Mobile electronic device with dovetail connector

• US 8,144,451 B2
• Filed: 10/27/2009
• Issued: 03/27/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/27/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Motorola Mobility, Inc. (Lenovo Group Ltd.)
• Inventors: Rodgers, Daniel P., Vollmer, Simon F.
• Primary Examiner(s): LEA EDMONDS, LISA S
• Application Number:
  US12/606,616
• Publication Number:
  US 20110096472A1
• Time in Patent Office: 882 Days
• Field of Search: 361/679.01
• US Class Current: 361/679.01
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0214 Foldable telephones, i.e. with body parts pivoting to an open position around an axis parallel to the plane they define in closed position combined with translation movement H04M1/0235
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0252 by means of a snap-on mechanism

Abstract

An improved mobile electronic device is disclosed. The mobile electronic device (10) can include: a housing (12) including a front cover (14) and a rear cover (16), the rear cover (16) configured to interconnect with the front cover (14), defining an enclosure (18) for electrical components; a plurality of connectors (20) located on walls (22) of the front cover (14) and rear cover (16); the plurality of connectors (20) including a male portion (24) and a female portion (26) being substantially complementarily configured to receive the male portion (24). Advantageously, the connectors (20): provide a resilient interconnection, forming a robust housing; take up a minimal amount of room in the enclosure (18), for maximizing the area available for electronic component placement therein; and help to allow the profile, from the front cover (14) to rear cover (16), to be designed ultra thin.

Claims

1. A mobile electronic device, comprising:

a housing including a front cover and a rear cover, the rear cover configured to interconnect with the front cover defining an enclosure for electrical components;

a plurality of connectors located on a plurality of walls of the front cover and rear cover;

the plurality of connectors including a male portion and a female portion being substantially complementarily configured to receive the male portion,

wherein the front cover includes a touchscreen display and the rear cover includes a touchpad positioned to be touched by a user'"'"'s finger gestures, without blocking a user'"'"'s viewing of the touchscreen display.

2. A mobile electronic device in accordance with claim 1 wherein the mobile electronic device includes at least one of:

a flip phone, slider phone, portable networking device, internet communications device, clamshell device, tablet device, radio telephone, cellular phone, mobile phone, smart phone, portable gaming device, personal digital assistant, wireless e-mail device, two-way pager, mobile computing device and handheld electronic device.

3. A mobile electronic device in accordance with claim 1 wherein the mobile electronic device is of a compact size.

4. A mobile electronic device in accordance with claim 1 wherein the male portion includes a proximal portion and a distal portion, with the distal portion being larger in dimension than the proximal portion.

5. A mobile electronic device in accordance with claim 1 wherein the female portion defines a slot including a proximal portion and a distal portion, with the distal portion being smaller in dimensions than the proximal portion.

6. A mobile electronic device in accordance with claim 1 wherein the male portion includes a proximal portion and a distal portion, with the distal portion being larger in dimension than the proximal portion and the female portion defines a slot including a proximal portion and a distal portion, with the distal portion being smaller in dimensions than the proximal portion, the male portion and the female portion defining a dovetail structure forming a unified housing.

7. A mobile electronic device in accordance with claim 1 wherein the plurality of connectors are located on at least two opposite interior walls of the plurality of walls of the rear cover and at least two opposite external walls of the plurality of walls of the front cover.

8. A mobile electronic device in accordance with claim 1 wherein the plurality of connectors are located on at least two opposite interior walls of the plurality of walls of the rear cover facing substantially upwardly and at least two opposite external walls of the plurality of walls of the front cover facing substantially downwardly.

9. A mobile electronic device in accordance with claim 1 wherein at least one of the front cover and rear cover comprises a resilient material.

10. A mobile electronic device in accordance with claim 1 wherein at least one of the front cover and rear cover comprises aluminum.

11. A mobile electronic device in accordance with claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the front cover is configured to be received in a portion of the rear cover.

12. A mobile electronic device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the front cover includes a glass layer, touch sensor and an inner assembly configured to be at least partially received in a portion of the rear cover.

13. A mobile electronic device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the front cover includes an inner assembly configured to be at least partially received in a portion of the rear cover, including a north leg, a south leg, an east leg and a west leg defining an opening, with the plurality of connectors being located on at least two opposite legs.

14. A mobile electronic device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the front cover includes an inner assembly configured to be at least partially received in a portion of the rear cover, including a north leg, a south leg, an east leg and a west leg defining an opening, with the plurality of connectors being located on at least two opposite legs, the plurality of connectors being downwardly facing female portions extending from about a mid point to a bottom of the legs.

15. A mobile electronic device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the rear cover includes the plurality of connectors including upwardly facing male portions extending from about a middle portion to a bottom portion of the plurality of walls.

16. A mobile electronic device, comprising:

a housing including a front cover and a rear cover, the rear cover configured to interconnect with the front cover defining an enclosure for electrical components;

a plurality of connectors located on a plurality of walls of the front cover and rear cover;

the plurality of connectors including a male portion and a female portion being substantially complementarily configured to receive the male portion, wherein the front cover includes an inner assembly configured to be at least partially received in a portion of the rear cover, including a north leg, a south leg, an east leg and a west leg defining an opening, with the plurality of connectors being located on at least two opposite legs.

17. A mobile electronic device in accordance with claim 16 wherein the male portion includes a proximal portion and a distal portion, with the distal portion being larger in dimension than the proximal portion and the female portion defines a slot including a proximal portion and a distal portion, with the distal portion being smaller in dimensions than the proximal portion, the male portion and the female portion defining a dovetail structure forming a unified housing.

18. A mobile electronic device in accordance with claim 16, wherein the front cover includes a glass layer, touch sensor and an inner assembly configured to be at least partially received in a portion of the rear cover.

19. A mobile electronic device in accordance with claim 16 wherein at least one of the front cover and rear cover comprises a resilient material.