Device with a mid-frame structure and reverse draft

• US 10,082,828 B2
• Filed: 08/16/2017
• Issued: 09/25/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 08/16/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rakuten Kobo Inc. (Rakuten Group, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Rakuten Kobo Inc. (Rakuten Group, Inc.)
• Inventors: Wun, Archer, Buechin, Anna, Wu, James, Salas, Ernesto
• Primary Examiner(s): LEA EDMONDS, LISA S
• Application Number:
  US15/678,997
• Publication Number:
  US 20180052489A1
• Time in Patent Office: 405 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 11/00 Receptacles for purposes not provided for in groups A45C1/00-A45C9/00 specially adapted for toiletry or cosmetic equipment A45D29/20, A45D44/18; travelling sewing kits A45F3/48
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 13/1069 magnetic
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 2011/002 for portable handheld communication devices, e.g. mobile phone, pager, beeper, PDA, smart phone
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 2011/003 for portable computing devices, e.g. laptop, tablet, netbook, game boy, navigation system, calculator
• CPC Class Codes: A45C 2200/15 Articles convertible into a stand, e.g. for displaying purposes
• CPC Class Codes: A45F 2200/0516 Portable handheld communication devices, e.g. mobile phone, pager, beeper, PDA, smart phone
• CPC Class Codes: A45F 5/00 Holders or carriers for hand articles; Holders or carriers for use while travelling or camping
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/003 the elements being electronics drivers or controllers for operating the light source, e.g. for a LED array
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 3/00 Globes; Bowls; Cover glasses with refracting properties F21V5/00; with reflecting properties F21V7/00; characterised by cooling arrangements F21V29/506
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 33/0056 Audio equipment, e.g. music instruments, radios or speakers
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2111/10 for personal use, e.g. hand-held
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133308 Support structures for LCD panels, e.g. frames or bezels
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1626 with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1698 the I/O peripheral being a sending/receiving arrangement to establish a cordless communication link, e.g. radio or infrared link, integrated cellular phone details of antennas disposed inside a computer H01Q1/2266
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/203 for portable computers, e.g. for laptops
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3296 by lowering the supply or operating voltage
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1633 Protecting arrangement for the entire housing of the computer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1634 Integrated protective display lid, e.g. for touch-sensitive display in handheld computer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/041 : Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04847 : Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 : using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2320/0626 : for control of overall brightness
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2320/0666 : for control of colour parameters, e.g. colour temperature
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2320/08 : Arrangements within a display terminal for setting, manually or automatically, display parameters of the display terminal
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2354/00 : Aspects of interface with display user
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2360/141 : the light conveying information used for selecting or modulating the light emitting or modulating element
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2360/144 : the light being ambient light
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2360/16 : Calculation or use of calculated indices related to luminance levels in display data
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2380/14 : Electronic books and readers
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/3406 : Control of illumination source illumination devices structurally associated with liquid crystal cells G02F1/1336
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/3413 : Details of control of colour illumination sources
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/02 : characterised by the way in which colour is displayed details of colour display specific for CRTs G09G1/28; specific for flat matrix panels other than liquid crystal displays G09G3/2003; specific for liquid crystal displays G09G3/3607
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/10 : Intensity circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 13/83 : characterised by legends, e.g. Braille, liquid crystal displays, light emitting or optical elements
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/22 : by structural association with other equipment or articles
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0214 : Foldable telephones, i.e. with body parts pivoting to an open position around an axis parallel to the plane they define in closed position combined with translation movement H04M1/0235
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0245 : using open/close detection
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0279 : Improving the user comfort or ergonomics
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/04 : Supports for telephone transmitters or receivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/185 : Improving the rigidity of the casing or resistance to shocks
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/20 : Controlling the colour of the light
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/11 : by determining the brightness or colour temperature of ambient light
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/16 : by timing means
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/0017 : with operator interface units
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/1417 : having securing means for mounting boards, plates or wiring boards H05K7/1461 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/18 : Construction of rack or frame
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/40 : Control techniques providing energy savings, e.g. smart controller or presence detection

Abstract

An electronic reading device includes a mid-frame structure such that the mid-frame structure can include a reverse draft. A reverse draft corresponds to a back of the electronic reading device being a predetermined amount wider than a front of the electronic reading device. Additionally, a co-molded mid-frame stiffener provides a predetermined rigidity of the electronic reading device. The electronic reading device also includes a display integrated with the front of the mid-frame structure, wherein a space between the display and the mid-frame structure includes one or more electronic reading device components. Similarly, a back cover is integrated with the back of the mid-frame structure, wherein a space between the back cover and the mid-frame structure includes additional electronic reading device components.

Claims

1. An electronic reading device, comprising:

a mid-frame structure, the mid-frame structure including

a reverse draft corresponding to a back of the electronic reading device being a predetermined amount wider than a front of the electronic reading device, and

a co-molded mid-frame stiffener providing a predetermined rigidity of the electronic reading device;

a display integrated with the front of the mid-frame structure, wherein a space between the display and the mid-frame structure includes a first group of one or more electronic reading device components; and

a back cover integrated with the back of the mid-frame structure, wherein a space between the back cover and the mid-frame structure includes a second group of one or more electronic reading device components.

2. The electronic reading device of claim 1, wherein the reverse draft is a 7 degree reverse draft corresponding to the back of the electronic reading device being 7 degrees wider than the front of the electronic reading device.

3. The electronic reading device of claim 1, wherein the electronic reading device has a depth of less than 7 millimeters based on a combination of the reverse draft and the co-molded mid-frame stiffener.

4. The electronic reading device of claim 1, wherein the co-molded mid-frame stiffener includes an injection molded magnesium stiffener.

5. The electronic reading device of claim 1, wherein the co-molded mid-frame stiffener includes a portion to house a power/sleep button.

6. The electronic reading device of claim 5, wherein the power/sleep button is recessed into a top left corner of the back of the mid-frame structure, the power/sleep button being axially aligned with a tri-color status LED integrated into a top right corner of the front of the mid-frame structure.

7. The electronic reading device of claim 1, wherein the first group of one or more electronic reading device components includes a daughter printed circuit board (PCB), an electronic paper display flexible printed circuit, a front light flexible printed circuit, a touch panel flexible printed circuit, and adhesive tape.

8. The electronic reading device of claim 1, wherein the second group of one or more electronic reading device components includes adhesive tapes, a Mylar electro static detection, a battery, and a main printed circuit board (PCB).

9. The electronic reading device of claim 1, wherein the display is an electronic paper display with a front light and a touch panel.

10. A method for reducing the depth of an electronic reading device, comprising:

combining an injection molded magnesium stiffener and a mid-frame to provide a mid-frame structure, the mid-frame structure including a reverse draft;

integrating a first group of electronic reading device components between a display and a front of the mid-frame structure; and

integrating a second group of electronic reading device components between a back cover and a back of the mid-frame structure.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the mid-frame structure is a co-molded mid-frame stiffener.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the reverse draft corresponds to a back of the electronic reading device being a predetermined amount wider than a front of the electronic reading device.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the reverse draft is a 7 degree reverse draft corresponding to the back of the electronic reading device being 7 degrees wider than the front of the electronic reading device.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the display is an electronic paper display with a front light and a touch panel.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein the first group of one or more electronic reading device components includes a daughter printed circuit board (PCB), an electronic paper display flexible printed circuit, a front light flexible printed circuit, a touch panel flexible printed circuit, and adhesive tape.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein the second group of one or more electronic reading device components includes adhesive tapes, a Mylar electro static detection, a battery, and a main printed circuit board (PCB).

17. The method of claim 10, wherein the co-molded mid-frame stiffener includes a portion to house a power/sleep button.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the power/sleep button is recessed into a top left corner of the back of the mid-frame structure, the power/sleep button being axially aligned with a tri-color status LED integrated into a top right corner of the front of the mid-frame structure.