MOUNTING STRUCTURE FOR COMPONENT OF ELECTRONIC DEVICE

• US 20120236436A1
• Filed: 05/30/2012
• Published: 09/20/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: TAN, Cheng Ping, PHAN, Con, OWEN, Steven Lee, HILLMAN, Michael D.
• Granted Patent: US 9,165,607 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 360/97.19
• CPC Class Codes: F16F 1/371 characterised by inserts or auxiliary extension or exterior elements, e.g. for rigidification F16F1/387 takes precedence; non-embedded reinforcing elements for flexibly-walled air springs F16F9/0436
• CPC Class Codes: F16F 1/376 having projections, studs, serrations or the like on at least one surface F16F1/3835 , F16F1/387 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16F 1/428 of strip- or leg-type springs
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/187 Mounting of fixed and removable disk drives
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 33/08 Insulation or absorption of undesired vibrations or sounds

Abstract

A portable electronic device having an outer housing, a component, and a shock-absorption assembly is disclosed. A shock-absorption assembly located within the outer housing and coupled to the component can include one or more elements adapted to dampen a mechanical shock to the component. The shock-absorption assembly elements can be mounted to corners and/or edges of the component. Shock-absorption assembly elements can include a first portion comprising protrusions that provide initial damping of the mechanical shock and a second portion comprising an elastic block that provides final damping of the mechanical shock.

Claims

1. A portable electronic device, comprising:

an outer housing configured to enclose and support one or more components;

a component located within said outer housing; and

a shock-absorption assembly located within said outer housing and coupled to said component, said shock-absorption assembly having one or more elements adapted to dampen a mechanical shock to said component, wherein said one or more shock-absorption assembly elements include a first portion comprising protrusions that provide initial damping of said mechanical shock and a second portion comprising an elastic block that provides final damping of said mechanical shock, wherein the damping properties of said first and second portions are significantly different.

2. The portable electronic device of claim 1, wherein said shock-absorption assembly comprises a unibody mounting wedge frame.

3. The portable electronic device of claim 1, wherein said one or more shock-absorption assembly elements comprise a plurality of mounting wedges coupled to corners of said component, edges of said component, or both.

4. The portable electronic device of claim 1, wherein said one or more shock-absorption assembly elements are formed from a rubber or elastomer based material.

5. The portable electronic device of claim 1, wherein the first portion and second portion of said one or more shock-absorption assembly elements are both formed from the same material.

6. The portable electronic device of claim 1, wherein the protrusions of said first portion extend in a plurality of separate directions that are perpendicular to each other.

7. The portable electronic device of claim 1, wherein said first and second portions exhibit displacement distances during damping, and wherein the displacement distance exhibited by said first portion is greater than the displacement distance exhibited by said second portion.

8. A mounting assembly adapted for use with a storage device situated within an associated electronic device, the mounting assembly comprising:

a first portion having a first spring property, said first portion comprising shock absorption elements that provide initial damping of a mechanical shock to the storage device; and

a second portion having a second spring property, said second portion comprising an elastic block that provides final damping of said mechanical shock, wherein the damping properties of said first portion and said second portion are significantly different.

9. The mounting assembly of claim 8, wherein said mounting assembly includes a plurality of separate components, and wherein each separate component includes its own said first portion and said second portion.

10. The mounting assembly of claim 8, wherein said first portion and said second portion are integrally formed within a single component.

11. The mounting assembly of claim 8, wherein the shock absorption elements of said first portion extend in three separate directions that are all mutually perpendicular with respect to each other.

12. The mounting assembly of claim 8, wherein said first and second portions exhibit displacement distances during damping, and wherein the displacement distance exhibited by said first portion is greater than the displacement distance exhibited by said second portion.

13. A shock absorbing device for use in supporting an internal component of an electronic device, the shock absorbing device comprising:

an elastic block component having a first set of damping properties with respect to an external mechanical shock force; and

at least one shock-absorbing element coupled to said elastic block component and extending therefrom, said at least one shock-absorbing element having a second set of damping properties with respect to said external mechanical shock force, wherein said first and second sets of damping properties are substantially different from each other, and wherein said shock absorbing device is adapted to be removably mounted to a corner or edge of an associated and separate internal component of an electronic device.

14. The shock absorbing device of claim 13, wherein said at least one shock-absorbing element extends in three separate directions that are all mutually perpendicular with respect to each other.

15. The shock absorbing device of claim 13, wherein said elastic block component provides final damping and said at least one shock-absorbing element provides initial damping of said mechanical shock force.

16. A portable computing device, comprising:

an outer housing configured to enclose and support one or more internal components;

an electro-mechanical storage device mounted within said outer housing; and

a mounting assembly located within said outer housing and coupled to said electro-mechanical storage device, said mounting assembly having one or more components adapted to dampen a mechanical shock to said electro-mechanical storage device, wherein at least one of said one or more mounting assembly components includes a first portion that provides initial damping of said mechanical shock and a second portion that provides final damping of said mechanical shock, wherein the damping properties of said first and second portions are significantly different.

17. The portable computing device of claim 16, wherein said first portion comprises an extended finger geometry and said second portion comprises an elastic block.

18. The portable computing device of claim 16, wherein said one or more components of said mounting assembly includes a separate component for each corner of said electro-mechanical storage device.

19. The portable computing device of claim 16, wherein said mounting assembly is mounted to said electro-mechanical storage device such that said electro-mechanical storage device is prevented from directly contacting said outer housing before, during and after said mechanical shock.