Abstract:
This is directed to several handheld device components to be placed in a handheld device, as well as methods or systems for mounting or retaining components within the device. In particular, this is directed to a rigid shield used in an SMT process and securing connected flex connectors by adhering the flexes together. This is also directed to using foam in combination with a hard material to create an acoustic seal, or several layers of foam to create an acoustic and mechanical seal. This is also directed to selectively folding a sheet of material placed around a battery cell.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    This is directed to particular components and the assembly of particular components in a handheld electronic device. 
         [0002]    A portable electronic device can include a large number of components that must be placed within a housing. Although some of the components can be small, each component can have restrictions regarding the manner in which it must be positioned, or restrictions regarding the interaction of a component with other device components. These limitations or restrictions can require innovative solutions for placing and securing components within a handheld device housing, especially when the housing includes unique or unusual features or shapes. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    This is directed to several handheld device components to be placed in a handheld device, as well as methods or systems for mounting or retaining components within the device. 
         [0004]    Some device components can be coupled to a flex using SMT or other technologies. Because SMT requires a hard or rigid surface on which to operate, a rigid board may be placed behind the flex to ensure that the device components are properly mounted. When the device components must also be isolated from other components for electromagnetic interference reasons, a metal can or shield may be placed around the component. To reduce the total space required by the component and shield in the device, the rigid board can be selected from a metallic material to simultaneously provide a rigid board for SMT mounting as well as a shield from electromagnetic interference. 
         [0005]    A handheld electronic device can include several connectors used to couple different device components. The connectors can each be coupled to separate circuit boards or flexes and positioned such that the connectors interact. The connectors, however, may disconnect during shock or drop events. To eliminate this issue, the flexes or circuit boards can be connected using an adhesive around the connectors to secure the connectors in a coupled position. 
         [0006]    In some cases, the electronic device housing can include a component that needs an acoustic or mechanical seal. For example, a speaker coupled to a housing may need a mechanical seal to ensure proper functioning of the speaker. When the component is placed against a curved or arbitrarily shaped surface (e.g., a non-planar or non-circular surface), such as a curved surface of a rear housing of the device, it may be difficult to provide a seal using a single material. For example, a hard material that can be easily molded into an arbitrary shape can be sensitive to pressure or forces applied to the material (e.g., when other components press against the material), while softer materials that are less susceptible to failure when pressures or forces are applied may be difficultly shaped to match arbitrary or curved shapes. Instead, the device can use a combination of a hard material molded to match the arbitrary shape of the housing and a soft material operative to deflect and absorb applied forces to form a seal for the component. 
         [0007]    Many batteries are constructed from a primary cell around which a thin sheet of material is wrapped. In many cases, the sheet of material is wrapped around the cell such that material is sealed around three sides of the cell. The excess material forming the seal can then be left flat or folded up, based on the space needs within the device. In some cases, however, other components in the device may be positioned such that the excess material cannot be left either flat or simply folded up. Instead, parts of the material may remain flat, while other parts may be folded up. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0008]    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 in which: 
           [0009]      FIG. 1  is a schematic view of an illustrative electronic device in accordance with one embodiment of the invention; 
           [0010]      FIG. 2  is a cross-sectional view of an illustrative electronic device having components coupled to a flex in accordance with one embodiment of the invention; 
           [0011]      FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional view of connectors used in an electronic device in accordance with one embodiment of the invention; 
           [0012]      FIG. 4  is a schematic view of an illustrative device housing and seal in accordance with one embodiment of the invention; 
           [0013]      FIG. 5  is an exploded view of an illustrative seal for use in an electronic device in accordance with one embodiment of the invention; 
           [0014]      FIG. 6  is a cross-sectional view of an illustrative assembly for acoustically and mechanically isolating a microphone in accordance with one embodiment of the invention; and 
           [0015]      FIG. 7  is a schematic view of an illustrative battery used in an electronic device in accordance with one embodiment of the invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0016]      FIG. 1  is a schematic view of an electronic device in accordance with one embodiment of the invention. Electronic device  100  can include housing  110 , bezel  112 , and window  120 . Bezel  112  can be coupled to housing  110  in a manner to secure window  120  to the bezel. Housing  110  and bezel  112  can be constructed from any suitable material, including for example plastic, metal, or a composite material. Window  120  can be constructed from any suitable transparent or translucent material, including for example glass or plastic. Different electronic device components can be retained within electronic device  100  to provide different functionality to the user. 
         [0017]    Any type or number of components can be stored and retained within electronic device  100 . In some embodiments, electronic device  100  can include components that are connected to a flex.  FIG. 2  is a cross-sectional view of an illustrative electronic device having components coupled to a flex in accordance with one embodiment of the invention. Electronic device  200  can include several elements, including flex  210  on which components  220 ,  221  and  222  are mounted. Components  220 ,  221  and  222  can be mounted to flex  210  using any suitable approach, including for example via soldering or SMT. When SMT is used, a rigid plate may be placed behind flex  210  such that flex  210  is between the plate and the component to ensure that the SMT process provides an electrically conductive and mechanically sound coupling. The plate can be permanently or temporarily coupled to the flex. For example, plate  230  is positioned between flex  210  and component  222  such that coupling layer  232  (e.g., a layer of solder) electrically coupled component  222  to flex  210 . 
         [0018]    Plate  230  can be constructed from any suitable material. In some embodiments, the material used for plate  230  can be selected based on secondary criteria, for example related to the particular components coupled to flex  210 . In one implementation, for example, component  220  can include a component that is generates noise or electromagnetic waves that can interfere with other components. For example, component  220  can include a communications module (e.g., a WiFi module) and component  221  can include a WiFi module inductor, both of which can generate electromagnetic radiation or other noise. Component  222  can include a component that is sensitive to noise, and that must therefore be shielded from components  220  and  221 . Instead of adding a metallic cage or shield around component  222 , or at least between component  222  and components  220  and  221 , the electronic device can select the material used for plate  230  such that plate  230  can simultaneously serve as a plate for the SMT process as well as a shield for preventing noise generated by components  220  and  221  from reaching component  222 . Plate  230  can be constructed from any suitable material, including for example a metal or other conductive material (e.g., austenitic steel). 
         [0019]    In some cases, components of the electronic device can be coupled to each other via connectors associated with the device components. For example, connectors can be connected to one or more flexes and circuit boards (e.g., PCBs) and positioned such that opposing connectors can be coupled. If a connector is connected to a flex and engaged with a counterpart connector in an opposing flex or circuit board, the flex may not adequately retain the connector (e.g., keep the connector coupled to its counterpart) because the flex lacks rigidity. This can cause the connectors to disengage, for example during a shock or drop event.  FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional view of connectors used in an electronic device in accordance with one embodiment of the invention. Electronic device  300  can include flex  310  (e.g., a primary or top flex of the device) and flex  320  (e.g., a secondary flex associated with a specific component, such as an antenna). To electrically couple flexes  310  and  320 , each flex can include counterpart connectors  312  and  322 , respectively. Connectors  312  and  322  can include any suitable mechanism for engaging each other, including for example one or more mechanical snaps or other coupling mechanisms. 
         [0020]    To ensure that the connectors remain in contact upon assembly, flexes  310  and  320  can be coupled to each other around connectors  312  and  330 . For example, adhesive  330  and  332  (e.g., a pressure sensitive adhesive) can be placed on opposite sides of connectors  312  and  322  to connect flexes  310  and  320 . Flexes  310  and  320  can be connected such that there is insufficient play between the flexes for connectors  312  and  322  to disengage. 
         [0021]    In some cases, an electronic device can include a component that needs to be acoustically sealed, mechanically sealed, or both relative to other components of the device. For example, an electronic device can include a speaker (e.g., a piezoelectric speaker) that is coupled to the device housing in a manner that prevents sound from leaking from the speaker within the device.  FIG. 4  is a schematic view of an illustrative device housing and seal in accordance with one embodiment of the invention. Device  400  can include housing  410 , which can be manufactured from any suitable material. In some embodiments, housing  410  can include a curved or arbitrary shape to provide an aesthetically or cosmetically pleasing device exterior. Because housing  410  may have an unusual or complex shape, it may be difficult to manufacture a seal from a single material that simultaneously matches the shape of housing  410  while providing a resistant seal when subject to pressure or forces exerted by the user or by other components of the device. In particular, harder materials may be easier to form in the shape of housing  410 , but may have limited travel or play when forces are applied to the materials. Alternatively, foams or softer materials may more easily deform in response to external forces, but may be difficult to manufacture in a manner to match the shape of housing  410 . 
         [0022]    To ensure that the seal both matches the shape of housing  410  and deflects sufficiently to absorb forces applied to the seal, the seal can be constructed from both a harder material manufactured to match the shape of housing  410  and a foam to deflect in response to external forces. For example, the seal can include foam element  420  and shaped element  430 , such that shaped element  430  is placed in contact with housing  410  and foam element  420  is placed against the opposite side of shaped element  430  (e.g., shaped element  430  is between housing  410  and foam element  420 ). Shaped element  430  can be manufactured to match the shape of housing  410  from any suitable material, including for example from silicon, plastic, rubber, or any other suitable material. 
         [0023]      FIG. 5  is an exploded view of an illustrative seal for use in an electronic device in accordance with one embodiment of the invention. Seal  500  can include foam element  520  and shaped element  530 , which can include some or all of the features of the corresponding elements of  FIG. 4 . Foam element  520  can be coupled to shaped element  530  using any suitable approach, including for example using adhesive layer  525  (e.g., a pressure sensitive adhesive). Seal  500  can be coupled to an electronic device component (e.g., a speaker) using any suitable approach, including for example using a mechanical connector or an adhesive. In the example of  FIG. 5 , seal  500  can be coupled to a device component using adhesive layer  515 . Similarly, seal  500  can be coupled to the housing using any suitable approach, including for example using a mechanical connector or an adhesive. In some embodiments, however, seal  500  and its attached device component can be retained against the housing from the pressure of other components or device elements pressing seal  500  against the housing. 
         [0024]    Other electronic device components may instead or in addition require acoustic and mechanical isolation from the other device components. For example, a microphone may need to be acoustically isolated so that only sounds from outside the electronic device are detected, as well as mechanically isolated to prevent vibrations or other noise generated by device components from interfering with the microphone operation. When the microphone is mounted directly to a circuit board, this may be especially necessary.  FIG. 6  is a cross-sectional view of an illustrative assembly for acoustically and mechanically isolating a microphone in accordance with one embodiment of the invention. Device  600  can include microphone  620  mounted to circuit board  622  and placed between housing  602  and glass  604 . Microphone  620  can be offset from housing  602  by mount  606 , which can include a chamber for directing external sound to microphone  620 . Mount  606  can be constructed from any suitable material, including for example from plastic. 
         [0025]    To isolate microphone  620  from other components of electronic device  600 , first foam layer  630  can be placed between housing  602  and mount  606 . First foam layer  630  may be particularly effective for preventing audio from leaking from the chamber defined by mount  606  to other components of the device, and to prevent sound from other components from leaking into mount  606 . To limit the noise transferred between mount  606  and circuit board  622 , second foam layer  632  can be placed between circuit board  622  and mount  606 . To prevent noise caused by tapping on glass  604  to propagate to microphone  620 , third foam layer  634  can be placed between glass  604  and microphone  620 . 
         [0026]    Each layer of foam can be coupled to its adjacent components of electronic device  600  using any suitable approach. In some embodiments, an adhesive may be used. Alternatively, all of the components can be mounted between housing  602  and glass  604  such that a press fit occurs and the components press against each other to retain their respective positions within the electronic device. In some cases, a combination of these approaches or other approaches can be used to secure each layer of foam within electronic device  600 . 
         [0027]    To power the electronic device, a battery can be placed within the device housing. The battery can be constructed using any suitable approach. In some embodiments, the battery can include a cell wrapped in a sheet of material.  FIG. 7  is a schematic view of an illustrative battery used in an electronic device in accordance with one embodiment of the invention. Battery  700  can include cell  702  placed within sheet  710 . Sheet  710  can be wrapped around cell  702  such that opposing surfaces of sheet  710  are sealed. The resulting battery  700  can include sealed flaps  712 ,  714  and  716  extending around three sides of cell  702 . 
         [0028]    Flaps  712 ,  714  and  716  can be left down flat or folded up towards cell  702  to ensure proper placement of battery  700  in the electronic device. The decision to fold or leave the flaps down can depend, for example, on the position of other components within the device and relative to the battery. In some cases, however, other components can be placed such that the flaps must simultaneously remain flat and be folded up. To do so, different portions of the flaps can be folded up and retained using tape (e.g., tape  720  and  722 ). In the example of battery  700 , portions of flaps  712  and  716  can be folded up and retained by tape  720  and  722  (e.g., portions adjacent to an end of battery  700 ), while the remaining parts of flaps  712  and  716 , as well as flap  714  can remain flat. 
         [0029]    The previously described embodiments are presented for purposes of illustration and not of limitation. It is understood that one or more features of an embodiment can be combined with one or more features of another embodiment to provide systems and/or methods without deviating from the spirit and scope of the invention. The present invention is limited only by the claims which follow.