U.S. patent application number 16/127056 was filed with the patent office on 2019-12-05 for dual cup enclosure for electronic devices.
The applicant listed for this patent is Apple Inc.. Invention is credited to Joshua K. Anderson, Peter A. Dvorak, Michael A. Foote, Ross C. Heyman, Christopher J. Pawlowski.
Application Number | 20190372264 16/127056 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 63685767 |
Filed Date | 2019-12-05 |
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United States Patent
Application |
20190372264 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Dvorak; Peter A. ; et
al. |
December 5, 2019 |
DUAL CUP ENCLOSURE FOR ELECTRONIC DEVICES
Abstract
An enclosure for an electronic device includes a housing having
a wall that defines a cavity that is configured to receive an
electronic assembly therein. The wall includes tongue formed at a
distal end. A cover includes a top wall and a side surface
extending from the top wall to form a chamber. The housing is at
least partially received within the chamber and the tongue of the
housing is welded to a groove positioned within the chamber. Flash
from the weld is contained within the enclosure so that no weld
flash is visible on the exterior surface of the enclosure.
Inventors: |
Dvorak; Peter A.; (Menlo
Park, CA) ; Anderson; Joshua K.; (Sunnyvale, CA)
; Foote; Michael A.; (Santa Clara, CA) ;
Pawlowski; Christopher J.; (Emerald Hills, CA) ;
Heyman; Ross C.; (Belmont, CA) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Apple Inc. |
Cupertino |
CA |
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
63685767 |
Appl. No.: |
16/127056 |
Filed: |
September 10, 2018 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
62678684 |
May 31, 2018 |
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B29C 66/73921 20130101;
B29C 66/12441 20130101; B29C 65/02 20130101; H05K 5/066 20130101;
B29L 2031/3481 20130101; B29C 66/54 20130101; B29C 65/08 20130101;
B29C 66/322 20130101; H01R 13/504 20130101; H01R 31/065 20130101;
H02M 7/003 20130101; H01R 13/5045 20130101; B29C 66/242 20130101;
H01R 43/18 20130101; H05K 5/03 20130101; H05K 5/0217 20130101; H05K
5/063 20130101 |
International
Class: |
H01R 13/504 20060101
H01R013/504; H02M 7/00 20060101 H02M007/00; H05K 5/03 20060101
H05K005/03; H05K 5/02 20060101 H05K005/02; H01R 31/06 20060101
H01R031/06; H01R 43/18 20060101 H01R043/18 |
Claims
1. An enclosure for an electronic device comprising: a housing
including a bottom wall and at least one sidewall extending from
the bottom wall to define a cavity, the at least one sidewall
having a distal end portion; and a cover attached to the housing,
the cover including: a top wall and at least one outer wall
extending from the top wall to define a chamber, the at least one
outer wall defining an aperture that is in communication with the
chamber; a ridge extending from the top wall and into the chamber;
and a step positioned opposite and adjacent the ridge and extending
from an interior surface of the outer wall, wherein the step
includes a plurality of segments distributed along a length of the
outer wall with adjacent segments of the plurality of segments
separated by a gap; a groove defined between the at least one outer
wall and the step, wherein at least a portion of the housing is
received within the chamber such that the distal end portion of the
at least one sidewall is aligned with and positioned within the
groove.
2. The enclosure of claim 1 wherein the distal end portion is
welded to the step and to the ridge.
3. (canceled)
4. (canceled)
5. The enclosure of claim 1 wherein a majority of the at least one
sidewall is parallel to and adjacent the at least one outer
wall.
6. The enclosure of claim 1 wherein an outer surface of the at
least one sidewall includes a plurality of ribs.
7. The enclosure of claim 1 further comprising an electronic
assembly that is positioned within the cavity and is coupled to a
plurality of electrical prongs that extend from an outside surface
of the enclosure.
8. The enclosure of claim 7 wherein the electronic assembly is an
AC to DC converter that receives AC power through the plurality of
electrical prongs and supplies DC power to an external electronic
device.
9. The enclosure of claim 8 further comprising a receiving opening
formed in the top wall that enables the external electronic device
to be electrically coupled to the electronic assembly.
10. An enclosure for an electronic device comprising: a housing
including a bottom wall and at least one sidewall extending from
the bottom wall to define a cavity, the at least one sidewall
having a distal end portion; and a cover attached to the housing,
the cover including: a top wall and at least one outer wall
extending from the top wall to define a chamber, the at least one
outer wall defining an aperture that is in communication with the
chamber; a step extending from an interior surface of the outer
wall, wherein the step includes a plurality of segments distributed
along a length of the outer wall with adjacent segments of the
plurality of segments separated by a gap; a groove extending into
an interior surface of the top wall and at least partially defined
by the step, wherein at least a portion of the housing is received
within the chamber such that the distal end portion of the at least
one sidewall is aligned with and positioned within the groove.
11. The enclosure of claim 10 wherein the distal end portion is
welded to a pair of parallel walls that form the groove.
12. (canceled)
13. (canceled)
14. The enclosure of claim 10 wherein an outer surface of the at
least one sidewall includes a plurality of ribs.
15. The enclosure of claim 10 further comprising an electronic
assembly that is positioned within the cavity and is coupled to a
plurality of electrical prongs that extend from an outside surface
of the enclosure.
16. A method of forming an electronic device, the method
comprising: forming a housing including a bottom wall and at least
one sidewall extending from the bottom wall to define a cavity, the
at least one sidewall having a distal end portion; disposing an
electronic assembly within the cavity; forming a cover including: a
top wall and at least one outer wall extending from the top wall to
define a chamber, the at least one outer wall defining an aperture
that is in communication with the chamber; a step extending from an
interior surface of the outer wall, wherein the step includes a
plurality of segments distributed along a length of the outer wall
with adjacent segments of the plurality of segments separated by a
gap; a ridge extending from the top wall and into the chamber; and
a groove defined between the step and the ridge; inserting at least
a portion of the housing through the aperture and into the chamber
such that the distal end portion of the at least one sidewall is
aligned with and positioned within the groove; and attaching the
distal end portion of the at least one sidewall to the step and the
ridge.
17. The method of claim 16 wherein the distal end portion is
ultrasonically welded to the step and to the ridge.
18. The method of claim 17 wherein flash that is generated from the
ultrasonic weld is contained entirely within an enclosure formed by
the housing and the cover.
19. (canceled)
20. (canceled)
Description
CROSS-REFERENCES TO OTHER APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims priority to U.S. provisional patent
application Ser. No. 62/678,684, for "DUAL CUP ENCLOSURE FOR
ELECTRONIC DEVICES" filed on May 31, 2018 which is hereby
incorporated by reference in entirety for all purposes.
FIELD
[0002] The described embodiments relate generally to enclosures
that are made of two or more components and have an aesthetically
pleasing and uniform interface where the components are joined
together. More particularly, the present embodiments relate to
plastic enclosures that house one or more electronics assemblies
and include weld joints that are not visible from the exterior.
BACKGROUND
[0003] Currently there are a wide variety of electronic devices
that have external enclosures to facilitate the use of the
electronic device and provide an aesthetic appearance. However,
often such enclosures have one or more seams where the plastic
components of the enclosure are joined together. The external
appearance of the seams can be difficult to uniformly control
during high volume production and can sometimes result in a
relatively weak region of the enclosure that is prone to damage
and/or separation. This can be particularly problematic for
enclosures that contain high-voltage electronic components that
would be exposed if seam were broken and separated. New enclosures
and new methods for joining enclosure components are needed so the
enclosure seams are more uniform during production, are
aesthetically pleasing and have improved structural integrity.
SUMMARY
[0004] Some embodiments of the present disclosure relate to
enclosures for electronic devices. Various embodiments relate to
plastic enclosures that are made from two or more components that
are joined together with welded seams. The components can have
nested structure where a tongue of an inner component is welded to
a groove within an outer component such that the entire weld joint
is hidden within the enclosure.
[0005] In some embodiments an enclosure for an electronic device
comprises a housing including a bottom wall and at least one
sidewall extending from the bottom wall to define a cavity, the at
least one sidewall having a distal end portion. A cover is attached
to the housing, where the cover includes: a top wall and at least
one outer wall extending from the top wall to define a chamber, the
at least one outer wall defining an aperture that is in
communication with the chamber, a ridge extending from the top wall
and into the chamber, and a groove defined between the at least one
outer wall and the ridge, wherein at least a portion of the housing
is received within the chamber such that the distal end portion of
the at least one sidewall is aligned with and positioned within the
groove.
[0006] In some embodiments the distal end portion is welded to the
step and to the ridge. In various embodiments an interior surface
of the at least one outer wall includes a step, wherein the step is
positioned opposite and adjacent the ridge such that the step and
the ridge define the groove. In some embodiments the step includes
a plurality of segments distributed along a length of the outer
wall with adjacent segments of the plurality of segments separated
by a gap. In various embodiments a majority of the at least one
sidewall is parallel to and adjacent the at least one outer
wall.
[0007] In some embodiments an outer surface of the at least one
sidewall includes a plurality of ribs. In various embodiments the
enclosure further comprises an electronic assembly that is
positioned within the cavity and is coupled to a plurality of
electrical prongs that extend from an outside surface of the
enclosure. In some embodiments the electronic assembly is an AC to
DC converter that receives AC power through the plurality of
electrical prongs and supplies DC power to an external electronic
device. In some embodiments the enclosure further comprises a
receiving opening formed in the top wall that enables the external
electronic device to be electrically coupled to the electronic
assembly.
[0008] In some embodiments an enclosure for an electronic device
comprises a housing including a bottom wall and at least one
sidewall extending from the bottom wall to define a cavity, the at
least one sidewall having a distal end portion. A cover is attached
to the housing, wherein the cover includes: a top wall and at least
one outer wall extending from the top wall to define a chamber, the
at least one outer wall defining an aperture that is in
communication with the chamber, and a groove extending into an
interior surface of the top wall, wherein at least a portion of the
housing is received within the chamber such that the distal end
portion of the at least one sidewall is aligned with and positioned
within the groove.
[0009] In some embodiments the distal end portion is welded to a
pair of parallel walls that form the groove. In various embodiments
at least one wall of the pair of parallel walls includes a step
that projects into the groove. In some embodiments the step is
formed as a portion of the first wall of the pair of parallel
walls, the step protruding into the groove and including a
plurality of segments distributed along a length of the first wall,
with adjacent segments of the plurality of segments separated by a
gap.
[0010] In some embodiments an outer surface of the at least one
sidewall includes a plurality of ribs. In various embodiments the
enclosure further comprises an electronic assembly that is
positioned within the cavity and is coupled to a plurality of
electrical prongs that extend from an outside surface of the
enclosure.
[0011] In some embodiments method of forming an electronic device
comprises forming a housing including a bottom wall and at least
one sidewall extending from the bottom wall to define a cavity, the
at least one sidewall having a distal end portion. An electronic
assembly is disposed within the cavity and a cover is formed. The
cover includes: a top wall and at least one outer wall extending
from the top wall to define a chamber wherein the at least one
outer wall defines an aperture that is in communication with the
chamber, a ridge extending from the top wall and into the chamber,
and a groove defined between the at least one outer wall and the
ridge. At least a portion of the housing is inserted through the
aperture and into the chamber such that the distal end portion of
the at least one sidewall is aligned with and positioned within the
groove and the distal end portion of the at least one sidewall is
attached to the at least one outer wall and the ridge.
[0012] In some embodiments the distal end portion is ultrasonically
welded to the step and to the ridge. In various embodiments flash
that is generated from the ultrasonic weld is contained entirely
within an enclosure formed by the housing and the cover. In some
embodiments an interior surface of the at least one outer wall
includes a step wherein the step is positioned opposite and
adjacent the ridge such that the step and the ridge define the
groove. In some embodiments the step includes a plurality of
segments distributed along a length of the outer wall with adjacent
segments of the plurality of segments separated by a gap.
[0013] To better understand the nature and advantages of the
present disclosure, reference should be made to the following
description and the accompanying figures. It is to be understood,
however, that each of the figures is provided for the purpose of
illustration only and is not intended as a definition of the limits
of the scope of the present disclosure. Also, as a general rule,
and unless it is evident to the contrary from the description,
where elements in different figures use identical reference
numbers, the elements are generally either identical or at least
similar in function or purpose.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0014] FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of an electronic device
having an enclosure, according to some embodiments of the
disclosure;
[0015] FIG. 2 is a partial exploded view of the enclosure shown in
FIG. 1;
[0016] FIG. 3 is a partial perspective view of an interior portion
of a cover of the enclosure shown in FIGS. 1 and 2;
[0017] FIG. 4 is a partial cross-sectional view of an interface
between the housing and the cover of the enclosure shown in FIGS.
1-3, before a welding process;
[0018] FIG. 5 is a partial cross-sectional view of the interface
shown in FIG. 4 after the welding process;
[0019] FIG. 6 is a partial cross-sectional close-up view of the
weld region shown in FIG. 4, before the welding process;
[0020] FIG. 7 is a partial cross-sectional close-up view of the
weld region shown in FIG. 5 after the welding process;
[0021] FIG. 8 is a front perspective view of the electronic device
illustrated in FIGS. 1-7 showing the electronic assembly within the
enclosure;
[0022] FIG. 9 is a top perspective view within the cavity of the
housing of the enclosure shown in FIGS. 1-8;
[0023] FIG. 10 is a top perspective view of an electronic device
having an enclosure, according to some embodiments of the
disclosure; and
[0024] FIG. 11 is a flowchart depicting a process for forming an
enclosure according to some embodiments of the disclosure.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0025] Some embodiments of this disclosure are directed to
electronic enclosures that have two or more plastic components
joined together at a seam or joint formed between the components.
While the present disclosure can be useful for a wide variety of
configurations, some embodiments of the disclosure are particularly
useful for electronic enclosures that have an aesthetically
appealing exterior surface and/or that enclose high voltage
electronic assemblies that would be dangerous to a user if the
enclosure separated, as described in more detail below.
[0026] For example, in some embodiments joining of the two or more
plastic components can be performed with a process known in the art
as ultrasonic welding. In various embodiments the joint is formed
using an ultrasonically welded configuration that includes a nested
structure where a tongue of an inner plastic component is welded to
a groove within an outer plastic component such that the entire
weld joint and any associated weld residue, also called "flash"
herein, is hidden within the enclosure.
[0027] In some embodiments the tongue is welded to both sides of
the groove, forming a "double shear" weld joint. The double shear
weld joint balances applied forces during welding so stresses and
deformation are equally distributed on each side of the tongue. As
a result, the double shear joint can result in less distortion of
the cover and housing during joining, may require less fixturing to
keep the cover and housing from distorting during the joining
process and may also form a stronger joint than a single sided
shear joint. Further, since the double shear joint more evenly
distributes stresses, the welding process can be more consistently
controlled during high volume manufacturing resulting in a more
consistent aesthetic appearance. Further, the dual wall "nested"
structure of the housing and the cover results in a stronger
enclosure that can be useful for protecting electronic assemblies
that operate at high voltages and/or currents. These features and
others will be described in more detail herein.
[0028] In order to better appreciate the features and aspects of
plastic enclosures having a nested structure where a tongue of an
inner component is welded to a groove within an outer component
according to the present disclosure, further context for the
disclosure is provided in the following section by discussing one
particular implementation of an electronic enclosure according to
embodiments of the present disclosure. These embodiments are for
example only and other embodiments can be employed in other
electronic devices such as, but not limited to wireless routers,
wireless television devices, computers, watches, media players and
other devices.
[0029] FIG. 1 illustrates a simplified perspective view of an
electronic device 100 comprising an AC to DC adapter having an
enclosure 105. As shown in FIG. 1, enclosure 105 can include a
cover 110 positioned at least partially over and secured to a
housing 115 with a tongue and groove double shear weld joint, as
described in more detail below.
[0030] Housing, 115 has two electrical prongs 130a, 130b that
extend away from the housing and are configured to be plugged into
an AC wall outlet to receive AC power. Although two electrical
prongs 130a, 130b illustrated in FIG. 1 are compatible with
selected European receptacles, in other embodiments a different
configuration of and/or number of prongs can be used that are
compatible with other standards such as, but not limited to, United
States, Japan and China. Cover 110 includes a receiving opening 135
that is configured to receive a mating connector. In some
embodiments one or more double shear joints are formed between
cover 110 and housing 115 and at least a portion of enclosure has a
dual wall structure, as described in more detail below.
[0031] In some embodiments, enclosure 105 encases an AC to DC
electronics assembly 140 that can receive electrical power (e.g.,
120 Volts AC) electrical prongs 130a, 130b when the two electrical
prongs are engaged with a wall receptacle. Electronics assembly 140
can be configured to transform the AC power received from the
receptacle connector to DC power (e.g., 5 Volts DC) that can be
supplied to an electronic computing device through a mating
connector inserted in receiving opening 135, as described in more
detail below.
[0032] FIG. 2 illustrates a partial perspective view of housing 115
removed from cover 110. In some embodiments housing 115 includes a
bottom wall 205 and at least one sidewall 225 extending from the
bottom wall, the at least one sidewall having a distal end portion
230 forming a tongue 235. Distal end portion 230 is positioned at a
distal end 233 of at least one sidewall 225. Bottom wall 205 and at
least one sidewall 225 can form a cavity 237 having an opening 240
positioned opposite the bottom wall and sized to receive electronic
assembly 140. One or more alignment features 245 can be positioned
on an interior surface 247 of the one or more sidewalls 225 to
align electronic assembly 140 within cavity 237. In some
embodiments one or more alignment features 245 can include a pair
of parallel ridges as shown in FIG. 2, while in other embodiments
the one or more alignment features can be any type of protuberance
from the interior surface 245 or a groove formed in the interior
surface. One or more longitudinal ribs 250 can be positioned on an
outer surface 253 of at least one sidewall 225 and one or more
transverse ribs 255 can also be positioned on outer surface 253. In
some embodiment one or more longitudinal ribs 250 and one or more
transverse ribs 255 can provide alignment for cover 110 and/or add
strength to enclosure 105, as described in more detail below.
[0033] FIG. 2 also illustrates cover 110 that can include a top
wall 260 and at least one outer wall 265 extending from the top
wall to form a chamber 270 that is sized to receive at least a
portion of housing 115 through an aperture (identified as 403 in
FIG. 4) that is positioned opposite the top wall. In some
embodiments outer wall 265 of cover 110 is configured to slide over
top of at least one sidewall 225 of the housing forming a dual wall
structure, as shown in more detail below. A groove (not shown in
FIG. 2) can be formed around an interior perimeter region of cover
110 and can receive and be joined to tongue 235 of housing 115
using ultrasonic welding, adhesive, solvent or other process. One
or more longitudinal and transverse ribs, 250, 255, respectively
can assist alignment of cover over and around housing 115.
Receiving opening 135 in housing 215 is configured to align with a
connector disposed within electronic assembly 140 (see FIG. 1). In
some embodiments cover 110 can include an insert molded or
separately formed top wall 260.
[0034] FIG. 3 illustrates a cut away partial perspective view of
the inside of cover 110. As shown in FIG. 3, in some embodiments
cover 110 can include a groove 305 that is formed around an
interior perimeter region 310. Groove 305 can be configured to mate
with tongue 235 on housing 215 to form a double shear joint as
described in more detail herein. In the embodiment illustrated in
FIG. 3, groove 305 is formed from a step 315 and a ridge 317 that
are spaced apart from one another. In some embodiments a wall can
be used in place of ridge 317 and can extend from interior surface
325 of top wall 260. In further embodiments groove 305 can be
formed into interior surface 325 of top wall 260. Myriad structures
can be used to form groove 305 that receives tongue 235.
[0035] In some embodiments, step 315 can be formed as a portion of
at least one outer wall 265, such that the at least one outer wall
has a region of increased thickness (e.g., a step formed in the
interior surface). In various embodiments step 315 can be
discontinuous such that one or more recesses 320 can be formed in
the first wall, breaking the first wall into segments. The one or
more recesses 320 can be positioned to allow air to escape during
the welding process and/or to allow weld residue "flash" to
accumulate or exit. More specifically, as the double shear joint
between tongue 235 and groove 305 is formed, the air volume within
the tongue and groove joint decreases and is allowed to escape
through one or more recesses 320. In the embodiment illustrated in
FIG. 3 one or more recesses 320, also called gaps herein, are
formed in step 315, however they can also or alternatively be
formed deeper within ridge 317.
[0036] FIGS. 4 and 5 illustrate cross-sections of housing 115 and
cover 110 before and after the weld joint formation, respectively.
As shown in FIG. 4, before the welding process, housing 115 is
inserted through aperture 403 positioned at least partially within
chamber 270 of cover 110, and tongue 235 is aligned with an
entrance to groove 305. In various embodiments groove 305 can
include an alignment region 405 that has a clearance fit for tongue
235 so the tongue aligns with groove 305 before the welding process
is initiated. In one embodiment the clearance between tongue 235
and either side of groove 305 in alignment region 405 is between 20
and 100 microns.
[0037] In some embodiments transverse rib 255 can be positioned on
housing 115 such that a distal end 415 of outer wall 265 of cover
110 is held in position (e.g., aligned symmetrically with housing
115) before the welding process. In one embodiment a first distance
425 from transverse rib 255 to edge of housing 410 is between 1.7
and 2.3 millimeters which is less than a second distance 427 from a
distal end of tongue 235 to a bottom 430 of groove 305 such that
the tongue will not bottom out in the groove before alignment is
achieved between distal end 415 of cover 110 and edge of housing
410.
[0038] In some embodiments transverse rib 255 can be configured to
contact an interior surface 440 of outer wall 265 while in other
embodiments there may be gap between the transverse rib and the
interior surface of outer wall. In yet further embodiments a spacer
that can be a tape or other material can be placed between
transverse rib and interior surface of cover 110.
[0039] In some embodiments cover 110 can have one or more weld
initiation zones (not shown in FIG. 4) that are small regions that
rest on tongue 235 when housing 115 and cover 110 are in the
position shown in FIG. 4. Bottom wall 420 of housing 115 can have
one or more electrical connections that are coupled to prongs 130a,
130b as described in more detail below.
[0040] FIG. 5 illustrates housing 115 and cover 110 after the weld
joint formation. As shown in FIG. 5, cover 110 has been positioned
over a portion of housing 115 such that tongue 235 is substantially
engaged in groove 305. In embodiments that employ ultrasonic
welding, a pair of weld joints 510a, 510b have been formed on
either side of tongue 235. Weld flash can collect in bottom portion
525 of groove 305. During welding air and/or flash can escape from
groove 305 through one or more recesses 320 (see FIG. 3).
[0041] In embodiments that employ ultrasonic welding, the welding
process involves applying high frequency (e.g., in the range of 10
kHz to 40 kHz) acoustic vibrations cover 110 and/or housing 115
that are held together under pressure to create a solid-state weld.
Force can be applied to cover 110 and/or housing 115 to push them
together during the welding process. The vibrations cause heat to
be generated at the interfaces where tongue 235 and groove 305 are
in contact with each other as a result of the friction between the
surfaces. The heat causes localized regions of tongue 235 and
groove 305 to melt and form weld joints 510a, 510b. At each of weld
joints 510a, 510b flash is generated that is extruded out of the
welds.
[0042] In this particular embodiment it can be seen that weld
joints are contained entirely within enclosure 105 so that no weld
flash or weld deformation can be seen on the exterior of the
enclosure. The only joint observable from the exterior of enclosure
105 is a gap 520 between housing 115 and cover 110 that is not
welded. In some embodiments, due to the balanced forces in the
double shear welding and the nested structure of the enclosure, gap
520 can be consistently controlled during production resulting in a
consistent aesthetically pleasing appearance for the enclosure. It
can be further seen in FIG. 5 that a substantial portion of
enclosure 105 has a dual wall structure where one or more sidewalls
225 are parallel to and spaced apart from one or more outer walls
265 forming a strong and reliable enclosure.
[0043] In other embodiments a joint can be formed between tongue
235 and groove 305 using a process other than ultrasonic welding.
In one embodiment an adhesive, glue, solvent or other material can
be used to bond tongue 235 to groove 305.
[0044] FIGS. 6 and 7 show close-up cross-sections of housing 115
and cover 110 before and after the weld joint formation,
respectively, when an ultrasonic welding process is used. As shown
in FIG. 6 tongue 235 is aligned with an entrance to groove 305. In
some embodiments groove 305 can have an alignment region 405 that
has a clearance fit tongue 235 so the tongue aligns with the groove
before the welding process is performed.
[0045] As shown in FIG. 7. tongue 235 has been welded to groove 305
forming a double shear joint. A pair of weld joints 510a, 510b have
been formed on either side of tongue 235. Tongue 235 has been
inserted into groove 305 during the welding process.
[0046] FIG. 8 illustrates electronic assembly 140 positioned within
enclosure 105. In some embodiments electronic assembly 140 includes
a substrate 810 that is aligned within housing using one or more
alignment features 245 (see FIG. 2).
[0047] FIG. 9 illustrates a view of an interior surface of bottom
wall 205 of housing 115 showing termination regions 905a, 905b that
are electrically coupled to corresponding prongs 130a, 130b (see
FIG. 1). In some embodiments termination regions 905 are
electrically conductive and make electrical contact with electronic
assembly 805 (see FIG. 8) such that AC power can be received
through prongs 130a, 130b and coupled to the electronic assembly
through termination regions 905a, 905b. Electronic assembly 805 can
convert the AC power to DC power and deliver DC power through
connector 815 that can be accessed through receiving opening 135
(see FIG. 1).
[0048] Weld joints formed between a tongue of an inner component
and a groove formed within an outer component, such as weld joints
510a, 510b in FIGS. 1-9, can be used to join myriad other plastic
components together when it is desired to have a strong enclosure
equipped with a double shear weld joint that is free from
externally visible flash. For example, FIG. 10 illustrates a
simplified perspective view of an electronic device 1000, that can
be used, for example, as an underwater diving device according to
some embodiments of the disclosure. Electronic device 1000 can
include an enclosure 1005 that is made from a cover 1010 joined to
a housing 1015 with a double shear weld joint similar to that
illustrated in FIGS. 1-9.
[0049] The weld joint can be formed within enclosure 1005 with a
single shear joint having an integral flash trap as described in
detail above in FIGS. 2 and 3. The double shear joint can result in
less distortion of cover 1010 and housing 1015 and can exhibit
improved strength as compared to other joints. The double shear
weld joint can result in less distortion of cover 1010 and housing
1015 and can exhibit improved strength as compared to other weld
joints. In some embodiments the weld joint can include a gap 1025
between housing 1015 and cover 1010 that is visible from the
exterior. The double shear joint can be used to consistently
control the size of gap 1025 during high volume manufacturing so
each part is aesthetically consistent.
[0050] In the embodiment shown in FIG. 10, enclosure 1005 is
illustrated as including a display 1035 (e.g., a touch display) and
an input button 1040 however other embodiments can have different
user interface features. Since enclosure 1005 can, in some
embodiments, completely encompass the electronics assembly the
electronic assembly within the enclosure can be inductively charged
with a separate inductive charging station such that no
penetrations are required through enclosure 1005 making the
enclosure completely sealed such that it is liquid-tight. In
further embodiments enclosure 1005 can have a battery or other
power source within it. Embodiments of the disclosure are not
limited to any particular electronic device. Embodiments of the
disclosure are not limited to any particular electronic device. In
some embodiments enclosure 1005 can be used for electronic devices
that have different components and/or features than those shown in
FIG. 10.
[0051] For example, in some embodiments enclosure 1005 can be used
to enclose electronics assemblies such as, but not limited to, a
smartphone, a tablet computer, a laptop or other type of computer,
a watch, a wireless communication transceiver, a wireless router,
an RFID device, a wirelessly activated tag for locating lost keys
or an AC to DC adapter, as explained in more detail below. In one
example, enclosure 1005 can be used to encase a wireless
transceiver, a rechargeable battery and a wireless charging
interface to charge an internal battery. The enclosure can be
formed without penetrations through the enclosure so the internal
electronic assembly is fully encased and protected from water,
moisture, dust or other environmental contaminants.
[0052] In further embodiments, enclosure 1005 can be used for
purposes other than enclosing an electronic device. In one example,
enclosure 1005 can be used to form an aesthetically appealing
enclosure for an antique (e.g., a coin or a piece of ancient
artwork) that needs to be protected from damage and/or exposure to
the environment. As would be recognized by one of skill in the art,
a weld joint formed between two plastic components that are nested
and joined together with a tongue and groove weld joint exhibiting
no external flash on the exterior surface is useful for myriad of
enclosures.
[0053] As defined herein, liquid-tight shall mean a seal that
conforms to one or more of the following ratings as defined by the
International Protection Rating and International Electrotechnical
Commission (IEC) 60529 that can also be known as the I.P. 68
rating. In some embodiments the liquid-tight seal will protect the
electronic assembly against the harmful ingress of water and have a
"liquid ingress" rating between 1 (dripping water) and 8 (immersion
beyond 1 meter). In various embodiments the liquid-tight seal shall
be rated between 1 (dripping water) and 4 (splashing water) while
in some embodiments the liquid-tight seal shall be rated between 2
(dripping water with device tilted at 15 degrees) and 5 (water
jet). In various embodiments the liquid-tight seal shall be rated
between 3 (spraying water) and 6 (powerful water jets) while in
some embodiments the liquid-tight seal shall be rated between 4
(splashing water) and 7 (immersion up to 1 meter). In various
embodiments the liquid-tight seal shall be rated between 5 (water
jets) and 8 (immersion beyond 1 meter) while in some embodiments
liquid-tight shall mean the seal will protect the electronic device
against liquid ingress up to 100 feet for 30 minutes.
[0054] FIG. 11 illustrates a method 1100 for making an enclosure
such as enclosure 105 in FIG. 1-9 or 1005 in FIG. 10. In step 1105
a housing is formed. In one embodiment the housing can have a rear
wall and one or more sidewalls that extend from the rear wall to
form a cavity. In step 1110, an electronic assembly is placed
within the cavity. In step 1115 a cover is formed. The cover can be
formed prior to, simultaneously with or after the housing is formed
in step 1105. In one embodiment the cover includes a top wall and
one or more outer walls extending from the top wall to form a
chamber with an opening positioned opposite the top wall. In step
1120 the cover is positioned on the housing such that tongue of the
housing is aligned with a groove positioned inside the chamber. In
step 1125 ultrasonic welding is performed between the cover and the
housing, joining them together as one enclosure. The weld joint
includes a double shear weld joint formed between the tongue and
the two walls the form the groove. All weld flash is contained
within the enclosure so no flash is visible on an exterior surface
of the enclosure as described above.
[0055] Although electronic device 100 (see FIG. 1) is described and
illustrated as one particular type of electronic device,
embodiments of the disclosure are suitable for use with a myriad
electronic devices. For example, any device that receives or
transmits audio, video or data signals can be used with embodiments
of the disclosure. In some instances, embodiments of the disclosure
are particularly well suited for use with portable electronic media
devices because of their potentially small form factor and need for
aesthetically appealing enclosures.
[0056] As used herein, an electronic media device includes any
device with at least one electronic component that can be used to
present human-perceivable media. Such devices can include, for
example, portable music players (e.g., MP3 devices and Apple's iPod
devices), portable video players (e.g., portable DVD players),
cellular telephones (e.g., smart telephones such as Apple's iPhone
devices), video cameras, digital still cameras, projection systems
(e.g., holographic projection systems), gaming systems, PDAs, as
well as tablet (e.g., Apple's iPad devices), laptop or other mobile
computers. Some of these devices can be configured to provide
audio, video or other data or sensory output.
[0057] For simplicity, various internal components, such as the
AC/DC converter circuitry, power transfer circuitry, internal
connectors and other components of electronic devices 100 and 1000
(see FIGS. 1 and 10) are not shown in the figures.
[0058] In the foregoing specification, embodiments of the
disclosure have been described with reference to numerous specific
details that can vary from implementation to implementation. The
specification and drawings are, accordingly, to be regarded in an
illustrative rather than a restrictive sense. The sole and
exclusive indicator of the scope of the disclosure, and what is
intended by the applicants to be the scope of the disclosure, is
the literal and equivalent scope of the set of claims that issue
from this application, in the specific form in which such claims
issue, including any subsequent correction. The specific details of
particular embodiments can be combined in any suitable manner
without departing from the spirit and scope of embodiments of the
disclosure.
[0059] Additionally, spatially relative terms, such as "bottom or
"top" and the like can be used to describe an element and/or
feature's relationship to another element(s) and/or feature(s) as,
for example, illustrated in the figures. It will be understood that
the spatially relative terms are intended to encompass different
orientations of the device in use and/or operation in addition to
the orientation depicted in the figures. For example, if the device
in the figures is turned over, elements described as a "bottom"
surface can then be oriented "above" other elements or features.
The device can be otherwise oriented (e.g., rotated 90 degrees or
at other orientations) and the spatially relative descriptors used
herein interpreted accordingly.
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