SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR COVER ASSEMBLY RETENTION OF A PORTABLE ELECTRONIC DEVICE

• US 20110255218A1
• Filed: 06/04/2010
• Published: 10/20/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/19/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Myers, Scott, Pakula, David, Dinh, Richard, Tan, Tang
• Granted Patent: US 8,264,837 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 361/679.01
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 17/4014 and provided with attached means for reclosing or resealing
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 17/50 Non-integral frangible members applied to, or inserted in, preformed openings, e.g. tearable strips or plastic plugs B65D53/08 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 45/16 Clips, hooks, or clamps which are removable, or which remain connected either with the closure or with the container when the container is open, e.g. C-shaped U-shaped or bifurcated members B65D45/04
• CPC Class Codes: B65D 51/00 Closures not otherwise provided for covers or similar closures as engineering elements for pressure vessels in general F16J13/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1626 with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0249 Details of the mechanical connection between the housing parts or relating to the method of assembly
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0252 by means of a snap-on mechanism
• 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: H05K 5/03 Covers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining

Abstract

This is directed to systems and methods for cover assembly retention of a portable electronic device. In some embodiments, a cover assembly and/or housing of an electronic device can include one or more retention features such as detents, hooks, tabs, extensions, screw plates, screw holes, shuttles, latches, or any combination of the above, for retaining the cover assembly to the housing. In some embodiments, one or more retention features can be included on a internal platform of the electronic device to retain the cover assembly. In some embodiments, a hidden screw feature can be included in a SIM tray slot of the electronic device. Once a SIM tray has been inserted into the SIM tray slot, the screw feature can be hidden from sight and may become unapparent to an end user of the electronic device.

Claims

1. A portable electronic device comprising:

a outer periphery member defining a loop, wherein the outer periphery member comprises;

a top surface;

a bottom surface; and

an inner surface that defines the inner circumference of the loop;

a internal platform coupled to the inner surface of the outer periphery member, wherein the internal platform comprises at least one internal platform hook; and

a back cover assembly placed adjacent to the bottom surface of the outer periphery member, wherein the back cover assembly comprises at least one top hook operable to couple with the internal platform hook to retain the back cover assembly to the outer periphery member.

2. The portable electronic device of claim 1, wherein the top hook comprises a slope, and wherein the internal platform hook contacts the top hook at the slope to produce a force pulling the back cover assembly towards the outer periphery member.

3. The portable electronic device of claim 1, wherein the internal platform hook comprises a slot on an outer surface of the internal platform hook.

4. The portable electronic device of claim 1, wherein the internal platform is coupled to at least two distinct regions of the inner surface and is offset from the top surface and bottom surface of the outer periphery member.

5. The portable electronic device of claim 1, further comprising:

a front cover assembly placed adjacent to the top surface of the outer periphery member, wherein the front cover assembly comprises a transparent window allowing display circuitry to be viewed.

6. The portable electronic device of claim 1, wherein the back cover assembly covers the entirety of the bottom surface of the outer periphery member.

7. The portable electronic device of claim 1, wherein the back cover assembly covers less than the entirety of the bottom surface of the outer periphery member such that a portion of the bottom surface is viewable, and wherein the viewable portion comprises a uniform width defining the outer boundary of the bottom surface.

8. The portable electronic device of claim 1, wherein the outer periphery member further comprises:

a shuttle operable to slide back and forth to engage at least one latch of the back cover assembly to retain the back cover assembly to the outer periphery member.

9. The portable electronic device of claim 8, wherein the outer periphery member further comprises:

a hole extending from an outer surface of the outer periphery member to shuttle, wherein the hole is operable to allow a tool to be passed through the hole to slide the shuttle back and forth.

10. A electronic device comprising:

a housing comprising at least one detent; and

a back cover assembly comprising at least one detent feature, wherein the detent features is operable to pass the at least one detent during a coupling of the back cover assembly to the housing, such that after the coupling, the at least one detent feature does not go backwards to pass the at least one detent again, thereby providing a coupling action between the back cover assembly and the housing.

11. The electronic device of claim 10, wherein the housing further comprises:

a outer periphery member defining a loop, wherein the outer periphery member comprises;

a top surface;

a bottom surface; and

an inner surface that defines the inner circumference of the loop; and

a internal platform coupled to the inner surface of the outer periphery member.

12. The electronic device of claim 10, wherein:

the at least one detent comprises a detent spring; and

the at least one detent feature comprises a pin.

13. The electronic device of claim 10, wherein:

the at least one detent comprises a pawl; and

the at least one detent feature comprises a latch.

14. The electronic device of claim 13, wherein the housing further comprises:

a hinge coupling the pawl to the housing, wherein;

the hinge rotates the pawl to allow the latch to pass the pawl during the coupling of the back cover assembly to the housing; and

the hinge does not rotate the pawl after the latch has initially passed the pawl, thereby providing a coupling action between the back cover assembly and the housing.

15. The electronic device of claim 13, wherein the housing further comprises at least one spring operable to bias the pawl against back cover assembly the back cover assembly.

16. The electronic device of claim 10, wherein:

the housing further comprises a SIM tray slot operable to receive a SIM tray, and wherein a screw hole is included in an inner surface of the SIM tray slot; and

the back cover assembly further comprises a screw plate, and wherein a single screw is operable to pass through the screw hole and screw plate to retain the back cover assembly to the housing.

17. The electronic device of claim 16, wherein the electronic device further comprises:

a SIM tray operable to;

be received by the SIM tray slot; and

conceal the screw hole and single screw from view when the SIM tray is received by the SIM tray slot.

18. A method for forming an electronic device, the method comprising:

forming a housing, wherein the housing has a substantially rectangular cross section;

coupling inner electronic components within the housing; and

coupling a back cover assembly to a bottom surface of the housing to contain the inner electronic components within the housing, wherein the back cover assembly comprises at least one detent feature operable to retain the back cover assembly to the housing.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein forming the housing comprises:

forming a outer periphery member defining a loop;

connecting a internal platform to an inner surface of the outer periphery member, wherein the internal platform is contained within the outer periphery member; and

coupling a front cover assembly to a top surface of the outer periphery member.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein coupling the back cover assembly comprising:

sliding the back cover assembly onto a bottom surface of the housing in a first direction; and

passing the at least one detent feature through a detent spring of the housing during the sliding, wherein the detent spring does not allow the at least one detent feature to pass through it when the back cover assembly is being slid in a second direction that is opposite the first direction.

21. The method of claim 18, wherein coupling the back cover assembly comprises:

coupling the back cover assembly to an axis of the housing; and

rotating the back cover assembly along the axis onto the housing.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein coupling the back cover assembly further comprises:

inserting at least one latch of the back cover assembly into a shuttle of the housing while rotating the back cover assembly onto the housing; and

shifting the shuttle to engage the at least one latch.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein shifting the shuttle comprises:

inserting a tool through a hole of the housing to contact the shuttle; and

shifting the shuttle with the tool.

24. The method of claim 21, wherein the axis comprises a short axis of the housing.

25. The method of claim 21, wherein the axis comprises a long axis of the housing.

26. A back cover assembly of an electronic device comprising:

an outer surface;

an inner surface, wherein the outer and inner surface are substantially parallel to one another;

two length-wise edges;

two width-wise edges, wherein each width-wise edge is shorter in length than each length-wise edge;

at least one screw plate, wherein;

the at least one screw plate is coupled to the inner surface in a location adjacent a single one of the two width-wise edges; and

the at least one screw plate comprises a hole extending through it operable to receive a screw to couple the back cover assembly to a housing of the electronic device; and

at least one hook coupled to the inner surface in a location adjacent a length-wise edge, wherein the at least one hook comprises;

a support extending substantially perpendicular from and coupled to the inner surface;

a back abutment, wherein the back abutment extends substantially perpendicular from and is coupled to the inner surface, and wherein the back abutment and the support together form an L-shape; and

an overhang coupled to the support and the back abutment, wherein the overhang is substantially parallel to and displaced from the inner surface.

27. The back cover assembly of claim 26, wherein the at least one screw plate comprises two screw plates.

28. The back cover assembly of claim 26, wherein the at least one hook comprises:

a first set of four hooks coupled to the inner surface in a location adjacent a first length-wise edge of the two length-wise edges; and

a second set of four hooks coupled to the inner surface in a location adjacent a second length wise edge of the two length-wise edges.

29. The back cover assembly of claim 26, further comprising:

at least one hole extending through the back cover assembly operable to receive at least a portion of a camera assembly.

30. The back cover assembly of claim 26, further comprising:

at least one hole extending through the back cover assembly; and

plastic positioned within the at least one hole, wherein the plastic is operable to allow antenna signals to pass outside the electronic device.

31. The back cover assembly of claim 26, wherein the outer surface comprises:

a glass plate.

32. The back cover assembly of claim 31, further comprising:

an adhesive layer coupling the glass plate to the inner surface.

33. The back cover assembly of claim 31, wherein the inner surface further comprises:

an metal layer; and

a plastic layer overmolded onto the metal layer.

34. The back cover assembly of claim 33, wherein the plastic layer comprises:

a raised wall encircling a periphery of the plastic layer, wherein the raised wall is operable to receive and retain the glass plate in a fixed position.

35. The back cover assembly of claim 33, wherein the metal layer comprises insert-molded metal.

36. The back cover assembly of claim 33, wherein the metal layer, the at least one hook, and the at least one screw plate comprise a single piece of insert-molded metal.

37. A removable back cover assembly for an electronic device, the back cover assembly closing off at least one of a front and rear face of the electronic device, the removable back cover assembly comprising:

a plate; and

a plurality of retention features, wherein the plurality of retention features operate to secure the removable back cover assembly in a particular position relative to the electronic device and wherein the plurality of retention features comprises;

a first set of retention features comprising at least one sliding entrapment element, wherein the sliding entrapment element is operable to capture a corresponding feature of the electronic device and wherein the first set is disposed on both length-wise peripheral edges of the removable back cover assembly; and

a second set of retention features comprising at least one threaded locking element, and wherein the second set is disposed at a single width-wise peripheral edge of the removable back cover assembly.