Beam bar snap in an electronic device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10237987-B2
Application number	US-201715658146-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 24, 2017
Priority date	Sep 30, 2009
Publication date	Mar 19, 2019
Grant date	Mar 19, 2019

Abstract

This is directed to a hook and receiving element combination for securing components forming the shell of an electronic device. The receiving element can include a beam connected to the outer shell component and operative to deflect as the hook element approaches the receiving element. To limit deflections of the outer shell component, the beam can be restrained at opposing ends in directions perpendicular to the beam length, but free to slide along the beam axis. In some embodiments, the receiving element can include a lip for guiding the deflection of the beam as the beam contacts the hook element. In particular, the lip can ensure that the beam deflects at an angle relative to the hook element motion such that a smaller hook element motion is required to engage the beam.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electronic device, comprising:
a first housing structure;
a second housing structure;
electronic components that are completely enclosed within the first and second housing structures; and
a snap assembly for attaching the first housing structure to the second housing structure, wherein the snap assembly includes:
a post coupled to the first housing structure;
a protrusion extending from the end of the post; and
a beam bar coupled to the second housing structure, wherein the beam bar engages with the protrusion, wherein the beam bar is configured to deflect when the protrusion passes by the beam bar, and wherein the first housing structure is completely separable from the second housing structure when beam bar is not engaged with the protrusion.

2. The electronic device defined in claim 1 wherein at least a portion of the beam bar is separated from the second housing structure by an opening and wherein the protrusion is received within the opening when the beam bar is engaged with the protrusion.

3. The electronic device defined in claim 1 wherein the first housing structure comprises a bezel coupled to a display window.

4. The electronic device defined in claim 1 further comprising a coupling element that couples the beam bar to the second housing structure, wherein the coupling element constrains movement of the beam bar along a first axis while allowing movement of the beam bar along a second axis that is different from the first axis.

5. The electronic device defined in claim 1 further comprising a coupling element that couples the beam bar to the second housing structure, wherein the coupling element constrains one end of the beam bar while an opposing end of the beam bar is free to move.

6. The electronic device defined in claim 1 further comprising first and second coupling elements that couple the beam bar to the second housing structure, wherein the first and second coupling elements constrain movement of respective first and second ends of the beam bar.

7. The electronic device defined in claim 1 wherein the second housing structure comprises a ramp that guides the beam bar when the beam bar is deflected by the protrusion.

8. The electronic device defined in claim 7 wherein the ramp and the post are non-parallel.

9. The electronic device defined in claim 8 wherein the second housing structure comprises a chamfered wall extending from the ramp.

10. A portable electronic device, comprising:
a first metal housing member having four sides;
a second metal housing member having four sides, wherein each of the four sides of the first metal housing member is coupled to a respective one of the four sides of the second metal housing member;
a hook extending from the first metal housing member; and
a beam extending from the second metal housing member, wherein the hook engages with the beam to attach the first metal housing member to the second metal housing member by occupying a gap between the beam and the second metal housing member, and wherein the first metal housing member is completely separable from the second metal housing member when the hook is not engaged with the beam.

11. The portable electronic device defined in claim 10 wherein the hook deflects the beam as it moves past the beam toward the gap.

12. The portable electronic device defined in claim 10 further comprising a coupling element that couples the beam to the second metal housing member, wherein the coupling element constrains movement of the beam along a first axis while allowing movement of the beam along a second axis that is different from the first axis.

13. The portable electronic device defined in claim 10 further comprising a display window coupled to the first metal housing member.

14. The portable electronic device defined in claim 13 wherein the first metal housing member comprises a bezel coupled to the display window.

15. An electronic device, comprising:
first and second housing structures, wherein the first housing structure is fixed relative to the second housing structure;
a display window coupled to the first housing structure;
a post extending from the first housing structure, wherein the post has first and second opposing ends, wherein the first end is coupled to the first housing structure, and wherein the second end has a hook element; and
a receiving element extending from the second housing structure, wherein the receiving element receives the hook element to attach the first housing structure to the second housing structure, wherein the receiving element comprises a beam bar, and wherein the first housing structure is completely separable from the second housing structure when the hook element is not received by the receiving element.

16. The electronic device defined in claim 15 wherein a portion of the beam bar is separated from the second housing structure by a gap, and wherein the hook element is located in the gap when it is received by the receiving element.

17. The electronic device defined in claim 15 wherein the receiving element comprises a coupling element that constrains movement of the beam bar along a first axis while allowing the beam bar to deflect along a second axis.

18. The electronic device defined in claim 15 wherein the receiving element comprises a beveled surface that guides the beam bar in a direction non-parallel to the post when the hook element deflects the beam bar.

19. The electronic device defined in claim 15 wherein the first and second housing structures comprise metal.

Assignees

• Apple Inc

Inventors

• Jenks Kenneth A

Classifications

• Y10T29/49876

  by snap fit · CPC title

• H05K5/0013 Primary

  Electricity · mapped topic

• Y10T403/18

  Cross-Sectional Technologies · mapped topic

• H04M1/0252

  by means of a snap-on mechanism · CPC title

• H05K5/15 Primary

  assembled by resilient members · CPC title