Offset control for assembling an electronic device housing

• US 10,368,457 B2
• Filed: 03/22/2017
• Issued: 07/30/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 02/02/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Pakula, David, Dinh, Richard Hung Minh, Myers, Scott, Tan, Tang Yew
• Primary Examiner(s): Wilson, Adrian S
• Application Number:
  US15/466,739
• Publication Number:
  US 20170196112A1
• Time in Patent Office: 860 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/3481 Housings or casings incorporating or embedding electric or electronic elements
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 13/001 Miniaturised objectives for electronic devices, e.g. portable telephones, webcams, PDAs, small digital cameras G02B23/243 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 7/02 for lenses supports for magnifying lenses G02B25/002
• 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 1/1637 Details related to the display arrangement, including those related to the mounting of the display in the housing
• 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 1/1658 related to the mounting of internal components, e.g. disc drive or any other functional module
• 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 1/0266 for a display module assembly
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/51 Housings
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/0086 portable, e.g. battery operated apparatus casings for switching devices H01H9/02
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/03 Covers
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/14 Mounting supporting structure in casing or on frame or rack
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/10 Methods of surface bonding and/or assembly therefor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49002 Electrical device making

Abstract

Housings for electronic devices are disclosed. According to one aspect, adjoining surfaces of electronic device housings can be mounted or arranged such that adjoining surfaces are flush to a high degree of precision. The electronic devices can be portable and in some cases handheld.

Claims

1. An electronic device comprising:

a display; and

an enclosure housing the display and defining an external sidewall of the electronic device, the enclosure comprising;

an outer periphery member defining a first portion of the external sidewall of the enclosure;

a front cover assembly attached to the outer periphery member and having a front glass member, the front cover assembly defining a front surface of the electronic device and a second portion of the external sidewall; and

a back cover assembly attached to the outer periphery member and having a back glass member, the back cover assembly defining a back surface of the electronic device and a third portion of the external sidewall,

wherein;

the first, second, and third portions of the external sidewall cooperate to form a smooth continuous external surface of the external sidewall of the enclosure that extends along at least three sides of the electronic device.

2. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein:

the front cover assembly includes a front metal member attached to the front glass member; and

the back cover assembly includes a back metal member attached to the back glass member.

3. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the back glass member is a glass sheet that defines a radio-transparent region.

4. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein:

an opaque layer is formed over an inner surface of the front glass member; and

a sensor is positioned within the enclosure and is hidden by the opaque layer.

5. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein:

an opaque layer is formed over an inner surface of the front glass member and defines a sensor region; and

an optical sensor is positioned within the enclosure and is configured to receive signals through the sensor region.

6. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein:

the front cover assembly includes an attachment member configured to attach the front cover assembly to an inner surface of the outer periphery member.

7. The electronic device of claim 1, further comprising:

an internal platform attached to the outer periphery member and positioned between the front cover assembly and the back cover assembly.

8. The electronic device of claim 7, wherein circuitry is attached to the internal platform.

9. The electronic device of claim 7, wherein the internal platform includes conductive elements that are configured to electrically couple electrical components positioned within the enclosure.

10. An electronic device comprising:

a display viewable along a front surface of the electronic device; and

an enclosure housing the display and comprising;

an outer periphery member defining a first portion of an external side surface of the enclosure;

a front cover removably coupled to the outer periphery member and having a front glass sheet, the front cover defining the front surface of the electronic device and a second portion of the external side surface of the enclosure; and

a rear cover attached to the outer periphery member and having a rear glass sheet, the rear cover defining a rear surface of the electronic device and a third portion of the external side surface of the enclosure, wherein;

the first, second, and third portions of the external side surface cooperate to form an external sidewall that extends along at least three sides of the electronic device.

11. The electronic device of claim 10, wherein:

the front cover includes an attachment feature; and

the attachment feature attaches the front cover to the outer periphery member along an inner surface of the outer periphery member.

12. The electronic device of claim 10, wherein:

the front cover includes one or more tabs; and

the front cover is attached to the outer periphery member by one or more threaded fasteners that engage with the one or more tabs.

13. The electronic device of claim 10, wherein:

the first portion, the second portion, and the third portion of the external side surface cooperate to define a smooth continuous portion of an exterior surface of the electronic device.

14. The electronic device of claim 10, wherein:

the front cover includes a front metal member that is attached to the front glass sheet; and

the rear cover includes a rear metal member that is attached to the rear glass sheet.

15. The electronic device of claim 10, wherein:

an internal platform is attached to the outer periphery member and positioned between the front cover and the rear cover; and

circuitry is attached to the internal platform.

16. A portable electronic device comprising:

an enclosure comprising;

an outer periphery member defining a first portion of an external side surface of the portable electronic device;

a front cover assembly removably attached to the outer periphery member and having a first glass member, the front cover assembly defining a front surface of the portable electronic device and a second portion of the external side surface of the electronic device; and

a back cover assembly attached to the outer periphery member and having a second glass member, the back cover assembly defining a back surface of the portable electronic device and a third portion of the external side surface of the portable electronic device; and

a display positioned within the enclosure and attached to the front cover assembly, wherein;

the first, second, and third portions of the external side surface cooperate to form an external sidewall that extends around an entire periphery of the portable electronic device.

17. The portable electronic device of claim 16, wherein:

an opaque layer is positioned over an inner surface of the first glass member and surrounds a transparent region; and

the display is viewable through the transparent region.

18. The portable electronic device of claim 17, wherein:

the opaque layer defines a sensor region;

an optical sensor is positioned within the enclosure below the sensor region; and

the optical sensor is configured to receive optical signals through the sensor region.

19. The portable electronic device of claim 18, wherein the optical sensor is a camera.

20. The portable electronic device of claim 16, wherein the front cover assembly is attached to the outer periphery member using a threaded fastener.