Portable computing system

• US 10,133,314 B2
• Filed: 03/06/2015
• Issued: 11/20/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 05/26/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Farahani, Houtan R., Leong, Craig C., Blum, Matthew W., Gao, Zheng, Robinson, Kevin M., Hendren, Keith J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Haley, Joseph
• Assistant Examiner(s): Wills-Burns, Chineyere
• Application Number:
  US14/641,216
• Publication Number:
  US 20150338887A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,355 Days
• Field of Search: 345170
• 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 1/1635 Details related to the integration of battery packs and other power supplies such as fuel cells or integrated AC adapter
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1656 Details related to functional adaptations of the enclosure, e.g. to provide protection against EMI, shock, water, or to host detachable peripherals like a mouse or removable expansions units like PCMCIA cards, or to provide access to internal components for maintenance or to removable storage supports like CDs or DVDs, or to mechanically mount accessories mounting of accessories to a computer display G06F1/1607; display hoods G06F1/1603; cooling arrangements for portable computers G06F1/203
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/166 related to integrated arrangements for adjusting the position of the main body with respect to the supporting surface, e.g. legs for adjusting the tilt angle
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1662 Details related to the integrated keyboard
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1666 Arrangements for reducing the size of the integrated keyboard for transport, e.g. foldable keyboards, keyboards with collapsible keys G06F1/1664 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1688 the I/O peripheral being integrated loudspeakers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/169 the I/O peripheral being an integrated pointing device, e.g. trackball in the palm rest area, mini-joystick integrated between keyboard keys, touch pads or touch stripes G06F1/1643 takes precedence; constructional details of pointing devices G06F3/033
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/023 Arrangements for converting discrete items of information into a coded form, e.g. arrangements for interpreting keyboard generated codes as alphanumeric codes, operand codes or instruction codes
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03547 Touch pads, in which fingers can move on a surface
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 13/83 characterised by legends, e.g. Braille, liquid crystal displays, light emitting or optical elements
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2219/014 LED
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2219/036 Light emitting elements
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2221/07 transparent
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 3/125 using a scissor mechanism as stabiliser
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 12/721 cooperating directly with the edge of the rigid printed circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6315 allowing relative movement between coupling parts, e.g. floating connection for coupling devices specially adapted for printed circuits, flat or ribbon cables, or like generally planar structures, H01R12/91 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2201/06 for computer periphery
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 24/60 Contacts spaced along planar side wall transverse to longitudinal axis of engagement

Abstract

A portable electronic device having several features is disclosed. The device can include a retention member that retains flexible circuits extending from a top portion to a bottom portion of the device, thereby allowing some components to be moved from a top portion of the device to a bottom portion. The device may include a cover plate can be secured with a display in the top portion to cover the retention member and other internal components. The device can include an omni-directional port designed to receive a connector different orientations and provide power to the device. The device can include a flexible keyboard having butterfly keycaps. The device can include an array of openings for an audio driver, with some of the array including through holes and blind holes. The device can also include a touch pad having a force feedback sensor and a haptic device.

Claims

1. A portable computing system, comprising:

a display housing comprising an opening that carries a logo insert, the opening comprising a support surface to receive the logo insert; and

a base portion pivotally coupled with the display housing, the base portion comprising;

a first housing part that includes a first internal surface and a cylindrical protrusion extending from the first internal surface, the cylindrical protrusion having a tapered portion,

a second housing part that includes a second internal surface having a retention feature that carries a securing member removably coupled with the retention feature, the securing member capable of coupling with the cylindrical protrusion at the tapered portion to couple the first housing part with the second housing part.

2. The portable computing system of claim 1, further comprising a flexible connector electrically coupled with a printed circuit board, the flexible connector further electrically coupled with:

a first integrated circuit coupled with the first housing part, and

a second integrated circuit coupled with the second housing part, wherein the flexible connector allows the second housing part to rotate with respect to the first housing part.

3. The portable computing system of claim 1, wherein the retention feature comprises a tab member that secures the securing member with the retention feature.

4. The portable computing system of claim 1, further comprising a touch pad, the touch pad comprising:

an actuator that provides vibratory feedback at the touch pad; and

a force sensor that detects an amount of force applied to the touch pad.

5. The portable computing system of claim 1, wherein the opening further comprises:

a relief section that is sub-flush with respect to the support surface;

a tapered region that surrounds the logo insert;

an indented region adjacent to the tapered region; and

a darkened region disposed across at least the relief section.

6. The portable computing system of claim 1, wherein the display housing comprises:

an antenna; and

a chin cover that covers the antenna and separate from the logo insert, the chin cover comprising a radio frequency transparent member to permit the antenna to send and receive wireless communication.

7. The portable computing system of claim 1, wherein the second housing part comprises:

a first terraced region formed in a substrate to define a first elevation of the substrate; and

a second terraced region formed in the substrate to define a second elevation of the substrate different from the first elevation, wherein the first terraced region and the second terraced region receive one or more internal components.

8. The portable computing system of claim 1, wherein the securing member comprises a U-shaped structure that at least partially wraps around the retention feature and extends beyond the retention feature to define an extended portion such that the cylindrical protrusion interlocks with the securing member at the extended portion and causes the first housing part to couple with the second housing part.

9. The portable computing system of claim 1, wherein the securing member is capable of rotating relative to the retention feature to secure with the cylindrical protrusion.

10. The portable computing system of claim 9, wherein the securing member is separate from the retention feature.

11. The portable computing system of claim 1, further comprising a printed circuit board, wherein:

the first housing part comprises a sidewall perpendicular to the first internal surface, the sidewall comprising a receptacle region and a through hole that opens to the receptacle region, and

the printed circuit board extends through the through hole and into the receptacle region.

12. A portable computing device, comprising:

a display housing that carries a display; and

a base portion rotatably coupled with the display, the base portion comprising;

a first housing part,

a keyboard coupled with the first housing part and facing a first direction,

a cylindrical protrusion having a tapered portion, the cylindrical protrusion facing a second direction that is opposite the first direction,

a second housing part that includes an integrally formed retention feature that faces in the first direction, and

a U-clip that is coupled with the integrally formed retention feature, the U-clip extending from the integrally formed retention feature and coupled with the cylindrical protrusion at the tapered portion.

13. The portable computing device of claim 12, wherein the first housing part is held together with the second housing part via a coupling between the U-clip and the cylindrical protrusion.