PATENT DOCUMENT

Publication Number: US-9756927-B2
Application Number: US-201113307407-A
Country: US
Kind Code: B2

Title: Mounting system for portable electronic device

Abstract:
Methods and apparatuses are disclosed for fabricating an electronic device with an integrated railing system that detachably couples mounting hardware to the electronic device. By selectively detaching the mounting hardware, the electronic device may be made more compact and portable. In some embodiments, the railing system is fabricated substantially contemporaneous to fabricating the electronic device, such as by extrusion of the railing and the electronic device together. This fabrication approach may reduce the overall cost and complexity of manufacturing the railing system.

Claims:
The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A wearable electronic device, comprising:
 a main body, comprising:
 a user interface positioned on a first side of the main body, 
 a first edge, 
 a second edge opposite the first edge, 
 a first recess extending at least from the first edge to the second edge, and 
 a second recess separated from the first recess by a portion of the main body that is positioned between the first recess and the second recess, the second recess extending at least from the first edge to the second edge; and 
 
 an attachment mechanism configured to attach the main body to a user, the attachment mechanism comprising:
 a component releasably coupled to the main body, 
 an insert attached to an inner side of the component, 
 a first protrusion extended from the component and that slides along the main body from the first edge to the second edge to mate with the first recess, and 
 a second protrusion extended from the component and that slides along the main body from the first edge to the second edge to mate with the second recess. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The wearable electronic device of  claim 1 , wherein the main body includes a lateral dimension defined from the first edge to the second edge, and wherein the first protrusion includes a dimension corresponding to the lateral dimension. 
     
     
       3. The wearable electronic device of  claim 1 , wherein the first protrusion includes a first shape, and wherein the first recess includes a second shape that corresponds to the first shape. 
     
     
       4. The wearable electronic device of  claim 1 , wherein the attachment mechanism comprises a polymeric material. 
     
     
       5. The wearable electronic device of  claim 4 , wherein the polymeric material comprises a thermoplastic polymer. 
     
     
       6. The wearable electronic device of  claim 1 , wherein the first recess and the second recess are diagonally configured to match an angular shape of the first protrusion and the second protrusion, respectively. 
     
     
       7. The wearable electronic device of  claim 1 , wherein the user interface is located between the first recess and the second recess. 
     
     
       8. The wearable electronic device of  claim 1 , wherein the first recess and the second recess are symmetric about the portion of the main body. 
     
     
       9. The wearable electronic device of  claim 1 , wherein the main body comprises circuitry such that the user interface configured to control the circuitry. 
     
     
       10. An attachment mechanism that releasably attaches with a wearable electronic device and is configured to secure the wearable electronic device with a user, the wearable electronic device including a first recess and a second recess separated from the first recess by a portion of the wearable electronic device, the attachment mechanism comprising:
 a body portion having a first projection and a second projection that is opposite the first projection; 
 a first insert portion extending from the body portion and located proximate to the first projection; and 
 a second insert portion extending from the body portion and located proximate to the second projection, wherein when the body portion slides relative to, and secures with, the wearable electronic device i) the first projection is positioned in the first recess and the first insert portion engages the wearable electronic device at a third recess of the wearable electronic device, and ii) the second projection is positioned in the second recess and the second insert portion engages the wearable electronic device at a fourth recess of the wearable electronic device. 
 
     
     
       11. The attachment mechanism of  claim 10 , wherein the first projection includes a first material, and wherein the first insert portion includes a second material different from the first material. 
     
     
       12. The attachment mechanism of  claim 10 , wherein the first projection and the second projection positioned in the first recess and the second recess, respectively, define a user attachment system that secures the wearable electronic device to the user. 
     
     
       13. The attachment mechanism of  claim 12 , wherein the user attachment system surrounds a portion of the wearable electronic device. 
     
     
       14. The attachment mechanism of  claim 10 , wherein the first projection includes a metal mixed with a polymeric material. 
     
     
       15. The attachment mechanism of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 a stop; and 
 a recess, wherein when the first projection is positioned in the first recess, the stop is aligned with the recess. 
 
     
     
       16. The attachment mechanism of  claim 10 , wherein the first recess includes a first shape, and wherein the first projection comprises a second shape corresponding to the first shape. 
     
     
       17. A wearable electronic device configured to secure with an attachment mechanism, the attachment mechanism including a first protrusion having a first insert portion and a second protrusion having a second insert portion, the wearable electronic device comprising:
 a body comprising:
 a user interface positioned on a first side of the body, 
 a first recess located at a first end and proximate to the first side, the first recess having a first curved surface corresponding to a curvature of the first protrusion and the first insert portion such that the first recess is capable of receiving the first protrusion and the first insert portion, and 
 a second recess located at a second end opposite the first end, the second recess having a second curved surface corresponding to a curvature of the second protrusion formed by the second insert portion such that the second recess is capable of receiving the second protrusion and the first insert portion, and 
 a body portion that separates and is positioned between the first recess and the second recess. 
 
 
     
     
       18. The wearable electronic device of  claim 17 , wherein the first projection and the second projection are molded to match the curvature of the first curved surface and the second curved surface, respectively. 
     
     
       19. The wearable electronic device of  claim 17 , wherein the first recess and the second recess are diagonally configured to match an angular shape of the first protrusion and the second protrusion, respectively. 
     
     
       20. The wearable electronic device of  claim 17 , wherein the first recess and the second recess are symmetric about a portion of the body portion. 
     
     
       21. The wearable electronic device of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 electronic circuitry that is used by the user interface to control the electronic circuitry. 
 
     
     
       22. The wearable electronic device of  claim 17 , wherein the user interfaces comprises a button and a switch. 
     
     
       23. The wearable electronic device of  claim 17 , wherein the body extends from a first edge to a second edge, and wherein the first recess and the second recess extend from the first edge to the second edge.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     I. Technical Field 
     The present invention relates generally to portable electronic devices and, more particularly, to portable electronic devices with integrated mounting systems. 
     II. Background Discussion 
     Electronic devices are ubiquitous in society and can be found in everything from portable cell phones to wristwatches. Because many of these electronic devices are portable, users often take these portable electronic devices wherever they go. A user may not always be able to physically hold these portable electronic devices, and as such, there is often a need for mounting hardware for these portable electronic devices. For example, some portable electronic devices, such as global positioning systems, are often mounted to the dash of an automobile. Other electronic devices, such as portable music players, may be mounted to a user&#39;s clothing or body. Unfortunately, conventional mounting hardware for these portable electronic devices is often bulky, cumbersome, and not aesthetically pleasing to the user. In addition to being bulky, cumbersome, not aesthetically pleasing, the mounting hardware for electronic devices can be both difficult and expensive to manufacture. 
     Accordingly, a mounting system for a portable electronic device that addresses one or more of these problems is disclosed. 
     SUMMARY 
     Methods and apparatuses are disclosed for fabricating an electronic device with an integrated railing system that detachably couples mounting hardware to the electronic device. By selectively detaching the mounting hardware, the electronic device may be made more compact and portable. In some embodiments, the railing system is fabricated substantially contemporaneous to fabricating the electronic device, such as by extrusion of the railing and the electronic device together. This fabrication approach may reduce the overall cost and complexity of manufacturing the railing system. 
     Some embodiments may include an electronic device capable of being mounted. The electronic device comprises a main body that includes electronic circuitry, a user interface, and a rail. The electronic device further comprises a clip detachably coupled to the rail, the clip includes an insert, an outer shell, and a tongue. The electronic device further comprises a catch pivotally coupled to the tongue, the catch includes a tab. 
     Other embodiments include a portable electronic device that comprises a main body comprising a rail, where the rail is integrally formed in the main body through an extrusion process, and a clip detachably coupled to the rail. 
     Still other embodiments include a method of manufacturing a mounting system for an electronic device. The method comprises extruding a first raw stock material to form an insert, etching a recess in the insert, cutting the insert so that its length is substantially equal to at least one dimension of a shell, stamping a second raw stock material to form a shell, fastening a stop to the shell, and fastening the insert to the shell such that the recess is substantially aligned with the stop. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1A  shows a front perspective view of an electronic device; 
         FIG. 1B  shows a rear perspective view of the electronic device; 
         FIG. 1C  shows a top down view of the electronic device; 
         FIG. 1D  shows a side perspective view of the electronic device; 
         FIG. 1E  shows a top down view of the electronic device with alternate resting points for a catch; 
         FIG. 2A  shows a rail of the electronic device with asymmetric portions; 
         FIG. 2B  shows an alternate embodiment of the rail of the electronic device with asymmetric portions; 
         FIG. 3A  shows a cross sectional view of the rail and a clip attached to the rail; 
         FIG. 3B  shows another cross sectional view of the rail and the clip; 
         FIG. 4  shows steps that may be used to manufacture an insert portion of the clip; 
         FIG. 5  shows steps that may be used to manufacture a shell portion of the clip; 
         FIG. 6A  shows a perspective view of the electronic device with the clip detached; 
         FIG. 6B  shows a perspective view of an alternate embodiment of the electronic device with the clip detached; 
         FIG. 7A  shows a perspective rear view of the rail and the clip according to an alternate embodiment; 
         FIG. 7B  shows the alternate embodiment of  FIG. 7A  with the clip mounted to the rail; 
         FIGS. 8A-8C  show a user attaching the electronic device to clothing and then detaching the clip from the rail; 
         FIGS. 9A-9D  show the electronic device detachably coupled to a variety of consumer electronic devices. 
     
    
    
     The use of the same reference numerals in different drawings indicates similar or identical items. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Methods and apparatuses are disclosed for fabricating an electronic device with an integrated railing system that detachably couples mounting hardware to the electronic device. By selectively detaching the mounting hardware, the electronic device may be made more compact and portable. In some embodiments, the railing system is fabricated substantially contemporaneous to fabricating the electronic device, such as by extrusion of the railing and the electronic device together. This fabrication approach may reduce the overall cost and complexity of manufacturing the railing system. 
     Although one or more of the embodiments disclosed herein may be described in detail with reference to a particular electronic device, the embodiments 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. Thus, the discussion of any embodiment is meant only to be exemplary and is not intended to suggest that the scope of the disclosure, including the claims, is limited to these embodiments. 
       FIGS. 1A and 1B  illustrate front and rear perspective views of an electronic device  100 . Although the electronic device  100  is illustrated as an iPod Shuffle® portable media player from Apple Computer Inc., the electronic device  100  may take many different forms. For example, other embodiments of the electronic device  100  include a portable camera, a cell phone, an electronic tablet, a laptop computer, a desk top computer, as well as computer peripheral devices (such as a computer mouse and/or a keyboard) to name but a few. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1A and 1B ,  FIG. 1A  shows a front perspective view of the electronic device  100  and  FIG. 1B  shows a rear perspective view of the electronic device  100 . As shown in  FIGS. 1A and 1B , the electronic device  100  includes a main body portion  102  that is detachably coupled to a fastener, catch, clasp, or clip  104 . The main body portion  102  may include one or more electronic components (not specifically shown) to perform a desired electronic function. In the case of the illustrated embodiment, the desired electronic function is organizing, transmitting, manipulating, and/or reviewing audio files, however, the precise electronic function will vary with each embodiment. 
     As shown in  FIG. 1A , the front side of the main body  102  may include an interface  106  that serves as an interaction point between the electronic device  100  and a user. In the illustrated embodiment, the interface  106  is shown as multiple depressible switches or buttons  106 A-E, where button  106 A controls play and pause control of the audio, buttons  106 B and  106 C control the volume, and buttons  106 D and  106 E control which audio track is playing. Of course, other embodiments exist where the interface  106  is implemented differently, such as by using a touch screen. 
     Referring still to  FIGS. 1A and 1B , the clip  104  detachably couples to the main body  102  via a track or rail  108  formed in the main body  102 . In some embodiments, the rail  108  may be integrally formed in the main body  102  substantially contemporaneous to forming the main body  102  itself. For example, in some embodiments, the rail  108  may be extruded such that raw stock for the main body  102  is pushed through a die whose cross section includes a portion that matches the cross sectional pattern of the rail  108 . This raw stock used for the main body  102  and rail  108  may include aluminum or stainless steel (to name only a few possibilities). Forming the rail  108  as part of the overall extrusion process used in forming the main body  102  reduces the overall cost and complexity of manufacturing the rail  108 . Additionally, if the raw stock is anodized aluminum, then an aesthetically pleasing version of the rail  108  may be formed without further processing. 
     Furthermore, although extrusion is discussed herein as a process for manufacturing the rail  108  and/or main body  102 , a variety of metal shaping processes are possible. For example, the rail  108  and/or main body  102  may be formed by roll forming, forging, and injection molding to name but a few of the alternatives. 
     Also, while the rail  108  is illustrated herein as laterally disposed along one side of the main body  102 , other embodiments are possible where the rail  108  is disposed along multiple sides of the main body  102 . In these embodiments, the clip  104  may be dual sided with the ability to engage the rails on multiple sides of the main body  102 . 
       FIG. 1C  illustrates a top down view of the electronic device  100  with the clip  104  detachably coupled to the main body  102  via the rail  108 . Referring now to  FIG. 1C , the clip  104  includes an outer structure, framework, or shell  110 . In the illustrated embodiment, the shell  110  is metallic, and may be manufactured from the same metal as the main body  102 , such as aluminum or stainless steel. In other embodiments, the shell  110  may be manufactured using pure plastic, plastic mixed with metal, and/or thermoplastic polymers. The clip  104  also includes a layer or insert  112  fitted to the interior of the shell  110 . Additional detail regarding the fitment of the insert  112  to the interior of the shell  110  will be described below with regard to  FIGS. 3A-B ,  4 , and  5 . Regardless of the fitment between the shell  110  and the insert  112 , the insert  112  may be configured such that the clip  104  is substantially flush with the front and rear sides of the main body  102  when mounted. 
     The insert  112  may be manufactured using a material that is more pliable or elastic than the shell  110 . For example, in some embodiments, the insert  112  may be manufactured using semi-crystalline plastic, such as polyamides or nylon. In other embodiments, the insert  112  may be manufactured using thermoplastics, such as polyoxymethylene or Delrin® available from Du Pont De Nemours and Company. Still other embodiments may include manufacturing the insert  112  from compounds such as acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), polycarbonates, or combinations thereof. 
     Although the shell  110  and the insert  112  are described herein as two separate pieces manufactured using two separate materials, some embodiments include manufacturing the shell  110  and the insert  112  as a single piece. For example, the shell  110  and insert  112  may be manufactured using an extrusion process where the raw stock material is polycarbonate. 
     Referring still to  FIG. 1C , the insert  112  includes protrusions or projections  112 A that seat the insert  112  to a plurality of notches or recesses  108 A within the rail  108 . This seating defines a bearing surface between the projections  112 A and the recesses  108 A. In the illustrated embodiment, the recesses  108 A are configured such that the face of each recess  108 A is oriented substantially parallel to the face of the main body  102  and the projections  112 A are molded to match this configuration. The insert  112  also may include an opening or passage  112 B so as to provide space between a top portion  108 B of the rail  108  and the insert  112 . The shell  110  also includes a plurality of protrusions or projections  110 A that define a plurality of passages between the shell  110  and a corresponding plurality of notches or recesses  102 A on the front and rear sides of the main body  102 . As shown, the recesses  102 A in the main body  102  may be angularly configured to match the angular shape of the projections  110 A while maintaining the passage between the shell  110  and the recesses  102 A. In the illustrated embodiment, the recesses  102 A, the shell  110 , and insert  112  (and their corresponding projections  110 A and  112 A), are symmetric about the center of the rail  108  indicated by line  113 . Other embodiments may include various arrangements where the recesses  102 A, the shell  110 , the projections  110 A, the insert  112 , and/or the projections  112 A are asymmetrically arranged about the line  113 . This is illustrated in  FIG. 2A . 
     Referring to  FIG. 2A , the main body  102  includes notches or recesses  202  and  204  that are asymmetric about line  113  and the shell  110  includes a plurality of protrusions or projections  210  and  212  that are asymmetrical about the line  113 , where projection  210  is generally square and projection  212  is generally angled. In this embodiment, the recess  202  is square shaped while the recess  204  is angled. As will be described in greater detail below with regard to  FIG. 6B , this asymmetric configuration of the recesses  202  and  204  may allow the clip  104  to be attached and/or detached from the main body  102  in a unidirectional way, thereby assuring that the clip  104  is not accidentally put on backwards. 
     In the embodiments shown in  FIGS. 1A-C  and  2 A, the rail  108  is “dog bone” shaped and the insert  112  is molded to substantially match this dog bone shape. Other embodiments are possible with different shapes for the rail  108 . For example,  FIG. 2B  shows the rail  108  having notches or recesses  206 A and  206 B that each comprise multiple parts, where each of the parts may be angularly positioned with respect to the face of the main body  102 . As was the case for the embodiment shown in  FIG. 2A , the insert  112  shown in  FIG. 2B  may be molded so that projections  112 A substantially match the multiple angles of the recesses  206 A and  206 B of the rail  108  to define a bearing surface. Also, as was the case for the embodiment shown in FIG.  2 A, the insert  112  shown in  FIG. 2B  may be molded so that the passage  112 B between the top portion  108 B of the rail  108  and the insert  112  is maintained. 
     Referring back to  FIGS. 1B and 1C , the rear side of the electronic device will now be described. As shown in  FIGS. 1B and 1C , the clip  104  further includes a tab, strip, or tongue  114  that extends in a direction substantially parallel to the line  113 . This tongue  114  assists in stabilizing the clip  104  and helps prevent strain on the rail  108 . In the illustrated embodiment, the tongue  114  and the clip  104  are constructed as a single unitary piece, however other embodiments include forming the clip  104  and the tongue  114  separately and then coupling them together with a fastener, such as with a rivet or a weld joint. 
     As shown in  FIG. 1C , the tongue  114  includes a protrusion or projection  115 . In the illustrated embodiment, the projection  115  is metallic and may be fastened to the tongue  114  in several ways. For example, the projection may be welded to the tongue  114  and/or attached with a screw that runs through the tongue  114  into the projection  115 . The metal used in forming the projection  115  may be the same as the tongue  114  (e.g., aluminum or stainless steel) or different depending upon the embodiment.  FIG. 1D  illustrates a side perspective view of the electronic device  100  showing the projection  115  in greater detail. Referring to  FIGS. 1C and 1D , in the illustrated embodiment, the projection  115  may be fastened to the tongue  114  in a substantially perpendicular fashion, however, other embodiments are also possible where the projection  115  is tilted with respect to the tongue  114 . Regardless of the angular orientation between the projection  115  and the tongue  114 , the projection  115  may couple the tongue  114  to a metallic latch, hasp, or catch  116  to a projection  117  via a hinge or joint  118 . The metal used in forming the projection  117  or the joint  118  may be the same as the catch  116  (e.g., aluminum or stainless steel) or different depending upon the embodiment ultimately implemented. Further, the projection  117  may be manufactured with the catch  116  or they may be manufactured in two separate pieces and later fastened together. As will be described in greater detail below with regard to  FIG. 8A , the combination of the catch  116  and projection  117  rotates angularly about the joint  118 . 
     The joint  118  also may be integrally formed as part of the catch  116  or formed separately and then welded to the catch  116 . Further, although the embodiment shown in  FIG. 1D  illustrates the projection  115  as a single unitary piece, other embodiments are possible where the projection  115  exists as multiple pieces. For example, the projection  115  and the joint  118  may interface with each other to form a “knuckle” type joint. The joint  118  may be spring loaded, so that in the neutral position, the catch  116  is biased toward the rear side of the main body  102 . The catch  116  also includes a tab  120  that is fastened to the catch  116  at the opposite end of the catch  116  than the projection  115 . The tab  120  may be fastened to the catch  116 , for example, by welding the tab  120  to the catch  116  or riveting them together. In these embodiments, the tab  120  may be metal, such as aluminum and/or stainless steel. In other embodiments, the tab  120  is rubber or plastic and may be fastened to the catch  116  using adhesive. 
     When the catch  116  is in the neutral position, the catch  116  may contact the main body  102  via the tab  120 . In the illustrated embodiment, the thickness of the tab  120  is substantially the same as the thickness of the projection  115  so that the catch  116  rests substantially parallel to the rear side of the main body  102 . As will be described in greater detail below with regard to  FIGS. 8A-8C , the catch  116  may engage various objects to secure the main body  102  and allow the electronic device  100  to be worn by a user. 
     Although the embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 1D  shows the catch  116  resting only upon the tab  120 , other embodiments are possible where the catch  116  rests upon other structures. For example,  FIG. 1E  illustrates a top down view of an alternative resting points for the catch  116 . Referring momentarily to the embodiment of  FIG. 1E , the tongue  114  includes a stay or stop  122  that is manufactured along with the tongue  114  and the clip  104 . In the neutral position, the catch  116  may rest on the stop  122  as well as a tab  124 . Note that the tab  124  shown in  FIG. 1E  is more rounded than the tab  120  shown in  FIG. 1C . Rounding the tab  124  may allow the clip  104  to be inserted onto the body  102  without catching the edge of the tab  124  on the body  102  as the clip  104  is slid onto the body  102 . 
     Referring again to  FIGS. 1A and 1B , a section line AA′ is shown through the rail  108  and the clip  104 .  FIG. 3A  shows a cross sectional view of the rail  108  and the clip  104  taken along the section line AA′ to illustrate the manufacture of the clip  104 . For ease of discussion, the tongue  114  is not shown. Referring now to  FIG. 3A , the insert  112  may be fitted within the interior of the shell  110  using a stay or stop  300 . A section line BB′ is shown in  FIG. 3A  through the rail  108  and the clip  104  at the location of the stop  300 .  FIG. 3B  illustrates a cross sectional view of the rail  108 , clip  104 , and stop  300  taken along the section line BB′. Referring to  FIGS. 3A and 3B , the stop  300  may be fastened to the interior of the shell  110  in a location that corresponds with a notch or recess  302  formed in the insert  112 . As will be discussed further in  FIG. 5 , in some embodiments, the stop  300  is made from the same material as the shell  110 , e.g., aluminum and/or stainless steel, and is welded to the interior of the shell  110 . In other embodiments, the stop  300  may be an integral part of the shell  110 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 3B , the stop  300  may include a series of cavities or indentations  304 . In the illustrated embodiment, the insert  112  is fastened to the shell  110  using an adhesive  303  at the interface between the stop  300  and the insert  112 . The adhesive may vary between embodiments depending upon the materials used to fabricate the insert  112  and/or the shell  110 . For example, in the embodiments where the insert  112  is made using ABS, the adhesive may be a melted ABS. Other embodiments include using metallic based epoxies. The indentations  304  may provide greater surface area for adherence between the insert  112  and the stop  300 . Further, although the indentations  304  are shown as formed within the stop  300 , in some embodiment, the indentations may be formed in the recess  302  of the insert  112  and the stop  300  may be flat. 
       FIG. 4  illustrates progressive steps  402 - 406  involved in the manufacture of the insert  112 . The steps  402 - 406  shown in  FIG. 4  illustrate one possible sequence for manufacturing the insert  112 , however, these steps are not limiting. For example, although the steps  402 - 406  may be described herein in a particular sequence, they may be performed in any order. Referring now to  FIG. 4  in conjunction with  FIGS. 3A and 3B , the insert  112  begins with a piece of raw stock at step  400 . As was described above, the raw stock  400  may include various materials such as polyamides or nylon, Delrin®, ABS, PTFE, polycarbonates, or combinations thereof. The raw stock may be extruded through a die whose cross section includes a portion that matches the cross sectional pattern of the rail  108  to form an extruded part at step  402 . As was discussed previously, the cross section of rail  108  may take many different forms, and the extruded part may match each of the many different forms depending upon the embodiment that is ultimately implemented. In the illustrated embodiment, the extruded part includes a curved exterior matched to the interior of the shell  110 . 
     After extrusion, the recess  302  is formed at step  404 . This recess  302  may be formed in a variety of ways. For example, in some embodiments, the recess  302  may be laser etched into the raw stock while other embodiments may include chemical etching, mechanical milling, or combinations thereof. Also, while a single recess  302  is shown, multiple recess  302  and corresponding stops  300  may exist along the lateral dimension of the shell  110 . Further, in some embodiments, the recess  302  may run along the entire lateral dimension of the insert  112  in a substantially continuous manner. In these embodiments, the recess  302  may be formed as part of the extrusion process at step  402 . Additionally, the indentations described above may be formed in the recess  302  during step  402 . After forming the recesses, the insert  112  may be cut to match the length of the shell  110  at step  406 . 
       FIG. 5  illustrates progressive steps  502 - 510  involved in the manufacture of the shell  110 . The steps  502 - 510  shown in  FIG. 5  illustrate one possible sequence for manufacturing the shell  110 , however, these steps are not limiting. Also, although specific metal shaping techniques may be discussed herein, techniques such as bending, rolling, extrusion, punching, welding, and/or melting and pouring into molds, may be used depending upon the embodiment ultimately implemented. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 5  in conjunction with  FIG. 3A , at step  502 , a flat sheet is cut to form the shell  110 . (Again, for ease of discussion, the tongue  114  is also not shown in  FIG. 5 .) As discussed above, in some embodiments, the shell  110  may be metallic and manufactured from the same metal as the main body  102 , while in other embodiments, the shell  110  may be manufactured using plastic or plastic composites. Thus, the flat sheet may be metal or plastic depending upon the embodiment ultimately implemented. 
     At step  504 , the flat sheet is stamped to form the projections  110 A. In the illustrated embodiment, stamping produces projections  110 A that are symmetric about line  113 , however, other embodiments are possible where the stamping produces asymmetric projections. After the edges are stamped, the flat sheet is bent to form the bottom of the shell  110  at step  506 . This bending in step  506  may occur by forcing the flat sheet around a circular object with an outside diameter approximately equal to the outer curve of the insert  112 . Once the bend is in place, the stop  300  is fastened to the bottom of the bend in the shell  110  at step  508 . As shown in  FIG. 3A , the stop  300  may be slightly curved to match the bend in the shell  110 . To finish forming the shell  110 , the shell  110  is stamped so that the ends of the shell  110  (where the projections  110 A are located) conforms to the overall curvature of the outer curve of the insert  112 . This is shown in  FIG. 5  at step  510 . In some embodiments, the insert  112  including the recess  302  (shown at step  406  of  FIG. 4 ) may be placed into the shell  110  prior to performing the bending of step  510 . In other embodiments, such as the embodiments where the recess  302  runs the entire length of the insert  112 , the insert  112  may be placed into the shell  110  after the bending of step  510 . 
       FIGS. 6A, 6B, 7A, 7B, and 8A-8C  illustrate the functionality of the clip  104 . Referring first to  FIG. 6A , a perspective view of the electronic device  100  is shown with the clip  104  detached from the main body. The clip  104  may detach from the main body  102  by sliding off of the rail  108  in a direction that is parallel to the lateral dimension of the rail  108  as illustrated by a line  600 . In the illustrated embodiment, the rail  108  is bidirectional and clip  104  may slide off the rail  108  by applying force to the clip  104  in either the up or down directions as illustrated by the line  600  being double sided. Similarly, the clip  104  may re-attach to the main body  102  by sliding onto the rail in either of these directions. 
     The amount of force that is sufficient to detach the clip  104  from the main body  102  may vary based upon the materials chosen for the shell  110  and the insert  112 . The term “peak force,” as used here, refers to the amount of force that is to be applied to the clip  104  to begin movement along the rail  108 . In order to keep the clip  104  in place when attached to the main body  102 , this peak force should be relatively high, but not so high that a user would not be able to detach the clip  104  at all. In some embodiments, such as when the insert  112  is manufactured using Delrin® and the shell  110  is manufactured using stainless steel, the peak force is approximately 700 grams of force. In other embodiments, such as when the insert  112  is manufactured using ABS and the shell  110  is manufactured using stainless steel, the peak force is approximately 500 grams of force. 
     The term “dynamic force,” as used herein, refers to the amount of force that is to be applied to the clip  104  to continue its movement along the rail  108  after the peak force has been applied. In order to keep the clip  104  moving once the peak force has been met, this dynamic force should be lower than the peak force, but not so low that the clip  104  detaches from the rail  108  too easily (e.g., falls off the rail  108  after the peak force is met). The term “friction ratio,” as used herein, refers to the ratio between the peak force and the dynamic force. The dynamic force and friction ratios depend upon the materials chosen for the shell  110  and the insert  112 . In the embodiments where the insert  112  is manufactured using Delrin® and the shell  110  is manufactured using stainless steel, the dynamic force is between about 500 and 550 grams of force and the friction ratio is approximately 1.3. In the embodiments where the insert  112  is manufactured using ABS and the shell  110  is manufactured using stainless steel, the dynamic force is between about 100 and 150 grams of force and the friction ratio is approximately 2.2. Based upon testing it is believed that a friction ratios from about 2.2 on up provide the desired balance of dynamic to peak forces for a user to interact with the clip  104 . Of course the materials chosen for the shell  110  and the insert  112  may vary between embodiments such that the friction ratio is well below 2.2 or well above 2.2. 
     Referring still to  FIG. 6A , in the embodiment illustrated, the main body  102  includes recesses  102 A that are symmetric about the line  113 . As was discussed above with regard to  FIG. 2A , other embodiments are possible where the recesses  202  and  204  are asymmetrically arranged about the line  113 . In these embodiments, the clip  104  slid onto the rail  108  in a unidirectional manner. This is shown in  FIG. 6B . 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 6B , a perspective view is shown of the clip  104  attaching to the rail  108  when the recesses  202  and  204  are asymmetrical. Arrow  602  illustrates the path of travel of the clip  104 . As the clip  104  makes initial contact with the rail  108  the square projection  210  makes contact with the square recess  202  while the angled projection  212  makes contact with the angled recess  204 . After making initial contact with the rail  108 , the projection  210  begins to slide along the recess  202  while the clip  104  is advanced. Because the embodiment shown in  FIG. 1C  allow the potential for mounting the clip  104  on the body  102  backwards, e.g., with the catch  116  covering the interface, the asymmetrical embodiment shown in  FIGS. 2A and 6B  may alleviate this problem by providing unidirectional operation. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 6A and 6B , some embodiments include the ability for the clip  104  to be slid on and off the rail  108  in both directions of the rail  108 .  FIGS. 7A and 7B  illustrate alternate embodiments where the clip  104  may be slid on and off the rail  108  in a single direction. 
     Referring first to  FIG. 7A  a perspective rear view of a clip  700  and the main body  102  is shown. The clip  700  includes a cover or cap  702  coupled to the clip  700 . In the illustrated embodiment, the cap  702  is manufactured from the same material as the clip  700 , such as aluminum or stainless steel, however other embodiments are possible where the cap  702  is manufactured using different materials, such as plastic or ABS. As was discussed previously with regard to other embodiments, the clip  700  may include an outer structure, framework, or shell  703  and an insert within the shell  703  (not specifically shown). This insert and the rail  108  may create a bearing surface for the clip  700  to move along when being attached or detached from the main body  102 . In the illustrated embodiment, this insert is set back from a near end  704  of the shell  703  to allow the cap  702  to be press fit into the shell  703  and sit flush with the near end  704  of the shell  703 . In some embodiments, the cap  702  may include projections (not specifically shown) that are keyed to match the profile of the rail  108  so that the cap  702  seats into the near end  704  of the shell  703  as well as into the insert within the shell  703 . 
     The rail  108  includes a stop or stay  706 . The die used to form the rail  108  and the main body  102  may include a section that defines the stay  706  so that the stay  706  is formed substantially contemporaneous to forming the main body  102  and rail  108 . As was the case with the rail  108 , forming the stay  706  as part of the overall extrusion process used in forming the main body  102  reduces the overall cost and complexity of manufacturing the stay  706 . 
     Referring still to  FIG. 7A , during operation, the clip  700  may be attached to the main body  102  in the direction of the arrow  709 . Once attached, the clip  700  may seat against the stay  706  such that a far end  708  of the shell  703  sits substantially flush with the stay  706  when the clip  700  is attached to the main body  102  and the cap  702  sits substantially flush with a near end  710  of the rail  108 . This is shown in  FIG. 7B . Since the cap  702 , the shell  703 , and the stay  706  may be manufactured using the same material as the main body  102 , the embodiment shown in  FIGS. 7A and 7B  may be more aesthetically pleasing than other embodiments where the insert is visible. 
       FIGS. 8A-8C  illustrate a user operating the electronic device  100 . Referring first to  FIG. 8A , the electronic device  100  is shown with the main body  102  detachably coupled to the clip  104 . A user  800  may depress the catch  116  near the joint  118  to open the catch  116  from the neutral position. Once opened the user may attach the electronic device  100  to a loose article of clothing  802 , such as a lapel, or a personal item  804 , such as a purse.  FIG. 8B  shows the electronic device  100  attached to clothing  802 . 
     Referring now to  FIG. 8B , a user may apply force against the main body  102  and clip  104  to detach the main body  102  from the clip  104 . For example, in the embodiments where the clip  104  and the main body  102  move in both directions of the rail  108 , such as the embodiments shown in  FIGS. 6A and 6B , the user  800  may apply opposing forces to the main body  102  and the clip  104  using the index finger and thumb of a single hand. Thus, the main body  102  and clip  104  may be separated using single handed operation in some embodiments. In other embodiments, such as the embodiment shown in  FIGS. 7A and 7B , two handed operation may be necessary to separate the main body  102  from the clip  104 . In any event, once the main body  102  is separated from the clip  104  the user  800  may place the main body in their pocket without the added bulk from the clip  104 . This is shown in  FIG. 8C . The clip  104  then may be stored separately, such as in the purse  804  (shown in  FIG. 8A ). 
     While the rail  108  has been described in the context of a detachable clip  104 , the rail  108  may be used to detachably couple the electronic device  100  to a variety of consumer electronic devices as shown in  FIGS. 9A-9D . 
     Referring first to  FIG. 9A , a charging station  900  for charging the internal battery within the main body  102  is shown. The charging station  900  includes a rail  902  that is similar to the rail  108  described above. The charging station  900  further may include an electrode  904  that makes contact with circuitry within the main body  102  as the main body  102  is slid onto the rail  902 . In this manner the rail  902  may provide structural support so that if pressure is applied to the main body  102 , the electrode  904  does not break off. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 9B , the main body  102  is shown mounted to a pedestal  906 . Although not specifically shown, the pedestal  906  may couple to a computer that is used to transfer audio files to and/or from the main body  102 . The pedestal also may be used to charge internal batteries within the main body  102 . The pedestal  906  may include a multi-part recess comprising lower recess  908  and upper recess  910 . The upper recess  910  may include a rail  911  and an electrode  912 . During operation, the main body  102  may be initially placed into the lower recess  908  where it makes initial contact with the rail  911  on one side of the pedestal  906  and the electrode  912  on the other side of the pedestal  906 . The main body  102  then may be advanced in the direction of the arrow  914  such into the upper recess  910 . As the main body  102  advances in the direction of the arrow  914 , the main body  102  may engage both the rail  911  and the electrode  912 , thereby securing the main body  102  to the pedestal  906 . 
     Referring now to  FIG. 9C , the main body  102  is shown coupled to a detachable lanyard  914 . The lanyard  914  includes a slot  916  for connecting the electronic device  100  to a keychain, the strap of a backpack, or a user&#39;s belt loop to name but a few items. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 9D , a pair of headphones  918  is shown with the clip  104  recessed into assembly  920  of the headphones  918 . In some embodiments, the assembly  920  is the left headphone and in other embodiments the assembly  920  is the right headphone. The assembly  920  also may include an electrode  922 . The main body  102  slides into the assembly along the path defined by the lead line  924  so that the rail  108  slides into the clip  104  and makes contact with the electrode  922 .

Metadata:
Filing Date: 20111130
Publication Date: 20170912
Grant Date: 20170912
Priority Date: 20111130
Inventors: AUCLAIR MARTIN
ROTHKOPF FLETCHER
Assignee: APPLE INC
CPC Classifications: [{"code": "A45F5/00", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "A45F5/02", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "A45C11/00", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "A45F2200/0516", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "A45C2011/001", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "A45F2005/006", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "A45F2200/0525", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "Y10T29/49826", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "A45F2200/0508", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "A45C2011/003", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "A45F5/021", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "A45C2011/002", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "A45F2200/0533", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "A45F5/1533", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "A45F5/1525", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "A45F5/1516", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "A45F5/1508", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "A45C11/003", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "A45C11/002", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "A45C11/001", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "A45F2005/006", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "A45F5/021", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "A45F5/02", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "A45C11/00", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "Y10T29/49826", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "A45C11/002", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "A45F5/1516", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "A45C11/003", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "A45C11/001", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "A45F5/1525", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "A45F5/1533", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "A45F5/1508", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "Y10T29/49826", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "A45F2005/006", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "A45F5/021", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "A45F5/02", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "A45C11/00", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "A45F5/00", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "A45F5/00", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}]
Family ID: 48466693