Handheld device enclosure

• US 8,576,561 B2
• Filed: 06/04/2010
• Issued: 11/05/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/02/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Myers, Scott, Theobald, Matthew, Heley, Richard, Stagnaro, Adam, Dinh, Richard, Pakula, David, Tan, Tang
• Primary Examiner(s): PAPE, ZACHARY
• Application Number:
  US12/794,529
• Publication Number:
  US 20110188179A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,250 Days
• Field of Search: 36167901-67902, 36167955-67956, 455/575.1, 455/550.1, 455/347, 312/223.1, 379/433.01
• US Class Current: 361/679.56
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1626 with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
• 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: G06F 1/1658 related to the mounting of internal components, e.g. disc drive or any other functional module
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1684 Constructional details or arrangements related to integrated I/O peripherals not covered by groups G06F1/1635 - G06F1/1675
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1698 the I/O peripheral being a sending/receiving arrangement to establish a cordless communication link, e.g. radio or infrared link, integrated cellular phone details of antennas disposed inside a computer H01Q1/2266
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/2258 used with computer equipment
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/241 used in mobile communications, e.g. GSM H01Q1/247, H01Q1/248 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/42 Housings not intimately mechanically associated with radiating elements, e.g. radome
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0249 Details of the mechanical connection between the housing parts or relating to the method of assembly
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/026 Details of the structure or mounting of specific components
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0274 for an electrical connector module
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/02 Details
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/0208 Interlock mechanisms; Means for avoiding unauthorised use or function, e.g. tamperproof
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/0247 Electrical details of casings, e.g. terminals, passages for cables or wiring
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/03 Covers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49002 Electrical device making
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49169 Assembling electrical component directly to terminal or elongated conductor

Abstract

This is directed to an electronic device enclosure. The enclosure includes an outer periphery member forming an outer surface of a device, and to which an internal platform is connected. Electronic device components can be assembled to one or both surfaces of the internal platform. The enclosure can include front and back cover assemblies assembled to the opposite surfaces of the outer periphery member to retain electronic device components. One or both of the cover assemblies can include a window through which display circuitry can provide content to a user of the device.

Claims

1. An electronic device enclosure, comprising:

an outer periphery member defining a ring and having a front surface and a back surface, wherein the outer periphery member comprises a plurality of distinct electrically insulated segments each forming a component of distinct antennas;

an internal platform placed at least in part within the outer periphery member and connected to at least two distinct regions of the outer periphery member, the internal platform offset from the front surface and the back surface;

wherein the internal platform comprises a conductive main plate operative to ground at least one electronic device component;

an insulative connecting element coupled to the conductive main plate;

at least one conductive step connected to the connecting element and one of the plurality of distinct electrically insulated segments of the outer Periphery member;

a front cover assembly placed adjacent to the front surface and covering the internal platform; and

a back cover assembly placed adjacent to the back surface and covering the internal platform.

2. The electronic device enclosure of claim 1, wherein the outer periphery member and internal platform combine to provide stiffness to the device.

3. The electronic device enclosure of claim 1, wherein:

the conductive main plate defines a first plane; and

the at least one step defines a second plane, the second plane offset from the first plane.

4. The electronic device enclosure of claim 1, wherein:

the internal platform separates a first region of the outer periphery member from a second region of the outer periphery member, the first region accessed from the front surface and the second region accessed from the back surface; and

at least one electronic device component is placed in each of the first and second regions.

5. The electronic device enclosure of claim 4, wherein the at least two regions have substantially the same volume.

6. The electronic device enclosure of claim 1, wherein:

the ring substantially defines a rectangle.

7. The electronic device enclosure of claim 1, wherein:

the outer periphery member comprises at least one of;

a port for a connector;

an opening for a removable card; and

a hole for receiving a button.

8. A method for constructing an electronic device, comprising:

connecting an internal platform comprising two opposite surfaces to an outer periphery member defining a loop and having two opposite surfaces, wherein the internal platform is within the two opposite surfaces of the outer periphery member, and wherein the outer periphery member comprises a plurality of distinct electrically insulated segments each forming a component of distinct antennas, and wherein the internal platform comprises a conductive main plate operative to ground at least one electronic device component;

coupling an insulative connecting element to the conductive main plate;

connecting at least one conductive step to the connecting element and one of the plurality of distinct electrically insulated segments of the outer Periphery member;

assembling electrical components to each of the two opposite surfaces of the internal platform; and

coupling cover assemblies to each of the two opposite surfaces of the outer periphery member.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein:

the two opposite surfaces of the internal platform and the two opposite surfaces of the outer periphery member are substantially parallel.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

incorporating a window in one of the cover assemblies.

11. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

connecting the internal platform to at least two distinct regions of the outer periphery member to provide structural stiffness.

12. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

forming several outer periphery member elements; and

constructing the several outer periphery member elements to form the loop.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

forming the outer periphery member elements from a metal; and

constructing the outer periphery member elements using a molding process.

14. An electronic device housing component, comprising:

a first element having a first angled section and including an internal surface and an external surface;

a second element having a second angled section and including an internal surface and an external surface; and

a third element having third and fourth angled sections and including an internal surface and an external surface, wherein;

the first, second and third elements are connected together to form a closed component;

the first, second and third elements are electrically insulated from each other and at least one of the elements forms a component of a distinct antenna;

the internal surfaces of the first, second and third elements form a substantially continuous internal surface for the component when the first, second and third elements are connected together;

the external surfaces of the first, second and third elements form a substantially continuous external surface for the component when the first, second and third elements are connected together;

the component defines an inner volume into which electronic device components can be received;

an internal platform placed at least in part within the inner volume and coupled to at least two distinct regions of the substantially continuous internal surface, wherein the internal platform comprises a conductive main plate operative to ground at least one electronic device component;

an insulative connecting element coupled to the conductive main plate; and

at least one conductive step connected to the connecting element and to one portion of the substantially continuous internal surface.

15. The electronic device housing component of claim 14, further comprising:

a first intermediate element connecting the first element to the second element;

a second intermediate element connecting the second element to the third element; and

a third intermediate element connecting the third element to the first element.

16. The electronic device housing component of claim 14, wherein:

the first, second, third and fourth angles are substantially 90 degree angles.

17. The electronic device housing component of claim 14, wherein:

the substantially continuous internal surface of the component comprises at least one feature for securing an electronic device component.

18. The electronic device housing component of claim 17, wherein:

the at least one feature is operative to receive the internal platform coupled to the component within the inner volume, wherein the internal platform increases the structural integrity of the component.

19. An electronic device enclosure, comprising:

an outer periphery member comprising an external side surface defining an exposed surface of the electronic device enclosure, a front planar surface, a back planar surface, and an internal surface defining an internal surface of the electronic device enclosure, wherein the outer periphery member comprises a plurality of distinct electrically insulated segments each forming a component of distinct antennas;

an internal platform secured to the internal surface, wherein the internal platform is at least partially positioned between the front planar surface and the back planar surface to define, within a volume enclosed by the outer periphery member, a front pocket between the internal platform and the front planar surface, and a back pocket between the internal platform and the back planar surface, wherein the internal platform comprises a conductive main plate operative to wound at least one electronic device component;

an insulative connecting element coupled to the conductive main plate; and

at least one conductive step connected to the connecting element and to one portion of the outer periphery member.

20. The electronic device enclosure of claim 19, wherein:

the conductive main plate comprises at least two opposite edges, wherein the plate is operative to be secured to the outer periphery member on each of the at least two opposite edges, and wherein the plate is positioned between the front planar surface and the back planar surface.

21. The electronic device enclosure of claim 19, wherein:

the front pocket is operative to receive a first set of electronic device components; and

the back pocket is operative to receive a second set of electronic device components.

22. The electronic device enclosure of claim 21, wherein:

the first set of electronic device components is operative to extend between the internal platform and the front planar surface; and

the second set of electronic device components is operative to extend between the internal platform and the back planar surface.