Lens cover assembly and electronic device using the same

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention

[0002] The present invention generally relates to lens cover assemblies and, more particularly, to a lens cover assembly for seating a lens in an electronic device and an electronic device using the same.

[0003] 2. Description of Related Art

[0004] Nowadays, electronic devices with a digital camera mounted thereon are widely used. A lens cover is customarily used to prevent a digital camera from being scraped or dirtied. Therefore, a lens cover assembly for seating the lens cover in an electronic device is needed.

[0005] Referring to FIG. 8, a typical lens cover assembly 10 is shown. The lens cover assembly 10 includes a lens cover 12 and a frame 14. The lens cover 12 includes a base 122, and a circular protrusion 124 extending from one side of the base 122. The frame 14 has a stepped hole. The stepped hole has a large hole 143 defined by a first circumferential wall 144, and a small hole 145 defined by a second circumferential wall 146. A connecting surface 148 connects the first circumferential wall 144 to the second circumferential wall 146. In assembly of such lens cover assembly 10, firstly, some glue is dropped to the connecting surface 148. Then, the circular protrusion 124 of the lens cover 12 is received in the small hole 145, and the base 122 adheres to the connecting surface 148. After the glue is solidified, the lens cover 12 is attached to the frame 14.

[0006] However, the protrusion 124 of the lens cover 12 is easily polluted by the glue during assembly, thus the image quality might be reduced. Furthermore, the glue is unevenly distributed on the connecting surface 148 so that the base 122 of the lens cover 12 may be inclined relative to the frame 14. As a result, the appearance of the electronic device and the image quality may be affected.

[0007] Therefore, a lens cover assembly and an electronic device using the same are desired in order to overcome the above-described problems.

[0008] One embodiment of the lens cover assembly mounted in an electronic device includes a lens cover, and a frame. The lens cover includes a base and a column extending from a central area of the base. The base has at least one notch defined therein. The frame has a stepped hole defined by a first circumferential wall, a second circumferential wall, and a connecting surface connecting the first circumferential wall to the second circumferential wall. The frame has at least two blocks extending from the first circumferential wall. Each block overlies the connecting surface. In assembly, the lens cover is received in the stepped hole. The edge of the base is held between the blocks and the connecting surface by means of the at least one notch. Then the base rotates relative to an axis of the stepped hole so that the at least one notch keeps away from a corresponding block. Therefore, the lens cover is locked in the frame.

[0009] Other advantages and novel features will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

[0019] Referring to FIG. 1, an exemplary lens cover assembly 100 applied to an electronic device 300 such as mobile phone is shown. The electronic device 300 has a shell 200. The shell 200 has a through hole 202 defined above a middle portion therein. Four positioning posts 204 perpendicularly extend from an inside surface (not labeled) of the shell 200. The four positioning posts 204 are positioned adjacent to a periphery of the through hole 202 at uniform intervals. However, it may be understood that the number and/or arrangement of the positioning posts 204 could be varied and still be within the scope of the present embodiment.

[0020] Also referring to FIG. 2, the lens cover assembly 100 includes a frame 20 and a lens cover 30. The frame 20 includes a fixing portion 22, and a protruding portion 24 extending toward one side from a central area of the fixing portion 22. The protruding portion 24 is cylindrical in shape. The fixing portion 22 is substantially square. The fixing portion 22 has four positioning holes 222 each defined at a corner thereof. Each positioning hole 222 is configured (i.e., structured and arranged) for receiving a corresponding positioning post 204 of the shell 200.

[0021] A through stepped hole 26 is formed at a middle portion of the protruding portion 24 of the frame 20. The stepped hole 26 includes a large hole 263 defined by a first circumferential wall 262, and a small hole 265 defined by a second circumferential wall 264. A connecting surface 266 connects the first circumferential wall 262 to the second circumferential wall 264. Three spaced blocks 28 perpendicularly extend from the first circumferential wall 262 and locates above the connecting surface 266. Each block 28 extends toward a central axis of the stepped hole 26. A top surface of each block 28 is substantially coplanar with a surface of the fixing portion 22 opposing the protruding portion 24. A space 29 is defined between each of the blocks 28 and the connecting surface 266 in the axis of the stepped hole 26. Each block 28 has a groove 282 defined at one side thereof toward the connecting surface 266. Each groove 282 has a semicircular shaped cross-section along a traverse direction.

[0022] The lens cover 30 is made of transparent material, such as glass, poly methyl methacrylate (PMMA) and so on. The lens cover 30 includes a base 32, and a column 34 integrally formed with the base 32. The thickness of the base 32 is configured (i.e., structured and arranged) to fit into the space 29 defined by the blocks 28 and the connecting surface 266. The base 32 has a first side surface 322 and an opposite second side surface 324. The base 32 is substantially disk-shaped, and has three latching portions 38 disposed at uniform intervals. A notch 36 is defined between each two adjacent latching portions 38. The notches 36 communicate the first side surface 322 with the second side surface 324. Each latching portion 38 has a semicircular protrusion 384 radially positioned on the second side surface 324. Each protrusion 384 is configured (i.e., structured and arranged) for being received in a given groove 282 of the block 28. One of the latching portions 38 defines an arcuate slot 382 therein. The column 34 is disposed on a central area of the first side surface 322 of the base 32, and is configured for engaging in the small hole 265 of the frame 20.

[0023] In assembly, referring to FIGS. 3-4, firstly, the column 34 of the lens cover 30 is lowered into the small hole 265 of the frame 20. Each block 28 is received in a corresponding notch 36, and each protrusion 384 is positioned between two contiguous blocks 28. The base 32 of the lens cover 30 is placed on the connecting surface 266 of the frame 20, as shown in FIG. 3. Then, a thin rod-like tool is inserted in the slot 382 of the lens cover 30, and brings the lens cover 30 to rotate about an axis thereof so that the base 32 is sandwiched between the blocks 28 and the connecting surface 266 and each of the protrusions 384 of the lens cover 30 are engaged in a corresponding groove 282, as shown in FIG. 4. In this manner the lens cover 30 is stably attached to the frame 20.

[0024] The assembled lens cover structure 100 is assembled into the electronic device 300. Referring to FIG. 5, the positioning holes 222 are aligned with the corresponding positioning posts 204, respectively. The protruding portion 24 passes through the through hole 202 of the shell 200. The ends of each of the positioning posts 204 are advantageously melted/welded or soldered to allow permanent attachment to the fixing portion 22 of the frame 20, so that the lens cover assembly 100 is fixed to the shell 200.

[0025] A main advantage of the lens cover assembly 100 is that the glue may be omitted during the assembly of the lens cover assembly 100. Therefore, it is not possible for the column 34 of the lens cover 30 to be polluted by glue. In addition, the lens cover 30 avoids being inclined relative to the frame thus allowing uniform distribution of the glue. As a result, the image quality is increased, and the appearance of the electronic device 300 is improved.

[0026] In another alternative embodiment, referring to FIGS. 6-7, a lens cover assembly 400 includes a frame 50 and a lens cover 60. The frame 50 defines a stepped hole 52. The stepped hole 52 includes a large hole 523 defined by a first circumferential wall 522, and a small hole 525 defined by a second circumferential wall 524. A connecting surface 526 connects the first circumferential wall 522 with the second circumferential wall 524. Three blocks 54 each perpendicularly extends from the first circumferential wall 522, and overlies the connecting surface 526. A groove 56 is defined in the connecting surface 526. The groove 56 is positioned between two contiguous blocks 54 and oriented towards the axis of the stepped hole 52. The lens cover 60 includes a base 62, and a column 64 integrally formed with the base 62. The base 62 has a first side surface 622 and an opposite second side surface 624. The base 62 has three latching portions 622 at uniform intervals. A notch 626 is defined between contiguous latching portions 622. One of the latching portions 622 has a protrusion 664 disposed on the first side surface 622. The other latching portion 622 has a slot 662 defined therein. The column 64 is disposed on a central area of the first side surface 622 of the base 62.

[0027] In assembly of the lens cover assembly 400, firstly, the column 64 of the lens cover 60 is lowed into the small hole 525 of the frame 50. Each block 54 is received in a corresponding notch 626, and the protrusion 664 is positioned between two contiguous blocks 54. The base 62 of the lens cover 60 is put on the connecting surface 526 of the frame 50. Then, a thin rod-like tool is inserted in the slot 662 of the lens cover 60, and brings the lens cover 60 to rotate about an axis thereof so that the protrusion 664 of the lens cover 60 is engaged in the corresponding groove 56. In this way the lens cover 60 is stably mounted on the frame 50.

[0028] In other alternative embodiments, the number of the blocks 54 may be two. The two opposite blocks 54 are disposed on the first circumferential wall 522. Accordingly, the number of notches 626 is two. It may be understood that one notch 626 may be omitted. During assembly, when the number of the notches 626 is one, a latching portion of the base 62 opposite to the notch 626 is inserted into the space between one block 54 and the connecting surface 526. Then, the opposite latching portion is rotated, and the other block 54 is received in the notch 626.

[0029] It is to be further understood that even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the present embodiments have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structures and functions of the embodiments, the disclosure is illustrative only, and changes may be made in detail, especially in matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the principles of the invention to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed.