Portable computing system

• US 9,411,380 B2
• Filed: 03/09/2015
• Issued: 08/09/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/26/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Robinson, Kevin M., Farahani, Houtan R., Leong, Craig C., Blum, Matthew W., Gao, Zheng, Hendren, Keith J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Haughton, Anthony
• Application Number:
  US14/642,677
• Publication Number:
  US 20150338883A1
• Time in Patent Office: 519 Days
• Field of Search: 36167908-67917, 361/679.2, 361/679.23
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/16 Constructional details or arrangements
• 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 1/1637 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 1/1662 Details related to the integrated keyboard
• 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 1/1688 the I/O peripheral being integrated loudspeakers
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/169 the I/O peripheral being an integrated pointing device, e.g. trackball in the palm rest area, mini-joystick integrated between keyboard keys, touch pads or touch stripes G06F1/1643 takes precedence; constructional details of pointing devices G06F3/033
• 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: G06F 2203/04105 Pressure sensors for measuring the pressure or force exerted on the touch surface without providing the touch position
• 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 3/02 Input arrangements using manually operated switches, e.g. using keyboards or dials
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0202 Constructional details or processes of manufacture of the input device
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0227 Cooperation and interconnection of the input arrangement with other functional units of a computer G06F3/023 - G06F3/037 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/03547 Touch pads, in which fingers can move on a surface
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/04 Metal casings

Abstract

A portable electronic device having several features is disclosed. The device can include a retention member that retains flexible circuits extending from a top portion to a bottom portion of the device, thereby allowing some components to be moved from a top portion of the device to a bottom portion. The device may include a cover plate can be secured with a display in the top portion to cover the retention member and other internal components. The device can include an omni-directional port designed to receive a connector different orientations and provide power to the device. The device can include a flexible keyboard having butterfly keycaps. The device can include an array of openings for an audio driver, with some of the array including through holes and blind holes. The device can also include a touch pad having a force feedback sensor and a haptic device.

Claims

1. A portable computing system, comprising:

a lid portion, comprising a display assembly;

a top case pivotally coupled with the lid portion and comprising;

sidewalls that enclose and define a cavity and edges of the sidewalls that define a keyboard opening leading into the cavity, and

a data port comprising;

a receptacle region defined entirely by one of the sidewalls and having a size and shape configured to receive an electrical connector arranged to pass power and data to and from the portable computing system,

a through hole defined by the sidewall and connecting the cavity to the receptacle region, and

a printed circuit board (PCB) disposed within the cavity and comprising an edge connector protruding from one side of the PCB, the edge connector extending into the receptacle region by way of the through hole;

a keyboard assembly disposed at least partially within the cavity, the keyboard assembly having a lateral dimension greater than a lateral dimension of the keyboard opening; and

a touch-sensitive user interface assembly comprising an actuator that provides vibratory feedback at the touch-sensitive user interface assembly, and a force sensor arranged to detect an amount of force applied to the touch-sensitive user interface assembly.

2. The portable computing system of claim 1, wherein the keyboard assembly comprises a key mechanism, comprising:

a keycap that includes a transparent material;

a hinge coupled with the keycap via a first keycap assembly pin and a second keycap assembly pin, the hinge including a first wing that pivots about a first pivot pin, the hinge further including and a second wing that pivots about a second pivot pin; and

a light guide panel disposed below the keycap, the light guide panel directing light from a light source to the transparent material of the keycap.

3. The portable computing system of claim 2, wherein the key mechanism further comprises:

a switch housing disposed under the keycap, the switch housing having a recess, wherein the light source is disposed within the recess.

4. The portable computing system of claim 1, further comprising a flexible connector electrically coupled with the data port, the flexible connector further electrically coupled with:

a first integrated circuit coupled with the top case, and

a second integrated circuit coupled with a bottom case, wherein the flexible connector allows the bottom case to rotate with respect to the top case during an assembly operation.

5. The portable computing system of claim 1, further comprising:

a flexible circuit, comprising a polymeric film with a plurality of electrical traces printed thereon that electrically couples the display assembly to display circuitry coupled with the top case.

6. The portable computing system of claim 5, further comprising:

a chin cover coupled with the lid portion proximate a region of the lid portion pivotally coupled with the top case and covering a portion of the flexible circuit extending from the display assembly.

7. The portable computing system of claim 6, wherein the chin cover comprises:

a substrate;

a first layer disposed on the substrate, the first layer having a void region;

a second layer disposed on the void region; and

a third layer disposed on the first layer and the second layer, wherein the chin cover allows transmission of electromagnetic waves to and from internal components covered by the chin cover.

8. A portable computing system, comprising:

a lid portion comprising a display assembly; and

a base portion pivotally coupled with the lid portion, the base portion comprising;

a top case defining a speaker grill comprising a number of speaker holes that include a combination of blind holes extending partially through a wall of the top case and through holes extending entirely through the wall of the top case, the through holes being positioned proximate speakers disposed within an interior volume defined by the base portion, and

a bottom case coupled with the top case to define the interior volume, the bottom case comprising;

an interior facing surface comprising a first terraced region having a first thickness and a second terraced region having a second thickness, the second thickness being greater than the first thickness,

an exterior facing cosmetic surface defining a number of recesses, and

a device foot disposed within each of the recesses defined by the exterior facing cosmetic surface.

9. The portable computing system of claim 8, further comprising:

a keyboard assembly comprising a keycap;

a switch housing coupled with the keycap, the switch housing having a recess and a light source within the recess; and

a light guide panel positioned between the keycap and the switch housing, wherein the light guide panel directs light from the light source to the keycap.

10. The portable computing system of claim 8, the base portion further comprising:

a sensor;

a first metallic structure surrounding the sensor; and

a second metallic structure, wherein the first metallic structure and the second metallic structure combine to form a magnetic shield for the sensor.

11. The portable computing system of claim 10, wherein the lid portion further comprises a magnet, wherein the sensor is a magnetic sensor, and wherein the magnetic shield allows the magnetic sensor to detect the magnet when the lid portion is proximate to the base portion.

12. The portable computing system of claim 8, further comprising a data port that i) provides transmission of i) data from an external source to an internal component disposed in the base portion, and ii) electrical power to a battery disposed in the base portion.

13. The portable computing system of claim 8, further comprising a flexible circuit assembly extending from the base portion to a lid portion pivotally coupled with the base portion.

14. The portable computing system of claim 13, further comprising a retention member secured with the flexible circuit assembly in the lid portion, the retention member comprising a first hook feature and a second hook feature, the first hook feature and the second hook feature securing the retention member with the lid portion.

15. A portable computing system, comprising:

a base portion, comprising;

a keyboard assembly disposed within the base portion and comprising a number of keycaps extending through corresponding openings defined by a top wall of the base portion, each of the keycaps being supported by a low travel support structure and associated with a discrete LED;

a sidewall defining an opening through which a connector of a printed circuit board extends, the connector being configured to receive electrical power and transmit and receive high-speed data transmissions when a plug is engaged within the opening and electrically coupled with the connector; and

a lid portion pivotally coupled with the base portion, the lid portion comprising;

a display, and

a retention member securing one end of a flexible circuit extending between the lid portion and the base portion.

16. The portable computing system of claim 15, wherein the base portion comprises a top case coupled with a bottom case, the bottom case comprising:

a first terraced region defined by a first elevation; and

a second terraced region defined by a second elevation different from the first elevation, wherein the first terraced region and the second terraced region receive one or more internal components.

17. The portable computing system of claim 16, wherein the top case comprises the top wall, and wherein the keyboard assembly is secured to an interior-facing surface of the top wall.

18. The portable computing system of claim 15, wherein the keyboard assembly comprises:

a flexible circuit board having a first dimension, wherein the flexible circuit board is deformed to reduce the first dimension of the flexible circuit board from the first dimension to a second dimension less than the first dimension to insert the keyboard assembly through a keyboard opening defined by the base portion, the keyboard opening having a third dimension less than the first dimension and greater than the second dimension.

19. The portable computing system of claim 18, wherein the low travel support structure of each of the keycaps gives the keycaps a travel of between 0.5 mm and 0.75 mm.

20. The portable computing system of claim 19, wherein the low travel support structure comprises:

a first wing coupled with a first pin;

a second wing coupled with a second pin; and

a switch between the first wing and the second wing, in a depressed position of the low travel support structure;

the switch is actuated,

the first wing rotates about the first pin, and

the second wing rotates about the second pin.