COMPUTER HOUSING

• US 20110090627A1
• Filed: 10/16/2009
• Published: 04/21/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/16/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Andre, Bartley K., Hamel, Bradley J., Gao, Zheng, DiFonzo, John C., Ligtenberg, Chris, Raff, John, Hibbard, Timothy S., Leggett, William F., DeForest, Laura, Goldberg, Michelle, Reid, Gavin J., Schwalbach, Charles A., Hopkinson, Ron
• Granted Patent: US 8,199,468 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 361/679.02
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1616 with folding flat displays, e.g. laptop computers or notebooks having a clamshell configuration, with body parts pivoting to an open position around an axis parallel to the plane they define in closed position
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1656 Details related to functional adaptations of the enclosure, e.g. to provide protection against EMI, shock, water, or to host detachable peripherals like a mouse or removable expansions units like PCMCIA cards, or to provide access to internal components for maintenance or to removable storage supports like CDs or DVDs, or to mechanically mount accessories mounting of accessories to a computer display G06F1/1607; display hoods G06F1/1603; cooling arrangements for portable computers G06F1/203
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49002 Electrical device making

Abstract

A multipart computer housing is described. The multipart computer housing includes at least a clutch barrel. The clutch barrel encloses a connector assembly, the connector assembly providing support for a lid. The clutch barrel is configured such that a junction formed by the clutch barrel and a top layer of the lid is not visible to a user when the computer housing is on a horizontal surface.

Claims

1. A computing device, comprising:

a single, seamless housing;

a lid having a top layer;

a connector assembly attached to the housing and the lid, the connector assembly providing a user with the ability to pivot the lid in relation to the housing, wherein an extended part of the top layer wraps around and partially encloses part of the connector assembly; and

a clutch barrel, wherein the part of the connector assembly that is partially enclosed is fully enclosed by attaching the clutch barrel to the extended part of the top layer, wherein a junction formed by attaching the clutch barrel and the extended part of the top layer is not seen by a user when the computing device is placed on a horizontal surface regardless whether the lid is open or closed.

2. The computing device as recited in claim 1, wherein the computing device further comprises:

a bottom layer joined to a bottom side of the housing forming a bottom layer seam, the bottom layer seam used to protect the appearance of the computing device.

3. The computing device as recited in claim 2, wherein when the lid is open in relation to the housing, the junction between the clutch barrel and the extended part of the top layer aligns with the bottom layer seam so as to appear continuous therewith.

4. The computing device as recited in claim 1, wherein the extended part of the top layer and the clutch barrel are attached by connecting together a plurality of serial interlocking connectors.

5. The computing device as recited in claim 4, wherein the extended part of the top layer and the clutch barrel are detached from one another by serially disconnecting the plurality of interlocked connectors one at a time.

6. The computing device as recited in claim 1, wherein the extended part of the top layer that wraps around and partially encloses part of the connector assembly takes the form of a cantilever beam that increases the stiffness of the top layer.

7. The computing device as recited in claim 4, wherein the plurality of serial interlocking connectors comprises:

a plurality of snap connectors, the plurality of snap connectors integrally formed with an edge of the clutch barrel; and

a plurality of pass throughs, wherein the clutch barrel and the extended part of the top layer are attached by,

(a) inserting at least one of the plurality of snap connectors into a

corresponding one of the plurality of pass throughs, and

repeating (a) until substantially all of the plurality of snap connectors are inserted into the corresponding one of the plurality of pass throughs.

9. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the computing device further comprises:

a bottom layer joined to a bottom side of the housing forming a bottom layer seam, the bottom layer seam used to protect the appearance of the computing device.

10. The method as recited in claim 9, wherein when the lid is open in relation to the housing, the junction between the clutch barrel and the extended part of the top layer aligns with the bottom layer seam so as to appear continuous therewith.

8. A method, comprising:

providing a computing device, the computing device comprising;

a single, seamless housing,

a lid having a top layer,

a connector assembly attached to the housing and the lid, the connector assembly providing a user with the ability to pivot the lid in relation to the housing, wherein an extended part of the top layer wraps around and partially encloses part of the connector assembly, and a clutch barrel; and

fully enclosing the part of the connector assembly that is partially enclosed by attaching the clutch barrel to the extended part of the top layer such that a junction formed by attaching the clutch barrel and the extended part of the top layer is not seen by a user when the computing device is placed on a horizontal surface regardless whether the lid is open or closed.

11. The method as recited in claim 8, wherein the extended part of the top layer and the clutch barrel are attached by connecting together a plurality of serial interlocking connectors.

12. The method as recited in claim 11, wherein the extended part of the top layer and the clutch barrel are detached from one another by serially disconnecting the plurality of interlocked connectors one at a time.

13. The computing device as recited in claim 8, wherein the extended part of the top layer that wraps around and partially encloses part of the connector assembly takes the form of a cantilever beam that increases the stiffness of the top layer.

14. The computing device as recited in claim 11, wherein the plurality of serial interlocking connectors comprises:

a plurality of snap connectors, the plurality of snap connectors integrally formed with an edge of the clutch barrel; and

a plurality of pass throughs, wherein the clutch barrel and the extended part of the top layer are attached by,

(a) inserting at least one of the plurality of snap connectors into a

corresponding one of the plurality of pass throughs, and

repeating (a) until substantially all of the plurality of snap connectors are inserted into the corresponding one of the plurality of pass throughs.