Offset control for assemblying an electronic device housing

• US 9,606,579 B2
• Filed: 08/15/2013
• Issued: 03/28/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 02/02/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Pakula, David, Dinh, Richard Hung Minh, Myers, Scott, Tan, Tang Yew
• Primary Examiner(s): Wilson, Adrian S
• Application Number:
  US13/967,636
• Publication Number:
  US 20130328462A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,321 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/3481 Housings or casings incorporating or embedding electric or electronic elements
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 13/001 Miniaturised objectives for electronic devices, e.g. portable telephones, webcams, PDAs, small digital cameras G02B23/243 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 7/02 for lenses supports for magnifying lenses G02B25/002
• 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 1/1658 related to the mounting of internal components, e.g. disc drive or any other functional module
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0202 Portable telephone sets, e.g. cordless phones, mobile phones or bar type handsets constructional features of telephone transmitters or receivers, e.g. of speakers or microphones H04M1/03
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0266 for a display module assembly
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/51 Housings
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/0086 portable, e.g. battery operated apparatus casings for switching devices H01H9/02
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/03 Covers
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/14 Mounting supporting structure in casing or on frame or rack
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/10 Methods of surface bonding and/or assembly therefor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49002 Electrical device making

Abstract

Improved housings for electronic devices are disclosed. An electronic device housing can make use of at least one outer member (e.g., cover) that can be aligned, protected and/or secured with respect to other portions of the housing for the electronic device. In one embodiment, an electronic device housing can have one or more outer members (e.g., exposed major surfaces), such as front or back surfaces, that are formed of glass. Protective sides can be provided in some embodiments to protect the edges of the one or more glass surfaces so as to dissipate impact forces and thus reduce damage to the electronic device housing. The one or more glass surfaces can be part of outer member assemblies that can be secured to other portions of the electronic device housing. According to one aspect, adjoining surfaces of electronic device housings can be mounted or arranged such that adjoining surfaces are flush to a high degree of precision. The electronic device can be portable and in some cases handheld.

Claims

1. An electronic device enclosure, comprising:

an outer periphery member defining a side surface for the electronic device enclosure;

an internal structure secured to an inner surface of the outer periphery member, the internal structure offset from front and back planar boundaries of the outer periphery member; and

a front cover assembly placed and secured to the outer periphery member, thereby providing a front surface for the electronic device enclosure, the front cover assembly including a front cover member and a first protective side member, the first protective side member being provided against and around the sides of the front cover member,

a back cover assembly placed and secured to the outer periphery member, thereby providing a back surface for the electronic device enclosure, the back cover assembly including a back cover member and a second protective side member, the second protective side member being provided against and around the sides of the back cover member,

wherein the front and back cover members comprise glass, and

wherein the first and second protective side members comprise a polymer including glass fibers such that Coefficient of Thermal Expansion (CTE) of the first and second protective side members is closer to CTE of glass.

2. An electronic device enclosure as recited in claim 1, wherein a top edge of the first protective side member is substantially flush with a top surface of the front cover, and

wherein a bottom edge of the second protective side member is substantially flush with a bottom surface of the back cover.

3. An electronic device enclosure as recited in claim 2,

wherein the flushness of the top edge of the outer peripheral boundary is substantially flush with the top surface of the front cover is controlled such that any deviation in flushness is not more than 60 micrometers, and

wherein the flushness of the bottom edge of the outer peripheral boundary is substantially flush with the bottom surface of the back cover is controlled such that any deviation in flushness is not more than 60 micrometers.

4. An electronic device enclosure as recited in claim 1, wherein the internal structure provides structural stiffness for the electronic device enclosure.

5. An electronic device enclosure as recited in claim 4, wherein the internal structure comprises an internal platform.

6. An electronic device enclosure as recited in claim 5, wherein a first plurality of electrical device components are provided in a top region of the internal platform, and a second plurality of electrical device components are provided in a back region of the internal platform.

7. An electronic device enclosure as recited in claim 1, wherein the outer periphery member comprises metal.

8. An electronic device enclosure as recited in claim 1, wherein the internal structure comprises at least one of metal and plastic.

29. An electronic device enclosure as recited in claim 1, wherein the first protective side member is provided against and around the sides of the front cover member prior to the front cover assembly being placed and secured to the outer peripheral boundary.

9. An electronic device enclosure, comprising:

an outer periphery member defining a side surface for the electronic device enclosure;

an internal structure secured to an inner surface of the outer periphery member, the internal structure providing structural support for the electronic device enclosure;

an attachment member;

a front cover assembly placed and secured to the outer periphery member using at least the attachment member, which forms a front surface for the electronic device enclosure, the front cover assembly including a front cover member and a first protective side member, the front cover member having exposed edges, and the first protective side member being provided against and around the exposed edges of the front cover member, and

a back cover assembly placed and secured to provide a back surface for the electronic device enclosure, the back cover assembly including a back cover member and a second protective side member,

wherein the front and back cover members comprise glass, and

wherein the first and second protective side members comprise a polymer including glass fibers such that Coefficient of Thermal Expansion (CTE) of the first and second protective side members is closer to CTE of glass.

10. An electronic device enclosure as recited claim 9, wherein the electronic device housing comprises:

means for securely mounted the front cover assembly to the internal structure or the outer periphery member.

11. An electronic device enclosure as recited in claim 9, wherein the polymer comprises polyarylamide.

12. An electronic device enclosure as recited in claim 9, wherein the first and second protective side members have a Coefficient of Thermal Expansion (CTE) less than or equal to about 50 millimeters/meter/°

C.

13. An electronic device enclosure as recited in claim 9, wherein the thickness of the first and second protective side members are not more than about 1 mm.

14. An electronic device enclosure as recited in claim 9, wherein the front cover assembly further includes a support member and an another attachment member, the support member supports the front cover member, and the another attachment member is integral with or attached to the support member, the support member be integral with or attached to the first protective side member, the another attachment member being used to secure the front cover assembly with respect to the electronic device enclosure.

15. An electronic device enclosure as recited in claim 9, wherein the front cover assembly further includes a support member and the attachment member, the support member supports the front cover member, and the attachment member is integral with or attached to the support member, the support member being integral with or attached to the first protective side member, the attachment member being used to secure the front cover assembly with respect to the first protective side member.

16. An electronic device enclosure as recited in claim 9, wherein the attachment member facilitates attachment of the front cover assembly to the internal structure or the outer periphery member.

17. An electronic device enclosure as recited in claim 9, wherein the internal structure is a midplate.

18. An electronic device enclosure as recited in claim 9, wherein the attachment member extends from the front cover assembly.

19. An electronic device enclosure as recited in claim 9, wherein the attachment member includes a tab.

20. An electronic device enclosure as recited in claim 9,

wherein the attachment member facilitates attachment of the front cover assembly to the internal structure or the outer periphery member, and

wherein the outer peripheral member or the internal structure includes at least one receptacle configured to receive the at least one attachment member.

21. An electronic device enclosure as recited in claim 20, wherein the at least one receptacle being defined at least partially on a first side of the outer peripheral member, the at least one receptacle further being configured to capture the attachment member, and wherein the front cover assembly is interfaced with a second side of the outer peripheral member when the attachment member is captured in the at least one receptacle.

22. An electronic device enclosure as recited in claim 9, wherein the outer periphery member comprises metal.

23. An electronic device enclosure as recited in claim 9,

wherein the front cover assembly includes the attachment member protruding therefrom,

wherein the outer periphery member is part of a housing part, and

wherein the housing part includes at least one receptacle configured to receive the attachment member, the at least one receptacle being defined at least partially on a first side of the housing part, the at least one receptacle further being configured to capture the attachment member, wherein the cover assembly is interfaced with a second side of the housing part when the at least one attachment is captured in the at least one receptacle.

24. An electronic device enclosure as recited in claim 9, wherein the front cover assembly includes a glass member and a frame, the frame being arranged to support the glass member which serves as the front surface for the electronic device enclosure.

25. An electronic device enclosure as recited in claim 24, wherein the attachment member is formed from a metal and is insert molded into the frame.

26. An electronic device enclosure as recited in claim 9, wherein front cover assembly is at least partially formed from a plastic material and the attachment member is formed from a metal, the attachment member being insert molded into the plastic material.

27. An electronic device enclosure as recited in claim 26, wherein a top edge of the first protective side member is substantially flush with a top surface of the front cover.

28. An electronic device enclosure as recited in claim 9, wherein the first protective side member is provided against and around the sides of the front cover member prior to the front cover assembly being placed and secured to the outer peripheral boundary.