Housing for portable electronic device with reduced border region

• US 9,513,664 B2
• Filed: 07/16/2015
• Issued: 12/06/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/04/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Werner, Christopher M., Sanford, Emery A., Lynch, Stephen Brian, Dabov, Teodor, Rothkopf, Fletcher R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Phillips, Forrest M
• Application Number:
  US14/801,550
• Publication Number:
  US 20150323962A1
• Time in Patent Office: 509 Days
• Field of Search: 361/810
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 2203/04103 Manufacturing, i.e. details related to manufacturing processes specially suited for touch sensitive devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0266 for a display module assembly
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49002 Electrical device making
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49004 including measuring or testing of device or component part

Abstract

An electronic device having a housing structure that is configured to receive at least one glass cover is disclosed. The glass cover serves to cover a display assembly provided within the electronic device. The glass cover can be secured to the housing structure so as to facilitate providing a narrow border between an active display area and an outer edge of the housing structure. The enclosure for the electronic device can be thin yet be sufficiently strong to be suitable for use in electronic devices, such as portable electronic devices.

Claims

1. A portable electronic device, comprising:

an electronic device housing including a bottom surface and side surfaces;

a glass cover for a top surface for the electronic device housing;

a screen assembly having a top surface and a bottom surface, the top surface being secured to a central region of the bottom surface of the glass cover prior to securing the glass cover to the electronic device housing; and

at least one mounting structure configured to secure to a peripheral region of a bottom surface of the glass cover to the electronic device housing.

2. A portable electronic device as recited in claim 1, wherein the mounting structure is secured to at least one of the side surfaces.

3. A portable electronic device as recited in claim 1, wherein the portable electronic device comprises:

an internal support structure secured within the electronic device housing.

4. A portable electronic device as recited in claim 3,

wherein the internal support structure is adjacent the bottom surface of the screen assembly after the glass cover is secured to the electronic device housing,

wherein between the internal support structure and the bottom surface of the screen assembly is a separation gap, and

wherein the separation gap is about 0.1-1.0 millimeters.

5. A portable electronic device as recited in claim 1, wherein the screen assembly is a touch screen assembly.

6. A portable electronic device as recited in claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the side surfaces is molded in place.

7. A portable electronic device as recited in claim 3,

wherein the internal support structure is secured to the at least one mounting structure, and

wherein the at least one mounting structure is secured to the peripheral region of the bottom surface of the glass cover using an adhesive.

8. A portable electronic device as recited in claim 7, wherein the at least one mounting structure comprises a pair of rails secured at opposite sides of the peripheral region of the bottom surface of the glass cover.

9. A portable electronic device as recited in claim 1, wherein the at least one mounting structure is secured to the electronic device housing and is configured to secure the glass cover and the screen assembly to the electronic device housing.

10. A portable electronic device as recited in claim 1, wherein thickness of the glass cover is about 0.3-1.0 mm.

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

obtaining a glass member having a top surface and a bottom surface, the top surface providing an outer surface for substantially all of a surface of the electronic device;

attaching mounting brackets to a peripheral region of the bottom surface of the glass member;

attaching a top surface of a touch screen assembly to a central region of the bottom surface of the glass member, the glass member, the touch screen assembly and the mounting brackets forming a resulting display assembly; and

thereafter securing the resulting display assembly to a product housing using the mounting brackets.

12. A method as recited in claim 11, wherein the attaching of the mounting brackets comprises:

applying an adhesive to the peripheral region of the bottom surface of the glass member or the mounting brackets; and

pressing the mounting brackets against the adhesive at the peripheral region of the bottom surface of the glass member.

13. A method as recited in claim 11, wherein the attaching of the touch screen assembly comprises:

applying an adhesive to a top surface of the touch screen assembly or the bottom surface of the glass member; and

pressing the touch screen assembly to the bottom surface of the glass member via the adhesive.

14. A method as recited in claim 13, wherein the mounting brackets are metal.

15. A method as recited in claim 14, wherein the thickness of the mounting brackets is about 0.1-0.6 mm thick.

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

obtaining a glass member having a top surface and a bottom surface, the top surface providing an outer surface for substantially all of a surface of the electronic device;

attaching a peripheral structure to a peripheral region of the bottom surface of the glass member;

attaching a screen assembly to a central region of the bottom surface of the glass member, wherein the glass member, the peripheral structure, the screen assembly forming a resulting display assembly; and

thereafter securing the resulting display assembly to a product housing using the peripheral structure.

17. A method as recited in claim 16, wherein the attaching of the peripheral structure comprises:

applying an adhesive to the peripheral region of the bottom surface of the glass member or a portion of the peripheral structure; and

pressing the peripheral structure against the adhesive at the peripheral region of the bottom surface of the glass member.

18. A method as recited in claim 16, wherein the attaching of the screen assembly comprises:

applying an adhesive to a top surface of the screen assembly or the bottom surface of the glass member; and

pressing the screen assembly to the bottom surface of the glass member via the adhesive.

19. A method as recited in claim 18, wherein the peripheral structure is metal.

20. A method as recited in claim 18, wherein the peripheral structure includes or couples to at least one mounting bracket.

21. A method as recited in claim 20,

wherein the thickness of the mounting brackets is about 0.1-0.6 mm thick, and

wherein the mounting brackets and the frame are formed from stainless steel.

22. A portable electronic device, comprising:

an electronic device housing including a bottom surface and side surfaces;

a glass cover for a top surface for the electronic device housing;

at least one peripheral internal support structure secured to a peripheral region of a bottom surface of the glass cover;

a screen assembly having a top surface and a bottom surface, the top surface being secured to a central region of the bottom surface of the glass cover; and

at least one surface support structure secured within the electronic device housing such that the at least one surface support structure is adjacent the bottom surface of the screen assembly.

23. A portable electronic device as recited in claim 22, wherein the at least one peripheral internal support structure and the at least one surface support structure are metal.

24. A portable electronic device as recited in claim 22, wherein the thickness of each of the at least one peripheral internal support structure and the at least one surface support structure is about 0.1-0.6 mm thick.

25. A portable electronic device as recited in claim 22, wherein the screen assembly is a touch screen assembly, and wherein the at least one surface support structure is secured to the at least one peripheral support structure or to at least one of the side surfaces.