Metal housing with moulded plastic

• US 9,286,024 B2
• Filed: 09/27/2012
• Issued: 03/15/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Z124 LLC (Flexis)
• Original Assignee: Z124 LLC (Flexis)
• Inventors: Becze, Charles, Teltz, Richard
• Primary Examiner(s): Wu, Jerry
• Application Number:
  US13/629,256
• Publication Number:
  US 20130083470A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,265 Days
• Field of Search: 361/679.01
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 11/00673 Supports for light guides
• CPC Class Codes: E05D 3/12 with two parallel pins and one arm
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/606 for electronic devices
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0001 specially adapted for lighting devices or systems lighting or signalling on vehicles using light guides B60Q1/00; lighting devices for vehicle dashboards B60Q3/10; lighting devices for vehicle interior using light guides B60Q3/62; lighting devices mounted on the vehicle rear part using light guides F21S43/235; measuring arrangements having light conducting pointers G01D13/265; illumination of liquid crystal displays G02F1/1336; illuminated signs G09F13/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/16 Constructional details or arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1601 Constructional details related to the housing of computer displays, e.g. of CRT monitors, of flat displays constructional details related to flat displays integrated in a portable computer, e.g. laptop, handheld computer G06F1/1637; constructional details related to television receivers H04N5/64
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1605 Multimedia displays, e.g. with integrated or attached speakers, cameras, microphones
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1616 with folding flat displays, e.g. laptop computers or notebooks having a clamshell configuration, with body parts pivoting to an open position around an axis parallel to the plane they define in closed position
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1618 the display being foldable up to the back of the other housing with a single degree of freedom, e.g. by 360° rotation over the axis defined by the rear edge of the base enclosure
• 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 1/1641 the display being formed by a plurality of foldable display components G06F1/1647 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1643 the display being associated to a digitizer, e.g. laptops that can be used as penpads details related to the relative motion of the display enclosure with respect to the body enclosure, e.g. to move between laptop and tablet PC configuration G06F1/1615
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1647 including at least an additional display G06F1/1692 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1649 the additional display being independently orientable, e.g. for presenting information to a second user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1677 for detecting open or closed state or particular intermediate positions assumed by movable parts of the enclosure, e.g. detection of display lid position with respect to main body in a laptop, detection of opening of the cover of battery compartment
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1681 Details related solely to hinges hinge details related to the transmission of signals or power are classified in G06F1/1683
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1683 for the transmission of signal or power between the different housings, e.g. details of wired or wireless communication, passage of cabling
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1692 the I/O peripheral being a secondary touch screen used as control interface, e.g. virtual buttons or sliders
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/51 Indexing; Data structures therefor; Storage structures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/54 Browsing; Visualisation therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04803 : Split screen, i.e. subdividing the display area or the window area into separate subareas
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/00 : Input arrangements for transferring data to be processed into a form capable of being handled by the computer; Output arrangements for transferring data from processing unit to output unit, e.g. interface arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/01 : Input arrangements or combined input and output arrangements for interaction between user and computer G06F3/16 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 : Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/017 : Gesture based interaction, e.g. based on a set of recognized hand gestures interaction based on gestures traced on a digitiser G06F3/04883
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0346 : with detection of the device orientation or free movement in a 3D space, e.g. 3D mice, 6-DOF [six degrees of freedom] pointers using gyroscopes, accelerometers or tilt-sensors
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/041 : Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0412 : Digitisers structurally integrated in a display
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0416 : Control or interface arrangements specially adapted for digitisers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/044 : by capacitive means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/048 : Interaction techniques based on graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 : based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 : using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 : Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0483 : Interaction with page-structured environments, e.g. book metaphor
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0484 : for the control of specific functions or operations, e.g. selecting or manipulating an object, an image or a displayed text element, setting a parameter value or selecting a range
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 : Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04845 : for image manipulation, e.g. dragging, rotation, expansion or change of colour
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04847 : Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0485 : Scrolling or panning
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0486 : Drag-and-drop
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0487 : using specific features provided by the input device, e.g. functions controlled by the rotation of a mouse with dual sensing arrangements, or of the nature of the input device, e.g. tap gestures based on pressure sensed by a digitiser
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 : using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 : for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04886 : by partitioning the display area of the touch-screen or the surface of the digitising tablet into independently controllable areas, e.g. virtual keyboards or menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04897 : Special input arrangements or commands for improving display capability
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1423 : controlling a plurality of local displays, e.g. CRT and flat panel display
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1438 : using more than one graphics controller
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1446 : display composed of modules, e.g. video walls
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/1454 : involving copying of the display data of a local workstation or window to a remote workstation or window so that an actual copy of the data is displayed simultaneously on two or more displays, e.g. teledisplay
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/167 : Audio in a user interface, e.g. using voice commands for navigating, audio feedback
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/00 : Arrangements for program control, e.g. control units program control for peripheral devices G06F13/10
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/44 : Arrangements for executing specific programs
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 : Execution arrangements for user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G06G 1/00 : Hand manipulated computing devices planimeters G01B5/26
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 3/00 : Geometric image transformations in the plane of the image
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 3/20 : Linear translation of whole images or parts thereof, e.g. panning
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 3/40 : Scaling of whole images or parts thereof, e.g. expanding or contracting
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 1/00 : Control arrangements or circuits, of interest only in connection with cathode-ray tube indicators; General aspects or details, e.g. selection emphasis on particular characters, dashed line or dotted line generation; Preprocessing of datacathode-ray oscilloscopes G01R13/20; radar display arrangements G01S7/04; display of digital non-picture data in television systems H04N7/0255
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2300/023 : Display panel composed of stacked panels
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2330/021 : Power management, e.g. power saving
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2354/00 : Aspects of interface with display user
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/00 : Control arrangements or circuits for visual indicators common to cathode-ray tube indicators and other visual indicators image data processing or generation, in general G06T
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/12 : Synchronisation between the display unit and other units, e.g. other display units, video-disc players
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/14 : Display of multiple viewports
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/34 : for rolling or scrolling
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/373 : for modifying the size of the graphic pattern
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/377 : for mixing or overlaying two or more graphic patterns G09G5/02, G09G5/397 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3833 : Hand-held transceivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0206 : Portable telephones comprising a plurality of mechanically joined movable body parts, e.g. hinged housings
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0214 : Foldable telephones, i.e. with body parts pivoting to an open position around an axis parallel to the plane they define in closed position combined with translation movement H04M1/0235
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0216 : Foldable in one direction, i.e. using a one degree of freedom hinge
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0266 : for a display module assembly
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4316 : for displaying supplemental content in a region of the screen, e.g. an advertisement in a separate window
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 : End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/63 : by using electronic viewfinders
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/631 : Graphical user interfaces [GUI] specially adapted for controlling image capture or setting capture parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/222 : Studio circuitry; Studio devices; Studio equipment cameras or camera modules comprising electronic image sensors, or control thereof H04N23/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/2628 : Alteration of picture size, shape, position or orientation, e.g. zooming, rotation, rolling, perspective, translation
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/02 : Arrangements for optimising operational condition
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 : Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/18 : Selecting a network or a communication service
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 68/00 : User notification, e.g. alerting and paging, for incoming communication, change of service or the like
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 72/563 : of the wireless resources
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 : Terminal devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 : adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 13/00 : Apparatus or processes specially adapted for manufacturing or adjusting assemblages of electric components
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 13/046 : Surface mounting surface mounted components H05K3/341
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/0017 : with operator interface units
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/0226 : Hinges
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/04 : Metal casings
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/02 : Arrangements of circuit components or wiring on supporting structure
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/1452 : Mounting of connectors; Switching; Reinforcing of back panels
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 : Assembling or joining
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/4984 : Retaining clearance for motion between assembled parts

Abstract

A housing for a handheld computing device can include a metallic outer shell having a substantially flat base and a sidewall connected to a periphery of the base, the metallic outer shell having an inner surface and an outer surface and a polymeric portion nanomolded on the inner surface of the metallic outer shell in a predetermined location to provide rigidity to the metallic outer shell.

Claims

1. A housing for a handheld computing device, the device comprising a screen comprising a touch sensitive display, a light source to illuminate at least a portion of the screen, a speaker, a microphone, a camera, a tangible and non-transient computer-readable medium that stores one or more software components, a microprocessor that, based on user input, executes the one or more software components stored in the computer readable medium, a cellular telephony transceiver that transmits and receives voice, multi-media, and data signals over a cellular network, a battery to provide power to the touch sensitive display, speaker, microphone, camera, and microprocessor, the housing comprising:

a metallic outer shell having a substantially flat base and a sidewall connected to a periphery of the base, the metallic outer shell having an inner surface and an outer surface;

a polymeric portion nanomolded on the inner surface of the metallic outer shell in a predetermined location to provide rigidity to the metallic outer shell, wherein the base of the metallic outer shell comprises a top portion, a bottom portion, and a middle portion interposed between the top and bottom portions, wherein the predetermined location comprises the top and bottom portions and at least a portion of the sidewall of the base but not the middle portion, and wherein the battery is positioned in the middle portion and provides rigidity to the housing;

at least one optically transmissive light guide having a concave surface to receive incident light from the light source and direct the incident light to the screen to illuminate the at least a portion of the screen, wherein the concave surface refracts the incident light along an optical axis of the light guide, wherein the at least a portion of the screen illuminated by the light guide is substantially free of pixels to display content, wherein a light emitting surface of the at least one light guide is substantially flat to engage a substantially planar surface of the screen, wherein the concave surface is substantially in an opposing relationship to the light emitting surface, and wherein the concave surface is positioned to receive light directly from the light source; and

a light guide bracket to engage the housing and the at least one light guide, the light guide bracket maintaining a position and orientation of the light guide relative to the light source.

2. The housing of claim 1, wherein the metallic outer shell has a thickness of less than about 0.3 millimeters.

3. The housing of claim 1, wherein the device further comprises a backing plate that engages and provides rigidity to the housing and provides a datum for positioning the battery.

4. The housing of claim 1, wherein the metallic outer shell comprises an inwardly angled beveled edge to assist a user in gripping the handheld computing device and wherein the device further comprises an off-screen gesture region to receive gestures from the user, the off-screen gesture region being located at a distance from the screen.

5. The housing of claim 1, wherein the middle portion is not covered by the polymeric portion.

6. The housing of claim 5, wherein the polymeric portion nanomolded on the sidewall includes a shelf extending inward from the sidewall of the metallic outer shell.

7. The housing of claim 1, wherein the predetermined location is etched with a chemical prior to application of the polymeric portion to provide a strong and resilient bond between the metallic outer shell and the polymeric portion and wherein the polymeric portion comprises polyphenol plastic.

8. The housing of claim 1, wherein the base is substantially rectangular, wherein the middle portion is exposed, and wherein the sidewall has four sides.

9. The housing of claim 8, wherein the sidewall has an elongate opening formed in one side, and wherein the elongate opening is configured to accommodate a hinge.

10. The housing of claim 3, wherein the backing plate comprises an elongate recessed area that receives a flexible circuit extending from a position beneath the battery to a circuit board positioned above the battery, the circuit board comprising one or more of the touch sensitive display, speaker, microphone, camera, tangible and non-transient computer-readable medium, microprocessor, and cellular telephony transceiver.

11. The housing of claim 1, wherein a corrugated stiffener comprising a series of substantially parallel ridges and substantially parallel troughs connects to the polymeric portion of the housing to provide rigidity to the housing.

12. The housing of claim 1, wherein the housing comprises a frame that substantially surrounds and movably engages a dock connector, thereby enabling the dock connector to move within an interior space of the frame to accommodate misalignments of a connector attached to a peripheral device.

13. The housing of claim 1, wherein a flexible electrically conductive member electrically interconnects the battery to a circuit board positioned above the battery, the circuit board comprising one or more of the touch sensitive screen, speaker, microphone, camera, tangible and non-transient computer-readable medium, microprocessor, and cellular telephony transceiver, wherein the flexible electrically conductive member comprises plural first conductive pads to engage conductive pads on the circuit board and plural second conductive pads to engage conductive pads on the battery, and wherein the conductive pads on the battery and the circuit board are positioned on opposing sides of the battery.

14. A housing for a handheld computing device, the device comprising a screen comprising a touch sensitive display, a speaker, a microphone, a camera, a tangible and non-transient computer-readable medium that stores one or more software components, a microprocessor that, based on user input, executes the one or more software components stored in the computer readable medium, a cellular telephony transceiver that transmits and receives voice, multi-media, and data signals over a cellular network, a battery to provide power to the touch sensitive display, speaker, microphone, camera, and microprocessor, the housing comprising:

a metallic outer shell having a substantially flat base and a sidewall connected to a periphery of the base, the metallic outer shell having an inner surface and an outer surface;

a polymeric portion nanomolded on the inner surface of the metallic outer shell in a predetermined location to provide rigidity to the metallic outer shell, wherein the base of the metallic outer shell comprises a top portion, a bottom portion, and a middle portion interposed between the top and bottom portions, wherein the predetermined location comprises the top and bottom portions and at least a portion of the sidewall of the base but not the middle portion, wherein a thickness of the middle portion is less than a thickness of the predetermined location, and wherein the battery is positioned in the middle portion and provides rigidity to the housing; and

a backing plate positioned below a shelf formed on the sidewall, the backing plate providing rigidity to the housing and a datum for positioning the battery, wherein the backing plate comprises an elongate recessed area that receives a flexible circuit extending from a position beneath the battery to a circuit board positioned above the battery.

15. The housing of claim 14, wherein the metallic outer shell has a thickness of less than about 0.3 millimeters, wherein the polymeric portion nanomolded on the sidewall includes a shelf extending inward from the sidewall of the metallic outer shell, wherein the predetermined location is etched with a chemical prior to application of the polymeric portion to provide a strong and resilient bond between the metallic outer shell and the polymeric portion and wherein the polymeric portion comprises polyphenol plastic, and wherein the base is substantially rectangular, wherein the middle portion is exposed, and wherein the sidewall has four sides.

16. The housing of claim 14, wherein the metallic outer shell comprises an inwardly angled beveled edge to assist a user in gripping the handheld computing device and wherein the device further comprises an off-screen gesture region to receive gestures from the user, the off-screen gesture region being located at a distance from the screen.

17. The housing of claim 14, wherein the middle portion is not covered by the polymeric portion.

18. The housing of claim 15, wherein the sidewall has an elongate opening formed in one side, and wherein the elongate opening is configured to accommodate a hinge.

19. The housing of claim 14, wherein the backing plate comprises an elongate recessed area that receives a flexible circuit extending from a position beneath the battery to a circuit board positioned above the battery, the circuit board comprising one or more of the touch sensitive display, speaker, microphone, camera, tangible and non-transient computer-readable medium, microprocessor, and cellular telephony transceiver.

20. The housing of claim 14, wherein a corrugated stiffener comprising a series of substantially parallel ridges and substantially parallel troughs connects to the polymeric portion of the housing to provide rigidity to the housing.

21. The housing of claim 14, wherein the housing comprises a frame that substantially surrounds and movably engages a dock connector, thereby enabling the dock connector to move within an interior space of the frame to accommodate misalignments of a connector attached to a peripheral device.

22. The housing of claim 14, wherein a flexible electrically conductive member electrically interconnects the battery to a circuit board positioned above the battery, the circuit board comprising one or more of the touch sensitive screen, speaker, microphone, camera, tangible and non-transient computer-readable medium, microprocessor, and cellular telephony transceiver, wherein the flexible electrically conductive member comprises plural first conductive pads to engage conductive pads on the circuit board and plural second conductive pads to engage conductive pads on the battery, and wherein the conductive pads on the battery and the circuit board are positioned on opposing sides of the battery.

23. The housing of claim 14, wherein the device comprises a light source to illuminate at least a portion of the screen and wherein the housing comprises (a) at least one optically transmissive light guide having a concave surface to receive incident light from the light source and direct the incident light to the screen to illuminate the at least a portion of the screen, wherein the concave surface refracts the incident light along an optical axis of the light guide, wherein the at least a portion of the screen illuminated by the light guide is substantially free of pixels to display content, wherein a light emitting surface of the at least one light guide is substantially flat to engage a substantially planar surface of the screen, wherein the concave surface is substantially in an opposing relationship to the light emitting surface, and wherein the concave surface is positioned to receive light directly from the light source, and (b) a light guide bracket to engage the housing and the at least one light guide, the light guide bracket maintaining a position and orientation of the light guide relative to the light source.

24. A housing for a handheld computing device, the device comprising a screen comprising a touch sensitive display, a speaker, a microphone, a camera, a tangible and non-transient computer-readable medium that stores one or more software components, a microprocessor that, based on user input, executes the one or more software components stored in the computer readable medium, a cellular telephony transceiver that transmits and receives voice, multi-media, and data signals over a cellular network, a battery to provide power to the touch sensitive display, speaker, microphone, camera, and microprocessor, the housing comprising:

a metallic outer shell having a substantially flat base and a sidewall connected to a periphery of the base, the metallic outer shell having an inner surface and an outer surface;

a polymeric portion nanomolded on the inner surface of the metallic outer shell in a predetermined location to provide rigidity to the metallic outer shell, wherein the base of the metallic outer shell comprises a top portion, a bottom portion, and a middle portion interposed between the top and bottom portions, wherein the predetermined location comprises the top and bottom portions and at least a portion of the sidewall of the base but not the middle portion, wherein a thickness of the middle portion is less than a thickness of the predetermined location, wherein the metallic outer shell has a thickness of less than about 0.3 millimeters, wherein the middle portion is not covered by the polymeric portion, and wherein the battery is positioned in the middle portion and provides rigidity to the housing; and

a backing plate positioned below a shelf formed on the sidewall, wherein the backing plate provides rigidity to the housing and a datum for positioning the battery and wherein the backing plate comprises an elongate recessed area that receives a flexible circuit extending from a position beneath the battery to a circuit board positioned above the battery.