Component protection structures for electronic devices

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9974180-B2
Application number	US-201514801686-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 16, 2015
Priority date	Sep 3, 2014
Publication date	May 15, 2018
Grant date	May 15, 2018

Abstract

An electronic device may have a printed circuit to which electrical components are mounted. The electrical components may include a thermal sensor and a pressure sensor. A through hole in the printed circuit may receive the shaft of a standoff. The standoff may be soldered to plated metal on the sides of the through hole. A screw or other fastener may secure the printed circuit to a housing for the electronic device. A ring-shaped metal member may be soldered to the printed circuit. The ring-shaped metal member may form a bumper that surrounds the screw or other fastener and the thermal sensor. The pressure sensor may have a port through which ambient pressure measurements are made. A dust protection cover such as a fabric or other porous layer may cover the port.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. Apparatus, comprising:
a printed circuit having opposing first and second surfaces;
a sensor mounted to the first surface of the printed circuit, wherein the sensor extends from the printed circuit board to a first height;
a fastener that secures the printed circuit to a support structure, wherein the fastener is separate from the sensor and wherein the support structure is coupled to the second surface of the printed circuit board; and
a ring-shaped bumper coupled to the first surface of the printed circuit board that surrounds the sensor and the fastener, wherein the ring-shaped bumper extends from the printed circuit board to a second height that is greater than the first height.

2. The apparatus defined in claim 1 wherein the ring-shaped bumper comprises a metal ring that is soldered to the printed circuit.

3. The apparatus defined in claim 2 wherein the sensor comprises a thermal sensor.

4. The apparatus defined in claim 3 wherein the bumper encloses a region of the printed circuit and wherein the apparatus further comprises a pressure sensor mounted to the printed circuit outside of the region.

5. The apparatus defined in claim 4 wherein the pressure sensor comprises a pressure sensing device mounted in a sensor body in alignment with an opening in the body through which the pressure sensing device senses ambient air pressure.

6. The apparatus defined in claim 5 further comprising a dust blocking layer that is attached to the sensor body over the opening.

7. The apparatus defined in claim 6 wherein the dust blocking layer comprises a porous layer selected from the group consisting of: a fabric, a sheet with openings, and an open-celled foam.

8. The apparatus defined in claim 7 wherein the printed circuit is attached to an electronic device housing using a standoff.

9. The apparatus defined in claim 8 wherein the printed circuit has opposing first and second surfaces and a through hole that passes between the first and second surfaces, wherein the standoff has a head that is soldered to metal on the first surface, and wherein the standoff has a shaft that is soldered to metal in the through hole.

10. The apparatus defined in claim 9 wherein the printed circuit comprises a rigid printed circuit board and wherein the thermal sensor is soldered to metal traces on the rigid printed circuit board.

11. The apparatus defined in claim 10 further comprising a display having light-emitting diodes, wherein the thermal sensor measures heat from the light-emitting diodes through a central opening in the bumper.

12. Apparatus, comprising:
a housing having an interior;
a display mounted in the housing;
a printed circuit board mounted within the interior of the housing, wherein the printed circuit board has opposing first and second surfaces;
a fastener that secures the printed circuit board to a support structure, wherein the fastener is mounted to the printed circuit board at a first attachment point and wherein the support structure is coupled to the second surface of the printed circuit board;
a ring-shaped bumper mounted to the first surface of the printed circuit board, wherein the fastener is surrounded by the ring-shaped bumper and wherein the ring-shaped bumper extends from the printed circuit board to a first height; and
a thermal sensor secured to the printed circuit board at a second attachment point that is different from the first attachment point, wherein the thermal sensor is surrounded by the ring-shaped bumper and wherein the thermal sensor extends from the printed circuit board to a second height that is less than the first height.

13. The apparatus defined in claim 12 wherein the ring-shaped bumper is soldered to the printed circuit board.

14. The apparatus defined in claim 12 wherein the fastener is a first screw.

15. The apparatus defined in claim 14 wherein the printed circuit board is fastened to the support structure using a second screw.

16. The apparatus defined in claim 12 further comprising an additional electronic component mounted on the printed circuit board.

17. The apparatus defined in claim 12 wherein the ring-shaped bumper is a rectangular metal ring that is soldered to a metal trace on the printed circuit board.

18. The apparatus defined in claim 12 wherein the ring-shaped bumper comprises plastic and wherein the ring-shaped bumper is attached to the printed circuit board using an adhesive.

19. The apparatus defined in claim 12 wherein the ring-shaped bumper comprises an opening and wherein the thermal sensor is located in the opening.

Assignees

• Apple Inc

Inventors

• Malek Shayan
• Pakula David A
• Stephens Gregory N
• Cohen Sawyer I
• Myers Scott A
• Cater Tyler B
• Bates Eric W

Classifications

• H05K2201/10151

  Sensor · CPC title

• H05K2201/10219

  Thermoelectric component · CPC title

• G06F1/1658

  related to the mounting of internal components, e.g. disc drive or any other functional module · CPC title

• H05K2201/10598

  Means for fastening a component, a casing or a heat sink whereby a pressure is exerted on the component towards the PCB · CPC title

• H05K1/181 Primary

  associated with surface mounted components · CPC title