Abstract:
A method and system are provided for assembling a monolith wireless mobile device in a manner that provides users with a highly fashionable and comfortable device while reducing associated manufacturing costs through a simpler assembly technique. The wireless mobile device utilizes a main housing having a plurality of generally channel-shaped sidewalls, each having one or more locking tabs for engagement with respective slots in an inner core. The sidewalls of the main housing each have a surface free of parting lines. The inner core, which is locked into the main housing, contains the hardware and software components of the wireless mobile device.

Description:
SUMMARY 
     Embodiments of the invention are defined by the claims below, not this summary. A high-level overview of embodiments of the invention are provided here for that reason, to provide an overview of the disclosure. 
     In a first aspect, a wireless mobile device is provided comprising a main housing, an inner core having one or more slots for slidably engaging the main housing, one or more areas for receiving a display lens, a keypad, and a navigation wheel, and a door positioned opposite the one or more areas. The main housing has first and second generally channel-shaped sidewalls that extend a length and are connected by a first and second connecting members. The sidewalls and connecting members form an opening at a first end of the main housing. The use of chanel-shaped sidewalls in the main housing eliminates parting lines and small assembly screws that are traditionally found in sandwich-style electronic device assemblies. 
     In a second aspect, a housing component of a wireless mobile device is provided having first and second generally channel-shaped sidewalls extending a length and being generally parallel. A first connecting member and second connecting member extend between the sidewalls to join the first and second sidewalls. The connecting members are spaced a distance apart and each have a connecting length. The sidewalls and connecting members are joined together to form an opening at a first end of the housing. The first and second generally channel-shaped sidewalls each have one or more locking tabs for securing the housing to a respective one or more slots of an inner core component of a wireless mobile device. 
     In a third aspect, a method of assembling a wireless mobile device is disclosed in which an inner core assembly is provided, the inner core assembly having one or more hardware and software components for operation of the wireless mobile device. The inner core assembly is directed through an opening in a first end of the main housing and slid within the main housing and towards a second end. The inner core assembly is then locked into the main housing. One such manner for accomplishing this is through one or more locking tabs located along sidewalls of the main housing engaging a respective one or more slots in the inner core assembly. Once the inner core assembly is locked within the main housing, other peripheral components, such as a display lens, a keypad, and a navigation wheel are placed onto a top surface of the inner core and within sidewalls of the main housing. A battery door is then slid into the second end of the main housing and over a bottom surface of the inner core assembly. Following such an assembly method ensures that only the battery door is removable and that the inner core assembly having the hardware and software components are not removable from the wireless mobile device. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Illustrative embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below with reference to the attached drawing figures, which are incorporated by reference herein and wherein: 
         FIG. 1  depicts a perspective view of a wireless mobile device assembly in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  depicts an exploded view of the wireless mobile device assembly of  FIG. 1  in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 3  depicts a perspective view of the main housing portion of the wireless mobile device assembly in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; and, 
         FIGS. 4-6  depict an assembly process for the wireless mobile device assembly in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Embodiments of the present invention provide systems and methods for assembly of a wireless mobile device assembly having a main housing free from perforations, parting lines, or buttons. The main housing provides the user with a smooth feel along its outer surface while also simplifying manufacturability and assembly of the wireless mobile device assembly. 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , a wireless mobile device assembly  100  is depicted in an assembled condition. The wireless mobile device depicted in  FIG. 1  can be a wireless telephone, Personal Digital Assistant (PDA), navigation device, digital music player, or other portable monolith electronic device. 
     The wireless mobile device assembly  100 , as can be seen in more detail in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , comprises a main housing  102  having a first generally channel-shaped sidewall  104  extending a length  106  and a second generally channel-shaped sidewall  108  extending the same length  106  and being generally parallel to the first generally channel-shaped sidewall  104 . The two sidewalls  104  and  108  are coupled together by a first connecting member  110  and a second connecting member  112 . The connecting members  110  and  112  are generally parallel and spaced a distance apart. The first connecting member  110  has a first connecting length  114  and the second connecting member  112  has a second connecting length  116 , where in an embodiment of the present invention, the second connecting length  116  is greater than the first connecting length  114 . 
     The main housing  102  also comprises an opening  118  that is formed at a first end  120  of the main housing  102 . The opening  118  is a result of the first and second connecting members  110  and  112  joining the first generally channel-shaped sidewall  104  to the second generally channel-shaped sidewall  108 . 
     As it can be seen from  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the main housing  102  does not have any joints where the sidewalls  104  and  108  and the connecting members  110  and  112  come together. Fabrication of the main housing  102  as a single component can be accomplished through injecting a high temperature liquefied plastic material into a mold of the desired shape and cooling the mold to a temperature at which the plastic material has solidified. Use of plastic in this arrangement provides a main housing portion of the wireless mobile device assembly with a smooth-looking appearance and feel that is free of parting lines along the sidewalls  104  and  108 . 
     Referring now to  FIG. 2 , the wireless mobile device assembly  100  further comprises an inner core  122  that has one or more slots  124  located along sides  125  for slidably engaging with the main housing  102 . The one or more slots  124  can be a variety of shapes as shown in  FIG. 2 . The inner core  122  contains one or more hardware and software components of the wireless mobile device assembly  100 . Examples of these components include a memory card, a processor, and associated circuitry between the various electrical and mechanical components. Antenna components and ports to engage external devices, such as a power adapter are located at opposing ends on the inner core  122 , at positions adjacent the first end  120  and second end  146  of the main housing  102 . 
     The wireless mobile device assembly  100  also comprises one or more areas  126  for receiving external surface components such as a display lens  128 , a keypad  130 , and a navigation wheel  132 . These one or more areas  126  are generally located along a front face of the inner core  122 . Generally speaking the display lens  128  overlays a monitor component  134  and the keypad  130  overlays a plurality of buttons or pads  136 . The navigation wheel for this embodiment is positioned adjacent the keypad  130 . Located generally opposite of these external surface components is a door  138  that is removably coupled to the main housing  102 . The door  138  accesses a battery compartment  140  in the inner core  122 . 
     An alternate embodiment of the present invention is directed generally towards a housing component  102  of a wireless mobile device assembly  100 . As it can be seen in  FIG. 3 , the housing component  102  comprises a first generally channel-shaped sidewall  104  that extends a length  106 . A second generally channel-shaped sidewall  108  extends the length  106  and is generally parallel to the first generally channel-shaped sidewall  104 . 
     The housing component  102  also comprises a first connecting member  110  that extends between the first and second sidewalls  104  and  108 , respectively. The first connecting member  110  has a first connecting length  114 . A second connecting member  112  also extends between the first and second sidewalls  104  and  108  and is generally parallel to the first connecting member  110 . The second connecting member  112  has a second connecting length  116 , which as can be seen in  FIG. 3 , is greater than the first connecting length  114 . This is but one embodiment and in alternate embodiments, the first connecting length  114  can be equal to or greater than the second connecting length  116 . The first and second generally channel-shaped sidewalls  104  and  108  and the first and second connecting members  110  and  112  together form an opening  118  at a first end  120  of the housing  102 . In an embodiment of the present invention, the second connecting member  112  also has a plurality of apertures  142  through which sound waves associated with a speaker can pass. 
     The housing  102  further comprises one or more locking tabs  144  that are located within the first and second generally channel-shaped sidewalls  104  and  108 . The locking tabs  144  are used for securing the housing  102  to one or more slots or openings  124  of an inner core  122  that is capable of sliding through the opening  118 . The shapes, spacing, and size of the one or more locking tabs  144  will vary depending on the size of the wireless mobile device being assembled and material choice for the inner core  122  and housing  102 . The assembly process will be discussed in further detail below. 
     The housing  102  is preferably fabricated from plastic, although a variety of materials could be used. Furthermore, as it can be seen in  FIG. 3 , the first and second connecting members  110  and  112  are integral with the first and second sidewalls  104  and  108 . This provides a single, seamless component for use in the wireless mobile device assembly  100 . 
     In yet another embodiment of the present invention, a method of assembling a wireless mobile device is disclosed. The components necessary to assemble the wireless mobile device  100  are depicted in an exploded view in  FIG. 2  while further detailed assembly views are shown in  FIGS. 4-6 . The assembly steps for the wireless mobile device  100  of the present invention include providing an inner core assembly  122  having one or more hardware and software components for operation of the wireless mobile device  100  and directing the inner core assembly  122  through an opening  118  in a first end  120  of a main housing  102 . The main housing  102  has a plurality of parallel and generally channel-shaped sidewalls  104  and  108 , with each of the sidewalls having one or more locking tabs  144 . 
     The inner core assembly  122 , which has one or more slots  124  located along sides  125 , is slid towards a second end  146  of the main housing  102 . The movement of the inner core assembly  122  within the main housing  102  is best depicted in  FIGS. 4-6 , which, for clarity purposes shows a portion of the main housing  102  in cross section. As it can be seen from  FIGS. 4 and 5 , the inner core assembly  122  slides towards the second end  146  and the one or more locking tabs  144  of the main housing  102  generally slide along the sides  125  of the inner core assembly  122 . This general motion continues until the one or more locking tabs  144  slides into a corresponding slot  124  in the inner core assembly  122 , as depicted in  FIG. 6 . When the locking tabs  144  engage the slots  124 , the inner core assembly  122  is locked into the main housing  102 . 
     Other components such as a display lens  128 , keypad  130 , and a navigation wheel  132  are then placed onto a top surface of the inner core assembly  122 , in one or more areas  126 , which are within the first and second sidewalls  104  and  108 . These components cover various electrical and mechanical components of the inner core assembly  122 . Other components added to the wireless mobile device after the inner core assembly  122  has been locked into the main housing  102  can include an earpiece mesh  148 , a speaker mesh  150 , and a keypad snap  152  (see  FIG. 3 ). 
     A sliding battery door  138  is placed into the second end  146  of the main housing  102  and over a bottom surface of the inner core assembly  122 . The battery door  138  can be removed for installation and replacement of a battery (not shown) by sliding the door towards the second end  146  of the main housing  102 . Based on the design of the main housing  102  and inner core assembly  122 , the battery door  138  is the only component that can be removed post-assembly. 
     The assembly process may also include placing the battery in a compartment within the inner core assembly  122  prior to initially covering the compartment with the sliding battery door  138 . However, installation of this battery may not be completed during assembly of the wireless mobile device due to concerns with product safety, transportation, storage, or battery drainage. 
     Upon completion of the wireless mobile device assembly, only a top surface  154  of the inner core assembly  122  is visible to the eye. 
     Many different arrangements of the various components depicted, as well as components not shown, are possible without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Embodiments of the present invention have been described with the intent to be illustrative rather than restrictive. Alternative embodiments will become apparent to those skilled in the art that do not depart from its scope. A skilled artisan may develop alternative means of implementing the aforementioned improvements without departing from the scope of the present invention. 
     It will be understood that certain features and subcombinations are of utility and may be employed without reference to other features and subcombinations and are contemplated within the scope of the claims. Not all steps listed in the various figures need be carried out in the specific order described.