Electronic device with contacts flush with housing
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An electronic device comprising:
- a device enclosure having an exterior surface;
a contact area positioned at the exterior surface and having first and second ends, the contact area having a plurality of contacts arranged between the first and second ends and substantially flush with the exterior surface;
an alignment feature within the enclosure comprising first and second magnets positioned on opposing sides of the contact area, the first magnet positioned adjacent to the first end of the contact area and the second magnet positioned adjacent to the second end of the contact area;
wherein the device enclosure comprises an electrically conductive material in the contact area and includes an opening formed through the electrically conductive material; and
wherein the electronic device further comprises an insulator positioned in the opening that surrounds, and is substantially flush with, a contact in the plurality of contacts electrically isolating the contact from the device enclosure.
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Abstract
An electronic device comprising a device enclosure having an exterior surface; a contact area positioned at the exterior surface and having first and second ends, the contact area having a plurality of contacts arranged between the first and second ends and substantially flush with the exterior surface; and an alignment feature within the enclosure comprising first and second magnets positioned on opposing sides of the contact area, the first magnet positioned adjacent to the first end of the contact area and the second magnet positioned adjacent to the second end of the contact area.
68 Citations
18 Claims
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1. An electronic device comprising:
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a device enclosure having an exterior surface; a contact area positioned at the exterior surface and having first and second ends, the contact area having a plurality of contacts arranged between the first and second ends and substantially flush with the exterior surface; an alignment feature within the enclosure comprising first and second magnets positioned on opposing sides of the contact area, the first magnet positioned adjacent to the first end of the contact area and the second magnet positioned adjacent to the second end of the contact area; wherein the device enclosure comprises an electrically conductive material in the contact area and includes an opening formed through the electrically conductive material; and
wherein the electronic device further comprises an insulator positioned in the opening that surrounds, and is substantially flush with, a contact in the plurality of contacts electrically isolating the contact from the device enclosure. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. An electronic device comprising:
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a device enclosure that forms a cavity, the device enclosure having an exterior surface; a processor and a computer-readable memory positioned within the cavity; a transparent cover glass coupled to the enclosure; a display positioned within the cavity adjacent to the cover glass; a battery positioned within the enclosure and operatively coupled to the processor and the display; a contact area positioned at the exterior surface and having first and second ends, the contact area having;
(i) a plurality of circular contacts spaced apart from each other in a single row between the first and second ends, each of the plurality of circular contacts being positioned within an opening formed through device enclosure and having an exterior surface that is flush with, or recessed less than one millimeter from, an exterior surface of the device enclosure in the contact area;
(ii) an insulator positioned in each of the plurality of openings that forms a ring surrounding the contact in the opening isolating the contact from the device enclosure;
wherein the exterior surface of the housing and exterior surfaces of the plurality of circular contacts and the exterior surface of the plurality of insulator rings combine to form a continuous smooth surface;an alignment feature within the enclosure comprising first and second arrays of magnets positioned on opposing sides of the contact area, the first array of magnets positioned adjacent to the first end of the contact area and the second array of magnets positioned adjacent to the second end of the contact area. - View Dependent Claims (15)
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16. An electronic device comprising:
- a device enclosure having an exterior surface extending across a back wall and one or more sidewalls, wherein the back wall and one or more sidewalls at least partially define an interior cavity;
a processor positioned within the cavity;
a display spaced a part from the back wall and coupled to the device enclosure;
a contact area positioned at the exterior surface and having first and second ends, the contact area having at least one contact positioned between the first and second ends and substantially flush with the exterior surface; and
an alignment feature within the enclosure comprising at least one magnet positioned within the device enclosure within or adjacent to the contact area, the device enclosure comprising first and second magnets positioned on opposing sides of the contact area, the first magnet positioned adjacent to the first end of the contact area and the second magnet positioned adjacent to the second end of the contact area, wherein the device enclosure comprises an electrically conductive material in the contact area and includes an opening formed through the electrically conductive material; and
wherein the electronic device further comprises an insulator positioned in the opening that surrounds, and is substantially flush with, a contact in a plurality of contacts electrically isolating the contact from the device enclosure. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18)
- a device enclosure having an exterior surface extending across a back wall and one or more sidewalls, wherein the back wall and one or more sidewalls at least partially define an interior cavity;
Specification