Height reduction in portable devices

• US 9,019,720 B1
• Filed: 11/12/2012
• Issued: 04/28/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/09/2010
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc. (Amazon.com, Inc.)
• Inventors: Buuck, David C., Li, Chris T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bui, Hung S
• Application Number:
  US13/674,744
• Time in Patent Office: 897 Days
• Field of Search: 361/814, 361728-730
• US Class Current: 361/809
• 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: H04R 1/028 associated with devices performing functions other than acoustics, e.g. electric candles
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/005 arrangements of circuit components without supporting structure
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/06 on insulating boards , e.g. wiring harnesses for printed circuits H05K1/18, H05K3/30

Abstract

Components within a portable device are arranged around a perimeter of a display component to reduce the height of the portable device. Components such as a battery, a main logic board, a wireless networking interface, and so forth may be distributed around a display component such as an electrophoretic display. Distribution of components around the perimeter of the display component rather than behind the display component reduces the height. Furthermore, the placement of components in the perimeter provides a structure for a user to grip the portable device or for placement of user actuable controls.

Claims

1. A portable electronic book (eBook) reader device comprising:

a display component having a perimeter; and

a plurality of active components consuming or storing electrical power, wherein each active component of the portable eBook reader device other than the display component is arranged around at least a portion of the perimeter of the display component and substantially coplanar with the display component.

2. The portable eBook reader device of claim 1, wherein the perimeter of the display component comprises a plurality of edges within a plane defined by a length and a width of the display component.

3. The portable eBook reader device of claim 1, wherein the perimeter of the display component comprises at least four edges, the eBook reader device further comprising a plurality of batteries to provide operational power, such that a first battery is disposed along a first edge of the perimeter of the display component and a second battery is disposed along a second edge.

4. The portable eBook reader device of claim 1, wherein the perimeter of the display component comprises at least four edges, and wherein the plurality of active components are disposed in the following arrangement:

a wireless module resides adjacent to one of the four edges of the perimeter of the display component;

a battery resides adjacent to one of the four edges of the perimeter of the display component; and

a main logic board resides adjacent to one of the four edges of the perimeter of the display component.

5. The portable eBook reader device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of active components comprises:

a main logic board;

a wireless module; and

a battery.

6. The portable eBook reader device of claim 1, wherein the display component comprises an electrophoretic display.

7. The portable eBook reader device of claim 1, wherein the display component resides between two or more components.

8. The portable eBook reader device of claim 1, further comprising an interconnect to couple the display component with at least one of the plurality of active components.

9. The portable eBook reader device of claim 8, wherein the interconnect is integral to at least the display component or one of the plurality of active components.

10. The portable eBook reader device of claim 1, wherein the display component includes at least one of the following:

a reflective display screen;

an emissive display screen; and

a touch input component.

11. A device comprising:

a display component defining a plane and having a perimeter, wherein a thickness of the device in a direction perpendicular to the plane is based on a thickness of the display component in the direction perpendicular to the plane;

a circuit board coupled to the display component and disposed approximately within the plane of the display component and along at least a first portion of the perimeter of the display component; and

one or more batteries coupled to the circuit board and disposed approximately within the plane of the display component and along at least a second portion of the perimeter of the display component.

12. The device of claim 11, wherein the plane of the display component is defined by a length and a width of the display component.

13. The device of claim 11, wherein each component of the device that consumes or stores electrical power, other than the display component, is arranged around at least a portion of the perimeter of the display component and not disposed behind the display component.

14. The device of claim 11, wherein the display component is substantially polygonal.

15. The device of claim 11, further comprising a speaker component disposed along at least a third portion of the perimeter of the display component.

16. The device of claim 11, further comprising a wireless module disposed along at least a third portion of the perimeter of the display component.

17. The device of claim 11, wherein the device embodies a portable electronic book (eBook) reader device.

18. The device of claim 11, wherein the display component comprises an electrophoretic display.

19. The device of claim 11, wherein the circuit board comprises at least one of:

a processor;

an image processing unit;

or

an external memory interface.

20. The device of claim 11, wherein the circuit board comprises a wireless modem to establish a wireless wide area networking connection.

21. The device of claim 11, wherein the circuit board couples to at least one of the display component, or the one or more batteries via one or more interconnects.

22. The device of claim 21, wherein the one or more interconnects comprise at least one of:

an electrical conductor;

an optical path;

an electromagnetic waveguide;

a fluidic channel;

or

a mechanical joint.

23. The device of claim 11, wherein the display component includes at least one of the following:

a reflective display screen;

an emissive display screen; and

a touch input component.