Components of an electronic device and methods for their assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10667418-B2
Application number	US-201815958915-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 20, 2018
Priority date	May 29, 2012
Publication date	May 26, 2020
Grant date	May 26, 2020

Abstract

Various components of an electronic device housing and methods for their assembly are disclosed. The housing can be formed by assembling and connecting two or more different sections together. The sections of the housing may be coupled together using one or more coupling members. The coupling members may be formed using a two-shot molding process in which the first shot forms a structural portion of the coupling members, and the second shot forms cosmetic portions of the coupling members.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A housing for a portable electronic device, comprising:
a first side wall characterized as having a first grain pattern formed by a first extrusion process, the first grain pattern oriented along a first axis;
a second side wall characterized as having a second grain pattern formed by a second extrusion process, the second grain pattern oriented along a second axis; and
a housing section that comprises a third side wall, a fourth side wall, and a bottom wall that together define a cavity, the housing section having a third grain pattern formed by a third extrusion process, the third grain pattern oriented along a third axis;
wherein the first side wall and the second side wall are joined to opposite ends of the housing section, the first axis and the second axis are parallel to each other and perpendicular to the third axis, and the first grain pattern, the second grain pattern, and the third grain pattern provide an appearance of a continuous grain structure.

2. The housing of claim 1 , wherein the first side wall, the second side wall, and the housing section are formed from a material that is opaque to radio frequency radiation.

3. The housing of claim 1 , wherein the first side wall is joined to the housing section by one or more coupling members that interface with locking members of the housing section.

4. The housing of claim 3 , wherein the one or more coupling members are formed of a dielectric material.

5. The housing of claim 4 , wherein the one or more coupling members comprise a through-hole, and a fastener extends through the through-hole to further join the first side wall, the second side wall, and the housing section together.

6. The housing of claim 1 , wherein the housing section has an area that is greater than a combined area of the first side wall and the second side wall.

7. A five-wall housing for a portable electronic device, comprising:
a first wall having a first grain pattern formed by a first extrusion process, the first grain pattern oriented along a first axis;
a second wall having a second grain pattern formed by a second extrusion process, the second grain pattern oriented along a second axis; and
a three-wall housing section comprising a third wall and an opposing fourth wall that extend from a bottom wall, the three-wall housing section having a third grain pattern formed by a third extrusion process, the third grain pattern oriented along a third axis;
the first wall and the second wall joined to opposite ends of the three-wall housing section such that the first axis and the second axis are perpendicular to the third axis;
wherein the first grain pattern, the second grain pattern, and the third grain pattern provide an appearance of a continuous grain structure throughout the five-wall housing.

8. The five-wall housing of claim 7 , wherein the three-wall housing section comprises one or more edge surfaces having locking members.

9. The five-wall housing of claim 8 , wherein the first wall and the second wall are joined to the opposite ends of the three-wall housing section by one or more coupling members that interface with the locking members of the three-wall housing section.

10. The five-wall housing of claim 7 , wherein each of the first wall and the second wall comprise a planar region and a wall that extends from the planar region.

11. The five-wall housing of claim 7 , wherein the first side wall, the second side wall, and the three-wall housing section are formed from a material that is opaque to radio frequency radiation.

12. The five-wall housing of claim 7 , wherein the first side wall, the second side wall, and the three-wall housing section are formed from electrically conductive material.

13. The five-wall housing of claim 7 , further comprising:
a cover glass coupled to the first wall and the second wall.

14. A housing for a portable electronic device, the housing comprising:
a top housing section extruded along a first extrusion axis and having a first grain structure oriented along the first extrusion axis;
a bottom housing section extruded along a second extrusion axis and having a second grain structure oriented along the second extrusion axis; and
a center housing section extruded along a third extrusion axis and having a third grain structure oriented along the third extrusion axis, the center housing section having a U-shaped cross-section that comprises a planar region and walls that extend from opposing sides thereof to at least partially define a cavity;
the top housing section, the bottom housing section, and the center housing section coupled together such that the first extrusion axis and the second extrusion axis are perpendicular to the third extrusion axis and the first grain pattern, the second grain pattern, and the third grain pattern provide an appearance of a continuous grain structure.

15. The housing of claim 14 , wherein top housing section, the bottom housing section, and the center housing section are formed from a material that is opaque to radio frequency radiation.

16. The housing of claim 14 , wherein top housing section, the bottom housing section, and the center housing section are formed of electrically conductive material.

17. The housing of claim 14 , further comprising:
a cover glass coupled to at least one of the top housing section, the center housing section, or the bottom housing section.

18. The housing of claim 14 , wherein the wherein the top housing section, the bottom housing section, and the center housing section are coupled together by a coupling member, and the coupling member comprises electrically insulating material.

19. The housing of claim 18 , wherein the electrically insulating material comprises a resin.

Assignees

• Apple Inc

Inventors

• Kiple Bryan P
• Woodhull Charles B
• Pakula David A
• Tan Tang Y
• Coleman Michael P
• Johannessen Thomas
• Heley Richard W

Classifications

• C25D11/246

  for sealing layers · CPC title

• C25D11/34

  of metals or alloys not provided for in groups C25D11/04 - C25D11/32 · CPC title

• Y10T156/1064

  Partial cutting [e.g., grooving or incising] · CPC title

• H05K5/0243

  for decorative purposes · CPC title

• Y10T29/49002

  Electrical device making · CPC title