Insert molded cowling structures

• US 8,927,881 B2
• Filed: 09/07/2012
• Issued: 01/06/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/07/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Wittenberg, Michael B., Cohen, Sawyer I., Kole, Jared M., Malek, Shayan, Pakula, David A., Shukla, Ashutosh Y.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ngo, Hung V
• Application Number:
  US13/607,440
• Publication Number:
  US 20140071651A1
• Time in Patent Office: 851 Days
• Field of Search: 174/377, 174/382, 174/535, 361/812, 455/575.1
• US Class Current: 174/535
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/243 with built-in antennas

Abstract

Electronic devices may be provided with electronic components and cowling structures that secure the electronic components. A cowling structure may include a metal portion and an insulating portion that has been insert-molded onto the metal portion. The metal portion and the insert-molded insulating portion may each have an opening that receives a screw. The screws may pass through the respective opening and attach to a substrate. The substrate may be a transparent cover layer for a device display. The cowling structure may press the electronic components against the transparent substrate layer. The device may include an antenna. The insert-molded insulating portion may extend from an edge of the metal portion in the direction of the antenna. The insert-molded insulating portion may prevent one of the screws from forming an electrical connection with the metal portion.

Claims

1. An electronic device, comprising:

a substrate;

an electronic component mounted against the substrate; and

a support structure having a metal portion in contact with the electronic component that presses the electronic component against the substrate, wherein the metal portion comprises at least one engagement feature that extends into and is at least partially surrounded by an insert-molded insulating portion and wherein the insert-molded insulating portion extends laterally from the metal portion.

2. The electronic device, comprising:

a substrate;

an electronic component mounted against the substrate;

a support structure having a metal portion that presses the electronic component against the substrate and an insert-molded insulating portion that extends from the metal portion; and

an antenna, wherein the insert-molded insulating portion extends from an edge of the metal portion toward the antenna.

3. The electronic device defined in claim 2, further comprising an attachment member secured to the substrate, wherein the insert-molded insulating portion comprises an opening, and wherein the attachment member includes a portion in the opening in the insert-molded insulating portion.

4. The electronic device defined in claim 3 wherein the attachment member comprises a metal screw and wherein the insert-molded insulating portion prevents the metal screw from forming an electrical contact with the metal portion.

5. The electronic device defined in claim 4, further comprising an additional attachment member secured to the substrate, wherein the metal portion comprises an opening, and wherein the additional attachment member includes a portion in the opening in the metal portion.

6. The electronic device defined in claim 5, further comprising an additional electronic component, wherein the metal portion presses the additional electronic component against the substrate.

7. The electronic device defined in claim 6 wherein the metal portion comprises an additional opening and wherein the additional electronic component includes a portion that is mounted within the additional opening in the metal portion.

8. The electronic device defined in claim 7 wherein the electronic component comprises a camera that receives light through the substrate.

9. The electronic device defined in claim 8 wherein the additional electronic device comprises a speaker that emits sound through an opening in the substrate.

10. The electronic device defined in claim 2 wherein the insert-molded insulating portion is formed in contact with the antenna.

11. The electronic device defined in claim 2 wherein the edge of the metal portion comprises a coined edge and wherein the insert-molded insulating portion has been insert molded against the coined edge.

12. The electronic device defined in claim 2 wherein the metal portion of the support structure comprises protrusions along the edge that support the insert-molded insulating portion.

13. The electronic device defined in claim 12 wherein at least one of the protrusions has an edge that is parallel to the edge of the metal portion and an edge that is formed at an acute angle with respect to the edge of the metal portion.

14. The electronic device defined in claim 12 wherein at least one of the protrusions includes an opening and wherein at least some of the insert-molded insulating portion is formed in the opening in the at least one of the protrusions.

15. The electronic device defined in claim 12 wherein at least one of the protrusions comprises a bent protrusion that curves away from a planar portion of the metal portion into the insert-molded insulating portion.

16. The electronic device defined in claim 15 wherein the protrusions along the edge comprise first and second protrusions, wherein each of the first and second protrusions comprises a first section that extends from the edge in a direction that is perpendicular to a surface of the edge and a second section that extends from the first section in a direction that is parallel to the surface of the edge.

17. An electronic device, comprising:

a substrate;

a first electronic component mounted against the substrate;

a second electronic component mounted against the substrate; and

a support structure having a first metal portion that presses the first electronic component against the substrate, a second metal portion that presses the second electronic component against the substrate, and a plastic portion that is molded to the first metal portion, wherein the first metal portion is interposed between the second metal portion and the plastic portion.

18. The electronic device defined in claim 17, wherein the second metal portion comprises an opening and wherein at least a portion of the second electronic component is mounted in the opening.

19. The electronic device defined in claim 17, wherein the first electronic component comprises a camera and the second electronic component comprises a speaker.

20. The electronic device defined in claim 17, wherein the support structure comprises a bent portion interposed between the first metal portion and the second metal portion.