COVER GLASS TO HOUSING INTERFACE SYSTEM

• US 20110216494A1
• Filed: 05/13/2011
• Published: 09/08/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: TERNUS, John, GOTHAM, Todd F., STRINGER, Christopher J., MCBROOM, Michael, NISHIBORI, Shin, MCBROOM, Daniel, SUDDERTH, Brian
• Granted Patent: US 8,537,531 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 361/679.21
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1601 Constructional details related to the housing of computer displays, e.g. of CRT monitors, of flat displays constructional details related to flat displays integrated in a portable computer, e.g. laptop, handheld computer G06F1/1637; constructional details related to television receivers H04N5/64
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1607 Arrangements to support accessories mechanically attached to the display housing G06F1/1603, G06F1/1605 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1609 to support filters or lenses
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 13/00 Apparatus or processes specially adapted for manufacturing or adjusting assemblages of electric components
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/0017 with operator interface units
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/02 Details
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49002 Electrical device making
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining

Abstract

A display cover to housing interface system includes a display screen fronted by a display cover having front and obverse faces and a distal edge between the faces around a circumference thereof (i.e., edge thickness), and also an outer housing that provides support for the display cover. A portion of the display cover distal edge or thickness is fully exposed to outside, such that the display cover is exposed and substantially visible when viewed directly from the front and at least one side while installed. The display cover can be glass, while the housing is metal. A protective layer located between the housing and display cover protects the display cover from the housing. Various support components hold the display cover in place, and can include magnets and/or a stabilizer assembly affixed along a bottom edge of the display cover and adapted to couple to a bottom chin of the housing.

Claims

1. A computer enclosure system, comprising:

a display cover adapted to be placed proximate to an associated display screen such that said display screen is visible through a viewing portion thereof, said display cover having a front face, an obverse face and a distal edge portion between the front and obverse faces and around a circumference thereof;

an outer housing adapted to contain the display screen and provide support for the display cover while the display cover is placed proximate to the display screen such that at least a portion of the display cover distal edge portion is fully exposed to the outside of said enclosure system while such support is provided; and

one or more support components adapted to hold the display cover in place with respect to the metal housing, said one or more support components restricting relative movement of the display cover in a direction substantially perpendicular to the front face.

2. The computer enclosure system of claim 1, further including:

a protective layer situated between said outer housing and the obverse face of said display cover, said protective layer being adapted to prevent or reduce damage resulting from said outer housing contacting said display cover.

3. The computer enclosure system of claim 1, further including:

a stabilizer assembly affixed to and along an outer edge of said display cover, said stabilizer assembly being adapted to couple to at least a portion of said outer housing such that relative side-to-side movement between the display cover and the outer housing is restricted.

4. The computer enclosure system of claim 1, wherein said display cover is readily removable from said outer housing.

5. The computer enclosure system of claim 1, further including:

one or more pieces of metal coupled to the obverse face of said display cover, wherein said one or more support components comprises a plurality of magnets coupled to the outer housing and arranged to hold said display cover in place by exerting an attraction force on said one or more pieces of metal.

6. The computer enclosure system of claim 1, wherein said outer housing comprises a bottom chin portion adapted to reside directly beneath and to support said display cover, wherein the front of said bottom chin portion extends further away from said display screen than any other portion of said outer housing.

7. A computing device, comprising:

a display screen;

a display cover positioned proximate to the display screen such that at least a portion of the display screen is visible therethrough, said display cover having a front face, an obverse face and a distal edge portion between the front and obverse faces and around a circumference thereof; and

an outer housing containing the display screen and providing support for the display cover, wherein the support comprises a force interaction between said outer housing and said display cover such that at least some of the display cover distal edge portion is fully exposed to the outside of said computing device while such support is provided.

8. The computing device of claim 7, wherein said display cover has a square or rectangular shape, and wherein said distal edge portion is exposed on at least two different sides of the square or rectangle.

9. The computing device of claim 8, wherein said distal edge portion is exposed on at least three entire sides of the square or rectangle.

10. The computing device of claim 7, further including:

one or more support components that hold the display cover in place with respect to the outer housing, said one or more support components restricting relative movement of the display cover in a direction substantially perpendicular to the front face of the display cover; and

a stabilizer assembly affixed to and along a bottom outer edge of the display cover, said stabilizer assembly being adapted to couple to at least a portion of the outer housing such that relative side-to-side movement between the display cover and the outer housing is restricted.

11. The computing device of claim 7, wherein a front portion of said outer housing and the front face of said display cover are coplanar.

12. A cover glass to housing interface system, comprising:

a cover glass adapted to be placed proximate to an associated display screen such that the display screen is visible therethrough, the cover glass having a front face, an obverse face and a distal edge portion between the front and obverse faces and around at least a portion of a circumference thereof; and

a housing adapted to contain the display screen and provide support for the cover glass while the cover glass is placed proximate to the display screen, wherein at least part of the cover glass distal edge portion is fully exposed to the outside of said cover glass to housing interface system while such support is provided.

13. The cover glass to housing interface system of claim 12, wherein said cover glass is made of glass and said housing is made of metal.

14. The cover glass to housing interface system of claim 12, wherein the full thickness of said cover glass is exposed and visible from the side when said cover glass to housing interface system is viewed directly from the side.

15. The cover glass to housing interface system of claim 12, wherein said cover glass can be readily removed from said housing.

16. A method of placing a display cover onto a computing device having a display screen, the method comprising:

positioning a bottom edge of a display cover onto a bottom ledge portion of an outer housing having a display screen housed therein, wherein said display cover is positioned such that said bottom ledge portion provides a primary support therefor;

pivoting said display cover toward said display screen about an axis of rotation that is substantially along said bottom edge of the display cover; and

releasing said display cover such that an upper portion thereof is supported by one or more secondary supports located on the computing device.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein said step of releasing includes permitting a plurality of magnets located on the computing device to attract one or more metal items located on the display cover.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the final position of said display cover results in a substantial amount of the side thickness of said display cover being exposed to the outside of the computing device.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein said display cover has a square or rectangular shape, and wherein the side thickness of said display cover is exposed on at least two different sides of the square or rectangle.

20. The method of claim 16, further including the step of:

engaging a stabilizer assembly coupled to the bottom edge of said display cover with one or more mating components coupled to said bottom ledge portion of the outer housing, wherein said engaging restricts relative side-to-side movement between the display cover and the outer housing.