Cold worked metal housing for a portable electronic device

• US 10,420,231 B2
• Filed: 11/17/2017
• Issued: 09/17/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 01/05/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Zadesky, Stephen P., Hobson, Phillip M., Tan, Tang Yew
• Primary Examiner(s): Haughton, Anthony M
• Application Number:
  US15/817,063
• Publication Number:
  US 20180092229A1
• Time in Patent Office: 669 Days
• Field of Search: 36167956, 36167921-6793, 36167955, 4555751-5759
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0252 by means of a snap-on mechanism
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/0013 assembled by resilient members
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/0217 Mechanical details of casings covers, lids, hoods or members for covering apertures H05K5/03
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/18 Expanded metal making
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/477 of gear article
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining

Abstract

A cold worked stainless steel bezel for a portable electronic device is provided. The bezel is secured flush to a housing to form part of the case of the portable electronic device. A brace that includes a slot for receiving a wall extending from the bezel is fixed to the housing. When the bezel engages the housing, the wall of the bezel is inserted in the slot of the brace and releasably held by a spring that engages both the brace and the wall. The bezel can be released by disengaging the spring, (e.g., using a special tool or a magnetic field). Because the bezel is manufactured from cold worked stainless steel, it is hard and resistant to impacts. Cold worked steel also facilitates manufacturing within design constraints and tolerances, and requires very little machining after manufacturing to comply with those constraints. The portable electronic device may include a personal media device, a mobile telephone, or any other suitable device or combination thereof.

Claims

1. An electronic device, comprising:

a display assembly comprising;

a display; and

a cover sheet positioned over the display and defining a substantial entirety of a front surface of the electronic device;

an upper metal housing structure that surrounds the display assembly and defines a first portion of an external sidewall of the electronic device; and

a lower housing structure coupled to the upper metal housing structure and defining a second portion of the external sidewall of the electronic device;

wherein;

the first portion of the external sidewall and the second portion of the external sidewall cooperate to form a continuous, curved external surface of the electronic device.

2. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the lower housing structure comprises a ceramic material.

3. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the lower housing structure is coupled to the upper metal housing structure using a brace extending from the lower housing structure.

4. The electronic device of claim 3, wherein the brace comprises a tab configured to extend into an opening of the upper metal housing structure.

5. An enclosure for an electronic device comprising:

a cover sheet defining an exterior front surface of the enclosure;

an upper housing structure surrounding a perimeter of the cover sheet and defining a ledge that receives the cover sheet and a first portion of an exterior surface that extends around an outer perimeter of the enclosure; and

a lower housing structure comprising a brace and coupled to the upper housing structure by the brace, the lower housing structure defining a rear surface of the enclosure and a second portion of the exterior surface;

wherein;

the first and second portions of the exterior surface define a smooth curved external surface; and

the cover sheet extends to a periphery of the upper housing structure.

6. The enclosure of claim 5, wherein the brace defines a tab that extends from the lower housing structure.

7. The enclosure of claim 6, wherein the tab is configured to be inserted into an interlocking feature coupled to the upper housing structure.

8. The enclosure of claim 7, wherein the tab defines a spring that snaps into the interlocking feature.

9. The enclosure of claim 5, wherein the lower housing structure comprises multiple braces, each brace defining a tab extending from the lower housing structure.

10. The enclosure of claim 9, wherein:

the lower housing structure has;

a thickness;

a width greater than the thickness; and

a length greater than the width; and

the tabs extending from the lower housing structure are arranged along a line that is parallel to the length of the lower housing structure.

11. The enclosure of claim 10, wherein:

the tabs extending from the lower housing structure define a first row of tabs; and

the lower housing structure further comprises a second row of tabs that is parallel to the first row of tabs.

12. The enclosure of claim 11, wherein the upper housing structure comprises one or more interlocking features configured to receive the tabs of the first and second rows of tabs.

13. The enclosure of claim 5, wherein the upper housing structure forms a uniform border around the perimeter of the cover sheet.

14. The enclosure of claim 5, wherein the cover sheet is positioned over a display screen positioned within the enclosure.

15. An electronic device, comprising:

a lower housing structure;

an upper housing structure attached to the lower housing structure and defining an outer periphery of the electronic device; and

a cover sheet coupled to the upper housing structure and forming a planar exterior surface of the electronic device, the planar exterior surface having a set of four side edges that each extend to the outer periphery of the upper housing structure;

wherein a surface of the upper housing structure and a surface of the lower housing structure form a continuous, substantially smooth, curved external surface of the electronic device when the lower housing structure is attached to the upper housing structure.

16. The electronic device of claim 15, further comprising an engaging member extending from at least one of the lower housing structure or the upper housing structure and configured to couple the lower housing structure to the upper housing structure.

17. The electronic device of claim 16, wherein:

the engaging member extends from the lower housing structure;

the upper housing structure comprises a slot; and

the engaging member is configured to be placed in the slot to couple the upper housing structure to the lower housing structure.

18. The electronic device of claim 16, wherein the engaging member comprises an angled tip for engaging with at least one of the lower housing structure or the upper housing structure.

19. The electronic device of claim 17, wherein:

the upper housing structure is formed from a metal material; and

the lower housing structure is formed from the metal material.