FLUSHNESS SHIMS

• US 20110185562A1
• Filed: 02/04/2011
• Published: 08/04/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/11/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Moolsintong, Pinida Jan, Weber, Douglas J., Zadesky, Stephen P.
• Granted Patent: US 8,769,792 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 29/446
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1626 with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
• 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: G06F 1/169 the I/O peripheral being an integrated pointing device, e.g. trackball in the palm rest area, mini-joystick integrated between keyboard keys, touch pads or touch stripes G06F1/1643 takes precedence; constructional details of pointing devices G06F3/033
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0362 with detection of 1D translations or rotations of an operating part of the device, e.g. scroll wheels, sliders, knobs, rollers or belts
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49778 with aligning, guiding, or instruction
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/4978 Assisting assembly or disassembly
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49863 with prestressing of part

Abstract

A media player according to the invention is provided. The media player may include a scroll wheel and a housing including a retention ledge. The retention ledge may maintain the position of the scroll wheel with respect to the housing. A flexible printed circuit may also be included in the media player. The flexible printed circuit may include a first face and a second face. The first face may contact the scroll wheel. The second face may include tactile dome switches. Compressible shims may also form a portion of the media player and may be adjacent the second face. The compressible shims may control the distance between the scroll wheel and the retention ledge.

Claims

1-9. -9. (canceled)

10. A method for obtaining a substantially coplanar relationship between two surfaces in a portable media player, the method comprising:

pre-compressing a plurality of foam shims; and

placing the plurality of foam shims in the media player wherein the plurality of foam shims exerts a force on at least one of the two surfaces, the force acting to obtain a substantially coplanar relationship between the two surfaces.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

maintaining at least a portion of the force of the plurality of foam shims on the at least one of the two surfaces across a pre-determined operational range of the media player.

12. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

determining which two surfaces in the media player would be enhanced by a substantially coplanar relationship.

13. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

sealing the media player; and

in response to the sealing, maintaining at least a portion of the force of the plurality of foam shims on the at least one of the two surfaces across a pre-determined operational range of the media player.

32. The method of claim 10, wherein the force exerted by the foam shims is substantially constant across a pre-determined operational range of the media player.

33. The method of claim 10, wherein the force exerted by the foam shims maintains a tolerance gap at a minimum substantially independent of operational conditions across a pre-determined operational range of the media player.

34. The method of claim 10, wherein the relationship between the two surfaces is controlled by manufacturing tolerances when the foam shims are compressed beyond the pre-compression.

35. The method of claim 10, wherein:

the at least one of the two surfaces is an outer surface of a scroll wheel; and

another one of the two surfaces is a housing of the media player.

14. A method for obtaining a substantially coplanar relationship between two surfaces in a portable media player, the method comprising:

pre-compressing at least one spring; and

placing the at least one spring in the media player wherein the at least one spring exerts a force on at least one of the two surfaces, the force acting to obtain a substantially coplanar relationship between the two surfaces.

15. The method of claim 14 further comprising:

maintaining at least a portion of the force of the at least one spring on the at least one of the two surfaces across a pre-determined operational range of the media player.

16. The method of claim 14 further comprising:

determining which two surfaces in the media player would be enhanced by a substantially coplanar relationship.

17. The method of claim 14 further comprising:

sealing the media player; and

in response to the sealing, maintaining at least a portion of the force of the at least one spring on the at least one of the two surfaces across a pre-determined operational range of the media player.

36. The method of claim 14, wherein the force exerted by the at least one spring is substantially constant across a pre-determined operational range of the media player.

37. The method of claim 14, wherein the force exerted by the at least one spring maintains a tolerance gap at a minimum substantially independent of operational conditions across a pre-determined operational range of the media player.

38. The method of claim 14, wherein the relationship between the two surfaces is controlled by manufacturing tolerances when the at least one spring is compressed beyond the pre-compression.

39. The method of claim 14, wherein:

the at least one of the two surfaces is an outer surface of a scroll wheel; and

another one of the two surfaces is a housing of the media player.

18-24. -24. (canceled)

25. A method for obtaining a pre-determined relationship between two surfaces in a media player, the method comprising:

pre-compressing a plurality of compressible shims, wherein, in response to the pre-compression, the compressible shims provide a force that contributes to maintaining the pre-determined relationship across an operational range of the media player.

26. The method of claim 25, further comprising:

placing the compressible shims in the media player.

27. The method of claim 25, further comprising:

sealing the media player during the pre-compressing so that at least a portion of the force is maintained across the operational range of the media player.

28. The method of claim 25, wherein the force provided by the compressible shims is substantially constant across the operational range of the media player.

29. The method of claim 25, wherein the force provided by the compressible shims maintains a tolerance gap at a minimum substantially independent of operational conditions across the operational range of the media player.

30. The method of claim 25, wherein the pre-determined relationship between the two surfaces is controlled by manufacturing tolerances when the compressible shims are compressed beyond the pre-compression.

31. The method of claim 25, wherein:

a first surface of the two surfaces is an outer surface of a scroll wheel; and

a second surface of the two surfaces is a housing of the media player.