Systems and methods for cover assembly retention of a portable electronic device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10791644-B2
Application number	US-201815863706-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 5, 2018
Priority date	Apr 19, 2010
Publication date	Sep 29, 2020
Grant date	Sep 29, 2020

Abstract

This is directed to systems and methods for cover assembly retention of a portable electronic device. In some embodiments, a cover assembly and/or housing of an electronic device can include one or more retention features such as detents, hooks, tabs, extensions, screw plates, screw holes, shuttles, latches, or any combination of the above, for retaining the cover assembly to the housing. In some embodiments, one or more retention features can be included on an internal platform of the electronic device to retain the cover assembly. In some embodiments, a hidden screw feature can be included in a SIM tray slot of the electronic device. Once a SIM tray has been inserted into the SIM tray slot, the screw feature can be hidden from sight and may become unapparent to an end user of the electronic device.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electronic device, comprising:
a front cover assembly;
a back cover assembly;
a display located between the front cover assembly and the back cover assembly;
a metal peripheral member located between the front cover assembly and the back cover assembly, wherein the metal peripheral member has an opening; and
first and second retention structures that attach the front cover assembly to the metal peripheral member.

2. The electronic device defined in claim 1 wherein the metal peripheral member has a curved profile.

3. The electronic device defined in claim 1 wherein the front cover assembly comprises a front glass layer.

4. The electronic device defined in claim 3 wherein the front glass layer comprises an opening through which audio is transmitted.

5. The electronic device defined in claim 3 wherein the front glass layer has a planar portion and a curved portion.

6. The electronic device defined in claim 3 wherein the back cover assembly comprises a rear glass layer.

7. The electronic device defined in claim 6 wherein the rear glass layer has a planar portion and a curved portion.

8. The electronic device defined in claim 1 wherein the first and second retention structures each comprise a post having an opening.

9. The electronic device defined in claim 1 further comprising a speaker that provides audio through the opening in the metal peripheral member.

10. The electronic device defined in claim 1 wherein the front cover assembly has first and second opposing sides, wherein the metal peripheral member has first and second opposing sides, and wherein the first and second retention structures respectively attach the first and second sides of the front cover assembly to the first and second sides of the metal peripheral member.

11. An electronic device having a periphery, comprising:
a first glass cover layer having an opening through which audio is transmitted, wherein the first glass cover layer has first and second opposing sides;
a second glass cover layer having an opening through which images are captured;
a display located between the first and second glass cover layers;
a band that extends around the periphery of the electronic device, wherein the band has first and second openings through which audio is transmitted; and
first and second attachment posts that respectively attach the first and second sides of the first glass cover layer to the band.

12. The electronic device defined in claim 11 wherein the first and second glass cover layers each have a planar portion and a curved portion.

13. The electronic device defined in claim 12 wherein the band has a curved profile.

14. The electronic device define din claim 13 wherein the first and second glass cover layers are flush with the band.

15. The electronic device defined in claim 14 wherein the band comprises metal.

16. An electronic device, comprising:
a front cover assembly including a first glass plate;
a display that displays content through the first glass plate;
a back cover assembly including a second glass plate;
a curved metal member that extends between the front cover assembly and the back cover assembly, wherein the curved metal member has a connector opening; and
a retention structure extending from the front cover assembly that attaches the front cover assembly to the curved metal member.

17. The electronic device defined in claim 16 wherein the retention structure comprises an opening.

18. The electronic device defined in claim 16 wherein the first and second glass plates meet flush with the curved metal member.

19. The electronic device defined in claim 16 wherein the curved metal member has first and second length-wise sides and first and second width-wise sides, and wherein the retention structure attaches the front cover assembly to the first length-wise side.

20. The electronic device defined in claim 16 further comprising an additional retention structure that attaches the back cover assembly to the curved metal member.

Assignees

• Apple Inc

Inventors

• Pakula David
• Myers Scott
• Tan Tang
• Dinh Richard

Classifications

• G06F1/1626 Primary

  with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs] · CPC title

• B65D45/16

  Clips, hooks, or clamps {which are removable, or which remain connected either with the closure or with the container when the container is open}, e.g. C-shaped (U-shaped or bifurcated members B65D45/04) · CPC title

• H04M1/0252

  by means of a snap-on mechanism · CPC title

• H04M1/0277

  for a printed circuit board assembly · CPC title

• B65D17/4014

  and provided with attached means for reclosing or resealing · CPC title