Folded flex assembly for personal media device

• US 7,756,553 B2
• Filed: 01/05/2007
• Issued: 07/13/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/05/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Wang, Erik L., Tan, Tang Yew, Dinh, Richard Hung Minh, Hobson, Philip Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Chang; Kent
• Assistant Examiner(s): HTUN, SAN A
• Application Number:
  US11/650,923
• Publication Number:
  US 20080167094A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,285 Days
• Field of Search: 455/550.1, 4555751-5759, 455344-350, D14/138, 361/679.27, 361/679.28, 361/679.33, 345/158, 345/169
• US Class Current: 455/575.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0274 for an electrical connector module
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/12 including a sensor for measuring a physical value, e.g. temperature or motion telephones including GPS signal receivers H04M2250/10

Abstract

Systems and methods are provided for media devices including a housing, a frame disposed adjacent to the housing, a support panel that is integrated with the frame, and a flexible circuit that is disposed adjacent to the support panel such that the support panel provides support for the flexible circuit.

Claims

1. A media device comprising:

a housing,

a frame disposed adjacent to the housing,

a support component comprising;

a support arm coupled to the frame; and

a support panel coupled to the support arm, wherein the support panel and the support arm are coupled such that the support panel is displaced from the frame, and

a flexible circuit disposed adjacent to the support panel to provide support for the flexible circuit, wherein the flexible circuit includes;

a first portion;

a second portion; and

a fold located between the first portion and the second portion such that the first portion and the second portion of the flexible circuit fold around at least a portion of the support panel.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein integrated with includes detachably connected to.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein integrated with includes unitarily formed with.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein integrated with includes mounted to.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the frame is disposed substantially within the housing.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the frame includes a backplane.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the first portion is adjacent to a first surface of the support panel.

8. The device of claim 7, wherein the second portion is adjacent to a second surface of the support panel.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein the flexible circuit further includes at least one of an acoustic source, a microphone, a proximity sensor, a light sensor, and a light source.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein the first portion is positioned between at least a portion of a bottom surface of the support panel and at least a portion of the frame and the second portion is positioned above at least a portion of a top surface of the support panel.

11. The device of claim 1, wherein the support panel is substantially parallel to the frame.

12. A method for emitting a sound from a media device comprising:

integrating a support panel with a frame of the media device, wherein the support panel comprises a bottom surface and a top surface,

positioning a portion of a flexible circuit adjacent to the support panel, wherein the flexible circuit includes a fold such that a first portion of the flexible circuit is positioned between at least a portion of the bottom surface of the support panel and at least a portion of the frame and a second portion of the flexible circuit is positioned above at least a portion of the top surface of the support panel,

integrating an acoustic source with the flexible circuit, and

emitting sound from the acoustic source to an external aperture of the media device.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein integrating includes detachably connecting to.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein integrating includes unitarily forming with.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein integrating includes mounting to.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the frame is disposed substantially within the housing.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein the first portion is adjacent to the bottom surface of the support panel.

18. The method of claim 12, wherein the second portion is adjacent to the top surface of the support panel.

19. The method of claim 12, wherein the fold is between the first and second portion for folding the first and second portion of the flexible circuit around at least a portion of the support panel.

20. The method of claim 12, wherein the flexible circuit further includes at least one of a microphone, a proximity sensor, a light sensor, and a light source.

21. The method of claim 12, wherein the support panel further comprises a support arm coupling the support panel to the frame such that the bottom and top surface of the support panel are displaced from the frame.

22. The method of claim 12, where positioning a portion comprises:

positioning a first portion of the support panel between the frame and a bottom surface of the support panel; and

positioning a second portion of the support panel above a top surface of the support panel, and wherein the fold couples the first portion to the second portion.

23. A method for manufacturing a media device comprising:

providing a housing,

attaching a frame to the housing,

coupling a support arm to the frame,

coupling a support panel to the support arm, wherein the support arm displaces the support panel from the frame, and

positioning a portion of a flexible circuit adjacent to the support panel, wherein the flexible circuit includes a fold such that the flexible circuit is folded around at least a portion of the support panel.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein positioning a portion includes positioning a first portion of the flexible circuit adjacent to a first surface of the support panel.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein positioning a portion further includes positioning a second portion of the flexible circuit adjacent to a second surface of the support panel.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein positioning a portion further includes folding the first and second portions such that the first and second portions of the flexible circuit surround at least a portion of the support panel.