Computer housing

• US 8,338,737 B2
• Filed: 09/30/2009
• Issued: 12/25/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Catalano, Carlo, Jue, Derrick, Miehm, Brian, Oshima, Takahiro, Tatebe, Masashige
• Primary Examiner(s): Sandvik, Benjamin
• Assistant Examiner(s): Wilson, Scott R
• Application Number:
  US12/571,122
• Publication Number:
  US 20110073575A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,182 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 219/86.22
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 20/02 by means of a press ; Diffusion bonding B23K20/001, B23K20/04 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/037 by pressing on the workpiece, e.g. pressing roller foot
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/34 Laser welding for purposes other than joining
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 37/00 Auxiliary devices or processes, not specially adapted to a procedure covered by only one of the preceding main groups eye-shields for welders worn on the operator's body or carried in the hand A61F9/00 , i.e. A61F9/02; applicable to metal-working machines other than soldering, welding, or flame-cutting machines B23Q; laser protective screens B23K26/706; protective shields for other welding methods F16P1/06
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 37/08 for flash removal

Abstract

A visually seamless method of joining a first piece of metal and a second piece of metal is described. The first piece of metal is placed in contact with an edge of the second piece of metal. In some embodiments, the edge includes a sacrificial lip. The first piece of metal forming a junction area with the edge of the second piece of metal, applying a forging force to the first piece of metal, the forging force having an effect of creating an extremely tight fit up between the first and the second pieces of metal, welding the first and the second pieces to form an assembly and forming a cosmetically enhancing protective layer on the surface of the assembly, the protective layer obscuring any visible artifacts on the surface of the assembly, the obscured visible artifacts including any discoloration or discontinuity created by the laser welding.

Claims

1. A method of joining a first piece of metal and a second piece of metal comprising:

placing the first piece of metal in contact with the second piece of metal forming a junction area;

applying a forging force to the first piece of metal, the forging force having an effect of creating an extremely tight fit up between the first and the second pieces of metal;

forming an assembly by welding the junction area to form a weld, the weld being essentially invisible to an observer, the assembly including the joined first and second pieces of metal; and

forming a cosmetically enhancing protective layer on the surface of the assembly, the protective layer obscuring any visible artifacts on the surface of the assembly, the obscured visible artifacts including any discoloration or discontinuity created by the welding.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the weld is a laser weld, and wherein the first and the second pieces of metal undergo at least some diffusion bonding due to the applying of the forging force.

3. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the first piece of metal is an aluminum bar and wherein the second piece of metal is an aluminum frame.

4. The method as recited in claim 3, wherein the assembly is a computer housing used to enclose and support a computer/display assembly.

5. The method as recited in claim 4, wherein the forming the protective layer comprises;

cleaning the surface of the computer assembly; and

anodizing the cleaned surface.

6. A computer housing, comprising:

a metal frame; and

a metal bar, the metal bar and the metal frame joined together at an essentially invisible weld joint to form the computer housing, the essentially invisible weld formed by

fixturing the metal frame,

placing the metal bar onto the fixtured metal frame to form a junction region,

applying a forging force onto the metal bar that causes at least a portion of the metal bar in contact with the metal housing to physically deform in relation to the metal frame at the junction region,

forming the computer housing by welding the junction region using the sacrificial lip as the laser target; and

forming a protective layer on the computer housing, the protective layer hiding from view surface defects caused by the laser welding.

7. The computer housing as recited in claim 6, wherein the weld joint is formed by laser welding and wherein the metal housing and the metal bar are aluminum.

8. The computer housing as recited in claim 7, wherein the protective layer is formed by,

cleaning an exposed surface of the assembly at least in the region of the laser welding;

and

anodizing the cleaned surface.

9. A method of laser welding a first and a second piece of metal together in a small enclosed area, comprising:

providing the laser welding apparatus, the laser welding apparatus having at least a protective cover glass;

in the absence of a cross jet flow,

providing an atmosphere of inert gas in the vicinity of a laser target; and

firing the laser at the laser target, wherein the absence of the cross jet flow preserves the inert atmosphere of inert gas in the vicinity of the laser target thereby substantially reducing an amount of laser caused debris from reaching the cover glass, thereby extending a useful life of the cover glass.

10. The method as recited in claim 9, wherein the laser welding apparatus does not include a cross jet flow nozzle.

11. The method as recited in claim 9, wherein the cross jet flow is turned off.

12. The method as recited in claim 9, wherein the inert gas is Argon.

13. Computer readable medium for encoding computer program code executable by a processor, the processor controlling a laser welding operation for joining a first piece of metal and a second piece of metal, the computer readable medium comprising:

computer code for placing the first piece of metal in contact with an edge of the second piece of metal, the sacrificial lip and the first piece of metal forming a junction area;

computer code for applying a forging force to the first piece of metal, the forging force having an effect of creating an extremely tight fit up between the first and the second pieces of metal;

computer code for forming an assembly by laser welding the junction area that includes the sacrificial lip to form a laser weld, the laser weld being essentially invisible to an observer, the assembly including the joined first and second pieces of metal; and

computer code for forming a cosmetically enhancing protective layer on the surface of the assembly, the protective layer obscuring any visible artifacts on the surface of the assembly, the obscured visible artifacts including any discoloration or discontinuity created by the laser welding.

14. The computer readable medium as recited in claim 13, wherein the edge of the metal includes a sacrificial lip, and wherein the first and the second piece of metal undergo at least some diffusion bonding due to the applying of the forging force.

15. The computer readable medium as recited in claim 13, wherein the first piece of metal is an aluminum bar and wherein the second piece of metal is an aluminum frame.

16. The computer readable medium as recited in claim 15, wherein the assembly is a computer housing used to enclose and support a computer/display assembly.

17. The computer readable medium as recited in claim 16, wherein the forming the protective layer comprises;

cleaning the surface of the computer assembly; and

anodizing the cleaned surface.