Latching assembly and electronic device using the same

1. Technical Field

The present disclosure relates to latching assemblies and electronic devices and, particularly, to a latching assembly without screws and an electronic device having the latching assembly.

2. Description of Related Art

Conventional designs of computer system housings provide a product that is difficult to quickly open, and requires the manufacturer or the user to unfasten and then refasten the fasteners using tools. After repeated openings and closings, the computer case may be damaged.

The components of the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, the emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of a latching assembly and an electronic device using the same. Moreover, in the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout several views.

FIG. 1 is an isometric view of an electronic device in accordance with an exemplary embodiment.

FIG. 2 is another isometric view of the electronic device of FIG. 1 , showing a bottom of the electronic device.

FIG. 3 is a partial, exploded view of the electronic device of FIG. 1 , showing a latching assembly of the electronic device.

FIG. 4 is a partial, exploded view of a first casing of the electronic device of FIG. 3 .

FIG. 5 is a partial, cross-sectional view taken along line V-V of FIG. 2 , showing the electronic device in an unlocked state.

FIG. 6 is similar to FIG. 5 , but showing the electronic device in a locked state.

Referring to FIGS. 1-2 , an electronic device 100 in accordance with an exemplary embodiment is shown. In the embodiment, the electronic device 100 is a notebook computer. The electronic device 100 includes a housing 10 and a number of latching assemblies 20 . The housing 10 includes a first casing 11 and a second casing 12 . The latching assemblies 20 are configured to detachably secure the first casing 11 to the second casing 12 . In the embodiment, there are four latching assemblies 20 , arranged adjacent to the four corners of the housing 10 . The number and the arrangement of the latching assemblies 20 can vary according to need.

Referring to FIGS. 3-5 , the bottom of the second casing 12 defines a through hole 121 . A first recessed portion 122 and a second recessed portion 123 are formed in the bottom of the second casing 12 and are spaced by and communicate with the through hole 121 . The first recessed portion 122 includes a bottom 124 . The second recessed portion 123 includes a bottom 125 and two opposite sidewalls 126 . The bottom 124 of the first recessed portion 122 is wider than the bottom 125 of the second recessed portion 123 . Each sidewall 126 defines a first positioning hole 127 .

Each latching assembly 20 includes an operating member 21 , two positioning members 22 , and a latching block 23 . The operating member 21 includes a first plate 211 , a second plate 212 , and a bar 213 . The bar 213 protrudes from a bottom of the first plate 211 and substantially perpendicularly connects the first plate 211 to the second plate 212 . The first plate 211 , the second plate 212 , and the bar 213 cooperatively define a first gap 214 and a second gap 215 to respectively receive the bottom 124 of the first recessed portion 122 and the bottom 125 of the second recessed portion 123 . The first plate 211 includes two opposite sidewalls 216 . The sidewalls 216 respectively define second positioning holes 217 able to receive a part of the positioning member 22 . In the embodiment, the second plate 212 is wider than the first plate 211 , and the size of the through hole 121 is slightly greater than that of the first plate 211 and smaller than that of the second plate 212 . The first plate 211 can be extended through the through hole 121 and can be received in the second casing 12 , and the second plate 212 is external to the second casing 12 for a user to operate.

Each positioning member 22 includes an elastic member 221 and a resisting member 222 . One end of each elastic member 221 is fixed in each first positioning hole 127 , and the opposite end is fixed to one resisting member 222 . Each resisting member 222 can be received in one second positioning hole 217 . The distance between the resisting members 222 is slightly less than that between the sidewalls 216 . In one embodiment, the elastic members 221 are coil springs, and the resisting members 222 are balls.

The latching block 23 protrudes from the bottom 231 of the first casing 11 . A handle 232 protrudes from the top 233 of the latching block 23 . The handle 232 and the top 233 cooperatively define a slot 234 . The first plate 211 can pass through the slot 234 .

To secure the second casing 12 to the first casing 11 , the second casing 12 is placed on the first casing 11 , causing the handle 232 to be received in the through hole 121 adjacent to the second recessed portion 123 , and substantially parallel to the bottom 125 of the second recessed portion 123 . The operating member 21 extends through the through hole 121 to a first position, causing the second plate 212 to be external to the through hole 121 . The first plate 211 is received in the through hole 121 and opposes the top 233 of the latching block 23 , and the bottom 124 is received in the first gap 214 . At this point, the second plate 212 is pushed away from the first recessed portion 122 , causing a portion of the first plate 211 to pass through the slot 234 and the bottom 125 of the second recessed portion 123 to be received in the second gap 215 . The second plate 212 is then further pushed away from the first recessed portion 122 , causing the first plate 211 to resist the resisting members 222 , and causing the elastic members 221 to be distorted. As the second plate 211 is moved to a second position where each resisting member 222 is aligned with one second positioning hole 217 , the elastic members 221 rebound to cause the resisting members 222 to be respectively received in the second positioning holes 217 . At this point, the second casing 12 is secured to the first casing 11 .

Referring to FIG. 6 , to remove the second casing 12 from the first casing 11 , the second plate 212 is pushed toward the first recessed portion 122 until each resisting member 222 moves out of the second positioning hole 217 . The second plate 212 is then further pushed toward the first recessed portion 122 to be in the first position, causing the bottom 125 of the second recessed portion 123 to disengage from the second gap 215 , and the first plate 211 to disengage from the slot 234 . At this point, the second casing 12 can be removed from the first casing 11 .

Although the present disclosure has been specifically described on the basis of the exemplary embodiment thereof, the disclosure is not to be construed as being limited thereto. Various changes or modifications may be made to the embodiment without departing from the scope and spirit of the disclosure.