Unibody contact features on a chassis shell of a mobile device

• US 9,723,114 B2
• Filed: 04/27/2016
• Issued: 08/01/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/2015
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Essential Products, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Essential Products, Inc.
• Inventors: Evans, V, David John, Jiang, Xinrui, Hershenson, Matthew, Tate, Joseph Anthony, Gagne-Keats, Jason Sean, Miao, Xiaoyu, Rubin, Andrew E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bilodeau, David
• Application Number:
  US15/140,444
• Publication Number:
  US 20170126857A1
• Time in Patent Office: 461 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/026 Details of the structure or mounting of specific components
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/236 including keys on side or rear faces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72466 with selection means, e.g. keys, having functions defined by the mode or the status of the device
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/22 including a touch pad, a touch sensor or a touch detector digitizers for touch screens G06F3/041

Abstract

Several embodiments include a mobile device. The mobile device can include a circuit board configured to interconnect one or more electronic components and a chassis shell adapted to form an outer perimeter of the mobile device and to enclose the circuit board. The chassis shell can have an integral unibody that includes a contact feature integral to the chassis shell. A sensor system can be in contact with the chassis shell on an opposite side of the contact feature. The contact feature enables the sensor system to detect touch events when a user interacts with the contact feature.

Claims

1. A mobile phone, comprising:

a circuit board having a processor thereon; and

a chassis shell with a cut line patterned thereon to form a cantilever feature;

a sensor system, coupled to the circuit board, in contact with the cantilever feature, wherein the cantilever feature is over a sensor of the sensor system, wherein the sensor system is an optical sensor system capable of detecting movement of the cantilever feature when an external force bends the cantilever feature;

wherein the sensor system is configured to detect a user interaction event in response to detecting a preset pattern in sensor readings from one or more sensors of the sensor system and to send the user interaction event to the processor, wherein the preset pattern pertains to a movement pattern of the cantilever feature; and

wherein the processor is configured to respond to the user interaction event.

2. A mobile phone, comprising:

a circuit board having a processor thereon; and

a chassis shell with a cut line patterned thereon to form a cantilever feature;

a sensor system, coupled to the circuit board, in contact with the cantilever feature, wherein the cantilever feature is over a sensor of the sensor system, wherein a hinge region of the cantilever feature has a cross section smaller than a partially floating region of the cantilever feature, and wherein the hinge region attaches the partially floating region to rest of the chassis shell aside from the cantilever feature;

wherein the sensor system is configured to detect a user interaction event in response to detecting a preset pattern in sensor readings from one or more sensors of the sensor system and to send the user interaction event to the processor; and

wherein the processor is configured to respond to the user interaction event.