Mandrel flex circuit routing

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11029735-B2
Application number	US-202016808075-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 3, 2020
Priority date	May 5, 2015
Publication date	Jun 8, 2021
Grant date	Jun 8, 2021

Abstract

Cable assemblies for providing electrical communication between hinged sections of an electronic device are described. The cable assemblies can include a cover that covers one or more cables that run through a hinge region of the electronic device. The cable and cover can be drawn over a mandrel of the hinge region. The cover and the portions of the mandrel can be visible to a user at the hinge region of the electronic device. The cover can be sufficiently rigid to guide a path of the cable and protect the cable from bending beyond a prescribed angle during rotation of the electronic device at the hinge region. The cover can also be sufficiently rigid to prevent ceasing or folding of the cover and the cable during rotation of the electronic device at the hinge region.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A portable computing device, comprising: a first housing having a first electrical component and a curved surface; a second housing having a second electrical component; a hinge joining the first and second housings; a cable electrically coupling the first and second electrical components across a first width portion of the curved surface; a flexible cover having a first section concealing the cable from view of a user across the first width portion of the curved surface and a second section concealing the curved surface from view of the user across a second width portion of the curved surface, the cover being bendable over the cable in response to movement of the hinge.

2. The portable computing device of claim 1 , wherein the cable is configured to bend in contact with the curved surface.

3. The portable computing device of claim 1 , wherein a slit is positioned between the first and second sections of the cover.

4. The portable computing device of claim 1 , wherein the first section of the cover is movable independent of the second section of the cover.

5. The portable computing device of claim 1 , wherein the first housing is rotatable about the hinge relative to the second housing between an open configuration and a closed configuration, wherein the cover conceals the cable from view of the user while the first and second housings are in the open configuration.

6. The portable computing device of claim 1 , wherein a retainer is positioned on the first section of the cover.

7. The portable computing device of claim 1 , wherein the first and second sections of the cover are visible to the user at the hinge.

8. A portable computing device, comprising: a first housing having a first electrical component and a curved surface; a second housing having a second electrical component; a hinge joining the first and second housings; a cable electrically coupling the first and second electrical components across a first width portion of the curved surface; a cover having a first section concealing the cable from view of a user across the first width portion of the curved surface and a second section concealing the curved surface from view of the user across a second width portion of the curved surface, wherein the cover is adhered to the curved surface, wherein the cover is a bendable sheet.

9. An electronic device, comprising: a first housing including a mandrel surface; a second housing; a cable routed from the first housing to the second housing, the cable having an inner surface; a hinge coupling the first and second housings, the mandrel surface being located at the hinge, the mandrel surface facing the inner surface of the cable, the cable at least partially contacting the mandrel surface; a particle receiver including a channel positioned in the mandrel surface between the hinge and the cable, the channel being configured to reduce stress applied to the cable by a particle positioned between the mandrel surface and the inner surface of the cable.

10. The electronic device of claim 9 , wherein the particle receiver comprises a compressible material positioned between the cable and the mandrel surface.

11. The electronic device of claim 9 , wherein the particle receiver comprises an air gap defined by the inner surface and the mandrel surface.

12. The electronic device of claim 9 , wherein the particle receiver comprises a barrier having a surface contacting the mandrel surface.

13. A portable computing device, comprising:
a cable configured to electrically couple a first electrical component attached to a first portion of the portable computing device and a second electrical component attached to a second portion of the portable computing device;
a cover at least partially in contact with a surface of the cable and having a first end and a second end, the cover being positioned above the cable when the first portion is in an open configuration relative to the second portion;
a retainer positioned on the second end of the cover and configured to engage an inner surface of the second portion of the portable computing device, wherein contact between the retainer and the inner surface retains the second end of the cover within a cavity of the second portion of the portable computing device.

14. The portable computing device of claim 13 , wherein the retainer is configured to slide against the second portion of the portable computing device.

15. The portable computing device of claim 13 , wherein the inner surface of the second portion of the portable computing device is positioned on a lip of the second portion of the portable computing device, the lip protruding toward the cable from the inner surface.

16. The portable computing device of claim 13 , wherein the retainer comprises a fluoropolymer material.

17. A portable computing device, comprising: a cable configured to electrically couple a first electrical component attached to a first portion of the portable computing device and a second electrical component attached to a second portion of the portable computing device, the cable being configured to wrap against a curved mandrel surface; a cover at least partially in contact with a surface of the cable and having a first end and a second end, the cover being positioned above the cable when the first portion is in an open configuration relative to the second portion; a retainer positioned on the second end of the cover and configured to engage an inner surface of the second portion of the portable computing device, wherein contact between the retainer and the inner surface retains the second end of the cover within a cavity of the second portion of the portable computing device; and a seal positioned between the cover and the second portion of the portable computing device.

Assignees

• Apple Inc

Inventors

• Silvanto Mikael M
• Andre Bartley K
• Garelli Adam T
• Lancaster-Larocque Simon Regis Louis
• Cao Robert Y
• Mathew Dinesh C
• Kononiuk Jacob S
• Lockwood Robert J
• Posner Bryan W
• Keeler Kevin M
• Berg Bruce E
• Kuo Yi-Chen
• Robinson Kevin M
• Farahani Houtan R

Classifications

• E05D2011/0072

  for the gap between hinge parts · CPC title

• G06F1/1656

  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 title

• G06F1/1683 Primary

  for the transmission of signal or power between the different housings, e.g. details of wired or wireless communication, passage of cabling · CPC title

• G06F1/1681

  Details related solely to hinges (hinge details related to the transmission of signals or power are classified in G06F1/1683) · CPC title

• E05D11/0081

  for transmitting energy, e.g. electrical cable routing · CPC title