PATENT DOCUMENT

Publication Number: US-8452037-B2
Application Number: US-77439510-A
Country: US
Kind Code: B2

Title: Speaker clip

Abstract:
Certain embodiments may take the form of an electronic device having a main housing encapsulating operative circuitry for the device. The electronic device includes an attachment member moveably coupled to the metal housing. The attachment member has an acoustical device located therein that is communicatively coupled to the operative circuitry in the main housing. The attachment member includes a recessed portion for positioning the acoustical device within the attachment member.

Claims:
The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. An electronic device comprising:
 a main housing encapsulating operative circuitry for the device; 
 an attachment member moveably coupled to the main housing with a spring loaded hinge to maintain the attachment member in a closed position relative to the main housing; and 
 an acoustical device positioned within the attachment member, the acoustical device communicatively coupled to the operative circuitry in the main housing, wherein the attachment member comprises a recessed portion for positioning the acoustical device within the attachment member; 
 wherein an adhesive layer is positioned between the piezoelectric speaker and the attachment member and wherein a second adhesive layer is positioned over the piezoelectric speaker and a cover layer is positioned over the second adhesive layer, the second adhesive layer securing the cover layer to the piezoelectric speaker. 
 
     
     
       2. The device of  claim 1  wherein the acoustical device is communicatively coupled to the operative circuitry with a coaxial conduit routed through a hinge block. 
     
     
       3. The device of  claim 1 , wherein the acoustical device is communicatively coupled to the operative circuitry via a flex microstrip. 
     
     
       4. The device of  claim 1  wherein the acoustical device comprises a piezoelectric speaker. 
     
     
       5. The device of  claim 4  wherein the recessed portion includes one or more guides to aid in positioning the piezoelectric speaker within the attachment member. 
     
     
       6. An electronic device comprising:
 a main housing encapsulating operative circuitry for the device; 
 an attachment member moveably coupled to the main housing with a spring loaded hinge to maintain the attachment member in a closed position relative to the main housing; 
 an acoustical device positioned within the attachment member, the acoustical device communicatively coupled to the operative circuitry in the main housing, wherein the attachment member comprises a recessed portion for positioning the acoustical device within the attachment member; and 
 at least one spring plate positioned on one of a surface of a hinge block or the attachment member where a spring member makes contact. 
 
     
     
       7. The device of  claim 1  wherein a surface of the attachment member located over the acoustical device is substantially flat. 
     
     
       8. The device of  claim 6 , wherein the acoustical device is communicatively coupled to the operative circuitry with a coaxial conduit routed through the hinge block. 
     
     
       9. The device of  claim 6 , wherein the acoustical device is communicatively coupled to the operative circuitry via a flex microstrip. 
     
     
       10. The device of  claim 6 , wherein the acoustical device comprises a piezoelectric speaker. 
     
     
       11. The device of  claim 10 , wherein the recessed portion includes one or more guides to aid in positioning the piezoelectric speaker within the attachment member. 
     
     
       12. The device of  claim 10 , wherein an adhesive layer is positioned between the piezoelectric speaker and the attachment member. 
     
     
       13. The device of  claim 6 , wherein a surface of the attachment member located over the acoustical device is substantially flat.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     1. Technical Field 
     The present invention relates to electronic devices providing auditory output and, more particularly, to an electronic device providing auditory output from an attachment member of an electronic device. 
     2. Background Discussion 
     Small form factor electronic devices such as personal digital assistants, cell phones, mobile media devices and so on have become nearly ubiquitous in today&#39;s society. Among other functions, they may serve as work tools, communication devices and/or provide entertainment and are commonly carried in a hand, with a clip or in a pocket. Generally, the operative parts of electronic devices, such as the processor and memory, are enclosed in housings made of plastic, metal and/or glass that may have an aesthetically pleasing appearance. The housings provide structural integrity to the devices and protect potentially sensitive component parts of the electronic devices from external influences. Sometimes, a smaller form factor device will be more popular or able to demand a higher retail price than a functionally equivalent larger device. 
     SUMMARY 
     Certain aspects of embodiments disclosed herein are summarized below. It should be understood that these aspects are presented to provide the reader with a brief summary of certain forms embodiments might take and that these aspects are not intended to limit the scope of any embodiment. Indeed, any embodiment disclosed and/or claimed herein may encompass a variety of aspects that may not be set forth below. 
     Certain embodiments may take the form of an electronic device that includes a main housing encapsulating operative circuitry for the device. An attachment member is movably coupled to the main housing. The attachment member may be movably coupled to the main housing in one of a number of different ways, such as a spring loaded hinge, for example. An acoustical device is positioned within a portion of the attachment member. The acoustical device is communicatively coupled to the operative circuitry in the main housing. 
     Another embodiment may take the form of an electronic device having a main housing for holding a processor of the electronic device and an attachment clip moveably coupled to the main housing. The attachment clip includes a cavity and an acoustical device located within the cavity of the attachment clip. The acoustical device is communicatively coupled to the processor via a conduit. 
     In yet another embodiment, a method of manufacturing a small form factor electronic device may be provided. The method includes milling a main housing and an attachment member. A recessed region is created within the attachment member and an acoustical device is positioned within the recessed region of the attachment member. An adhesive layer may be applied to secure the acoustical device to the clip on one or more sides. A cover layer may be attached to the acoustic device with an adhesive layer. In some embodiments, the cover may be attached to the clip. The adhesive is applied so as to not block sound from exiting. The main housing and attachment member are coupled together. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  illustrates a small form factor electronic device having an acoustical device located in an attachment member. 
         FIG. 2  illustrates a side-view of the electronic device of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is a block diagram of the electronic device of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 4  is an exploded view of the attachment member and a main housing of the electronic device of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 5  illustrates a cross-sectional view of the electrical device of  FIG. 1  taken along line AA in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 6  illustrates an attachment member of the electronic device of  FIG. 1  with a domed cover layer. 
         FIG. 7  illustrates a dimpled surface of an attachment member of the electronic device of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 8  is an exploded view of the attachment member of the electronic device of  FIG. 1  in accordance with an alternative embodiment. 
         FIG. 9  illustrates a cross-sectional view of the attachment member of  FIG. 8  along taken along line AA. 
         FIG. 10  is a flowchart of an example method of manufacturing the electronic device of  FIG. 1 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Certain embodiments may take the form of an electronic device having an acoustical element located outside a main housing of the device. For example, the acoustical element may be positioned in an attachment clip of the electronic device to provide acoustic functionality without taking up space within the main housing of the device. 
     In some embodiments, the acoustical element may be positioned within an attachment member moveably coupled to a main housing. The acoustical member may take the form of a piezoelectric acoustical element. Generally, piezoelectric acoustical elements are thin, flat elements that vibrate when an electrical current is applied to generate sound. More specifically, piezoelectric acoustical elements include a material, such as some quartz crystals, that demonstrates a piezoelectric effect and flexes or deflects when an electrical current is applied to the material. The movement of the material is transferred to a diaphragm of the element which correspondingly moves or vibrates to generate sound. To allow for vibration of the diaphragm, the piezoelectric element may be set off by a clearance distance from a surface of the attachment member into which it is installed. In some embodiments, multiple layers may be positioned on top of the piezoelectric element to protect and secure the piezoelectric element, among other functions. In some embodiments, the piezoelectric element may be mounted in between two surfaces to create sandwich-like structure. 
     In some embodiments the mounted piezoelectric element (and the various other layers, if included) do not substantially change the appearance of the attachment member in which the element is installed. That is, if the surface of the attachment member is flat, the installation of the piezoelectric element results in a substantially flat surface. In other embodiments, the surface of may be changed to provide an increased cavity size. In some embodiments, the cavity size may be shaped to create a particular frequency response or to otherwise influence the sound produced by the acoustical element. In some embodiments, the interior surface of the cavity may be modified to increase the size of the cavity, to control the frequency response of the cavity, modify the amount of air displaceable by movement of the diaphragm of the acoustical element, and/or to direct sound waves within the cavity and/or out of the cavity. The shape of the surface may be configured to resonate at a certain desired frequency or frequency range that is desired based on its shape. For example, one or more indentations in the surface may be provided to increase the size of the cavity and/or control the frequency response of the cavity. Generally, the larger the size of the cavity, the lower the frequency that may be resonant within the cavity. In some embodiments, holes may be provided in the surface to adjust the frequency response. Additionally, the cavity may be modified to aid in the assembly of the acoustic device such as alignment or attachment, or to change the stiffness of the walls of the cavity, such as adding ribs to increase stiffness without substantially reducing cavity volume, or to provide room for a conduit to pass therethrough. 
     Turning to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , an example electronic device  100  with an attachment member  102  is illustrated. The attachment member  102  is moveably coupled to a main housing  104  of the electronic device  100 . Generally, the main housing  104  houses the operative circuitry of the electronic device  100 , such as a processor, memory, and so forth. The electronic device  100  may be configured to function as a media recorder/playback device such as an MP3 player, a radio, an audio/video recorder, a mobile telephone, personal digital assistant, tablet computing device, or other similar device. In certain embodiments, the electronic device  100  may have an all metal, or primarily metal, exterior or layer. In other embodiments, a portion (such as a back, front or other side) of the housing  104  may be made from metal or primarily from metal. The housing  104  may be made, in part or in whole, of aluminum, magnesium, titanium, an aluminum alloy, a magnesium alloy, a titanium alloy, steel, or other metal or metal alloy. In some embodiments, the housing  104  and attachment member  102  may be made partially or fully of plastic, glass and/or a composite such as a ceramic. It should be appreciated that the material used for the attachment member  102  may influence the frequency response of the acoustical element. As such, in some embodiments, the attachment member  102  or a portion of the attachment member  102  (such as a portion in which a cavity is formed) may be of a different material than the housing  104 . 
     One or more apertures in the metal body may be configured to allow for input/output functionality to be accessed and/or for power or charging. For example, an aperture may be provided with one or more buttons to turn on/off the device  100  and/or control the operations of the device  100 . Additionally, an aperture may be provide to allow for headphones to connect to with the electronic device  100 . In other embodiments, however, no such apertures are provided and the input/output may be conducted wirelessly. 
     The electronic device  100  may have a small form factor such that it is easily carried in a hand or pocket. These sample embodiments may range from approximately 2″×4″ to about 1″ square, although alternative embodiments may be larger or smaller. Typically, the attachment member  102  is movably coupled to the electronic device  100  to allow the electronic device  100  to be attached in a convenient location for a user, such as clipped on an article of clothing. In another embodiment, the attachment member may be a band, such as a watchband for example. Additionally, in some embodiments, the attachment member  102  may be made of the same metal or other material as the housing  104  of the electronic device  100 . 
       FIG. 3  is an example block diagram of the electronic device  100 . The electronic device  100  includes one or more processors  110 , a memory  112 , and one or more I/O devices  114 . The one or more processors  110  may include one or more general processors, such as a central processing unit and/or one or more dedicated processors, such as a graphics processing unit. The memory  112  is coupled to the one or more processors  110  and may be implemented as one or more memory types such as magnetic memory (including but not limited to read only memory, flash memory, random access memory,) At least one I/O device may take the form of an acoustical element  116 , such as a speaker. One example of a suitable acoustical element  116  or other audio output device is the aforementioned piezoelectric element. This element may be positioned in an appropriately shaped space to act as a speaker as described below in greater detail with respect to  FIG. 4 . The electronic device  100  may also provide one or more other output modes, such as a visual output (e.g., one or more light emitting diodes, a graphic display, and so on), a haptic output, and so forth. 
     The acoustical element  116  may be positioned within the attachment member  102  of the electronic device (e.g., outside the main housing  104  of the device  100 ). The placement of the acoustical element  116  within the attachment member allows the element to provide audible output without taking up space within the main housing  104 . Furthermore, the placement of the acoustical device within the attachment member  102  may facilitate customization of the acoustical properties of surfaces that surround and/or house the acoustical device to help improve the quality of sound generated by the electronic device  100 . 
     Turning to  FIG. 4 , an exploded view of the electronic device  100  is illustrated. In the exploded view, electrical components of the main housing  104  have been omitted to simplify the illustration and to focus attention on the acoustical element  116  positioned within the attachment member  102 . However, it should be appreciated that the main housing  104  generally holds one or more electrical components that may be in electrical and/or operable communication with the acoustical device  116 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 4 , the attachment member  102  is moveably coupled to the main housing  104  by a hinge block  120 . The hinge block  120  may be fastened to the main housing  104  with one or more fastening devices  122  (e.g., screws, pins and the like). The hinge block  120  generally sits within a recess defined in the attachment member  102  and adjacent to a base of the main housing. In some embodiments, the hinge block  120  may at least partially define a distance that a surface  126  of the attachment member  102  is held from the main housing  104 . In other embodiments the distance between the surface  126  and the main housing  104  may be greater than a height of the hinge block  120 . One or more other members  128  located at an opposite end of the attachment member  102  from the hinge block  120  may also be provided to assist in defining the distance of the attachment member  102  from the main housing  104 . The other member  128  may protrude from the surface  126  and may be configured to abut or make contact with the main housing  104 . 
     A spring member  130  may be positioned within or adjacent to the hinge block  120  to bias the attachment member  102  to a closed position. In one embodiment, the spring member  130  may be an elongated rod with bent ends  132 . Each end  132  is configured to touch one of a surface of the attachment member  102  and the hinge block  120  which is rigidly fastened to the main housing  104  with fastening devices  122 . As the attachment member  102  is opened by applying a force to attachment member or main housing, the spring member  130  may be displaced from its resting position thereby providing resistance to the opening motion. The opening force must overcome the biasing force of the spring member to open the attachment member  102 . Additionally, the biasing force of the spring member  130  returns the attachment member  102  to a closed position when the countervailing opening force stops. Other types of springs and other configurations may be implemented to achieve the same or similar functionality. 
     In some embodiments, one or more hinge pins  140  may inserted through a portion of the attachment member  124  and into the hinge block  120  to moveably secure the attachment member  102  and the main housing together  104 . A longitudinal axis of the hinge pins  140  may be oriented to face each other within a common line. The hinge pins  140  may function as an axis of rotation for movement of the attachment member  102 . The longitudinal axis of the pins may generally be parallel with the surfaces of the attachment member  102  and the main housing  104 . In some embodiments, the one or more hinge pins may also function as spring members to hold the attachment member  102  in a closed position relative to the main housing. To do so, at least one end of the hinge pins  140  may be modified to provide a torsion resistance against one of the main housing or attachment member and the hinge block. Additionally, in some embodiments, the hinge pins  140  are secured or anchored within the hinge block to prevent the hinge pins rotating freely relative to the hinge block. It should be appreciated that other devices and/or techniques may be implemented in other embodiments to moveably secure the main housing and the attachment member together. For example, in some embodiments, a coil spring may be provided to bias the attachment member. The coil spring may be oriented along an axis of rotation or perpendicular thereto. 
     Spring plates  142  may be provided on the surface of one or both the attachment member  102  and hinge block  120  where the spring contacts the surface(s) to reduce deflection of and prevent galling of the surfaces. The spring plates  142  may be small patches of hard material, such as stainless steel, tungsten, or ceramic, for example, that help to reinforce and/or strengthen the surfaces against the pressures that the spring member places upon the surfaces. In embodiments where the thickness of the attachment member  102  and the walls of the main housing  104  are particularly thin, the spring plates  142  help to maintain the original shape and appearance of the attachment member and main housing. 
     As shown in  FIG. 4 , the attachment member  102  may be milled to remove material in order to create a recessed region  148 . The recessed region  148  may generally have a size and shape that is at least the size and shape of an acoustical member that is to be installed within the attachment member. The recessed region  148  may also have a size and shape designed to affect the sound outputted by the acoustical device. For example, the size of the recessed region  148  may influence a frequency response of the recessed region. Additionally, indentations holes or other features may be provided within the recessed region to direct reflections of sound waves, or increase the movement of air within the recessed region or the amount of air moved within the recessed region, for example. Within the recessed region  148 , there may be one or more guide/support structures  150 ,  152 . The guide/support structures  150 ,  152  may be configured to help orient the acoustical device within the aperture when assembling the electronic device  100 . Additionally, guide/support structures  150 ,  152  help to align the acoustical element and provide a bonding area to attach a cover to the attachment member  102  with an adhesive. In some embodiments, guide/support structures  150 ,  152  is integral to the attachment member  102 , through it could also be a separate part in other embodiments. 
     The acoustical device may be any suitable acoustical device. In one embodiment, the acoustical member is a piezoelectric speaker, as illustrated in  FIG. 4 . The illustrated piezoelectric speaker  160  includes an electrical conduit  162  that may couple the speaker with components in the main housing  104 . The electrical conduit  162  may be any suitable electrically conductive member such as a coaxial cable, flex microstrip (as shown), fine gage wire, or the like. The electrical conduit  162  may flex and bend to move with the attachment member  104  and may pass through or along side the hinge block  120  and into the main housing  104  of the electronic device  100 . 
     It should be appreciated that selection of a particular electrical conduit  162  for communication between components in the main housing  104  and the acoustical device  160  in the attachment member  102  may result in certain trade-offs. For example, electrical communication between the acoustical device and components located in the main housing may be achieved through fine gage wires or other suitable current carrying members. For example, the flex microstrip may be made flexible along at least one axis and may be thinner than a wire. This, in turn, may permit a shallower recessed region in the attachment member  102 . In contrast, a small hole may be used to accommodate fine gage wire in both the attachment member  102  and the main housing  104 , thus potentially simplifying and/or limiting the amount of machining required. 
     Glue or grease may be used to seal any openings in the attachment member  102  and/or the main housing  104  resulting from the electrical conduit  162  passing between the two. The glue or grease may be applied during the assembly process. 
     The piezoelectric speaker  160  may be coupled to the attachment member  102  with an adhesive layer  161 . In some embodiments, the adhesive layer  161  may be integral with the underside of the piezoelectric speaker  160  (i.e., pre-assembled with the speaker), while in other embodiments, the adhesive layer may be a separate layer, as illustrated. Additionally, in some embodiments, the adhesive layer  161  may be configured as individual strips of adhesive that may be located along one or more sides of the piezoelectric speaker  160 . 
     One or more additional layers may be provided over the piezoelectric speaker  160  to secure the speaker in place, protect the speaker, and/or to provide aesthetics. In particular, an adhesive layer  170  and a cover layer  172  may be stacked over the piezoelectric speaker  160 . The adhesive may be located between the piezoelectric speaker  160  and the cover layer  172  to secure the cover layer to the speaker. Additionally, the adhesive layer  170  may be configured to adhere to the structures  150  and  152 . 
     The cover layer  172  provides rigid support and protection for the piezoelectric element  160  while allowing sound to pass therethrough. In some embodiments, the cover layer  172  may have a solid surface to seal the cavity from the environment. In other embodiments, the cover layer  172  may include a plurality of perforations so as to not block sound. Additionally, in the embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 4 , the cover layer  172  may be configured to hold a mesh layer  173  having perforations  175  to allow for sound to pass therethrough. The mesh layer  173  generally is thinner than the cover layer  172  and may have smaller perforations than those in the cover. The smaller holes still allow for sound to pass through but limit dust and moisture intrusion. The mesh layer  173  may be made from materials different from those of the cover  172 . For example, the mesh layer may include materials such as fabric woven from plastic, metal, or natural fibers. An adhesive layer may be provided to adhere the mesh layer  173  to the cover layer  172 . 
     In some embodiments, the presence and/or position of the piezoelectric speaker  102  may be difficult for a user to visually perceive. For example, an outer layer above the piezoelectric speaker  160  may be substantially flush with the surface  126  of the attachment clip  102  and may have a substantially similar color and texture. 
       FIG. 5  illustrates a cross-sectional view of the attachment clip  102  along line AA in  FIG. 1 . The total thickness of the attachment clip  102  may be approximately 1.33 mm thick or less (e.g., approximately 1.15 mm thick). An outer wall of the attachment clip may be less than 0.5 mm at its thinnest point (e.g., approximately 0.35 mm where the piezoelectric speaker is positioned). A thin layer  180  of material may coat an interior surface of the attachment member. In some embodiments, the thin layer  180  is an electrical insulator to insulate the raised, conductive attachment point  163  (i.e., solder joint between the conduit  162  and the piezoelectric speaker  160 ) from making contact with the material  102 , which in some embodiments is electrically conductive. In some embodiments, the thin layer  180  may be an approximately 0.05 mm Kapton® film layer that is only in a few small spots such as under the electrical attachment point. Additionally, the thin layer  180  may be positioned within a recess of the recessed portion  148  of the attachment member  102 . 
     The piezoelectric speaker  160  may include packaging that provides clearance between the diaphragm of the speaker and the attachment member  102 . Additionally, the adhesive  161  that attached the speaker  160  to the attachment member  102  may provide clearance. For example, in some embodiments, the adhesive  161  may provide approximately 0.05 mm clearance between a diaphragm of the speaker  160  and the attachment member  102 . Additionally or alternatively, in some embodiments, the thin layer  180  may abut the packaging of the speaker  160  while providing an opening adjacent to the diaphragm of the speaker to increase the clearance. Additionally, in some embodiments, guides may be provided in the recessed portion of the attachment member  102  which may support the packaging of the speaker  160  to provide the clearance. Generally, increasing the offset of the diaphragm of the speaker relative to other surfaces allows for more air to be displaced and may provide for improved acoustic quality and/or increased volume. In some embodiments, the piezoelectric speaker  160  may be located approximately 0.04-0.06 mm above the thin film  180 . A pressure sensitive adhesive (such as the adhesive layer  170 ) may be positioned over the piezoelectric speaker  160  to secure the speaker. The adhesive  170  may be approximately 0.04-0.06 mm thick. The cover layer  172  (including the mesh layer  173 ) may be secured to the adhesive  170 . The cover layer  172  may be approximately 0.15 mm thick. 
     In some embodiments, the cover plate  172  may have a particular shape to provide specific acoustical effects. For example, the cover plate  172  may have a domed feature  174 , as illustrated in  FIG. 6 , or other geometric shape. The domed feature  174  may be used to increase the volume of air that may be displaced by the diaphragm of the speaker and/or may also provide for improved frequency response at lower frequencies. Other geometric shaped may be used to direct the sound output from the speaker and/or amplify the sound. For example, the cover may have a horn or fan shape that would help to amplify the volume of the sound. 
     In some embodiments, an interior surface of the recessed portion  148  of the attachment member  102  and/or the interior surface of the cover layer  172  may be dimpled, as shown in  FIG. 7 . The dimpling may be configured to provide increased air space without sacrificing the structural integrity of the surfaces. As such, the dimples may have a depth, diameter and spacing that preserves the strength of the surfaces. In some embodiments, the dimples may be arranged randomly while in other embodiments, the dimples may be arranged in a grid pattern or other pattern that may be determined to provide an improved sound quality. 
       FIG. 8  illustrates an exploded view of the attachment member  102  in accordance with an alternative embodiment. As with the embodiment discussed above, the attachment member  102  includes a recessed region  148  for positioning of an acoustical element therein, a hinge block  120 , a spring member  130 , hinge pins  140 , and so forth. In  FIG. 6 , items that correspond with previously discussed items maintain the same numbering. The recessed region  148  may include further recessed portions  222  for accommodating pieces of dielectric material  224 , such as Kapton® film. The dielectric material  224  is generally located in a position that corresponds with a conductive attachment point for the acoustical element  160 , to prevent electrical communication between the attachment member  102  and the acoustical element. 
     A first adhesive layer  226  may be provided over the acoustical element  160  to secure the acoustical element to the attachment member  102 . A second adhesive layer  228  and a cover layer  230  are also provided. The second adhesive layer  228  secures the cover layer  230  to the attachment member  102 . Each of the adhesive layers  226 ,  228  are configured so as to allow sound to pass through (i.e., without a center area, or with perforations in a center area). Additionally, as discussed above, the cover layer  230  may be configured to limit the amount of sound that is blocked while providing structure and protection. That is, the cover layer  230  is configured to allow sound to pass through. 
       FIG. 9  illustrates a cross-sectional view of the attachment member of  FIG. 8 . As shown, the dielectric material  224  is located underneath an conductive attachment point (e.g., a solder joint) that couples the piezoelectric speaker  160  with the conduit  162 . The first adhesive layer  226  is coupled to the packaging  232  of the piezoelectric speaker  160  and the cover  230 , such that the speaker is suspended within the cavity. The second adhesive layer  228  secures the cover  230  to the attachment member  102 . In particular, structures  234  may be provided within the recess  148  to allow for flush or nearly flush mounting of the cover  230  with the surface of the attachment member  102 . 
       FIG. 10  illustrates an example method of manufacturing  200  the electronic device  100 . The method  200  may begin by creating the attachment member  102  and the housing  104  (Block  202 ). Any suitable process may be implemented to create the housing  104  and the attachment member  102 , including casting (e.g., die casting), milling (e.g., computer numerical control (CNC) milling), extrusion or other suitable processes. In some embodiments, more than one process may be employed. 
     The attachment member  102  may then be processed to position the acoustical device within the attachment member (Block  204 ). The recessed portion may include features configured to help align the acoustical device and/or support the acoustical device. In some embodiments, additional processing of the attachment member  102  may be performed. Such additional processing may include customizing the volume that is to be defined by the attachment member and the acoustical device, such as dimpling the surface. Additionally, in some embodiments, a thin film in provided on the surface of the attachment member (Block  206 ). 
     The acoustical member is installed into the attachment member (Block  208 ). In some embodiments, a conduit may be thread through an aperture in the attachment member and the main housing to provide for communicative coupling between the components of the main housing and the acoustical device. An adhesive layer is provided over the acoustical element to secure the acoustical device within the recessed portion of the attachment member (Block  210 ). A cover layer is then installed over the adhesive (Block  212 ), which is also secured by the adhesive layer. 
     The method also includes coupling the attachment member to the main housing (Block  214 ). Coupling the attachment member and the main housing may include assembling a hinge block and providing a spring to hold the attachment member in a closed position relative to the main housing. Additionally, the method may include sealing the attachment member and main housing (Block  216 ). The sealing may be achieved by applying a grease or glue to apertures of the main housing and attachment member to prevent intrusion of water, dust and other contaminants. 
     Although various specific embodiments have been described above, it will be apparent to those having skill in the art that alternative arrangements and configurations not specifically shown or described herein may be achieved without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure. As such, the embodiments described herein are intended as examples and not as limitations. In particular, in some embodiments, the main housing may hold a watch or pulse monitor and the attachment member may be a band, for example.

Metadata:
Filing Date: 20100505
Publication Date: 20130528
Grant Date: 20130528
Priority Date: 20100505
Inventors: FILSON JOHN BENJAMIN
WHANG EUGENE
ROHRBACH MATTHEW
Assignee: APPLE INC
CPC Classifications: [{"code": "H04R17/005", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04R1/026", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04R1/028", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04R1/025", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04R1/025", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "Y10T29/49002", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "Y10T29/49002", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04R1/021", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}]
Family ID: 44901952