Enclosure with metal interior surface layer

• US 10,327,348 B2
• Filed: 04/28/2017
• Issued: 06/18/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Wright, James A., Zhang, Guangtao, Kwok, Raymund W. M., Larsson, Karl Ruben F., Graham, Christopher S., Hill, Matthew D., Misra, Abhijeet
• Primary Examiner(s): Thompson, Timothy
• Assistant Examiner(s): McAllister, Michael F
• Application Number:
  US15/581,433
• Publication Number:
  US 20180103557A1
• Time in Patent Office: 781 Days
• Field of Search: 174250
• 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: G06F 1/182 with special features, e.g. for use in industrial environments; grounding or shielding against radio frequency interference [RFI] or electromagnetical interference [EMI]
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/38 formed by a conductive layer on an insulating support patch antennas H01Q9/0407; microstrip dipole antennas H01Q9/065; microstrip slot antennas H01Q13/106; transmission line microstrip antennas H01Q13/206; manufacturing reflecting surfaces using insulating material for supporting the reflecting surface H01Q15/142
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 7/00 Loop antennas with a substantially uniform current distribution around the loop and having a directional radiation pattern in a plane perpendicular to the plane of the loop
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• 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: H05K 5/03 Covers
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/04 Metal casings
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/1427 Housings

Abstract

An enclosure is formed by coupling an outer cover to a back enclosure piece. The enclosure defines an interior volume for receiving components of an electronic device. The back enclosure piece is formed from a metal frame component and a non-metal outer cover. A metal layer overlaps the metal frame component and the outer cover within the interior volume. The metal layer has a thickness that provides support and shatter resistance to the non-metal outer cover. The metal layer can form an inductor of a wireless power transfer circuit.

Claims

1. An electronic device, comprising:

a non-metal layer;

a frame positioned around a perimeter of the non-metal layer and forming at least a portion of an external surface of the electronic device;

a primer layer disposed over an inner surface of the non-metal layer;

an electroless metal layer disposed on the primer layer; and

an electroplated metal layer formed on the electroless metal layer and structurally coupling the non-metal layer to the frame.

2. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein:

the non-metal layer comprises at least one of;

glass;

ceramic;

or

sapphire; and

the primer layer comprises;

a non-conductive polymer; and

a metal material at least partially integrated into the non-conductive polymer.

3. The electronic device of claim 2, wherein:

the metal material is palladium; and

a portion of the metal material interfaces with the electroless metal layer.

4. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the primer layer comprises:

a polymer with a porous region; and

palladium within the porous region.

5. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the inner surface is a prepared surface that includes nanoscale recesses.

6. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein:

the portion is a first portion;

the non-metal layer defines at least a second portion of the external surface of the electronic device; and

the electroplated metal layer defines at least a portion of an interior surface of the electronic device, the interior surface thermally coupled to an internal component of the electronic device.

7. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein:

the portion is a first portion;

the non-metal layer is transparent and defines at least a second portion of the external surface of the electronic device; and

the primer layer comprises a pigment that defines a color of the second portion of the external surface.

8. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein:

the portion is a first portion;

the non-metal layer forms at least a second portion of an enclosure of the electronic device;

and

the electroplated metal layer is ductile and separates the frame and the perimeter of the non-metal layer.

9. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein:

the electroplated metal layer is a first electroplated metal layer;

the primer layer comprises a first region and a second region;

the electroless metal layer is a first electroless metal layer and is disposed on the first region of the primer layer; and

the electronic device further comprises;

an insulator layer disposed on the second region;

a second electroless metal layer formed on the insulator layer; and

a second electroplated metal layer formed on the second electroless metal layer and electrically isolated from the first electroplated metal layer by the insulator layer.

10. The electronic device of claim 9, wherein the second electroplated metal layer forms an inductor of a wireless power transfer system of the electronic device.

11. The electronic device of claim 9, wherein the first electroplated metal layer is thermally coupled to an internal component of the electronic device.

12. An enclosure for an electronic device, comprising:

a first cover defining a first portion of an exterior surface of the electronic device;

a second cover defining a second portion of the exterior surface of the electronic device;

a frame component that couples the first cover to the second cover and defines a third portion of the exterior surface of the electronic device; and

a metal layer formed on an interior surface of the enclosure and structurally coupling the second cover to the frame component.

13. The enclosure of claim 12, wherein:

the metal layer is an electroplated metal that is formed to overlap an inner sidewall of the frame component and a metallized inner surface of the second cover.

14. The enclosure of claim 12, wherein:

the second cover is formed from glass; and

the metal layer is operative to retain fragments of the second cover if the second cover cracks.

15. The enclosure of claim 12, wherein:

the metal layer is a first metal layer; and

the first cover further comprises a second metal layer formed on a metallized edge of the first cover, the second metal layer comprising a ductile material.

16. The enclosure of claim 15, wherein the first cover, the second metal layer, and the frame component define a continuous outer surface of the enclosure.

17. The enclosure of claim 15, wherein:

the metallized edge comprises a layer comprising at least one of electroless nickel or nickel deposited using physical vapor deposition; and

the second metal layer comprises;

a copper layer; and

a passivation layer over the copper layer.

18. An electronic device comprising:

an enclosure piece defining a first portion of an external surface of the electronic device and comprising;

a dielectric substrate;

a polymer layer disposed on the dielectric substrate and comprising an activated region;

an electroless metal layer formed on the activated region; and

an electroplated metal layer formed on the electroless metal layer and defining an electrical circuit trace; and

an electronic circuit within the enclosure piece and electrically coupled to the electrical circuit trace; and

a frame positioned around a perimeter of the enclosure piece and forming a second portion of the external surface of the electronic device, the frame structurally coupled to the enclosure piece by the electroplated metal layer.

19. The electronic device of claim 18, wherein:

the electroless metal layer is a first electroless metal layer; and

the enclosure piece further comprises;

a second electroless metal layer formed over the first electroless metal layer and the electroplated metal layer, wherein the second electroless metal layer comprises electroless nickel configured to inhibit corrosion of at least one of the first electroless metal layer or the electroplated metal layer.

20. The electronic device of claim 18, wherein the electrical circuit trace defines one or more turns of an electromagnetic coil.