Electronic devices with component mounting structures

• US 8,369,702 B2
• Filed: 07/13/2010
• Issued: 02/05/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/13/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Sanford, Emery
• Primary Examiner(s): Laballe, Clayton E
• Assistant Examiner(s): Rhodes, Jr., Leon W
• Application Number:
  US12/835,695
• Publication Number:
  US 20120014687A1
• Time in Patent Office: 938 Days
• Field of Search: 396/533, 396/535, 359/829
• US Class Current: 396/535
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/02 Bodies
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/12 with means for supporting objectives, supplementary lenses, filters, masks, or turrets

Abstract

Electronic devices are provided that have components. Outer and inner component mounting members may engage each other with threads. Openings in the outer and inner members may be configured to engage component sidewalls and alignment tools.

Claims

1. An electronic device, comprising:

a housing having a housing wall with an opening;

an electrical component; and

component mounting structures that mount the electrical component at the opening in the housing wall, wherein the component mounting structures comprise an outer member that is located on an outside surface of the housing wall and an inner member that is connected to the outer member and that has portions located on an inside surface of the housing wall, wherein the inner member has an opening with alignment features that mate with the electrical component, wherein the electronic device is an electronic device selected from the group consisting of;

a media player, a cellular telephone, and a computer, and wherein the electrical component comprises a camera module.

2. The electronic device defined in claim 1 wherein the electrical component has a rectangular outline and wherein the alignment features of the inner member have a rectangular inner periphery that mates with the rectangular outline.

3. The electronic device defined in claim 2 wherein the outer member and the inner member have threads and wherein the outer member and the inner member are screwed together.

4. The electronic device defined in claim 3 wherein the outer member has an opening with at least one straight side.

5. The electronic device defined in claim 4 wherein the opening of the outer member has a hexagonal shape.

6. The electronic device defined in claim 2 further comprising a planar member with a hole that is aligned with the component mounting structures so that the camera module receives light through the hole.

7. The electronic device defined in claim 6 wherein the housing wall separates an interior region of the electronic device from an exterior region of the electronic device and wherein the planar member is located within the exterior region.

8. The electronic device defined in claim 1 further comprising a planar member with a hole that is aligned with the component mounting structures.

9. An electronic device, comprising:

a housing having a housing wall with an opening;

a camera module; and

camera module mounting structures that mount the camera module at the opening in the housing wall, wherein the camera module mounting structures comprise an outer member that is located on an outside surface of the housing wall and an inner member that is connected to the outer member and that has portions located on an inside surface of the housing wall and wherein the inner member has a notch that is aligned with a groove in the housing wall.

10. The electronic device defined in claim 9 wherein the inner member has an opening with alignment features that mate with the camera module.

11. The electronic device defined in claim 9 wherein the outer member and the inner member have threads and wherein the outer member and the inner member are screwed together.

12. The electronic device defined in claim 11 wherein the outer member has an opening with at least one straight side.

13. The electronic device defined in claim 11 further comprising a planar member with a hole that is aligned with the component mounting structures so that the camera module receives light through the hole.

14. Apparatus comprising:

a housing structure with an opening;

an electrical component;

component mounting structures that mount the electrical component at the opening in the housing structure, wherein the component mounting structures comprise an outer member that is located on an outside surface of the housing structure and an inner member that is connected to the outer member and that has portions located on an inside surface of the housing structure and wherein the inner member has an opening with alignment features that mate with the electrical component; and

a flex circuit connected to the electrical component, wherein the housing structure has portions that define a recessed groove in the inside surface and wherein the recessed groove receives the flex circuit.

15. The apparatus defined in claim 14 wherein the inner member has portions that extend from the inside surface to the outside surface through the opening in the housing structure.

16. The apparatus defined in claim 15 wherein the opening of the housing structure has a diameter, wherein the inner member has portions that define a retaining flange that prevents the inner member from moving through the opening towards the outside surface, and wherein the retaining flange extends over portions of the inside surface.

17. The apparatus defined in claim 14 wherein the retaining flange has a notch that is aligned with the groove and wherein the flex circuit passes through the notch to the groove.