Handheld computing device

• US 7,649,744 B2
• Filed: 02/27/2009
• Issued: 01/19/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/02/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Lynch, Stephen Brian, Zadesky, Stephen Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): Reichard; Dean A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Getachew; Abiy
• Application Number:
  US12/395,570
• Publication Number:
  US 20090164035A1
• Time in Patent Office: 326 Days
• Field of Search: 361/728, 361/752, 361/793, 361/794, 174/50.51, 174/50, 174/54
• US Class Current: 361/752
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1635 Details related to the integration of battery packs and other power supplies such as fuel cells or integrated AC adapter
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1684 Constructional details or arrangements related to integrated I/O peripherals not covered by groups G06F1/1635 - G06F1/1675
• 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: H04M 1/026 Details of the structure or mounting of specific components
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0277 for a printed circuit board assembly
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49002 Electrical device making
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49126 Assembling bases
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/4913 Assembling to base an electrical component, e.g., capacitor, etc.
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49169 Assembling electrical component directly to terminal or elongated conductor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49208 by assembling plural parts
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/5313 Means to assemble electrical device

Abstract

A handheld computing device and handheld music player are disclosed. The handheld computing device includes a seamless enclosure formed from an extruded tube. The extruded tube includes open ends and internal rails which serve as a guide for slidably assembling an operational assembly through the open ends of the extruded tube, a reference surface for positioning the operational assembly relative to an access opening in the seamless enclosure, and a support structure for supporting the operational assembly during use. The handheld music player includes an elongated extruded tube extending along a longitudinal axis. The elongated extruded tube has a first open end and a second open end opposite the first open end, and defines an internal lumen which is sized and dimensioned for slidable receipt of operational components of the handheld music player. The lumen includes rails for guiding the operational components to their desired position within the lumen.

Claims

1. A handheld music player, comprising:

an elongated extruded tube extending along a longitudinal axis, and having a first open end and a second open end opposite the first open end, the elongated extruded tube defining an internal lumen which is sized and dimensioned for slidable receipt of operational components of the handheld music player, the lumen including rails and a securing mechanism for guiding the operational components to their desired position within the lumen, wherein the securing mechanism comprises a lumen locking feature configured to engage with a locking feature of an operational component to secure the operational component to the tube when the operational component is in its desired position within the lumen.

2. The handheld music player as recited in claim 1, wherein the rails define an upper channel and a lower channel inside the lumen, the upper channel receiving a first operational component, the lower channel receiving a second operational component, the first and second operational components being located relative to a front wall of the elongated extruded tube via the rails.

3. The handheld music player as recited in claim 1, wherein the operational components include at least a memory component that stores a large collection of music and a processing component that plays the music stored in the memory component.

4. The handheld music player as recited in claim 1, wherein the rails include a pair of rails that are placed in a opposed relationship and protrude from opposite sides of the lumen, the pair of rails being integrally formed with the elongated extruded tube, and wherein the elongated extruded tube defines a front wall, side walls and back wall of the handheld music player, the front wall including a first access opening and a second access opening, the handheld music player further including:

a main control assembly containing a microprocessor, display, memory unit, battery connected to a printed circuit board, wherein the main control assembly is disposed in a space provided by the side walls and back wall of the extruded tube and the bottom surface of the pair of rails, the main control assembly being positioned along the longitudinal axis at a location that places the display directly behind the first access opening, the printed circuit board of the main control assembly abutting the bottom surface of the rails thereby locating the display in the direction of the front wall;

an input assembly containing a touch pad and a button positioned on a frame, wherein the input assembly is disposed in a space provided by the side walls and top wall of the extruded tube and the top surface of the pair of rails, the input assembly being positioned along the longitudinal axis at a location that places it directly behind the second access opening, the bottom surface of the frame abutting the top surface of the rails, the rails locating the touch pad and button in the direction of the front wall; and

a first end cap inserted at the first open end of the elongated extruded tube, and a top end cap inserted at the second open end of the elongated extruded tube, the first end cap defining a top wall of the handheld music player, the second end cap defining a bottom wall of the handheld music player, the end caps cooperating with the elongated extruded tube to form a fully contained housing of the handheld music player.

5. The handheld music player of claim 1, wherein the lumen locking feature comprises a recess in an inner wall of the tube and the locking feature of the operational component comprises a flexure tab.

6. A handheld computing device, comprising:

an enclosure including an integral housing member that extends along a longitudinal axis and that includes an internal cavity therein, the integral housing member defining at least a front wall, side walls and back wall of the enclosure, the front wall having a substantially planar front surface, the planar front surface being configured to present a user interface sub-system of the handheld computing device through one or more access openings, the integral housing member having at least one open end and a pair of internal rails that extend parallel to the longitudinal axis and that protrude inwardly into the cavity from opposing side walls of the integral housing member, the open end being configured to receive the user interface sub-system therethrough during assembly of the handheld computing device, the internal rails being configured to locate the user interface sub-system in its desired position relative to the planar front surface of the enclosure when the user interface sub-system is positioned inside the cavity of the integral housing member of the enclosure of the handheld computing device, wherein the housing member includes a locking feature configured to engage with a locking feature on the user interface sub-system to secure the user interface sub-system to the housing member when the user interface sub-system is in its desired position inside the cavity.

7. The handheld computing device as recited in claim 6, wherein the integral housing member is formed from an extruded tube having a substantially seamless construction with a substantially uniform cross section along a longitudinal axis of the extruded tube.

8. The handheld computing device as recited in claim 6, wherein the user interface sub-system includes an output device assembly and an input device assembly, the output device assembly being presented through a first access opening of the integral housing member, the input device assembly being presented through a second access opening of the integral housing member.

9. The handheld computing device as recited in claim 6, wherein the locking feature of the housing member comprises a recess in an inner wall of the housing member, and the locking feature of the user interface sub-system comprises a flexure tab.

10. The handheld computing device as recited in claim 6, wherein the locking feature of the housing member comprises a snap on an inner wall of the housing member, and the locking feature of the user interface sub-system comprises a snap configured to engage with the snap on the inner wall of the housing member.

11. A handheld music player, comprising:

operational components including at least one user interface element; and

an elongated extruded tube extending along a longitudinal axis and having a substantially uniform cross section along the longitudinal axis, the elongated extruded tube having a first open end, a second open end opposite the first open end, and at least one access opening provided on a wall of the elongated extruded tube, the elongated extruded tube defining an internal lumen which is sized and dimensioned for slidable receipt of the operational components, the lumen including rails extending along the longitudinal axis for guiding the operational components to their desired position within the lumen so as to expose the user interface element through the access opening, wherein the lumen further includes a lumen locking feature configured to engage with a locking feature of an operational component to secure the operational component to the tube when the operational component is in its desired position within the lumen.

12. The handheld music player as recited in claim 11, wherein the rails have the same length as the elongated extruded tube.

13. The handheld music player as recited in claim 11, wherein the rails define an upper channel and a lower channel inside the lumen, the upper channel receiving a first operational component, the lower channel receiving a second operational component, the first and second operational components being positioned at respective predetermined locations with respect to a front wall of the elongated extruded tube.

14. The handheld music player as recited in claim 11, wherein the operational components include:

at least one memory component that stores a collection of music; and

a processing component that plays the music stored in the memory component.

15. The handheld music player as recited in claim 11,

wherein the elongated extruded tube defines a front wall, side walls and back wall of the handheld music player, the front wall including a first access opening and a second access opening,

wherein the rails are a pair of internal protrusions provided in opposed sides of the lumen along the respective side walls of the elongated extruded tube, the internal protrusions being integrally formed with the elongated extruded tube, each rail having a top surface facing an inner side of the front wall and a bottom surface facing an inner side of the back wall;

and wherein the operational components include;

a main control assembly having a printed circuit board, a microprocessor and a display connected to the printed circuit board, the main control assembly being inserted in the lumen such that an upper surface of the printed circuit board abuts the bottom surface of the rails, the display provided on the upper surface being disposed directly under the first access opening; and

an input assembly having an input device and a frame holding the input device, the input assembly being inserted in the lumen such that a lower surface of the frame abuts the top surface of the rails, the input device being disposed directly under the second access opening.

16. The handheld music player as recited in claim 15, wherein the main control assembly further includes a memory unit and a battery provided on a lower surface of the printed circuit board.

17. The handheld music player as recited in claim 15, further comprising:

an audio assembly operatively coupled with the print circuit board of the main control assembly.

18. The handheld music player as recited in claim 15, wherein the input device includes a touch pad and a switching button.

19. The handheld music player as recited in claim 15, further comprising:

a first end cap provided at the first open end of the elongated extruded tube, the first end cap defining a top wall of the handheld music player; and

a top end cap provided at the second open end of the elongated extruded tube, the second end cap defining a bottom wall of the handheld music player,

wherein the first and second end caps cooperates with the elongated extruded tube to form a fully contained housing of the handheld music player.

20. The handheld music player as recited in claim 11, wherein the lumen locking feature comprises a recess in an inner wall of the tube and the locking feature of the operational component comprises a flexure tab.