ELECTRONIC DEVICE ASSEMBLY

• US 20110305875A1
• Filed: 08/24/2011
• Published: 12/15/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/05/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Sanford, Emery, Lynch, Stephen Brian, Montevirgen, Anthony Sagala, Rothkopf, Fletcher, Schmidt, Mathias, Mohammadinia, Hamid, Murphy, R. Sean
• Granted Patent: US 9,781,846 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 428/174
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/0013 assembled by resilient members
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24628 Nonplanar uniform thickness material

Abstract

Apparatus and methods for assembling an electronic device and components thereof are provided. The electronic device may include a housing and a cover inserted into an opening in the housing. The electronic device may also include a first assembly that may be inserted into the housing through a first end, and a second assembly that may be inserted into the housing through a second end. The electronic device may also include end cap assemblies. In some embodiments, the electronic device may include an input mechanism coupled to the housing and a plate coupled to the housing. In some embodiments, a connector of the electronic device may be mounted on a circuit board by inserting a fixture into the connector, mounting the connector to a portion of the circuit board, removing the fixture from the connector, and separating the portion of the circuit board from another portion of the circuit board.

Claims

1-28. -28. (canceled)

29. A method of providing a cover for an electronic device, the method comprising:

machining the cover and at least one flange along a first edge of the cover from a single piece of material;

creating at least a first chamfer in at least a second edge of the cover;

grinding a surface of the cover to create a spline along the surface;

inserting the cover into a polishing structure; and

polishing the surface of the cover and the at least a first chamfer.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein the cover includes a second flange along a third edge of the cover opposite the first edge of the cover.

31. The method of claim 29, wherein the polishing structure includes a polishing spline that is equal to the spline along the surface of the cover.

38. The method of claim 29, wherein machining at least one flange further comprises:

machining a single flange extending along the first edge.

39. The method of claim 29, wherein machining at least one flange further comprises:

machining two flanges extending along the first edge.

40. The method of claim 30, wherein:

the at least one flange along the first edge and the second flange are symmetrical.

32-37. -37. (canceled)

41. A method for constructing a glass cover for use with an electronic device, comprising:

machining a rectangular cover from a single piece of material;

defining a flange on each of two opposite edges of the cover;

grinding the cover to create a spline along the surface, wherein cross-sections of the cover taken on planes co-planar with planes of the two opposite edges are the same;

placing the cover in a lapping fixture; and

polishing the surface of the color comprising the spline.

42. The method of claim 41, wherein:

the length of the cover is in the range of 43.56 millimeters and 43.62 millimeters.

43. The method of claim 41, wherein:

the width of the cover is in the range of 33.60 millimeters and 33.66 millimeters.

44. The method of claim 41, wherein:

the height of the cover is no more than 1.63 millimeters.

45. The method of claim 41, wherein:

the flanges on each of the two opposite edges have a length of 25.86 millimeters.

46. The method of claim 41, wherein the flanges on each of the two opposite edges have a width of 0.72 millimeters.

47. The method of claim 41, wherein the flanges on each of the two opposite edges have a height in the range of 0.62 millimeters to 0.68 millimeters.

48. A glass cover for use in an electronic device, comprising:

a rectangular glass component comprising two sets of parallel edges;

a first flange extending from a first edge of the rectangular glass component;

a second flange extending from a second edge of the rectangular glass component, wherein the second edge and the first edge are in a set of parallel edges;

a polished curved surface defined by a spline projected along an axis of the rectangular glass component, wherein the axis extends along an edge of the rectangular glass component between the first edge and the second edge.

49. The glass cover of claim 48, wherein:

the length of the cover is in the range of 43.56 millimeters and 43.62 millimeters.

50. The glass cover of claim 48, wherein:

the width of the cover is in the range of 33.60 millimeters and 33.66 millimeters.

51. The glass cover of claim 48, wherein:

the height of the cover is no more than 1.63 millimeters.

52. The glass cover of claim 48, wherein:

the flanges on each of the two opposite edges have a length of 25.86 millimeters.

53. The glass cover of claim 48, wherein the flanges on each of the two opposite edges have a width of 0.72 millimeters.

54. The glass cover of claim 48, wherein the flanges on each of the two opposite edges have a height in the range of 0.62 millimeters to 0.68 millimeters.