Electronic Device With Component Shielding Structures and Input-Output Connectors

• US 20140321045A1
• Filed: 04/30/2013
• Published: 10/30/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Sinha, Vikas K., Satterfield, Phillip S., Diep, Vinh H., De Iuliis, Daniele
• Granted Patent: US 9,408,334 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 361/679.33
• 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 1/182 with special features, e.g. for use in industrial environments; grounding or shielding against radio frequency interference [RFI] or electromagnetical interference [EMI]
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 33/124 of the single recording/reproducing device, e.g. disk drive, onto a chassis
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 33/1493 Electro-Magnetic Interference [EMI] or Radio Frequency Interference [RFI] shielding; grounding of static charges
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 9/0007 Casings standardised racks H05K9/0062
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 9/0015 Gaskets or seals
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 9/003 made from non-conductive materials comprising an electro-conductive coating H05K9/0031 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 9/0031 combining different shielding materials
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 9/0043 being flexible containers, e.g. pouch, pocket, bag

Abstract

An electronic device may have a hard disk drive mounted diagonally within a housing. Electromagnetic interference shielding structures may enclose the hard disk drive. The shielding structures may include conductive elastomeric structures. A printed circuit board may be mounted diagonally in parallel with the hard disk drive. Connectors on the printed circuit board may be angled away from the printed circuit board at a non-zero angle and may be retained against the housing with a slide and lock connector retention member. An accelerometer may detect when the device is tipped over so that control circuitry may protect the hard disk drive. A fan may cause air to flow upwards on one side of the device and downwards on the other side of the device. The housing may rest on housing support structures with angled air vents and integral elastomeric feet.

Claims

1. An electronic device, comprising:

a housing;

a hard disk drive mounted in the housing; and

electromagnetic interference shielding structures surrounding the hard disk drive, wherein the electromagnetic interference shielding structures include a metal bracket having opposing open ends and end shields that are mounted to inner surfaces of the housing and that cover the opposing ends.

2. The electronic device defined in claim 1 wherein the metal bracket has edges at the open ends, the electronic device further comprising conductive gaskets that run along the edges between the metal bracket and the end shields.

3. The electronic device defined in claim 1 wherein the electromagnetic interference shielding structures comprise conductive elastomeric structures.

4. The electronic device defined in claim 3 wherein the conductive elastomeric structures include a lower bumper that forms a lower side of the electromagnetic interference shielding structures under the hard disk drive.

5. The electronic device defined in claim 4 wherein the lower bumper has ends that press against the end shields.

6. The electronic device defined in claim 5 wherein the ends comprise rounded ends and wherein the end shields are formed from curved sheet metal that mates with the rounded ends of the lower bumper.

7. The electronic device defined in claim 6 wherein the conductive elastomeric structures include an upper bumper that mates with the curved sheet metal.

8. The electronic device defined in claim 1 wherein the inner surfaces comprise curved inner surfaces and wherein the end shields comprise metal on the curved inner surfaces.

9. The electronic device defined in claim 8 further comprising a conductive elastomeric structure and a metal plate that attaches the conductive elastomeric structure to the metal bracket.

10. The electronic device defined in claim 1 wherein the housing comprises a box-shaped housing having diagonally opposed edges and wherein the electronic device further comprises a printed circuit board that extends diagonally across the box-shaped housing between the diagonally opposed edges.

11. The electronic device defined in claim 10 wherein the housing has an inner surface, the electronic device further comprising input-output connectors mounted to the printed circuit board, wherein the input-output connectors have surfaces that lie against the inner surface of the housing.

12. An electronic device, comprising:

a printed circuit board;

input-output connectors mounted on the printed circuit board;

a housing having a housing wall with openings aligned with the input-output connectors; and

a connector retention member mounted to an inner surface of the housing wall, wherein the input-output connectors are held against the inner surface by the connector retention member.

13. The electronic device defined in claim 12 wherein the connectors each have tabs, wherein the connector retention member comprises recesses that receive the tabs, and wherein the connector retention member comprises portions that hold the tabs after sliding the connector tabs behind the portions.

14. The electronic device defined in claim 13 wherein the housing comprises diagonally opposed edges and wherein the printed circuit board extends diagonally across the housing between the diagonally opposed edges.

15. The electronic device defined in claim 13 wherein the inner surface of the housing wall is angled at a non-zero angle with respect to the printed circuit board.

16. The electronic device defined in claim 13 further comprising a vertically mounted hard disk drive surrounded by electromagnetic interference shielding structures.

17. The electronic device defined in claim 16 wherein the hard disk drive lies in a plane that is parallel to the printed circuit board.

18. An electronic device, comprising:

an electronic component; and

electromagnetic interference shielding structures that surround and enclose the electronic component, wherein the electromagnetic interference shielding structures include conductive elastomeric structures that form at least one side of the electromagnetic interference shielding structures.

19. The electronic device defined in claim 18 wherein the conductive elastomeric structures comprise vertically protruding portions that cushion the electronic component from vibrations.

20. The electronic device defined in claim 18 further comprising a power connector having an inner plastic connector structure, power pins, and an outer plastic shell that is attached over the inner plastic connector structure.

21. The electronic device defined in claim 18 wherein the electromagnetic interference shielding structures comprise end shields formed from curved sheet metal.

22. The electronic device defined in claim 21 wherein the electromagnetic interference shielding structures include a metal bracket with three sides, wherein the electronic component comprises a hard disk drive, and wherein the hard disk drive is mounted within the metal bracket.

23. The electromagnetic device defined in claim 22 wherein the metal bracket has vertically extending edges, the electromagnetic interference shielding structures further comprising elongated conductive gaskets that run along the vertically extending edges between the metal bracket and the curved sheet metal of the end shields.