Flexible cable durability

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11656661-B2
Application number	US-202117361254-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 28, 2021
Priority date	Jun 18, 2019
Publication date	May 23, 2023
Grant date	May 23, 2023

Abstract

Apparatuses and systems can mitigate the ingress of debris such as small foreign particles or fluids passing into a joint of an electronic device. Some aspects of the systems prevent particles from passing between a flexible cable and a mandrel surface used to limit bending of the cable. Other aspects provide particle relief features including gaps, grooves, or reduced-size sections of the mandrel so that particles can pass into them and thereby cause no damage or pass out of the electronic device. Another aspect provides a protective layer configured to limit pressure applied to the cable by particles or other contaminants. These apparatuses and systems can improve the life and durability of the mandrel and cable, thereby improving the reliability of operating the electronic device.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A portable computing device, comprising:
an upper housing portion containing a first electronic component, the upper housing portion having a mandrel with a curved surface;
a lower housing portion pivotally connected to the upper housing portion, the lower housing portion containing a second electronic component, the upper and lower housing portions being pivotable relative to each other between an open position and a closed position;
a cable connecting the first and second electronic components, the cable being bendable along the curved surface when the upper and lower housing portions are in the open position; and
a compressible particle barrier positioned between the mandrel and the cable when the upper housing portion and the lower housing portion are in the open position;
wherein the compressible particle barrier is rotatable with the curved surface.

2. The portable computing device of claim 1 , wherein the compressible particle barrier extends from.

3. The portable computing device of claim 1 , wherein the compressible particle barrier contacts the curved surface and the cable in both the closed position and the open position.

4. The portable computing device of claim 1 , wherein the compressible particle barrier comprises a foam material.

5. The portable computing device of claim 1 , wherein the compressible particle barrier is attached to the curved surface and is configured to wipe the cable.

6. The portable computing device of claim 1 , wherein the compressible particle barrier is slidable against the cable as the upper and lower housing portions are pivoted between the open and closed positions.

7. A laptop computer, comprising:
a housing having a display portion and a base portion, at least one of the display and base portions having a mandrel surface, the mandrel surface having a first circumferential length portion and a second circumferential length portion;
an electronic display in the display portion of the housing;
a set of computing components in the base portion of the housing; and
a cable connecting the set of computing components and extending between the electronic display and the set of computing components, the cable being bendable over the mandrel surface;
wherein:
the first circumferential length portion is closer to a pivot axis than the second circumferential length portion; and

a gap is formed between the first circumferential length portion and the cable when the housing is in a closed configuration.

8. The laptop computer of claim 7 , wherein a base surface of a channel in the mandrel surface comprises a variable radius.

9. The laptop computer of claim 7 , wherein the mandrel surface is spaced away from the cable when the display portion and the base portion are in a closed position.

10. The laptop computer of claim 7 , further comprising a tensioning mechanism configured to apply tension to the cable.

11. The laptop computer of claim 7 , wherein the mandrel surface comprises a first radius and a second radius, the first radius being smaller than the second radius, the first radius being positioned at a top end of the mandrel surface when the display portion and the base portion are in a closed position.

12. The laptop computer of claim 11 , wherein the first radius and the second radius are positioned on different circumferential length portions of the mandrel surface.

13. The laptop computer of claim 7 , wherein the mandrel surface is configured to at touch the cable when the display portion and the base portion are in an open position.

14. The laptop computer of claim 7 , wherein a distance between the mandrel surface and the cable is configured to decrease as the laptop computer is opened.

15. A computing device, comprising:
a first housing assembly having a mandrel;
a second housing assembly movably connected to the first housing assembly;
a cable extending between the first and second housing assemblies, the cable being at least partially wrap-able around the mandrel as the first housing and the second housing move relative to each other; and
a protective layer positioned between the mandrel and the cable;
wherein the protective layer is relatively rigid in bending along a width dimension of the cable and is relatively flexible in bending along a length dimension of the cable.

16. The computing device of claim 15 , wherein the protective layer comprises a plurality of ridges that run perpendicular to a length dimension of the cable.

17. The computing device of claim 15 , further comprising a plurality of reinforcement fibers positioned in the protective layer.

18. The computing device of claim 15 , wherein at least one of the mandrel or the protective layer comprises a compressible material.

19. The computing device of claim 15 , wherein the protective layer is configured to primarily distribute force concentrations caused by debris positioned between the mandrel and the cable along a distribution axis, the distribution axis being parallel to an axis of rotation of the first housing assembly relative to the second housing assembly.

Assignees

• Apple Inc

Inventors

• Bir Karan
• Garelli Adam T
• Posner Bryan W
• Endisch Denis H
• Lancaster-Larocque Simon R

Classifications

• G06F1/1637

  Details related to the display arrangement, including those related to the mounting of the display in the housing · CPC title

• G06F1/1616 Primary

  with folding flat displays, e.g. laptop computers or notebooks having a clamshell configuration, with body parts pivoting to an open position around an axis parallel to the plane they define in closed position · 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

• E05Y2800/43

  against wear · CPC title

• E05D11/00

  Additional features or accessories of hinges {(edge protecting devices E06B3/88)} · CPC title