Handheld electronic device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12581003-B2
Application number	US-202217903893-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 6, 2022
Priority date	Jan 10, 2022
Publication date	Mar 17, 2026
Grant date	Mar 17, 2026

Abstract

A mobile phone may include a display, wireless communication circuitry, a battery, and an enclosure enclosing the display, the wireless communication circuitry, and the battery. The enclosure may include a front cover formed from a transparent material and defining a front exterior surface of the mobile phone, a rear cover formed from a glass material and defining a rear exterior surface of the mobile phone, and a first housing component including a first wall section defining a first side exterior surface of the mobile phone, a second wall section defining a second side exterior surface opposite to the first side exterior surface, and a mid-chassis section extending between the first wall section and the second wall section.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A mobile phone comprising:
a display; wireless communication circuitry; a battery; and an enclosure enclosing the display, the wireless communication circuitry, and the battery, the enclosure comprising:
a front cover formed from a transparent material and defining a front exterior surface of the mobile phone;
a rear cover formed from a glass material and defining a rear exterior surface of the mobile phone;
a first housing component comprising:
a first wall section defining a first side exterior surface of the mobile phone;
a second wall section defining a second side exterior surface opposite to the first side exterior surface; and
a mid-chassis section extending between the first wall section and the second wall section;

a second housing component positioned at a first end of the first housing component and defining a first exterior corner surface; and
a third housing component positioned at the first end of the first housing component and defining a second exterior corner surface;
a metal frame coupled to the front cover and surrounding a display region of the front cover, the metal frame comprising an array of tabs; and a spring coupling element attached to the first housing component, wherein a tab of the array of tabs is structurally coupled to the spring coupling element and electrically coupled to the spring coupling element.

2 . The mobile phone of claim 1 , wherein:
the first wall section, the second wall section and the mid-chassis section of the first housing component are integrally formed from a first metal material; the second housing component is formed from a second metal material; the third housing component is formed from a third metal material; and the enclosure further comprises:
a first intermediate element positioned between the first and second housing components and formed from a first polymer material; and
a second intermediate element positioned between the first and third housing components and formed from a second polymer material.

3 . The mobile phone of claim 1 , wherein:
the wireless communication circuitry is operably coupled to the second housing component and the third housing component; and the second and third housing components are configured to operate as radiating antenna elements for the wireless communication circuitry.

4 . The mobile phone of claim 1 , wherein:
the display is positioned at a first side of the mid-chassis section; and the battery is positioned at a second side of the mid-chassis section opposite the first side.

5 . The mobile phone of claim 1 , wherein:
the mobile phone further comprises:
a circuit board assembly coupled to the mid-chassis section; and
a thermal bridge thermally coupling the circuit board assembly to the mid-chassis section;
the thermal bridge is positioned proximate a first side of the circuit board assembly; and the first side of the circuit board assembly is opposite a second side of the circuit board assembly positioned proximate the first wall section of the first housing component.

6 . The mobile phone of claim 5 , wherein the thermal bridge comprises a graphite material coupled to the circuit board assembly and to the mid-chassis section of the first housing component.

7 . The mobile phone of claim 5 , wherein the thermal bridge is offset inward from the first wall section.

8 . The mobile phone of claim 2 , wherein the first wall section, the second wall section, and the mid-chassis section are integrally formed from an extrusion of the first metal material.

9 . A portable electronic device comprising:
an enclosure defining an interior cavity and comprising:
a front cover assembly defining a front exterior surface of the enclosure;
a rear cover assembly defining a rear exterior surface of the enclosure; and
a middle housing component formed from an extruded metal material and comprising:
a first wall section defining a first side exterior surface of the enclosure;
a second wall section defining a second side exterior surface opposite the first side exterior surface; and
a mid-chassis section integrally formed with the first wall section and the second wall section and defining:
at least a portion of the interior cavity; and
an opening extending from a first surface of the mid-chassis section to a second surface of the mid-chassis section opposite the first surface; and

a battery positioned within interior cavity of the enclosure and thermally coupled to the mid-chassis section; a display positioned below the front cover assembly; a camera array positioned below the rear cover assembly; and an optical facial recognition system configured to detect facial features of a user, the optical facial recognition system positioned below the front cover assembly and at least partially within the opening.

10 . The portable electronic device of claim 9 , wherein the front cover assembly comprises:
a glass-ceramic sheet defining a display region; and a metal frame coupled to the glass-ceramic sheet and surrounding the display region, the metal frame comprising an array of tabs structurally coupled to the middle housing component.

11 . The portable electronic device of claim 10 , wherein:
a first tab of the array of tabs is structurally coupled to a first spring coupling element attached to the middle housing component; and the first tab of the array of tabs is electrically coupled to the first spring coupling element.

12 . The portable electronic device of claim 9 , wherein:
the mid-chassis section defines a first surface that faces the front cover assembly and a second surface opposite the first surface; and the optical facial recognition system is coupled to the second surface.

13 . The portable electronic device of claim 12 , wherein the enclosure further comprises:
a first housing component positioned at a first end of the middle housing component and defining a first exterior corner surface; and a second housing component positioned at the first end of the middle housing component and defining a second exterior corner surface.

14 . An electronic device comprising:
an enclosure comprising:
a front cover formed from a first glass material and defining a front exterior surface of the enclosure;
a rear cover formed from a second glass material and defining a rear exterior surface of the enclosure; and
a housing component comprising:
a mid-chassis section partially defining a first cavity between the mid-chassis section and the front cover and partially defining a second cavity between the mid-chassis section and the rear cover, the mid-chassis comprising a plate structure and an array of mounting bosses integrally formed with the plate structure;
a first wall section positioned along a first side of the mid-chassis section and defining a first side exterior surface of the enclosure; and
a second wall section positioned along a second side of the mid-chassis section and defining a second side exterior surface of the enclosure;

a display coupled to the front cover; a circuit board assembly positioned in the second cavity and thermally coupled to the mid-chassis section and coupled to the array of mounting bosses by a set of fasteners; and a battery positioned in the second cavity and structurally coupled to the mid-chassis section.

15 . The electronic device of claim 14 , wherein:
the electronic device further comprises a thermal bridge formed from a thermally conductive material; and the thermal bridge is positioned between the circuit board assembly and the mid-chassis section.

Assignees

• Apple Inc

Inventors

• Bates Eric W
• Varma Arun R
• Pope Benjamin J
• Schmitt Griffin L
• Liu Zonghao
• Firka Michael W
• Durning Christopher J
• Fournier Douglas G
• Zhang Yaocheng

Classifications

• H04M1/0277

  for a printed circuit board assembly · CPC title

• H04M1/0266

  for a display module assembly · CPC title

• H04M1/0262

  for a battery compartment · CPC title

• G06V40/166

  using acquisition arrangements · CPC title

• G06V40/172

  Classification, e.g. identification · CPC title