Housing for portable electronic device with reduced border region

• US 10,656,674 B2
• Filed: 08/12/2019
• Issued: 05/19/2020
• 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:
  US16/538,696
• Publication Number:
  US 20190361496A1
• Time in Patent Office: 281 Days
• Field of Search: 36167926
• 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;

a touch screen assembly; and

a housing enclosing the touch screen assembly and comprising;

a first glass member positioned over the touch screen assembly and coupled to the touch screen assembly by an adhesive layer, the first glass member formed from a first glass material and defining a front surface of the housing;

a second glass member coupled to the first glass member and formed from a second glass material, the second glass member defining a rear surface of the housing; and

an internal support structure positioned inward of the touch screen assembly and extending across a width of the housing.

2. The portable electronic device of claim 1, wherein:

the internal support structure includes an internal frame that extends across the width of the housing;

the internal support structure includes a bracket that couples the first glass member to an internal sidewall of the housing; and

the internal frame is attached to the bracket.

3. The portable electronic device of claim 2, wherein:

the second glass member defines the internal sidewall coupled to the bracket; and

the second glass member defines a set of four side surfaces of the housing.

4. The portable electronic device of claim 1, wherein:

the housing further comprises a third glass member;

the second glass member is coupled to the first glass member by the third glass member; and

the third glass member defines a set of four side surfaces of the housing.

5. The portable electronic device of claim 1, wherein the internal support structure includes an internal frame that extends along a width of the touch screen assembly.

6. The portable electronic device of claim 5, wherein:

the internal frame is coupled to the first glass member by a bracket;

the adhesive layer is a first adhesive layer; and

the bracket is attached to the first glass member by a second adhesive layer.

7. The portable electronic device of claim 6, wherein the first adhesive layer and the second adhesive layer are defined by a common adhesive layer.

8. The portable electronic device of claim 6, wherein the first glass material and the second glass material are a common glass material.

9. An electronic device comprising;

a display assembly;

electronic components; and

a housing enclosing the display assembly and the electronic components, the housing comprising;

a first glass member positioned over the display assembly and coupled to the display assembly by an adhesive layer, the first glass member defining a front surface of the housing;

a second glass member defining a rear surface of the housing, the first glass member and the second glass member defining an internal volume; and

an internal support structure positioned within the internal volume inward of the display assembly and coupling the electronic components to the housing.

10. The electronic device of claim 9, wherein:

the internal support structure comprises;

one or more brackets attached to an internal sidewall of the housing; and

an internal frame attached to the one or more brackets; and

the electronic components are attached to the internal frame.

11. The electronic device of claim 9, wherein:

the internal support structure includes a metal frame member that extends across a width of the housing.

12. The electronic device of claim 9, wherein:

the housing further comprises a third member that defines a set of side surfaces of the housing; and

the internal support structure is attached to an internal surface of the third member.

13. The electronic device of claim 12, wherein the third member is formed from a glass material.

14. The electronic device of claim 9, wherein the display assembly further comprises a touch sensor.

15. An electronic device comprising:

a display assembly;

a touch sensor; and

a housing enclosing the display assembly and the touch sensor, the housing comprising;

a first glass member positioned over the display assembly and the touch sensor, the first glass member formed from a first glass material and defining a front surface of the housing;

a second glass member defining a rear surface of the housing and formed from a second glass material, the first glass member and the second glass member defining an internal volume; and

an internal support structure positioned within the internal volume and coupled to one or more of the first glass member or the second glass member.

16. The electronic device of claim 15, wherein:

the display assembly defines an active display area;

the first glass member defines a display region corresponding to the active display area; and

the display assembly and the touch sensor are attached to the display region of the first glass member.

17. The electronic device of claim 16, wherein the display assembly and the touch sensor are attached to the first glass member by an adhesive layer.

18. The electronic device of claim 17, wherein the internal support structure is coupled to the first glass member by the adhesive layer.

19. The electronic device of claim 15, wherein the internal support structure couples the display assembly to the housing.

20. The electronic device of claim 19, wherein the internal support structure is a metal frame that is positioned inward of the display assembly.