HOUSING CONSTRUCTION FOR MOBILE COMPUTING DEVICE

• US 20090059495A1
• Filed: 11/30/2007
• Published: 03/05/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Matsuoka, Yoshimichi
• Granted Patent: US 8,270,158 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 361/679.550
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/0017 with operator interface units

Abstract

A primary housing segment is provided for a computing device. The primary housing segment may be unitarily formed and shaped to provide (i) at least a majority of a plurality of perimeter surfaces, the perimeter surfaces including a pair of opposing lateral surfaces, a bottom surface, and a top surface; (ii) one or more frontal surface regions; and (iii) a rear surface to retain an integrated substrate module.

Claims

1. A primary housing segment for a mobile computing device, wherein the primary housing segment is unitarily formed and shaped to provide (i) at least a majority of a plurality of perimeter surfaces, the perimeter surfaces including a pair of opposing lateral surfaces, a bottom surface, and a top surface;

(ii) one or more frontal surface regions; and

(iii) a rear surface to retain an integrated substrate module.

2. The primary housing segment of claim 1, wherein the primary housing segment defines a substantially open front face.

3. The primary housing segment of claim 1, wherein the primary housing segment is shaped to provide a substantially open front face and a partially open rear face.

4. The primary housing segment of claim 1,

wherein the primary housing segment is shaped to provide a substantially open front face and a partially open rear face,

wherein the one or more frontal surface regions include a perimeter surface that extends between an inner perimeter edge that defines the open front face and an exterior perimeter edge of the frontal housing segment.

5. The primary housing segment of claim 4, wherein the one or more frontal surface regions include one or more frontal formations that retain the integrated substrate module.

6. The primary housing segment of claim 5, wherein the one or more frontal formations include at least two sections that extend inward from the perimeter surface and which are polygonal in shape.

7. The primary housing segment of claim 1, wherein the primary housing segment is unitarily formed through a molding process.

8. The primary housing segment of claim 3, wherein the primary housing segment defines the partially open rear face by including an opening on a rear panel section of the primary housing segment, and wherein the rear panel section is structured to receive and mate with a panel that closes the opening.

9. A housing assembly for a mobile computing device, the housing assembly comprising:

a primary housing segment that is unitarily formed and shaped to provide (i) at least a majority of a plurality of perimeter surfaces, the perimeter surfaces including a pair of opposing lateral surfaces, a bottom surface, and a top surface;

(ii) one or more frontal surface regions; and

(iii) a rear structural surface to retain the integrated substrate module;

wherein the primary housing segment provides a substantially open front face and a partially open rear face; and

wherein the primary housing segment defines the partially open rear face by including an opening on a rear section of the housing segment, and wherein the rear section is structured to receive and mate with a panel that closes the opening.

10. The housing assembly of claim 9,

wherein the primary housing segment is shaped to provide a substantially open front face and a partially open rear face,

wherein the one or more frontal surface regions include a perimeter surface that extends between an inner perimeter edge that defines the open front face and an exterior perimeter edge of the frontal housing segment.

11. The primary housing segment of claim 10, wherein the one or more frontal surface regions include one or more inwardly extending polygonal frontal formations.

12. The housing assembly of claim 10, further comprising a panel that is shaped to fit between the one or more frontal surface regions and the integrated substrate module.

13. A mobile computing device comprising:

a housing comprising a primary housing segment that is unitarily formed and shaped to provide (i) at least a majority of a plurality of perimeter surfaces, the perimeter surfaces including a pair of opposing lateral surfaces, a bottom surface, and a top surface;

(ii) a frontal structural surface to retain an integrated substrate module or component; and

(iii) a rear structural surface to retain the integrated substrate module;

an integrated substrate module that is retained within the housing, wherein the substrate module includes a set of electrical components, including a processor and a display assembly;

wherein the mobile computing device is formed by an assembly process that includes inserting the substrate module as a single component within a confinement defined by the housing.

14. The mobile computing device of claim 13, wherein the primary housing segment provides an opening on at least one of the frontal structural surface or the rear structural surface, and wherein the assembly process includes inserting the substrate module in the opening.

15. The mobile computing device of claim 14, wherein the primary housing segment provides an opening on the rear structural surface, and wherein the assembly process includes inserting the substrate module in the opening of the rear structure surface, and wherein the housing further comprises a rear panel section that mates over opening.

16. The mobile computing device of claim 13,

wherein the primary housing segment provides a substantially open front face and a partially open rear face;

and

wherein the primary housing segment defines the partially open rear face by including an opening on a rear section of the housing segment, and wherein the rear section is structured to receive and mate with a panel that closes the opening.

17. The mobile computing device of claim 13, wherein the set of electrical components on the substrate module include all of the processing and memory resources of the mobile computing device.

18. The mobile computing device of claim 13, wherein the housing segment is unitarily formed through a molding process.

19. A hardware module for a computing device, them module comprising:

a substrate;

a plurality of electrical components assembled onto the substrate, the plurality of electrical components including substantially all of the electrical components that are to be used by a computing device that is to include the module;

wherein the module is integrated to form a single piece for a subsequent process of assembling the computing device by inserting the module in a housing of the computing device.

20. The module of claim 19, wherein the plurality of electrical components include one or more chips that correspond to all of the processors and memory components that are used by the computing device.

21. The module of claim 19, wherein the plurality of components include at least one of each of a processor, a memory component, a display component, and a battery.

22. The module of claim 19, wherein the module is configured to be fully and independently operational prior to being assembled into the computing device.

23. A computing device comprising:

a primary housing segment, wherein the primary housing segment is unitarily formed and shaped to provide (i) at least a majority of a plurality of perimeter surfaces, the perimeter surfaces including a pair of opposing lateral surfaces, a bottom surface, and a top surface;

(ii) one or more frontal surface regions; and

(iii) a rear surface to retain an integrated substrate module;

an integrated substrate module comprising;

a substrate;

a plurality of electrical components assembled onto the substrate, the plurality of electrical components including substantially all of the electrical components that are to be used by the computing device;

wherein the module is integrated to form a single piece, so that the computing device is assembled in part by inserting the integrated substrate module as a single piece into a space within the confines of the primary housing segment.