Multi-part electronic device housing having contiguous filled surface

• US 9,907,191 B2
• Filed: 09/29/2016
• Issued: 02/27/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Shi, Ming Kun, Corbet, Lindsay D., Bruni, Christopher, Chan, Collin D.
• Primary Examiner(s): LEA EDMONDS, LISA S
• Application Number:
  US15/280,465
• Publication Number:
  US 20170094811A1
• Time in Patent Office: 516 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/22 by structural association with other equipment or articles
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/42 Housings not intimately mechanically associated with radiating elements, e.g. radome
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/0004 comprising several parts forming a closed casing
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/0217 Mechanical details of casings covers, lids, hoods or members for covering apertures H05K5/03
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/062 sealed by a material injected between a non-removable cover and a body, e.g. hardening in situ

Abstract

A housing for an electronic device that allows electromagnetic waves to pass through the housing is disclosed. The housing may include a first portion having an opening, a second portion positioned within the opening, and an insert including a protrusion extending into at least a portion of a gap formed between the first portion and the second portion. The housing also may include a first ink layer disposed within the gap and substantially surrounding the protrusion, and a second ink layer disposed within the gap and over the first ink. The first portion, second ink layer, and second portion may cooperate to form a substantially contiguous surface, and the second ink layer may be positioned approximately 5 microns (μm) or less below an exposed surface of the first portion and an exposed surface of the second portion.

Claims

1. A housing for an electronic device comprising:

a first portion comprising an opening;

a second portion positioned within the opening;

a protrusion extending into a gap formed between the first portion and the second portion;

a first ink layer disposed within the gap and substantially surrounding the protrusion; and

a second ink layer disposed within the gap and over the first ink layer;

wherein

the first portion, the second ink layer, and the second portion cooperate to form a substantially contiguous surface; and

the second ink layer is positioned approximately 5 microns (μ

m) or less below an exposed surface of the first portion and an exposed surface of the second portion.

2. The housing of claim 1, wherein the protrusion is positioned approximately 50 μ

m to 200 μ

m below the exposed surface of the first portion and the exposed surface of the second portion.

3. The housing of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first ink layer, the second ink layer or an insert substantially seals the gap formed between the first portion and the second portion.

4. The housing of claim 1, wherein the gap formed between the first portion and the second portion is sized to allow electromagnetic waves to pass between the first portion and the second portion.

5. The housing of claim 1, wherein:

a transition between the first portion and the second ink layer is tactilely imperceptible; and

a transition between the second portion and the second ink layer is tactilely imperceptible.

6. The housing of claim 1, wherein the second ink layer is disposed on the first ink layer.

7. A method of forming a housing for an electronic device, comprising:

coupling an insert to a first portion and a second portion of the housing, a protrusion of the insert extending within a gap between the first portion and second portion;

disposing a first ink layer within the gap;

curing the first ink layer;

disposing a second ink layer within the gap and over the first ink layer, an exposed surface of the first portion, and an exposed surface of the second portion;

removing at least part of the second ink layer; and

curing the second ink layer;

wherein

a top surface of the second ink layer is within 10 microns of a top surface of the second portion of the housing.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising removing part of the second ink layer disposed over the exposed surface of the first portion of the housing or the exposed surface of the second portion of the housing.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein removing the part of the second ink layer comprises scraping at least the part of the second ink layer from the exposed surface of the first portion and the exposed surface of the second portion using an ink removal tool.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein coupling the insert to the first portion and the second portion of the housing comprises adhering the insert to an interior surface of the first portion and an interior surface of the second portion.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein disposing the first ink layer within the gap comprises substantially covering the protrusion with the first ink layer.

12. The method of claim 7, wherein curing the first ink layer comprises bonding the first ink layer to the insert.

13. The method of claim 7, wherein curing the first ink layer comprises shrinking the first ink layer.

14. The method of claim 7, wherein curing the second ink layer comprises:

bonding the second ink layer to the first ink layer; and

substantially preventing a strong bond from forming between the second ink layer and at least one of the exposed surface of the first portion of the housing and the exposed surface of the second portion of the housing.

15. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

bonding the second ink layer to the first ink layer; and

locally curing only portions of the first and second ink layers located inside the gap.

16. The method of claim 7, wherein curing the second ink layer comprises shrinking the second ink layer.

17. An electronic device comprising:

a housing comprising;

a body including an opening formed in an end of the housing; and

an antenna window positioned within the opening of the body, the antenna window separated from the body via a gap;

a plastic insert coupled to the housing and the antenna window, the plastic insert comprising a protrusion extending into a portion of the gap between the housing and the antenna window; and

at least one ink layer disposed within the gap, the at least one ink layer exposed between the housing and the antenna window.

18. The electronic device of claim 17, wherein:

the at least one ink layer is formed from a substantially clear and transparent ink; and

the desired color of the plastic insert is visible between the body and the antenna window through the substantially clear and transparent ink.

19. The electronic device of claim 17, wherein a first ink layer is formed from a colored ink.

20. The electronic device of claim 19, wherein a second ink layer is formed from a clear ink, the clear ink allowing the colored ink of the first ink layer to be visible between the body and the antenna window.