Portable electronic device with two-piece housing

• US 9,344,539 B2
• Filed: 06/18/2012
• Issued: 05/17/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/11/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Wang, Erik L., Hobson, Phillip M., Jenks, Kenneth A., Mittleman, Adam D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Haughton, Anthony
• Assistant Examiner(s): WRIGHT, INGRID D
• Application Number:
  US13/525,725
• Publication Number:
  US 20120257341A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,429 Days
• Field of Search: 361/818, 361/816, 361/679.02, 361/679.01, 361/679.58, 361/679.56, 361/679.55, 361/679.26, 361/679.21, 361/679.08, 361/679.09, 4555751-5754, 248917-924
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1626 with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1637 Details related to the display arrangement, including those related to the mounting of the display in the housing
• 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: G06F 1/1658 related to the mounting of internal components, e.g. disc drive or any other functional module
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3888 Arrangements for carrying or protecting transceivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0252 by means of a snap-on mechanism
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/026 Details of the structure or mounting of specific components
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0266 for a display module assembly
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0274 for an electrical connector module
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/0277 for a printed circuit board assembly
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/22 including a touch pad, a touch sensor or a touch detector digitizers for touch screens G06F3/041
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49002 Electrical device making

Abstract

Portable electronic devices are provided. Each device may be formed from two parts. A first part may be provided with components such as a display, a touch screen, a cover glass, and a frame. A second part may be provided with a plastic housing, circuit boards containing electrical components, and a bezel. Engagement members may be connected to the first and second parts. The engagement members may be formed from metal clips with holes and springs with flexible spring prongs that mate with the holes in the clips. The metal clips may be welded to frame struts on the frame and the springs may be welded to the bezel. During assembly, the first part may be rotated into place within the second part. Retention clips attached to the frame may be used to secure the two parts together. Assembly instructions and associated connector numbers may be provided within the devices.

Claims

1. An electronic device comprising:

a first assembly comprising a first end, a second end, and a first member with a first attachment structure having a hole;

a second assembly comprising a first end, a second end, and a second member with a second attachment structure having a protruding portion that extends into the hole to mate with the first attachment structure, wherein the first end of the first assembly engages the first end of the second assembly at an engagement axis, wherein the first assembly rotates into the second assembly about the engagement axis so that the first and second attachment structure holds the first assembly in place within the second assembly; and

at least one fastener that secures the first and second assemblies together, wherein the fastener is located at the second ends of the first and second assemblies.

2. The electronic device defined in claim 1 wherein the at least one fastener comprises a plurality of screws each of which screws into the first assembly through the second assembly.

3. The electronic device defined in claim 1 wherein the first attachment structure comprises a clip and wherein the second attachment structure comprises a flexible prong that protrudes into the hole.

4. The electronic device defined in claim 1 wherein the first assembly comprises a display, a capacitive touch sensor, and a frame that is connected to the display and wherein the first attachment structure is connected to the frame.

5. The electronic device defined in claim 4 wherein the second assembly comprises a housing, a printed circuit board that is carried by the housing, and a member that surrounds the display when the first assembly is inserted into the second assembly.

6. An electronic device, comprising:

a display assembly having first and second opposing ends, wherein the display assembly includes a display unit, a touch sensor, and a display cover layer; and

a housing assembly having first and second opposing ends, a first recess at the first end, and a second recess at the second end, wherein the first recess receives a portion of the first end of the display assembly and wherein the second recess receives an attachment member that passes through the housing assembly and the display assembly to secure the display assembly to the housing assembly.

7. The electronic device defined in claim 6 wherein the touch sensor comprises a capacitive touch sensor.

8. The electronic device defined in claim 7 wherein the touch sensor is attached to the display cover layer using a layer of adhesive.

9. The electronic device defined in claim 6 wherein the display cover layer comprises glass.

10. The electronic device defined in claim 6 wherein the attachment member comprises a screw.

11. The electronic device defined in claim 10 wherein the electronic device has opposing front and rear faces, wherein the housing assembly comprises a side housing portion between the front and rear faces, and wherein the second recess is located in the side housing portion between the front and rear faces of the electronic device.

12. The electronic device defined in claim 11 wherein the side housing portion has opposing inner and outer surfaces, wherein the second recess is formed in the outer surface, and wherein a portion of the screw is located in the second recess such that the screw does not extend beyond the outer surface of the side housing portion.

13. An electronic device having opposing front and rear surfaces, comprising:

a display assembly that includes a display module, a touch sensor, a display cover layer, and an attachment member having an opening, wherein the display cover layer forms at least part of the front surface of the electronic device;

a housing assembly having a rear housing portion that forms at least part of the rear surface of the electronic device and having side housing portions that extend between the opposing front and rear surfaces of the electronic device, wherein the side housing portions define an opening, and wherein the display assembly is mounted within the opening such that the side housing portions at least partially surround the display assembly; and

at least one fastener that extends through one of the side housing portions and that mates with the attachment member in the display assembly to secure the display assembly to the housing assembly.

14. The electronic device defined in claim 13 wherein the touch sensor comprises a capacitive touch sensor.

15. The electronic device defined in claim 14 wherein the display assembly has four sides and wherein the side housing portions are located on all four sides of the display assembly.

16. The electronic device defined in claim 14 wherein the touch sensor is interposed between the display cover layer and the display module.

17. The electronic device defined in claim 16 wherein the touch sensor is adhesively attached to the display cover layer.

18. The electronic device defined in claim 14 wherein the side housing portions and the rear housing portion are formed from the same material.

19. A method for assembling a handheld electronic device having opposing front and rear faces and having sides between the front and rear faces, wherein the handheld electronic device includes a display assembly with opposing first and second ends and a housing with opposing first and second ends, wherein the display assembly forms at least a portion of the front face of the handheld electronic device, and wherein the housing forms at least a portion of the rear face and at least some of the sides of the handheld electronic device;

engaging the first end of the display assembly with the first end of the housing while the display assembly is tilted at an angle with respect to the housing; and

while the first end of the display assembly is engaged with the first end of the housing, rotating the display assembly into the housing to mate the second end of the display assembly with the second end of the housing.

20. The method defined in claim 19 further comprising:

after rotating the display assembly into the housing, inserting at least one screw into the second end of the housing and the second end of the display assembly.

21. The method defined in claim 20 wherein inserting the at least one screw comprises inserting the at least one screw in a direction parallel to the front face of the handheld electronic device such that the display assembly is pulled towards the second end of the housing and the housing is pulled towards the first end of the display.

22. The method defined in claim 20 wherein the housing has opposing inner and outer surfaces at the second end and a recess in the outer surface and wherein inserting the at least one screw comprises inserting the at least one screw into the recess such that the at least one screw does not extend beyond the outer surface of the housing at the second end.

23. The method defined in claim 19 wherein the housing has opposing inner and outer surfaces at the first end and a recess in the inner surface, wherein engaging the first end of the display assembly with the first end of the housing comprises inserting a portion of the display assembly into the recess in the inner surface of the housing at the first end.

24. The method defined in claim 19 wherein the housing has side portions that define an opening and wherein rotating the display assembly into the housing comprises rotating the display assembly into the opening such that the display assembly is at least partially surrounded by the side portions of the housing.

25. The method defined in claim 24 wherein the display assembly comprises a frame having a first set of engagement structures, wherein the side portions of the housing have a second set of engagement structures, and wherein rotating the display assembly into the housing comprises mating the first set of engagement structures with the second set of engagement structures.

26. The method defined in claim 25, wherein the first set of engagement structures comprises clips, wherein the second set of engagement structures comprises springs, and wherein mating the first set of engagement structures with the second set of engagement structures comprises mating the clips with the springs.

27. The method defined in claim 19 wherein the display assembly comprises a display cover layer, wherein the housing has upper edges, and wherein rotating the display assembly into the housing comprises rotating the display assembly into the housing until the upper edges of the housing are flush with the display cover layer.