Multi-purpose tray in a mobile device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9838521-B2
Application number	US-201615206172-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 8, 2016
Priority date	Oct 30, 2015
Publication date	Dec 5, 2017
Grant date	Dec 5, 2017

Abstract

A mobile device can include a support frame adapted to support one or more electronic components of the mobile device. The mobile device includes a chassis shell adapted to form an exterior of the mobile device. The mobile device can include a tray exposed on the exterior and having at least two functional components of the mobile device attached thereon serving at least two different functions (e.g., an electronic function, an input or output function, and/or a mechanical function to support a permanent or temporary component). The chassis shell exposes one of the functional components on the exterior. The tray is capable of sliding outward to further expose the other one of the functional components.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A mobile device comprising:
one or more electronic components including a card reader;
a support frame adapted to support and facilitate electrical interconnection for the electronic components within the mobile device;
a chassis shell adapted to form an exterior of the mobile device and to enclose the support frame; and
a tray formed by at least an external card slot and a sound interface port, wherein the external card slot and the sound interface port perform separate functions, wherein the sound interface port comprises a speaker grill, wherein the chassis shell includes an opening that at least partially exposes the sound interface port at the exterior of the mobile device;
wherein the tray is adapted to shift outward beyond the exterior formed by the chassis shell or retract inward within the exterior, and wherein the external card slot is a structure adapted to receive an external card when the tray is shifted outward and to hold the external card to make electrical contact with the card reader when the tray is retracted inward; and
wherein the tray includes a detachable tray connection interface for electrically coupling the sound interface port to at least one of the electronic components of the mobile device when the tray is placed inward within the exterior.

2. The mobile device of claim 1 , wherein the support frame includes a circuit board; and wherein the detachable tray connection interface is coupled to the circuit board via a flexible cable such that movement of the tray does not decouple the detachable tray connection interface from the circuit board.

3. The mobile device of claim 1 , wherein the tray is adapted to be removable from the mobile device.

4. The mobile device of claim 1 , further comprising a tray receptacle structure attached to the support frame; and wherein the detachable tray connection interface comprises one or more contact fingers adapted to make electrical contact with the tray receptacle structure when the tray is fully retracted into the mobile device.

5. The mobile device of claim 1 , wherein the tray comprises a locking mechanism adapted to latch the tray onto the support frame or the chassis shell.

6. The mobile device of claim 5 , wherein the locking mechanism includes a spring-loaded cam structure, a push-push release mechanism, fingernail detent release mechanism, or any combination thereof.

7. The mobile device of claim 5 , wherein the chassis shell includes a hole to expose the locking mechanism such that an external object is able to mechanically move the locking mechanism to release the tray.

8. The mobile device of claim 7 , further comprising a microphone sensor with at least a voice sensing surface exposed within the hole.

9. The mobile device of claim 1 , wherein the support frame includes a circuit board coupled to the card reader; and wherein the card reader is disposed at a fixed position on the circuit board to make contact with the external card placed in the external card slot when the tray is fully retracted into the mobile device.

10. An external tray for insertion into a mobile device, comprising:
an external card slot adapted to receive an external card;
a tray support structure that holds the external card slot and a sound interface port, wherein the external card slot and the sound interface port perform separate functions, wherein the sound interface port comprises a speaker grill, wherein the tray support structure is adapted to shift in and out of an exterior of the mobile device;
a detachable tray connection interface comprised of one or more electrically conductive elements to electrically couple the sound interface port to the mobile device after the external tray is inserted into the mobile device; and
a latch mechanism attached to the tray support structure to lock the external tray to the mobile device once the external tray is inserted into the mobile device.

11. The external tray of claim 10 , wherein the external card slot, the sound interface port, and the tray connection interface are positioned sequentially behind one another.

12. The external tray of claim 10 , wherein the sound interface port and the tray connection interface are positioned on parallel edges of the external tray.

13. The external tray of claim 10 , wherein the sound interface port and the tray connection interface are positioned on perpendicular edges of the external tray.

14. The external tray of claim 10 , wherein the latch mechanism includes a spring-loaded cam, a push-push release mechanism, fingernail detent release mechanism, or any combination thereof.

15. The external tray of claim 10 , wherein the external card slot is a first external card slot, and the external tray further comprises a second external card slot positioned between the first external card slot and the sound interface port.

16. The external tray of claim 10 , wherein the sound interface port is modularly removable.

17. A mobile device comprising:
a support frame adapted to support one or more electronic components;
a chassis shell adapted to form an exterior of the mobile device to protect the electronic components therein; and
a tray exposed on the exterior and having at least two functional components of the mobile device attached thereon serving at least two different functions, wherein a first functional component comprises a sound interface port, wherein the sound interface port comprises a speaker grill;
wherein the chassis shell is adapted to expose one of the functional components on the exterior and wherein the tray is capable of sliding outward to further expose the other one of the functional components.

18. The mobile device of claim 17 , wherein the at least two functional components includes a card slot to carry an integrated circuit (IC) card.

19. The mobile device of claim 18 , further comprising a card reader; wherein the support frame forms a space for the card reader; and wherein the space for the card reader is directly adjacent to the card slot when the tray is fully placed inward.

20. The mobile device of claim 17 , wherein the at least two functional components includes a wired or wireless connection port for communication or for power supply.

21. The mobile device of claim 17 , further comprising an anchor adapted to prevent the tray from detaching from the mobile device after sliding substantially beyond the exterior formed by the chassis shell.

22. The mobile device of claim 17 , wherein the tray is fully removable from the mobile device.

23. The mobile device of claim 17 , wherein the support frame forms one or more rails for the tray to slide in and out of a cavity in the support frame.

Assignees

• Essential Products Inc

Inventors

• Evans V David John
• Jiang Xinrui
• Rubin Andrew E
• Hershenson Matthew
• Miao Xiaoyu

Classifications

• H04M1/0274

  for an electrical connector module · CPC title

• H04M1/0249 Primary

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

• H04M1/21 Primary

  Combinations with auxiliary equipment, e.g. with clocks or memoranda pads · CPC title

• H04M2250/14

  including a card reading device · CPC title