Electronic device housing and assembly method

• US 10,067,537 B2
• Filed: 03/02/2015
• Issued: 09/04/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 08/08/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Matsuoka, Yoshimichi, Louris, Michael James, Hayashida, Jeffrey, Wanderman, Jack
• Primary Examiner(s): Wilson, Adrian S
• Application Number:
  US14/635,440
• Publication Number:
  US 20150169007A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,282 Days
• Field of Search: 36167908, 36167909, 36167917
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 45/44 for undercut articles
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1616 with folding flat displays, e.g. laptop computers or notebooks having a clamshell configuration, with body parts pivoting to an open position around an axis parallel to the plane they define in closed position
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1658 related to the mounting of internal components, e.g. disc drive or any other functional module
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49002 Electrical device making

Abstract

An electronic device includes a first housing of a single piece of material that has first and second spaced apart major walls that extend in lateral directions and at least three side walls extending perpendicular to the lateral directions between the major walls. The major walls and the side walls define an internal cavity, and the first housing defines an opening to the internal cavity opposite one of the side walls. At least one support member is within the internal cavity of the first housing adjacent a major walls a side wall thereof. At least one electronic component is contained within the internal cavity, and a first cover is removably affixed over the opening. At least one of the support member and the first cover contributes to a retention force applied on the at least one electronic component within the internal cavity of the first housing.

Claims

1. An electronic device, comprising:

a base housing of a single piece of material, the base housing having a length, a width, a height that is less than both the length and the width, the base housing including;

a plurality of walls defining an internal cavity, the plurality of walls including a front wall that spans the width and the height of the base housing and a lower wall that spans the length and the width of the base housing,

an open end located opposite the front wall, and

at least one structural support on the internal cavity of the base housing, the at least one structural support being integral with and extending from at least one of the plurality of walls thereof;

a hinge assembly that has a base portion removably affixed over the open end, with the base portion of the hinge assembly coupling to the lower wall; and

a plurality of electronic components contained within the internal cavity of the base housing in a specified position, at least one electronic component of the plurality of electronic components being supported in the specified position by the at least one structural support; and

wherein the at least one electronic component includes a trackpad assembly that has a substrate and a support structure that extends outwardly from the substrate, the support structure having a pair of opposing sides, wherein the support structure is contacted on a first side of the pair of opposing sides by at least one of another electronic component of the plurality of electronic components and on a second side of the pair of opposing sides by one of the plurality of walls.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein:

the base housing is a base assembly of a portable computer, and

the electronic device further includes a lid assembly operatively connected to the hinge assembly.

3. The device of claim 2, wherein the plurality of walls further includes an upper wall that spans the length and the width of the base housing, and

wherein the hinge assembly partially defines portions of the lower wall and the upper wall.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the at least one structural support includes a boss in the interior cavity integrally formed with the base housing and extends from one of the plurality of walls;

and

wherein the at least one electronic component includes a slot configured to receive the boss therein such that the boss supports the electronic component.

5. The device of claim 4, wherein the at least one electronic component includes a board assembly, the board assembly being removably received in the base housing where the boss engages with the slot of the board assembly and where the board assembly contacts a second electronic component of the plurality of electronic components;

and

wherein the engagement with the boss and the contact with the second electronic component supports the board assembly in a position in the base housing.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the at least one electronic component includes a keyboard assembly that has a compressible ring disposed around an outer periphery thereof, the compressible ring configured for snap-fit arrangement with the base housing.

7. The device of claim 5, wherein a keyboard assembly is positioned above the board assembly, the keyboard being in contact with end units of the board assembly.

8. The device of claim 3, wherein the base portion of the hinge assembly has a second length and a second width that are shorter than the length and width of the base housing, respectively, and the base portion of the hinge assembly is flush with and coupling to the lower wall.

18. The device of claim 1, wherein the single piece of material is a plastic material usable in an injection molding process.

9. An electronic device, comprising:

a base housing of a single piece of material, the base housing having a first length, a first width, a first height that is less than both the length and the width, the base housing including;

a plurality of walls defining an internal cavity, the plurality of walls including a front wall that spans the width and the height of the base housing and a lower wall that spans the length and the width of the base housing,

an open end to the internal cavity located opposite the front wall, and

at least one structural support on the internal cavity of the base housing adjacent to at least one of the plurality of walls thereof, the at least one structural support including one or more wedge elements assembled within the internal cavity of the base housing adjacent to the lower wall;

a plurality of electronic components contained within the internal cavity of the base housing in contact with the one or more wedge elements that supports at least one electronic component of the plurality of electronic components in a specified position; and

a hinge assembly that has a base portion removably affixed over the open end and that provides support to the at least one electronic component in the specified location, with the base portion of the hinge assembly being a surface flush with and coupling to the lower wall, wherein the base portion has a second length and a second width shorter than the first length and the first width, respectively.

10. The device of claim 9, wherein:

the base housing is a base assembly of a portable computer, and

the electronic device further includes a lid assembly operatively connected to the hinge assembly.

11. The device of claim 10, wherein the plurality of walls includes an upper wall that spans the length and the width of the base housing, and

wherein the hinge assembly partially defines portions of the lower wall and a upper wall.

12. The device of claim 9, wherein the at least one structural support provides one or more points of attachment for the at least one electronic component.

13. The device of claim 9, wherein, in addition to the one or more wedge elements, the at least one structural support includes a boss in the interior cavity, and

wherein the at least one electronic components includes a board assembly having a slot configured to engage with the boss when the board assembly is received in the base housing, and

wherein the engagement with the boss supports the board assembly in a position in the base housing.

14. The device of claim 9, wherein the plurality of electronic components includes a battery;

wherein the battery is between and in contact with the front wall of the base housing and the board assembly; and

wherein the board assembly is between and in contact with the battery and the hinge assembly.

15. The device of claim 9, wherein one of the at least one electronic component includes a trackpad assembly that has a substrate and a support structure that extends outwardly from the substrate, the support structure having a pair of opposing sides, wherein the support structure is contacted on a first side of the pair of opposing sides by at least one of another electronic component of the plurality of electronic components and on a second side of the pair of opposing sides by one of the plurality of walls.

16. The device of claim 9, wherein the one or more wedge elements include at least one inclined plane attached to the lower wall of the base housing and the at least one electronic component includes an electronic component having an inclined surface configured to contact the at least one inclined plane.

17. The device of claim 9, wherein, in addition to the one or more wedge elements, the at least one structural support further includes a frame assembled in the base housing.

19. The device of claim 9, wherein when the hinge assembly is affixed over the open end, the plurality of electronic components is in continuous contact between the hinge assembly and the front wall.