Method of manufacturing a handheld computing device

• US 8,726,488 B2
• Filed: 07/30/2012
• Issued: 05/20/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/02/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Zadesky, Stephen Paul, Lynch, Stephen Brian
• Primary Examiner(s): ARBES, CARL J
• Application Number:
  US13/561,886
• Publication Number:
  US 20120297615A1
• Time in Patent Office: 659 Days
• Field of Search: 295/921, 298/30, 298/32, 361/801
• US Class Current: 29/592.1
• 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 method of manufacturing a handheld device, comprising:

forming an elongated housing extending along a longitudinal axis, wherein the elongated housing has a first open end opposite a second open end, the elongated housing defining an internal lumen receiving at least one electronic operational component of the handheld device, the internal lumen including a lumen locking feature disposed within the internal lumen; and

securing a printed circuit board to the elongated housing by inserting a printed circuit board into the internal lumen such that a locking feature of the printed circuit board engages the lumen locking feature to secure the printed circuit board directly to the elongated housing and to prevent sliding of the printed circuit board when the printed circuit board is in its locking position within the internal lumen.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the printed circuit board is secured directly to the elongated housing without use of a tool.

3. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising positioning another electronic operational component on the printed circuit board prior to securing the printed circuit board to the elongated housing such that the printed circuit board acts as a carrier for the electronic operational component.

4. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the internal lumen includes rails for guiding an operational component to a desired position within the internal lumen.

5. The method as recited in claim 4, wherein the rails define an upper channel and a lower channel inside the internal 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 housing via the rails.

6. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising closing the first and second open ends with a first end cap at the first open end of the elongated housing and a second end cap at the second open end of the elongated housing, the first end cap defining a top wall of the handheld device, the second end cap defining a bottom wall of the handheld device, the end caps cooperating with the elongated housing to form a fully contained housing of the handheld device.

7. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the lumen locking feature comprises a recess in a wall of the internal lumen and the locking feature of the printed circuit board comprises a flexure tab.

8. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein forming the elongated housing comprises extruding.

9. A method of manufacturing a handheld computing device, comprising:

forming an enclosure including an integral housing member that extends along a longitudinal axis and that includes a cavity therein and one or more access openings, 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;

inserting a user interface sub-system into the cavity through an open end of the integral housing member; and

securing the user interface sub-system directly to the integral housing member by engaging a sub-system locking feature on the user interface sub-system with a housing locking feature disposed entirely within the cavity such that the user interface sub-system is prevented from sliding within the cavity when the user interface sub-system is in its locking position inside the cavity and the user interface sub-system is presented through an access opening.

10. The method as recited in claim 9, wherein the user interface sub-system is secured directly to the integral housing member without use of a tool.

11. The method as recited in claim 9, wherein securing the user interface sub-system further comprises sliding the user interface sub-system along 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.

12. The method as recited in claim 9, wherein the integral housing member is formed from a tube having a substantially seamless construction with a substantially uniform cross section along the longitudinal axis of the tube.

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

14. The method as recited in claim 9, wherein the user interface sub-system includes a memory component that stores a collection of music and a processing component that plays the music stored in the memory component.

15. A method of manufacturing a handheld device, comprising:

forming an elongated 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 tube, the elongated tube defining an internal lumen which is sized and dimensioned for slidable receipt of electronic operational components; and

securing a printed circuit board directly to the internal lumen in a locking position within the lumen by sliding the printed circuit board into the internal lumen and engaging a component locking feature of the printed circuit board to a lumen locking feature that is disposed entirely within the internal lumen.

16. The method as recited in claim 15, wherein the printed circuit board is secured directly to the elongated tube without use of a tool and the printed circuit board acts as a carrier for at least one other electronic operational component.

17. The method as recited in claim 15, wherein securing the printed circuit board further comprises sliding the printed circuit board along internal rails within the internal lumen.

18. The method as recited in claim 17, 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.

19. The method as recited in claim 15, wherein the electronic 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.

20. The method as recited in claim 17, wherein the printed circuit board is part of a main control assembly, the elongated tube defines a front wall, side walls and a back wall of the handheld device, the front wall including a first access opening and a second access opening, the rails are a pair of internal protrusions provided on opposed sides of the lumen along the respective side walls of the elongated tube, the internal protrusions being integrally formed with the elongated tube, and wherein securing the printed circuit board comprises inserting the main control assembly into the internal lumen, wherein the main control assembly further comprises a microprocessor and a display connected to the printed circuit board, the main control assembly being inserted in the internal lumen such that an upper surface of the printed circuit board abuts a bottom surface of the rails, the display provided on the upper surface being disposed directly under the first access opening;

and

wherein the method further comprises inserting an input assembly into the internal lumen, the 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 a top surface of the rails, the input device being disposed directly under the second access opening.

21. The method as recited in claim 20, wherein the main control assembly further includes a memory unit and a battery provided on a lower surface of the printed circuit board.

22. The method as recited in claim 20, wherein the handheld device further comprises an audio assembly operatively coupled with the printed circuit board of the main control assembly.

23. The method as recited in claim 20, wherein the input device includes a touch pad and a switching button.

24. The method as recited in claim 20, further comprising:

providing a first end cap at the first open end of the elongated tube; and

providing a second end cap at the second open end of the elongated tube,

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

25. The method as recited in claim 15, wherein the lumen locking feature comprises a recess in an inner wall of the tube and the component locking feature of the printed circuit board comprises a tab.