Electronic devices with clips

• US 10,091,897 B2
• Filed: 03/07/2017
• Issued: 10/02/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 08/05/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Filson, John Benjamin, Moolsintong, Pinida Jan, Lynch, Stephen B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wyche, Myron K
• Application Number:
  US15/452,384
• Publication Number:
  US 20170181297A1
• Time in Patent Office: 574 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/163 Wearable computers, e.g. on a belt
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1643 the display being associated to a digitizer, e.g. laptops that can be used as penpads details related to the relative motion of the display enclosure with respect to the body enclosure, e.g. to move between laptop and tablet PC configuration G06F1/1615
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 17/9622 using a plurality of detectors, e.g. keyboard
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0202 Portable telephone sets, e.g. cordless phones, mobile phones or bar type handsets constructional features of telephone transmitters or receivers, e.g. of speakers or microphones H04M1/03
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/22 including a touch pad, a touch sensor or a touch detector digitizers for touch screens G06F3/041
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/0017 with operator interface units
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/0204 Mounting supporting structures on the outside of casings
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/0226 Hinges
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/023 Handles; Grips
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/04 Metal casings

Abstract

A portable electronic device may have a clip. The clip may be mounted to a housing using hinge structures. The hinge structures may bias the clip towards a closed position. The clip may be opened to attach the portable electronic device to an object. When in the closed position, the clip may lie flush with the exterior of the device housing. Clip biasing may be provided using a torsion spring, a coil spring, a ribbon spring, a clip with built-in biasing, a tension spring, or a compression spring. A coupling mechanism may be used to attach the clip to the housing. The coupling mechanism may include a ratcheting rotatable mechanism, a fixed attachment structure, a flexible attachment structure, a removable structure, or a structure that includes a spring bias adjustment mechanism. The device may have a button with a touch sensor array.

Claims

1. An electronic device, comprising:

a housing having a first recess;

a touch-sensitive display mounted in the housing;

an attachment member configured to attach the housing to a user;

a coupling structure that couples the attachment member to the housing, wherein the coupling structure allows the attachment member to be removed from and reattached to the housing, and wherein the coupling structure comprises a protruding portion that mates with the first recess in the housing; and

a spring-loaded pin that retains the protruding portion in the first recess by expanding into a second recess that is different from the first recess.

2. The electronic device defined in claim 1 wherein the second recess is located in the coupling structure.

3. The electronic device defined in claim 1 wherein the coupling structure allows the attachment member to rotate relative to the housing.

4. The electronic device defined in claim 1 further comprising a fastener that attaches the attachment member to the coupling structure.

5. The electronic device defined in claim 4 wherein the fastener extends into the coupling structure.

6. The electronic device defined in claim 4 wherein the fastener comprises a screw.

7. The electronic device defined in claim 1 wherein the housing has a curved outer surface.

8. The electronic device defined in claim 1 further comprising an actuation structure that allows the attachment member to move away from the housing when pressed.

9. The electronic device defined in claim 1 wherein the housing comprises metal.

10. The electronic device defined in claim 9 wherein the attachment member comprises metal.

11. An electronic device, comprising:

a metal housing having a groove;

a touch-sensitive display mounted in the metal housing;

a first coupling member that is received within the groove;

a second coupling member that is attached to the metal housing via the first coupling member, wherein the second coupling member is configured to attach the metal housing to a user; and

a spring loaded element that engages with a recess when the first coupling member is received within the groove, wherein the spring loaded element is uncompressed when it is engaged with the recess.

12. The electronic device defined in claim 11 wherein the first coupling member allows the second coupling member to rotate relative to the metal housing.

13. The electronic device defined in claim 12 wherein the second coupling member is flexible.

14. The electronic device defined in claim 11 further comprising an actuation structure that allows the second coupling member to move away from the housing when pressed.

15. The electronic device defined in claim 11 wherein the metal housing has an exterior surface with a curved portion and a flat portion.

16. An electronic device having first and second recesses, wherein the first recess is larger than the second recess, comprising:

a rigid housing;

a touch-sensitive display mounted in the rigid housing;

a flexible attachment member configured to attach the rigid housing to a user;

a coupling structure that removably couples the flexible attachment member to the rigid housing, wherein the coupling structure is received by the first recess; and

a biasing member that expands into the second recess to engage the coupling structure to the rigid housing.

17. The electronic device defined in claim 16 wherein the biasing member comprises a spring-loaded pin.

18. The electronic device defined in claim 16 wherein the rigid housing comprises metal.

19. The electronic device defined in claim 16 further comprising an actuation structure that allows the flexible attachment member to move away from the rigid housing when pressed.

20. The electronic device defined in claim 16 wherein the touch-sensitive display comprises an array of capacitive touch sensor electrodes.