Manufacturing of computing devices

• US 10,086,484 B2
• Filed: 10/12/2012
• Issued: 10/02/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 10/12/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Morgenstern, David J., DeForest, Laura M., Goldberg, Michelle R., Rundle, Nicholas Alan, Hu, Yuna, Morishita, Michael K., Kolodziejski, Jacek M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Self, Shelley
• Assistant Examiner(s): Yusuf, Mohammad
• Application Number:
  US13/651,000
• Publication Number:
  US 20140102162A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,181 Days
• Field of Search: 72413, 269296, 269266
• CPC Class Codes: B21D 19/08 by single or successive action of pressing tools, e.g. vice jaws
• CPC Class Codes: B21D 19/088 for flanging holes
• CPC Class Codes: B21D 22/20 Deep-drawing special deep-drawing arrangements in, or in connection with, presses B21D24/00
• CPC Class Codes: B21D 22/26 for making peculiarly, e.g. irregularly, shaped articles
• CPC Class Codes: B21D 24/04 Blank holders; Mounting means therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B21K 23/00 Making other articles
• CPC Class Codes: B23C 3/00 Milling particular work; Special milling operations; Machines therefor milling gear-teeth B23F, heat assisted machining B23P25/00
• CPC Class Codes: B23P 11/00 Connecting or disconnecting metal parts or objects by metal-working techniques not otherwise provided for connecting sheet metal or metal tubes, rods or profiles B21D39/00; riveting B21J; soldering, unsoldering, welding B23K; hand tools for connecting wire or strip B25B25/00; connecting metal parts by adhesives F16B11/00
• CPC Class Codes: B23P 17/00 Metal-working operations, not covered by a single other subclass or another group in this subclass
• CPC Class Codes: B23Q 3/00 Devices holding, supporting, or positioning work or tools, of a kind normally removable from the machine work-tables or other parts, e.g. faceplates, normally not incorporating means for securing work B23Q1/00; automatic position control B23Q15/00 ; food cutting boards A47J47/00; workpiece support for dies B21D37/02; rotary tool heads for turning-machines B23B3/24, B23B3/26; non-driven tool holders B23B29/00; general features of turrets B23B29/24 ; drawbars in spindles B23B31/261; for electrical discharge machining B23H11/003; for welding B23K37/04; means for securing grinding wheels B24B45/00; mountings for abrasive wheels B24D5/16; tools or bench devices for fastening, connecting, disengaging or holding B25B ; chucks for percussive tools B25D17/084; work benches for manual work B25H1/00; devices for securing circular saw blades B27B5/32; for assembling or manufacturing aircrafts B64F5/10; for holding semiconductors or wafers H01L21/67; devices for holding circuit boards H05K13/0061
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49771 Quantitative measuring or gauging
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49998 Work holding

Abstract

Examples of tooling fixtures and methods for manufacturing computing devices are described. According to some examples, a computer component may be shaped using successive steps of forging after deep drawing. In some examples, certain components may be assembled to form sub-assemblies of computer components and the sub-assembly may then be machined to drive closer tolerances. According to other examples, a work holding tool is described which may include a first plurality of individually movable pins for supporting a first surface of a work piece, the tool also having a second plurality of individually movable pins for applying a restraining force over a second opposite surface of the work piece to retain the work piece in position while maintaining it in its natural state.

Claims

1. A machining method for shaping an enclosure for a consumer electronic device that is formed of plastically deformable metal, the method comprising:

providing a retaining force by a fixturing device that supports a curved region of the enclosure in a non-deformable manner, the fixturing device having adjustable support members that are supported by upper and lower portions, wherein the adjustable support members independently move relative to each other and to both the upper and lower portions such that a first set of the adjustable support members conform to a first curved surface of the curved region, and a second set of the adjustable support members conform to a second curved surface of the curved region that is opposite to the first curved surface;

applying a tensile force, by a deep drawing press having a contact area, to a first portion of the first curved surface corresponding to the contact area, wherein the tensile force causes the first portion to stretch to form a protruding feature having walls having a first thickness and that extend away from the second curved surface; and

applying a compressive force in a direction opposite of the tensile force, by a forging press, to the second curved surface, thereby causing the walls to compress such that the walls have a second thickness that is greater than the first thickness.

2. The machining method of claim 1, wherein, subsequent to applying the tensile force, the walls of the protruding feature have an exposed curved edge.

3. The machining method of claim 2, wherein applying the compressive force causes the plastically deformable metal to compress in such a way that the exposed curved edge sharpens to form an exposed angular edge.

4. The machining method of claim 3, wherein the exposed angular edge has a greater thickness than the exposed curved edge.

5. The machining method of claim 1, wherein the retaining force applied by the adjustable support members to the first and second curved surfaces is less than one pound of force.

11. The machining method of claim 1, wherein the compressive force is applied to an exposed surface of the walls.

6. A method of shaping an enclosure for a consumer electronic device having a curved region, the method comprising:

providing a retaining force by a holding tool that supports the curved region of the enclosure in a non-deformable manner, the holding tool having adjustable support members that are supported by upper and lower portions, wherein the adjustable support members independently move relative to each other and to both the upper and lower portions such that a first set of the adjustable support members support a first curved surface of the curved region, and a second set of the adjustable support members support a second curved surface of the curved region that is opposite to the first curved surface;

applying a first force to a first portion of the first curved surface in a first direction that is generally perpendicular to a central plane of the enclosure to form a protruding feature in the first portion, wherein the protruding feature includes walls having a curved flanged surface that is defined by a major dimension and a minor dimension; and

applying a second force to the walls in a second direction generally opposite the first direction to decrease the major and minor dimensions so that the curved flanged surface approaches a sharp flanged surface.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein prior to applying the first force, the method further comprises:

forming a hole within the first portion of the first curved surface.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein a first press is aligned with the hole prior to applying the first force.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the protruding feature has a substantially rectangular perimeter subsequent to applying the first force.

10. The method of claim 6, wherein the second force is applied to an exposed surface of the walls.

12. The method of claim 6, wherein the adjustable support members are locked at heights that conform to the first and second curved surfaces prior to applying the first and second forces.