HANDHELD COMPUTING DEVICE

• US 20100192356A1
• Filed: 04/14/2010
• Published: 08/05/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/02/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: LYNCH, Stephen Brian, ZADESKY, Stephen Paul
• Granted Patent: US 8,635,763 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 29/592.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0202 Portable telephone sets, e.g. cordless phones, mobile phones or bar type handsets constructional features of telephone transmitters or receivers, e.g. of speakers or microphones H04M1/03
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/026 Details of the structure or mounting of specific components
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0277 for a printed circuit board assembly
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49002 Electrical device making
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/4902 Electromagnet, transformer or inductor

Abstract

A handheld computing device is disclosed. The handheld computing device includes an enclosure having structural walls formed from a ceramic material that is radio-transparent.

Claims

1. A method for manufacturing a portable computing device capable of wireless communications, the portable computing device surrounding and protecting internal operation components, the method comprising:

providing an integral and substantially seamless enclosure extending along a longitudinal axis, the enclosure including a structural wall defining a shape or form of the portable computing device and being formed from a radio-transparent material that permits wireless communications therethrough;

sliding at least one operational component into the internal lumen; and

securing the operational component to the lumen when the operational component is in its desired position within the lumen.

2. The method as recite in claim 1, wherein securing comprises engaging a locking feature of the operational component with the lumen.

3. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the enclosure has a substantially uniform cross-section along the longitudinal axis.

4. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the portable computing device uses radio frequency in wireless communications and wherein the radio-transparent material is a ceramic material.

5. The method as recited in claim 4, wherein the ceramic material is zirconia.

6. The method as recited in claim 4, wherein the ceramic material is alumina.

7. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein providing the enclosure comprises extruding a tube like main body in its entirety with the radio-transparent material.

8. The method as recited in claim 7, further comprising placing end caps on ends of the tube like main body.

9. A method of making a portable electronic device, comprising:

providing an elongated enclosure for surrounding and protecting internal operational components of the portable electronic device, the enclosure including a structural wall defining a shape or form of the portable electronic device and being formed from a radio-transparent material, wherein the enclosure defining an internal lumen that is sized and dimensioned for slidable receipt of the internal operational components; and

sliding an operational component into the lumen until the lumen engages with a locking feature of the operational component to secure the operational component to the enclosure when the operational component is in its desired position within the lumen.

10. The method as recited in claim 9, wherein the radio-transparent material is a ceramic material.

11. The method as recited in claim 10, wherein the ceramic material is zirconia.

12. The method as recited in claim 10, wherein the ceramic material is alumina.

13. The method as recited in claim 9, wherein a significant portion of the enclosure is formed from a radio-transparent material.

14. The method as recited in claim 9, wherein providing the elongated enclosure comprises extruding the enclosure.

15. The method as recited in claim 14, wherein the enclosure is an extruded tube.

16. The method as recited in claim 15, further comprising placing an end capon each open end of the extruded tube.

17. A method of making a handheld computing device, comprising:

extruding a substantially seamless enclosure formed from a radio-transparent material and extending along a longitudinal axis, the seamless enclosure having a first open end and a second open end opposite the first open end, the seamless enclosure defining an internal lumen which is sized and dimensioned for insertion of operational components of the handheld computing device; and

sliding an operational component through an open end and into the lumen and securing the operational component to the enclosure.

18. The method as recited in claim 17, wherein sliding comprises engaging a locking feature of the operational component with the lumen to secure the operational component to the enclosure when the operational component is in its desired position within the lumen.

19. The method as recited in claim 17, wherein the lumen includes internal rails for guiding the operational components to their desired position within the lumen.

20. The method as recited in claim 19, wherein the substantially seamless enclosure has a substantially planar front surface, the front surface being configured to present a user interface sub system of the handheld computing device, and the method further comprises sliding the user interface sub system through an open end and into the lumen.

21. The method as recited in claim 20, wherein the internal rails are configured to locate the user interface sub system in its desired position relative to the planar front surface of the enclosure during assembly of the handheld device.

22. The method as recited in claim 20, wherein the user interface sub system includes a display and a touch pad.

23. The method as recited in claim 17, wherein the radio-transparent material is a ceramic material.

24. The method as recited in claim 17, further comprising placing end caps at the first and second ends of the enclosure, the end caps and enclosure working together to fully surround the internal operational components of the handheld computing device.

25. The method as recited in claim 17, wherein the handheld computing device is a music player.