ASSEMBLY OF A HANDHELD ELECTRONIC DEVICE

• US 20090059485A1
• Filed: 09/04/2008
• Published: 03/05/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/04/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Lim, Leng, Moolsintong, Pinida Jan, Lynch, Stephen Brian
• Granted Patent: US 8,218,306 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 361/679.10
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 13/10 Bases; Stationary contacts mounted thereon
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 13/50 having a single operating member
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 15/10 Operating parts
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2223/034 Bezel
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 9/0207 Adjustable mounting of casings
• 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: H05K 7/14 Mounting supporting structure in casing or on frame or rack
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49995 Shaping one-piece blank by removing material

Abstract

Several mechanical features of an electronic device are provided. In some embodiments, the electronic device may include a bezel coupled to a housing. The bezel may include one or more snaps extending into the electronic device which may be operative to engage a cantilever spring extending from the inner surface of the housing. In some embodiments, the electronic device may include a window that is formed by coupling an outer layer to an inner layer that is larger than the outer layer. In some embodiments, the electronic device may include a chassis for supporting the window. In some embodiments, the electronic device may include a grounding clip for simultaneously grounding the bezel, the housing and a circuit board. In some embodiments, the electronic device may include a switch that includes a button molded into a base using a double shot process. In some embodiments, the electronic device may include a switch supporting bracket that includes a slot operative to receive a pin of the bezel. In some embodiments, the housing of the electronic device may be manufactured using a forging process.

Claims

1. An electronic device comprising:

a housing comprising an opening;

a spring operative to be coupled to the inner surface of the housing, wherein the spring extends from the inner surface of the housing to define a channel between the spring and the inner surface of the housing, the spring comprising an aperture; and

a bezel operative to engage the spring to form the case, the bezel comprising a post extending from the outer surface of the bezel towards the housing, the post comprising a snap extending away from nearest inner surface of the housing when the electronic device is formed, and operative to engage the aperture in the spring to form the case.

2. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the spring comprises at least two apertures and the bezel comprises at least two snaps.

3. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the spring responds to a magnetic force when the spring is placed in the presence of a magnetic field.

4. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the spring is operative to be welded to the inner surface of the housing.

5. An electronic device, comprising:

a bezel;

an optical component operative to provide a display; and

a window comprising an inner layer coupled to an outer layer, wherein at least a portion of the inner layer extends beyond the edge of the outer layer to form a flange, wherein the flange is operative to be coupled to the bezel to mount the window to the bezel, and wherein the display provided by the optical component passes through the inner layer to be displayed on the outer layer.

6. The electronic device of claim 5, further comprising an adhesive coupling the inner layer to the outer layer.

7. The electronic device of claim 5, wherein the inner layer comprises PMMA and the outer layer comprises glass.

8. The electronic device of claim 5, wherein the bezel comprises a lip operative to receive the flange when the window is mounted to the bezel.

9. The electronic device of claim 5, wherein the flange extends entirely around the outer layer.

10. The electronic device of claim 5, wherein the flange extends around only a portion of the outer layer.

11. A chassis for supporting a window in an electronic device comprising a housing, the chassis comprising:

a plate operative to be placed against the back surface of the window, wherein the window rests against the top surface of the plate;

at least two posts extending from the surface of the plate, wherein the posts extend from the bottom surface of the plate; and

at least one compliant member placed between the at least two posts and the housing of the electronic device case, wherein the compliant member is operative to deform in response to a force applied to the window.

12. The chassis of claim 11, wherein the plate and at least two posts are operative to remain rigid in response to a force applied to the window to distribute the force to the at least one compliant member.

13. A grounding clip for use with an electronic device, the grounding clip operative to ground a bezel, a circuit board, and a housing of an electronic device, the grounding clip comprising:

a base;

a spring extending from the base, wherein a portion of the spring contacts the housing;

a first connector extending from the base, wherein a portion of the first connector contacts the bezel; and

a second connector extending from the base, wherein a portion of the first connector contacts the bezel.

14. The grounding clip of claim 13, wherein the spring is a cantilever spring.

15. The grounding clip of claim 13, wherein the first connector is in a different plane than the base.

16. A switch for use in an electronic device, the switch operative to be moved from a first position to a second, comprising:

a base comprising a first portion and a second portion, wherein the first and second portion have different colors and wherein the limit between the first and second portions is substantially the middle of the base, and wherein the top surface of the first and second portion is curved; and

a button extending from the base, wherein the button is molded substantially in the middle of the base such that each of the first and second portion appear substantially only on one side of the button.

17. The switch of claim 16, wherein the curvature of the top surface of the first and second portions is defined by a spline.

18. The switch of claim 16, wherein the curvature of the top surface matches the curvature of the inner surface of a bezel into which the switch is mounted.

19. The switch of claim 16, wherein at least one end of the base comprises a curved surface.

20. The switch of claim 19, wherein the curved surface of the end of the base is operative to match the inner surface of a bezel into which the switch is mounted.

21. A bracket for supporting a switch of an electronic device comprising a bezel, the bracket comprising:

a support operative to be coupled to the bezel;

a protrusion extending from the support, the protrusion operative to support the switch such that the switch is retained between the protrusion and the bezel;

a slot incorporated at a first end of the support, the slot operative to receive a pin incorporated in the bezel, wherein the bracket may rotate around the pin when the pin is placed in the slot; and

a hole incorporated at a second end of the support, the hole operative to be aligned with a hole in the bezel to receive a fastener to couple the bracket to the bezel.

22. The bracket of claim 21, wherein the protrusion comprises a slot operative to receive at least one prong extending from the switch.

23. The bracket of claim 21, wherein the fastener is a screw.

24. The bracket of claim 21, wherein the bracket rotates around the pin to set the ease with which the switch moves.

25. The bracket of claim 21, wherein the bracket rotates around the pin to set the amount by which the button of the switch protrudes from the surface of the bezel.

26. A method for constructing a bezel of an electronic device case, the method comprising:

blanking material;

performing a first forging operation to form walls in the material;

performing a second forging operation to form a curved surface in the top surface of the material;

performing a third forging operation to form corners in the material;

machining the forged material; and

tumbling the machined material.

27. The method of claim 26 wherein performing each of the first, second and third forging operations comprises using at least two dies.

28. The method of claim 26 wherein performing the first, second and third forging operations comprises performing twice at least one of first, send and third forging operations before achieving the desired shape.

29. The method of claim 26 wherein the material is aluminum.

30. The method of claim 26 wherein machining the forged aluminum further comprises at least one of machining a hole and machining an undercut.