ELECTRONIC DEVICE WITH A CERAMIC COMPONENT

• US 20080291620A1
• Filed: 05/23/2007
• Published: 11/27/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/23/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: DiFonzo, John, Ligtenberg, Chris
• Granted Patent: US 8,587,955 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 361/679.42
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1613 for portable computers cooling arrangements therefor G06F1/203; constructional details or arrangements for pocket calculators, electronic agendas or books G06F15/0216; constructional details of portable telephone sets: with several bodies H04M1/0202
• 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 1/1662 Details related to the integrated keyboard
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/169 the I/O peripheral being an integrated pointing device, e.g. trackball in the palm rest area, mini-joystick integrated between keyboard keys, touch pads or touch stripes G06F1/1643 takes precedence; constructional details of pointing devices G06F3/033
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1698 the I/O peripheral being a sending/receiving arrangement to establish a cordless communication link, e.g. radio or infrared link, integrated cellular phone details of antennas disposed inside a computer H01Q1/2266

Abstract

An electronic device is disclosed. The electronic device may include a component made of a ceramic material. The electronic device may also include circuitry configured to transmit signals. The signals may pertain to input received through the component.

Claims

1. An electronic device comprising:

a component made of a ceramic material; and

circuitry configured to transmit signals,

wherein the signals pertain to input received through the component.

2. The electronic device of claim 1 wherein the component represents a user interface component, and the input represents user input.

3. The electronic device of claim 1 wherein the component represents at least a portion of at least one of a button, a knob, a wheel, a switch, a slide, a power button, a pick button, an adjustment button, a key cap, a track pad, and an antenna window.

4. The electronic device of claim 1 wherein the component is configured to cover at least a portion of an antenna.

5. The electronic device of claim 1 wherein the component is configured to carry the circuitry.

6. The electronic device of claim 1 wherein the circuitry is printed on the component.

7. The electronic device of claim 1 wherein the circuitry represents at least part of a sensing device.

8. The electronic device of claim 1 wherein the circuitry represents at least part of one or more capacitance sensors.

9. The electronic device of claim 1 wherein at least a surface of the component is anodized.

10. The electronic device of claim 1 wherein at least a surface of the component is colored through anodization.

11. The electronic device of claim 1 wherein the component includes a molded recess structure configured for at least one of accommodating at least a portion of a part inside the electronic device and aligning the component with one or more pails of the electronic device.

12. The electronic device of claim 1 wherein the component includes a molded protrusion structure configured for at least one of activating a switch of the electronic device and aligning the component with one or more pals of the electronic device.

13. The electronic device of claim 1 wherein the component is configured to reinforce a structure of the electronic device.

14. The electronic device of claim 1 wherein the component represents both of a pick button and a track pad, the component carries the circuitry, and the circuitry is at least part of a sensing device.

15. The electronic device of claim 1 wherein the component represents a track pad, at least a portion of the track pad overlapping at least a portion of an enclosure of the electronic device.

16. The electronic device of claim 1 wherein the component is translucent or transparent.

17. The electronic device of claim 1 further comprising an illuminating element configured to produce light, the light being visible to a user of the electronic device through the component.

18. The electronic device of claim 1 wherein the ceramic material includes at least one of zirconia and alumina.

19. A user interface component configured for use in an electronic device, the user interface component comprising a first part that is made of a ceramic material.

20. The user interface component of claim 19, wherein the first part represents at least a portion of at least one of a button, a knob, a wheel, a switch, a slide, a power button, a pick button, an adjustment button, a key cap, and a track pad.

21. The user interface component of claim 19 wherein the first part is configured to carry circuitry.

22. The user interface component of claim 21 wherein the circuitry is printed on the first part.

23. The user interface component of claim 21 wherein the circuitry represents at least part of a sensing device.

24. The user interface component of claim 21 wherein the circuitry represents at least part of one or more capacitance sensors.

25. The user interface component of claim 19 wherein at least a surface of the first part is anodized.

26. The user interface component of claim 19 wherein at least a surface of the first part is colored through anodization.

27. The user interface component of claim 19 wherein the first part includes a molded recess structure configured for at least one of accommodating at least a portion of a part of the electronic device and aligning the user interface component with one or more parts of the electronic device.

28. The user interface component of claim 19 wherein the first pail includes a molded protrusion structure configured for at least one of activating a switch of the electronic device and aligning the user interface component with one or more parts of the electronic device.

29. The user interface component of claim 19 wherein the first part is configured to reinforce a structure of the electronic device.

30. The user interface component of claim 19 representing both of a pick button and a track pad, wherein the first part carries circuitry that is at least part of a sensing device.

31. The user interface component of claim 19 representing a track pad, wherein at least a portion of the first part overlaps at least a portion of an enclosure of the electronic device.

32. The user interface component of claim 19 wherein the first part is translucent or transparent.

33. The user interface component of claim 19 wherein the ceramic material includes at least one of zirconia and alumina.