housing 50 . The two tabs 113 are inserted into the slots 5111 . The legs 1151 of the latching portion 115 are received in the notch 521 , and the beam 1153 is latched to the hook 522 of the first sidewall 52 . Thus, the first clip 11 is fixed to the housing 50 . The two arcuate portions 1171 resist the FPCB 20 to tightly connect the FPCB 20 to the PCB 40 . After that, the second clip 13 is inserted into the cavity 333 of the second FPCB 33 . The LCD 30 with the second clip 13 is attached to the housing 50 . The second FPCB 33 is aligned with the second hole 512 . The second connector 45 is exposed from the second hole 512 . The resisting portions 133 engage with the recessed portions 5122 . The block 135 is engaged with the stopper wall 541 . Thus, the second clip 13 is fixed to the housing 50 . The projection 1371 presses the second FPCB 33 against the PCB 40 . Assembly of the mobile phone 100 is thus completed. The first clip 11 and the second clip 13 provide a stable electrical connection with the PCB 40 .

It is believed that the present embodiments and their advantages will be understood from the foregoing description, and it will be apparent that various changes may be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure or sacrificing all of its material advantages, the examples hereinbefore described merely being preferred or exemplary embodiments of the disclosure.