Portable computer battery indicator

• US 8,125,344 B2
• Filed: 12/19/2008
• Issued: 02/28/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/13/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Hendren, Keith J., Andre, Bartley K, Kerr, Duncan R., Stringer, Christopher, Coster, Daniel J., Ligtenberg, Chris, Brock, John, Wilson, Tom, Mathew, Dinesh, Degner, Brett W., Ponce, Tomas E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bugg, George
• Assistant Examiner(s): NWUGO, OJIAKO K
• Application Number:
  US12/340,635
• Publication Number:
  US 20100090847A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,166 Days
• Field of Search: 340/636.1, 320110-115, 324/426, 324/436
• US Class Current: 340/636.1
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 5/006 applied to portable lighting devices
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1616 with folding flat displays, e.g. laptop computers or notebooks having a clamshell configuration, with body parts pivoting to an open position around an axis parallel to the plane they define in closed position
• 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: G08B 5/36 using visible light sources
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 10/488 Cells or batteries combined with indicating means for external visualization of the condition, e.g. by change of colour or of light density
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2220/30 Batteries in portable systems, e.g. mobile phone, laptop
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/10 Energy storage using batteries

Abstract

A portable computer may include battery indicator light structures. Battery status information in the portable computer may be presented to a user using an array of light-emitting diodes or other light emitters. Light-emitting diodes may be mounted on a printed circuit board. A stiffener may provide the printed circuit board with rigidity. The printed circuit board may include a connector that allows the board to be connected to a main logic board. A switch on the printed circuit board may be actuated by a power button on the portable computer. An opaque member with an array of holes may be used to reduce light bleed between adjacent light-emitting diodes. Diffusing plastic may be mounted within the array of holes. Bumps in the diffusing plastic may mate with corresponding holes on a portable computer housing.

Claims

1. A battery charge status indicator light subassembly, comprising:

a printed circuit board substrate;

an array of battery indicator light-emitting diodes;

a battery indicator light array member adjacent to the array of battery indicator light-emitting diodes, wherein the battery indicator light array member comprises an opaque material having a plurality of holes, each hole in the battery indicator light array member being aligned with a respective one of the battery indicator light-emitting diodes; and

light diffusing plastic located in the holes of the battery indicator light array member, wherein the light diffusing plastic in each hole comprises flared portions on at least one side of that hole.

2. The battery charge status indicator light subassembly defined in claim 1, further comprising:

a connector mounted on the printed circuit board.

3. The battery charge status indicator light subassembly defined in claim 2 further comprising a button mechanism mounted on the printed circuit board.

4. The battery charge status indicator light subassembly defined in claim 1 further comprising a button mechanism mounted on the printed circuit board.

5. The battery charge status indicator light subassembly defined in claim 4 further comprising a elastomeric ring adjacent to the button mechanism.

6. The battery charge status indicator light subassembly defined in claim 1 further comprising a stiffener mounted to the printed circuit board.

7. The battery charge status indicator light subassembly defined in claim 1 further comprising:

a layer of adhesive; and

a stiffener mounted to the printed circuit board with the layer of adhesive.

8. The battery charge status indicator light subassembly defined in claim 7 wherein the stiffener and the printed circuit board have portions defining mating screw holes.

9. The battery charge status indicator light subassembly defined in claim 1 wherein the battery indicator light array member comprises aluminum.

10. The battery charge status indicator light subassembly defined in claim 1 further comprising:

a button mechanism mounted on the printed circuit board.

11. An electronic device, comprising:

a housing having a plurality of battery indicator light holes;

a battery indicator light subassembly that is mounted within the housing and that has an array of battery indicator light-emitting diodes that are selectively illuminated to indicate battery charge status for the electronic device, each light-emitting diode being aligned with a respective one of the plurality of battery indicator light holes; and

a transparent filler within each of the plurality of holes in the housing, wherein the transparent filler comprises epoxy.

12. The electronic device defined in claim 11 wherein the epoxy comprises ultraviolet cured epoxy and wherein the holes are less than 0.4 mm in diameter.

13. The electronic device defined in claim 12 further comprising a power button that reciprocates within the housing, wherein the battery indicator light subassembly comprises a button mechanism and an elastomeric ring adjacent to the power button.

14. A portable computer, comprising:

a lower housing having a plurality of battery indicator light holes;

an upper housing rotatably mounted to the lower housing; and

a battery indicator light subassembly having an array of battery indicator light-emitting diodes that are selectively illuminated to indicate battery charge status for the portable computer, each light-emitting diode being aligned with a respective one of the plurality of battery indicator light holes.

15. The portable computer defined in claim 14 wherein the plurality of battery indicator light holes are each filled with a transparent filler, wherein the battery indicator light subassembly further comprises a button mechanism, and wherein the lower housing comprises regions defining a button hole within which a power button reciprocates to actuate the button mechanism.

16. The portable computer defined in claim 15 wherein the battery indicator light subassembly further comprises:

an opaque member having holes filled with light diffusing plastic, each of the holes in the opaque member being interposed between one of the light-emitting diodes and a respective one of the battery indicator light holes; and

an elastomeric member interposed between the power buttons and the button mechanism.

17. The portable computer defined in claim 14 wherein the lower housing has a top surface, a bottom surface, and four side surfaces and wherein the plurality of battery indicator holes are located in one of the side faces of the lower housing.