PORTABLE ELECTRONIC DEVICE HOUSING WITH OUTER GLASS SURFACES

• US 20160062398A1
• Filed: 11/09/2015
• Published: 03/03/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 02/02/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Pakula, David, Dinh, Richard Hung Minh, Myers, Scott
• Granted Patent: US 9,846,452 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/3481 Housings or casings incorporating or embedding electric or electronic elements
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 13/001 Miniaturised objectives for electronic devices, e.g. portable telephones, webcams, PDAs, small digital cameras G02B23/243 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 7/02 for lenses supports for magnifying lenses G02B25/002
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1626 with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1637 Details related to the display arrangement, including those related to the mounting of the display in the housing
• 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 1/1658 related to the mounting of internal components, e.g. disc drive or any other functional module
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0202 Portable telephone sets, e.g. cordless phones, mobile phones or bar type handsets constructional features of telephone transmitters or receivers, e.g. of speakers or microphones H04M1/03
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0266 for a display module assembly
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/51 Housings
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/0086 portable, e.g. battery operated apparatus casings for switching devices H01H9/02
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/03 Covers
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/14 Mounting supporting structure in casing or on frame or rack
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/10 Methods of surface bonding and/or assembly therefor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49002 Electrical device making

Abstract

Improved housings for electronic devices are disclosed. In one embodiment, an electronic device housing can have one or more outer members (e.g., exposed major surfaces), such as front or back surfaces, that are formed of glass. The one or more glass surfaces can be part of outer member assemblies that can be secured to other portions of the electronic device housing. In other embodiments, apparatus, systems and methods for robustly attaching a cover portion of an electronic device to a bottom portion, e.g., a housing portion, of the electronic device are described. The electronic device can be portable and in some cases handheld.

Claims

1. An electronic device enclosure, comprising:

an outer periphery member defining a side surface for the electronic device enclosure; and

a front cover assembly providing a front surface for the electronic device enclosure, the front cover assembly includes (i) a front cover member that provides the front surface for the electronic device enclosure and (ii) an interface member,

wherein the interface member has an open central portion and has a peripheral portion, the peripheral portion including or coupling the at least one attachment member,

wherein the peripheral portion of the interface member is secured to a peripheral inner surface of the front cover member, and

wherein the attachment member is used to secure the front cover assembly with respect to the outer periphery member.

2. An electronic device enclosure as recited in claim 1, wherein the electronic device enclosure comprises:

a protective side member positioned adjacent sides of the front cover member.

3. An electronic device enclosure as recited in claim 1, wherein the protective side member comprises a compound including at least polyarylamide.

4. An electronic device enclosure as recited in claim 1, wherein the protective side member comprises a polymer having a Coefficient of Thermal Expansion (CTE) less than or equal to about 50 millimeters/meter/°

C.

5. An electronic device enclosure as recited in claim 1, wherein the thickness of the protective side member is not more than about 1 mm.

6. An electronic device enclosure as recited in claim 1, wherein the protective side member comprises a polymer having a Coefficient of Thermal Expansion (CTE) less than or equal to about 35 millimeters/meter/°

C.

7. An electronic device enclosure as recited in claim 1, wherein the at least one attachment is tab extending outward from the peripheral portion away from the glass member.

8. An electronic device enclosure as recited in claim 7, wherein the tab includes a threaded screw hole.

9. An electronic device enclosure as recited in claim 8, wherein the threaded screw hole is configured to receive a screw used to secure the front cover assembly with respect to the electronic device enclosure.

10. An electronic device enclosure as recited in claim 8, wherein the threaded screw hole is configured to receive a screw used to secure the front cover assembly with respect to the outer periphery member.

11. An electronic device enclosure as recited in claim 1, wherein the front cover member comprises a glass member.

12. An electronic device enclosure as recited in claim 1,

wherein the front cover member has an exposed upper surface and edges, and

wherein the front cover assembly includes a protective side member, the protective side member being provided against and around the edges of the front cover member, the protective side member does not extend over the exposed upper surface of the front cover member.

13. An electronic device enclosure as recited in claim 12,

wherein the front cover member comprises a glass member, and

wherein the protective side member comprises polymer strengthened with glass fibers.

14. An electronic device enclosure as recited in claim 1, wherein the attachment member is integral with or attached to the interface member.

15. An electronic device enclosure as recited in claim 14, wherein the attachment member is configured to secure the front cover assembly with respect to the electronic device enclosure.

16. An electronic device enclosure as recited in claim 14, wherein the attachment member is configured to couple the front cover assembly to the outer periphery member.

17. An electronic device enclosure as recited in claim 1,

wherein the attachment member is configured to secure the front cover assembly relative to the outer periphery member,

wherein the front cover member has an exposed upper surface and edges, and

wherein the front cover assembly includes a protective side member, the protective side member being provided against and around the edges of the front cover member, the protective side member does not extend over the exposed upper surface of the front cover member.

18. An electronic device enclosure as recited in claim 17,

wherein the front cover member comprises a glass member, and

wherein the protective side member comprises polymer strengthened with glass fibers.

19. An electronic device housing as recited in claim 1, wherein the outer periphery member comprises metal.

20. An electronic device housing as recited in claim 1, wherein the thickness of the glass member less than about 1 mm.

21. An electronic device housing as recited in claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the glass member is rendered at least substantially non-transparent by a coating.

22. An assembly for an electronic device, comprising:

a cover subassembly, the cover subassembly including a plurality of attachment members protruding therefrom, the cover part including a transparent member;

a housing part, the housing part including a plurality of receptacles configured to receive the plurality of attachment members, the plurality of receptacles being configured to capture the plurality attachment members when the cover part is coupled to the housing part; and

at least one electronic component, the at least one electronic component being arranged within an inner volume defined by at least the housing part,

wherein the cover part includes a frame, the frame supports and is secured to the transparent member, and the frame includes or is secured to the plurality attachment members, and

wherein the transparent member is secured relative to the housing part by the plurality of the attachment members.

23. An assembly of claim 22, wherein the cover part is in substantially direct contact with the housing part when the attachment members are captured in the corresponding receptacles.

24. An assembly of claim 22, wherein the transparent member comprises a glass member, and wherein the frame extends around periphery to the glass member and the glass member is adhered to the frame.

25. An assembly of claim 22, wherein cover part is at least partially formed from a plastic material and the at least one attachment is formed from a metal, the at least one attachment being insert molded into the plastic material.

26. An electronic device enclosure, comprising:

a side surface for the electronic device enclosure; and

a front cover assembly providing a front surface for the electronic device enclosure, the front cover assembly includes (i) a front cover member that provides the front surface for the electronic device enclosure and (ii) an interface member,

wherein the interface member has a peripheral portion, the peripheral portion including or coupling the at least one attachment member,

wherein the peripheral portion of the interface member is secured to a peripheral inner surface of the front cover member, and

wherein the attachment member is used to secure the front cover assembly with respect to the outer periphery member.