Rotating frame lock for front crystal retention and sealing

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11375629-B2
Application number	US-202016795011-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 19, 2020
Priority date	Sep 26, 2019
Publication date	Jun 28, 2022
Grant date	Jun 28, 2022

Abstract

A housing for an electronic device is disclosed. The housing includes housing components and a connector. The connector can be positioned between adjacent edges of two housing components. The connector can rotate from a first position to a second position to form a sealed joint between two adjacent housing components. The sealed joint can prevent moisture and debris from entering the housing of the electronic device.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A housing for an electronic device, the housing comprising:
a first housing component having a first engagement surface disposed around its periphery;
a second housing component defining an interior volume and having a second engagement surface disposed around a periphery of the interior volume and aligned with the first engagement surface; and
a connector having a body formed in a loop disposed between the first and second engagement surfaces, the body having an upper member and a lower member joined by a neck, a first face extending along portions of the upper member, the neck, and the lower member and being configured to engage with the first engagement surface of the first housing component and a second face, generally opposite the first face, and extending along portions of the upper member, the neck, and the lower member, the second face being configured to engage with the second engagement surface of the second housing component, wherein the connector is operable to, in response to a force compressing the first and second housing components together, seal the first housing component to the second housing component to enclose the interior volume.

2. The housing of claim 1 , wherein the first engagement surface includes a first protrusion and the second engagement surface includes a second protrusion and wherein the first face of the connector includes a first channel aligned with the first protrusion and the second face of the connector includes a second channel aligned with the second protrusion.

3. The housing of claim 2 , wherein the first and second channels are vertically offset from each other enabling the connector to rotate in response to the force along an axis extending within the body between the first and second channels.

4. The housing of claim 3 , wherein the first and second channels extend fully around inner and outer peripheries of the body, respectfully, and wherein the axis extends throughout an entirety of the loop of the body.

5. The housing of claim 1 , wherein the connector retains a cross-sectional shape when the connector seals the first housing component to the second housing component to enclose the interior volume.

6. The housing of claim 1 , wherein the connector comprises an electrical trace on an exterior surface of the connector, the electrical trace connecting electrical components.

7. The housing of claim 1 , wherein the first housing component comprises an opaque material allowing light and touch input to travel through the first housing component.

8. The housing of claim 1 , wherein the first face includes a first channel sized and shaped to engage with a first protrusion on the first engagement surface and the second face includes a second channel sized and shaped to engage with a second protrusion on the second engagement surface, wherein a center axis of the first channel and a center axis of the second channel are offset along a vertical direction.

9. An electronic device, comprising:
a first housing component comprising:
an opaque cover having a first engagement surface disposed around its periphery;
a second housing component having a recessed region and a second engagement surface disposed around a periphery of the recessed region and aligned with the first engagement surface; and
a connector having a body formed in a loop disposed between the first and second engagement surfaces, the body having an upper member and a lower member joined by a neck, a first face extending along portions of the upper member, the neck, and the lower member and being configured to engage with the first engagement surface of the opaque cover and a second face, generally opposite the first face, and extend along portions of the upper member, the neck, and the lower member, the second face being configured to engage with the second engagement surface of the second housing component, wherein the connector is operable to, in response to a force compressing the opaque cover and second housing components together, seal the opaque cover to the second housing component forming an enclosed cavity between the opaque cover and second housing component that includes the recessed region; and

a display coupled to the opaque cover within the enclosed cavity.

10. The electronic device of claim 9 , wherein the connector includes a body formed in a loop and having a first face configured to engage with the first engagement surface of the opaque cover and a second face, generally opposite the first face configured to engage with the second engagement surface of the second housing component.

11. The electronic device of claim 10 , wherein the first engagement surface includes a first protrusion and the second engagement surface includes a second protrusion and wherein the first face of the connector includes a first channel aligned with the first protrusion and the second face of the connector includes a second channel aligned with the second protrusion where the first and second channels are axially offset from each other and the connector is configured to rotate in response to the force compressing the opaque cover and the second housing component together.

12. The electronic device of claim 9 , wherein the connector comprises an electronic trace for connecting electronic components disposed within the first housing component of the electronic device.

13. The electronic device of claim 9 , wherein the connector comprises one or more restraining features and at least one of the opaque cover or second housing component engages the one or more restraining features to form a watertight joint.

14. The electronic device of claim 9 , further comprising a compressible seal disposed adjacent to the connector in a watertight joint.

15. A housing for an electronic device, the housing comprising:
a first housing component having a first engagement surface disposed around its periphery;
a second housing component defining an interior volume and having a second engagement surface disposed around a periphery of the interior volume and aligned with the first engagement surface; and
a connector having a body formed in a loop disposed between the first and second engagement surfaces and rotatable from an unengaged position in which the first and second housing components are not sealed together to an engaged position in which the connector seals the first housing component to the second housing component, the body having an upper member and a lower member joined by a neck and a first face spaced apart from a second face, wherein each of the first and second faces extend along portions of the upper member, the neck, and the lower member, and wherein the upper and lower members are configured to contract when the connector is in the engaged position.

16. The housing for an electronic device of claim 15 , wherein the connector further comprises a curved surface extending along an exterior of the upper member between the first face and the second face and the first face further includes a first substantially flat portion extending along the upper member between the neck and the curved surface, the first substantially flat portion engaging a portion of the first housing component when the connector is in the engaged position.

17. The housing for an electronic device of claim 16 , wherein the connector further comprises a second substantially flat portion extending along an exterior surface of the lower member between the first face and second face, the second substantially flat portion positioned within the interior volume when the connector is in the engaged position.

Assignees

• Apple Inc

Inventors

• Crowley Patrick J
• Spencer Maegan K

Classifications

• H10W76/60

  Seals · CPC title

• H05K5/06 Primary

  Hermetically-sealed casings {(specially adapted for small components H05K5/0095)} · CPC title

• H05K5/03

  Covers · CPC title

• H04M1/0249

  Details of the mechanical connection between the housing parts or relating to the method of assembly · CPC title

• H05K5/069

  Other details of the casing, e.g. wall structure, passage for a connector, a cable, a shaft · CPC title