Cover glass to housing interface system

• US 7,965,498 B2
• Filed: 09/30/2009
• Issued: 06/21/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Ternus, John, Gotham, Todd F., McBroom, Daniel, Sudderth, Brian, McBroom, Michael, Stringer, Christopher J., Nishibori, Shin
• Primary Examiner(s): Duong; Hung V
• Application Number:
  US12/570,972
• Publication Number:
  US 20110075342A1
• Time in Patent Office: 629 Days
• Field of Search: 345/174, 345/60, 345/173, 345/102, 345/87, 345/80, 345/175, 438/455, 438/24, 438/46, 438/151, 438/157, 438/155, 178/18.01, 381/87, 361/679.21, 361/679.08, 361/679.01, 361/679.02, 361/679.46, 361/679.5, 361/679.48, 361/679.47, 361/679.54, 361/679.09, 349/106, 349/158, 349/143, 349/114, 349/110, 349/141
• US Class Current: 361/679.21
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1601 Constructional details related to the housing of computer displays, e.g. of CRT monitors, of flat displays constructional details related to flat displays integrated in a portable computer, e.g. laptop, handheld computer G06F1/1637; constructional details related to television receivers H04N5/64
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1607 Arrangements to support accessories mechanically attached to the display housing G06F1/1603, G06F1/1605 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1609 to support filters or lenses
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 13/00 Apparatus or processes specially adapted for manufacturing or adjusting assemblages of electric components
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/0017 with operator interface units
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/02 Details
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49002 Electrical device making
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining

Abstract

A display cover to housing interface system includes a display screen fronted by a display cover having front and obverse faces and a distal edge between the faces around a circumference thereof (i.e., edge thickness), and also an outer housing that provides support for the display cover. A portion of the display cover distal edge or thickness is fully exposed to outside, such that the display cover is exposed and substantially visible when viewed directly from the front and at least one side while installed. The display cover can be glass, while the housing is metal. A protective layer located between the housing and display cover protects the display cover from the housing. Various support components hold the display cover in place, and can include magnets and/or a stabilizer assembly affixed along a bottom edge of the display cover and adapted to couple to a bottom chin of the housing.

Claims

1. A display cover to metal housing interface system, comprising:

a translucent or transparent display cover adapted to be placed proximate to a display screen such that said display screen is visible through a viewing portion thereof, said display cover having a front face, an obverse face and a distal edge portion between said front and obverse faces and around a circumference thereof;

a metal housing adapted to house the display screen and provide stabilized support for said display cover while said display cover is placed proximate to the display screen, wherein said stabilized support comprises a force interaction between one or more distal edges of said metal housing and said obverse face of the display cover, such that at least a portion of said display cover distal edge portion is fully exposed to outside of said system while such stabilized support is provided;

a protective layer situated between said one or more distal edges of said metal housing and said obverse face of the display cover, said protective layer being adapted to prevent or reduce damage resulting from said metal housing contacting said display cover;

one or more support components adapted to hold said display cover in place with respect to said metal housing, said one or more support components restricting relative movement of the display cover in a direction substantially perpendicular to said front face; and

a stabilizer assembly affixed to and along an outer edge of said display cover, said stabilizer assembly being adapted to couple to at least a portion of said metal housing such that relative side-to-side movement between the display cover and the metal housing is restricted.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said display cover is readily removable from the metal housing.

3. The system of claim 1, further including:

an ink layer situated between said protective layer and said obverse face of the display cover, said ink layer being arranged to form an opaque frame around said viewing portion of the display cover.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein said protective layer is arranged to prevent or reduce damage resulting from said metal housing contacting said ink layer.

5. The system of claim 1, further including:

one or more pieces of metal bonded to said obverse face of the display cover, wherein said one or more support components comprises a plurality of magnets coupled to the metal housing, a display screen support system or both, and wherein said plurality of magnets are arranged to hold said display cover in place by exerting an attraction force on said one or more pieces of metal bonded to the display cover.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein said metal housing comprises a bottom chin portion adapted to reside directly beneath and to support the display cover, wherein the front of said bottom chin portion extends further away from said display screen than any other portion of said metal housing.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the front of said bottom chin portion and the front face of said display cover are coplanar.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein said stabilizer assembly comprises one or more locking components adapted to interlock with one or more mating components coupled to said bottom chin portion.

9. A computing device, comprising:

a microprocessor;

a display screen coupled to said processor;

a translucent or transparent display cover positioned proximate to said display screen such that at least a portion of the display screen is visible therethrough, said display cover having a front face, an obverse face and a distal edge portion between said front and obverse faces and around a circumference thereof; and

an outer housing containing the display screen and providing stabilized support for the display cover, wherein said stabilized support comprises a force interaction between one or more distal edges of said outer housing and said obverse face of the display cover, such that at least a portion of said display cover distal edge portion is fully exposed to outside of said computing device while such stabilized support is provided.

10. The computing device of claim 9, wherein said display cover has a square or rectangular shape, and wherein said distal edge portion is exposed on at least two different sides of the square or rectangle.

11. The computing device of claim 10, wherein said distal edge portion is exposed on at least three entire sides of the square or rectangle.

12. The computing device of claim 9, further including:

one or more support components that hold the display cover in place with respect to the outer housing, said one or more support components restricting relative movement of the display cover in a direction substantially perpendicular to the front face of the display cover; and

a stabilizer assembly affixed to and along a bottom outer edge of the display cover, said stabilizer assembly being adapted to couple to at least a portion of the outer housing such that relative side-to-side movement between the display cover and the outer housing is restricted.

13. The computing device of claim 9, further including:

a protective layer situated between said one or more distal edges of said outer housing and said obverse face of the display cover, said protective layer being adapted to prevent or reduce damage resulting from said outer housing contacting said display cover.

14. A display apparatus, comprising:

a display screen;

a display cover positioned proximate to said display screen such that at least a portion of the display screen is visible therethrough, said display cover having a front face, an obverse face and a distal edge portion between said front and obverse faces and around at least a portion of a circumference thereof; and

an outer housing containing the display screen and providing support for the display cover, said outer housing having a front portion, a back and at least one side, said front portion, back and at least one side coinciding with the front, back and at least one side respectively of the overall display apparatus, wherein said display cover and said outer housing are arranged such that both are exposed and substantially visible when viewed directly from the front of said display apparatus and such that both are exposed and substantially visible when viewed directly from the at least one side of said display apparatus.

15. The display apparatus of claim 14, wherein the front portion of said outer housing and the front face of said display cover are coplanar.

16. The display apparatus of claim 14, wherein the face of the distal edge portion of the display cover and the face of said at least one side of the outer housing are coplanar.

17. The display apparatus of claim 14, further including:

a protective layer situated between said outer housing and said obverse face of the display cover, said protective layer being adapted to prevent or reduce damage resulting from said outer housing contacting said display cover.

18. A display cover to housing interface system, comprising:

a translucent or transparent display cover adapted to be placed proximate to a display screen such that said display screen is visible therethrough, said display cover having a front face, an obverse face and a distal edge portion between said front and obverse faces and around at least a portion of a circumference thereof; and

a housing adapted to house the display screen and provide stabilized support for said display cover while said display cover is placed proximate to the display screen, wherein said stabilized support comprises a force interaction between one or more distal edges of said metal housing and said obverse face of the display cover, such that at least a portion of said display cover distal edge portion is fully exposed to the outside of said system while such stabilized support is provided.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein said display cover is made of glass and said outer housing is made of metal.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein the full thickness of said display cover is exposed and visible from the side when said system is viewed directly from the side.

21. The system of claim 18, further including:

a stabilizer assembly affixed to and along an outer edge of said display cover, said stabilizer assembly being adapted to couple to at least a portion of said outer housing such that relative side-to-side movement between the display cover and the outer housing is restricted.

22. The system of claim 18, wherein said display cover can be readily removed from said housing.

23. A method of placing a display cover onto a computing device having a display screen, the method comprising:

positioning a bottom edge of a display cover onto a bottom chin portion of an outer housing having a display screen housed therein, wherein said display cover is positioned such that said bottom chin portion can provide a primary support therefor;

engaging a stabilizer assembly affixed to and along the bottom edge of said display cover with one or more mating components coupled to said bottom chin portion of the outer housing, wherein said engagement restricts relative side-to-side movement between the display cover and the outer housing;

pivoting said display cover toward said display screen about an axis of rotation that is substantially along said bottom edge of the display cover; and

releasing said display cover such that an upper portion thereof is supported by one or more secondary supports located on the computing device, wherein the final position of said display cover results in a substantial amount of the side thickness of said display cover being exposed to the outside of the computing device.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein said step of releasing includes permitting a plurality of magnets located on the computing device to attract one or more metal items located on the display cover.

25. The method of claim 23, wherein said display cover has a square or rectangular shape, and wherein the side thickness of said display cover is exposed on at least two different sides of the square or rectangle.