Portable computer structures

• US 8,144,474 B2
• Filed: 12/19/2008
• Issued: 03/27/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/13/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Andre, Bartley K., Ligtenberg, Chris, Zhou, Mi, Wehrenberg, Paul J., Degner, Brett W., Brock, John, Goldberg, Michelle Rae, Raff, John, Fields, Stewart Shannon, Hopkinson, Ron
• Primary Examiner(s): Nasri, Javaid
• Application Number:
  US12/340,621
• Publication Number:
  US 20100091452A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,194 Days
• Field of Search: 361/760, 361/371, 361/368, 361/373, 361/352, 361/752, 361/796, 361/730, 361/753, 361/799
• US Class Current: 361/752
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1616 with folding flat displays, e.g. laptop computers or notebooks having a clamshell configuration, with body parts pivoting to an open position around an axis parallel to the plane they define in closed position
• 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: H01R 13/6272 comprising a single latching arm
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2201/06 for computer periphery

Abstract

Portable computer structures are provided. The portable computer structures may include connector structures. The portable computer may have a case. A portion of the connector structure may be formed by the case of the portable computer. The portable computer may have a circuit board with grounding spring-loaded pins which electrically ground the circuit board to the case of the portable computer. The portable computer may have an optical disk drive that is form fitted to mount to the portable computer case.

Claims

1. A connector port in a portable computer that has a portable computer housing, wherein the connector port receives a cable connector having a bendable portion, the connector port comprising:

an upper inner surface portion formed from part of the portable computer housing that bears against the bendable portion of the cable connector when the cable connector is inserted within the connector port; and

retaining structures adjacent to the upper inner surface portion that form walls that retain and bear against the bendable portion of the cable connector when the cable connector is within the connector port.

2. The connector port defined in claim 1 wherein the upper inner surface portion comprises metal that forms part of the portable computer housing.

3. The connector port defined in claim 1 wherein the portable computer housing comprises an aluminum portable computer housing and wherein the upper inner surface portion comprises part of the aluminum portable computer housing.

4. The connector port defined in claim 3 wherein the cable connector comprises an RJ45 plug and wherein the upper inner surface portion and retaining structures are configured to receive and retain the RJ45 plug.

5. The connector port defined in claim 1 wherein the cable connector comprises an RJ45 plug and wherein the upper inner surface portion and retaining structures are configured to receive and retain the RJ45 plug.

6. The connector port defined in claim 1 further comprising a grounding pin.

7. The connector port defined in claim 1 further comprising a plurality of electrical contacts that mate with corresponding electrical contacts in the cable connector.

8. A portable computer comprising:

a conductive housing;

a printed circuit board; and

at least one spring-loaded pin directly connected to the printed circuit board, wherein the printed circuit board is mounted within the conductive housing so that the spring -loaded pin is compressed and grounds the printed circuit board to the conductive housing.

9. The portable computer defined in claim 8 wherein the portable computer comprises an upper housing portion and a lower housing portion and wherein the lower housing portion includes the conductive housing.

10. The portable computer defined in claim 8 wherein the printed circuit board comprises a motherboard.

11. The portable computer defined in claim 10 further comprising an integrated circuit that mounted on the motherboard, wherein the spring-loaded pin is connected to the printed circuit board within a lateral distance along a surface of the motherboard of less than one centimeter.

14. The portable computer defined in claim 8 wherein the conductive housing comprises aluminum with an oxidized surface, wherein a portion of the oxidized surface is removed to expose a conductive surface of the aluminum, and wherein the spring-loaded pin contacts the exposed conductive surface.

12. A portable computer comprising:

a conductive housing;

a printed circuit board; and

at least one spring-loaded pin connected to the printed circuit board, wherein the printed circuit board is mounted within the conductive housing so that the spring-loaded pin is compressed and grounds the printed circuit board to the conductive housing, wherein the at least one spring-loaded pin comprises a plurality of spring-loaded pins.

13. A portable computer comprising:

a conductive housing;

a printed circuit board; and

at least one spring-loaded pin connected to the printed circuit board, wherein the printed circuit board is mounted within the conductive housing so that the spring-loaded pin is compressed and grounds the printed circuit board to the conductive housing, wherein the conductive housing comprises an insulating surface, wherein a portion of the insulating surface is removed to expose a conductive surface of the conductive housing, and wherein the spring-loaded pin contacts the exposed conductive surface.

15. A portable computer comprising:

a conductive housing;

a printed circuit board;

at least one spring-loaded pin connected to the printed circuit board, wherein the printed circuit board is mounted within the conductive housing so that the spring-loaded pin is compressed and grounds the printed circuit board to the conductive housing; and

a connector port that receives a cable connector having a bendable portion, the connector port comprising;

an upper inner surface portion formed from part of the conductive housing, wherein the upper inner surface portion of the conductive housing bears against the bendable portion of the cable connector when the cable connector is inserted within the connector port; and

retaining structures adjacent to the upper inner surface portion that form walls that retain the bendable portion of cable connector when the cable connector is within the connector port.

16. An electronic device, comprising:

an electronic device housing;

a storage component having a storage component housing, wherein portions of the storage component housing are screwed directly to the electronic device housing;

a connector port that receives a cable connector having a bendable portion, the connector port comprising;

an upper inner surface portion formed from part of the electronic device housing, wherein the upper inner surface portion of the electronic device housing bears against the bendable portion of the cable connector when the cable connector is inserted within the connector port; and

retaining structures adjacent to the upper inner surface portion that form walls that retain the bendable portion of cable connector when the cable connector is within the connector port.

17. The electronic device defined in claim 16 wherein the electronic device housing comprises threaded portions and wherein the portions of the storage component housing comprise screw holes, the electronic device further comprising screws that pass through the screw holes into the threaded portions to screw the storage component to the electronic device housing.

18. The electronic device defined in claim 17 wherein the electronic device comprises a portable computer and wherein the electronic device housing comprises a lower portable computer housing portion.

19. The electronic device defined in claim 18 wherein the storage component comprises an optical disk drive.

20. The electronic device defined in claim 16 further comprising:

a printed circuit board; and

at least one spring-loaded pin connected to the printed circuit board, wherein the printed circuit board is mounted within the electronic device housing so that the spring-loaded pin is compressed and grounds the printed circuit board to the electronic device housing.