Abstract:
A method that comprises extruding material through a die to produce a notebook computer chassis having multiple sides that encapsulate a volume.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
       [0001]    Each notebook computer generally comprises a chassis that is built by piecing together several components during the manufacturing process. Chassis built in this manner tend to make access to the circuit components (e.g., for repair) difficult. Further, such chassis are often undesirably weak, leaving the chassis&#39; contents prone to severe damage upon experiencing forceful impact (e.g., when dropped to the ground). Further still, such chassis are undesirably expensive to manufacture. Yet further still, chassis that comprise multiple components tend to be aesthetically unpleasant. A stronger, less expensive, more flexible and aesthetically pleasing notebook chassis that provides easy access to its contents is desirable. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0002]    For a detailed description of exemplary embodiments of the invention, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings in which: 
           [0003]      FIG. 1  shows an illustrative notebook computer fabricated in accordance with embodiments; 
           [0004]      FIG. 2  shows an illustrative die usable in accordance with embodiments; 
           [0005]      FIG. 3  shows an illustrative chassis built in accordance with embodiments; and 
           [0006]      FIG. 4  shows a flow diagram of an illustrative method, in accordance with embodiments. 
       
    
    
     NOTATION AND NOMENCLATURE 
       [0007]    Certain terms are used throughout the following description and claims to refer to particular system components. As one skilled in the art will appreciate, computer companies may refer to a component by different names. This document does not intend to distinguish between components that differ in name but not function. In the following discussion and in the claims, the terms “including” and “comprising” are used in an open-ended fashion, and thus should be interpreted to mean “including, but not limited to . . . .” Also, the term “couple” or “couples” is intended to mean either an indirect, direct, optical or wireless electrical connection. Thus, if a first device couples to a second device, that connection may be through a direct electrical connection, through an indirect electrical connection via other devices and connections, through an optical electrical connection, or through a wireless electrical connection. 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0008]    The following discussion is directed to various embodiments of the invention. Although one or more of these embodiments may be preferred, the embodiments disclosed should not be interpreted, or otherwise used, as limiting the scope of the disclosure, including the claims. In addition, one skilled in the art will understand that the following description has broad application, and the discussion of any embodiment is meant only to be exemplary of that embodiment, and not intended to intimate that the scope of the disclosure, including the claims, is limited to that embodiment. 
         [0009]    Disclosed herein are various embodiments of an extruded computer chassis that overcomes the problems described above. In at least some of these embodiments, a die is fabricated in accordance with a cross-section of the desired notebook chassis. A desired material with which the chassis will be fabricated (e.g., titanium, metal alloys, aerospace-grade aluminum such as AL 6062-T6, etc.) is heated into a molten state and is subsequently extruded through the die. The material passed through the die is cooled. The result of this process is a chassis whose cross-sectional shape and dimensions conform to those of the die. Once the chassis cools, it is cut (e.g., using a stamping machine or CNC cutting machine) to create orifices through which keyboards, touchpads, etc. may be mounted. 
         [0010]    Once the chassis has been fabricated, circuit components are slid into the chassis for easy access. A display is mounted to the chassis and is electronically coupled to the circuit components within the chassis. End caps are mounted to the chassis. The chassis may be anodized to a particular color, if desired. The chassis is then complete. This manufacturing method is superior to other methods at least because it produces notebook chassis that are stronger, less expensive, more flexible and more aesthetically pleasing than those produced by such other methods. A detailed description of the manufacturing process follows. 
         [0011]      FIG. 1  shows a notebook computer (“notebook”)  100 . The notebook  100  comprises a chassis  102 , a touchpad  104 , a keyboard  106 , miscellaneous features  108  (e.g., power button, volume controls), endcaps  110 , plug-in features  112  (e.g., universal serial bus (USB) ports, bays, jacks) and a display  114 . The notebook  100  is merely illustrative of electronic devices to which the fabrication technique disclosed herein may apply. The technique disclosed herein may be adapted to various types of notebooks  100 , as well as to different kinds of computers besides notebooks (e.g., personal digital assistants, mobile phones, desktop computers, etc.). The notebook  100  is fabricated using an extrusion process as described below. 
         [0012]      FIG. 2  shows a cross-sectional view of an illustrative die  200  used to fabricate the notebook  100  in an extrusion process. The die  200  may be manufactured using any suitable material (e.g., tool steel) and using any suitable process (e.g., metal extrusion, computer numerical control (CNC) machining, etc.). The die  200  comprises an outer component  202   a  and an inner component  202   b.  The open space/cavity  204  between the components  202   a  and  202   b  defines the shape and parameters of a notebook chassis extruded through the die  200 . 
         [0013]    There are several methods for forming internal cavities within dies. One such method includes the use of a hollow billet and a floating mandrel or a fixed mandrel (i.e., a mandrel that is integrated into a dummy block and stem). A floating mandrel floats in slots in the dummy block and aligns itself in the die during extrusion. If a solid billet is used in lieu of a hollow billet, it must first be pierced by the mandrel prior to extrusion through the die. A special press may be used to control the mandrel independently from the ram. The solid billet also could be used with a spider die, porthole die or bridge die. All of these types of dies incorporate the mandrel in the die and have legs that hold the mandrel in place. Generally, during extrusion, the metal divides and flows around the legs, leaving weld lines in the final product. 
         [0014]    Because the space  204  defines the shape of the notebook chassis produced using the die  200  (e.g., the shape of the chassis  102 ), the space  204  may be altered as desired to manipulate the shape of the chassis. Stated in another way, when the components  202   a  and  202   b  are altered with protrusions or indentations, the space  204  also is altered, thereby manipulating the shape of the chassis produced using the die  200 . These protrusions and indentations may be designed to manipulate the chassis shape so that, for instance, the chassis accommodates a desired type of circuit logic. 
         [0015]    Thus, as shown in  FIG. 2 , the illustrative inner component  202   b  comprises protrusion  206  and indentations  208   a,    208   b  and  208   c.  Protrusion  206  causes an indentation to be formed in the chassis  102 , while indentations  208   a - 208   c  cause protrusions to be formed in the chassis  102 . Extruding material through the die  200  thus produces the chassis  102  shown in  FIG. 3 . Referring to  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the protrusion  206  results in the indentation  306 , while indentations  208   a - 208   c  result in protrusions  308   a - 308   c,  respectively. Although the die  200  may be designed as desired to result in various protrusions and indentations in the chassis  102 , the particular indentation  306  and protrusions  308   a - 308   c  shown in  FIG. 3  facilitate the insertion and coupling of a printed circuit board (PCB)  309  within the chassis  102 . 
         [0016]    Specifically, the PCB  309  couples to multiple shock mounts  310 , as shown. In turn, once the shock mounts  310  are coupled to the PCB  309 , the PCB  309  is slid into the chassis  102  as indicated by arrows  311 . The shock mounts  310  mate with the indentation  306  and the protrusion  308   c,  while the PCB  309  itself mates with the protrusions  308   a - 308   b  (e.g., using indentations on the underside of the PCB  308 ; not specifically shown). The PCB  309 , when slid inside the chassis  102  a sufficient distance, blind-mates to connectors within the chassis  102 . These connectors enable circuit logic on the PCB  309  to communicate with other electrical components coupled to the chassis  102 , including a display, hard drives, peripherals, etc. 
         [0017]    The fact that the indentations, protrusions and shock mounts enable the PCB  309  to slide in and out of the chassis  102  provides for easy access to the PCB  309  (e.g., for repairs). The chassis  102  does not need to be dismantled to any significant degree in order to access the PCB  309  or other circuit components housed within the chassis  102 . 
         [0018]    The shock mounts  310  serve at least two purposes. First, as explained, they enable the PCB  309  to slide in and out of the chassis  102 . Second, because they are made of certain types of material (e.g., thermoplastic elastomers), the shock mounts  310  introduce a degree of shock absorption between the PCB  309  and the chassis  102 . Specifically, instead of being rigidly connected to the chassis  102 , thereby increasing the likelihood of damage to the PCB  309  upon physical insult to the chassis  102 , the shock mounts  310  can absorb at least some of the shock introduced to the chassis  102 . Such shock absorption protects the integrity of the PCB  309 . Other components may be similarly mounted within the chassis  102 . 
         [0019]    In addition to extruded protrusions and indentations, the chassis  102  may be further modified after the extrusion process to allow access to components housed within the chassis  102 . These modifications may be made, for, example, using a stamping process or a CNC machine cutting process. As shown in  FIG. 3 , the chassis  102  has been stamped or cut to include an orifice  300  through which a touchpad will be exposed for user access. Similarly, orifice  302  will expose a keyboard for user access, while orifices  304  will expose miscellaneous features (e.g., power button, volume controls) for user access. Indentations and/or protrusions may be created within the chassis  102  for mounting of touchpads, keyboards, etc. as desired. Although the PCB  309  is shown as being slid into the chassis  102  from one end of the chassis, the PCB  309  and/or other components also may be slid into the chassis  102  from the opposite end of the chassis. 
         [0020]    Once the contents of the chassis  102  have been slid or otherwise inserted into the chassis  102 , the ends of the chassis  102  may be closed using endcaps  110 . As described above, the endcaps  110  comprise orifices for jacks, USB ports, etc. which may exposed from inside the chassis  102  through the endcaps  110 . The endcaps  110  may be screwed onto the chassis  102  or, alternatively, may snap-on to the chassis  102 . 
         [0021]    Additional devices, such as a display, also may couple to the chassis  102 . In particular, the chassis  102  may be modified post-extrusion to include features to which a display may couple for mechanical support. Further, an orifice may be created in the chassis  102  through which electrical wires (e.g., for power, data, etc.) may pass between the display and circuitry within the chassis  102 . 
         [0022]    If desired, the chassis  102  may be anodized to a particular color. A standard anodizing process may be used. A dye having the desired color may be added to the anodizing acid bath for the color tint process. 
         [0023]      FIG. 4  shows a flow diagram of an illustrative method  400  performed in accordance with various embodiments. The method  400  begins by preparing a die having a cross-section that matches the desired cross-section of a notebook chassis (block  402 ). The method  400  continues by preparing malleable material (e.g., aerospace-grade aluminum) for extrusion (block  404 ). Such preparation includes heating the stock material to be extruded, loading the material into a container that feeds the die, placing a dummy block behind the material, and using a ram to extrude the material through the die. The extruded material may then be stretched, heat-treated or “cold-worked” (i.e., strengthening of a material by increasing the material&#39;s dislocation density) as desired. 
         [0024]    The method  400  further comprises extruding the material through the die (block  406 ) and allowing the chassis to cool and harden (block  408 ). The chassis is “monolithically” extruded, meaning that the extruded chassis (e.g., the chassis  102 , described above) comprises a shell that is monolithic and seamless. The chassis is monolithic and seamless in that virtually the entire chassis (excluding endcaps) is produced during a single extrusion process. The monolithically extruded chassis is in contrast to a different chassis that is an assembly of several independently extruded parts. 
         [0025]    The method  400  continues by stamping or cutting one or more chassis orifices, as desired (block  410 ). As previously explained, the orifices may be created to route wires therethrough, to provide access to devices (e.g., keyboard, touchpad, etc.) within the chassis  102  from outside the chassis, for ventilation, jacks, ports, aesthetics, mechanical support, etc. 
         [0026]    The method  400  still further comprises inserting circuit boards and/or other devices into the chassis, coupling a display to the chassis, etc. (block  412 ). As explained above, in at least some embodiments, inserting a circuit board or other device comprises sliding the board or device into the chassis using shock mounts, indentations and/or protrusions, as shown in  FIG. 3 . The method  400  comprises coupling end-caps to the chassis (block  414 ) and anodizing the chassis to a desired color (block  416 ). The steps of method  400  may be modified as desired, including the rearrangement, addition and/or deletion of steps. 
         [0027]    The above discussion is meant to be illustrative of the principles and various embodiments of the present invention. Numerous variations and modifications will become apparent to those skilled in the art once the above disclosure is fully appreciated. It is intended that the following claims be interpreted to embrace all such variations and modifications.