Cold worked metal housing for a portable electronic device

• US 20080165485A1
• Filed: 01/05/2007
• Published: 07/10/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/05/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Tan, Tang Yew, Zadesky, Stephen P., Hobson, Philip M.
• Granted Patent: US 7,688,574 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 361/683
• 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. A case for a portable electronic device, comprising:

a bottom housing;

a brace configured to be coupled to the bottom housing, the brace comprising a slot;

a bezel comprising an attachment portion configured to extend into the slot; and

a spring configured to be placed in the slot with the attachment portion and configured to simultaneously engage the brace and the bezel.

2. The case of claim 1, wherein the attachment portion comprises at least one engaging member configured to releasably engage the spring.

3. The case of claim 1, wherein the brace comprises at least one lip to releasably engage the spring.

4. The case of claim 1, wherein the brace, spring and bezel comprise apertures configured to align to receive a fastener to secure the bezel to the brace.

5. The case of claim 1, wherein the bezel may be disengaged from the brace by disengaging the spring from the engagement member.

6. The case of claim 5, wherein the spring may disengage the engagement member by applying a magnetic force to the spring.

7. The case of claim 1, wherein the bottom housing and brace are configured to be flush.

8. The case of claim 1, wherein the bezel is constructed from cold worked stainless steel.

9. The case of claim 1, wherein the housing is for at least one of a personal media device and a mobile telephone.

10. A housing of a case of a portable electronic device, comprising:

a level plate; and

side walls extending from the level plate, wherein;

the inner surface of the side walls is configured to receive a brace, the brace comprising a slot configured to releasably receive a spring; and

the housing is configured to receive a bezel comprising an attachment portion configured to releasably engage the spring placed in the slot.

11. The housing of claim 10, wherein the side walls and the outer surface of the bezel are flush when the bezel is releasably engaged in the brace.

12. The housing of claim 10, wherein the brace is configured to be fixedly fastened to the inner surface of the side walls using an adhesive.

13. The housing of claim 10, wherein the attachment portion of the bezel comprises at least one engaging member for engaging the spring.

14. The housing of claim 10, wherein the bezel is constructed from stainless steel.

15. The housing of claim 10, wherein the housing is constructed from aluminum.

16. The housing of claim 10, wherein the housing is for at least one of a personal media device and a mobile telephone.

17. A bezel configured to engage a housing to form the case of a portable electronic device, the bezel comprising:

a base structure comprising a substantially smooth outer surface; and

an attachment portion extending from the base structure, the attachment portion comprising;

a plurality of walls configured to extend into the housing, the plurality of walls comprising at least one engaging member configured to engage the housing; and

at least one aperture, wherein the at least one aperture is configured to align with at least one aperture in the housing for receiving a fastener.

18. The bezel of claim 17, wherein the inner surface of base structure comprises at least one feature for supporting one or more components of the portable electronic device.

19. The bezel of claim 17, wherein the outer surface of the bezel is configured to be flush with the housing.

20. The bezel of claim 17, wherein the housing comprises a brace configured to receive the plurality of walls in a slot.

21. The bezel of claim 20, wherein the brace receives a spring configured to engage the at least one engaging member.

22. The bezel of claim 17, wherein the bezel is constructed from stainless steel.

23. The bezel of claim 17, wherein is constructed from cold worked stainless steel.

24. The bezel of claim 17, wherein the bezel is for at least one of a personal media device and a mobile telephone.

25. A method for manufacturing a bezel for a portable electronic device, comprising:

manufacturing a base structure and an attachment portion of the bezel from cold worked stainless steel; and

polishing the outer surface of the base structure.

26. The method of claim 25 further comprising machining at least one of the base structure and attachment portion to satisfy tolerance requirements.

27. The method of claim 25, wherein manufacturing the base structure and the attachment portion comprises manufacturing the base structure and the attachment portion using at least one of molding, machining, rolling, extrusion, and milling.

28. The method of claim 25, wherein polishing the outer surface of the bezel further comprises polishing the outer surface of the bezel using at least one of an abrasive disk, a grinding disk, and a polishing cloth.

29. A method for assembling a case of a portable electronic device, comprising:

affixing a brace to a bottom housing, the brace configured to receive a spring and a bezel;

inserting a spring in the brace, wherein the brace comprises a rib configured to engage the spring; and

inserting a bezel in the brace, wherein the bezel comprises at least one engaging member configured to engage the spring.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein affixing a brace to a bottom housing further comprises affixing a brace to a bottom housing using at least one of and adhesive and a fastener.

31. The method of claim 29, wherein inserting a spring in the brace further comprises press-fitting a spring into the brace.

32. The method of claim 29, wherein the spring comprises an aperture for engaging the at least one engaging member of the bezel.

33. The method of claim 29, wherein inserting a bezel in the brace further comprises:

inserting an attachment portion of the bezel into a slot of the brace;

deflecting the spring to allow the at least one engagement member of the attachment portion to slide past the spring; and

releasing the spring once the at least one engagement members slides into at least one aperture of the spring.

34. The method of claim 29 further comprising pressing the bezel into the brace until the bezel and the housing are flush.