HK1214666B - Housing, electronic device, apparatus, method and flat object ejector assembly - Google Patents

Description

Housing, electronic device, device, method and flat object ejector assembly

This application is a divisional application of the invention patent application with application date of January 31, 2012, application number 201210195767.5, and invention name “housing, electronic device, device, method and flat object ejector assembly”.

Technical Field

The described embodiments generally relate to portable computing devices, such as laptop computers, tablet computers, etc. More particularly, housings for portable computing devices and methods of assembling portable computing devices are described.

Background Art

In recent years, portable computing devices (e.g., laptop computers, PDAs, media players, cellular phones, etc.) have become smaller, lighter, and more powerful. One factor contributing to this reduction in size can be attributed to manufacturers being able to manufacture the various components of these devices in increasingly smaller sizes while, in most cases, increasing the capabilities and/or operating speeds of such components. This trend toward smaller, lighter, and more powerful devices presents ongoing design challenges for the design of certain components of portable computing devices.

One design challenge associated with portable computing devices is the design of the housing that houses the various internal components. This design challenge often stems from several conflicting design goals, including the desire to make the housing lighter and thinner, and the desire to make the housing stronger and more aesthetically pleasing. Lighter housings (which typically utilize thinner structures and fewer fasteners) tend to be more flexible and, therefore, have a greater tendency to flex and deform when used, while stronger and more rigid housings (which typically utilize a sturdier structure and include fasteners) tend to be thicker and carry more weight. Unfortunately, however, the increased weight associated with a more robust housing can lead to user dissatisfaction, and flexing of a housing formed from lightweight materials can result in damage to some of the portable device's internal components (such as printed circuit boards).

Furthermore, the housing is a mechanical assembly having multiple components that are screwed, bolted, riveted, or otherwise fastened together at discrete points. These assembly techniques typically complicate the housing design and create aesthetic problems due to the presence of undesirable cracks, seams, gaps, or breaks in mating surfaces and the placement of fasteners along the housing surface. For example, when utilizing an upper and lower housing, a mating line is created that extends around the entire housing. Furthermore, the various components and complex processes used to manufacture portable devices can make assembly time-consuming and require cumbersome procedures, such as requiring highly trained assembly operators working with specialized tools.

Another challenge involves the technology used to install structures within portable computing devices. Traditionally, the structure has been positioned on one of the housings (the upper or lower housing) and attached to the housing using fasteners (e.g., screws, bolts, rivets, etc.). In other words, the structure is layered on the housing in a sandwich-like manner and then fastened to the housing. This approach suffers from the same drawbacks mentioned above, namely, assembly is a time-consuming and tedious process.

From a visual standpoint, users often find compact and sleek designs for consumer electronic devices more aesthetically appealing. For example, thin and lightweight portable electronic device designs are often popular with consumers. To achieve this type of design, portable electronic devices may include a thin-profile housing and house many different components. For example, a display, a main logic board including a processor and memory, a battery, audio circuitry, speakers, and external interface circuitry may be housed within the thin-profile housing.

One advantage of portable electronic devices is their portability and ability to be used in a variety of environments. When moving between environments, external communications and data connectivity are required. To meet this need, a common approach is to implement wireless solutions on the portable electronic device. These wireless solutions may include implementing a wireless protocol and providing one or more antennas on the device.

One design goal for wireless solutions is consistent wireless performance across a wide range of operating conditions. One challenge in achieving consistent wireless performance is that materials that are intended to meet different aspects of the overall design than wireless performance can negatively impact wireless performance. For example, to achieve strength and rigidity goals, it may be desirable to use radio-opaque materials for the housing or device components, thereby blocking antenna reception. Another challenge in achieving consistent wireless performance is that in compact devices with limited packaging space, components that can generate or be induced to generate signals that are detrimental to wireless performance may be packaged in close proximity to the antenna.

The growth of mass-produced portable electronic devices has promoted innovation in the design practices of the housings that enclose such devices in terms of function and aesthetics. The manufactured devices may include a housing that provides an ergonomic shape and an aesthetically pleasing visual appearance that is desired by the device users. The outer surface of the metal alloy housing of the portable electronic device can be formed by computer numerical control mechanical equipment and may include a combination of flat areas and curved areas. To minimize the weight of the portable electronic device, the metal alloy housing can be formed to a minimum thickness while maintaining sufficient mechanical strength to prevent minor collision damage. Since the thickness of the metal alloy housing can be very thin, such as a fraction of a millimeter, the shaping of the outer housing may require precise and repeatable results to minimize surface differences on the exterior of the housing. Surface irregularities may cause the metal alloy housing to have an unacceptable appearance or compromise mechanical integrity. In addition, large-scale manufacturing may require the metal alloy housing to be shaped in the shortest possible time. Compared to processing along a single continuous path using a single cutting tool, multiple independent tools for shaping different areas of the metal alloy housing may require additional manufacturing time. What is needed is a method and apparatus for machining the three-dimensional top, edge, and bottom surfaces of a metal alloy shell to produce a surface having consistent surface variations within required tolerances to achieve a desired minimum thickness shell and preferred surface appearance upon completion.

The growth in the mass production of portable electronic devices has spurred innovative design practices for the functional and aesthetically pleasing housings that enclose such devices. These devices may include a housing that provides the ergonomic shape and aesthetically pleasing visual appearance desired by device users. The edge surface of the housing may be formed into a geometric shape with a curved portion seamlessly blending with a flat bottom surface, while lacking substantially flat portions along the edge surface. An opening in the edge surface of the housing can accommodate a removable flat object, such as a memory card or a tray for holding a memory card. When the flat object is stored within the housing, the exterior of the flat object may be formed to abut the curved surface of the housing, providing a smooth, uninterrupted surface. Mechanical ejection of the flat object can be achieved by inserting an ejection tool into the opening in the housing near the flat object. To align the flat object with the circuit board within the housing, the flat object may be oriented parallel to the circuit board, typically parallel to the flat top or bottom surface of the housing. Because the edge surface of the housing may not be perpendicular to the flat surface of the housing, the flat object can be ejected in a direction that is not perpendicular to the curved edge surface of the housing, but rather parallel to one of the flat surfaces. To minimize the size of an opening in a curved edge surface of a housing that can receive an ejection tool adjacent to a flat object, the center of the opening can be oriented perpendicular to the curved edge surface of the housing. The angle at which the ejection tool is inserted can be non-parallel to the orientation of the flat object in the housing. Therefore, a method and apparatus are needed for ejecting a flat object through a housing surface in a direction that is non-parallel to the direction in which the ejection tool is inserted through the opening perpendicular to the housing surface.

In light of the foregoing, there is a need for increased component density and related assembly techniques that reduce costs and improve factory quality. Furthermore, there is a need for improvements in the assembly of handheld devices, such as improvements that allow the structure to be quickly and easily installed within a housing. It is also desirable to minimize the Z stack height of assembled components to reduce the overall thickness of the portable computing device, thereby improving the overall aesthetics and feel of the product. In light of the foregoing, there is a need for a method and apparatus for improving wireless performance in portable electronic devices.

Summary of the Invention

A portable computing device is disclosed. The portable computing device can take various forms, such as a laptop computer, a tablet computer, and the like. In one embodiment, the portable computing device may include at least one single-piece housing having a surface for receiving a trim bead and a transparent cover so that the transparent cover is supported by the housing. The single-piece housing may include an integrated bottom and side walls that cooperate to form an internal cavity. The outer surface of the housing may have a substantially flat bottom connected to a curved wall. The internal cavity may include a substantially flat bottom for mounting a battery pack and other components (such as a PCB board). Various structures including ledges, alignment points, attachment points, openings, and support structures may be formed in the side walls and bottom surface of the internal cavity. Ledges surrounding the perimeter of the internal cavity may include a surface for receiving the trim bead and the transparent cover to the housing. In one embodiment, corner brackets may be mounted around the perimeter of the cavity. The corner brackets may be configured to reduce damage caused by collisions at corners.

In one aspect, the single-piece housing can be machined from a single billet of material (e.g., a rectangular block of aluminum) using computer numerical control (CNC) machine tools and related techniques. In one embodiment, the single-piece housing can be formed by: 1) machining the billet to form an outer surface of the housing, the outer surface including curved sidewalls that transition to a substantially flat bottom surface; 2) machining the billet to form an interior cavity, a portion of the interior cavity being substantially flat and parallel to the substantially flat bottom surface; 3) machining the billet to form an interior sidewall to form a ledge extending from the sidewall, the ledge including a surface approximately parallel to the flat bottom surface for receiving a trim molding and a cover, and 4) machining the billet to form a support frame for attaching a corner bracket to the housing.

In a particular embodiment, the corner bracket can be attached to the support frame using adhesive conductive foam to increase the rigidity and thereby the damage resistance of the housing to collision events. The conductive foam can ground the corner bracket to the rest of the housing to ensure good antenna performance. The corner bracket may include surfaces for receiving the frame bead and the corner portion of the cover. The corner bracket may be mounted so that the top of the surface on the corner bracket for receiving the frame bead is aligned with the surface formed on the ledge of the single-piece housing adjacent to the corner bracket for receiving the frame bead. In one embodiment, the surface on the corner bracket for receiving the frame bead may be castellated to increase the strength of the housing in a manner similar to a castellated building.

In another embodiment, multiple openings can be machined into the single-piece housing to provide access from the exterior of the housing to the interior cavity. For example, a first opening in the single-piece housing can be formed to allow a SIM tray for supporting a SIM card to extend from the interior cavity through and above one of the sidewalls, and a second opening in the single-piece housing, adjacent to the first opening, can be formed to allow access to an ejector mechanism for extending the SIM tray from within the cavity. As another example, an opening can be formed in the bottom of the housing that is configured to receive a logo overlay comprising a logo inlay bonded to a metal plate. In another embodiment, multiple openings can be formed in the curved exterior sidewall of the housing to allow sound from a speaker to escape from the housing. Apertures can be machined from the exterior to the interior in a direction orthogonal to the local curvature of the sidewall.

In another embodiment, the housing can be designed to maintain some structural integrity during a cover failure. In one example, an adhesive (such as adhesive tape) can be applied to the bottom of the cover. In the event of a cover failure, the adhesive tape can secure the cover sections together and prevent the cover from breaking into pieces.

The portable computing device can take a variety of forms, such as a laptop computer, a tablet computer, and the like. A single-piece housing including an integrated bottom and sidewalls that cooperate to form an internal cavity can be used as the housing. Device components (e.g., a display, a battery pack, a main logic board, memory, audio equipment) can be encapsulated in the internal cavity. The components can be sealed in the internal cavity using a cover. In one embodiment, the single-piece housing can be formed from a radio-opaque material, while the cover can be formed from a radio-transparent material that is also optically transparent, such as clear glass.

The antenna system may be disposed within the interior cavity of the housing beneath the cover. The antenna system may include an antenna for transmitting or receiving wireless signals. An adhesive layer and a compressible foam layer may be provided for bonding the antenna to the bottom glass of the cover. The compressible foam layer may be configured to apply an upward force to the antenna to provide a relatively constant spacing between the antenna and the bottom of the cover, thereby minimizing air gaps between the bottom of the cover and the antenna. This relatively constant spacing and minimized air gaps may help improve the performance of wireless solutions implemented using the antenna.

In one embodiment, the antenna may be bonded to the compressible foam layer. In another embodiment, an antenna carrier may be disposed between the antenna and the compressible foam layer, wherein both the antenna and the compressible foam may be bonded to the antenna carrier. The housing may be provided with an RF antenna window. In one embodiment, the antenna carrier may be configured to be mounted within the RF antenna window.

In another embodiment, a proximity sensor may be coupled to the antenna carrier, for example, by bonding the proximity sensor to a compressible foam layer. The proximity sensor may be used to detect objects in the vicinity of the antenna. When an object is detected in proximity to the antenna, the power level associated with the antenna may be adjusted. A shield may be disposed between the proximity sensor and the antenna. The shield may be used to prevent electromagnetic interference generated by the proximity sensor from reaching the antenna.

Another aspect of the present invention provides a system. The system may include a metal housing having a surface for receiving a cover glass, a speaker assembly, and an antenna system. The speaker assembly may have a) a speaker housing having a metal portion for enclosing at least one speaker driver; b) a connector for grounding the speaker driver to the metal portion of the speaker housing; and c) a conductive material wrapped around the speaker housing to form a faraday cage around the at least one speaker driver, the conductive material being grounded to the metal portion and the metal housing. The antenna system may be mounted to the bottom of the cover glass and the speaker assembly. Additionally, the antenna system may be grounded to the metal housing. In one embodiment, the antenna system may be located near a side of the metal housing. The thickness of the metal housing near the side of the antenna system may be reduced for performance of the antenna system.

A portable computing device is disclosed. The portable computing device can take a variety of forms, such as a laptop computer, a tablet computer, and the like. In one embodiment, the portable computing device can include a single-piece housing having a front opening. In the described embodiment, the single-piece housing can further include an integral bottom and side walls that, together with the front opening, help form a cavity, wherein the inner surface of the bottom wall is substantially flat and the side walls are curved. In addition to the single-piece housing, the portable computing device can include components including at least one battery cell and a main logic board mounted directly to the center of the bottom wall. Other components (including sensors, antennas, buttons, switches, and speaker modules) can be disposed around the peripheral edges of the battery cell and the main logic board. The portable computing device can also include a display assembly mounted to the housing and a transparent cover disposed within the front opening and attached to the housing. The bottom of the single-piece housing and the mounted display assembly can form a protective housing for the battery cell.

In another embodiment, a portable computing device is disclosed. The portable computing device may include a single-piece housing having a front opening. In the described embodiment, the single-piece housing may include an integral bottom wall and side walls that, together with the front opening, assist in forming a cavity, wherein the bottom wall has a substantially flat inner surface. Components (such as battery cells and a main logic board) may be mounted directly to the inner surface of the bottom wall of the housing. The battery cells and the main logic board may be located substantially in the same plane, and the battery cells may expand into the spaces between the battery cells during operation. A display assembly may be disposed within the front opening and mounted to the housing such that the housing and the display assembly together form a protective enclosure for the battery cells.

In another embodiment, a portable computing device is disclosed. The portable computing device may include a single-piece housing having a front opening. The single-piece housing may include an integral bottom wall and side walls that, together with the front opening, help form a cavity. The bottom wall of the housing may have a substantially flat inner surface surrounded by a plurality of recesses in a peripheral edge portion. Components may be mounted directly to the substantially flat inner surface of the bottom wall, and at least one other component may be mounted in a recess in the peripheral edge portion. A display system and a transparent cover may be disposed in the front opening and attached to the housing.

In one embodiment, a device for shaping the outer surface of a metal alloy shell of a portable electronic device is disclosed. The device includes a cutting tool having at least three cutting surfaces for grinding an area of the metal alloy shell. The device also includes a computer numerical control (CNC) positioning assembly configured to rotate the cutting tool at a constant speed and contact the rotating cutting tool along a predetermined continuous path at a constant translation speed to grind the metal alloy shell. The at least three cutting surfaces of the cutting tool include a first flat cutting surface, a curved convex cutting surface, and a second flat cutting surface. The first flat cutting surface is closest to the neck of the cutting tool and shapes the flat edge area on the top of the metal alloy shell. The curved convex cutting surface is adjacent to the first flat cutting surface and shapes the curved edge area of the metal alloy shell. The second flat cutting surface is located at the bottom of the cutting tool, adjacent to the curved convex cutting surface, and shapes the flat bottom area of the metal alloy shell. The predetermined continuous path includes a continuous spiral path for shaping the flat edge area of the metal alloy shell, and a continuous zigzag path for shaping the flat bottom area of the metal alloy shell. The spacing between adjacent circuits of the continuous helical path varies based on the curvature of the cross-section of the metal alloy housing surface.

In one embodiment, a device for shaping the outer surface of a metal alloy housing for a portable electronic device includes a bell-shaped cutting tool and a computer numerical control (CNC) positioning assembly. The bell-shaped cutting tool includes multiple cutting surfaces for grinding different areas of the metal alloy housing. The CNC positioning assembly is configured to rotate the bell-shaped cutting tool at a constant speed and contact the rotating bell-shaped cutting tool along a predetermined path to grind the metal alloy housing. Adjacent cutting surfaces of the cutting tool are used to shape adjacent areas on the outer surface of the metal alloy housing.

In one embodiment, a method for processing the edge surface and bottom surface of a metal alloy housing for a portable electronic device includes at least the following steps. A first step includes grinding the edge surface of the metal alloy housing by contacting a rotating cutting tool along a first predetermined continuous spiral path in close proximity to the edge surface. A second step includes adjusting the pitch of vertical movement of the cutting tool based on the final curvature of the metal alloy housing perpendicular to the direction of the continuous spiral path along the surface of the metal alloy housing for each loop of the continuous spiral path. A third step includes grinding the bottom surface of the metal alloy housing by contacting the rotating cutting tool along a second predetermined alternating direction linear path in close proximity to the bottom surface.

A flat object ejector assembly is disclosed, comprising: a force receiving mechanism arranged to receive a force (F _input ) along a first axis; and a flat object ejector comprising: a tray having a receiving area adapted to support a flat object; a tray contact area arranged to receive an ejection force (F _eject ) that causes at least a portion of the tray to be exposed following an ejection event; and an arm mechanically attached to a fulcrum. The arm receives a force (F _arm ) from the force receiving mechanism at an arm input location, and the force (F _arm ) applied at the arm input location generates a lever action to drive an ejection end of the arm to the tray contact area using the ejection force (F _eject ), so that the force (F _input ) initiates an ejection event, causing the tray and the supported flat object to move along a second axis different from the first axis to partially expose a portion of the tray.

A flat object ejector assembly disposed within the housing has a sharply curved surface including a first orthogonal vector, the flat object ejector assembly being configured to receive an ejection tool substantially parallel to the first orthogonal vector such that the flat object ejector assembly partially ejects a flat object from the sharply curved surface of the housing at an angle that is non-collinear with the first orthogonal vector, wherein the ejection tool causes the ejector mechanism to rotate about a single axis to partially eject the flat object.

In one embodiment, a device for a portable electronic device is disclosed. The device includes at least a first pivot element, a second pivot element, and a foam element. The first pivot element is arranged to receive an ejection tool through a first opening in the housing of the portable electronic device within a concave receiving area of the first pivot element. The first pivot element is arranged to rotate about a first rotational axis, thereby causing a cylindrical portion of the first pivot element to contact a curved portion of a second pivot element, thereby displacing the second pivot element. The second pivot element is arranged to rotate about a second rotational axis in response to contact with the first pivot element, causing a plate-like portion of the second pivot element to contact a flat object enclosed in the housing. The plate-like portion of the second pivot element, when rotated about the second rotational axis, displaces the flat object outward through a second opening in the housing of the portable electronic device. A foam element disposed adjacent to the second pivot element in the housing is arranged to return the second pivot element to a neutral position.

In one embodiment, a device in a mobile device is disclosed for ejecting a flat object initially contained therein. The device is arranged to receive an ejection tool along a first axis and eject the flat object along a second axis. The first and second axes are not parallel to each other. In one embodiment, the device includes a first pivot element, which is arranged to receive the ejection tool and rotate about a first rotational axis, thereby contacting and displacing a second pivot element. The second pivot element is arranged to rotate about a second rotational axis in response to contact with the first pivot element. The second pivot element includes a plate-like element, which contacts the flat object and ejects the flat object at least partially from the mobile device. In one embodiment, the device includes a foam element arranged adjacent to the second pivot element. The foam element is compressed under the rotation of the second pivot element when the flat object is ejected, and decompressed when the ejection tool is removed, causing the second pivot element to return to a neutral position.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The embodiments will be readily understood by the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numerals designate like structural elements, and in which:

FIG. 1A illustrates a top view of a portable computing device in accordance with the described embodiments.

1B illustrates a top perspective view of a portable computing device in accordance with the described embodiments.

FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of the exterior of a housing according to the described embodiment.

3A shows a simplified top view of the interior of a housing in accordance with the described embodiments.

3B shows a perspective view of the interior of a housing, according to the described embodiments.

4A shows a perspective view of a corner of a housing in accordance with the described embodiments.

4B shows a stack-up structure for attaching a corner bracket to a housing, according to the described embodiments.

5A shows a perspective view of a side of a housing including a lower portion of a ledge, according to the described embodiments.

5B illustrates a perspective view of a device attachment component incorporating a leaf spring as a locking mechanism, in accordance with the described embodiments.

6 shows a perspective view of a side of a housing including a cutout for an RF antenna window in accordance with the described embodiments.

7A and 7B illustrate side views showing a mechanism for coupling a cover to a housing, according to the described embodiments.

FIG8 shows a side view of a logo stackup in accordance with the described embodiments.

FIG. 9 illustrates a method of forming a housing for a portable device in accordance with the described embodiments.

10 is a block diagram of an arrangement of functional modules utilized by a portable electronic device in accordance with the described embodiments.

11 is a block diagram of an electronic device suitable for use with the described embodiments.

12 illustrates a perspective view of an antenna window mounted to a housing in accordance with the described embodiments.

13A-13C illustrate side views of an antenna stack-up structure according to a preferred embodiment.

FIG. 14 shows a side view of a stacked structure for joining a cover to a housing.

15A and 15B illustrate perspective views of an antenna stackup located near an outer edge of a housing in accordance with the described embodiments.

16 is a perspective view of a speaker assembly in accordance with the described embodiment.

FIG. 17 shows a side view of a display stack-up structure in accordance with the described embodiments.

18A and 18B illustrate a method of producing an antenna stack-up structure for a portable device according to the described embodiments.

FIG. 19 illustrates a top view of a portable computing device in accordance with the described embodiments.

FIG. 20 illustrates a top perspective view of a portable computing device in accordance with the described embodiments.

FIG. 21 illustrates a bottom perspective view of a portable computing device in accordance with the described embodiments.

22 is a perspective view of an interior view of a housing of a portable computing device in accordance with the described embodiments.

23 illustrates a top interior view of a portable computing device showing the detailed arrangement of various internal components in accordance with the described embodiments.

FIG. 24 shows an embodiment.

FIG. 25 shows a cross section along line AA of FIG. 24 .

FIG. 26 shows a cross section along line BB of FIG. 27 .

FIG. 27 shows another embodiment.

FIG28 shows an exploded perspective view of the major elements of a portable computing device in accordance with the described embodiments.

FIG. 29 shows a more detailed view of a speaker module in accordance with the described embodiments.

30 illustrates a cross-sectional perspective view of a button assembly mounted through the cover glass of a portable computing device in accordance with the described embodiments.

FIG31 illustrates a top view of a portion of the button assembly of FIG30.

32 is a side view of a portion of a display with alignment pins for a camera module.

FIG33 is a top plan view of a camera module.

34 is a side view of a portion of a camera module and a flexible connector coupled thereto.

FIG35 shows a flow chart describing in detail a process according to the described embodiment.

36 shows a simplified cross-sectional side view of a case for a portable electronic device including shaped geometric edges.

FIG37 shows a simplified cross-section of a cutting tool used to shape the outer surface of the housing of FIG36.

38A-38D illustrate the positioning of different portions of the cutting tool used to shape different areas of the exterior surface of the housing of FIG. 36 .

39 shows the vertical path of the center of the cutting tool for a continuous loop of helical paths when shaping the outer surface of the housing of FIG. 36 .

FIG. 40 illustrates the variable pitch of successive loops for a helical path when shaping the outer surface of the housing of FIG. 36 .

FIG. 41 shows a top view of a portion of the continuous loop of the helical path of FIG. 40 .

FIG. 42 shows a portion of a helical path for one region and a portion of a zigzag path for a second region of the outer surface of the housing of FIG. 36 .

FIG. 43 illustrates a representative method for shaping the exterior surface of the housing of FIG. 36 .

44A illustrates a top view of a mobile device including a removable sliding tray.

FIG44B illustrates a front view of the mobile device of FIG44A .

FIG44C illustrates a perspective view of the mobile device of FIG44A .

45A illustrates a top view of another mobile device including a removable sliding tray.

FIG45B illustrates a front view of the mobile device of FIG44A .

FIG45C illustrates a perspective view of the mobile device of FIG44A .

FIG45D shows a perspective view of a variation of the mobile device of FIG44A.

46 illustrates a partial perspective view of one embodiment of a flat object ejector assembly according to the described embodiments.

FIG. 47 shows a full perspective view of the embodiment of FIG. 46 from another angle.

48A, 48B, and 48C illustrate exploded views of the embodiment of FIG. 46 showing different cross-sectional views of the embodiment.

49 illustrates a perspective view of a second embodiment of a flat object ejector assembly in accordance with the described embodiments.

FIG50 shows a perspective view of the embodiment of FIG49 from another angle.

51A, 51B, and 51C illustrate exploded views of the embodiment of FIG. 50 showing different cross-sectional views of the embodiment.

52 illustrates a perspective view of a third embodiment of a flat object ejector assembly in accordance with the described embodiments.

FIG53 shows a perspective view of the embodiment of FIG52 from another angle.

54A, 54B, and 54C illustrate exploded views of the embodiment of FIG. 49 showing different cross-sectional views of the embodiment.

55 shows a flow chart detailing a manufacturing process for installing a flat object ejector in a mobile device.

FIG. 56 shows a flow chart describing in detail the ejection process according to the described embodiment.

57 illustrates a simplified top view of a representative apparatus for ejecting a sliding tray from a mobile device.

FIG. 58 shows a perspective view of the device of FIG. 57 .

FIG. 59 shows a second perspective view of the device of FIG. 57 .

FIG. 60 shows a bottom view of the device of FIG. 57 .

Figure 61 shows a detailed front exploded perspective view of select elements of the device of Figure 57.

Figure 62 shows a detailed rear exploded perspective view of select elements of the device of Figure 57.

Figure 63 shows a front view and a rear view of the selection elements of Figures 62 and 63 assembled together.

Figure 64 shows left and right side views of the selection elements of Figures 61 and 62 assembled together.

Figure 65 shows a perspective view of the selection elements of Figures 61 and 62 assembled together in a neutral "home" position.

Figure 66 shows a perspective view of the assembled selection elements of Figures 61 and 62 in the "pop-up" position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In the following, numerous specific details are set forth to provide a thorough understanding of the concepts underlying the described embodiments. However, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the described embodiments can still be practiced without some or all of these specific details. In other instances, steps of well-known processes are not described in detail to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the underlying concepts.

This article discusses an aesthetically pleasing portable computing device that is easy to carry with one hand and operate with the other. The portable computing device can be formed from a single-piece housing and an aesthetically pleasing protective top layer, which can be formed from any of a number of durable and transparent materials, such as highly polished glass or plastic. However, for the remainder of the discussion herein, without loss of generality, the protective top layer can take the form of a highly polished cover glass. Furthermore, because the cover glass can be mounted to the single-piece housing without a bezel (unlike conventional portable computing devices), the uniformity of the portable computing device's appearance can be enhanced. This simplicity of design can yield numerous advantages for the portable computing device beyond those related to its aesthetic look and feel. For example, assembly of the portable computing device can require fewer components and less time and effort, and the seamless single-piece housing can provide excellent protection for internal components from environmental contaminants. Furthermore, the portable computing device's ability to successfully withstand applied loads (e.g., due to everyday use) as well as less frequent but potentially more damaging events (such as being dropped) can be substantially enhanced over conventional portable computing devices.

In the described embodiments, the single-piece housing can be formed from plastic or metal. Where the single-piece housing is formed from metal, the metal (e.g., aluminum) can be in the form of a single sheet. The single sheet of metal can be formed into a shape suitable for housing the various internal components and providing various openings into which switches, connectors, displays, etc. can be accommodated. The single-piece housing can be forged, cast, or otherwise processed into the desired shape. In one embodiment, a billet of material (e.g., a rectangular billet of material) can be machined to form the single-piece housing.

One disadvantage of using metal as the housing material is that it is generally opaque to radio signals. Therefore, choosing a metal material for the housing affects the placement of the antenna; that is, the antenna needs to be located within the housing so that radio signals are not blocked by surrounding radio-opaque materials. An advantage of choosing metal as the housing is that it can provide a good electrical ground for any internal components that require a good ground plane. For example, when a good ground plane is provided, the performance of a built-in RF antenna can be significantly improved. Furthermore, a good ground plane can help mitigate harmful effects caused by, for example, electromagnetic interference (EMI) and/or electrostatic discharge (ESD). However, if the RF antenna is located inside the housing, a portion of the housing (if metal) can be dedicated to the radio-transparent portion.

The shape of the housing can be asymmetrical, in that the upper portion of the housing can be formed to have a shape that is completely different from the shape exhibited by the lower portion of the housing. For example, the upper portion of the housing can have a surface that meets a distinct angle to form a well-defined edge, while the lower portion can be formed to have a substantially flat bottom surface. The transition area between the upper portion with the distinct edge and the substantially flat lower portion can take the form of a rounded edge, which provides both a natural transition from the upper portion of the housing (i.e., the region of the distinct edge) and a smoother surface presented by the lower portion of the housing. It should be noted that in addition to providing a more aesthetically pleasing transition, the rounded edge in the transition area can also provide a more comfortable feel when the user holds the device in their hand, whether in use or simply holding it. One advantage of using metal for the housing is that metal can provide a good electrical ground for any internal components that require a good ground plane. For example, when a good ground plane is provided, the performance of a built-in RF antenna can be significantly improved. Furthermore, a good ground plane can help mitigate harmful effects caused by, for example, electromagnetic interference (EMI) and/or electrostatic discharge (ESD). However, if the RF antenna is present inside the housing, at least a portion of the housing (if metal) may be dedicated to the radio transparent portion.

It should be noted that in the following discussion, the term "CNC" is used throughout. The abbreviation "CNC" stands for computer numerical control and specifically refers to a computer controller that reads computer instructions and drives a machine tool (a powered mechanical device typically used to manufacture components through the selective removal of material). However, it should be noted that the described embodiments can be implemented using any suitable machining operations and are not strictly limited to those related to CNC.

These and other embodiments are discussed below with reference to Figures 1-66. However, those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that the detailed description given herein with respect to these figures is for illustrative purposes only and should not be construed as limiting. Implementing a wireless solution that provides consistent wireless performance under a wide range of operating conditions can include considering the relative radio transparency or opacity of each component of the portable device, the layout of the components relative to each other, and the ability of each component to generate signals that can interfere with wireless reception. Therefore, first, before describing specific features of the wireless solution, a general description of the characteristics of the portable computing device (including those that affect the wireless solution) is provided with reference to Figures 1A-3B.

FIG1A illustrates a specific embodiment of a portable computing device 100. More specifically, FIG1A illustrates a top view of the fully assembled portable computing device 100. The portable computing device 100 can process data, more specifically media data such as audio, video, images, and the like. For example, the portable computing device 100 can generally correspond to a device that can function as a music player, a game console, a video player, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a tablet computer, and/or the like. In a handheld configuration, the portable computing device 100 can be held in one hand by a user while being operated by the user's other hand (i.e., without requiring a reference surface, such as a desktop). For example, a user can hold the portable computing device 100 in one hand and use the other hand to operate the portable computing device 100 by, for example, operating a volume switch, a lock switch, or providing input to a touch-sensitive surface (such as a display or tablet). The device can also be operated while resting on a surface (such as a table).

The portable computing device 100 may include a single-piece housing 102 that may be formed from any number of materials (e.g., plastic or metal) that can be forged, cast, machined, or otherwise processed into a desired shape. In those cases where the portable computing device 100 has a metal housing and includes RF-based functionality, it may be advantageous to provide at least a portion of the housing 102 with a radio (or RF) transparent material (e.g., ceramic or plastic). Examples of housings including radio-transparent portions are described in more detail with reference to FIG. 2 , FIG. 3 , and FIG. 6 .

In either case, the housing 102 can be configured to at least partially enclose any suitable number of internal components associated with the portable computing device 100. For example, the housing 102 can enclose and support various internal structures and electrical components (including integrated circuit chips and other circuits) to provide computing operations for the portable computing device. The integrated circuits can take the form of chips, chipsets, or modules, any of which can be surface-mounted on a printed circuit board (PCB) or other supporting structure. For example, a main logic board (MLB) can have an integrated circuit mounted thereon, which can include at least a microprocessor, semiconductor (e.g., FLASH) memory, various supporting circuits, and the like.

The housing 102 may include an opening 104 for placing internal components and may be sized to accommodate a system or display assembly suitable for providing at least visual content to a user, such as via a display. In some cases, the display system may include touch-sensitive capabilities that provide the user with the ability to provide tactile input to the portable computing device 100 using touch input. The display system may be formed and mounted separately from the cover 106. The cover 106 may be formed from polycarbonate or other suitable plastic or high-polish glass. By using high-polish glass, the cover 106 may take the form of cover glass that substantially fills the opening 104. A frame bead 108 may be used to form a gasket between the cover glass 106 and the housing 102. The frame bead 108 may be formed from an elastic material, such as a thermoplastic polyurethane or TPU family of plastics. In this way, the frame bead 108 may provide protection from environmental contaminants that enter the interior of the portable computing device 100.

Although not shown, a display panel under the cover glass 106 can be used to display images using any suitable display technology, such as LCD, LED, OLED, or electronic ink (e-ink). In one embodiment, the display assembly and cover glass can be provided as an integrated unit for installation into the housing. In another embodiment, the display assembly and cover glass 106 can be installed separately.

The display assembly can be positioned and secured within the cavity using a variety of mechanisms. In one embodiment, the display assembly and housing 102 can include alignment points for receiving fasteners. The fasteners can be used to precisely align the display assembly with the housing. In one embodiment, after the display assembly is aligned with the housing, it can be secured to the housing 102 using fasteners.

The portable computing device 100 may include a plurality of mechanical controls for controlling or modifying certain functions of the portable computing device 100. For example, a power switch 114 may be used to manually power the portable computing device 100 on or off. A mute button 116 may be used to mute any audio output provided by the portable computing device 100, while a volume switch 118 may be used to increase/decrease the volume of the audio output by the portable computing device 100. It should be noted that each of the above-mentioned input mechanisms is typically arranged through an opening in the housing 102 so that it can be coupled to internal components. In some embodiments, the portable computing device 100 may include an image capture module 98 that is configured to provide still or video images. This layout may vary widely and may include one or more locations (including, for example, the front and back of the device), i.e., one through the back housing and another through the display window.

The portable computing device 100 may include mechanisms for wireless communication. As a transceiver-type device or simply a receiver (e.g., a radio), the portable computing device 100 may include an antenna that may be disposed within a radio-transparent portion of the housing 102. In other embodiments, a portion of the housing 102 may be replaced with a radio-transparent material in the form of an antenna window, as described in greater detail below. In certain embodiments, the antenna may be located beneath the cover glass 106. The radio-transparent material may include, for example, plastic, ceramic, etc. The wireless communication may be based on many different wireless protocols, including, for example, 3G, 2G, Bluetooth, RF, 802.11, FM, AM, etc. Any number of antennas may be used, and a single window or multiple windows may be used depending on the system requirements.

The portable computing device can be used on a wireless data network (e.g., a cellular data network). Accessing the cellular data network may require the use of a subscriber identity module (SIM) or SIM card. In one embodiment, the device 100 may include an opening 110b that allows the SIM card to be inserted or removed. In certain embodiments, the SIM card may be placed on a SIM card tray that may extend from a side of the housing 102. The housing may include an opening 110a that allows an ejector for the SIM card tray to be actuated to extend the SIM card tray from the housing. Openings 110a and 110b for the SIM card tray are shown in FIG. 3B .

FIG1B shows a top perspective view of a portable computing device 100 according to the described embodiment. As shown in FIG1B , the portable computing device 100 may include one or more speakers for outputting audible sound. Sound generated by the one or more internal speakers may pass through the housing 102 via a speaker grille 120. A portion of the speaker grille may be located on a downward-facing side of the housing so that a portion of the sound is angled downward. When the device is placed on a surface, a portion of the sound emitted downward may be reflected away from the surface on which the device is placed. The speaker grille 120 may be formed as a series of small holes punched through the sidewall of the housing. As described in more detail below, the sidewall may be curved.

In one embodiment, the drill bit used to punch or drill the speaker holes can be oriented so that the hole is machined approximately orthogonal to the curvature of the surface at each location. In some instances, more than one hole can be drilled at a time. For example, 5 holes can be drilled in a row along a line of constant curvature so that all holes are drilled approximately orthogonal to the surface. In one embodiment, while the holes are being machined, a covering layer can be placed on the front and back of the housing. For example, a stainless steel sheet can be placed on the outer surface of the housing and a plastic backing plate can be placed on the inside of the housing. The outer and inner covers can prevent damage to the surrounding housing caused by material debris generated during the machining process. Generating the holes in this way can produce a smooth surface, and the presence of the holes will not be noticed when touched.

After forming the speaker grille holes, a protective layer can be applied to the inner surface of the housing, covering the speaker grille holes. The protective layer can be designed to prevent the ingress of environmental contaminants, such as water that might enter the cavity through the speaker grille holes. In one embodiment, the protective layer can be formed from a hydrophobic fabric mesh that is permeable to sound, allowing sound to pass through the speaker grille 120 while reducing the risk of environmental intrusion.

1B , the portable computing device 100 may further include one or more connectors for transmitting data and/or power to or from the portable computing device 100. For example, the portable computing device 100 may include multiple data ports, one for each of the portrait mode and the landscape mode. However, the presently described embodiment includes a single data port 122 that may be formed by a connector assembly 124 that is housed within an opening formed along the first side of the housing 102. In this manner, when the portable computing device 100 is mounted in a docking station, the portable computing device 100 may utilize the data port 122 to communicate with external devices. It should be noted that in some cases, the portable computing device 100 may include an orientation sensor or accelerometer that may sense the orientation or motion of the portable computing device 100. The sensor may then provide an appropriate signal that will then cause the portable computing device 100 to present visual content in the appropriate orientation.

The connector assembly 124 can be any size deemed suitable, such as a 30-pin connector. In some cases, the connector assembly 124 can function as both a data and power port, thereby eliminating the need for a separate power connector. The connector assembly 124 can vary widely. In one embodiment, the connector assembly 124 can take the form of a peripheral bus connector. In one embodiment, a connector assembly with 30 pins can be used. These connector types include both power and data functionality, thereby allowing both power transfer and data communication between the portable computing device 100 and the host device when the portable computing device 100 is connected to the host device. In some cases, the host device can provide power to the media portable computing device 100, which can be used to operate the portable computing device 100 and/or charge a battery included therein while operating.

FIG2 shows a perspective view of the exterior of the housing 102 before assembly. This exterior may serve as the bottom of the device after assembly. FIG3 depicts the interior of the housing and its associated components, which enclose the device components (e.g., a display assembly and a main logic board). In one embodiment, the housing may be formed by machining a single billet of material (e.g., a single billet of aluminum formed into a rectangular shape). In FIG2 , a portion of the billet may be machined to form the overall exterior shape of the exterior of the housing. In other embodiments, the billet may be cast into a shape that is closer to the final shape of the housing before machining begins to form the final shape of the housing.

The housing 102 includes a substantially flat portion 144 that is surrounded by a curved sidewall 146. In one embodiment, the housing 102 may have a maximum thickness of less than 1 cm. In a specific embodiment, the maximum thickness is approximately 8 mm. In FIG2 , this geometry is provided for illustrative purposes only. In different embodiments, the curvature of the sidewalls (such as 146) and the area of the flat portion 144 may vary. In one embodiment, the sidewalls and the flat portion may be combined into a shape having a continuous cross-section, such as conforming to a continuous spline curve, rather than having the flat portion connected to the curved sidewall. In other embodiments, the sidewalls may be substantially flat and connected to the substantially flat portion via a specified radius of curvature, without utilizing a curved sidewall.

Openings may be formed in the flat portion 144 and the sidewall 146. The openings may be used for a variety of purposes, including functional and decorative considerations. In one example, the openings may be used for switches. As shown in FIG2 , openings for multiple switches are formed in the sidewall. For example, opening 136 may be used for a power control switch, opening 140 may be used for a slide switch, and opening 142 may be used for a volume switch. In one embodiment, the slide switch may be used to provide a mute control. In other embodiments, the slide switch may be used to control other device features. The size of the opening may depend on the size of the switch. For example, opening 142 may be used for a volume rocker switch, which may be larger than a power control switch or a mute control. In one embodiment, the opening may be formed using a drill bit oriented approximately orthogonally to the surface of the housing 102. Therefore, its orientation during machining may vary depending on the location of the sidewall being cut.

In another example, an opening for an external connector may be formed in the housing. For example, an opening 134 is provided in the side wall for an audio port, such as a headphone connector. In yet another example (see Figures 1B and 3B), an opening for an external data and power connector, such as a 30-pin connector, may be provided. In one embodiment, the opening may be cut in a direction approximately parallel to the flat portion of the housing, which may not be orthogonal to the curvature of the outer surface. Closer to the substantially flat portion of the housing 144, an opening 138 is provided for an image capture device on the back. Near the center of the substantially flat portion, an opening 130 is provided for a logo inlay. The logo inlay may be formed of a different material and a different color than the rest of the housing. Further details of the logo inlay are described with reference to Figure 8, which includes a logo laminate structure for attaching the logo to the housing.

The housing 102 may be formed of a radio-opaque material (e.g., metal). In certain embodiments, the housing may include a notched portion for placing an RF antenna window to support one or more antennas. The housing may include a notch for receiving an RF antenna window 132. The RF antenna window may be formed of a radio-transparent material (e.g., plastic) to enhance the device's reception of wireless data. In FIG2 , the RF antenna window is shown in an installed position where it extends across the sidewall and ends near a substantially flat portion 144 of the housing. The RF antenna window 132 may be shaped to match the surface curvature profile of the adjacent sidewall. A view of the RF antenna window 132 and the surrounding support structure on the housing as viewed across the interior of the housing is shown and described in more detail with reference to FIG6 .

In certain embodiments, a device may be configured to access a data network via one or more wireless protocols. For example, using a protocol such as Wi-Fi, a device may be configured to access the Internet via a wireless access point. As another example, using a wireless protocol such as GSM or CDMA, a device may be configured to access a cellular data network via a local cell phone tower. A device that implements two wireless protocols (such as Wi-Fi and GSM or Wi-Fi and CDMA) may use different antenna systems, one for Wi-Fi and one for GSM or CDMA.

Typically, an element (such as the RF antenna window 132) can be used to implement a cellular data network connection using GSM or CDM. To implement wireless protocols (such as Wi-Fi), the RF antenna window 132 may not be necessary. Therefore, in some embodiments, the housing can be formed without an opening for the RF antenna window 132. In these embodiments, the housing 102 can extend above the surface where the RF antenna window 132 is located to conform to the surrounding curvature of the sidewall. Therefore, the area where the RF antenna window 132 is located can be formed from the same material as the rest of the housing 102 and processed in a manner similar to the other sidewalls of the housing.

FIG3A shows a top view of a simplified housing 102, which shows a cavity with a front opening for one embodiment. A more detailed perspective view of the housing is described with reference to FIG3B. In FIG3A, the housing 102 may include substantially flat bottoms 148a and 148b. The flat bottoms 148a and 148b may be at different heights or at the same height. In one embodiment, the flat bottoms 148 and 148b may be substantially parallel to the flat outer bottom 144 of the housing described above with reference to FIG2. The flat bottoms 148a and 148b may transition to sidewalls extending above the cavity bottom.

The sidewalls can be cut from below to form ledges (e.g., ledges 156a, 156b, 156c, and 156d) that extend from the sidewalls to the center of the cavity. In one embodiment, the ledges can include portions at different heights. The width of the ledges can vary across each side and between sides. For example, the width of ledge 156a can be narrower than that of ledge 156d. The ledges do not have to be continuous across a side. In some embodiments, a portion of each ledge can be removed. Furthermore, the ledge width does not have to be constant across a side. In some embodiments, the ledge width can vary across a side.

A bracket (e.g., 150a, 150b, 150c, and 150d) may be located at each corner of the housing. The bracket may be formed of a metal (e.g., stainless steel). The bracket may be configured to increase the structural rigidity of the housing. In the event of a collision (e.g., a collision against a corner of the housing), the corner bracket may limit the extent of the collision damage, such as damage to the cover glass. The shape of the bracket may vary between the corners. In addition, for illustrative purposes, a simplified shape of the bracket is shown, and brackets of different shapes may be used. As discussed in more detail below, the bracket may be bonded to the housing using an adhesive. In one embodiment, the bracket may include a surface for receiving a corner portion of the frame molding and the cover.

In one embodiment, components (e.g., batteries) may be arranged in regions 148a and 148b. For example, in one embodiment, multiple battery packs may be joined to the housing in region 148a using PSA tape. In one embodiment, three battery packs may be adhered to flat region 148a using an adhesive that may be in the form of an adhesive tape (e.g., PSA). The adhesive tape may be used to slightly elevate the batteries and provide space for the battery packs to expand during operation. As another example, multiple PCBs may be arranged in region 148b. The number and type of PCBs may vary between embodiments depending on the functionality of the device. Some examples of PCBs that may be fixed to the housing in this region include, but are not limited to, a main logic board, a battery management unit, and/or an RF circuit board. The RF circuit board may also include a GPS circuit. The attachment points may be machined as bosses into the bottom of the housing to secure device components, such as PCBs. This is described in more detail with reference to FIG3B .

FIG3B shows a perspective view of the interior of housing 102. Device components (e.g., a display, a processor board, memory, audio equipment) can be secured within the cavity formed by the housing. Housing 102 can include a substantially flat portion in its center that surrounds an opening 136 for a logo insert. As described in more detail with reference to FIG8 , opening 136 can include a recessed ledge onto which a plate (e.g., a metal plate conforming to the shape of the recessed ledge) can be engaged to seal opening 136.

Multiple structures (e.g., protrusions 172a and 172b or protrusions 174 and 176) may be formed on the bottom of the housing. In one embodiment, the protrusions may be used in conjunction with fasteners to secure one or more PCBs to the housing. For example, the protrusions may be used to attach a main logic board, a battery management unit board, and a radio board. The number and type of boards may vary between embodiments. For example, some embodiments do not include a radio board. Therefore, the number and type of protrusions may vary between embodiments. The protrusions may include structures with holes that allow for insertion of fasteners (e.g., metal or plastic screws). The structures may be formed by removing material during a CNC-based machining process. Attachment points, such as protrusions, may also be formed for other components, such as a display assembly or a Wi-Fi antenna.

The housing 102 may include a number of components adjacent to the sidewalls of the housing and arranged near the periphery of the housing. An example of a component is an opening in the sidewall. For example, the openings for the audio port 134, power switch 136, mute button 140, and volume switch 142 described above with reference to FIG2 , and the opening for the data port described above with reference to FIG1B are also visible in FIG3 . The openings for the mute button 140, volume switch 142, and data port 122 are shown from the inside of the housing 102. As can be seen in FIG3B , the structure near the opening on the inside is different from the structure near the opening observed from the outside. In particular, the outer surface of the housing near the opening is relatively smooth, without sharp edges, while the internal structure near the opening may include steps, ledges, walls, and other forms. As discussed above, the exterior and interior of the housing may be asymmetric in this regard.

In FIG3B , other openings include a speaker hole cutout 170 as viewed from the interior, and an opening for the SIM tray ejector mechanism 110a and SIM tray 110b as viewed from the exterior of the housing 102. The openings for the SIM tray ejector mechanism 110a and SIM tray 110b may be located on the curved sidewall of the housing 102. In one embodiment, the SIM tray 110a and SIM tray opening 110b may be configured to allow the SIM tray to be ejected in a plane substantially parallel to the flat bottom portion of the housing. However, the opening for the SIM tray ejector mechanism and the SIM tray ejector mechanism may be configured such that the opening 110a is drilled approximately perpendicular to the surface in accordance with the curvature of the sidewall where it is located. The ejector mechanism may be configured to receive a tool (e.g., a cylindrical pin inserted through the opening 110a perpendicular to the surface) to eject the SIM tray. Therefore, when the cylindrical pin is inserted into the opening 110a and the SIM tray is extended from the opening 110b, the SIM tray and the pin may form an angle with respect to each other.

In certain embodiments, as described with reference to FIG3A , the ledge need not extend around the entire perimeter of the housing or completely span a side edge. For example, the housing may not include a ledge near the location of the RF antenna window 132. In other embodiments that do not include an RF antenna window, the ledge may extend into the area occupied by the RF antenna window. In certain locations, the presence of the ledge may make component installation difficult. At various locations, material may be removed to minimize or eliminate the ledge at that location. For example, near openings 140 and 142 for the mute button and volume switch, respectively, the ledge may be removed to form a cavity for receiving the mute button and volume switch assembly. The removed material near these openings allows the mechanism for the mute button and volume switch to be inserted downward into the housing, making a portion of the mechanism accessible from the outside of the housing through the opening. In one embodiment, the housing of a switch assembly installed in this manner may be shaped so that, after the switch assembly is installed, a horizontal surface is provided that aligns with adjacent ledges on the side of the housing. This level surface provides support for objects located above the mounted switch assembly, such as the cover glass and frame molding.

In certain embodiments, the ledges around the sides can include a surface 154 for receiving the border molding 108 and the cover 106 across the cavity formed by the interior cavity. As described above, the cover 106 can be formed of a transparent material. When attached, the cover 106 can protect the components below (such as the display) from damage. A partial side view showing the cover 106 and border molding 108 mounted to the housing is described in more detail with reference to Figures 7A and 7B.

Components (e.g., holes and/or grooves) may be formed in ledges 156a, 156b, 156c, and 156d. For example, two grooves 158 may be formed in side ledge 156d to allow a speaker assembly to be coupled to the housing. The groove may include holes allowing fasteners to be inserted to secure the speaker assembly. In another example, a groove 166 may be formed in side ledge 156d, which provides a mounting point for a Hall effect sensor. In yet another example, side ledge 156d may include a plurality of grooves (e.g., four grooves 168) that extend to the upper surface of side ledge 156d and below ledge 156d. In one embodiment, groove 168 may be configured to allow a magnet assembly to be mounted on housing 102. The magnet assembly may be used to secure a cover device, also comprising a magnet, to housing 102.

In one embodiment, a plurality of brackets can be coupled to the housing 102 to reinforce the housing in specific areas. For example, the data port opening 122 is relatively large, which can weaken the housing in the area around the opening 122. To reinforce the housing around the data port opening 122, a bracket 152 can be added above the opening. The bracket can be formed from a material such as metal. In one embodiment, the bracket can be configured to be attached to the housing so that it is aligned with a surface 154 for receiving the border bead. Thus, a portion of the border bead can be disposed on a bracket (e.g., bracket 152).

As another example, brackets 150a, 150b, 150c, and 150d can be located at various corners of the housing 102. The corner brackets can be utilized to increase the device's resistance to impact damage, such as impact damage caused by the device falling on its corners. This impact damage can be reduced because the corner brackets increase rigidity, which can reduce deformation during a collision event. In one embodiment, the brackets can include a surface for receiving a border bead 108 that aligns with a surface for receiving a border bead formed in a side ledge. Additionally, when installed, the brackets can extend toward the interior of the housing to form a ledge, similar to the side ledges machined into the housing 102. Further details of the corner brackets are described in more detail below with reference to Figures 4A and 4B.

FIG4A shows a perspective view of a corner 210 of the housing 102. In one embodiment, a SIM tray mechanism can be installed in the corner 210 to utilize the openings 110a and 110b in the housing shown in FIG3B . A component 206 of the SIM tray mechanism is shown installed. The housing 102 may include an aperture 208. This aperture can be used with a fastener to secure additional components associated with the SIM tray mechanism.

Corner bracket 150a extends around corner 210 to connect side ledges 156c and top ledge 156a. The top and side ledges can be formed by cutting portions of the housing blank from below during the manufacturing process. A support frame at a lower height can be formed below the height of ledges 156c and 156a and the corner bracket. If desired, this support frame can be cut from below, like the surrounding ledges. In the corner, the support frame for corner bracket 150a does not necessarily extend all around the corner. Material can be removed to allow for installation of components, such as SIM tray mechanism 206.

In one embodiment, the corner brackets can be bonded to the support frame using a liquid adhesive. Conductive foam can be located between the corner brackets and the support frame to ground the metal bracket to the rest of the structure. Details of the bonding scheme and stack-up structure for the corner brackets are described in FIG4B .

The use of reinforced bracket is not limited to use around corners, and can also be used for other positions, such as between corners. For example, a portion of ledge 156c can be removed to allow components to be installed. Then, a bracket that only extends along this side (opposite to extending around the corner) can be used to re-form the ledge above the installed component. This bracket may be able to reinforce this shell in the area where the ledge material is removed and replaced with a bracket. In certain embodiments, a portion of the ledge can be removed to form a gap in the ledge, such as to install an element below the ledge. However, this gap can be filled without using a bridging structure, and this shell can be used together with discontinuous ledges.

In one embodiment, the bracket 150a can be formed of a material such as stainless steel. The bracket shape can be selected to increase the strength of the housing in the installed area. As an example, the bracket 150a can be castellated in the corner 210 to improve the ability to resist impact damage during a corner drop event. The castellation can include raised portions and depressed portions around the corner 210. The raised portions can add additional structure, which can reinforce the bracket and disperse the force during a collision event. The number of castellations (i.e., the number of times the pattern of rise and fall of the structure is repeated) can be changed. Therefore, the example in Figure 4A is for illustrative purposes and is not intended to be limiting.

To provide a castellated shape, bracket 150a includes a ledge portion 204a that aligns with the ledge portion on side ledge 156c. Ledge portion 204a may be followed by a raised portion, a lowered portion, and another raised portion followed by a lowered portion 204b. The lowered portion 204b may be shaped to align with the ledge portion on top edge 156a. The castellated pattern may be specified by local geometry, such as the local height and width of the raised and lowered portions, and the number of raised and lowered portions. These parameters may vary between designs.

As previously mentioned, the frame beading 108 can extend on the ledge portion 204a on the carriage 150a approximately from the ledge portion on the 156c, by castellated top, extend on the ledge portion 204b and then to the ledge portion of top edge 156a.In one embodiment, the shape of the frame beading can be modified to coupling castellated pattern.For example, the frame beading can be raised to form castellated local thinning in structure.In other embodiments, if the frame beading can be thin enough or formed by compressible material, then the thickness profile of this frame beading can not be revised to obtain the castellated pattern around the corner 210.For example, on the castellated structural position with near the corner 210, the frame beading with uniform thickness can be used.

FIG4B shows a side view 400 and a top view 416 of a stacked structure for attaching a corner bracket to a housing (e.g., the single-piece housing 102 described above with reference to FIG2 and FIG3). Bracket 402 can be attached to support frame 402 in the housing below using an adhesive. One or more pieces of conductive foam can be positioned between support frame 410 and bracket 402 to ground the bracket to the rest of the housing. In one embodiment, the support frame below the conductive foam can be laser etched to provide a good conductive surface.

Bracket 402 can be attached to the housing so that the top of the bracket is approximately level with the top of the adjacent structure 404. In one embodiment, to mount the bracket, one or more pieces of conductive foam (e.g., two pieces of conductive foam) can be placed on the support frame, and adhesive paths 420 can be defined around the conductive foam. In one embodiment, the adhesive can be a liquid adhesive. In a particular embodiment, the liquid adhesive can be an acrylic adhesive.

Next, the bracket 402 can be placed on top of the foam block, and a fixture can be placed over the bracket. The fixture can be pressed down on the bracket 402 so that the bracket is mounted at a suitable height, for example, approximately level with the adjacent structure 404. As the fixture is pressed down to push the bracket against the fixture so that the bracket remains at the desired height, the conductive foam can be loaded. The adhesive path 420 can be selected and laid under CNC control to wet the bottom surface of the bracket and expand when the bracket is pressed down, but not extend into the area near and below the conductive foam. The adhesive can be laid in this way to prevent the adhesive from spreading under the foam and interfering with the conductive foam's grounding ability.

At 416, support frame 410 is shown as a continuous structure. In other embodiments, a portion of the support frame can be removed. For example, a portion of the support frame can be removed so that two islands are formed, wherein each piece of conductive foam rests on a corresponding island. Bracket 402 can be attached to each island.

FIG5A shows a perspective view 210 of one side of the housing 102, spanning the interior bottom surface and sidewalls of the housing below the ledge 156c. Two recesses 214 may be formed below the ledge 156c. Both recesses may include attachment features, such as attachment points 212. In one embodiment, each recess may include two attachment points for attaching a device attachment member to the housing. The device attachment member may be used to couple a device, such as a cover, to the housing 102.

FIG5B shows a representation of an embodiment of a device attachment assembly 2400 that can be attached to the housing 102. Specifically, the attachment assembly 2400 can include a magnetic element 2402/shunt 2404 attached to a leaf spring 2406. The leaf spring 2406 can be secured directly to the shunt 2404 via fasteners 2408 and to an end support 2410 via fasteners 2412. The end support 2410 can be attached to a support structure (such as a housing) to provide support for the attachment assembly 2400. In one embodiment, alignment posts 2414 can be used to provide alignment for both the end support 2410 and the leaf spring 2406 during assembly.

Figure 6 shows a perspective view of one side of the housing 220 including a cutout for the RF antenna window 132. The RF antenna window can be configured to support one or more antenna carriers within a cavity within the window. In one embodiment, the RF antenna window 132 can include a cavity 162 for supporting an image capture device and/or sensor assembly.

The housing 102 may include a generally rectangular recessed portion in which the RF antenna window 132 is positioned. The bottom of the antenna tray 132 may be curved to conform to the exterior of the housing (see FIG. 2 ). In one embodiment, the antenna tray may be supported by a support wall 226 formed in the housing 102. The RF antenna window 132 may include a lip 222 that overhangs the support wall 226. The lip 222 may help prevent the antenna tray from being pulled out of the housing. The RF antenna window 132 may be bonded to the housing using a liquid adhesive. The antenna tray 132 may be bonded along the outward-facing surfaces of the lip and the support wall 226.

Support wall 226 may include a plurality of openings, such as opening 224. Opening 224 may be aligned with an opening in RF antenna window 132. The opening may allow wires to pass through the housing and into the antenna carrier to reach components in RF antenna window 132, such as one or more antennas and image capture and/or sensor components.

In an alternative embodiment, the RF antenna window 132 and its associated antenna can be removed. In this embodiment, the support wall 226 can be removed and the exterior and interior of the housing proximate the antenna location can be formed from the same material as the rest of the housing, such as from a single metal billet. If an image capture device is included at the location shown in Figure 6, the image capture device assembly can be attached directly to the housing 102 rather than the RF antenna window. The image capture device assembly (not shown) can be mounted on top of the compressible foam. The thickness of the compressible foam can be selected so that the image capture device assembly is gently pushed against the cover glass when the cover glass is installed. This force can help ensure that the image capture device assembly is properly aligned with the cover glass.

Figures 7A and 7B show a side view showing a mechanism for coupling the cover to the housing. A ledge may be formed on the upper portion of the sidewall of the housing. The ledge may include a surface for receiving a frame bead 108. Thus, the frame bead 108 (which may be a pad formed of an elastic material) can rest on the ledge of the housing. As described above with reference to Figure 4, the frame bead 108 may be provided on top of a bracket (e.g., an angle bracket) attached to the housing at multiple locations. The frame bead 108 may be bonded to the housing using an adhesive 230a (e.g., epoxy or PSA tape). The cover 106 may then be bonded to the frame bead 108 around the periphery of the housing using an adhesive (e.g., 230b). The frame bead 108 may help form a seal against the interior of the housing. This seal may help prevent external contaminants (e.g., water vapor) that may damage internal components from entering the interior of the housing. In addition, the frame bead 108 can lift the cover 106 so that it does not contact the housing 102, thereby providing a buffer between the housing and the cover 106, which can prevent damage to the cover caused by collision between the housing and the cover. In one embodiment, the top of the cover glass 106 can extend slightly 232 near the top height of the frame bead 108.

A structure (e.g., 234) can be located beneath the cover 106. The structure 234 can be associated with an element (e.g., a display assembly) located beneath the cover 106. Comparing Figures 7A and 7B, it can be seen that the amount of underlying structure that is proximate to the border bead 108 can vary. For example, Figure 7B shows a larger gap 236 between the border bead 108 and the underlying structure than Figure 7A. In some embodiments, when a gap (e.g., 236) is present, an adhesive 230b (e.g., a PSA tape) can extend from between the border bead 108 and the cover 106 to beneath the cover 106, where a portion of the PSA tape is bonded to the cover glass but not to the underlying surface (e.g., the border bead 108), which can provide cushioning for the cover 106 during an impact event.

In this example, if the cover 106 shatters during a crash event, the extended adhesive 230b can act as a safety measure. The cover 106 can be formed from a glass material that can break into pieces. The extended adhesive 230b can hold the shattered cover pieces together so that small pieces do not break away from the device during a crash event. Thus, the extended adhesive 230b can function similarly to safety glass, which may include a reinforcing element that provides limited structural integrity to ensure that the glass does not fly apart during a crash event.

FIG8 illustrates a side view of a logo stack 250. The housing 102 may include an opening 260 that may be shaped like a symbol (e.g., a logo). In one embodiment, the thickness of the housing 102 in the area surrounding the logo may be less than approximately 1 mm. In a particular embodiment, the housing thickness may be approximately 0.78 mm. Material may be removed from the bottom interior surface of the housing to form a ledge including side edges 258a and 258b. This ledge may provide a surface for attaching the logo stack 250 to the housing 102.

In one embodiment, an insert 256 can be configured to fit within the opening. The insert can be formed from a material such as plastic. The logo insert can be thinner than the nominal thickness of the surrounding housing. In one embodiment, the logo insert can be approximately 0.59 mm thick.

In certain embodiments, the insert can be opaque to light, such as painted black or formed from an opaque material. In other embodiments, the insert can be formed from a translucent material. In one embodiment, the translucent material can be configured to diffuse light from an internal light source so that the logo appears illuminated when viewed from the outside.

The logo insert 256 can be bonded to the support structure 252 using an adhesive 254. In certain embodiments, the adhesive can be a tape, such as a pressure sensitive adhesive (PSA) tape or an epoxy, and the support structure can be formed from sheet metal (e.g., stainless steel sheet). The metal can be shaped so that it fits around a ledge formed in the housing 102. The support structure 252 can be bonded to the ledge using an adhesive (e.g., PSA or epoxy).

In one embodiment, a conductive tape can be used to ground the support structure 252 to the housing, such as a conductive tape positioned over a portion of the housing and a portion of the support structure. In another embodiment, a conductive adhesive can be used to couple the support structure 252 to the housing 102, wherein the conductive adhesive mechanically attaches and grounds the support structure to the housing. In an alternative embodiment, a single-piece structure (e.g., a single piece of molded plastic) can be used instead of utilizing separate support structure 252 and logo insert 256.

After the logo is installed, a top layer can be added to the interior of the housing. For example, the top of a stainless steel sheet can be coated in some manner. In one embodiment, this layer can be deposited using an electrophoretic deposition process.

The logo overlay 250 can be part of a flameproof enclosure associated with the housing 102. The flameproof enclosure can be configured to contain exothermic events generated within the housing interior, such as those associated with a battery. A metal support structure 252 coupled to a logo insert 256 can help contain internal exothermic events.

As described above, support structure 252 and logo insert 256 can be formed as a single part. In one embodiment, this single part can be made of metal. Metal is suitable for use as part of a flame-resistant enclosure. However, a decorative layer can be applied to a portion of logo insert 256. In another embodiment, this single part can be formed of a plastic material. If desired, a flame-retardant film can be applied to logo insert 256 within housing 102 to enhance its flame resistance.

FIG9 illustrates a method 300 for forming a housing for a portable device. In one embodiment, the housing can be formed from a single metal billet (e.g., aluminum billet). In a particular embodiment, the billet can be provided as a rectangular sheet having a nominal thickness of approximately 11 mm, wherein approximately 90% or more of the billet is removed during processing. After processing, the housing can have a thickness of less than 1 cm.

At 302, a CNC cutting path for removing material that allows for the final housing shape to be formed can be determined. This machining path can be optimized to minimize machining time and increase throughput. At 304, the blank can be machined to form the exterior shape of the housing. As described above, in some embodiments, the exterior shape can form the bottom of the device. Typically, the exterior and interior shapes of the housing can be machined separately using different processes.

In 306, machining to form the interior shape of the shell can begin. Initial machining can include removing a large interior portion of the shell in its center to form a somewhat rectangular cavity. After performing the large-scale machining, more refined machining can begin in 308. For example, a ledge can be formed around the outer top to support the cover. The ledge can be formed by cutting from below into the side of the billet using a suitable machining tool (e.g., a drill bit with a right angle). The top ledge can be machined to include a surface for receiving a frame bead (see 108).

Machining may include guiding a tool along a specific 3D path. In one embodiment, a local relative dimension may be utilized to guide the path of the machining drill. The use of local relative dimensions, as opposed to an absolute position associated with a fixture or another non-local dimension associated with the shell, may include determining a path from a reference point on the shell as the shell is being machined. For example, when creating an undercut in a sidewall, the local thickness dimension of the sidewall, as opposed to the distance from the centerline of the shell, may be used to determine the machining path for the cutting tool so as to maintain the desired sidewall thickness. This process may be repeated at different locations on the shell when creating different cuts. For example, when machining a ledge for a logo where the shell thickness is relatively thin, the local thickness of the shell at that location may be used to guide the machining process. Utilizing local relative dimensions can reduce machining errors, which can be important for ensuring that a cut, such as a sidewall cut, does not result in a shell that is too thin in a particular area.

At 312, internal attachment and/or alignment points may be formed. The internal attachment points may be formed as holes in the housing. In some embodiments, the holes may be formed as raised cylinders or "bumps" in the housing material. In other embodiments, recesses may be formed in the housing that are configured to receive additional components having holes, such as holes arranged along a wire, which may serve as attachment points. The additional components may be attached to the housing using an adhesive. The holes may be configured to receive fasteners, such as screws. The attachment points may be used to secure components such as, but not limited to, display assemblies, speakers, SIM tray mechanisms, and PCBs.

The alignment point can be a cavity, hole, or marking that can be used during the assembly process. For example, the housing can include a recess configured to receive a portion of an alignment fixture. The alignment fixture can be used to align the components by installing a portion of the alignment fixture into the recess in the housing and another portion into a recess in the component. The component can then be moved relative to the housing until it is aligned at a point where it can be secured. In one embodiment, a recess can be provided in the housing and a recess can be provided in the display assembly that can be used in conjunction with the alignment fixture to align the display assembly relative to the housing.

At 312, machining may include removing excess material from the housing. Excess material may be removed from various locations, such as below a ledge formed in the housing, to reduce the weight of the housing. At 314, an interior-to-exterior opening may be formed in the housing. For example, openings may be formed for a data port, a SIM card tray, a volume switch, a slide switch, a power switch, and an audio jack. In one embodiment, the openings may be formed by machining in a direction orthogonal to the shape of the exterior surface.

In one embodiment, a large number of small holes can be formed in the housing to provide an outlet for sound generated by one or more internal speakers. The holes can be formed by a punching tool that punches one or more holes at a time. In one embodiment, the holes can be punched from the outside of the housing toward the inside along the curved side of the housing. The holes can be punched in a surface with a varying curvature, such as the sidewall of the housing. A fixture can be used to rotate the housing so that the holes can be punched approximately orthogonally to the curvature of the outer surface, or to make the cuts at some other desired angle.

In certain embodiments, a bracket can be coupled to the housing to locally enhance the structural integrity of the housing. For example, a bracket can be installed near the opening for a data port on the side of the housing. The opening for the data port is relatively large, and the housing can be thinner in the area where the data port is provided. A larger opening can reduce the strength of the housing. Therefore, a support bracket can be added near the opening for the data port. The support bracket can be bonded to the housing using a bonding agent (e.g., a liquid adhesive) and can be grounded to the housing. In various embodiments, the metal bracket can be grounded to the housing using conductive foam or tape.

In another embodiment, support brackets may be added to the corners of the housing. These support brackets may add additional strength, which improves the housing's drop test performance. In one embodiment, the corner brackets may include a castellated pattern to increase their strength. As previously described, ledges may be formed around the housing to support the cover. Near the corners, it may be desirable to remove the material that forms the ledges in the corner area. The ledge material may be removed so that the mechanism can be installed in the corner. For example, as described above with reference to FIG4 , the SIM tray mechanism is installed in a corner of the housing. After the mechanism is installed in the corner from which the ledges have been removed, the corner brackets may be attached to form a ledge that is flush with the ledges formed on the rest of the housing. The frame molding and subsequently the cover can be attached in the corner using the ledges formed by the corner brackets.

At 318, an RF antenna window can be added to the housing. The RF antenna window can be formed from a radio-transparent material (e.g., plastic). An antenna carrier can be located near the edge of the housing. It can be shaped so that it forms part of the continuous exterior of the housing. The RF antenna window can be used to mount one or more antennas for receiving wireless data (e.g., data received from a cellular data network). At 320, additional components (e.g., a battery, main logic board, display assembly, bezel molding, and cover) can be attached to the housing until the final assembled configuration is achieved.

FIG10 is a block diagram of an arrangement 900 of functional modules utilized by an electronic device. The electronic device may be, for example, a tablet device 100. The arrangement 900 includes an electronic device 902 that is capable of outputting media to a user of the portable media device and is also capable of storing and retrieving data using a data storage device 904. The arrangement 900 also includes a graphical user interface (GUI) manager 906. The GUI manager 906 operates to control information provided to and displayed on a display device. The arrangement 900 also includes a communication module 908 that facilitates communication between the portable media device and an accessory device. In addition, the arrangement 900 includes an accessory manager 910 that operates to verify and obtain data from an accessory device that may be coupled to the portable media device.

FIG11 is a block diagram of an electronic device 950 suitable for use with the described embodiments. Electronic device 950 illustrates the circuitry of a representative portable media device. Electronic device 950 may include a processor 952, such as a microprocessor or controller, for controlling the overall operation of electronic device 950. Electronic device 950 may be configured to store media data belonging to media items in a file system 954 and a cache 956. File system 954 may be implemented using a memory device, such as a storage disk, multiple disks, or solid-state memory (e.g., flash memory).

The file system 954 is typically configured to provide mass storage capabilities for the electronic device 950. However, to improve access times to the file system 954, the electronic device 950 may also include a cache memory 956. For example, the cache memory 956 may be a random access memory (RAM) provided by a semiconductor memory. The relative access time to the cache memory 956 (e.g., a RAM cache) may be much shorter than that to other memories (e.g., flash memory or disk storage). The cache memory 956 and the file system 954 may be used together because the cache memory 956 may not have the large storage capacity of the file system 954 or the non-volatile storage capabilities provided by the storage device hosting the file system 954.

Another advantage of using cache 956 in conjunction with file system 954 is that file system 954 consumes more power when active than cache 956. The use of cache 956 can reduce the time that file system 954 is active and thus reduce the overall power consumed by the electronic device. When electronic device 950 is a portable media device powered by battery 974, power consumption is often a concern.

The electronic device 950 may also include other types of memory devices. For example, the electronic device 950 may also include RAM 970 and read-only memory (ROM) 972. In certain embodiments, the ROM 972 may store programs, utilities, or processes to be executed in a non-volatile manner. The RAM 970 may be used to provide volatile data storage, such as for cache 956.

The electronic device 950 may include one or more user input devices (e.g., input 958) that allow a user of the electronic device 950 to interact with the electronic device 950. The input device (e.g., 958) may take various forms, such as buttons, a keyboard, a dialer, a touch screen, an audio input interface, a video/image capture input interface, input in the form of sensor data, etc. In addition, the electronic device 950 includes a display 960 (display screen) that can be controlled by the processor 952 to display information to the user. A data bus 966 may facilitate data transfer between at least the file system 954, the cache 956, the processor 952, and the CODEC 963.

In one embodiment, electronic device 950 is used for storing a plurality of media items (such as songs, podcasts, image files and video files etc.) in file system 954. Media items (media resources) can belong to one or more different types of media content. In one embodiment, media items are audio tracks (such as songs, audio books and podcasts). In another embodiment, media items are images (such as photos). Yet, in other embodiments, media items can be any combination of audio, graphics or video content.

When the user wishes to make the electronic device play a specific media item, a list of available media items is displayed on the display 960. Then, using one or more user input devices (e.g., 958), the user can select one of the available media items. After receiving the selection of the specific media item, the processor 952 provides the media data (e.g., audio file) for the specific media item to one or more encoders/decoders (CODECs), such as 963. The CODEC (e.g., 963) can be configured to generate an output signal for an output device (e.g., speaker 954 or display 960). The speaker 964 can be a speaker inside the media player 950 or outside the electronic device 950. For example, a headset or earphones connected to the electronic device 950 can be considered as an external speaker.

The electronic device 950 can be configured to execute a plurality of applications in addition to the media playback application. For example, the electronic device 950 can be configured to execute communication applications, such as voice, text, email or video conferencing applications, gaming applications, web browsing applications, and many other types of applications. A user can select one or more applications for execution on the electronic device 950 using an input device (such as 958).

The electronic device 950 may include an interface 961 coupled to a data link 962. The data link 962 allows the electronic device 950 to be coupled to a host computer or an accessory device. The data link 962 may be provided via a wired connection or a wireless connection. In the case of a wireless connection, the interface 961 may include a wireless transceiver. The sensor 976 may take the form of a circuit for detecting any number of stimuli. For example, the sensor 976 may include a Hall effect sensor, an audio sensor, a light sensor (such as a photometer), a gyroscope, etc. that responds to an external magnetic field.

FIG12 illustrates a perspective view 2200 of antenna window 132 mounted to housing 102 from a different perspective than that shown in FIG3B . As described above, the RF antenna window can be configured to support one or more antenna carriers within a cavity within the window. As described above, the RF antenna window 132 can optionally include a cavity 2162 for supporting an image capture device and/or sensor assembly.

The housing 102 may include a recessed portion in which the RF antenna window 132 is disposed. In one embodiment, the antenna window 132 may be supported by a support wall 2170 formed in the housing 102. The RF antenna window 132 may include a lip 2166 that overhangs the support wall 2170. The lip 2166 may help prevent the antenna tray from being pulled out of the housing. The RF antenna window 132 may be bonded to the housing using an adhesive (e.g., epoxy or PSA tape). The antenna tray 132 may be bonded along the outward-facing surface of the lip and the support wall 2170.

Support wall 2170 may include a plurality of openings, such as opening 2168. Opening 2168 may align with the opening in RF antenna window 132. This opening may allow wires to be passed through the housing into the antenna carrier to reach components within RF antenna window 132, such as one or more antennas and image capture and/or sensor components. In an alternative embodiment, RF antenna window 132 and its associated antennas may be removed. In this embodiment, support wall 2170 may be removed, and the exterior and interior of the housing proximate the antenna locations may be formed from the same material as the rest of the housing.

Figures 13A-13C illustrate side views of an antenna stackup structure that allows an antenna to be mounted on the bottom of cover glass 106. In Figure 13A, antenna 2174 is mounted to a first surface portion of antenna carrier 2136. Antenna 2174 can be mounted to antenna carrier 2136 using an adhesive layer 2172b (e.g., PSA tape or epoxy). In one embodiment, antenna carrier 2136 can be configured to fit within a specific available space within the housing. For example, in one embodiment, the antenna carrier can be configured to fit within a cavity (e.g., 2160a or 2160b) associated with RF antenna window 132.

In certain embodiments, a piece of compressible foam 2178 can be bonded to the second surface portion of antenna carrier 2136 using an adhesive layer, such as 2176. Adhesive layer 2176 can be formed from an adhesive, such as PSA tape or liquid epoxy. After compressible foam 2178 is secured to the antenna carrier, antenna carrier 2136 can be positioned within a space, such as within RF antenna window 132.

In one embodiment, adhesive layer 2172a may be provided with a protective film (not shown) to prevent objects from sticking to the top of cover 106 before it is secured to the antenna stackup 2202. Cover glass 106 and antenna 2174 may be aligned with each other, and the film may be removed to bond the antenna to the cover glass.

When cover 106 is lowered into place, adhesive layer 2172a can bond antenna 2174 to the bottom surface of the cover. The overall stacked structure can be configured so that the top of stacked structure 2202 is higher than the height 2177 at which the bottom of cover 106 is secured. Thus, when cover glass 106 is secured into place, it can exert a downward force on the stacked structure. This downward force can cause the height of foam 2178 to decrease, causing it to exert a force on the bottom of cover 106.

The upward force exerted by the foam 2178 can push the adhesive layer 2172a toward the bottom of the cover and can help minimize air gaps that can form between the adhesive layer 2172a and the cover 106. Air gaps can affect antenna performance. Therefore, minimizing the air gap between the bottom of the cover 106 and the adhesive layer 2172a can help prevent variations in antenna performance between devices that can be caused by the presence of air gaps between the antenna and the cover glass.

The compressible foam described herein may include pores and cavities, often referred to as cells. Depending on the structure and formulation of the cells, the cells may be described as "open cell," "semi-open cell," or "closed cell." The foam element may be used in many different locations within the housing. In different embodiments, the foam formulation used, the shape of the foam element, and its thickness may vary between locations.

If the foam is compressed beyond a certain percentage of its original size, for example, to less than or greater than 20% of its original size, the force exerted by the foam can increase significantly. The compression limit at which this force begins to increase significantly can be approximated as all cells become closed due to compression. The compression limit at which the force begins to increase significantly after the foam is compressed beyond a certain limit can vary between foam types. However, the size of the foam can be determined so that this limit is not reached when the cover is engaged over the foam.

In alternative embodiments, in addition to or in conjunction with utilizing a compressible foam, other mechanisms may be used to urge the antenna toward the bottom of the cover glass or some other desired surface to help form a good seal. Generally, there are mechanisms that may utilize different configurations of force-applying elements, such as "spring-like" elements, to achieve this goal of urging the antenna toward the cover glass. As examples, in different embodiments, the mechanism may include utilizing a cantilever spring, a coil-like geometry, or an inflatable pillow. Furthermore, if multiple antennas are mounted in this manner, the mechanism used to urge the antenna toward the desired surface may vary between different locations.

For antenna consistency, it may be desirable to have a certain amount of force pushing against the antenna during the bonding process to the cover glass. As described above, a force applying mechanism (e.g., compressible foam) can be used to apply the force. However, after the antenna is bonded to the cover glass and the cover glass is secured to the housing, it is undesirable to push against the antenna and cover glass with excessive force because the force of the antenna pushing against the cover may reduce the adhesion between the cover glass and the housing, leading to reliability issues.

To prevent excessive forces from being generated after the cover glass is attached to the housing, a nominal force can be selected that accounts for variations in force due to assembly tolerances, while still providing sufficient force to the antenna in the worst-case scenario to meet the minimum force requirement for desired antenna performance. In the case of foam, assembly tolerances can result in greater or lesser compression of the foam and, consequently, greater or lesser force applied by the foam to the antenna. To utilize the foam to provide the nominal force, a foam thickness can be selected where the expected compression applied to the foam is well below its full compression limit and where variations in foam thickness due to assembly tolerances are small relative to the overall foam thickness.

In an alternative embodiment, a force-applying mechanism can be provided that applies a nominal force to the antenna while it is attached to the cover glass, but the nominal force provided by the force-applying mechanism is reduced or eliminated after the antenna is attached to the cover glass, for example, when the cover glass is secured to the housing. As an example, a mechanical snap can be used on the antenna carrier. The snap can be configured to push the antenna carrier and antenna toward the glass with a specific force profile, but then snap into place after the cover glass reaches its installed position. After snapping into place, the force applied by the snap can be reduced or eliminated.

In another example, a friction mounting process may be used. The antenna carrier may be configured to interfere with the space in which it is to be mounted. For example, the antenna carrier may include features, such as protrusions, cavities, or rubber gaskets, that may create interference with the surrounding space in which it is to be mounted. During installation, the antenna carrier may be positioned adjacent to the space in which it is to be mounted, and the cover glass may then be pushed toward the antenna and antenna carrier. As the antenna carrier is pushed into its mounted position, the friction created by the interference provides resistance to pushing the antenna carrier and antenna toward the cover glass. After the antenna carrier reaches its final position, the force exerted by the antenna carrier may be reduced or eliminated.

In another example, a semi-rigid, deformable material, such as putty or wax, can be placed beneath the antenna carrier. When the antenna carrier is pushed into the deformable material, a nominal force is generated to bond the antenna to the glass. After deformation, the deformable material can be positioned in its deformed shape so that it exerts little (or no) force against the glass after it is secured in place.

FIG13B illustrates an alternative antenna stack-up structure 2204. In this embodiment, a proximity sensor 2182 is bonded to the foam layer 2178. Furthermore, a shielding layer 2180 (e.g., a metal shielding layer) is disposed between the proximity sensor 2182 and the antenna 2174. In one embodiment, the shielding layer may be formed from a metal film. In this embodiment, the shielding layer may not be grounded. The shielding layer 2180 may help prevent the antenna 2174 from receiving signals generated by the proximity sensor 2182. In another embodiment, the shielding layer may be grounded to a metal portion of the housing.

In one embodiment, shielding layer 2180 may be disposed between foam 2178 and antenna carrier 2136 via adhesive layers 2176a and 2176b. In other embodiments, shielding layer 2180 may be disposed elsewhere. For example, shielding layer 2180 may be built into antenna carrier 2136.

A proximity sensor can be used to detect whether an object (such as a human hand) is close to the RF antenna window 132. The portable device can be configured to provide a variable amount of power to the antenna 2174, thereby affecting the strength of the signal transmitted by the antenna 2174. In one embodiment, when an object or surface is detected close to the proximity sensor, the portable device can be configured to reduce the amount of power supplied to the antenna 2174. In another embodiment, if the device includes multiple antennas, a proximity sensor can be provided for each antenna, and the amount of power supplied to each antenna can be adjusted antenna by antenna. Therefore, in some embodiments, if an object is detected close to one antenna but not close to the other antenna, the power supplied to one antenna but not the other antenna can be reduced. In other embodiments, when an object is detected close to one antenna or the other antenna, the power supplied to both antennas can be reduced.

Another antenna stack 2206 is shown in FIG13C. In this embodiment, antenna 2174 is bonded to foam 2178 via adhesive layer 2172b. Foam 2178 is then bonded to underlying support structure 2184 via adhesive layer 2182. Foam 2178 can help create a good seal with minimal air gaps between antenna 2174 and cover 106. As described in more detail with reference to FIG13A and FIG13B, the antenna and foam stack (e.g., 2206) can be bonded to a speaker assembly.

Reference Figures 14, 15A, and 15B describe configurations of antenna stack structures in which the antenna is secured to the bottom of the cover glass, near where the cover glass is attached to the housing. Thus, reference Figure 14 generally describes mounting the cover glass to the housing. When mounting the antenna near where the cover glass is attached to the housing, the housing and the means for attaching the cover glass to the housing may be modified. Details of these modifications are described in reference Figure 6 in a specific embodiment.

Figure 14 shows a side view of a stacked structure 2208 for joining the cover 106 to the housing 102. The housing 102 may include a surface for receiving the border bead 108. The border bead 108 may be mounted to the housing using an adhesive layer (e.g., 2188a). In one embodiment, the border bead 108 may be disposed around the periphery of the housing 102. In an embodiment using an antenna window, a portion of the border bead 108 may extend above the antenna window. The cover 106 may be joined to the border bead 108 via an adhesive layer (e.g., 2188b). When the cover 106 is installed, it may enclose an underlying structure (e.g., 2190), which may be associated with various device components.

Figure 15A shows a perspective view of an antenna stack located near the outer edge of the housing 102. In one embodiment, the antenna 2194 may be part of the antenna stack, including a compressible foam material as described above with reference to Figure 13C. In one embodiment, the antenna stack may be mounted to the speaker assembly 2210. The antenna may include an alignment hole 2220, which can be used to align the antenna 2194 with the cover glass. The antenna 2194 may be coupled to a wire 2192 that allows information to be transmitted between the antenna and a logic board (e.g., a main logic board on a device). The information may be associated with a signal received by the antenna 2194 or a signal to be broadcast by the antenna. In one embodiment, the antenna 2194 can be used to implement a wireless protocol, such as Wi-Fi.

To improve wireless performance, it may be desirable to place the antenna near the edge of the housing. If the housing is formed of a radio-opaque material (e.g., metal), to improve antenna performance, it may be desirable to make the housing 102 as thin as possible near the antenna while maintaining a relatively uniform metal thickness near the antenna. In Figure 15A, the antenna 2194 can be mounted near one edge of the housing between the corner bracket 2150c and the support bracket 2152 on the housing 102 (see Figure 3B). In other embodiments, the antenna 2194 can be mounted at other locations near the housing. Additionally, the antenna 2194 can be mounted on top of a speaker assembly or on top of some other internal structure. Therefore, this example is provided for illustrative purposes only and is not intended to be limiting.

In FIG15A , the frame molding 108 includes a notched portion. This notched portion allows a grounding plate 2198 to be grounded to the housing 102 near the antenna 2194. The grounding plate 2198 can be secured to the housing 102 via one or more fasteners (e.g., fastener 2196). In one embodiment, after the grounding plate 2198 is secured to the housing, a cover layer (not shown) can be placed over the fasteners. As described above, to improve antenna performance, it may be desirable to thin the housing 102 near the antenna 2194. This feature is illustrated below with reference to FIG15B .

In Figure 15 B, support bracket 2152 is removed, to show the following structure of shell.Shell 102 comprises ledge 2102a, is used to receive frame beading 108.Another ledge 2102b is near this ledge 2102a.This ledge 2102b is configured to receive the support bracket 2152 shown in Figure 15 A.This ledge 2102b is positioned under ledge 2102a, so that when support bracket 2152 is placed on ledge 2102b, the top of support bracket and ledge 2102a are at roughly the same height.Then, frame beading 108 can be placed across the top surface of bracket 2150c, bracket 2152 and ledge 2102a.

In FIG15B , the distance between side 2194a and the outer edge of the housing is approximately the distance between locations 2102d and 2102e on the housing. This distance is approximately the thickness of the housing at this location. Along side 2194a of antenna 2194, the housing thickness is relatively constant and approximately the same between locations 2102d and 2102e. In FIG15B , at location 2102c on ledge 2102b, it can be seen that the housing is thicker at this location relative to the thickness along 2194a. That is, location 2102d is closer to the edge of the housing than location 2102c. As described above, providing a relatively thin housing with a constant thickness near the antenna can help improve antenna performance.

Figure 16 is a perspective view of speaker assembly 2210. As described above, in one embodiment, an antenna stack can be mounted on top of speaker assembly 2210. For example, the antenna can be mounted to the speaker assembly near location 2232. Speaker assembly 2210 can include a housing 2224 and a connector 2234, which allows the speaker to receive signals that are converted into sound. Housing 2224 can enclose one or more speaker drivers. In one embodiment, housing 2224 can enclose two speaker drivers.

One concern when installing antennas (such as 2194 in FIG. 15A ) is that the magnets in the speaker drivers can generate EMI, which can affect antenna performance. In one embodiment, to mitigate potential EMI from the speaker drivers, each driver can be grounded to a metal portion of housing 2224. For example, the first driver can be grounded to metal portion 2222 in housing 2224, while the second driver can be grounded to metal portion 2226 in housing 2224. Thus, a conductive material (such as conductive tape) can be coupled to each metal portion and wrapped around housing 2224 to form a Faraday cage around each speaker driver. For example, conductive tape 2234 can be coupled to metal portion 2222 and wrapped around housing 2224, and conductive tape 2228 can be coupled to metal portion 2226 and wrapped around housing 2224. Thus, a Faraday cage is formed around each of the two drivers. Finally, the conductive tapes (such as 2224 and 2228) used to form the Faraday cage can be grounded to the housing.

Additionally, the use of conductive tape can provide other advantages. For example, a speaker assembly may include metal components that vary in size, shape, and mounting position within the assembly. These variations can affect antenna performance depending on the mounting position of the antenna relative to the metal components. The conductive tape can provide a constant ground plane between the antenna and the metal components, which can help mitigate any effects caused by variations in the size, shape, and positioning of the speaker assembly's metal components relative to the antenna. Another example of a potential advantage of using conductive tape is that the tape can be used to fill gaps and openings between metal objects that can resonate at radio frequencies, which can reduce antenna performance.

As mentioned above, grounding can be important for maintaining consistent antenna performance. Furthermore, other components can be sensitive to EMI, and a good grounding scheme can help mitigate EMI issues. One component that can be sensitive to EMI is a touch panel, such as a capacitive touch sensor. This touch panel can be located on a display module (e.g., a display module that includes an LCD display). The following describes in more detail some of the details regarding grounding the display module to mitigate EMI issues associated with the touch panel being close to the display module, and grounding the display module to mitigate EMI issues associated with the display module being close to one or more antennas.

To meet the overall thickness goals for a portable computing device, it may be desirable to minimize the thickness of individual device components. For example, a display module without a front bezel can be used to make the display module thinner. As another example, for a portable device with a touch panel, the touch panel can be positioned relatively close to a display element associated with the display module (e.g., LCD glass associated with an LCD display). In a particular embodiment, the touch panel layer can be located less than 1 mm from an EMI generating layer in the display module. The EMI generating layer or layers in the display module can vary depending on the display technology used, and the example of the LCD glass is provided for illustrative purposes only.

As mentioned above, the EMI-generating layer or layers in the display module can be grounded to mitigate the effects of EMI on the touch panel. In the case of a display module, it is desirable to achieve this grounding while not adding, or at least adding a minimal amount of, thickness to the display module. To achieve this, in one embodiment, conductive tape can be used to ground the EMI-generating display circuitry in the display module to the metal portion of the display module housing, such as by grounding thin-film traces on the LCD glass to the metal portion of the housing. In a specific embodiment, the thin-film traces can be ITO traces.

The conductive tape may be less than 0.1 mm thick. In certain embodiments, the conductive tape may be approximately 0.06 mm thick. The conductive tape may be formed using an adhesive that does not in any way erode or damage the substrate to which it is bonded, such as a film formed on LCD glass. The conductive tape may be formed in a color that is aesthetically pleasing. For example, in one embodiment, the visible portion of the conductive tape may be black.

An embodiment of a grounding scheme for the display module is described below. FIG17 shows a side view of a stacked structure 2212 for providing imaging services and touch recognition capabilities. The display module 2242 can be positioned below the cover glass 106. A touch panel 2246 can be positioned above the display module 2242. A conductive tape 2244 can be provided to ground EMI-generating display circuitry (e.g., a film with circuit traces on the LCD glass) in the display module 2242 that can affect the touch panel 2246. In one embodiment, a dust barrier 2240 can be positioned above the conductive tape 2244 and below the cover 106.

In certain embodiments, one end of the conductive tape 2244 may be coupled to one or more layers of the EMI generating display circuitry in the display module 2242 (e.g., a film with circuit traces on the LCD glass). The conductive tape 244 may then be attached to the metal portion of the housing for the display module 2242. For example, if the metal portion of the housing extends to the sides of the display module 2242, the conductive tape may extend over the top of the display 2244 and partially around the sides and attach to the metal portion on the sides. If the metal portion is located at the bottom of the display module 2242 and does not extend around the sides, the conductive tape may extend over the top of the display module 244, around the sides, and partially to the bottom of the display module. One advantage of using a conductive tape layer (e.g., 244) is that it can be thinner than using a corresponding metal structure for grounding purposes.

To control interference and antenna resonance between the display circuitry associated with display module 2242 and one or more antennas, the metal chassis of the display module can be grounded to the antenna ground plane. In one embodiment, this grounding can be achieved by cutting a slit in a conductive tape (e.g., 2244) associated with display module 2242, adhering conductive foam to display module 2242 proximate the slit, and then compressing the foam into the gap, where it can contact a conductive surface associated with the antenna ground plane. The foam can be compressed in this manner during the installation of display module 2242. In certain embodiments, the foam can be applied at multiple locations to ensure good grounding between the display module and the antenna ground plane.

FIG18A illustrates a method for generating an antenna stackup structure for a portable device. At 2302, the shape and size of the antenna may be determined. The shape and size may be based on factors such as packaging constraints and wireless performance considerations. At 2304, the antenna may be bonded to a compressible foam. A bonding agent, such as a pressure sensitive adhesive (PSA), may be used to bond the antenna to the foam. At 2306, the foam may be bonded to an underlying support structure. In one embodiment, as described above with reference to FIG13C , the foam may be bonded to a support structure associated with a speaker assembly.

At 2308, the antenna can be aligned with a cover (e.g., cover glass for a portable electronic device). The cover glass can be transparent to both visible light and radio waves. In one embodiment, the antenna assembly can include alignment holes for receiving alignment points on the cover. The cover glass and antenna can be aligned as part of joining the cover to the housing. At 2310, the antenna can be bonded to the cover. The antenna can be bonded to the cover using an adhesive (e.g., PSA tape).

When the antenna is placed against the cover, the foam can be sized so that it compresses. The compression of the foam can apply a force that presses the antenna toward the bottom of the cover. The pressure applied by the foam can help form a good seal between the cover and the antenna, such as a seal in which air gaps between the antenna and the cover are minimized and a seal that is relatively constant across the interface between the antenna and the cover (i.e., air bubbles that could affect antenna performance are minimized).

If the foam is compressed beyond a certain percentage of its original size, for example, to less than or greater than 20% of its original size, the force exerted by the foam can increase significantly. This limit can be reached when all open cells of the foam are compressed. The compression limit, where the force begins to increase significantly after the foam is compressed beyond a certain limit, can vary between foam types. However, the foam can be sized so that this limit is not reached when the cover is engaged over the foam.

FIG18B illustrates another embodiment of a method for producing an antenna stack for a portable device. At 2312, the size and shape of the antenna may be determined. At 2314, the antenna may be attached to a side of an antenna carrier (e.g., see 2136 in FIG13A and FIG13B ). The shape of the antenna may vary. Typically, the shape may be selected to fit within a specified space within the housing, and this specified shape may vary.

At 2314, the antenna may be bonded to one surface portion of the antenna carrier. At 2316, a compressible foam (e.g., open-cell foam) may be bonded to another surface portion of the antenna carrier. In one embodiment (see FIG. 13B ), components (e.g., a proximity sensor and shielding material) may be bonded to the compressible foam. The shielding material may shield the antenna from EMI generated by the components. At 2316, the antenna carrier including the antenna may be placed in a housing, for example, in a cavity associated with an RF antenna window. At 2320, the antenna may be aligned with the cover glass, and then at 2322, the antenna may be bonded to the cover glass. When the cover glass is secured in place, the foam may be compressed so that a force is applied through the antenna carrier, pressing the antenna toward the cover. Furthermore, the force applied by the foam may enhance the seal between the antenna and the cover, for example, by minimizing air gaps. Minimizing air gaps may limit variations in wireless performance between devices that may be caused by varying air gaps between devices. Large variations in wireless performance between devices may be undesirable.

FIG19 shows a specific embodiment of a portable computing device 3100. More particularly, FIG19 shows a complete top view of the fully assembled portable computing device 3100. The portable computing device 3100 can process data, more particularly media data, such as audio, video, images, and the like. For example, the portable computing device 3100 can generally correspond to a device that can be used as a music player, a game console, a video player, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a tablet computer, a camera, and/or other. In terms of handheld operation, the portable computing device 3100 can be held in one hand by a user and operated by the user's other hand (i.e., without requiring a reference surface, such as a desktop). For example, a user can hold the portable computing device 3100 in one hand and use the other hand to operate the portable computing device 3100 by, for example, operating a volume switch, a lock switch, or by providing input to a touch-sensitive surface (such as a display or tablet).

The portable computing device 3100 may include a single-piece housing 3102, which may be formed from any number of materials (e.g., plastic or metal) that can be machined, forged, cast, or otherwise processed into a desired shape. In those cases where the portable computing device 100 has a metal housing and includes RF-based functionality, it may be advantageous to configure at least a portion of the housing 3102 to be in the form of a radio (or RF) transparent material (e.g., ceramic or plastic) to allow RF signals to be transmitted through the at least portion. In either case, the housing 3102 may be configured to have a cavity for at least partially enclosing any suitable number of internal components associated with the portable computing device 3100. For example, the housing 3102 may enclose and support various internal structures and electrical components (including integrated circuit chips and other circuits) to provide computing operations for the portable computing device 3100. The integrated circuit may take the form of a chip, chipset, or module, any of which may be surface-mounted on a printed circuit board (PCB) or other supporting structure. For example, a main logic board (MLB) may contain integrated circuits mounted thereon, which may include at least a microprocessor, semiconductor (eg, FLASH) memory, various support circuits, and the like.

The housing 3102 may include an opening 3104 for placing internal components therein and may be sized to accommodate a system or display assembly suitable for providing at least visual content to a user via a display, for example. In some embodiments, the display system may include touch-sensitive capabilities that provide a user with the ability to provide tactile input to the portable computing device 3100 using touch input.

The display system can be formed from multiple layers. A separate, transparent protective layer 3106 formed from polycarbonate or other suitable plastic or high-polish glass can be positioned over the display system. By using high-polish glass, the protective layer 3106 can take the form of a cover glass 3106 that substantially fills the opening 3104. A frame bead 3108 can be used to form a seal between the cover glass 3106 and the housing 3102. The frame bead 3108 can be formed from a rigid plastic material. In this way, the frame bead 3108 can provide protection for the edges of the cover glass 3106. The frame bead 3108 can be an injection-molded plastic with a very thin cross-section, making it very difficult to handle, control, and measure. The frame bead 3108 can also be very difficult to consistently mold to the same size because variations in temperature and humidity at the molding site can cause the frame bead 3108 to increase or decrease in size by a large percentage. Thus, the shells and border moldings of different bins can be sorted and then matched so that the correct shells and border moldings can be matched to minimize the gap between the shell 3102 and the border molding 3108 to approximately 0.05 mm.

In this embodiment, racetrack 3110 can be defined as the uppermost portion of housing 3102 that surrounds cover glass layer 3106. To maintain the desired aesthetic look and feel of portable computing device 3100, it is desirable to minimize any deviation between housing 3102 and cover glass 3106 by centering racetrack 3110. A display panel (shown in FIG. 28 ) located below cover glass 3106 can be used to display images using any suitable display technology (e.g., LCD, LED, OLED, electronic ink or e-ink, etc.).

The portable computing device 3100 may include a number of mechanical controls for controlling or modifying certain functions of the portable computing device 3100. For example, a power switch 3114 may be used to manually power the portable computing device 3100 on or off. A slide switch 3116 may be used to mute any audio output provided by the portable computing device 3100, while a volume switch 3118 may be used to increase or decrease the volume of the audio output by the portable computing device 3100. In the depicted embodiment, the slide switch 3116 may be a slidable switch, while the volume switch 3118 may be a rocker switch. In other embodiments, the slide switch 3116 may be provided for other functions. It should be noted that each of the above-described input mechanisms is typically disposed through an opening in the housing 3102 to enable coupling to internal components.

The portable computing device 3100 may include mechanisms for wireless communication, either as a transceiver-type device or simply a receiver (e.g., a radio). The portable computing device 3100 may include an antenna that may be disposed within a radio-transparent portion of the housing 3102. In some embodiments, the antenna may be incorporated into the frame molding 3108 or the cover glass 3106. In other embodiments, a portion of the housing 3102 may be replaced with a radio-transparent material in the form of an antenna window 3140, which will be described in more detail below. The radio-transparent material may include, for example, plastic, ceramic, etc. The wireless communication may be based on many different wireless protocols, including, for example, 3G, 2G, Bluetooth, RF, 802.11, FM, AM, etc. Any number of antennas may be used, using a single window or multiple windows depending on the system requirements. In one embodiment, the system may include at least first and second antenna windows built into the housing.

Figure 20 shows a top perspective view of a portable computing device 3100 according to the described embodiment. As shown in Figure 20, the portable computing device 3100 may include one or more speakers 3120 for outputting audible sound. The portable computing device 3100 may also include one or more connectors for transmitting data and/or power to or from the portable computing device 3100. For example, the portable computing device 3100 may include multiple data ports, one for each of the portrait mode and landscape mode configurations. However, the presently described embodiment includes a data port 3122 that may be formed by a connector assembly 3124 that is received within an opening formed along a first side of the housing 3102. In this manner, when the portable computing device 3100 is docked, the portable computing device 3100 can communicate with external devices using the data port 3122. It should be noted that in some cases, the portable computing device 3100 may include an orientation sensor or accelerometer that can sense the orientation or movement of the portable computing device 3100. The sensor can then provide the appropriate signal, which will then cause the portable computing device 3100 to present the visual content in the appropriate orientation.Such a sensor can be coupled to the sensor board 3200, which will be described in more detail below.

The connector assembly 3124 can be any size deemed suitable, such as a 30-pin connector. In some cases, the connector assembly 3124 can function as both a data and power port, thereby eliminating the need for a separate power connector. The connector assembly 3124 can vary widely. In one embodiment, the connector assembly 3124 can take the form of a peripheral bus connector, such as a USB or FIREWIRE connector. These connector types include both power and data functionality, thereby allowing both power transfer and data communication between the portable computing device 3100 and the host device when the portable computing device 3100 is connected to a host device. In some cases, the host device can provide power to the media portable computing device 3100, which can be used to operate the portable computing device 3100 and/or charge a battery included therein while operating.

FIG21 illustrates a bottom perspective view of a portable computing device according to the described embodiment. Interior perspective views of a housing 3102 suitable for enclosing the operating components of the portable computing device 3100 can be seen in FIG22 , FIG26 , and FIG28 . As shown in FIG22 , the housing 3102 is formed with an opening 3104 into which the internal components are placed. A cavity in the center of the housing 3102 provides space for a battery cell 3304 and a MLB 3312. Other components are typically arranged around the perimeter of the battery cell 3304 and MLB 3312. Certain components may be located in smaller recesses formed in the edge portions of the housing 3102 or in the ledge 3156. For example, the RF antenna 3204 is located in the RF antenna recess 3206, while the camera 3134 is located in the camera recess 3136. Magnets 3202, which cooperate with the cover, may be located in slots 3168 along the edge of the housing 3102. FIG. 22 also illustrates openings 3142 , 3144 in the housing 3102 for accommodating the slide switch 3116 and the volume switch 3118 .

Corner brackets 3150 may be added to the single-piece housing 3102 at each corner to reinforce and increase the rigidity of the housing 3102 in those areas. Openings or holes 3180 for buttons and switches, including a slide switch 3116 and a volume switch 3118, may also be provided in the housing 3102. Speaker apertures or speaker grilles 3170 may also be formed in the housing 3102. Speaker attachment features 3158 may also be provided on the ledge 3156 for attaching a speaker module 3320. In the depicted embodiment, the speaker attachment features 3158 are provided for attaching a substantially L-shaped speaker module 3320. The housing 3102 may also be formed with additional features 3172 for attaching or aligning elements, such as the MLB 3312.

The shape of the housing can be asymmetrical, in that the upper portion of the housing can be formed to have a shape that is completely different from the shape exhibited by the lower portion of the housing. For example, the upper portion of the housing can have a surface that meets a distinct angle to form a well-defined edge, while the lower portion can be formed to have a substantially flat bottom surface. The transition region between the upper portion with the distinct edge and the substantially flat lower portion can take the form of an edge with a rounded, spline-shaped edge, which provides both a natural transition from the upper portion of the housing (i.e., the region of the distinct edge) and a smoother, substantially flat surface presented by the lower portion of the housing. It should also be noted that in addition to providing a more aesthetically pleasing transition, the rounded, spline-shaped edge in the transition region can provide a more comfortable feel when a user holds the device in their hand, whether in use or simply holding it. One advantage of using metal for the housing is that metal can provide a good electrical ground for any internal components that require a good ground plane. For example, when a good ground plane is provided, the performance of a built-in RF antenna can be significantly improved. Furthermore, a good ground plane can help mitigate harmful effects caused by, for example, electromagnetic interference (EMI) and/or electrostatic discharge (ESD).

The housing 3102 may include multiple components for facilitating the installation of internal components used in the assembly of the portable computing device 3100, as shown in FIG22 . These components are integral to the unitary body structure of the housing 3102 and do not need to be separately mounted to the housing 3102. This simplifies the assembly of the portable computing device 3100. In the depicted embodiment, the single-piece housing 3102 may be formed from a single sheet or block of metal (e.g., aluminum) and formed into the appropriate shape using, for example, core metal forming techniques well known to those skilled in the art.

For example, a recess 3206 may be formed in the housing 3102, appropriately sized and positioned for an RF antenna. If the recess 3206 is used to accommodate an RF antenna, it may support an RF antenna support assembly formed from at least some radio-transparent material. For example, the RF antenna support assembly may be foam, which is pre-installed in the recess 3206 before the RF antenna 3204 is placed in the recess 3206. This foam RF support assembly can bias the RF antenna 3204 toward the display assembly 3132, ensuring a consistent distance between the RF antenna 3204 and the display 3132, thereby enhancing the performance of the RF antenna 3204. The RF antenna 3204 can be adhered to the display assembly 3132 using, for example, a PSA. Providing the RF antenna support assembly and the RF antenna window 3140 formed from at least some radio-transparent material facilitates unimpeded transmission and reception of RF energy over any number of wireless protocols (e.g., WiFi, Bluetooth, etc.). It should be noted that the ability to provide unimpeded RF functionality is particularly important when the housing 3102 is formed from a radio frequency opaque material (such as most metals).

The following discussion describes specific methods for minimizing the Z height of assembled components and maximizing component density within housing 3102. In other words, the Z stacking associated with the mounted internal components allows the components to be easily accommodated within the cavity within housing 3102 without requiring a lengthy and time-consuming assembly process. Reduced Z stacking and improved component density can be achieved in a number of ways, such as by configuring the structure of the internal components to perform multiple functions.

For example, the portable computing device 3100 may include a battery assembly. This battery assembly may further include a battery cell 3304, which may be directly attached to the interior of the bottom wall of the housing 3102. In one embodiment, a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) strip 3105, as shown in FIG26 , may be used to directly attach the battery cell 3304 to the housing 3102, without requiring a conventional battery pack or frame. In the depicted embodiment, two PSA strips 3105 are used to adhere each battery cell 3304. Directly attaching each battery cell 3304 to the housing 3102 avoids the need for a separate battery support/protective structure, such as a battery compartment typically used in conventional battery packs. Such a battery compartment is typically a plastic housing that surrounds the battery cell. This plastic housing is separate from the computer or device housing. In the depicted embodiment, a protective housing for the battery cell 3304 may be provided by the housing 3102 and a display 3132 mounted directly to the housing 3102. By eliminating the separate battery compartment, the overall weight and z-stack height of the power supply assembly can be reduced compared to those required by conventional battery packs.

In the depicted embodiment, all battery cells 3304 are directly soldered to the same battery management unit (BMU) 3306. In other embodiments, the battery cells 3304 may be electrically connected to each other via flexible connectors or wires. The flexible connectors may in turn be soldered to the BMU 3306. The BMU 3306 may be used for some or all of the battery cells in the device.

A gap (referred to as an expansion gap) 3107 may be provided to accommodate the expansion expected to occur during normal operation of the battery cells 3304. Expansion gap 3107 may be provided in the space between the PSA tape between the bottom wall of the housing 3102 and the lower surface of the battery cells 3304. Expansion gap 3107 may also be provided above the battery cells 3304, between the top surface of the battery cells 3304 and the bottom surface of the display assembly 3132. Providing expansion gap 3107 below the battery cells 3304 allows for the utilization of otherwise wasted space between the battery cells 3304 and the housing 3102 in a production-friendly manner. According to one embodiment, all battery cells 3304 may be welded to the same BMU 3306.

As shown in FIG23 , there is generally no structure between the battery cells 3304, which are held in their desired positions on the housing 3102 by adhesive. To utilize the space between the battery cells 3304, a connector cable 3308 may be placed between the two cells, as shown in FIG23 . In the illustrated embodiment, this particular connector cable 3308 connects the MLB 3312 to the sensor board 200, which may be coupled to a sensor. The sensor may be designed to sense information that enables the portable computing device 3100 to make intelligent decisions. Essentially, the sensor may provide information or cues that help anticipate the future use of the portable computing device or the user's needs, allowing the device 3100 to configure accordingly. In most cases, the sensor is configured to sense one or more environmental attributes surrounding the portable computing device 3100. Such environmental attributes may include, for example, temperature, ambient light, motion, vibration, pressure, touch, stress, noise, direction, time, force, and/or other environmental attributes.

Thus, sensors may include an antenna proximity sensor, a compass, an accelerometer, a gyroscope, and a Hall-effect sensor mounted on the sensor board 3200. The sensor board 3200 may extend from the area of the magnet 3202 along the outer edge of the battery cell 3304 to a corner of the device 3100 proximate to one of the RF antennas 3204, as shown in FIG23 . It should be noted that the compass should be placed as far away from the magnet 3202 as possible on the sensor board 3200 to prevent interference. The sensor board 3200 may also be connected to the camera 3134, the ambient light sensor (ALS) 3146, and the thermal sensor 3148, as well as the slide switch 3116 and the volume switch 3118. A connector cable 3308 provides access to connect all components coupled to the sensor board 3200 to the MLB 3312. By placing the cable connector 3308 in the otherwise unused space between the two battery cells 3304, the total component footprint within the cavity is minimized, while also minimizing the Z stack height by utilizing the space more efficiently. Additionally, it is important to keep the accelerometer and gyroscope as far away as possible from the MLB 3312 and its power traces to minimize crosstalk, so the connector cable 3308 located between the battery cells 3304 is an efficient and neat way to connect the accelerometer and gyroscope to the MLB 3312 while keeping them as far away as possible. The sensor board 3200 can be rigidly bonded to the housing 3102 using a PSA with a foam layer on its top surface to bias the sensor board 3200 downward toward the housing 3102.

Component density can also be increased. For example, circuits that would otherwise be considered separate can be combined to share a single connector. For example, as discussed above, all components coupled to sensor board 3200 can be coupled to MLB 3312 via a single connection, which in this case is connector cable 3312. Additionally, an audio module can include both a microphone and associated circuitry, which can share a flexible connector with the audio circuitry used to generate the audio output. In this way, the number of internal components and the total footprint can be substantially reduced without adversely affecting overall functionality. In this way, the overall component density can be increased while simultaneously reducing the number of interconnects used.

Figures 23-30 illustrate the operating elements of the portable computing device 3100. The operating elements are organized substantially in a single layer to minimize the Z stack height of the portable computing device 3100. Thus, most of the internal components of the portable computing device 3100 are substantially in a single plane. As described in more detail below, most components can be mounted directly to the housing 3102. In this way, by minimizing the Z stack height, the portable computing device 3100 can have a relatively low profile and be very compact, strong, aesthetically pleasing, and ergonomic at a relatively low cost.

FIG23 illustrates a top view of the interior of the portable computing device 3100, showing the detailed arrangement of various internal components. In the illustrated embodiment, the internal components may include at least a battery assembly, which may include three individual battery cells 3304. The individual battery cells 3304 may be directly attached to the housing 3102 using an adhesive (e.g., PSA tape). Other types of adhesives or mounting methods may also be used to attach the battery cells 3304 to the housing 3102.

The internal components may also include a main logic board (MLB) 3312, which may include multiple operating circuits such as a processor, graphics circuits, (optional) RF circuits, semiconductor memory (such as FLASH), etc. The MLB 3312 can receive power from the battery cell 3304 in the form of an electrical connector. As shown in Figure 23, the battery cell 3304 and the MLB 3312 are located in the center of the cavity in the housing 3102, while most of the other internal components are located in the same plane around the periphery of the cavity. As described in more detail below, space is saved by utilizing thin connectors (such as flexible connectors) and by fitting the connectors into spaces that would otherwise not be used. In this way, the total footprint and Z stack height of the internal components can be minimized. Placing certain components on the periphery also serves to isolate specific components from other components, thereby improving the performance of those components by preventing, for example, crosstalk.

Internal components may also include a speaker module 3320, which may include audio circuitry configured to provide audio signals to audio drivers 3322 and 3324, which may be located below the speaker grille 3120. The audio drivers 3322 and 3324 may, in turn, provide audible output to the speaker 3120. FIG29 illustrates a more detailed view of the speaker module 3320 of the illustrated embodiment. It should be understood that the audio drivers 3322 and 3324 are not visible in the view shown in FIG29. Shock-absorbing foam 3350 may be placed on the top and bottom of the end of the speaker module 3320 closest to the sensors on the sensor board 3200 to protect the sensors, particularly the gyroscope, by attenuating vibrations from the speaker module 3320. The foam 3350 on the bottom of the speaker module 3320 also serves to create an acoustic seal with the housing 3102, so that all sound from the speaker module 3320 is directed outside the portable computing device 100 and not into it.

The portable computing device 3100 may also include multiple antennas for both transmitting and receiving RF energy. For example, at least one RF antenna 3204 may be incorporated into a recess 3206 in the housing 3102. In the illustrated embodiment, there are two RF antennas 3204, one positioned in each recess 3206. A radio-transparent window 3140 may be provided in the housing 3102 in the area of the RF antennas 3204 to enable better overall reception/transmission. Another antenna 3208 for supporting wireless WiFi protocols may be provided near the outer edge of the housing to achieve better antenna performance. A connector cable 3210 may couple the WiFi antenna 3208 to the MLB 3312.

In some embodiments, the portable computing device 3100 may support multiple different wireless standards. For example, in those cases where the portable computing device 3100 supports a specific wireless standard (such as the 3G standard), the portable computing device 3100 may include wireless circuitry appropriate for that specific wireless standard. For example, if the portable computing device 100 is 3G compliant, the MLB 3312 may include 3G wireless circuitry coupled to an appropriately positioned and sized RF antenna 3204. Alternatively, in the illustrated embodiment, the RF antenna may be coupled to a radio board 3314. In the illustrated embodiment, the radio board 3314 is coupled to the MLB 3312 via a flexible connector 3316, as shown in FIG. 23 . It should be noted that, as discussed above, a portion of the housing 3102 is typically replaced with a radio-transparent window 3140 that cooperates with the RF antenna 3204.

In the illustrated embodiment, the display bus 3344 can connect the display driver circuitry to the MLB 3312 via a display connector 3346, as shown in FIG23 . In the depicted embodiment, the display bus 3344 can take the form of a low voltage differential signaling (LVDS) bus. In the illustrated embodiment, the display bus 3344 can be configured to connect the display driver circuitry to the MLB 3312 while maintaining a relatively thin profile because the display bus 3344 is configured to be flat, regardless of the number of conductors required for such an LVDS bus. In one embodiment, the display bus 3344 includes 30 conductors, which can be bundled in certain sections and then spread out into a single or double layer in other sections.

Figure 25 shows a cross-section 3600 taken along line AA in Figure 24 through the battery cell 3304 and MLB 3312. Figure 26 shows a cross-section 3700 taken along line BB in Figure 27 through the battery cell 3304. In particular, cross-sections 3600 and 3700 illustrate the compactness of the assembled internal components and the reduced Z stacking height. As shown in Figures 26 and 27, the components below the display 3132 (including the battery cell 3304 and MLB 3312) are substantially coplanar. As shown, these components are mounted to the substantially flat bottom surface of the housing 3102. To avoid unnecessary interference with RF transmissions from the RF antenna 3204, the antenna window 3140 can be formed from a radio-transparent material (e.g., plastic, glass, ceramic, etc.). The display module circuitry 3506 can be connected to the LVDS bus 3344 via connector 3346 and is used to drive the display panel 3132. Figure 28 shows an exploded perspective view of the major internal components of the portable computing device 3100. FIG. 28 also illustrates a perspective view of the interior of a housing 3102 suitable for enclosing the operational elements of a portable computing device 3100 as described herein.

The display assembly 3132 can be placed and secured in the cavity using various mechanisms. In one embodiment, the display system 3132 may have alignment holes that can be aligned with the alignment holes on the housing 3102 to precisely align the display 3132. A temporary fixture can be used to align the alignment holes in the display 3132 with the alignment holes in the ledge 3156 of the housing 3102 to better center the display. When the temporary fixture is in place, the operator can screw the display 3132 to the housing 3102. The display can be placed flush with adjacent portions of the housing 3102. In this way, the display can present visual content, which may include video, static images, and icons, such as a graphical user interface (GUI), which can provide information (e.g., text, objects, graphics) to the user and receive input provided by the user. In some cases, the displayed icons can be moved by the user to a more convenient location on the display. For example, the GUI can be moved by the user manually dragging it from one location to a more convenient location. The display can also provide the user with tactile feedback provided by a plurality of tactile actuators, which are typically but not necessarily arranged into a tactile actuator array incorporated into the display. In this way, the tactile actuators can provide tactile feedback to the user.

In certain embodiments, a display mask (not shown) may be applied to or incorporated within or beneath the cover glass 3106. This display mask may be used to emphasize the unmasked portion of the display used to present visual content. This display mask may be used to provide a less noticeable home button 3112 for providing specific inputs, such as changing the display mode of the portable computing device 3100. The display mask may be used to render the home button 3112 less noticeable, for example, by rendering it similar in hue or color to the home button 3112. For example, if the home button 3112 is formed from a material that is slightly darker than the cover glass 3106 (e.g., gray or black), utilizing a similarly colored display mask may reduce the visual impact of the home button 3112 when compared to the unmasked portion of the cover glass 3106. In this way, the visual impact of the home button 3112 may be reduced by integrating it into the overall appearance of the display mask. Furthermore, the display mask may provide a natural mechanism for directing the viewer's attention to the unmasked area of the display used to present visual content. PSA can also be applied in the display mask area on the back of the cover glass 3106 to provide support and also act as safety glass in the event that the cover glass 3106 breaks.

FIG23 also illustrates one embodiment of a SIM card release mechanism 31100 according to the described embodiments. The SIM card release mechanism 31100 may include a tray 31102 ( FIG28 ) adapted to secure a SIM card when placed thereon. Embedded magnets 3202 may also be provided in the housing 3102 at magnet slots 3168 at the edge of the housing 3102. These magnets 3202 may be used in conjunction with a segmented cover assembly, which may enable operation of the portable computing device 3100 in a so-called peek mode. When a segment of the cover assembly is raised from the glass cover 3106, a sensor in the portable computing device 3100 may detect that segment of the cover assembly has been raised from the glass cover 3106. Upon detection, the portable computing device 3100 may activate only the exposed portion of the display 3132. For example, the portable computing device 3100 may employ a Hall effect sensor to detect that the segment has been raised from the glass cover 3106. In the embodiment shown, a Hall effect sensor can be mounted on the sensor plate 3200. FIG22 shows an attachment point 3166 for the Hall effect sensor. Other sensors (e.g., optical sensors) can then detect whether only that segment is raised, or whether other segments are raised. Such sensors are located near the sensor plate 3200 adjacent to the magnet 3202 and are coupled thereto.

The portable computing device 3100 may include one or more button assemblies through which a user of the portable computing device 3100 can trigger various functions. The button assembly can be mounted via a surface of the cover glass 3106 in the portable computing device 3100 or via a front, side, or back portion of the single-piece housing 3102 of the portable computing device 3100. The button assembly can be designed to provide a desired tactile feedback to the user when the function of the button assembly is triggered. Furthermore, in conjunction with the design of the connection points on the exterior surface and interior of the portable computing device 3100, the button assembly can be designed to be positioned approximately flush with the exterior surface in a neutral, "unpressed" state, even with an internal circuit board located some distance from the top of the button assembly.

FIG30 illustrates a first cross-sectional perspective view 3800 of a home button assembly 3802 mounted through the cover glass 3106 of a portable computing device 3100 in accordance with the described embodiments. The home button assembly 3802 can include an outer, flat or curved, button body 3112 that is approximately flush with the outer surface of the cover glass 3106. A flange 3804 can be mounted to (or integrally formed with) the underside of the outer button 3112 and extend below the underside of the cover glass 3106. A center post 3806 can be mounted to (or integrally formed with) the underside of the outer button body 3112 above a tactile switch unit 3808, which can be mounted to a bracket 3820. The bracket 3820 can be formed of metal (e.g., stainless steel) and can be adhered to the cover glass 3106 via an adhesive 3826 (e.g., PSA). In a neutral, "unpressed" state, the center post 3806 can be spaced apart from the tactile switch unit 3808. When the outer button body 3112 is pressed, the center post 3806 may contact the tactile switch unit 3808 in a manner that causes a contact circuit in the tactile switch unit 3808 to close. The use of the tactile switch unit 3808 allows the user of the portable computing device 3100 to experience different "feelings" when pressing different locations on the surface of the outer button body 3112 because the outer button body 3112 can rotate with the top of the tactile switch unit 3808 as a pivot.

Internal components of the portable computing device 3100 may include a flexible circuit or wire 3818 through which a signal is conducted as a result of pressing the external button 3802. The wire 3818 may be located a certain distance from the contact point of the tactile switch unit 3808. This distance may prevent the tactile switch unit 3808 from being directly mounted on the wire 3818, as the travel distance of the central post 3806 of the external button body 3112 would be too short to reach the tactile switch unit 3808 when pressed to trigger the function. The wire 3818 may also include a component in the area directly below the external button body 3112 that prevents the tactile switch unit 3808 from being directly mounted on the wire 3818. Instead, a connection between the wire 3818 and the tactile switch unit 3808 may be provided.

As shown in Figure 30 , the tactile switch unit 3808 can be mounted on a central printed circuit board 3810. In some implementations, the central printed circuit board 3810 can be connected to a flexible circuit or wire 3818 via a flexible cable; however, this connection can complicate the assembly process. In some embodiments, the flexible cable connection may not allow for simple machine-automated assembly, requiring manual assembly by a technician. The representative embodiment shown in Figure 30 utilizes a pair of conductive posts 3814/3816 and a pair of conductive plates 3812/3813 to enable connection from the central printed circuit board 3810 to the wire 3818, thus eliminating manual assembly. For example, the first conductive post 3814 can be connected to a DC power level supplied by the wire 3818, while the second conductive post 3816 can be connected to a GND level on the wire 3818. The conductive posts 3814 and 3816 can be connected to separate conductive plates 3812 and 3813, respectively, mounted on the underside of the central printed circuit board 3810. Reinforcement members may be placed beneath conductive posts 3814 and 3816 to increase rigidity.

Depressing the outer button body 3112 closes a circuit in the tactile switch unit 3808, connecting the first conductive post 3814 to the second conductive post 3816, thereby allowing current to flow, which can directly or indirectly trigger a function of the portable computing device 3100. In addition to providing a conductive path, the conductive posts 3814 and 3816 can be sized and positioned between the intermediate printed circuit board 3810 and the wire 3818 to "tune" the tactile feel of the button assembly 3802 for a user of the portable computing device 3100. For example, the conductive posts 3814 and 3816 can be positioned closer to each other or further apart, and the thickness of the intermediate printed circuit board 3810 can be varied to increase or decrease the flexure that occurs when the outer button 3802 is pressed to contact the tactile switch unit 3808.

As shown in Figure 30, the intermediate circuit board 3810 can be mounted to the tactile switch unit 3808. Figure 31 shows a simplified top view of the home button assembly having a flange 3804 that extends a small portion from under the outer button body 3112. The top of the outer button body 3112 may include a direction mark 3822, which can help the user locate the outer button body 3112 and guide the user to press the appropriate position of the outer button body. The direction mark 3822 can take different forms, including tactile protrusions or compass point (e.g., North Pole (N) and South Pole (S)) markings. During operation of the portable computing device 3100, the user can press at a non-center position on the surface of the outer button body 3112. A curved or reverse ring 3824 can be provided around the direction mark 3822.

The button assembly can also be mounted through a portion of a single-piece housing 3102 that encloses the portable computing device 3100. Because the single-piece housing 3102 can be relatively thin to reduce the weight of the portable computing device 3100, an opening in the housing 3102 can affect the structural integrity of the portion of the housing 3102 near the opening. For relatively large openings, a structural support portion can be included inside the housing 3102 to increase rigidity; however, the button assembly can still require access through the structural support portion. It can be desirable to minimize the size of the opening through the structural support portion to maintain the desired strength of the structural support when using relatively large external buttons that can utilize a relatively large opening in the housing 3102.

In certain embodiments, the portable computing device 3100 may include a camera module 3134 configured to provide both still and video images. The arrangement may vary widely and may include one or more locations, including, for example, the front and back of the device, i.e., one through the back housing and the other through a display window. As shown in FIG21 , a back camera window 3138 may be provided through the housing 3102. A front camera window 3139 ( FIG33 ) may also be provided for a camera that is positioned on the front side of the device 3100 through the display window. FIG23 illustrates a camera window at the camera module 3134 through the display window on the front of the device 3100.

The camera module 3134 can be aligned with the display 3132 by utilizing alignment pins 3130 provided on the bottom surface of the display 3132, as shown in FIG23. These alignment pins 3130 align with holes 3152 and slots 3154 in the top surface of the camera module 3134, as shown in FIG23. These alignment pins 3130 and the corresponding holes 3152 and slots 3154 in the camera module help align the camera 3134 with the display 3132 in the x and y directions. As shown in FIG34, a flexible connector 3160 extending below the camera module 3134 and wrapping around the sides to the top of the camera module 3134 can couple the camera module 3134, the ALS 3146, and the thermal sensor 3148 to the sensor board 3200, which in turn is connected to the MLB.

An ambient light sensor (ALS) 3146 and a thermal sensor 3148 may also be provided in the area of the camera module 3134. The ALS 3146 can sense when the device 3100 is in a dark environment or when the device 3100 is in a bright environment. Ambient light may include light surrounding the portable computing device 3100, such as sunlight, incandescent light, fluorescent light, etc. If the portable computing device 3100 is in a dark environment, the display 3132 of the portable computing device 3100 may be powered down to reduce brightness and conserve battery power. Conversely, if the portable computing device 3100 is in a bright environment, the display 3132 may be powered up to increase brightness. For example, when the ALS 3146 senses that the ambient light level has decreased by a certain amount or reached a predetermined or specified darkness level, the display 3132 may be dimmed, and when the ALS 3146 senses that the ambient light level has increased by a certain amount or reached a predetermined or specified brightness level, the display 3132 may be brightened.

In some cases, multiple ambient light sensors may be used. This can help produce a more accurate reading of the ambient light, for example by averaging the values. This can also help determine whether the portable computing device 3100 is truly in a dark environment, rather than a situation where light is blocked from reaching the ALS 3146 (e.g., if one sensor is blocked, the other sensors may still sense the surrounding environment).

Thermal sensor 3148 can provide temperature data to device 3100 to prevent overheating. Thermal sensor 3148 can distinguish between external heat and internal heat. For example, thermal sensor 3148 can distinguish between heat received by device 3100 from sunlight and heat generated by internal components of device 3100.

Before the camera module 3134 is placed in the recess 3136, the camera module 3134, including the ALS 3146 and thermal sensor 3148, can be mounted to the housing by first pre-installing a foam support in the recess 3136. This foam support can bias the camera module 3134 toward the display assembly 3132, to which the camera module 3134 is adhered using, for example, PSA. Because the ALS 3146 and thermal sensor 3148 are close to the cover glass 3106, no light pipe or light guide is required. The sensor can be located near the display 3132, thereby utilizing the window and cover glass 3106 that typically cover and protect the display 3132. In this way, the sensor can also be hidden from view. A light diffuser can also be provided.

Figure 35 shows a flow chart describing a process 31500 for assembling internal components of a portable computing device according to the described embodiment. Process 31500 begins at 31502 with receiving a housing suitable for enclosing and supporting the internal components of the portable computing device. In the described embodiment, the housing can be formed to include a cavity with a substantially flat bottom surface. The housing can also be formed with smaller recesses along the peripheral edge portions for receiving components. These components can include, for example, a battery assembly, a main printed circuit board, a main logic board, buttons, a speaker module, etc. The housing can be formed using any well-known machining operation. Once the housing has been received at 31504, the component can be inserted into the cavity at 31506 and brought into direct contact with the inner surface of the housing at 31508. Once directly placed on the substantially flat inner surface of the housing, the component can be attached to the housing at 31510 using any well-known attachment process (e.g., adhesive bonding, epoxy, welding, etc.).

Portable electronic devices manufactured in large quantities may include computer numerical control (CNC) machined metal alloy components with surfaces of various geometric shapes. Representative portable electronic devices may include portable media devices, portable communication devices, and portable computing devices, such as those manufactured by Apple Inc. of Cupertino, California. The tactile and visual appearance of portable electronic devices may increase consumer demand for the portable electronic devices. Metal alloys can provide lightweight materials that exhibit desirable properties (such as strength and thermal conductivity) and are very suitable as housings for portable electronic devices. Representative metal alloys may include aluminum alloys. The tactile and visual appearance of portable electronic devices may increase consumer demand for the devices. Decorative outer layers machined from metal alloys may be cut into desired shapes and polished to desired reflective and/or matte finishes. In certain embodiments, a continuous smooth shape with a visually uniform and smooth appearance may be desired.

High-volume manufacturing can also require minimal processing time. Using a single cutting tool to machine an aluminum billet to form the exterior surface of a housing for a portable electronic device can reduce the required processing time. Machining using a single, continuous, optimized path can produce a "rough" cut surface that requires minimal sanding and polishing to produce a visually smooth finished product with no visually discernible discontinuities between regions of different cross-sections. Curved areas can transition smoothly to flat areas, including along corners, without any visual change in surface appearance.

FIG36 illustrates a cross-section of a representative embodiment of a housing 4100 for a portable electronic device. The cross-section illustrates the shape used for the surface of housing 4100, which may include four distinct regions, including a first flat top edge region 4102, which may be a straight line in cross-section and located adjacent to an opening in the top portion of housing 4100 where components of the portable electronic device may be placed. This flat top edge region 4102 may face the user of the portable electronic device when viewed directly from a display mounted in the portable electronic device. This flat top region 4102 may be formed using a single, continuous cut with a machining tool and polished to a highly reflective surface. This flat top region 4102 may also be referred to as a "racetrack" edge. The cross-section of housing 4100 may also include two connected curved regions, an arcuate region 4104 that may transition from flat top edge region 4102 to a spline-shaped region 4106. This arcuate region 4104 may have a relatively higher curvature than the spline region 4106. The cross-section of the housing 4100 may also include a flat bottom region 4108 that may smoothly transition from the spline region 4106. A single cutting tool having multiple cutting surfaces may be used to shape the outer surface of the housing 4100 to have the cross-section shown in FIG1 using a single continuous cutting path as described herein.

Figure 37 shows a cross section of a representative cutting tool 4200 with three different parts, each of which can be shaped to provide a cutting surface so that one or more areas of the housing 4100 of a portable electronic device as shown in Figure 36 are processed. The cutting tool 4200 can be installed in a CNC machine, rotated at a constant speed and positioned in different directions in a three-dimensional coordinate system to shape the metal alloy billet into a desired outer surface shape. In particular, the CNC machine can allow movement in the "z" direction to provide undershoot (negative "z") and rise (positive "z"). The CNC machine can also allow movement in the "x-y" direction with a predetermined continuous path. The flat top edge portion 4202 of the cutting tool 4200 can be used to shape the flat top edge region 4102 of the housing 4100. The curved portion 4204 of the cutting tool 4200 can be used to shape the arc region 4104 and the spline region 4106, while the flat bottom 4206 of the cutting tool 4200 can be used to shape the flat bottom region 4108 of the housing 4100. The curved portion 4204 of the cutting tool 4200 can be convex, as can be the curved area of the housing 4100 formed by the curved portion 4204 of the cutting tool 4200. As the cutting tool 4200 moves along a continuous predetermined path, each adjacent area of the cutting tool 4200 can be used successively. When changing between different parts of the cutting tool 4200, carefully changing the "z" direction of the path can minimize sharp transitions between areas along the surface of the housing 4100. The "z" direction can be orthogonal to the bottom surface of the housing 4100, while the "x-y" direction can be along the edge of the housing 4100 as well as the bottom surface.

Figures 38A-D illustrate several positions for the cutting tool 4200 to shape different areas of the housing 4100 using different surfaces of the cutting tool 4200. As shown in diagram 4300 in Figure 38A, a flat top edge portion 4202 closest to the neck of the cutting tool 4200 can be positioned to shape the flat top edge region 4102 of the housing 4100. The flat top edge region 4102 can be formed along a continuous path. After shaping the flat top edge region 4102, the cutting tool 4200 can transition to shaping the curved region of the housing 4100. As shown in diagram 4310 in Figure 38B, the upper portion of the curved portion 4204 of the cutting tool 4200 closest to the flat top edge region 4202 can be used to form the curved region 4104 of the housing 4100. As shown in diagram 4320 in FIG38C , the lower portion of the curved portion 4204 of the cutting tool 4200 can be used to shape the spline region 4106 of the housing 4100. As the CNC machine moves the cutting tool 4200 along the outer surface of the housing 4100, the curved portion 4204 of the cutting tool 4200 can continuously move relative to the direction of the housing 4100. As the CNC machine lifts the cutting tool 4200 to increase in the "z" direction, different portions of the curved portion 4204 of the cutting tool 4200 can contact and shape different areas of the housing 4100. Although not shown in the figure, the CNC machine can also tilt the cutting tool at different angles while cutting the surface of the housing 4100. As shown in diagram 4330 in FIG38D , the flat bottom 4206 of the cutting tool 4200 can be used to form the flat bottom region 4108 of the housing 4100. The CNC machine can move the cutting tool 4200 in a continuous spiral path to form the flat top region 4102, the curved region 4104, and the spline region 4106. The elevation in the "z" direction can be varied to ensure a uniform surface of the formed shell 4100, with no visible joins or transitions after sanding and polishing the rough cut surface of the machined shell 4100.

The path of the cutting tool 4200 can be selected to provide transitions between different areas of the housing 4100 without abrupt changes in the frictional force of the contact between the cutting tool 4200 and the housing 4100. By ensuring a constant contact force and a uniform, smoothly varying frictional load between the cutting tool 4200 and the housing 4100 during the transition between areas, the surface of the housing 4100 can be shaped without irregular cuts, such as gouges, notches, or surface distortions, that could mar the appearance of the final surface of the housing 4100. The continuous spiral path for the cutting tool 4200 maintains a smooth transition between the different areas. The frictional load experienced by the cutting tool 4200 can vary depending on the amount of surface area in contact between the cutting tool 4200 and the housing 4100. Critical areas of the housing 4100 surface that are particularly important for determining the cutting tool path include transition areas between different cross-sectional shapes of the housing 4100 surface. Narrowing the intervals between successive loops of the continuous spiral path used by the cutting tool 4200 can minimize sharp changes in friction load, thereby ensuring a uniform cutting surface for the housing 4100. Transition regions can include a transition from the flat top edge region 4102 to the arcuate region 4104, a transition from the arcuate region 4104 to the spline region 4106, and a transition from the spline region 4106 to the flat bottom region 4108. FIG39 illustrates a diagram 4400 of the transition region 4404 between the spline region 4106 and the flat bottom region 4108 of the cutting tool path 4402, illustrating the movement of the center of the cutting tool 4200. Cross-sectional areas of the housing 4100 surface that may include high curvature, such as the high curvature region 4406 in the arcuate region 4104, can also benefit from narrowing the intervals between successive loops of the continuous path of the cutting tool 4200.

FIG40 shows a diagram 4500 with a tool path 4402 having a variable pitch in the "z" direction that can be used for continuous loops of a cutting tool 4200 along a continuous spiral path. Because the cutting tool 4200 forms the housing 4100 starting from a solid block of metal alloy (e.g., an aluminum billet), the tool path center 4502 can generally follow the shape of the housing 4100 surface. As the cutting tool 4200 moves along the continuous spiral path, the cutting tool 4200 can follow the continuous spiral path around the housing 4100, slowly increasing in "z" height. FIG40 illustrates how the "z" height 4502 of the center of the cutting tool 4200 can vary for continuous loops about the continuous spiral path. When transitioning from the flat top edge region 4102 to the curved region 4104, the tool path 4402 can step narrower in the "z" direction with a fine pitch 4504. After this transition, the tool path 4402 can be stepped wider in the "z" direction to speed up the machining of the housing 4100. The narrower spacing of the successive loops of the cutting tool 4200 can minimize and avoid abrupt changes in friction between the surface of the housing 4100 and the cutting tool 4200.

In addition to the fine spacing in the transition region, CNC machining through the high curvature region 4406 of the arcuate region 4104 can utilize a fine pitch 4504 "z" spacing between consecutive loops of the continuous spiral path. Spacing the loops closely together avoids abrupt transitions in frictional contact and provides smooth, uniform cutting in the arcuate region 4104. Similar to the fine spacing in the transition between the flat top edge region 4102 and the arcuate region 4104, the cutting tool path 4402 can also be spaced with a fine pitch 4504 in the "z" direction in the transition region 404 from the spline region 4106 to the flat bottom region 4108. The surface area of the cutting tool 4200 in contact with the surface of the housing 4100 can generally increase from the spline region 4106 to the flat bottom region 4108, and by spacing the loops more closely together, the transition from minimal contact to wider contact can be smooth, avoiding gouging of the housing 4100 during machining. The close spacing of the paths in transition region 4404 also eliminates visible transitions between the curved surface of spline region 4106 and the flat surface of flat bottom region 4108. After cutting, sanding, and polishing, the mobile device housing 4100 can have a uniform, smooth appearance, with no noticeable difference between the curved edge surface and the flat bottom surface, and no visible joins. When the flat bottom 4206 of the cutting tool 4200 is completely within the flat bottom region 4108 of the housing 4100, the continuous path taken by the cutting tool 4200 can change from a spiral path to a zigzag path, i.e., a path with alternating straight paths across the flat bottom region 4108. This zigzag path can minimize warping that can occur due to temperature variations in the metal alloy on the surface of the housing 4100 during machining. By carefully arranging the tool paths 4502 along selected areas with fine pitch spacing, the sanded and polished surface of the housing 4100 can have a visually continuous surface without edges or corners when viewed from the back.

FIG41 shows a diagram 4600 of a portion of a continuous spiral path of a cutting tool 4200 along the surface of a housing 4100, matching the pitch of the spacing to different regions of the housing 4100. In region A 4616 of the housing 4100, which may include a flat top edge region 4102 and a curved region 4104, adjacent loops of the continuous spiral path may be spaced at a fine pitch 4602. This fine pitch 4602 ensures a smooth transition between the flat top edge region 4102 and the curved region 4104, as well as a smooth transition within the high curvature region 4406 of the curved region 4104. In region B 4614 of the housing 4100, which may be completely contained within the spline region 4106, the spacing of the continuous loops of the continuous spiral path may utilize a medium pitch 4604. The curvature of the spline region 4106 may be less than that of the curved region 4104, and the curvature may also change more gradually within the spline region 4106. The wider spacing of the continuous loops of the continuous helical path in region B 4614 may increase the processing speed of the shell 4100 without utilizing the narrow spacing of the continuous loops as employed in region A 4616.

Because the spline region 4106 is connected to the flat bottom region 4108, the cutting tool 4200 can transition from using the curved portion 4204 to using the flat bottom region 4206. The amount of contact between the cutting tool 4200 and the surface of the housing 4100 can be substantially increased in the transition from the spline region 4106 to the flat bottom region 4108 in region C 4612. The spacing between successive loops of the continuous spiral path can be spaced using the fine pitch 4606 in region C 4612 to gradually increase contact and avoid abrupt changes in friction experienced by the cutting tool 4200 when shaping the surface of the housing 4100 in region C 4612. In region D 4610 of the flat bottom region 4108, the spacing between adjacent paths can gradually increase from the fine pitch employed in region C 4612 to a wider pitch suitable for the flat bottom region 4108. After reaching approximately one-quarter of the distance into the flat bottom region 4108, the CNC machine can perform a large-radius turn to transition from the continuous spiral path for the curved edge regions 4104/4106 of the housing 4100 to a continuous zigzag path for the bottom region 4108 of the housing 4100. This large-radius turn can avoid a sharp turn transition that could affect the formed surface of the housing 4100. As shown in bottom view diagram 4700 in FIG42, the continuous path can include a spiral path 4702 for the curved edge regions 104/106 and a zigzag path 4704 for the center of the flat bottom region 4108. The spacing between adjacent paths in the zigzag path 4704 can be wider than the spacing between adjacent loops of the spiral path 4702.

In one embodiment, the rotational speed and translational speed of the cutting tool 4200 along the continuous path may be fixed. In certain embodiments, one or more characteristics of the cutting tool 4200 may be selected (fixed or variable along the cutting path): the characteristics may include, but are not limited to, (1) feed speed (translational speed in one or more of the x-axis, y-axis, and/or z-axis directions), (2) axis speed (rotational speed), (3) pitch (the spacing between adjacent cutting paths), (4) shape and size of the cutting tool 4200, such as diameter, (5) the material being cut by the cutting tool 4200, and (6) the inclination angle of the cutting tool 4200 (the angular orientation of the cutting tool 4200 relative to the surface of the housing 4100). The characteristics of the cutting tool 4200 may be selected to affect the final characteristics of the cut surface of the housing 4100 being machined and the machining time. The rotational speed and translational speed may be selected to minimize machining time while ensuring the quality of the surface cut by the machining tool, which may produce a preferred surface finish. Fine control of the pitch variation between loops of a continuous spiral path can be used in areas of high curvature, areas of high rate of change of curvature, and/or transitions between areas of surfaces with different curvatures. Coarser control of the pitch between adjacent loops can be used in flat areas, areas of low curvature, and areas of low rate of change of curvature. Intermediate control can be used in areas of moderate curvature, where the pitch can vary continuously and smoothly between areas of narrower fine pitch and wider coarse pitch. While fine control of the pitch in a continuous path can provide a final surface with the desired uniformity, it can take longer to process. Conversely, where smooth transitions between areas of differing cross-sectional shapes are necessary, the pitch can be controlled to provide finer steps.

In one example, a single cutting tool 4200 can be used to shape the entire outer surface of the metal alloy shell 4100, rather than using multiple separate tools to shape flat and curved areas. The single cutting tool 4200 can smoothly transition between different parts on the cutting tool 4200 to shape different areas of the metal alloy shell 4100 while maintaining continuous contact with the shell 4100 surface. Multiple cutting tools may require additional time to install and remove them on a CNC machine. In addition, different cutting tools may produce surface height mismatches with undesirable step transitions across the shaped shell 4100, which can be difficult to remove during the final finishing of the shell 4100 surface. Utilizing a single cutting tool 4200 with a single continuous path as described herein, the shaped shell 4100 can have a more uniform and seamless appearance when sanded and polished to become the final exterior finished product.

FIG43 illustrates a representative method for machining the edge and bottom surfaces of a metal alloy housing 4100 for a portable electronic device. The method may include grinding the edge surface of the metal alloy housing 4100 by contacting a rotating cutting tool 4200 along a first predetermined continuous spiral path. The vertical height of the cutting tool 4200 may be adjusted using a CNC machine. The continuous loops of the spiral path of the cutting tool 4200 may be spaced differently along different areas of the surface of the metal alloy housing 4100. The vertical movement pitch, which may affect the pitch between adjacent paths in the continuous spiral path, may be adjusted based on the curvature of the metal alloy housing 4100 formed by the cutting tool 4200. High curvature areas may have closely spaced adjacent paths, as may transition areas between curved and flat areas. The method may also include grinding the bottom surface of the metal alloy housing 4100 by contacting the rotating cutting tool 4200 along a second predetermined path having alternating straight paths (i.e., a continuous zigzag path). The spacing between adjacent paths along the bottom surface may be further apart than the spacing between adjacent paths in the spiral path along the edge surface of the metal alloy housing 4100 .

The various aspects, embodiments, implementations, or features of the described embodiments may be used individually or in any combination. Various aspects of the described embodiments may be implemented using software, hardware, or a combination of hardware and software. The described embodiments may also be implemented as computer-readable code on a computer-readable medium for controlling manufacturing operations or as computer-readable code on a computer-readable medium for controlling a production line for manufacturing thermoformed parts. The computer-readable medium is any data storage device that can store data that can be subsequently read by a computer system. Examples of computer-readable media include read-only memory, random access memory, CD-ROMs, DVDs, magnetic tape, optical data storage devices, and carrier waves. The computer-readable medium may also be distributed among computer systems coupled to a network so that the computer-readable code is stored and executed in a distributed manner.

FIG44A illustrates a top view 5100 of a related art mobile device 5102 having a sliding tray 5104 that can be ejected from the mobile device 5102 after an ejection tool 5106 is inserted. The ejection tool 5106 can be inserted along an axis perpendicular to an edge surface of the mobile device 5102, and the sliding tray 5104 can be at least partially ejected from the mobile device 5102 along an axis substantially parallel to the ejection tool insertion axis. The axis can be parallel to the flat top surface and/or the flat bottom surface of the mobile device 5102. The top and bottom surfaces can be perpendicular to the edge surface of the mobile device 5102.

Figure 44B shows a front view 5110 of the mobile device 5102. This front view 5110 shows an ejection opening 5108 in the surface of the sliding tray 5104, through which the ejection tool 5106 can be inserted. The ejection opening can be circular to minimize its area. The length of the sliding tray 5104 can be greater than the height of the mobile device 5102, so it is necessary to orient the sliding tray parallel to the surface of the mobile device so that the sliding tray is completely enclosed within the mobile device when inserted.

FIG44C further illustrates a perspective view 5120 of the mobile device 5102 shown in FIG44A and FIG44B . The edge surface of the mobile device 5102 can be perpendicular to the top surface, and the sliding tray 5104 can be inserted or removed in a direction perpendicular to the edge surface. Similarly, the ejection tool 5106 can be inserted through the ejection opening 5108 along an axis perpendicular to the edge surface. The insertion axis can be parallel to the ejection axis.

45A illustrates a top view 5200 of a mobile device 5202 having a sliding tray 5204 that can be ejected from the mobile device 5202 upon insertion of an ejection tool 5206. The ejection tool can be inserted along an axis that is perpendicular to an edge surface of the mobile device 5102, and the sliding tray 5104 can be at least partially ejected from the mobile device 5102 along an axis that is substantially parallel to the flat top surface and/or the flat bottom surface of the mobile device 5202. The edge surface may not be perpendicular to the flat top surface or the flat bottom surface of the mobile device 5202.

45B illustrates a front view 5210 of a mobile device 5202 including a pop-up opening 5208 in the housing of the mobile device 5202 adjacent to the sliding tray 5204. The pop-up opening 5208 is separable from the sliding tray 5204 in the mobile device 5202 to accommodate a different axis orientation than that used in the prior art mobile device 5102 shown in FIGS. 44A-C .

FIG45C shows a perspective view 5220 of a mobile device 5202 including an edge surface that is not perpendicular to the flat top or bottom surfaces of the mobile device. The ejection opening 5208 can be oriented so that the ejection tool 5206 can be inserted along an axis perpendicular to the edge surface of the mobile device. The insertion axis of the ejection tool 5206 can form an angle 5212 with an axis parallel to the direction in which the sliding tray 5204 can be ejected from the mobile device 5202. If the ejection tool axis is oriented parallel to the axis of movement of the sliding tray 5204, the ejection opening in the angled edge surface of the mobile device 5202 will be larger than the ejection opening 5208 shown in FIG45C. The circular ejection opening 5208 can be smaller than an oval ejection opening (not shown), thereby minimizing the ejection opening through the housing of the mobile device 5202 and providing an aesthetically pleasing edge surface with minimal discontinuity.

While FIG45C illustrates an angled edge surface for the housing of mobile device 5202, as shown in perspective view 5230 of mobile device 5222 in FIG45D , curved edge surfaces can also be accommodated. The sliding tray 5214 in mobile device 5222 can have a curved edge surface along its front face that can connect to the curved edge surface of mobile device 5222, providing a smooth, uninterrupted edge surface for mobile device 5222. The sliding tray 5214 can be ejected along an axis parallel to the top surface of mobile device 5222, while the center of the ejection opening 5208 can be perpendicular to the edge surface of the mobile device. As with the mobile device 5202 depicted in FIG45C , an ejection tool 5216 can be inserted through the ejection opening 5218 in the housing of mobile device 5222 along an axis that forms an angle 5224 with the direction of movement of the sliding tray 5214.

Certain mechanical components can be used to implement a device that converts the force generated by inserting the ejection tool 5206/5216 into the ejection opening 5208/5218 into a force that pushes the sliding tray 5204/5214 outward. The device can accommodate repeated ejection, removal, and reinsertion of the sliding tray 5204/5214 (or any similar flat object that can slide outward from the mobile device 5202/5222 along the guide rails). Because the amount of space available in the device is limited, the device can be designed to convert the shorter push force of the ejection tool 5216 into a longer push force on the sliding tray 5204/5214, thereby ejecting the sliding tray 5204/5214 enough to allow the user to easily remove the sliding tray 5204/5214 from the mobile device 5202/5222. Because the space available for accommodating the device in the mobile device 5202/5222 housing may be limited, the device can include relatively small components made of strong materials to withstand the forces encountered during repeated ejection. One or more surfaces of the component may be coated with a lubricant to ensure smooth operation. For example, the ejection end of the arm can push the tray out at least 1.5 times farther when the arm is rotated than the ejection tool is pushed toward the force-receiving component.

Although a sliding tray is described herein as being used in representative embodiments, any substantially flat object may be ejected using the apparatus and methods described herein. The flat object may include a plurality of components, such as a tray that may support a second flat object, such as a memory card or a subscriber identity module (SIM) card used in a mobile communication device. The flat object may include recessed areas, joints, hollow areas, open portions, and other components that may provide areas for pushing and pulling the flat object from the mobile device housing, as well as guiding the flat object when ejecting or inserting it into the mobile device housing. The use of a sliding tray herein is not intended to be particularly limiting, and those skilled in the art will appreciate that the flat object includes equivalents suitable for ejecting and inserting into a mobile device.

FIG46 illustrates a perspective view of a representative embodiment of an ejection device configured to eject a sliding tray 5301, including a tray body 5302 and a tray contact area 5303, from an edge surface 5304 of a mobile device (not shown). The device may include a first pivot element (also referred to as a crank) 5306 that can receive an ejection tool 5308 in an ejection tool receiving area 5310. The ejection tool 5308 can be inserted through an opening in the edge surface 5304 of the mobile device at an angle substantially perpendicular to the edge surface 5304. The edge surface 5304 can be angled or curved relative to the top surface of the mobile device, such that the direction of insertion of the ejection tool 5308 is generally non-parallel to the top surface of the mobile device. The ejection tool receiving area 5310 can be shaped to capture a blunt end of the ejection tool 5308. In one embodiment, the ejection tool receiving area 5310 can be concave. In one embodiment, the ejection tool receiving area 5310 can be shaped as a groove. In one embodiment, the ejection tool receiving area 5310 can be shaped to include at least two similar lobe-like regions.

The first pivot member 5306 is capable of rotating about a first rotation axis 5312, causing the ejection tool receiving area 5310 to rotate upward. This also causes the cylindrical portion 5314 of the first pivot member 5306, which is connected to the connecting portion 5316, to rotate upward, causing the connecting portion 5316 to exert a force F _arm on the arm 5318, causing the arm 5318 to rotate about a second rotation axis 5320 (shown in Figures 46 and 47). The ejection end 5320 of the arm 5318 can contact the tray contact area 5303. When the arm 5318 rotates about the second rotation axis 5320, an ejection force F _eject can be directly applied to the tray contact area 5303 through the ejection end 5320, causing the tray 5301 to move in the direction of the ejection force F _eject . Movement of the ejection end 5320 of the arm 5318 in contact with the tray contact area 5303 can push against the tray contact area 5303, thereby displacing the tray 5301 outwardly in a direction substantially parallel to the top surface of the mobile device past the edge surface 5304 of the mobile device. The tray contact area 5303 can be moved a distance beyond the edge 5304 of the mobile device sufficient to manually remove the sliding tray from the mobile device. In one embodiment, the bottom of the sliding tray contact area 5303 can include a notch sized and shaped to receive a removal tool (e.g., a portion of a finger or fingernail) to grip and remove the tray 5301 from the mobile device. In one embodiment, depending on the size of the notch, the sliding tray can move from the edge surface 5322 by approximately 0.9 mm to approximately 1.5 mm.

In one embodiment, the ejection tool insertion force may be approximately 6 Newtons, while the sliding tray ejection force may be approximately 3 Newtons. In one embodiment, the first pivot member 5306 and the arm 5318 may occupy a limited space within the housing of the mobile device and have a limited travel distance available for rotational movement. In one embodiment, any portion of the connection portion 5316 may move a linear distance of less than 0.2 mm when the first pivot member 5306 is rotated.

To facilitate multiple ejection and insertion operations of the sliding tray 5301, the first pivot member 5306 and the arm 5318 can be constructed from a material having sufficient strength to receive and transmit the required forces. In one embodiment, the material can include precipitation-hardened martensitic stainless steel. In another embodiment, the first pivot member 5306 and the arm 5318 can be formed using a metal injection molding process and can be constructed from a precipitation-hardened "613-type" alloy stainless steel having a "condition 900" state. This precipitation hardening can also be considered secondary hardening and age hardening and can be used to significantly increase the yield strength of the metal alloy.

FIG47 shows another perspective view of the ejection device 5300. FIG46 shows the entire device from a different angle, illustrating the relationship between the second rotation axis 5402 and the first rotation axis 5312 and the arm 5318. It also illustrates how the first pivot element 5306 is supported by the housing of the portable device. Also depicted is the sliding tray housing 5404, which ensures that flat objects stored in the sliding tray 5301 remain in place regardless of the device's orientation.

FIG47 shows an exploded view of ejection device 5300, highlighting the relationships between the various components. FIG48A shows in greater detail how fastener 5502 is anchored in the device housing. FIG48B shows how concave receiving area 5310 and crank 5306 are mounted in the device housing, and how connector 5316 moves and interacts with crank 5306 as it spans laterally across the interior of the device housing. FIG48C shows how arm 5318 is mounted beneath crank 5316 and provides a better understanding of how ejection end 5320 contacts tray contact area 5303.

FIG49 illustrates a perspective view of a representative embodiment of an ejection device 5600 configured to eject a sliding tray 5301, including a tray body 5302 and a tray contact area 5303, from an edge surface 5304 of a mobile device (not shown). An ejection tool 5308 can be inserted into a channel 5602 formed to accommodate a plunger 5604. The plunger 5604 can have a body 5606 that is configured to fit snugly within the channel 5602 and is virtually impossible to fall out of because the insertion aperture of the ejection tool can be narrower than the width of the plunger 5604. In one embodiment, the plunger 5604 can have a head 5608 that is integrally formed with the body 5606. In one embodiment, the head 5608 can be configured to include an angled surface 5610 that can be oriented to contact an arm input location 5612 of an arm 5614 pivotally connected to the housing of the portable device by a fastener 5616. In one embodiment, the angled surface 5610 can be configured to redirect the movement of the ejection tool 5308 perpendicular to the surface of the portable device housing so that the force F _arm is substantially parallel to the upper (or bottom) surface of the portable device. When applied to the arm input position 5612 of the arm 5614, the force F _arm can rotate the arm 5614 about the rotation axis 5618 at the fastener 5616. In one embodiment, the rotation of the arm 5614 about the rotation axis 5618 can cause the ejection end 5620 of the arm 5614 to move in a direction substantially opposite to the arm input position 5612 of the arm 5614. In one embodiment, the ejection end 5620 can be configured to conform to the tray contact area 5303 of the tray 5301 so that movement of the ejection end 5620 can cause the tray 5301 to move a predetermined distance from the edge 5304, thereby exposing a preselected amount of the tray contact area 5303, particularly the recess of the tray 5301. In one embodiment, the predetermined distance can be on the order of about 0.9 to about 1.5 millimeters, depending on the desired exposure of the recess in the tray 5301. This distance is sufficient to allow a user to easily remove the tray with their fingertips.

FIG50 shows another perspective view of the ejection device 5600. FIG50 shows the device from a different angle, illustrating the relationship of the rotation axis 5618 to the arm 5614. FIG50 illustrates how the fastener 5616 is attached to the device housing. Also depicted is the sliding tray housing 5404, which is used to ensure that flat objects stored in the tray 5301 remain in their proper location regardless of the device's orientation.

Figures 51A-51C show exploded views of ejector device 5600, highlighting the relationships between the various components. Figure 51A shows a more detailed cross-section of plunger 5604 and how it fits into channel 5602. Figure 51B shows how fastener 5616 passes through arm 5614 and is anchored to the device housing. Figure 51C shows how ejector end 5320 contacts tray contact area 5303.

52 illustrates a perspective view of a representative embodiment of an ejection device 5900 configured to eject a sliding tray 5301 including a tray body 5302 and a tray contact area 5303 through an edge surface 5304 of a mobile device (not shown). The ejection device 5900 operates to eject the tray 5301 in substantially the same manner as the device 5600, except that the plunger has been eliminated so that the ejection tool 5308 applies the ejection force F _arm directly to the ejection tool contact area 5902 of the arm 5614, thereby reducing the number of required components.

FIG53 shows another perspective view of the ejection device 5900. FIG53 shows the device from a different angle, illustrating the relationship of the rotation axis 5618 to the arm 5614. FIG53 illustrates how the fastener 5616 is attached to the device housing. Also depicted is the sliding tray housing 5404, which is used to ensure that flat objects stored in the sliding tray 5301 remain in their proper location regardless of the device's orientation.

Figures 54A-54C show exploded views of ejection device 5900, highlighting the relationships between the various components. Figure 54A shows a more detailed cross-section of ejection tool contact area 5902 and how it aligns with channel 5602. Figure 54B shows how fastener 5616 passes through arm 5614 and is anchored to the device housing. Figure 54C shows how ejection end 620 of arm 5318 contacts tray contact area 5303.

FIG55 illustrates a flowchart detailing a manufacturing process 51200 for attaching a flat object ejector to a mobile device. Process 51200 begins at step 51202 by receiving a flat object ejector assembly. The flat object ejector assembly may include any of the three embodiments described above. At step 51204, a mobile device housing is received. The mobile device may include, for example, a smartphone, a tablet device, a portable media player, or the like. At step 51206, the flat object ejector assembly is installed within and attached to the mobile device housing.

FIG56 illustrates the steps of a method for ejecting a flat object from a mobile device housing in a representative embodiment. These steps illustrate a process for executing the steps of the most complex embodiment. The flat object may include a memory card, a tray for holding a SIM card, or the like. In step 51302, a device in the mobile device may receive an ejection tool inserted along a first axis. The ejection tool may be received in a concave portion of a first pivot element. In one embodiment, the ejection tool may be inserted along an axis perpendicular to the center of an opening in the mobile device housing. The mobile device housing may be shaped along a curved surface in the area surrounding the opening. In one embodiment, the first axis of insertion may not be parallel to the top or bottom surface of the mobile device housing. The first axis may also not be parallel to a circuit board within the mobile device housing adjacent to the opening. In step 51304, the first pivot element may rotate about a first rotational axis in response to the insertion of the ejection tool. The first pivot element may engage a connection 51306 connected to an arm. In step 51308, the rotation of the first pivot element applies an ejection force F _eject to the arm through the connection, causing the arm to rotate about a second axis substantially perpendicular to the first axis in step 51310. The rotation of the arm in 51312 enables the ejection force F _eject to eject the SIM tray.

FIG57 shows a top view 6300 of a representative embodiment of a device configured to eject a sliding tray 6326 through an edge surface 6322 of a mobile device (not shown). The device may include a first pivot element 6302 that can receive an ejection tool 6328 in an ejection tool receiving area 6318 (opposite of the top view shown). The ejection tool can be inserted through an opening in the edge surface 6322 of the mobile device at an angle substantially perpendicular to the edge surface 6322 of the mobile device. The edge surface 6322 can be angled or curved relative to the top surface of the mobile device, and thus the direction of insertion of the ejection tool 6328 can be completely non-parallel to the top surface of the mobile device. The ejection tool receiving area 6318 can be shaped to capture the blunt end of the ejection tool. In one embodiment, the ejection tool receiving area 6318 can be concave.

The first pivot member 6302 is capable of rotating about the first rotation axis 6324, causing the receiving area 6318 to tilt upward and the cylindrical portion 6306 of the first pivot member 6302 to tilt downward toward the lever portion 6308 of the second pivot member 6304. The cylindrical portion 6306 may be continuously connected to the U-shaped portion of the first pivot member 6302, and the cylindrical portion 6306 and the U-shaped portion of the first pivot member 6302 may together surround the lever portion 6308 of the second pivot member 6304. When the first pivot member 6302 rotates, the cylindrical portion 6306 of the first pivot member 6302 may press the lever portion 6308 of the second pivot member 6304, thereby causing the second pivot member 6304 to rotate about the second rotation axis 6316. The U-shaped portion and the cylindrical portion 6306 of the first pivot element 6302 can surround the lever portion 6308 of the second pivot element 6304 to minimize lateral translation of the second pivot element 6304 along the second rotational axis 6316.

The plate-like portion 6310 of the second pivot element 6304 can contact the back side of the sliding tray front end 6312, and as the second pivot element 6304 rotates about the second rotation axis 6316, the plate-like portion 6310 can push against the sliding tray 6326, thereby displacing the sliding tray body 6314 and the sliding tray front end 6312 outwardly past the edge surface 6322 of the mobile device. The sliding tray 6326 can be displaced in a direction substantially parallel to the top surface of the mobile device. The sliding tray body 6314 and the sliding tray front end 6312 can be moved a certain distance outside the mobile device housing, sufficient to manually remove the sliding tray from the mobile device. In one embodiment, the sliding tray front end 6312 may include a recess that accepts a removal tool (such as a finger or a portion of a fingernail) to grip and remove the sliding tray from the mobile device. The lever portion 6308 of the second pivot element 6304 can amplify the force exerted by the ejection tool 6328 on the first pivot element 6302, generating a force exerted by the plate portion 6310 of the second pivot element 6304 on the sliding tray 6326 that can be greater than the force exerted by the ejection tool 6328 on the ejection tool receiving area 6318 of the first pivot element 6302. In one embodiment, the ejection force exerted on the sliding tray can be at least 1.5 times the insertion force exerted by the ejection tool. In one embodiment, the insertion force exerted by the ejection tool can be approximately 10 Newtons, while the ejection force exerted on the sliding tray can be approximately 20 Newtons. In one embodiment, the first and second pivot elements 6302 and 6304 can occupy a limited space within the housing of the mobile device and have a limited range of motion available for rotational movement. In one embodiment, any portion of the first and second pivot elements 6302 and 6304 can move a linear distance of less than 20 millimeters during rotation.

The device may also include a foam block 6320 adjacent to the second pivot element 6304. When the second pivot element 6304 rotates in response to the force of the ejection tool 6328 on the first pivot element 6302 to eject the sliding tray 6326, the foam block 6320 can be compressed by the front end portion of the second pivot element 6304. In a "closed," neutral, home position in which the sliding tray 6326 can be fully contained within the housing of the mobile device, the plate portion 6310 of the second pivot element 6304 can be positioned substantially perpendicular to the sliding tray body 6314 and parallel to the back portion of the sliding tray front end 6312, wherein the plate portion 6310 can contact and push against the second pivot element 6304 as it rotates. In an "open," ejected position in which the sliding tray is partially contained within the housing of the mobile device and partially extends outside the mobile device housing, the plate-like portion 6310 of the second pivot element 6304 can rotate at an angle that may not be perpendicular to the sliding tray body 6314 or parallel to the back portion of the sliding tray front end 6312. When the ejection tool 6328 can be removed from the mobile device housing, thereby releasing the force on the first pivot element 6302 that can rotate the first pivot element 6302 (which in turn can rotate the second pivot element 6304), the foam block 6320 can decompress to press against the front portion of the second pivot element 6304. The decompression of the foam block 6320 can cause the second pivot element 6304 to rotate back toward the "closed," neutral, original position. The plate-like portion 6310 of the second pivot element 6304 can be positioned after the foam block 6320 is decompressed so that when the sliding tray 6326 is reinserted into the mobile device housing, the sliding tray body 6314 cannot contact the plate-like portion 6310 of the second pivot element 6304. Rotation of the plate-like portion 6310 of the second pivot element 6304 can thus be used to eject the sliding tray 6326 at least partially from the mobile device without contacting the sliding tray 6326 when the mobile device is reinserted.

FIG58 illustrates a perspective view 6400 of a portion of the apparatus depicted in FIG57 , configured to eject a sliding tray from a mobile device housing. A first pivot member 6302 can receive an ejection tool 6328 into an ejection tool receiving area 6318 along a first axis. The direction of insertion of the ejection tool 6328 can be perpendicular to at least a portion of an edge surface of the mobile device housing (not shown). This direction may not be parallel to the top surface of the mobile device, the direction of movement of the sliding tray within the mobile device, or circuit boards within the mobile device located above or below the sliding tray. The force of the ejection tool 6328 against the ejection tool receiving area 6318 of the first pivot member 6302 can cause the first pivot member 6302 to rotate counterclockwise about a first rotational axis 6324. This counterclockwise rotation of the first pivot member 6302 can cause the cylindrical portion 6306 of the first pivot member 6302 to contact the lever portion 6308 of the second pivot member 6304. In one embodiment, the lever portion 6308 of the second pivot member 6304 can be curved. When the first and second pivot elements 6302 / 6304 rotate counterclockwise about the first and second rotation axes 6324 / 6316 , respectively, the cylindrical portion 6306 of the first pivot element 6302 may contact and slide along the curved lever portion 6308 of the second pivot element 6304 .

As the second pivot element 6304 rotates about the second rotational axis 6316, the plate-like portion 6310 of the second pivot element 6304 may contact the back portion of the sliding tray front end 6312, thereby pushing the sliding tray outward from the mobile device housing where the sliding tray is located. The plate-like portion 6310 may begin in a "neutral" home position, which may be perpendicular to the top surface of the mobile device housing and parallel to the back portion of the sliding tray front end 6312, which may contact the plate-like portion 6310 when the sliding tray is ejected. During rotation, the plate-like portion 6310 may assume a "tilted" ejected position that may not be perpendicular to the housing top surface (i.e., not perpendicular to the direction of movement of the sliding tray). The sliding tray 6326 may be ejected a distance from the mobile device housing sufficient for a mobile device user to manually extract the sliding tray 6326 from the mobile device. The sliding tray front end 6312 may include a notch 6406 along its bottom surface to allow a user to insert a removal tool to grasp the sliding tray. A representative removal tool may be a finger or fingernail of the mobile device user.

The rotation of the second pivot element 6304 in response to the force applied to the first pivot element 6302 by the ejection tool 6328 can also push the contact portion 6404 of the second pivot element 6304 toward the surface of the foam block 6320, thereby compressing the foam block 6320. Without the foam block 6320, after the ejection tool 6328 is removed, the second pivot element 6304 can remain rotated in a "tilted" position relative to the plate portion 6310. When the sliding tray 6326 is reinserted into the mobile device case, a portion of the sliding tray body 6314 can contact the plate portion 6310 in this "tilted" position. To prevent such contact between the sliding tray 6326 and the plate portion 6310 of the second pivot element 6304, upon removal of the ejection tool 6328, the foam block 6320 can be compressed against the contact portion 6404 of the second pivot element 6304, causing the second pivot element 6304 to rotate clockwise about the second rotation axis 6316. This clockwise rotation returns the plate-like portion 6310 of the second pivot element 6304 to a "neutral" position. When inserting the sliding tray 6326 into the mobile device, the sliding tray body 6314 and the sliding tray front end 6312 can be positioned so as to avoid contact with the plate-like portion 6310 of the second pivot element 6304, allowing for smooth insertion without irregular contact or scraping of the plate-like portion 6310 against the sliding tray 6326 (or against flat objects, such as memory cards contained therein). The foam block 6320 also minimizes excessive movement of the first and second pivot elements 6302/6304 relative to each other, thereby minimizing "clicking" sounds when the mobile device changes orientation. When installed, the sliding tray 6326 can be positioned adjacent to a circuit board and/or connector within the mobile device. In one embodiment, the sliding tray 6326 can include a subscriber identity module (SIM) card, which is positioned in contact with at least a portion of a circuit board and/or connector within the mobile device, thereby providing an electrical connection path between the SIM card and circuitry within the mobile device.

To facilitate multiple ejection and insertion operations of the sliding tray 6326, the first and second pivot members 6302/6304 can be constructed from a material with sufficient strength to receive and transmit the required forces. In one embodiment, the first and second pivot members 6302/6304 can be constructed from precipitation-hardened martensitic stainless steel. In one embodiment, the first and second pivot members 6302/6304 can be formed using a metal injection molding process and can be constructed from a precipitation-hardened "613-type" stainless steel alloy having a "condition 900" state. This precipitation hardening can also be considered secondary hardening and age hardening and can significantly increase the yield strength of the metal alloy. Because the cylindrical portion 6306 of the first pivot member 6302 can contact at least a portion of the surface of the lever portion 6308 during rotation, at least a portion of the cylindrical portion 6306 and at least a portion of the lever portion 6308 can be coated with a dry film lubricant. In one embodiment, the entire first pivot member 6302 and the entire second pivot member 6304 can be coated with a dry film lubricant. As the first and second pivot elements 6302/6304 rotate about their respective first and second rotational axes 6324/6316, the dry film lubricant, along with the curved surfaces of the lever portion 6308 and the cylindrical portion 6306, provides smooth contact as the cylindrical portion 6306 of the first pivot element 6302 slides along the lever portion 6308 of the second pivot element 6304. In one embodiment, the dry film lubricant coating can be applied by immersing the first and second pivot elements 6302/6304 in an aqueous solution containing alcohol and the dry film lubricant, wherein the alcohol evaporates, leaving the dry film lubricant coated on the metal alloy portions of the first and second pivot elements 6302/6304. The dry film lubricant on the metal alloy portions of the first and second pivot elements 6302/6304 can enhance the performance of the ejection mechanism, including smooth operation with minimal friction between contacting surfaces. The dry film coating can eliminate lubricant migration within the mobile device, prevent dust accumulation on moving parts, and prevent lubricant contamination of other components within the mobile device. In one embodiment, the ejection device can withstand at least 2000 repeated ejections and insertions.

FIG59 shows an additional perspective view 6500 of an embodiment of a device for ejecting a sliding tray in a mobile device. As described above, an ejection tool 6328 can be inserted through an opening in the mobile device housing and received in the ejection tool receiving area 6318 of the first pivot member 6302. The ejection tool 6328 can rotate the first pivot member 6302 about the first rotational axis 6324, causing the cylindrical portion 6306 of the first pivot member 6302 to contact and slide along the curved lever portion 6308 of the second pivot member 6304. The second pivot member 6304 can, in turn, rotate about the second rotational axis 6316, thereby pushing the plate-shaped portion 6310 toward the rear portion of the sliding tray front end 6312, thereby ejecting the sliding tray 6326 at least partially out of the mobile device housing. The sliding tray body 6314 can include a hollow area in which a memory card, such as a SIM card, can be installed. The SIM card can electrically contact a circuit board located below (or above) the sliding tray 6326. As shown in FIG59 , the first rotational axis 6324 and the second rotational axis 6316 may be parallel to each other, while the axis along the direction of insertion of the ejection tool 6328 and the axis along the direction of movement of the sliding tray 6326 may not be parallel to each other during ejection. In one embodiment, the angle 408 between the insertion of the ejection tool 6328 and the ejection of the sliding tray 6326 may be approximately between 40 and 50 degrees. This angle 408 may be determined by the curvature of the edge surface of the housing at the insertion point of the ejection tool 6328.

FIG60 illustrates a bottom view 6600 of an embodiment of a device for ejecting a sliding tray 6326 from a mobile device housing. An ejection tool receiving area 6318 located on a bottom surface of the first pivot member 6302 can receive the ejection tool 6328 in a direction along a first axis. The first pivot member 6302 can rotate to press the cylindrical portion 6306 of the first pivot member 6302 toward the lever portion 6308 of the second pivot member 6304 and slide it along the lever portion 6308 of the second pivot member 6304. The plate portion 6310 (not shown) of the second pivot member 6304 can rotate to push the front end 6312 of the sliding tray in a direction along a second axis. The first and second axes may not be parallel to each other.

Figures 61 and 62 detail four components included in one embodiment of a device for ejecting a sliding tray 6326 through the housing of a mobile device, in a front perspective view 6700 and a rear side view 6800. The sliding tray 6326 includes a sliding tray contact area 6710 at the rear portion of the sliding tray front end 6312, with which the plate-like portion 6310 of the second pivot element 6304 can contact during rotation. The sliding tray body 6314 includes a hollow interior 6704 through which electrical contacts on a second flat object (such as a SIM card) can contact a circuit board mounted below the sliding tray 6326. Brackets 6706 along the inner edge of the sliding tray 6326 secure the SIM card in place. Tracks 6708 along the outer edge of the sliding tray 6326 guide the sliding tray 6326 as it moves inward or outward from the mobile device.

The first pivot element 6302 may include a lever capture portion 6702 that, when assembled in the mobile device, may surround the lever portion 6308 of the second pivot element. When the first pivot element 6302 rotates in response to an ejection tool 6328 (not shown) being pushed toward the ejection tool receiving area 6318 of the first pivot element 6302, the cylindrical portion 6306 of the first pivot element 6302 may press against and slide along the lever portion 6308. The second pivot element 6304 may rotate to press the plate portion 6310 toward the sliding tray contact area 6710 of the sliding tray 6326, thereby ejecting the sliding tray 6326 at least partially out of the mobile device housing. The foam block 6320 may abut against the front portion 6712 of the lever portion 6308 on the second pivot element 6304. When rotated, the second pivot element 6304 may press the front portion 6712 toward the foam block 6320. When the ejection tool 6328 is removed, the foam block 6320 can be decompressed relative to the front portion 6712, allowing the second pivot element 6304 to rotate back to its original "neutral" home position. This rotation can return the plate portion 6310 to a vertical orientation from the "tilted" position that ejects the sliding tray 6326 from the mobile device.

Figure 63 shows a front view 6900 and a rear view 6910 of the components of the device for ejecting the sliding tray shown in Figures 62 and 61 , assembled together and positioned in a "neutral" home position when the sliding tray 6326 is fully inserted into the mobile device housing. The front face of the sliding tray front end 6312 may be flush with the outer surface of the mobile device housing. The plate portion 6310 may be positioned vertically adjacent to the sliding tray contact area 6710 of the sliding tray 6326. In one embodiment, the plate portion 6310 may be adjacent to, but not in contact with, the sliding tray contact area 6710 in the "neutral" home position. In another embodiment, the plate portion 6310 may contact the sliding tray contact area 6710 in the "neutral" home position but may not provide sufficient force to eject the sliding tray 6326 from the mobile device housing. The ejection tool receiving area 6318 of the first pivot element 6302 may be tilted to receive the ejection tool 6328 through an opening in the housing perpendicular to the surface of the mobile device housing. The lever portion 6308 of the second pivot element 6304 can be surrounded by the lever capture portion 6702 of the first pivot element 6302, thereby minimizing lateral movement of the first and second pivot elements 6302/6304 within the mobile device housing.

Figure 64 shows left-side and right-side views 61000 and 61010 of the components of the apparatus for ejecting a sliding tray shown in Figures 61 and 62 , assembled and in a "neutral" home position. Insertion of an ejection tool 6328 into the ejection tool receiving area 6318 of the first pivot element 6302 causes the first pivot element 6302 to rotate and contact the lever portion 6308 of the second pivot element, thereby rotating the plate portion 6310 of the second pivot element 6304 and causing the plate portion 6310 of the second pivot element 6304 to contact the contact area 6710 of the sliding tray front end 6312, ejecting the sliding tray 6326 from the mobile device housing. The ejection tool 6328 can be inserted perpendicular (orthogonal) to the surface of the sliding tray front end 6312, which can be closely aligned with the outer surface of the mobile device housing. The sliding tray 6326 can be ejected along an oriented axis that is different from the oriented axis along which the sliding tray 6328 was inserted. In one embodiment, the sliding tray 6326 pops up in a direction parallel to the top surface of the mobile device. When installed on the mobile device, the sliding tray body 6314 can be substantially parallel to the circuit board below the sliding tray 6326.

FIG65 shows a perspective view of selected components of the apparatus shown in FIG62-64 assembled together and in a neutral, "home" position, as would be seen with the unit installed in a mobile device housing. The plate-like portion 6310 of the second pivot element 6304 can be positioned in a substantially vertical position, adjacent to a rear portion of the sliding tray front end 6312. The foam block 6320 can be partially compressed by positioning the foam block 6320 against the front end 6712 of the lever portion 6308 of the second pivot element 6304, but cannot exert any significant pressure on the second pivot element 6304 in the neutral, "home" position. The sliding tray front end 6312 can include a notch that allows a user of the mobile device to grasp and extract the sliding tray 6326 from the mobile device housing.

FIG66 shows a perspective view of the selection elements of the device shown in FIG62-64 assembled together and in an "ejected" position, with the first pivot element 6302 being capable of rotating in response to pressure from an ejection tool 6328 (not shown). The cylindrical portion 6306 of the first pivot element 6302 can rotate and press against the lever portion 6308 of the second pivot element, causing the second pivot element 6304 to rotate and press the plate portion 6310 of the second pivot element 6304 against the back portion of the front end 6312 of the sliding tray, thereby ejecting the sliding tray 6326 at least partially from the mobile device housing. As both the first pivot element 6302 and the second pivot element 6304 rotate, the cylindrical portion 6306 of the first pivot element 6302 can slide along the curved lever portion 6308 of the second pivot element 6304. The surface of the cylindrical portion 6306 of the first pivot element 6302 that contacts the lever portion 6308 of the second pivot element 6304 can be coated with a dry film lubricant. Similarly, the curved surface of the lever portion 6308 of the second pivot element 6304 can also be coated with a dry film lubricant. This dry film lubricant coating can facilitate smooth movement of the contacting cylindrical portion 6306 of the first pivot element 6302 relative to and across the curved lever portion 6308 of the second pivot element 6304. In one embodiment, both the first pivot element 6302 and the second pivot element 6304 are entirely coated with a dry film lubricant. The foam block 6320 can be compressed by the front end portion 6712 of the second pivot element 6304 (the front side of the curved lever portion 6308). The foam block 6320 can decompress when the pressure on the first pivot element 6302 is released (i.e., the ejection tool 6328 is removed), thereby allowing the second pivot element 6304 to rotate back to the neutral "home" position. When the sliding tray 6326 is reinserted into the mobile device housing, the plate-like portion 6310 in the neutral "home" position cannot directly contact the sliding tray body 6314 and the SIM card installed in the sliding tray body 6314 or the sliding tray front end 6312, thereby allowing smooth operation without frictional contact between the plate-like portion 6310 of the second pivot element 6304 and the sliding tray 6326 or a flat object installed therein.

The various aspects, embodiments, implementations, or features of the described embodiments may be used individually or in any combination. Various aspects of the described embodiments may be implemented by software, hardware, or a combination of hardware and software. The described embodiments may also be specifically implemented as computer-readable code on a computer-readable medium for controlling manufacturing operations or computer-readable code on a computer-readable medium for controlling a production line. The computer-readable medium is any data storage device that can store data that can be subsequently read by a computer system. Examples of computer-readable media include read-only memory, random access memory, CD-ROM, DVD, magnetic tape, optical data storage devices, and carrier waves. The computer-readable medium may also be distributed among computer systems coupled to a network so that the computer-readable code is stored and executed in a distributed manner.

The above description for purposes of explanation utilizes specific terminology to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention. However, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that these specific details are not required to practice the present invention. Therefore, the above descriptions of specific embodiments of the present invention are presented for purposes of illustration and description. They are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the present invention to the precise forms disclosed. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teachings.

The embodiments were chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention and its practical application, thereby enabling others skilled in the art to best utilize the invention and various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular application contemplated. It is intended that the scope of the invention be defined by the following claims and their equivalents.

Although the embodiments have been described in terms of several specific embodiments, there are variations, permutations, and equivalents that fall within the scope of these general concepts. It should also be noted that there are many alternative ways to implement the methods and apparatus of the present embodiments. For example, while an extrusion process is a preferred method for manufacturing an integrated pipe, it should be noted that this is not limiting, and other manufacturing methods (e.g., injection molding) can be used. Therefore, it is intended that the claims appended hereto be interpreted as including all such variations, permutations, and equivalents that fall within the true spirit and scope of the described embodiments.

The portable computing device described herein can take many forms, such as a laptop computer, a tablet computer, and the like. The portable computing device can include at least a single-piece housing. The single-piece housing can be machined from a single billet of material (e.g., aluminum). The single-piece housing can include a ledge having a surface for receiving a frame molding and a cover. Corner brackets can be attached to the single-piece housing to increase the housing's resistance to damage.

A portable computing device is disclosed. The portable computing device can take various forms, such as a laptop computer, a tablet computer, or the like. The portable computing device may include a single-piece housing formed of a radio-opaque material, with a cover formed of a radio-transparent material. To implement a wireless interface, an antenna stack structure may be provided, allowing the antenna to be mounted on the bottom of the cover. Methods and apparatus for enhancing wireless performance are provided. For example, in one embodiment, the metal housing may be thinned to enhance antenna performance. As another example, a Faraday cage may be formed around a speaker driver to enhance antenna performance. The battery assembly and main logic board may be mounted directly to a substantially flat bottom wall, while a plurality of additional components may be positioned around the perimeter of the battery assembly and main logic board. A method and apparatus for machining the exterior surface of a metal alloy housing of a portable electronic device to form a combination of a flat edge surface, a curved edge surface, and a flat bottom surface are disclosed. The flat edge surface is ground by contacting a first flat portion of a rotating cutting tool along a first loop of a predetermined continuous spiral path. The curved edge surface is ground by contacting a raised portion of the rotating cutting tool along another loop of the first predetermined continuous spiral path. The pitch of the vertical movement of the cutting tool is adjusted for each loop of the continuous helical path based on the resulting curvature of the metal alloy shell.The bottom surface is ground by contacting the flat portion of the cutting tool along a second predetermined alternating direction linear path.

Disclosed is a device for ejecting a flat object from a housing of a mobile device. The device is arranged to receive an ejection tool along a first axis and eject the flat object along a second axis, wherein the first and second axes are not parallel. In one embodiment, the first axis is parallel to the top surface of the mobile device, and the second axis is perpendicular to the curved edge surface of the mobile device. Disclosed is a device for ejecting a flat object from a housing of a mobile device. The device is arranged to receive an ejection tool along a first axis and eject the flat object along a second axis, wherein the first and second axes are not parallel. In one embodiment, the first axis is parallel to the top surface of the mobile device, and the second axis is perpendicular to the curved edge surface of the mobile device. In one embodiment, the device includes a first pivot element to receive the ejection tool and rotate, thereby displacing a lever portion of a second pivot element. The second pivot element includes a plate-like element that contacts and ejects the flat object when the second pivot element rotates.

Claims (20)

1. A portable electronic device, comprising: A housing having an external surface; and The SIM card tray for the user identification module is configured to receive a first opening formed in the outer surface, wherein: The SIM card tray is configured such that when a tool is inserted into the second opening in a second direction, the SIM card tray ejects from the first opening in a first direction; and The first direction forms a transverse intersection angle with the second direction. 2. The portable electronic device of claim 1, wherein the outer surface is curved. 3. The portable electronic device of claim 1, wherein the SIM card tray has a curved outer surface that is continuous with the outer surface when the SIM card tray is inserted into the first opening. 4. The portable electronic device of claim 1, wherein the center of the second opening is perpendicular to the second direction. 5. The portable electronic device of claim 1, wherein the first opening is separate from the SIM card tray. 6. The portable electronic device of claim 1, wherein the second direction is perpendicular to the edge of the housing. 7. The portable electronic device of claim 1, wherein the second opening is formed in the SIM card tray. 8. A portable electronic device, comprising: The housing has a first opening for receiving a SIM card tray for a user identification module and a second opening for receiving an ejection tool; A first pivot element is arranged to receive the ejector tool through the second opening and to rotate about a first axis of rotation to contact a second pivot element; and The second pivot element is arranged to rotate about a second rotation axis in response to contact with the first pivot element to contact the SIM card tray and displace the SIM card tray in a first direction through a first opening in the housing, the first direction and the second direction intersecting laterally, wherein the ejection tool is received in the second direction through the second opening. 9. The portable electronic device of claim 8, further comprising an element arranged adjacent to the second pivot element, which is configured to rotate the second pivot element back to a neutral position. 10. The portable electronic device of claim 8, wherein: The first opening extends along the first axis; The second opening extends along the second axis; and The first axis and the second axis are not parallel. 11. The portable electronic device of claim 10, wherein the first axis is positioned at an angle greater than 30 degrees to the second axis. 12. The portable electronic device of claim 8, wherein the first pivot element and the second pivot element increase to at least 1.5 times the force of the ejection tool relative to the first pivot element during rotation to generate a force of the second pivot element relative to the SIM card tray. 13. The portable electronic device of claim 8, wherein the first pivot element and the second pivot element are made of a metal alloy, the metal alloy being coated with a dry film lubricant at least along the surfaces of the first pivot element and the second pivot element that come into contact with each other during rotation. 14. The portable electronic device of claim 13, wherein the metal alloy is a deposition-hardened martensitic stainless steel. 15. The portable electronic device of claim 8, wherein at least one of the following is true: The first pivot element includes a concave receiving area for receiving the ejection tool; The first pivot element includes a cylindrical portion that contacts the curved portion of the second pivot element; or The second pivot element includes a plate-like portion that contacts the SIM card tray. 16. A portable electronic device, comprising: User identification module SIM card tray; and The outer casing is formed as follows: A first opening, the tool is configured to be inserted into the first opening along a tool path; and The second opening allows the SIM card tray to pop out along a path that intersects laterally with the tool path. 17. The portable electronic device of claim 16, further comprising: A display that is at least partially housed within the housing; A cover glass located above the display, defining an outer surface parallel to the path. 18. The portable electronic device of claim 16, wherein the housing includes a sidewall defining both the first opening and the second opening. 19. The portable electronic device of claim 18, wherein the sidewall is non-planar. 20. The portable electronic device of claim 16, wherein the SIM card tray is an integral metal structure defining a portion of the outer surface of the portable electronic device.