Ejectable component assemblies in electronic devices

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11050865-B2
Application number	US-201916374611-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 3, 2019
Priority date	Jan 5, 2007
Publication date	Jun 29, 2021
Grant date	Jun 29, 2021

Abstract

Electronic devices are provided with ejectable component assemblies that can be substantially flush with the external surfaces of the housings of the devices, despite variations in their manufacture. The ejectable component assemblies may include connectors coupled to circuit boards of the devices, and trays that can be loaded with removable modules, inserted through openings in the housings of the devices, and into the connectors for functionally aligning the removable modules with the circuit boards. The ejectable component assemblies may also include ejectors coupled to the housings of the devices for ejecting the trays from the connectors and, thus, from the devices themselves.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electronic device comprising:
a housing having an opening and defining a housing hole;
a circuit board within the housing;
a retainer within the housing and configured to apply a biasing force to a tray when the tray is inserted through the opening in a first direction, the biasing force being configured to urge the tray in the first direction and into the housing until a removable module having electronic circuitry and being carried by the tray is in communication with the circuit board, the tray defining a tray hole; and
an ejector within the housing and being configured to apply an ejection force to a portion of the tray that is within the housing, the ejection force being configured to urge the tray in a second direction opposite the first direction, wherein when the tray is fully inserted into the opening, the housing hole is aligned with the tray hole to receive an instrument for actuating the ejector.

2. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the ejector comprises:
an extension arm pivotably coupled to the housing; and
a contact plate connected to the extension arm, wherein the extension arm, when actuated, urges the contact plate against a portion of the tray to eject the tray from the opening.

3. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein a width of the tray tapers along a region having a notch for engagement with the retainer.

4. The electronic device of claim 3 , wherein the retainer comprises:
a head portion configured to be received within the notch;
a flexible arm portion coupled to the head portion and configured to bias the head portion toward the notch; and
a base portion coupling the flexible arm portion to the housing.

5. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the tray comprises:
an end portion; and
a body portion for supporting the removable module.

6. The electronic device of claim 5 , wherein, when the body portion is fully inserted into the housing:
the end portion is flush with an outer surface of the housing of the electronic device; and
the circuit board is configured to electrically communicate with the removable module.

7. The electronic device of claim 5 , wherein the end portion of the tray has a maximum width greater than a maximum width of the opening, and the end portion has a maximum height greater than a maximum height of the opening.

8. An electronic device comprising:
a housing having an opening for receiving a tray carrying a removable module;
a retainer within the housing and being configured to urge the tray into the housing; and
an ejector within the housing and being actuatable to eject the tray out of the housing by inserting an instrument through a portion of the tray and a portion of the housing.

9. The electronic device of claim 8 , wherein a width of the tray tapers along a region having a notch for engagement with the retainer.

10. The electronic device of claim 8 , wherein:
the housing defines a housing hole;
the tray defines a tray hole; and
when the tray is fully inserted into the opening, the housing hole is aligned with the tray hole to receive the instrument for actuating the ejector.

11. The electronic device of claim 8 , wherein the tray comprises:
an end portion; and
a body portion for supporting the removable module.

12. The electronic device of claim 11 , wherein, when the body portion is fully inserted into the housing:
the end portion is flush with an outer surface of the housing of the electronic device; and
a circuit board of the electronic device is configured to electrically communicate with the removable module.

13. The electronic device of claim 11 , wherein the end portion of the tray has a maximum width greater than a maximum width of the opening, and the end portion has a maximum height greater than a maximum height of the opening.

14. An electronic device comprising:
a housing;
a circuit board within the housing;
a retainer within the housing and configured to apply a biasing force to a tray in a first direction until a removable module carried by the tray is in communication with the circuit board; and
an ejector within the housing and being configured to apply an ejection force to a portion of the tray in a second direction opposite the first direction until the tray is released from the retainer, the ejector being accessible within the housing by an instrument when the instrument is inserted through a portion of the tray and a portion of the housing.

15. The electronic device of claim 14 , wherein a width of the tray tapers along a region having a notch for engagement with the retainer.

16. The electronic device of claim 14 , wherein:
the housing defines a housing hole;
the tray defines a tray hole; and
when the tray is fully inserted into the housing, the housing hole is aligned with the tray hole to receive an instrument for actuating the ejector.

17. The electronic device of claim 14 , wherein the tray comprises:
an end portion; and
a body portion for supporting the removable module.

18. The electronic device of claim 17 , wherein, when the body portion is fully inserted into the housing:
the end portion is flush with an outer surface of the housing of the electronic device; and
the circuit board is configured to electrically communicate with the removable module.

19. The electronic device of claim 17 , the tray being insertable through an opening in the housing, wherein the end portion of the tray has a maximum width greater than a maximum width of the opening, and the end portion has a maximum height greater than a maximum height of the opening.

Assignees

• Apple Inc

Inventors

• Wang Erik L
• Murphy Robert Sean
• Tan Tang Yew
• Neaves Jeffrey Eugene
• Davis Lawrence E
• Kim Sung H

Classifications

• H05K7/1427

  Housings · CPC title

• H05K5/0295

  having ejection mechanisms · CPC title

• H05K1/02

  Details · CPC title

• G06K13/08

  Feeding or discharging cards · CPC title

• H04M1/026 Primary

  Details of the structure or mounting of specific components · CPC title