PATENT DOCUMENT

Publication Number: US-8199477-B2
Application Number: US-48320509-A
Country: US
Kind Code: B2

Title: Portable computers with spring-mounted displays

Abstract:
An electronic device housing may contain a display module. The display module may contain layers of material such as a color filter layer and a thin-film transistor layer. These layers of material may be mounted in a display module chassis. A cover glass may cover the display module. The housing may have springs that mate with corresponding holes in the chassis of the display module to hold the display module in place within the housing. The springs may flex about a flex axis that is perpendicular to a planar rear housing surface and the planar layers of the display module. A disassembly tool may be inserted into a gap between the cover glass and housing sidewalls. When the disassembly tool is rotated, a fin on the tool may press against an engagement structure in the spring and may release the spring from the display module.

Claims:
1. An electronic device, comprising:
 a housing having a planar rear surface and peripheral housing sidewalls with springs; and 
 a display module mounted in the housing that has holes that mate with the springs, wherein each of the springs has a longitudinal axis that runs parallel to a respective adjacent one of the housing sidewalls and each of the springs has a flex axis that is perpendicular to the planar rear surface. 
 
     
     
       2. The electronic device defined in  claim 1  wherein each spring has a spring prong with a surface engages an edge of a respective one of the holes. 
     
     
       3. The electronic device defined in  claim 2  wherein display module comprises a metal chassis member in which the holes are formed. 
     
     
       4. The electronic device defined in  claim 3  wherein each spring comprises a portion that is configured to engage a rotating portion of a disengagement tool to release the display module when disassembling the electronic device. 
     
     
       5. The electronic device defined in  claim 4  wherein the housing comprises at least one pilot hole into which a shaft tip in the disengagement tool is inserted when disassembling the electronic device. 
     
     
       6. The electronic device defined in  claim 5  wherein the at least one pilot hole lies beneath a gap between a cover glass member in the display module and opposing portions of the housing. 
     
     
       7. The electronic device defined in  claim 1  wherein the springs comprise holes through which screws pass to screw the springs to the housing. 
     
     
       8. The electronic device defined in  claim 1  wherein the springs each comprise a sloped lead-in tab portion. 
     
     
       9. The electronic device defined in  claim 8  wherein the display module comprises a metal chassis with portions that bear against the sloped lead-in tab portion and cause the springs to flex about the flex axis. 
     
     
       10. The electronic device defined in  claim 1  wherein each spring has a first portion with screw holes that is screwed to the housing and a second portion with a prong that flexes about the flex axis. 
     
     
       11. The electronic device defined in  claim 10  wherein each spring further comprises a disassembly tool engagement structure. 
     
     
       12. A portable computer, comprising:
 a lower housing; 
 an upper housing; 
 a display module mounted in the upper housing; and 
 a hinge between the lower housing and the upper housing, wherein the upper housing comprises housing sidewalls to which a plurality of springs are mounted, wherein the display module comprises openings into which the springs protrude to hold the display module in the upper housing, wherein the display module has a planar surface, and wherein the springs flex about a flex axis that is perpendicular to the planar surface of the display module. 
 
     
     
       13. The portable computer defined in  claim 12  wherein the display module comprises a metal chassis member in which the openings are formed. 
     
     
       14. The portable computer defined in  claim 13  further comprising a cover glass layer that covers the springs. 
     
     
       15. The portable computer defined in  claim 14  wherein the housing comprises peripheral housing sidewalls, the portable computer comprising:
 an elastomeric trim between the cover glass and the peripheral housing sidewalls; and 
 a disassembly tool pilot hole in the housing beneath the trim. 
 
     
     
       16. A method of disassembling an electronic device with a housing sidewall with at least one flexible spring and a display module with at least one hole that mates with the spring so that the spring holds the display module in the electronic device, comprising:
 rotating a disassembly tool to release the spring from the hole. 
 
     
     
       17. The method defined in  claim 16  wherein the electronic device has a cover glass that covers the display module, wherein the cover glass has a peripheral edge, and wherein the peripheral housing sidewalls are configured to form a gap between the peripheral housing sidewalls and the peripheral edge of the cover glass, and wherein the electronic device has an elastomeric trim member that covers the gap, the method comprising:
 removing the elastomeric trim to expose the gap before rotating the disassembly tool to release the spring from the hole. 
 
     
     
       18. The method defined in  claim 17  wherein the housing comprises a pilot hole and wherein the disassembly tool comprises a shaft with an end, the method comprising:
 inserting the end of the shaft of the disassembly tool into the pilot hole after removing the elastomeric trim and before rotating the disassembly tool to release the spring from the hole. 
 
     
     
       19. The method defined in  claim 18  wherein the cover glass has a planar surface, wherein the disassembly tool comprises a fin member connected to the shaft, wherein the spring rotates about a flex axis that is perpendicular to the cover glass, wherein the spring comprises a disassembly tool engagement structure, and wherein rotating the disassembly tool comprises rotating the fin until the fin presses against the disassembly tool engagement structure on the spring and causes the fin to flex about the flex axis. 
     
     
       20. An electronic device, comprising:
 a housing having a planar rear surface; 
 a display module mounted in the housing; 
 at least one spring that flexes about a flex axis that is perpendicular to the planar rear surface; and 
 a spring engagement structure that holds the display module to the housing by engaging the spring. 
 
     
     
       21. The electronic device defined in  claim 20  wherein the spring engagement structure comprises an opening in the display module and wherein the spring is formed on the housing. 
     
     
       22. The electronic device defined in  claim 21  wherein the electronic device comprises a portable computer having hinged upper and lower housing portions and wherein the display module is mounted in the upper housing portion using the spring and the opening. 
     
     
       23. The electronic device defined in  claim 20  wherein the spring engagement structure comprises an opening in the housing and wherein the spring is formed on the display module.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     This invention relates to electronic devices and, more particularly, to electronic devices that have displays such as portable computers. 
     Portable computers typically have upper and lower housing portions that are connected by a hinge. The lower housing portion contains components such as printed circuit boards, disk drives, a keyboard, and a battery. The upper housing portion contains a display. When the computer is in an open configuration, the upper housing portion is vertical and the display is visible to the user of the portable computer. When the computer is closed, the upper housing lies flat against the lower housing. This protects the display and keyboard and allows the portable computer to be transported. 
     Portable computer displays typically contain fragile structures such as layers of glass and can be challenging to mount properly within the upper housing. If care is not taken, the display and the surrounding portions of the upper housing will be bulky and unsightly. At the same time, the elimination of certain structures in the display may result in display that is overly fragile. This could lead to damage to the display during normal use. 
     It would therefore be desirable to be able to provide improved display structures in electronic devices such as portable computers. 
     SUMMARY 
     An electronic device such as a portable computer may have a housing in which a display module is mounted. 
     The housing may be formed from a material such as metal and may have a planar rear surface and peripheral housing sidewalls. The display module may contain layers of material such as a color filter layer, polarizer layers, a liquid crystal layer, and a thin-film transistor layer. These layers of material may be mounted in a metal display module chassis member. 
     A cover glass member may cover the display module. The cover glass may have a peripheral edge that is adjacent to the peripheral housing sidewalls. A gap may be formed between the cover glass peripheral edge and the peripheral housing sidewalls. The gap may be filled with an elastomeric trim member. 
     The housing may have springs that mate with corresponding holes in the chassis member of the display module to hold the display module in place within the housing. The springs may flex about a flex axis that is perpendicular to a planar rear surface of the housing and the display module. A disassembly tool may be inserted into the gap between the cover glass and housing sidewalls after the trim has been removed. The end of the shaft of the disassembly tool may be received within a pilot hole in the housing. When the disassembly tool is rotated, a fin on the tool may press against an engagement structure in the spring and may release the spring from the display module. This allows the display module to be removed from the housing for servicing. 
     Further features of the invention, its nature and various advantages will be more apparent from the accompanying drawings and the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an illustrative portable computer with display structures in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a cross-sectional side view of a conventional liquid crystal display (LCD) module in a portable computer display housing. 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of a portion of a display with spring engagement structures in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view of a portion of an electronic device housing having springs that can mate with the spring engagement structures of the type shown in  FIG. 3  when a display module of the type shown in  FIG. 3  is mounted with the housing in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 5  is top view of an illustrative display module in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 6  is a cross-sectional side view of the display module of  FIG. 5  taken along the line A-A in  FIG. 5  in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 7  is a cross-sectional side view of the display module of  FIG. 5  taken along the line B-B in  FIG. 5  in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 8  is a perspective view of an illustrative spring that may be used in mounting a display module in an electronic device housing in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 9  is a top view of a portion of an electronic device showing how there may be a gap between a cover glass structure and a peripheral housing wall when an elastomeric trim member has been removed from the electronic device in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 10  is a perspective view of a portion of a display module mounted in an electronic device in which a gap between a peripheral housing wall and a cover glass member allows a disassembly tool to be inserted for use in disengaging display mounting springs during disassembly operations in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 11  is a cross-sectional side view of an illustrative spring and mating engagement structure showing how the spring and engagement structure may be disengaged using a disassembly tool during disassembly operations in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 12  is a top view of a portion of an illustrative electronic device showing how one or more springs on a display module may mate with corresponding holes or other spring engagement structures on a housing of the device in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Electronic devices such as computers, handheld devices, computer monitors, televisions, cellular telephones, media players, and other equipment may have displays. An example is presented in  FIG. 1 . In the example of  FIG. 1 , device  10  is a portable computer. This is merely illustrative. Device  10  may, in general, be any suitable electronic device. The portable computer arrangement of  FIG. 1  is an example. 
     As shown in  FIG. 1 , portable computer  10  may have housing  12 . Housing  12 , which is sometimes referred to as a case, may be formed from one or more individual structures. For example, housing  12  may have a main structural support member that is formed from a solid block of machined aluminum or other suitable metal. One or more additional structures may be connected to the housing  12 . These structures may include, for example, internal frame members, external coverings such as sheets of metal, etc. Housing  12  and its associated components may, in general, be formed from any suitable materials such as such as plastic, ceramics, metal, glass, etc. An advantage of forming housing  12  at least partly from metal is that metal is durable and attractive in appearance. Metals such as aluminum may be anodized to form an insulating oxide coating. 
     Housing  12  may have an upper portion  26  and a lower portion  28 . Lower portion  28  may be referred to as the base or main unit of computer  10  and may contain components such as a hard disk drive, battery, and main logic board. Upper portion  26 , which is sometimes referred to as a cover, lid, or display housing, may rotate relative to lower portion  28  about rotational axis  16 . Portion  18  of computer  10  may contain a hinge and associated clutch structures and is sometimes referred to as a clutch barrel. 
     Lower housing portion  28  may have a slot such as slot  22  through which optical disks may be loaded into an optical disk drive. Lower housing portion may also have a touchpad such as touchpad  24  and may have keys  20 . If desired, additional components may be mounted to upper and lower housing portions  26  and  28 . For example, upper and lower housing portions  26  and  28  may have ports to which cables can be connected (e.g., universal serial bus ports, an Ethernet port, a Firewire port, audio jacks, card slots, etc.). Buttons and other controls may also be mounted to housing  12 . Speaker openings such as speaker openings  30  may be formed in lower housing portion  28  by creating an array of small openings (perforations) in the surface of housing  12 . 
     A display such as display  14  may be mounted within upper housing portion  26 . Display  14  may be, for example, a liquid crystal display (LCD), organic light emitting diode (OLED) display, or plasma display (as examples). Display  14  may contain a number of layers of material. These layers may include, for example, layers of optically transparent glass. Layers of plastic and optical adhesive may also be incorporated into display  14 . In a liquid crystal display, layers of polarizer, light diffusing elements and light guides for backlight structures, a liquid crystal layer, a color filter layer, and a thin-film transistor array that drives the image pixels in the display may be incorporated into the display. The collection of material layers and associated support structures that are used to form display  14  are sometimes referred to as a module. Display  14  may therefore sometimes be referred to as a display module. 
     Computer  10  may have input-output components such as touch pad  24 . Touch pad  24  may include a touch sensitive surface that allows a user of computer  10  to control computer  10  using touch-based commands (gestures). A portion of touchpad  24  may be depressed by the user when the user desires to “click” on a displayed item on screen  14 . 
     A cross-sectional side view of a conventional liquid crystal display (LCD) display module is shown in  FIG. 2 . As shown in  FIG. 2 , display module  32  may have display structures  46 . Display structures  46  may include structures such as an upper polarizer layer, a color filter, a thin-film transistor glass layer, a lower polarizer, and a layer of light-guide structures such as light guides and diffuser layers. Display module  32  may also have a plastic chassis member such as plastic chassis member  44  and a metal chassis member such as metal chassis member  42  into which the layers of glass and other display module structures may be mounted. Cover glass  36  may be placed on top of structures  46 . Elastomeric trim member  38  (sometimes referred to as a gasket) is used to form a cushioned interface between cover glass layer  36  and housing  34 . This helps to prevent damage to cover glass layer  36 . 
     Metal chassis member  42  may have a tab  42 A with a hole through which screw  40  passes. Screw  40  may be screwed into a threaded hole in housing  34 . In the arrangement of  FIG. 2 , housing  34  is formed of aluminum. The presence of the extending tab portion  42 A of chassis  42  allows module  32  to be firmly secured in housing  34 , but adds undesirable width to the perimeter of display module  32 . 
     The width associated with use of tabs such as tab  42 A can adversely affect device size and aesthetics. Tabs  42 A and screws  40  are covered from view by placing a band of opaque ink around the display. However, this band of ink creates an unused border region around the periphery of the display. Wide borders consume space without providing the user with more viewable display area and can be unsightly. 
     The border portion of display  14  in device  10  of  FIG. 1  can exhibit a narrow width, because display  14  can be mounted in housing  12  without use of conventional display chassis tabs such as tabs  42 A. With one suitable arrangement, which is sometimes described herein as an example, engagement structures such as springs (snaps) and mating holes or other spring engagement structures may be used to secure a display module in an electronic device housing. The engagement structures may consume less with than conventional display chassis tabs and may enhance the assembly and disassembly process. 
     An illustrative configuration is shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 .  FIG. 3  is a perspective view of a portion of a display module with holes.  FIG. 4  is a perspective view of a housing with springs that may mate with the display module holes of  FIG. 3 . Other arrangements are possible. For example, springs may be attached to a display module and holes may be formed in a housing or combinations of housing springs and display module springs may be used. Springs with holes that mate with rigidly mounted prongs may also be used. The arrangement of  FIGS. 3 and 4  is sometimes described herein as an example, but is merely illustrative. 
     As shown in  FIG. 3 , display module  14  may have a chassis  50  (sometimes referred to as a frame). Chassis  50  may be formed from metal or other suitable materials and may enclose the inner (inactive) regions of display  14 . Chassis  50  may cover the entire planar inner surface of display  14  or may be formed around the periphery of the planar inner surface of display  14 . Plastic chassis members may be incorporated into display module to hold display structure layers such as a color filter glass layer and a thin-film transistor substrate layer. Metal chassis  50  may cover plastic chassis members (e.g., a plastic peripheral frame, etc.). 
     Cover glass  52  may be used to form the outermost surface of the display. When assembled in device  10 , cover glass  52  may cover the potentially fragile layers of the display module and thereby prevent the display module from being damaged during use. In the orientation of  FIG. 3 , display  14  is facing downwards, so image light emitted from display  14  travels in direction  68 . 
     Chassis  50  may have openings such as openings  54 . Openings  54  may be rectangular or may have other suitable shapes for engaging spring members on the device housing. Because openings  54  are configured to receive mating spring prongs, openings  54  may sometimes be referred to as spring engagement structures, spring engagement openings, or spring engagement holes. There may be any suitable number of openings  54  in chassis  50 . With one suitable arrangement, there may be about 1-20 openings  54  each of which mates with a respective spring. In configurations with more than one spring and more than one corresponding hole  54 , the holes may be distributed about the periphery of chassis  50  and the springs may be similarly distributed about the peripheral sidewalls of housing  26 . The use of a fairly even spacing between respective openings  54  may help ensure that display module  14  is securely fastened to housing  12 . 
     Openings  54  may form laterally extending edges along the periphery of display module chassis  50 . These edges lie in the plane of display module  14  and form horizontal surfaces against which springs on the device housing may bear to hold display module  14  within the device housing. A perspective view of a portion of device housing  26  is shown in  FIG. 4 . As shown in  FIG. 4 , springs such as spring  56  (also sometimes referred to as snaps or flexible engagement structures) may be mounted around the periphery of housing  26 . Each spring may have an inwardly protruding spring prong such as prong  60  that mates with a corresponding one of the openings  54  in display module chassis  50 . 
     Spring  56  may have a portion  56 B that is mounted to housing  26 . Portion  56 B may be attached to housing  26  using screws  66  or other suitable attachment mechanisms (e.g., welds, adhesive, etc.). When screws are used in attaching portion  56 B to housing  26 , housing  26  may be provided with threaded holes into which screws  66  may be screwed. 
     Spring  56  also has portion  56 A and portion  56 C. Portion  56 C lies between portions  56 A and  56 B. Spring  56  may be formed from a flexible metal such as spring steel. The flexible nature of spring  56  allows spring portion  56 A to be deflected in directions  64  and  62  about flex axis  58  (e.g., at portion  56 C). Longitudinal axis  70  of spring  56  may run parallel to housing edge  26 A of housing  26 . Flex axis  58  may be oriented at a 90° angle with respect to longitudinal axis  70 . When oriented in this way, flex axis  58  is perpendicular to planar rear housing surface  26 B and is perpendicular to the planar front surface of the display, so that spring  56  flexes in the same plane as rear housing surface  26 B. Because the longitudinal axis of spring  56  runs along the edge of housing  26  and because spring  56  flexes about an axis that is perpendicular to the plane of rear housing surface  26 B and the plane of display module  14 , a relatively long spring may be used that provides satisfactory flex action, without unduly widening the inactive boarder region between display  14  and housing edge  26 A. 
     Spring prong  60  may have an angled shape. As display module  14  is inserted into housing  26 , portions of display module chassis  50  bear against the inwardly angled surface of prong  60  and deflect spring  60  so that spring portion  56 A flexes outwardly in direction  64  about flex axis  58 . After display module  14  has been inserted sufficiently into housing  26 , the restoring force produced by the flexed spring shape of spring  56  causes portion  56 A to flex inwardly in direction  62  about axis  58 . The inward movement of spring portion  56 A causes lower edge  72  of spring prong  60  to catch edge  54 A of opening  54  ( FIG. 3 ). This holds display module  14  in place within housing  26 . Elastomeric trim  74 , which is sometimes referred to as a gasket, may be formed in a ring around the inner surface of peripheral housing edge  26 A. Trim  74  may serve as an interface that fills the gap between the peripheral edge of cover glass  52  and the opposing inner surface of housing edge  26 A. 
     A front (top) view of upper housing  26  in which display module  14  has been mounted is shown in  FIG. 5 . As shown in  FIG. 5 , display module  14  may be covered by cover glass  52 . Edge  26 A of housing  26  may extend around the peripheral edges of cover glass  52 . Trim  74  ( FIG. 4 ) may be interposed between edge  26 A and cover glass  52  (e.g., to prevent damage to the outer glass surfaces of cover glass  52 ). 
       FIG. 6  is a cross-sectional view of display module  14  in housing  26  taken along line A-A of  FIG. 5 . As shown in  FIG. 6 , display module  14  may include display structures  78 . Display structures  78  may include layers of the display that form images for the user of device  10 . Display structures  78  may produce an image using any suitable display technology (e.g., light-emitting diodes such as an array of organic light-emitting diodes, liquid crystal display pixels, plasma-based pixels, etc.). An arrangement in which display module  14  and display structures  78  are based on liquid crystal display (LCD) technology is sometimes described herein as an example. The use of LCD structures in display module  14  is, however, merely illustrative. Display module  14  may, in general, be formed from any suitable type of display structures. 
     In configurations in which display module  14  is based on LCD technology, display structures  78  may include an upper polarizer layer and a lower polarizer layer. At the bottom of the stack of materials in structures  78 , backlight structures may be used to provide backlight for module  14 . These backlight structures may include light guide structures and diffuser layers. The backlight structures may help route light from a light-emitting diode light source or other backlight source through the layers of module  14  in direction  75 . Structures  78  may also include a thin-film transistor substrate glass layer having an array of thin-film transistors. A color filter glass layer may be mounted above the thin-film transistor array. The color filter glass layer may contain an array of optical filters of different colors that match the locations of the transistors on the thin-film transistor substrate. These optical filters provide display module  14  with the ability to display color images. The color filter layer may be formed from glass into which dye of different colors has been impregnated, from a glass layer coated with a pattern of colored dye, from a glass or plastic layer that is covered with a pattern of thin colored filter structures (e.g., filters formed from polymer or glass containing dye), or any other suitable color filter structures. A liquid crystal layer may be interposed between the thin-film transistor layer and the color filter layer and may be controlled by the electric fields produced by the thin-film transistors on the thin-film transistor layer. 
     Display structures  78  may be mounted in supporting structures. For example, display structures  78  may be mounted in metal chassis frame  50 . Plastic chassis structures and other supporting members may also be incorporated into display structures  78 . 
     As shown in the cross-sectional view of  FIG. 6 , the portion of the display at section line A-A of  FIG. 5  may have a chassis member with a supporting protrusion such as lip  50 A. Lip  50 A may be formed by a bent metal portion of metal chassis member  50 . Housing  26  may be configured to form a ledge in region  82 . The surface of the housing ledge in region  82  may lie in a plane that is parallel to the plane of rear planar housing surface  26 B (as an example). With this type of configuration, planar lip portion  50 A of display module chassis member  50  may rest on the planar ledge portion of housing  26  in region  82 . 
     Adhesive  80  and adhesive  76  may be used to secure cover glass  52  to the other structures of display module  14 . Adhesive  80  may be located on lip  50 A of chassis member  50 . In this portion of display module  14 , no light is being emitted upwards in direction  75 . Adhesive  80  therefore need not be optically transparent. Adhesive layer  76 , however, is located at least partly above the active center portion of display  14 . Adhesive layer  76  may therefore be formed from an optically clear substance. Examples of suitable adhesives include ultraviolet-light-cured and heat-cured epoxies. If desired, epoxy or other suitable adhesive may be used under lip  50 A. 
     As shown in the cross-sectional view of  FIG. 7 , the portion of the electronic device at section line B-B of  FIG. 5  may include spring  56  (from housing  26 ) and corresponding hole  54  (from display module  14 ). In the configuration of  FIG. 7 , display  14  is mounted within housing  26  so that the lower edge of spring prong  60  bears against the upwards facing lower edge  54 A of display module chassis member  50  in opening  54 . Foam member  79  may help to support the lower surface of chassis member  50  on rear surface  26 B of housing  26 . 
     A perspective view of spring  56  is shown in  FIG. 8 . As shown in  FIG. 8 , spring  56  may have prong  60  for engaging with the surface of hole  54  in display module chassis  50 . Sloped portion  84  of spring  56  forms a lead-in tab with a slanted surface. When display module  14  is inserted into housing  26 , chassis  50  will press against sloped portion  86  and the sloped surface of prong  60 . This will bias spring portion  56 A in direction  64  about flex axis  58 , while spring portion  56 B remains at rest against housing  26 . Spring portion  56 B is secured to housing  26  using screws  66  ( FIG. 4 ). Screws  66  pass through holes  94  in horizontal planar portion  92  of spring portion  56 B. As spring  56  bends in this way, display module chassis member  50  will ride along surface  86  and the sloped surface of prong  60  following path  96 . Once display module  14  has been inserted sufficiently into housing  26  for hole  54  to become aligned with prong  60 , spring  56  will return to its original unflexed state (i.e., the shape shown in  FIG. 8 ). In this configuration, prong  60  will protrude into hole  54  and the lower edge of prong  60  will bear against edge  54 A of chassis  50  in hole  54 , holding display module  14  securely within housing  26 . 
     It may be desirable to remove display module  14  for servicing. A disassembly tool may be used to help service personnel disengage spring prong  60  from hole  54 . To perform disassembly operations, trim  74  ( FIG. 4 ) may be removed from device  10 . This will expose a gap between cover glass  52  and housing  26  (i.e., the gap G in  FIG. 7 ). Spring  56  may have laterally extending portion  82 . Portion  82  may extend outwardly from the center of display  14  towards housing wall  26 A. The disassembly tool may have a rotating fin structure that bears against tool engagement surface  90  of tool engagement recess  88 . By rotating the disassembly tool to press against surface  90 , spring  56  can be bent around axis  58  to release spring prong  60  from hole  54 . Once released in this way, display module  14  can be removed from housing  26  for servicing. 
     The location of gap G when trim  74  has been removed is shown in the top view of  FIG. 9 . As shown in  FIG. 9 , the outermost tip of spring portion  82  may be accessible through gap G. Housing  26  may have a cylindrical hole such a hole  98 . The longitudinal axis of hole  98  may run in and out of the page in the orientation of  FIG. 9 . Hole  98  may serve as a pilot hole that receives and guides the tip of a disassembly tool shaft to guide the shelf as the disassembly tool is rotated. 
       FIG. 10  is a perspective view of a portion of device  10  from which trim member  74  has been removed to expose gap G. As shown in  FIG. 10 , disassembly tool  100  may have a shaft such as shaft  102  with a tip such as tip  103 . Tip  103  may fit into pilot hole  98  in housing  26  ( FIG. 9 ). Fin  104  of tool  100  may fit through gap G (e.g., when the longitudinal axis of fin  104  is aligned with longitudinal axis  105  of gap G. Initially, fin  104  may be placed in position  106  (as an example). After inserting tip  103  of tool  100  into hole  98 , a user can rotate shaft  102  in counterclockwise direction  112  about rotational axis  58  towards position  108  (shown by dashed lines  110 ). 
     As fin  104  rotates about axis  58 , the tip of fin  104  engages surface  90  of spring portion  82  ( FIG. 8 ), thereby biasing spring portion  56 A outwards. As shown in  FIG. 11 , spring  56  is initially unflexed so that the lower surface of prong  60  engages surface  54 A on the edge of the opening in chassis member  50 . As fin  104  presses against surface  90  of spring  56 , spring  56  moves to the position shown by dashed line  124 . In this position, lower surface  118  of spring prong  60  moves out of opening  54  in chassis member  50  and disengages from edge  54 A. This allows display module  14  to be removed from housing  26 . If desired, housing wall  26 A may be provided with a recess such as undercut portion  120  to accommodate the laterally outermost portion of spring member  82 . This helps reduce the size of gap G. 
     Although examples of electronic device configurations in which springs are formed on the device housing and mating engagement structures such as holes are formed on a corresponding display module, one or more springs such as spring  56  may, if desired, be formed on display module  14  and one or more corresponding spring engagement structures such as hole  54  may be formed as part of device housing  26 , as shown in  FIG. 12 . Moreover, device components other than display modules can be mounted to housing  26  using spring and spring engagement structures. Arrangements in which these structures are used to mount display module  14  into housing  26  have been described herein as an example. 
     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: 20090611
Publication Date: 20120612
Grant Date: 20120612
Priority Date: 20090611
Inventors: MATHEW DINESH C.
WILSON, JR. THOMAS W.
RUNDLE NICHOLAS ALAN
POSNER BRYAN W.
Assignee: APPLE INC
CPC Classifications: [{"code": "Y10T29/53283", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F1/1637", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "Y10T29/53283", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "Y10S345/905", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "Y10S345/905", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F1/1637", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}]
Family ID: 43306254