Electronic device structures joined using shrinking and expanding attachment structures

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10162392-B2
Application number	US-201615162931-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 24, 2016
Priority date	Jun 3, 2014
Publication date	Dec 25, 2018
Grant date	Dec 25, 2018

Abstract

An electronic device has structures that are assembled using attachment structures. The attachment structures change shape to help join the electronic device structures together. Structures that may be joined together can include electronic device housing structures, display structures, internal device components, electrical components, and other portions of an electronic device. The attachment structures can include heat-activated attachment structures, structures that are activated using other types of applied energy, and structures that change shape due the application of chemicals or other treatments.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of assembling an electronic device having a first electronic device structure with a first surface and a second electronic device structure with a second surface, comprising:
placing an expandable attachment structure between the first and second electronic device structures;
applying heat to the expandable attachment structure to expand the expandable attachment structure and move the first electronic device structure relative to the second electronic device structure; and
ceasing the applying the heat when the first surface is aligned with the second surface.

2. The method defined in claim 1 wherein the second surface is formed on a stop structure in the second electronic device structure and wherein applying the heat comprises applying the heat to move the first electronic device structure towards the stop structure so that the first surface contacts the second surface.

3. The method defined in claim 1 wherein the ceasing the applying the heat comprises ceasing the applying the heat when the first surface is flush with the second surface.

4. The method defined in claim 1 wherein placing the expandable attachment structure between the first and second electronic device structures comprises placing foam between the first and second electronic device structures that is attached to the first and second electronic device structures and wherein the applying the heat comprises applying sufficient heat to expand the foam.

5. The method defined in claim 1 wherein placing the expandable attachment structure between the first and second electronic device structures comprises placing a tacky material between the first and second electronic device structures.

6. The method defined in claim 1 wherein applying the heat to the expandable attachment structure causes the expandable attachment structure to become tacky.

7. The method defined in claim 1 , wherein the first electronic device structure has a recess and wherein the second electronic device structure is in the recess.

8. The method defined in claim 1 wherein placing the expandable attachment structure between the first and second electronic device structures comprises placing an adhesive material between the first and second electronic device structures.

9. The method defined in claim 1 wherein placing the expandable attachment structure between the first and second electronic device structures comprises placing a tacky polymer between the first and second electronic device structures.

10. The method defined in claim 1 wherein placing the expandable attachment structure between the first and second electronic device structures comprises placing the expandable attachment structure in direct contact with both the first and second electronic device structures and wherein the applying the heat to the expandable attachment structure to expand the expandable attachment structure and move the first electronic device structure relative to the second electronic device structure comprises applying the heat to the expandable attachment structure to expand the expandable attachment structure and move the first electronic device structure relative to the second electronic device structure while the expandable attachment structure is in direct contact with both the first and second electronic device structures.

11. A method of assembling an electronic device having a first electronic device structure with a first surface and a second electronic device structure with a second surface, comprising:
placing an expandable attachment structure between the first and second electronic device structures;
applying heat to the expandable attachment structure to expand the expandable attachment structure and move the first electronic device structure relative to the second electronic device structure;
with position monitoring equipment, monitoring a position of the first surface and the second surface; and
ceasing the applying the heat when the position monitoring equipment determines that the first surface is aligned with the second surface.

12. The method defined in claim 11 wherein placing the expandable attachment structure between the first and second electronic device structures comprises placing an adhesive material between the first and second electronic device structures.

13. The method defined in claim 11 wherein placing the expandable attachment structure between the first and second electronic device structures comprises placing a tacky polymer between the first and second electronic device structures.

14. The method defined in claim 11 wherein the first electronic device structure has a recess, wherein the second electronic device structure is in the recess, and wherein placing the expandable attachment structure between the first and second electronic device structures comprises placing the expandable attachment structure within the recess.

15. A method of assembling an electronic device having a first electronic device structure with a first surface and a second electronic device structure with a second surface, comprising:
placing an expandable attachment structure between the first and second electronic device structures;
applying heat to the expandable attachment structure to expand the expandable attachment structure and move the first electronic device structure relative to the second electronic device structure; and
ceasing the applying the heat when the first surface is aligned with the second surface, wherein the first electronic device structure has a recess, wherein the second electronic device structure is in the recess, and wherein placing the expandable attachment structure between the first and second electronic device structures comprises placing the expandable attachment structure within the recess.

16. The method defined in claim 15 wherein the second surface is formed on a stop structure in the second electronic device structure and wherein applying the heat comprises applying the heat to move the first electronic device structure towards the stop structure so that the first surface contacts the second surface.

17. The method defined in claim 15 wherein the ceasing the applying the heat comprises ceasing the applying the heat when the first surface is flush with the second surface.

18. The method defined in claim 15 wherein placing the expandable attachment structure between the first and second electronic device structures comprises placing foam between the first and second electronic device structures that is attached to the first and second electronic device structures and wherein the applying the heat comprises applying sufficient heat to expand the foam.

19. The method defined in claim 15 wherein placing the expandable attachment structure between the first and second electronic device structures comprises placing a tacky material between the first and second electronic device structures.

20. The method defined in claim 15 wherein applying the heat to the expandable attachment structure causes the expandable attachment structure to become tacky.

Assignees

• Apple Inc

Inventors

• Bushnell Tyler S
• Sauers Jason C

Classifications

• H05K13/00

  Apparatus or processes specially adapted for manufacturing or adjusting assemblages of electric components · CPC title

• Y10T29/49119

  Brush · CPC title

• G06F1/181 Primary

  Enclosures (for portable computers G06F1/1613) · CPC title

• H01R4/726

  Making a non-soldered electrical connection simultaneously with the heat shrinking · CPC title

• G06F1/1679

  for locking or maintaining the movable parts of the enclosure in a fixed position, e.g. latching mechanism at the edge of the display in a laptop or for the screen protective cover of a PDA (G06F1/1681 takes precedence) · CPC title