PATENT DOCUMENT

Publication Number: US-8927881-B2
Application Number: US-201213607440-A
Country: US
Kind Code: B2

Title: Insert molded cowling structures

Abstract:
Electronic devices may be provided with electronic components and cowling structures that secure the electronic components. A cowling structure may include a metal portion and an insulating portion that has been insert-molded onto the metal portion. The metal portion and the insert-molded insulating portion may each have an opening that receives a screw. The screws may pass through the respective opening and attach to a substrate. The substrate may be a transparent cover layer for a device display. The cowling structure may press the electronic components against the transparent substrate layer. The device may include an antenna. The insert-molded insulating portion may extend from an edge of the metal portion in the direction of the antenna. The insert-molded insulating portion may prevent one of the screws from forming an electrical connection with the metal portion.

Claims:
What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An electronic device, comprising:
 a substrate; 
 an electronic component mounted against the substrate; and 
 a support structure having a metal portion in contact with the electronic component that presses the electronic component against the substrate, wherein the metal portion comprises at least one engagement feature that extends into and is at least partially surrounded by an insert-molded insulating portion and wherein the insert-molded insulating portion extends laterally from the metal portion. 
 
     
     
       2. The electronic device, comprising:
 a substrate; 
 an electronic component mounted against the substrate; 
 a support structure having a metal portion that presses the electronic component against the substrate and an insert-molded insulating portion that extends from the metal portion; and 
 an antenna, wherein the insert-molded insulating portion extends from an edge of the metal portion toward the antenna. 
 
     
     
       3. The electronic device defined in  claim 2 , further comprising an attachment member secured to the substrate, wherein the insert-molded insulating portion comprises an opening, and wherein the attachment member includes a portion in the opening in the insert-molded insulating portion. 
     
     
       4. The electronic device defined in  claim 3  wherein the attachment member comprises a metal screw and wherein the insert-molded insulating portion prevents the metal screw from forming an electrical contact with the metal portion. 
     
     
       5. The electronic device defined in  claim 4 , further comprising an additional attachment member secured to the substrate, wherein the metal portion comprises an opening, and wherein the additional attachment member includes a portion in the opening in the metal portion. 
     
     
       6. The electronic device defined in  claim 5 , further comprising an additional electronic component, wherein the metal portion presses the additional electronic component against the substrate. 
     
     
       7. The electronic device defined in  claim 6  wherein the metal portion comprises an additional opening and wherein the additional electronic component includes a portion that is mounted within the additional opening in the metal portion. 
     
     
       8. The electronic device defined in  claim 7  wherein the electronic component comprises a camera that receives light through the substrate. 
     
     
       9. The electronic device defined in  claim 8  wherein the additional electronic device comprises a speaker that emits sound through an opening in the substrate. 
     
     
       10. The electronic device defined in  claim 2  wherein the insert-molded insulating portion is formed in contact with the antenna. 
     
     
       11. The electronic device defined in  claim 2  wherein the edge of the metal portion comprises a coined edge and wherein the insert-molded insulating portion has been insert molded against the coined edge. 
     
     
       12. The electronic device defined in  claim 2  wherein the metal portion of the support structure comprises protrusions along the edge that support the insert-molded insulating portion. 
     
     
       13. The electronic device defined in  claim 12  wherein at least one of the protrusions has an edge that is parallel to the edge of the metal portion and an edge that is formed at an acute angle with respect to the edge of the metal portion. 
     
     
       14. The electronic device defined in  claim 12  wherein at least one of the protrusions includes an opening and wherein at least some of the insert-molded insulating portion is formed in the opening in the at least one of the protrusions. 
     
     
       15. The electronic device defined in  claim 12  wherein at least one of the protrusions comprises a bent protrusion that curves away from a planar portion of the metal portion into the insert-molded insulating portion. 
     
     
       16. The electronic device defined in  claim 15  wherein the protrusions along the edge comprise first and second protrusions, wherein each of the first and second protrusions comprises a first section that extends from the edge in a direction that is perpendicular to a surface of the edge and a second section that extends from the first section in a direction that is parallel to the surface of the edge. 
     
     
       17. An electronic device, comprising:
 a substrate; 
 a first electronic component mounted against the substrate; 
 a second electronic component mounted against the substrate; and 
 a support structure having a first metal portion that presses the first electronic component against the substrate, a second metal portion that presses the second electronic component against the substrate, and a plastic portion that is molded to the first metal portion, wherein the first metal portion is interposed between the second metal portion and the plastic portion. 
 
     
     
       18. The electronic device defined in  claim 17 , wherein the second metal portion comprises an opening and wherein at least a portion of the second electronic component is mounted in the opening. 
     
     
       19. The electronic device defined in  claim 17 , wherein the first electronic component comprises a camera and the second electronic component comprises a speaker. 
     
     
       20. The electronic device defined in  claim 17 , wherein the support structure comprises a bent portion interposed between the first metal portion and the second metal portion.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     This relates generally to mechanical structures, and, more particularly, to mounting structures that support electronic components in electronic devices. 
     Electronic devices are commonly provided with electronic components and mounting structures that secure the electronic components in place. In some situations, a metal cowling structure may be mounted over an electronic component that holds the component in place. Electronic devices also include wireless communications circuitry such as antennas that are mounted in close proximity to other electronic components, particularly in compact devices. 
     It can be difficult to secure electronic components using a metal cowling in devices having antennas without risking electromagnetic interference from the metal cowling. 
     It would therefore be desirable to be able to provide improved mounting structures such as cowling structures for electronic devices. 
     SUMMARY 
     Mounting structures such as cowling structures having metal portions and insert-molded insulating portions may be provided. A mounting structure may be mounted over one or more electronic components in an electronic device. The insert-molded insulating portion may be an insert-molded plastic portion. 
     An electronic device may include wireless communications circuitry such as one or more antennas. The electronic components may be mounted within a housing for the device and in close proximity to an antenna. 
     The plastic portion of the mounting structure may extend from an edge of the metal portion toward the antenna thereby helping to prevent the metal portion from interfering with the operation of the antenna. The metal portion of the cowling structure may be a drawn metal structure that is free from any folded features. 
     The insert-molded plastic portion may be molded over protrusions on an edge of the metal portion. The insert-molded plastic portion may include a drilled hole having a beveled edge that receives an attachment member that secures the cowling structure to a substrate. 
     Further features of the invention, its nature and various advantages will be more apparent from the accompanying drawings and the following detailed description. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an illustrative electronic device with an insert-molded cowling structure in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a cross-sectional side view of a portion of an illustrative electronic device showing how an insert-molded cowling structure may include a metal portion and an insert-molded insulating portion mounted adjacent to an antenna in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of an illustrative insert-molded cowling structure in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional side view of a portion of an illustrative insert-molded cowling structure showing how a plastic portion of the cowling may be insert molded onto engagement features on a metal portion of the cowling in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view of illustrative engagement features on an edge of a metal portion in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 6  is a cross-sectional side view of a portion of an illustrative insert-molded cowling structure showing how a plastic portion of the cowling may be insert molded onto vertically stacked engagement features in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 7  is a cross-sectional side view of a portion of an illustrative insert-molded cowling structure showing how a plastic portion of the cowling may be insert molded onto curved engagement features in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 8  is a cross-sectional side view of a portion of an illustrative metal portion of a cowling structure with a coined edge surface in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 9  is a diagram of a portion of an illustrative insert-molded cowling during manufacturing showing how an insert molded plastic portion of the cowling may be formed without any openings in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 10  is a diagram showing how an illustrative drilling tool may be used to form an opening such as a screw hole in an insert-molded plastic portion of a cowling structure in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 11  is a flow chart of illustrative steps involved forming an insert-molded cowling structure in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 12  is a cross-sectional side view of a portion of an illustrative insert-molded cowling structure showing how a plastic portion of the cowling may extend to an antenna structure in order to ensure that a metal portion of the cowling is mounted at a common distance from the antenna across many devices in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Electronic devices may be provided with electronic components and mounting structures for securing the electronic components. The mounting structures may include a cowling structure such as an insert-molded metal cowling structure that includes a metal portion and an insert-molded plastic portion. The insert-molded plastic portion may be molded onto engagement features on the metal portion and may be mounted adjacent to an antenna for the device to prevent the metal portion of the structure from interfering with antenna performance. 
     An illustrative electronic device that may be provided with insert-molded cowling structures is shown in  FIG. 1 .  FIG. 1  shows how electronic device  10  may be a handheld device such as a cellular telephone, music player, gaming device, navigation unit, or other compact device. In this type of configuration for device  10 , device  10  may include housing  12  having opposing front and rear surfaces and a peripheral edge portion (sometimes referred to as a band). 
     Device  10  may have one or more displays such as display  14 . Display  14  may be a liquid crystal display, an organic light-emitting diode (OLED) display, or other suitable display. Display  14  may include display pixels formed from light-emitting diodes (LEDs), organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs), plasma cells, electronic ink elements, liquid crystal display (LCD) components, and/or other suitable display pixel structures. Display  14  may, if desired, include capacitive touch sensor electrodes for a capacitive touch sensor array or other touch sensor structures (i.e., display  14  may be a touch screen). 
     Display  14  may be mounted on a front face of housing  12 . Display  14  may, if desired, have a display cover layer such as a glass layer, plastic layer, or other exterior layer that forms a portion of an enclosure for device  10 . An outer display cover layer may include openings for components such as button  16  and for speaker port  18 . 
     Display  14  may be characterized by an active region such as rectangular active region AA and an inactive region such as peripheral inactive region IA. Rectangular active region AA may be bounded by rectangular border  19 . Inactive region IA may have the shape of a rectangular ring that surrounds the periphery of active region AA. If desired, some of the edges of display  14  may be borderless (i.e., the width of the inactive region on one or more edges may be zero or may be negligibly small). The illustrative configuration of  FIG. 1  in which display  14  is surrounded by an inactive border region is merely illustrative. 
     The underside of a display cover layer in inactive area IA may be provided with an opaque masking layer such as a layer of black ink to help hide internal components such as components  22  (e.g., wireless communications circuitry such as antennas, speaker circuitry, camera circuitry, or other components) from view by a user of device  10 . If desired, openings may be provided in the opaque masking layer to allow light to reach camera  20  through the cover layer or other light-sensing components mounted under a cover layer for display  14 . 
     Device  10  may have a housing enclosure such as housing  12 . Electronic components  22  may be mounted within housing  12 . Housing  12 , which is sometimes referred to as a case or enclosure, may be formed of materials such as plastic, glass, ceramics, carbon-fiber composites and other composites, metal, aluminum, other materials, or a combination of these materials. Device  10  may be formed using a unibody construction in which most or all of housing  12  is formed from a single structural element (e.g., a piece of machined metal or a piece of molded plastic) or may be formed from multiple housing structures (e.g., outer housing structures such as glass or plastic portions that have been mounted to internal frame elements or external housing members such as a peripheral band that runs around an edge of device  10 ). 
     The configuration for device  10  shown in  FIG. 1  is merely illustrative. In general, electronic device  10  may be a laptop computer, a computer monitor containing an embedded computer, a tablet computer, a cellular telephone, a media player, or other handheld or portable electronic device, a smaller device such as a wrist-watch device, a pendant device, a headphone or earpiece device, or other wearable or miniature device, a television, a computer display that does not contain an embedded computer, a gaming device, a navigation device, an embedded system such as a system in which electronic equipment with a display is mounted in a kiosk or automobile, equipment that implements the functionality of two or more of these devices, or other electronic equipment. 
     As shown in  FIG. 2 , device  10  may include electronic components such as antenna  24 , camera  20 , and speaker  28  mounted against a portion of an outer cover layer such as display cover layer  14 A in inactive area IA of device  10 . Cover layer  14 A may be a layer of transparent material such as glass or transparent plastic. 
     Inner surface  26  of cover layer  14 A in inactive area IA may be covered by an opaque masking layer (not shown) such as a layer of black ink. If desired, one or more openings in the black ink layer may be provided that allow light to pass through portions of layer  14 A onto camera  20 . Speaker port  18  may be an opening such a hole in cover layer  14 A that allows sound to pass from speaker  28  through layer  14 A and to a user of device  10 . Speaker  28  may sometimes be referred to herein as a receiver such as a telephone receiver. Other components such as antenna  24  may be hidden from view behind the black ink layer on inner surface  26 . 
     Because the successful operation of components such as camera  20  and speaker  28  can depend on the precise positioning of those components within the device (e.g., the camera position with respect to an opening in a masking layer or the speaker position with respect to the speaker port opening in a cover layer) in can be desirable to resiliently constrain these components. Device  10  may include a support structure for securing electronic components such as cowling structure  30 . 
     Cowling structure  30  may have a shape and a position that constrains components such as camera  20  and speaker  28  in position by exerting a force that presses camera  20  and speaker  28  against cover layer  14 A. As shown in  FIG. 2 , cowling structure  30  may include one or more openings such as opening  32 . Opening  32  may be a hole in cowling structure  30  that receives protruding portion  34  (sometimes referred to herein as a boss) on speaker  28 . In this way, cowling structure  30  may constrain the movement of speaker  28  in a direction parallel to the x-y plane of  FIG. 2  while providing a restraining force in a direction anti-parallel to the z-direction of  FIG. 2 . 
     Cowling structure  30  may be attached to cover layer  14 A using attachment members such as screws  36  and  38 . Screws  36  and  38  may be engaged with respective receiving members  40  and  42 . Receiving members  40  and  42  may be formed from a rigid material such as metal having an opening such as a threaded hole for engaging with attachment members  36  and  38 . Receiving members  40  and  42  may be attached to cover layer  14 A using adhesive or other bonding materials, may be fused to cover layer  14 A, or may be otherwise attached to layer  14 A. 
     As shown in  FIG. 2 , cowling structure  30  may include metal portion  30 M and an additional non-conductive (insulating) portion such as portion  30 I that is insert molded onto metal portion  30 M. For example, portion  30 I may be a plastic portion that has been insert molded on to metal portion  30 M. In this way, cowling structure  30  may be implemented as an insert-molded metal cowling structure. 
     Plastic portion  30 I may include one or more openings that allow an attachment member such as screw  36  to pass through plastic portion  30 I and engage with a receiving member such as member  40 . Metal portion  30 M may include one or more openings that allow an attachment member such as screw  38  to pass through metal portion  30 M and engage with a receiving member such as member  42 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 2 , plastic portion  30 I may be an extended portion that extends from an edge of metal portion  30 M beyond camera  20  in the direction of antenna  24 . By providing cowling structure  30  with plastic portion  30 I, metal portion  30 M may be prevented from interfering with the operation of antenna  24 . Plastic portion  30 I may also prevent a conductive connection from forming that passes from member  40  through screw  36 , structure  30 , and screw  38  to member  42  that could act as an interfering structure for antenna  24 . 
     Cowling structure  30  may be formed from materials that allow cowling structure  30  to flex by small amount and return to its original shape (e.g., in the event that device  10  is dropped by a user or experiences another impact) so that camera  20  and/or speaker  28  may not be permanently dislodged or unattached from surface  26  in such an event. In this way, a cowling structure such as cowling structure  30  may provide a damping action in a drop event creating a lower natural frequency for components such as camera  20  and speaker  28  that results in a relatively smaller impulse being delivered to the components than in a device in which components are more rigidly attached to structures within the device. 
       FIG. 3  is a perspective view of insert-molded cowling structure  30 . As shown in  FIG. 3 , insert-molded plastic portion  30 I may be formed along edge  48  of metal portion  30 M. Metal portion  30 M may include protrusions along edge  48  onto which plastic portion  30 I has been molded. 
     Insulating portion  301  may include an opening such as hole  52 . Hole  52  may allow screw  36  ( FIG. 2 ) to pass through insulating portion  30 I. Hole  52  may be provided with beveled edge  58  so that screw  36  provides an additional restraining force within a portion of hole  52  in a direction anti-parallel to the z-direction of  FIG. 2 . 
     Insulating portion  30 I may be formed from plastic materials such as glass-filled reinforced plastic or may be formed from unfilled plastic (as examples). Metal portion  30 M may be formed from stainless steel (as an example). If desired, metal portion  30 M may include a conductive coating such as a nickel coating that improves the conductivity of an outer surface of metal portion  30 M. If desired, a conductive structure such as a grounding spring for an antenna such as antenna  24  of  FIG. 2  may be mounted in contact with portion  54  or portion  56  of metal portion  30 M. 
     As shown in  FIG. 3 , metal portion  30 M may include offset parallel planar portions such as portion  54  and  56  that are separated by curved (bent) portions such as portion  74 . If desired, portion  54  or portion  56  may be used to providing a constraining force against a component such as camera  20 . An opening such as opening  32  in metal portion  30 M may be used to receive a protruding portion of a component such as boss  34  of speaker  28 . Metal portion  30 M may include openings such as circular opening  50 . Circular opening  50  may be used to allow an attachment member such as screw  38  to pass through metal portion  30 M. 
     Opening  50  may be formed on an extended portion such as portion  70  that is formed along a curved (bent) edge such as edge  72  or metal portion  30 M. In this way, an opening for receiving a mounting screw may be formed in a different plane with respect to other portions of structure  30 . 
     If desired, metal portion  30 M may be a drawn metal structure that is free from folded portions. In this way, metal portion  30 M may be formed with a relatively thinner thickness than a cowling structure with folded metal portions. However, this is merely illustrative. If desired, metal portion  30 M may include one or more folded portions. 
     As shown in the cross-sectional side view of structure  30  in  FIG. 4 , metal portion  30 M of cowling structure  30  may include protruding portions such as portion  60  along edge  48 . Protruding portions  60  may be used as engagement members onto which insulating portion  30 I is molded. Protruding portion  60  may include openings such as opening  62  into which portions of insulating material  30 I is formed during insert-molding operations. In this way, insulating portion  30 I may be prevented from pulling away from edge  48  in a direction anti-parallel to the x-direction of  FIG. 4 . 
       FIG. 5  is a perspective view of illustrative protruding portions that may be formed along edge  48  of structure  30 . As shown in  FIG. 5 , protruding portions  60  may include outer edges  63  that are parallel to edge  48  and angled edges  64  that are formed at an acute angle with respect to edge  48 . Edges  64  may provide resistance to forces on insulating portion  30 I (not shown) in the x-y plane of  FIG. 5  when portion  30 I has been molded onto engagement members  60 . 
     Some protruding portions such as engagement member  68  may be formed without any edges that are parallel to edge  48 . A portion of protruding portion  68  may be formed in the vicinity of opening  52  in insulating portion  30 I of structure  30 . For example, portion  68  may be formed close enough to opening  52  that the head of screw  36  ( FIG. 2 ) exerts a force on insulating portion  301  directly over a portion of engagement member  68  (e.g., portion  68  may be partially formed under beveled edge  58 ). In this way, screw  36  may be supported in a direction parallel to the z-direction of  FIG. 2  by part of metal portion  30 M. Insulating material such as plastic may be insert-molded over portions  60  and  68  and into openings  62  to form insulating portion  30 I of structure  30 . However, the shape of protruding portions  60  and  68  is merely illustrative. If desired, other shapes and arrangements of protrusions along edge  48  may be used. 
     As shown in  FIG. 6 , multiple protruding portions  60  may be stacked on edge  48  in the z-direction of  FIG. 6  in order to provide additional strength against twisting forces such as forces in directions indicated by arrows  75 . In the example of  FIG. 6 , portions  60  each include a first section that extends in a direction that is perpendicular to the surface of edge  48  and a section that extends from the first section in a direction that is parallel to the surface of edge  48 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 7 , protruding portions  60  of metal portion  30 M may be curved or bent protruding portions that bend away from a planar surface of metal portion  30 M. In the example of  FIG. 7 , insulating portion  301  has a thickness T 1  that is substantially thicker than thickness T 2  of metal portion  30 M. However, this is merely illustrative. If desired, thickness T 1  may be substantially the same as thickness T 2 . Bent engagement members such as engagement members  60  of  FIG. 7  may also include openings  62  and angled edges as described above in connection with  FIG. 5 . 
     In order to provide structure  30  with a consistent edge  48  in regions that include protrusions  60  or  68  and in regions that do not include protrusions, edge  48  may be a coined edge as shown in  FIG. 8 . Coined edge  48  may include a step at the interface of a planar region of metal portion  30 M and a curved engagement member  60 . Surface  80  of the step in coined edge  48  may have a width W of between 0.03 mm and 0.05 mm, between 0.1 mm and 0.6 mm, less than 1 mm, or greater than 0.01 mm (as examples). In this way, insulating material such as plastic that is insert molded onto engagement features  60  will be formed against surface  80  and form a clean consistent edge  48 . 
       FIG. 9  shows cowling structure  30  during formation of insert-molded insulating portion  30 I along edge  48  of metal portion  30 M. As shown in  FIG. 9 , portion  30 I′ may be formed without an opening  52  by injecting insulating material (e.g., plastic or glass filled plastic) into a mold at a gate point  82  at a location at which opening  52  will later be formed. Forming portion  30 I′ without any openings may help prevent injected material from colliding with itself near openings during injection operations and forming potential weak points in finished portion  30 I. 
     As shown in  FIG. 10 , an opening such as opening  52  (see, e.g.,  FIG. 3 ) may be formed in portion  30 I′ using a tool such as drill  84 . Drill  84  may be used to drill an opening in portion  30 I′ at the location of gate point  82  that was used for injection of the insulating material. In this way, the injection mold gate may be removed in the same process in which opening  52  is formed for finished portion  30 I. 
     Drill  84  may include an angled bit portion such as portion  86  for forming beveled edge  58  in opening  52 . 
     Illustrative steps that may be used in forming an insert-molded insulating portion such as portion  30 I on a metal portion  30 M of a cowling structure are shown in  FIG. 11 . 
     At step  100 , a metal cowling structure may be formed using, for example, deep drawing operations. Deep drawing a metal cowling structure may include forming offset planar portions, extended portions, protrusions, and curved portions of a metal structure. Openings may also be formed in the metal cowling structure. 
     At step  102 , insulating material such as plastic may be insert-molded onto interlock portions such as protruding engagement members on an edge of the metal cowling structure. 
     At step  104 , an opening may be formed in the insert-molded insulating portion (e.g., by drilling an opening in the insert-molded insulating portion at the location at which an insert gate is located). In this way, the insert gate may be removed and a screw hole may be formed in the insert-molded insulating portion of the metal cowling structure in a single drilling operation. 
     If desired, insulating portion  301  of cowling structure  30  may be formed in contact with a communications circuitry element such as antenna  24  as shown in  FIG. 12 . In this way, metal portion  30 M of cowling structure  30  may be formed at a consistent distance D (e.g., a distance equal to the width of insulating portion  30 I) from antenna  24  in multiple devices. In this way, antennas  24  in tens, hundreds, thousands, hundreds of thousands, millions or more devices may be consistently placed at a common distance from metal support structures in an electronic device, thereby improving the consistency of wireless communications across devices. 
     The foregoing is merely illustrative of the principles of this invention and various modifications can be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention.

Metadata:
Filing Date: 20120907
Publication Date: 20150106
Grant Date: 20150106
Priority Date: 20120907
Inventors: WITTENBERG MICHAEL B.
COHEN SAWYER I.
KOLE JARED M.
MALEK SHAYAN
PAKULA DAVID A.
SHUKLA ASHUTOSH Y.
Assignee: APPLE INC
CPC Classifications: [{"code": "H01Q1/243", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01Q1/243", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}]
Family ID: 50233102