Simple enclosure for electronic components

• US 6,111,760 A
• Filed: 12/30/1998
• Issued: 08/29/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Unwired Planet LLC (JP Morgan Chase & Co)
• Original Assignee: Ericsson, Inc. (Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson)
• Inventors: Nixon, Patrick Edward
• Primary Examiner(s): Gandhi, Jayprakash N.
• Application Number:
  US09/223,675
• Time in Patent Office: 608 Days
• Field of Search: 361/752, 361/753, 361/759, 361/792, 361/796, 361/797, 361/801, 361/810, 361/807, 361/814, 455/90, 455/347-351, 379/428-440, D13/103, 220/4.02, 220/682
• US Class Current: 361/814
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/08 using ultrasonic vibrations non-plastics element to plastics elements B29C65/645
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/562 using extra joining elements, i.e. which are not integral with the parts to be joined using plastic snap elements B29C65/58; using plastic rivets B29C65/601
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/58 Snap connection
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/534 Joining single elements to open ends of tubular or hollow articles or to the ends of bars
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2055/02 ABS polymers, i.e. acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene polymers
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2069/00 Use of PC, i.e. polycarbonates or derivatives thereof, as moulding material
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2105/0088 Blends of polymers
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/3425 Printed circuits
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/3431 Telephones, Earphones
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3833 Hand-held transceivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0252 by means of a snap-on mechanism
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/725 Cordless telephones user interfaces specially adapted therefor H04M1/724
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/0013 assembled by resilient members

Abstract

Multiple layers of electronic components are secured within a wireless communications device, such as a cellular telephone, by gripping the component layers between two different portions of the device'"'"'s enclosure, thereby preventing substantial vertical movement of the component layers within the combined housing. A first housing section, typically the front portion of the device'"'"'s shell housing, includes both a first set of holding surfaces and a second set of holding surfaces which are preferably, but not necessarily, lying in two different planes. Preferably, these holding surfaces are portions of fingers that extend downwardly away from the first housing section. When the two housing sections are joined, the first set of holding surfaces directly contacts the lower component layer and presses the same against the second housing section. Likewise, the second set of holding surfaces directly contacts the second component layer and presses the same against the second housing section. In this manner, the first and second component layers are vertically trapped between the first and second housing sections. The two housing portions may be joined in any manner known in the art, such as by screws or ultrasonic welding; but the two housing portions are preferably snap-fitted together using snap teeth on the aforementioned fingers and corresponding recesses in the rear housing portion. In some embodiments, the enclosure described above is adapted to secure additional component layers by adding additional sets of holding surfaces to the appropriate housing section. Such an approach allows for easier and less expensive assembly and may allow for thinner devices to be made.

Claims

1. An enclosure for a wireless communications device, comprising:

a) a first housing section having a first set of holding surfaces and a second set of holding surfaces;

b) a second housing section connected to said first housing section;

c) a vertical axis defined from the direction of said second housing section to said first housing section;

d) a first component layer disposed between said first housing section and said second housing section and at least partially within said second housing section, said first component layer in direct contact with both said first set of holding surfaces and said second housing section and vertically trapped therebetween;

e) a second component layer disposed between said first housing section and said second housing section and above said first component layer, said second component layer in direct contact with both said second set of holding surfaces and said second housing section and vertically trapped therebetween.

2. The enclosure of claim 1 wherein said first component layer is a battery pack.

3. The enclosure of claim 1 wherein said second component layer is a printed circuit board having electrical components thereon.

4. The enclosure of claim 1 wherein each of said first set of holding surfaces includes a cushion.

5. The enclosure of claim 1 wherein each of said second set of holding surfaces includes a cushion and wherein said second component layer directly contacts said cushion.

6. The enclosure of claim 1 wherein said first housing section includes a plurality of downwardly extending fingers and wherein said fingers include at least one of said first set of holding surfaces and one of said second set of holding surfaces.

7. The enclosure of claim 1 wherein said second housing section includes a well having a floor and wherein said first component layer directly contacts said floor.

8. The enclosure of claim 7 wherein said floor includes a cushion and said first component layer directly contacts said cushion.

9. The enclosure of claim 1 wherein said first housing section includes a plurality of downwardly extending fingers and wherein said fingers include snaps on a lower portion thereof and wherein said snaps engage said second housing section so as to hold said first housing section and said second housing section together.

10. The enclosure of claim 1 where said first housing section and said second housing section are held together by screws.

11. The enclosure of claim 1 wherein said first housing section and said second housing section are held together by snap-fitting.

12. The enclosure of claim 1 wherein said second housing section includes a well having a plurality of peripheral ribs and wherein said ribs constrain the non-vertical movement of said first component layer.

13. The enclosure of claim 1 wherein said second housing section includes a first set of resting surfaces and said second component layer is in direct contact with said first set of resting surfaces and vertically trapped between said first set of resting surfaces and said second set of holding surfaces.

14. The enclosure of claim 1 wherein said first holding surfaces are at a uniform first vertical elevation.

15. The enclosure of claim 1 wherein there are at least three first holding surfaces.

16. The enclosure of claim 1 wherein either said first housing section or said second housing section further includes a third set of holding surfaces, and further including a third component layer disposed above said second component layer in direct contact with both said third set of holding surfaces and the other of said first or second housing sections and vertically trapped therebetween.

17. The enclosure of claim 1 wherein the wireless communications device is a cellular telephone.

18. The enclosure of claim 1 wherein:

a) said first component layer is a battery pack and said second component layer is a printed circuit board having electrical components thereon;

b) said first housing section includes a plurality of downwardly extending fingers, said fingers including at least one of said first set of holding surfaces and one of said second set of holding surfaces, said fingers further including a snap on a lower portion thereof for engaging said second housing section so as to hold said first housing section and said second housing section together; and

c) said second housing section further including a first set of resting surfaces and a well having a plurality of peripheral ribs, said ribs constraining the non-vertical movement of said first component layer, said first component layer directly contacting said floor;

said second component layer directly contacting said first set of resting surfaces and vertically trapped between said first set of resting surfaces and said second set of holding surfaces.

19. The enclosure of claim 18 wherein either said first housing section or said second housing section further includes a third set of holding surfaces, and further including a third component layer disposed above said second component layer in direct contact with both said third set of holding surfaces and the other of said first or second housing sections and vertically trapped therebetween.

20. A method of securing multiple layers of electrical components in a wireless communications device, the wireless communications device having a first housing section and a second housing section and a vertical axis defined from the second housing section to the first housing section, comprising:

a) gripping a first component layer, so as to prevent substantial vertical movement thereof, between a first set of holding surfaces of the first housing section and the second housing section;

b) gripping a second component layer, so as to prevent substantial vertical movement thereof, between a second set of holding surfaces of the first housing section and the second housing section;

c) wherein, when said first and second housing sections are joined together, said first and second component layers are enclosed by said first and second housing sections and said second component layer is disposed above said first component layer.

21. The method of claim 20 wherein said first component layer is a battery pack.

22. The method of claim 20 wherein said second component layer is a printed circuit board having electrical components thereon.

23. The method of claim 20 wherein each of said first set of holding surfaces includes a cushion and wherein said first component layer directly contacts said cushion.

24. The method of claim 20 wherein each of said second set of holding surfaces includes a cushion.

25. The method of claim 20 wherein said first housing section includes a plurality of downwardly extending fingers and wherein each of said fingers includes one of said first set of holding surfaces and one of said second set of holding surfaces.

26. The method of claim 20 wherein said second housing section includes a well and wherein said well includes a floor and wherein said first component layer directly contacts said floor.

27. The method of claim 26 wherein said floor includes a cushion and said first component layer directly contacts said cushion.

28. The method of claim 26 wherein said well includes a plurality of peripheral ribs and wherein said ribs constrain the non-vertical movement of said first component layer.

29. The method of claim 20 wherein said first housing section includes a plurality of downwardly extending fingers and wherein said fingers include snaps on a lower portion thereof and wherein said snaps engage said second housing section so as to hold said first housing section and said second housing section together.

30. The method of claim 20 further including joining said first housing section and said second housing section together by screws.

31. The method of claim 20 further including joining said first housing section and said second housing section together by snap-fitting.

32. The method of claim 20 wherein said second housing section includes a first set of resting surfaces and wherein said gripping the first component layer includes establishing direct contact between said second component layer and said first set of resting surfaces.

33. The method of claim 20 wherein said first holding surfaces are at a uniform first vertical elevation.

34. The method of claim 33 wherein said second set of holding surfaces are at a uniform second vertical elevation.

35. The method of claim 20 where there are at least three first holding surfaces.

36. The method of claim 20 wherein either said first housing section or said second housing section further includes a third set of holding surfaces, and further including gripping said third component layer, so as to prevent substantial vertical movement thereof, between said third set of holding surfaces and the other of said first or second housing sections.

37. The method of claim 20:

a) wherein said first component layer is a battery pack and said second component layer is a printed circuit board having electrical components thereon;

b) wherein said first housing section includes a plurality of downwardly extending fingers, said fingers including at least one of said first set of holding surfaces and one of said second set of holding surfaces;

c) wherein said second housing section includes a first set of resting surfaces and a well having a plurality of peripheral ribs, said ribs constraining the non-vertical movement of said first component layer;

d) wherein said gripping of said first component layer includes establishing direct contact between said first component layer and said floor;

e) wherein said gripping of said second component layer includes establishing direct contact between said first set of resting surfaces and said second set of holding surfaces; and

f) further including joining said first housing section and said second housing section together by snap-fitting.

38. The method of claim 37 wherein either said first housing section or said second housing section further includes a third set of holding surfaces, and further including gripping said third component layer, so as to prevent substantial vertical movement thereof, between said third set of holding surfaces and the other of said first or second housing sections.