Small form factor desktop computer

• US 9,132,562 B2
• Filed: 05/03/2013
• Issued: 09/15/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/15/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Goh, Chiew-Siang, Knopf, Eric A., Mariano, Ricardo A., Moak, Joseph B., Theobald, Matthew S., Farahani, Houtan R.
• Primary Examiner(s): HAUGHTON, ANTHONY MICHAEL
• Application Number:
  US13/887,172
• Publication Number:
  US 20130286577A1
• Time in Patent Office: 865 Days
• Field of Search: 361/679.33, 361/679.57, 361/679.58, 361/679.59, 361/679.6
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B23C 2220/36 Production of grooves
• CPC Class Codes: B23C 3/30 Milling straight grooves, e.g. keyways
• CPC Class Codes: B23C 5/08 Disc-type cutters
• CPC Class Codes: B26D 3/14 Forming notches in marginal portion of work by cutting by punching B26F1/12
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/16 Constructional details or arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/181 Enclosures for portable computers G06F1/1613
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/182 with special features, e.g. for use in industrial environments; grounding or shielding against radio frequency interference [RFI] or electromagnetical interference [EMI]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/185 Mounting of expansion boards
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/187 Mounting of fixed and removable disk drives
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/20 Cooling means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/203 for portable computers, e.g. for laptops
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 13/00 Apparatus or processes specially adapted for manufacturing or adjusting assemblages of electric components
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/20336 Heat pipes, e.g. wicks or capillary pumps
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49002 Electrical device making
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49117 Conductor or circuit manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49169 Assembling electrical component directly to terminal or elongated conductor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/04 Processes
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/869 Means to drive or to guide tool
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/9391 Notching tool

Abstract

An aesthetically pleasing small form factor desktop computer is described. The small form factor desktop computer can be formed of a single piece seamless housing that in the described embodiment is machined from a single billet of aluminum. The single piece seamless housing includes an aesthetically pleasing foot support having at least a portion formed of RF transparent material that provides easy user access to selected internal components as well as offers electromagnetic (EM) shielding. This simplicity of design can accrue many advantages to the small form factor desktop computer besides those related to aesthetic look and feel. Fewer components and less time and effort can be required for assembly of the small form factor desktop computer and the absence of seams in the single piece housing can provide good protection against environmental contamination of internal components as well as EM shielding.

Claims

1. A removable support structure configured to cooperate with an enclosure to fully enclose internal components of a computing device, the enclosure comprising an opening defined by an edge, the removable support structure comprising:

a base that is sized and shaped to fit within the opening; and

a locking feature coupled to the base and configured to engage with the edge to lock the base within the opening,

wherein when the base is positioned within the opening so that the internal components are fully enclosed, a first rotational force applied to an external surface of the base causes the locking feature to extend radially from the base and engage with a corresponding portion of the edge and a second rotational force applied to the external surface causes the locking feature to retract radially into the base.

2. The removable support structure of claim 1, wherein during an unlocking procedure, the second rotational force applied to the external surface of the base causes the locking feature to disengage from the corresponding portion of the edge to unlock the removable support structure from the enclosure.

3. The removable support structure of claim 2, wherein the first rotational force is applied in an opposite direction than the second rotational force.

4. The removable support structure of claim 1, wherein the external surface of the base has a gripping feature configured to facilitate the applying of the first rotational force.

5. The removable support structure of claim 4, wherein the gripping feature is a recess within the external surface.

6. The removable support structure of claim 1, wherein the base has a round perimeter and the locking feature is configured to extend from the round perimeter to engage with the corresponding portion of the edge when the first rotational force is applied to base.

7. The removable support structure of claim 1, wherein the locking feature defines a curved slot, and wherein the removable support structure further comprises:

a pin extending into the curved slot of the locking feature, the pin configured to move from a first position to a second position within the curved slot when the first rotational force is applied to the base during a locking procedure, interaction between the pin and the curved slot causing the locking feature to extend radially during a locking procedure.

8. The removable support structure of claim 7, wherein the removable support structure further comprises:

a base ring configured to move separately from the locking feature when the first rotational force is applied to the base, wherein the pin is disposed on the base ring.

9. The removable support structure of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of locking features distributed around a periphery of the base that radially extend and retract from the base during locking and unlocking procedures.

10. The removable support structure of claim 1, wherein the opening is a bottom opening and the removable support structure is configured to support the weight of the computing device.

11. The removable support structure of claim 10, wherein the removable support structure has a thickness such that in a locked position the computing device is elevated a distance above a support surface that the computing device rests upon.

12. The removable support structure of claim 10, wherein the removable support structure comprises an opening to allow air to flow into the enclosure.

13. The removable support structure of claim 1, wherein the base comprises a radio frequency transparent material to allow transmission of radio frequency communication to and from a component positioned within the enclosure.

14. The removable support structure of claim 13, wherein the removable support structure comprises a radio frequency shield to shield a second component positioned within the enclosure.

15. The removable support structure of claim 1, wherein the external surface of the base is comprised of a slip-resistant material to facilitate gripping of the removable support structure during rotation.

16. A housing of a computing device, comprising:

an opening defined by a rim, the opening configured to provide access to at least one component housed within the housing;

a removable support structure, comprising;

a base shaped and sized to fit within the opening, and

a latch coupled with the base and configured to secure the removable support structure to the housing,

wherein during a securing operation, the base is rotated in a first direction causing the latch to radially extend from the base to engage with a corresponding portion of the rim to secure and fully enclose the at least one component within the housing, and wherein during a removal operation the removable support structure is rotated in a second direction causing the latch to radially retract into the base to disengage from the corresponding portion of the rim.

17. The housing of claim 16, wherein the removable support structure comprises a plurality of latches which cooperatively secure the removable support structure to the housing.

18. The housing of claim 16, wherein the latch comprises a wing portion and a tapered portion, the wing portion having a larger width than the tapered portion, wherein the wing portion extends from a perimeter of the removable support structure during the securing procedure.

19. The housing of claim 18, wherein the latch comprises a first end and a second end, the first end having a pivot point at which the latch pivots to extend the second end from the perimeter of the base during the securing procedure.

20. The housing of claim 16, wherein the removable support structure comprises a pin corresponding to the latch, and wherein the latch comprises a curved slot, the pin configured to move from a first position to a second position within the curved slot when the removable foot is rotated in the first direction.

21. The housing of claim 16, wherein the opening is a bottom opening and the removable support structure is configured to support the weight of the computing device.