Housing features of an electronic device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11792309-B2
Application number	US-202117378695-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 17, 2021
Priority date	Sep 8, 2014
Publication date	Oct 17, 2023
Grant date	Oct 17, 2023

Abstract

An enclosure and a method for forming an enclosure are disclosed. The enclosure may be formed from metal, such as aluminum, and further include a non-metal portion allowing for transmission and receipt of electromagnetic waves. The non-metal portion may be interlocked to the enclosure and in particular, to a region within the enclosure including a first material having a relatively high strength and stiffness compared to the non-metal portion. Interlocking means may include forming dovetail cuts into the enclosure to receive the non-metal portion, a hole or cavity drilled into the enclosure which includes internal threads, and a rod inserted into the first material to provide a tension to the non-metal portion. Methods of assembling internal components using anodization are also disclosed.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A portable electronic device comprising:
a display;
a transparent cover positioned over the display and defining a front surface of the portable electronic device; and
an enclosure at least partially surrounding the display and coupled to the transparent cover, the enclosure comprising:
a first metal enclosure component defining at least a portion of a top surface of the portable electronic device;
a second metal enclosure component defining:
at least a portion of a first side surface of the portable electronic device;
at least a portion of a second side surface of the portable electronic device opposite the first side surface; and
a first portion of a back surface of the portable electronic device; and
a molded polymer structure between the first metal enclosure component and the second metal enclosure component and defining a second portion of the back surface of the portable electronic device.

2. The portable electronic device of claim 1 , wherein:
the first metal enclosure component further defines an interlock feature; and
the molded polymer structure engages the interlock feature.

3. The portable electronic device of claim 2 , wherein:
the interlock feature is a first interlock feature;
the second metal enclosure component defines a second interlock feature; and
the molded polymer structure engages the second interlock feature.

4. The portable electronic device of claim 3 , wherein the engagement between the molded polymer structure and the first and second interlock features retains the first and second metal enclosure components together.

5. The portable electronic device of claim 1 , wherein:
the molded polymer structure is a first molded polymer structure; and
the enclosure further comprises:
a third metal enclosure component defining at least a portion of a bottom surface of the portable electronic device; and
a second molded polymer structure between the second metal enclosure component and the third metal enclosure component and defining a third portion of the back surface of the portable electronic device.

6. The portable electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the first metal enclosure component and the second metal enclosure component are formed of an aluminum material.

7. An electronic device comprising:
a display;
a cover glass positioned over the display and defining a front exterior surface of the electronic device; and
an enclosure coupled to the cover glass and enclosing the display, the enclosure comprising:
a first metal enclosure component defining at least a portion of a top surface of the electronic device;
a second metal enclosure component defining:
at least a portion of a first side surface of the electronic device;
at least a portion of a second side surface of the electronic device opposite the first side surface;
a first portion of a back surface of the electronic device;

a first non-metal material positioned between the first metal enclosure component and the second metal enclosure component and defining a second portion of the back surface of the electronic device;
a third metal enclosure component defining at least a portion of a bottom surface of the electronic device; and
a second non-metal material positioned between the second metal enclosure component and the third metal enclosure component and defining a third portion of the back surface of the electronic device.

8. The electronic device of claim 7 , wherein:
the first metal enclosure component defines a first interlock structure;
the second metal enclosure component defines a second interlock structure; and
the first non-metal material defines:
a first complementary interlock structure engaged with the first interlock structure; and
a second complementary interlock structure engaged with the second interlock structure.

9. The electronic device of claim 8 , wherein the first non-metal material retains the first metal enclosure component to the second metal enclosure component.

10. The electronic device of claim 7 , wherein the enclosure further comprises:
a third non-metal material positioned between the first metal enclosure component and the second metal enclosure component; and
a fourth non-metal material positioned between the second metal enclosure component and the third metal enclosure component.

11. The electronic device of claim 7 , wherein:
the electronic device further comprises an antenna; and
at least one of the first or the second non-metal material is configured to allow a transmission of radio signals for an operation of the antenna.

12. The electronic device of claim 7 , wherein the first, second, and third portions of the back surface of the electronic device are flush.

13. The portable electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the molded polymer structure defines an additional portion of the first side surface of the portable electronic device and an additional portion of the second side surface of the portable electronic device.

14. The portable electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the first portion of the back surface of the portable electronic device extends continuously from the first side surface to the second side surface.

Assignees

• Apple Inc

Inventors

• Hill Matthew D
• Krass Derek C
• Bustle Benjamin Shane
• Browning Lucy Elizabeth
• Wittenberg Michael Benjamin
• Smith James B
• Shukla Ashutosh Y
• Myers Scott A

Classifications

• H04M1/0249 Primary

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

• H04M1/02

  Constructional features of telephone sets · CPC title

• H04M1/0202

  Portable telephone sets, e.g. cordless phones, mobile phones or bar type handsets (constructional features of telephone transmitters or receivers, e.g. of speakers or microphones H04M1/03) · CPC title

• H04M1/0247

  comprising more than two body parts · CPC title

• H04M1/23

  Construction or mounting of dials or of equivalent devices; Means for facilitating the use thereof (by improving visibility H04M1/22) · CPC title