Shock mounting cover glass in consumer electronic devices

• US 8,896,995 B2
• Filed: 11/06/2012
• Issued: 11/25/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/14/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Shedletsky, Anna-Katrina, Rothkopf, Fletcher R., Mittleman, Adam, Lynch, Stephen Brian
• Primary Examiner(s): DUONG, HUNG V
• Application Number:
  US13/670,289
• Publication Number:
  US 20130063885A1
• Time in Patent Office: 749 Days
• Field of Search: 439/76.1, 439/76.2, 439/441, 439/527, 361/679.21, 361/679.01, 361/679.58, 361/679.27, 361/679.3, 361/679.26, 361/679.29, 361/679.4, 361/679.48, 361/679.09, 361/679.02, 361/679.28, 361/679.11, 361/679.15, 361/679.54, 361/679.46, 361/679.23, 361/679.06, 361/679.08, 361/679.56, 345/87, 345/156, 345/660, 345/173, 345/174, 345/205, 345/207, 345/659, 345/102, 248/688, 248/176.3, 248/124.1, 312/327, 312/326, 312/319, 312/296, 312/223.1, 312/323
• US Class Current: 361/679.21
• CPC Class Codes: F16F 7/1028 the inertia-producing means being a constituent part of the system which is to be damped
• CPC Class Codes: F16F 7/104 the inertia member being resiliently mounted F16F7/1022 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16F 7/108 on plastics springs
• 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 1/1637 Details related to the display arrangement, including those related to the mounting of the display in the housing
• 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 1/181 Enclosures for portable computers G06F1/1613
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2200/1637 Sensing arrangement for detection of housing movement or orientation, e.g. for controlling scrolling or cursor movement on the display of an handheld computer
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0412 Digitisers structurally integrated in a display
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/044 by capacitive means
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/0017 with operator interface units
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/03 Covers
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/06 Hermetically-sealed casings specially adapted for small components H05K5/0095
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49002 Electrical device making

Abstract

Apparatus, systems and methods for shock mounting glass for an electronic device are disclosed. The glass for the electronic device can provide an outer surface for at least a portion of a housing for the electronic device. In one embodiment, the shock mounting can provide a compliant interface between the glass and the electronic device housing. In another embodiment, the shock mounting can provide a mechanically actuated retractable. For example, an outer glass member for an electronic device housing can be referred to as cover glass, which is often provided at a front surface of the electronic device housing.

Claims

1. A consumer electronic device, comprising:

a housing;

a display surface coupled to the housing; and

a sensor operatively coupled to the display surface, the sensor configured to sense movement of the display surface relative to the housing; and

a processor operatively connected to the sensor and configured to accept an output of the sensor as an input to the consumer electronic device.

2. The consumer electronic device of claim 1, wherein the sensor comprises a piezoelectric material arranged between the housing and the display surface.

3. The consumer electronic device of claim 1, wherein the movement of the display surface is in a normal direction to a planar surface of the display surface.

4. The consumer electronic device of claim 1, wherein the display is operative to change a display element shown thereon, in response to the input.

5. The consumer electronic device of claim 4, wherein the electronic device is hand-held.

6. The consumer electronic device of claim 1, further comprising a tunable shock mount coupled between the display surface and the housing.

7. The consumer electronic device of claim 6, wherein the shock mount is arranged so as to provide compression along a direction normal to the planar surface of the display surface.

8. The consumer electronic device of claim 1, further comprising an actuator coupled with the display surface for withdrawing the display surface at least partially into the housing.

9. The consumer electronic device of claim 8, wherein the actuator comprises a solenoid.

10. The consumer electronic device of claim 8, wherein the actuator comprises a piezoelectric material.

11. The consumer electronic device of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the display is visible external to the device.

12. The consumer electronic device of claim 1, wherein the display surface comprises a cover glass.

13. A method for assembling an electronic device, the method comprising:

providing a housing;

attaching a display surface to the housing; and

coupling a sensor operatively to the display surface, the sensor configured to sense movement of the display surface relative to the housing; and

connecting a processor operatively to the sensor, the processor being configured to accept an output of the sensor as an input to the consumer electronic device.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the sensor comprises a piezoelectric material arranged between the housing and the display surface.

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising coupling a display of a user interface within the display surface.

16. The method of claim 13, further comprising coupling a tunable shock mount between the display surface and the housing.

17. The method of claim 16, the step of coupling a tunable shock mount comprising arranging the shock mount so as to provide compression along a direction normal to the planar surface of the display surface.

18. The method of claim 13, further comprising coupling an actuator to the display surface, the actuator operative to withdraw the display surface at least partially into the housing.