Abstract:
An electronic device is provided. The electronic device may include a plate placed behind a screen formed from a window and a display module to provide the screen with additional stiffness (e.g., to resist dropping events). The window may be maintained in the electronic device by trapping the window between a bezel and the display module. In some embodiments, the window may include a chamfered edge operative to be received by a recessed edge in the bezel. In some embodiments, the input mechanism of the electronic device may be metallic and need to be grounded, but may be surrounded by plastic components or other non-grounding components. The electronic device may include screws operative to pass through a circuit board to reach a frame, which may serve as a ground, where the screws are located in proximity of the button. In some embodiments, the circuit board may include an additional component for grounding the button

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/967,505, filed Sep. 4, 2007, which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    This invention is directed to mechanical features of an electronic device. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    An electronic device is provided. The electronic device may include a frame, a bezel mounted to the frame, and a screen that includes a window and a display module mounted to the frame. In some embodiments, the screen may not be supported in its entirety by the frame. To ensure that the screen does not crack or propagate cracks, a plate may be coupled to the frame such that the screen (e.g., the display module) rests on the plate. The plate may be selected to increase the rigidity of the bezel. 
         [0004]    In some embodiments, the electronic device may include an input mechanism. In some embodiments, a button of the input mechanism may be metallic and need to be grounded. Because the input mechanism circuit board may be positioned between the button and the frame, the path for grounding the button may need to pass through the circuit board. In some embodiments, the button may be grounded using at least one exposed screw that passes through the circuit board, where the screw is operative to couple the circuit board to the frame. In some embodiments, the button may be grounded using a spring coupled to the circuit board and extending to reach at least one of the bezel and the frame. The spring may be electrically coupled to the button using a copper path. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0005]    The above and other features of the present invention, its nature and various advantages will be more apparent upon consideration of the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, and in which: 
           [0006]      FIG. 1  is an exploded view of an electronic device in accordance with one embodiment of the invention; 
           [0007]      FIGS. 2A and 2B  are cross-sectional views of an a electronic device in which a window has been mounted in accordance with one embodiment of the invention; 
           [0008]      FIG. 3  is an exploded view of an electronic device that includes an input mechanism in accordance with one embodiment of the invention; and 
           [0009]      FIG. 4  is a top view of a circuit board in accordance with one embodiment of the invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0010]      FIG. 1  is an exploded view of an electronic device in accordance with one embodiment of the invention. Electronic device  100  may include any suitable type of electronic device, including for example a media player such as an iPod® available by Apple Inc., of Cupertino, Calif., a cellular telephone (e.g., an iPhone® available from Apple Inc.), a personal digital assistant, a desktop computer, a laptop computer, gaming console, set-top box, television system or television system component (e.g., a recording device), or any other suitable electronic device. Electronic device  100  may include a case formed from a bezel and a frame, a screen constructed from a window and a display module (e.g., as distinct elements or as a combined component) for displaying information to a user, and a user interface (e.g., a button) for providing inputs to the device. Frame  102  may provide the structure of electronic device  100 , and may be operative to support some or all of the components of the electronic device (e.g., a circuit board, an input mechanism, a screen, a hard drive, or a battery). To form the outer surface of electronic device  100 , a housing may be placed over the bottom of frame  102  (not shown), and bezel  130  may be placed over the top of frame  102 . In some embodiments, frame  102  may instead include an aesthetically pleasing outer surface that may form part of the exterior of electronic device  100 . The housing and bezel  130  may be coupled to frame  102  using any suitable approach, including for example an adhesive, tape, a mechanical fastener (e.g., a screw), a mechanical element (e.g., a snap), or any other suitable approach. 
         [0011]    Frame  102  may be manufactured using any suitable approach and from any suitable material. For example, frame  102  may be manufactured using one or more of forging, machining, forming, stamping, molding, casting, tumbling, polishing, or any other suitable process. Frame  102  may be manufactured any suitable material, including for example plastic, a composite material, metal, polymers, or any other suitable material. In some embodiments, frame  102  may be constructed from an electrically conductive material to serve as a ground for the electronic device. 
         [0012]    Bezel  130  may be manufactured from any suitable material and using any suitable approach. For example, bezel  130  may be manufactured from plastic, a composite material, metal, polymers, or any other suitable material. In some embodiments, bezel  130  may be manufactured from a metal (e.g., aluminum or stainless steel) and polished to provide an aesthetically pleasing finish. In some embodiments, bezel  130  may be constructed using a Liquidmetal® alloy (available from Liquidmetal Technologies of Lake Forest, Calif.). 
         [0013]    Electronic device  100  may include display module  120  for providing displays to a user. Display module  120  may include any suitable display module, including for example an LCD or plasma screen. To protect display module  120  from damage, electronic device  100  may include window  122  operative to be placed in aperture  132  of bezel  130  such that that window  122  extends through bezel  130 . The outer surface of window  122  may be flush with outer surface  131  of bezel  131  to provide a uniform appearance, while bezel  130  may be placed against the bottom surface of window  122 . 
         [0014]    Window  122  may be coupled to the electronic device using any suitable approach. In some embodiments, window  122  may be inserted into bezel  130  from either the inside or outside of bezel  130 , and coupled to the periphery of opening  103  using an adhesive, tape (e.g., double sided tape), mechanical fasteners, a gasket (e.g., gasket  124 ), or any other coupling mechanism. In some embodiments, window  122  may include a glass outer member and a plastic inner member that includes a flange for coupling display module  120  to the electronic device. A more detailed description of an approach for coupling a glass outer surface to a plastic inner surface may be found in commonly owned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/843,205, filed Aug. 22, 2007, incorporated herein in its entirety. 
         [0015]    Display module  120  may be retained in electronic device  120  using any suitable approach. In some embodiments, frame  102  may include opening  103  substantially under display module  120  (e.g. for receiving an electronic device component, such as a battery) against which display module  120  may rest. Because the component may not have a uniform surface, or not be placed directly in contact with display module  120 , the display module may be susceptible to bending during drop events or during bend and squeeze events. If the loads applied to window  122  or display module  120  exceed a maximum, cracks in display module  120  may propagate and distort the display of content on display module  120 . To provide additional stiffness to display module  120 , electronic device  100  may include support plate  110  between display module  120  and the other components of electronic device  100 . 
         [0016]    Support plate  110  may be coupled to frame  102  such that support plate  110  is placed under substantially all of display module  120 . Plate  110  may be constructed from any material that has a suitable stiffness, including for example plastic, a composite material, a polymer, a metal, or any other suitable material. In some embodiments, plate  110  may be constructed from stainless steel (e.g., 301 series stainless steel). In some embodiments, display module  120  may be coupled to plate  110  (e.g., using an adhesive, tape, a mechanical fastener, or a mechanical element). 
         [0017]    Plate  110  may be coupled to frame  102  using any suitable approach. In some embodiments, frame  102  may be constructed such that only three edges of plate  110  may rest on frame  102 . For example, plate  110  may be operative to rest only on beams  104 ,  105  and  106  of frame  102 , which may partially define the periphery of opening  103 . To ensure that the remaining edge of plate  110  is sufficiently stiff to uniformly support display module  120 , the remaining edge of plate  110  may include rib  112 . 
         [0018]    In some embodiments, plate  110  may be retained between display module  120  and frame  102  by positioning features of frame  102  into steps or other features of frame  102  (e.g., and retaining the plate using gravity). For example, plate  110  may include several tabs  114 , each tab  114  having a hole  116  operative to align with holes in bezel  130  and frame  102  used to couple bezel  130  to frame  102 . For example, plate  110  may include four tabs  114 , each aligned with previously existing screw holes in bezel  130  and frame  102 . By aligning tabs  114  where previously existing screws were inserted into frame  102 , plate  110  may be coupled to frame  102  without significantly changing frame  102  or adding a new component to what may already be a small area. 
         [0019]    In some embodiments, the window may include a chamfered edge by which the window may be retained in the bezel.  FIGS. 2A and 2B  are cross-sectional views of an electronic device in which a window has been mounted in accordance with one embodiment of the invention. Electronic device  200  may include frame  202 , plate  210 , window  220  and bezel  230 , which may include some or all of the features described above in connection with frame  102 , plate  110 , display module  120  and bezel  130  ( FIG. 1 ). Window  220  may include chamfered edge  222 , which may be chamfered at any suitable angle (e.g., 35 degrees in  FIG. 2A ,  45  degrees in  FIG. 2B ). Chamfered edge  222  may be operative to abut counterpart recessed edge  232  of bezel  230 . In some embodiments, the angle of recessed edge  232  may be complimentary with the angle of chamfered edge  222  (e.g., 35 and 55 degrees in  FIG. 2A , 45 and 45 degrees in  FIG. 2B ). Chamfered edge  222  may extend around any suitable portion of the periphery of window  220 . For example, chamfered edge  222  may extend along some or all of particular sides of window  220  (e.g., only along opposing sides of window  220 ), around the entire periphery of window  220 , or at discrete portions of the periphery of window  220 . 
         [0020]    To retain window  220  within bezel  230 , recessed edge  232  may be chamfered inwardly from an outer surface to an inner surface of bezel  230 , and chamfered edge  222  may be chamfered outwardly from an outer portion to an inner portion of window  220 . Window  220  may thus be inserted into the back surface of bezel  230  and retained underneath bezel  230 . Once window  220  has been properly positioned in opening  103  ( FIG. 1 ), and each chamfered edge  222  of window  220  equally abuts recessed edges  232  of bezel  230 , plate  210  may be coupled to bezel  230  (directly or via frame  202 ). Window  220  may then be trapped between bezel  230  and plate  210 . In some embodiments, window  220  may in addition be coupled to bezel  230  or plate  210  (e.g., using an adhesive or tape). Other approaches for mounting a window to a device using a chamfer are described in commonly assigned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/172,073 filed Jul. 11, 2008, which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. 
         [0021]    In some embodiments, the electronic device may include an input mechanism. For example, the input mechanism may include several buttons that extend through the surface of the bezel (e.g., a click-wheel).  FIG. 3  is an exploded view of an electronic device that includes an input mechanism in accordance with one embodiment of the invention. Electronic device  300  may include frame  302  and bezel  330 , which may include some or all of the features of frame  102  and bezel  130  ( FIG. 1 ). Bezel  330  may include aperture  332  operative to receive wheel  360  and button  362 , which may serve as the input mechanisms for the electronic device (e.g., the components of a click-wheel). Wheel  360  and button  362  may be electrically coupled to input mechanism circuit board  350 . Circuit board  350  may include several switches  352  (e.g., five dome switches), wherein each switch  352  is operative to align with one of the buttons of wheel  360  and button  362 . In response to an input on a button of wheel  360  or button  362 , the status of the switch associated with the selected button may be changed to indicate the input to the circuit board. 
         [0022]    In some embodiments, button  362  may be formed from a metal or other conductive material. In such embodiments, it may be necessary to ground button  362  (e.g., electrically connect button  362  to frame  302 ) to avoid electrostatic discharge (ESD). Because board  350  may be positioned between button  362  and frame  302  (e.g., the ground), the path for grounding button  362  may be required to pass through board  350 . Electronic device  300  may include any suitable approach for creating a path to a ground through circuit board  350 . In some embodiments, circuit board  350  may include exposed copper that may be placed in contact with frame  302  or bezel  330  to ground the circuit board. This approach, however, may not be sufficient to ground portions of wheel  360  and button  362  that are not in contact with circuit board  350 . 
         [0023]    In some embodiments, board  350  may be coupled to frame  302  using screws  356  or another mechanical fastener. For example, board  350  may include holes  354  which may be aligned with screw taps in frame  302 . Board  350  may then be coupled to frame  302  by screws  356 , which may pass through holes  354  and into frame  302 . To use screws  356  as a path to the ground, screws  356  may remain exposed in board  350  once the board is coupled to frame  302  (e.g., solder resist may be removed from the vicinity of screws  356 ). Then, when a charge has built up in button  362  and needs to be released, the charge may jump from button  362  to screws  356  and move down to frame  302  (e.g., because screws  356  may be metallic and provide a conductive path to the ground). In some embodiments board  350  may include one or more resistors for further directing charges from button  362  to move to screws  356  and away from other components of circuit board  350 . 
         [0024]    In some embodiments, board  350  may instead or in addition include a specific component operative to ground button  362 .  FIG. 4  is a top view of a circuit board in accordance with one embodiment of the invention. Board  450  may include several switches  452  (e.g., dome switches) operative to align with the buttons of the wheel and button of the input mechanism (e.g., wheel  360  and button  362 ,  FIG. 3 ). Instead of or in addition to screws (e.g., screws  356 ,  FIG. 3 ) for coupling board  450  to the electronic device frame, board  450  may include another component for grounding the metallic button of the input mechanism (e.g., button  362 ). Board  450  may include one or more conductive springs  456  soldered to board  450  and operative to extend from board  450  and contact a ground surface (e.g., the bezel, which may be coupled to the frame, or the frame). A copper trace (not shown) may provide an electrical connection between exposed metal corners of switches  452  located underneath the center button (e.g., button  362 ) and springs  456 . To ground the center button, charges may jump from the center button to the exposed metal corners of switches  452 , follow the copper path to springs  456  (e.g., because springs  456  may be constructed from a conductive material), and pass to the frame (or the bezel). In some embodiments, board  450  may include one or more resistors on other paths accessible from the center button to act as a shield preventing charges accumulated in the button from jumping from the exposed metal corners of switches  452  into the traces of the board. 
         [0025]    The above described embodiments of the invention are presented for purposes of illustration and not of limitation, and the present invention is limited only by the claims which follow.