METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR PROVIDING HOLES THROUGH PORTIONS OF A HOUSING

• US 20090091879A1
• Filed: 09/29/2008
• Published: 04/09/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/03/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Lim, Way Chet
• Granted Patent: US 8,220,142 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 361/679.01
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 15/085 Boring
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/364 for making a groove or trench, e.g. for scribing a break initiation groove
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/384 of specially shaped holes
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/389 of fluid openings, e.g. nozzles, jets laser machining of inkjet nozzles B41J2/1634
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/03 Constructional features of telephone transmitters or receivers, e.g. telephone hand-sets
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49117 Conductor or circuit manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49165 by forming conductive walled aperture in base

Abstract

Electronic devices are provided with housing components that have improved aesthetics. One or more holes may be formed through a portion of the housing and then the housing portion may be anodized. The anodization process may increase or decrease the geometries of each hole. The holes may be formed through the housing portion from a cosmetic side of the housing portion to an interior side of the housing portion.

Claims

1. A method of forming a housing component for an electronic device, the method comprising:

providing a piece of material for creating a portion of the housing component;

forming at least one hole through the piece of material; and

then

anodizing the piece of material.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the anodizing increases the size of the at least one hole.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the anodizing decreases the size of the at least one hole.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the piece of material provides a cosmetic side and an internal side of the housing component, and wherein the forming comprises forming the at least one hole initially from the cosmetic side, through the piece of material, to the internal side.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein a cross-sectional area of the at least one hole is reduced after the anodizing the piece of material.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the piece of material includes an outer side and an inner side, and wherein the forming comprises forming the at least one hole through the piece of material between the inner side and the outer side, and wherein the method further comprises forming a cavity into the inner side where the at least one hole is formed.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one hole has a first opening comprising a first cross-sectional area and a second opening comprising a second cross-sectional area, and wherein the first cross-sectional area is different from the second cross-sectional area.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the shape of the housing component is one of hexahedral, spherical, ellipsoidal, conoidal, and octahedral.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the anodizing the piece of material comprises:

degreasing the piece of material;

rinsing the piece of material;

etching the piece of material;

polishing the piece of material;

dyeing the piece of material;

sealing the piece of material; and

drying the piece of material.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the forming the at least one hole comprises at least one of laser drilling, laser cutting, laser machining, laser ablating, electron beam machining, electro-discharge machining, chemical milling, metal injection molding, and conventional drilling.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the piece of material is a sheet of metal.

12. A method of forming a housing component for an electronic device, the method comprising:

providing a piece of material with an inner surface and an outer surface for creating a portion of the housing component;

forming at least one hole through the piece of material between the inner surface and the outer surface; and

anodizing the piece of material, wherein the anodizing changes the size of the at least one hole.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising positioning an input/output interface component adjacent the inner surface, wherein the at least one hole provides at least one passageway for information to be communicated between the interface component and an environment adjacent the outer surface.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the anodizing increases the size of the at least one hole.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the anodizing decreases the size of the at least one hole.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the forming comprises forming the at least one hole initially from the outer surface, through the piece of material, to the inner surface.

17. The method of claim 12 further comprising forming a cavity into the inner surface at the location where the at least one hole is formed.

18. The method of claim 12, wherein the at least one hole has a first opening comprising a first cross-sectional area and a second opening comprising a second cross-sectional area, and wherein the first cross-sectional area is different from the second cross-sectional area.

19. The method of claim 12, wherein the anodizing the piece of material comprises:

degreasing the piece of material;

rinsing the piece of material;

etching the piece of material;

polishing the piece of material;

dyeing the piece of material;

sealing the piece of material; and

drying the piece of material.

20. The method of claim 12, wherein the forming the at least one hole comprises at least one of laser drilling, laser cutting, laser machining, laser ablating, electron beam machining, electro-discharge machining, chemical milling, metal injection molding, and conventional drilling.

21. An electronic device comprising:

a housing component that comprises;

an anodized piece of material with an inner surface, an outer surface, and at least one hole through the anodized piece of material between the inner surface and the outer surface, wherein an anodization layer covers at least a portion of the piece of material within the at least one hole.

22. The electronic device of claim 21 further comprising:

an input/output interface component adjacent the inner surface, wherein the at least one hole provides at least one passageway for information to be communicated between the interface component and an environment adjacent the outer surface.

23. The electronic device of claim 21, wherein the anodized piece of material is anodized after the at least one hole is formed between the inner surface and the outer surface.

24. The electronic device of claim 21, wherein a cross-sectional area of the at least one hole is reduced by the anodization layer.

25. The electronic device of claim 21, wherein the anodized piece of material is degreased, rinsed, etched, polished, dyed, sealed, and dried.

26. The electronic device of claim 21, wherein the anodization layer changes the size of the at least one hole.

27. The electronic device of claim 21, wherein the at least one hole has a first opening comprising a first cross-sectional area and a second opening comprising a second cross-sectional area, and wherein the first cross-sectional area is different from the second cross-sectional area.

28. The electronic device of claim 21, wherein the at least one hole is an invisible hole.

29. The electronic device of claim 21, wherein the housing component further comprises at least a second hole, wherein the at least a second hole is a visible hole.

30. The electronic device of claim 21, wherein the shape of the housing component is one of hexahedral, spherical, ellipsoidal, conoidal, and octahedral.