PATENT DOCUMENT

Publication Number: US-10587070-B2
Application Number: US-201816174219-A
Country: US
Kind Code: B2

Title: Double shear weld joint for electronic enclosure

Abstract:
An enclosure for an electronic device includes a housing having a wall defining a cavity that is configured to receive an electronic assembly therein. The wall includes a distal end having a tongue. A cap is sized to attach to the housing with a corresponding groove that is formed in a perimeter of the cap. A double shear weld joint is formed between the tongue and the groove such that flash from the weld is contained within the enclosure and is not visible on the exterior surface of the enclosure.

Claims:
What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An enclosure for an electronic device comprising:
 a housing including a bottom wall and at least one sidewall extending from the bottom wall to define a cavity, the at least one sidewall having a distal end region; 
 a tongue forming a portion of the distal end region and including a plurality of segments distributed along a length of the tongue with adjacent segments of the plurality of segments separated by a gap; 
 a cover attached to the distal end region of the housing, the cover including a pair of parallel walls positioned along a perimeter region of the cover, the pair of parallel walls defining a groove therebetween, wherein the tongue is aligned with and positioned within the groove; and 
 a plurality of supports disposed within the groove and extending between the pair of parallel walls, wherein each of the plurality of supports is aligned with a corresponding gap. 
 
     
     
       2. The enclosure of  claim 1  wherein the tongue is welded to the pair of parallel walls, forming a double shear weld joint. 
     
     
       3. The enclosure of  claim 1  further comprising a plurality of electrical prongs extending from the cover and configured to mate with a corresponding receptacle connector. 
     
     
       4. The enclosure of  claim 3  further comprising an electronic assembly positioned within the cavity. 
     
     
       5. The enclosure of  claim 4  wherein the electronic assembly is an AC to DC converter that converts AC power received from the corresponding receptacle connector to DC power that is supplied to an external electronic device. 
     
     
       6. The enclosure of  claim 5  further comprising a receiving opening formed in the enclosure that enables the external electronic device to be electrically coupled to the electronic assembly. 
     
     
       7. The enclosure of  claim 1  further comprising a peripheral wall forming a portion of the distal end region, wherein the peripheral wall is parallel to and spaced apart from the tongue. 
     
     
       8. A plastic assembly comprising:
 a first plastic component including at least one wall having a distal end region; 
 a tongue forming a portion of the distal end region, the tongue including a plurality of segments distributed along a length of the tongue with adjacent segments of the plurality of segments separated by a gap; 
 a second plastic component attached to the distal end region of the first plastic component, the second plastic component including a pair of parallel walls defining a groove between the pair of parallel walls, wherein the tongue is aligned with and positioned within the groove; and 
 a plurality of supports disposed within the groove and extending between the pair of parallel walls, wherein each of the plurality of supports is aligned with a corresponding gap. 
 
     
     
       9. The plastic assembly of  claim 8  wherein the first plastic component includes a bottom wall and the at least one wall extends from the bottom wall to define a cavity. 
     
     
       10. The plastic assembly of  claim 9  further comprising an electronic assembly positioned within the cavity. 
     
     
       11. The plastic assembly of  claim 10  wherein the electronic assembly is an AC to DC converter that converts AC power received from a corresponding receptacle connector to DC power that is supplied to an external electronic device. 
     
     
       12. The plastic assembly of  claim 11  further comprising a receiving opening positioned at an exterior surface that enables a connector of the external electronic device to be electrically coupled to the electronic assembly. 
     
     
       13. The plastic assembly of  claim 8  wherein the second plastic component is a cover and the pair of parallel walls are positioned along a perimeter region of the cover. 
     
     
       14. The plastic assembly of  claim 8  further comprising a plurality of electrical prongs extending from the second plastic component and configured to mate with a corresponding receptacle connector. 
     
     
       15. The plastic assembly of  claim 8  wherein the tongue is welded to the pair of parallel walls, forming a double shear weld joint. 
     
     
       16. A method of forming an electronic device, the method comprising:
 forming a housing including a bottom wall and at least one sidewall extending from the bottom wall to define a cavity, the at least one sidewall having a tongue that forms a portion of a distal end region of the at least one sidewall, wherein the tongue includes a plurality of segments distributed along a length of the tongue with adjacent segments of the plurality of segments separated by a gap; 
 disposing an electronic assembly within the cavity; 
 forming a cover including a pair of parallel walls positioned along a perimeter region of the cover, the pair of parallel walls defining a groove therebetween, the cover further including a plurality of supports disposed within the groove and extending between the pair of parallel walls; 
 aligning the cover at the distal end region of the housing such that the tongue is aligned with and positioned within the groove and each of the plurality of supports is aligned with a corresponding gap; and 
 attaching the tongue to the pair of parallel walls. 
 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 16  wherein the tongue is attached to the pair of parallel walls with a double shear weld joint. 
     
     
       18. The method of  claim 16  wherein the housing includes a receiving opening configured to receive a connector of an external electronic device. 
     
     
       19. The method of  claim 18  wherein the electronic assembly is an AC to DC converter that converts AC power received from a wall receptacle to DC power that is supplied to the external electronic device through the connector. 
     
     
       20. The method of  claim 16  wherein the electronic device includes a plurality of electrical prongs extending from an exterior surface of the cover.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCES TO OTHER APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims priority to U.S. provisional patent application Ser. No. 62/678,692, for “DOUBLE SHEAR WELD JOINT FOR ELECTRONIC ENCLOSURES” filed on May 31, 2018 and to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 62/763,139 filed on Sep. 10, 2018 for “DOUBLE SHEAR WELD JOINT FOR ELECTRONIC ENCLOSURES, which are hereby incorporated by reference in entirety for all purposes. 
    
    
     FIELD 
     The described embodiments relate generally to plastic enclosures that are made of two or more plastic components. More particularly, the present embodiments relate to plastic enclosures that house one or more electronics assemblies and include weld joints that are not visible from the exterior and that do not have visible exterior weld flash at the weld joints. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Currently there are a wide variety of electronic devices that have external enclosures to facilitate the use of the electronic device and provide an aesthetic appearance. However, often such enclosures have one or more seams where the plastic components of the enclosure are joined together. The external appearance of the seams can be difficult to uniformly control during high volume production. The seams can also be relatively weak regions of the enclosure that are prone to damage and/or separation. This can be particularly problematic for enclosures that contain high-voltage electronic components that would be exposed if seam were broken or separated. New enclosures and new methods for joining enclosure components are needed so the enclosure seams are more uniform during production, are aesthetically pleasing and have improved structural integrity. 
     SUMMARY 
     Some embodiments of the present disclosure relate to enclosures for electronic devices. Various embodiments relate to plastic enclosures that are made from two or more components that are joined together with welded seams. One component can have a tongue and the other component can have a corresponding groove that are welded together to form a double shear weld joint. The flash from the weld can be contained entirely within the enclosure so the enclosure can have an aesthetically appealing exterior. 
     In some embodiments an enclosure for an electronic device comprises a housing including a bottom wall and at least one sidewall extending from the bottom wall to define a cavity wherein the at least one sidewall has a distal end region. A tongue forms a portion of the distal end region and includes a plurality of segments distributed along a length of the tongue with adjacent segments of the plurality of segments separated by a gap. A cover is attached to the distal end region of the housing, the cover including a pair of parallel walls positioned along a perimeter region of the cover, the pair of parallel walls defining a groove therebetween, wherein the tongue is aligned with and positioned within the groove. A plurality of supports are disposed within the groove and extend between the pair of parallel walls, wherein each of the plurality of supports is aligned with a corresponding gap. 
     In some embodiments the tongue is welded to the pair of parallel walls, forming a double shear weld joint. In various embodiments the enclosure further comprises a plurality of electrical prongs that extend from the cover and are configured to mate with a corresponding receptacle connector. In some embodiments the enclosure further comprises an electronic assembly positioned within the cavity. In various embodiments the electronic assembly is an AC to DC converter that converts AC power received from the corresponding receptacle connector to DC power that is supplied to an external electronic device. 
     In some embodiments the enclosure further comprises a receiving opening formed in the enclosure that enables the external electronic device to be electrically coupled to the electronic assembly. In various embodiments the enclosure further comprises a peripheral wall forming a portion of the distal end region, wherein the peripheral wall is parallel to and spaced apart from the tongue. 
     In some embodiments a plastic assembly comprises a first plastic component including at least one wall having a distal end region. A tongue forms a portion of the distal end region, the tongue including a plurality of segments distributed along a length of the tongue with adjacent segments of the plurality of segments separated by a gap. A second plastic component is attached to the distal end region of the first plastic component, the second plastic component including a pair of parallel walls defining a groove between the pair of parallel walls, wherein the tongue is aligned with and positioned within the groove. A plurality of supports are disposed within the groove and extend between the pair of parallel walls, wherein each of the plurality of supports is aligned with a corresponding gap. 
     In some embodiments the first plastic component includes a bottom wall and the at least one wall extends from the bottom wall to define a cavity. In various embodiments the plastic assembly further comprises an electronic assembly positioned within the cavity. In some embodiments the electronic assembly is an AC to DC converter that converts AC power received from a corresponding receptacle connector to DC power that is supplied to an external electronic device. In various embodiments the plastic assembly further comprises a receiving opening positioned at an exterior surface that enables a connector of the external electronic device to be electrically coupled to the electronic assembly. 
     In some embodiments the second plastic component is a cover and the pair of parallel walls are positioned along a perimeter region of the cover. In various embodiments the plastic assembly further comprises a plurality of electrical prongs extending from the second plastic component and are configured to mate with a corresponding receptacle connector. In some embodiments the tongue is welded to the pair of parallel walls, forming a double shear weld joint. 
     In some embodiments a method of forming an electronic device comprises forming a housing including a bottom wall and at least one sidewall extending from the bottom wall to define a cavity. The at least one sidewall includes a tongue that forms a portion of a distal end region of the at least one sidewall, wherein the tongue includes a plurality of segments distributed along a length of the tongue with adjacent segments of the plurality of segments separated by a gap. The method further includes disposing an electronic assembly within the cavity and forming a cover including a pair of parallel walls positioned along a perimeter region of the cover, the pair of parallel walls defining a groove therebetween, the cover further including a plurality of supports disposed within the groove and extending between the pair of parallel walls. The method further includes aligning the cover at the distal end region of the housing such that the tongue is aligned with and positioned within the groove and each of the plurality of supports is aligned with a corresponding gap, and attaching the tongue to the pair of parallel walls. 
     In some embodiments the tongue is attached to the pair of parallel walls with a double shear weld joint. In various embodiments the housing includes a receiving opening configured to receive a connector of an external electronic device. In some embodiments the electronic assembly is an AC to DC converter that converts AC power received from a wall receptacle to DC power that is supplied to the external electronic device through the connector. In various embodiments the electronic device includes a plurality of electrical prongs extending from an exterior surface. 
     To better understand the nature and advantages of the present disclosure, reference should be made to the following description and the accompanying figures. It is to be understood, however, that each of the figures is provided for the purpose of illustration only and is not intended as a definition of the limits of the scope of the present disclosure. Also, as a general rule, and unless it is evident to the contrary from the description, where elements in different figures use identical reference numbers, the elements are generally either identical or at least similar in function or purpose. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a front perspective view of an electronic device having an enclosure, according to some embodiments of the disclosure; 
         FIG. 2  is a partial exploded view of the enclosure shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is a partial perspective cross-sectional view of the cover shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 ; 
         FIG. 4  is a partial cross-sectional view of an interface between the housing and the cover of the enclosure shown in  FIGS. 1-3 , before a welding process; 
         FIG. 5  is a partial cross-sectional view of the interface shown in  FIG. 4  after the welding process; 
         FIG. 6  is a partial cross-sectional view of a portion of the cover and the housing shown in  FIGS. 1-5  in the region of a support and a gap; 
         FIG. 7  is a partial cross-sectional view of a portion of the cover shown in  FIGS. 1-5  in the region of the groove; 
         FIG. 8  is a partial cross-sectional view of a portion of the housing shown in  FIGS. 1-5  in the region of the tongue; 
         FIG. 9  is top perspective view of an electronic device having an enclosure, according to some embodiments of the disclosure; and 
         FIG. 10  is a flowchart depicting a process for forming an enclosure according to some embodiments of the disclosure. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Some embodiments of this disclosure are directed to electronic enclosures that have two or more plastic components joined together at a seam or joint formed between the components. While the present disclosure can be useful for a wide variety of configurations, some embodiments of the disclosure are particularly useful for electronic enclosures that have an aesthetically appealing exterior surface and/or that enclose high voltage electronic assemblies that would be dangerous to a user if the enclosure separated, as described in more detail below. 
     For example, in some embodiments joining of the two or more plastic components can be performed with a process known in the art as ultrasonic welding. In various embodiments the joint is formed using an ultrasonically welded configuration where a tongue of a first plastic component is welded to a groove within a second plastic component such that the entire weld joint and any associated weld residue, also called “flash” herein, is hidden within the enclosure. 
     In some embodiments the tongue is welded to both sides of the groove, forming a “double shear” weld joint. The double shear weld joint balances applied forces during welding so stresses and deformation are equally distributed on each side of the tongue. As a result, the double shear joint can result in less distortion of the cover and housing during joining, may require less fixturing to keep the cover and housing from distorting during the joining process and may also form a stronger joint than a comparable single sided shear joint, making the enclosure stronger which can be useful for protecting electronic assemblies that operate at high voltages and/or currents. Further, since the double shear joint more evenly distributes stresses, the welding process can be more consistently controlled during high volume manufacturing resulting in a more consistent aesthetic appearance. These features and others will be described in more detail herein. 
     In order to better appreciate the features and aspects of plastic enclosures having a tongue and groove double shear weld joint according to the present disclosure, further context for the disclosure is provided in the following section by discussing one particular implementation of an electronic enclosure according to embodiments of the present disclosure. These embodiments are for example only and other embodiments can be employed in other electronic devices such as, but not limited to wireless routers, wireless television devices, computers, watches, media players and other devices. 
       FIG. 1  illustrates a simplified perspective view of an electronic device  100  comprising an AC to DC adapter having an enclosure  105 . As shown in  FIG. 1 , enclosure  105  can include a cover  110  positioned at least partially within and secured to a housing  115  with a tongue and groove double shear weld joint, as described in more detail below. 
     In some embodiments the double shear weld joint can be used to enable an outer surface  145  of cover  110  to be substantially coplanar with top surface  150  of at least one sidewall  155  of housing, so that enclosure has an aesthetic look and feel. In some embodiments one or more double shear joints are formed between cover  110  and housing  115 , as described in more detail below. 
     Cover  110  has three retractable electrical prongs  130   a ,  130   b ,  130   c  that extend away from the cover and are configured to be plugged into an AC wall outlet to receive AC power. In the embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 1 , electrical prongs  130   a ,  130   b ,  130   c  are retractable and are shown in a partially retracted position. When fully retracted each electrical prong  130   a ,  130   b ,  130   c  will be positioned within corresponding pockets,  133   a ,  133   b ,  133   c . When fully deployed, each electrical prong  130   a ,  130   b ,  130   c  will extend substantially perpendicular to outer surface  145  of cover  110  such that the electrical prongs can be mated with a corresponding wall receptacle connector. Although three electrical prongs  130   a ,  130   b ,  130   c  illustrated in  FIG. 1  are compatible with selected United Kingdom receptacle wall receptacle connectors, in other embodiments a different configuration of and/or number of prongs can be used that are compatible with other receptacle standards such as, but not limited to, United States, Japan and China. 
     In some embodiments, enclosure  105  encases an AC to DC electronics assembly  140  that can receive electrical power (e.g., 120 Volts AC) electrical prongs  130   a ,  130   b ,  130   c  when the three electrical prongs are engaged with a wall receptacle. Electronics assembly  140  can be configured to transform the AC power received from the receptacle connector to DC power (e.g., 5 Volts DC) that can be supplied to an electronic computing device through a mating connector inserted in a receiving opening (not shown in  FIG. 1 ), as described in more detail below. 
       FIG. 2  illustrates a partial perspective view of housing  115  removed from cover  110 . In some embodiments housing  115  includes a bottom wall  205  and at least one sidewall  155  extending from the bottom wall, the at least one sidewall having a distal end region  230 . Distal end region  230  includes a tongue  235  that extends away from bottom wall  205  and can be formed from a portion of interior surface  232  of at least one sidewall  155 . In some embodiments tongue  235  is formed in-between interior surface  232  and exterior surface  234  while in some embodiments the tongue is formed from a portion of exterior surface  234 . In some embodiments tongue  235  can be segmented, having a gap  245  disposed between each adjacent segment, as discussed in more detail below. Distal end region  230  can also include a peripheral wall  233  positioned parallel to and spaced apart from tongue  235  and formed from a portion of an exterior surface  234  of at least one sidewall  155  such that a channel  243  is defined between the tongue and the peripheral wall. Bottom wall  205  and at least one sidewall  155  can form a cavity  237  having an opening  240  positioned opposite the bottom wall and sized to receive electronic assembly  140  (see  FIG. 1 ). A receiving opening  250  formed in at least one sidewall  155  is configured to receive a mating connector that can couple DC energy from electronic assembly  140  (see  FIG. 1 ) to an external electronic device. 
       FIG. 2  also illustrates cover  110  that can include a top wall  260  and a perimeter edge  265  extending from the top wall to form a perimeter of the cover that is sized to fit within aperture  263  of enclosure  105 . More specifically, in some embodiments cover  110  is configured to fit within a portion of housing  115  such that outer surface  145  of cover  110  is substantially coplanar with top surface  150  of at least one sidewall  155  of housing, so that enclosure has an aesthetic look and feel. A groove  270  can be formed around a perimeter region  275  of cover  110  and can be sized to receive and be joined to tongue  235  of housing  115  using ultrasonic welding, adhesive, solvent or other process. Groove  270  can be formed from a first wall  280  that is formed from perimeter edge and extends around perimeter region, and from a second wall  285  that is positioned parallel to the first wall and spaced apart from the first wall by a width of the groove. 
       FIG. 3  illustrates a close-up perspective view of groove  270  formed in cover  110 . In some embodiments one or more supports  310  can be formed within groove  270  that adjoin first and second walls  280 ,  285 , respectively, of the groove together. During formation of the double shear joint welding groove  270  to tongue  235 , supports  310  can be used to keep first and second walls  280 ,  285 , respectively, from bending outward, away from tongue  235 . The location of supports  310  can be optimized to minimize distortion of first and second walls  280 ,  285 , respectively, so minimal fixturing is required to hold the first and second walls in place during welding. In some embodiments, supports  310  align with gaps  245  formed in tongue  235  to provide clearance for the supports so the energy from the welding process is focused only on the double shear joint. Gaps  245  can also be used to allow air and/or flash to escape during the welding process. More specifically, as the double shear joint is formed and tongue  235  slides into groove  270 , the air volume within the tongue and groove joint decreases and is allowed to escape through the one or more gaps. 
       FIGS. 4 and 5  illustrate close-up partial cross-sectional view of the interface between cover  110  and housing  115  before and after the weld joint formation, respectively. As shown in  FIG. 4  cover  210  includes groove  270  that is aligned with tongue  235  of housing  215 . In some embodiments groove  270  can have an alignment portion  410  that has a clearance fit for tongue  235  so the tongue aligns with the groove before the weld joint is formed. In various embodiments the clearance between tongue  235  and either side of groove  270  is between 2 and 5 microns. In some embodiments cover  210  can include one or more weld initiation points  405  that are the first portion of cover  210  to be in physical contact with tongue  235 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 5 , a double shear weld joint  505  has been formed between cover  110  and housing  115  using ultrasonic welding. Ultrasonic welding involves applying high frequency (e.g., in the range of 10 kHz to 40 kHz) acoustic vibrations to cover  110  and housing  115  while the two components are held together under pressure to create a solid-state weld. Force can be applied to cover  110  and housing  115  to push them together during the welding process. The vibrations cause heat to be generated at the interfaces where cover  110  and housing  115  are in contact with each other as a result of the friction between the surfaces. The heat causes localized regions of cover  110  and housing  115  to melt and form the weld joints. At each of the weld joints flash is generated that is extruded out of the welds. 
     As further shown in  FIG. 5 , during the welding process, cover  110  has moved towards and into housing  115  such that an outer surface  145  of cover  110  is substantially coplanar with top surface  150  of at least one sidewall  155  of housing, so that enclosure has an aesthetic look and feel. In some embodiments the co-planarity of outer surface  145  and top surface  150  is between 2 microns and 100 microns, while in various embodiments it is between 4 microns and 20 microns and in one embodiment is 5 microns or less. 
     The use of double shear weld joint  505  can enable a high cosmetic quality level of enclosure  105  while also providing a strong and reliable interface to protect against exposure of high voltage circuitry within the enclosure. More specifically, the double shear weld joint  505  can enable better control of the co-planarity of outer surface  145  with top surface  150 , and better strength than other types of weld joints that may require a larger melt volume and/or increased welding time to achieve a similar strength as the double shear joint. 
     Double shear weld joint  505  includes a first weld joint  510   a  formed between tongue  235  and first wall  280  and a second weld joint  510   b  formed between the tongue and second wall  285 . Weld flash  515  has collected in a bottom portion  520  of groove  270 . First wall  280  fits within a channel  530  positioned between peripheral wall  233  and tongue  235 . During welding air has escaped from groove  270  through gaps  245  (see  FIG. 2 ). Since weld flash  515  collects in bottom portion  520  of groove  270  which is positioned within enclosure  105 , no weld flash is visible on the exterior of the enclosure, providing an aesthetic appearance. 
     In some embodiments a combined width of first and second weld joints  510   a ,  510   b , respectively, is designed to be larger than a width  535  of tongue base  540 . In various embodiments width  535  of tongue base  540  can be selected so that when enclosure  105  is subjected to mechanical stress, the tongue base fails before first and second weld joints  510   a ,  510   b , respectively. In some embodiments, a mechanical strength of tongue base  540  can be more accurately predicted than a mechanical strength of first and second weld joints  510   a ,  510   b , respectively, because the tongue base is a homogeneous material that is undisturbed during the welding process, whereas the first and second weld joints are formed from a mixture of groove  270  and tongue  235  material. 
       FIG. 6  illustrates a simplified partial cross-sectional view of enclosure  105  in the region of a support  310 . As shown in  FIG. 7 , a segmented tongue  235  includes gaps  245  positioned between each adjacent segment, and support  310  is positioned within the corresponding gap. As shown, a clearance is formed between support  310  and gap  245  which allows air to escape during the formation of double shear weld joint  505  (see  FIG. 5 ). In one embodiment support  310  is between 0.5 millimeters and 0.7 millimeters wide and a clearance between 0.2 millimeters and 0.4 millimeters is formed between the gap and the support. 
       FIG. 7  illustrates a close-up partial cross-sectional view of groove  270  formed in cover  110 . As shown in  FIG. 7 , groove  270  can include one or more weld initiation points  405  that are the first portion of cover  110  to be in physical contact with tongue  235  (see  FIG. 4 ). In some embodiments a groove width  705  can be between 0.2 and 0.7 millimeters and in various embodiments between 0.4 and 0.6 millimeters and in one embodiments is approximately 0.55 millimeters. Other embodiments can have different dimensions. In further embodiments the groove can be formed in the housing and the tongue can be formed on the cap, as described in more detail below. 
       FIG. 8  illustrates a close-up partial cross-sectional view of tongue  235  formed as a portion of housing  115 . As shown in  FIG. 8 , tongue  235  can have a tongue width  805  between 0.5 millimeters and 1.0 millimeters and in some embodiments is between 0.7 millimeters and 0.9 millimeters and in one embodiment is approximately 0.80 millimeters. Other embodiments can have different dimensions. 
     As discussed above the embodiment of  FIGS. 1-8  includes a housing  115  with a tongue  235  and a cover  110  with a groove  270 . However, other embodiments can have a housing with a groove and a cover with a tongue. The features of the double shear weld joint disclosed herein are not restricted to being disposed on one component or the other. Further, in some embodiments cover  110  includes one or more walls that extend to create a chamber, wherein the one or more walls have a distal end that includes either a tongue or a groove weld feature. The embodiments disclosed herein can be applied to myriad enclosures. 
     For example,  FIG. 9  illustrates a simplified perspective view of an electronic device  900 , that can be used, for example, as an underwater diving device according to some embodiments of the disclosure. Electronic device  900  can include an enclosure  905  that is made from a cover  910  joined to a housing  915  with a double shear weld joint similar to that illustrated in  FIGS. 1-8 , however in this embodiment cover  910  includes one or more walls  920  that extend from a top wall  925  to create a chamber therein. At a distal end  930  of the one or more walls  920  either a tongue or a groove feature is formed, as illustrated above in  FIGS. 1-8 . 
     The double shear weld joint can result in less distortion of cover  910  and housing  915  and can exhibit improved strength as compared to other joints. The double shear weld joint can also result in less distortion of cover  910  and housing  915  as compared to other weld joints. In some embodiments a cosmetic gap  935  can be formed housing  915  and cover  910 . 
     Enclosure  905  is illustrated as including a display  940  (e.g., a touch display) and an input button  945  however other embodiments can have different user interface features. Since enclosure  905  can, in some embodiments, completely encompass the electronics assembly the electronic assembly within the enclosure can be inductively charged with a separate inductive charging station such that no penetrations are required through enclosure  905  making it liquid-tight. In further embodiments enclosure  905  can have a battery or other power source within it. Embodiments of the disclosure are not limited to any particular electronic device. In some embodiments enclosure  905  can be used for electronic devices that have different components and/or features than those shown or described in  FIG. 9 . 
     For example, in some embodiments enclosure  905  can be used to enclose electronics assemblies such as, but not limited to, a smartphone, a tablet computer, a laptop or other type of computer, a watch, a wireless communication transceiver, a wireless router, an RFID device or a wirelessly activated tag for locating lost keys. In one example, enclosure  905  can be used to encase a wireless transceiver, a rechargeable battery and a wireless charging interface to charge an internal battery. The enclosure can be formed without penetrations through the enclosure so the internal electronic assembly is fully encased and protected from water, moisture, dust or other environmental contaminants. In further embodiments, enclosure  905  can be used for purposes other than enclosing an electronic device. In one example, enclosure  905  can be used to form an aesthetically appealing enclosure for an antique (e.g., a coin or a piece of ancient artwork) that needs to be protected from damage and/or exposure to the environment. 
     As defined herein, liquid-tight shall mean a seal that conforms to one or more of the following ratings as defined by the International Protection Rating and International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) 60529 that can also be known as the I.P. 68 rating. In some embodiments the liquid-tight seal will protect the electronic assembly against the harmful ingress of water and have a “liquid ingress” rating between 1 (dripping water) and 8 (immersion beyond 1 meter). In various embodiments the liquid-tight seal shall be rated between 1 (dripping water) and 4 (splashing water) while in some embodiments the liquid-tight seal shall be rated between 2 (dripping water with device tilted at 15 degrees) and 5 (water jet). In various embodiments the liquid-tight seal shall be rated between 3 (spraying water) and 6 (powerful water jets) while in some embodiments the liquid-tight seal shall be rated between 4 (splashing water) and 7 (immersion up to 1 meter). In various embodiments the liquid-tight seal shall be rated between 5 (water jets) and 8 (immersion beyond 1 meter) while in some embodiments liquid-tight shall mean the seal will protect the electronic device against liquid ingress up to 100 feet for 30 minutes. 
       FIG. 10  illustrates a method  1000  for making an enclosure such as enclosure  105  in  FIG. 1-9 or 900  in  FIG. 9 . In step  1005  a housing is formed. In one embodiment the housing can have a rear wall and one or more sidewalls that extend from the rear wall to form a cavity. In step  1010 , an electronic assembly is placed within the cavity. In step  1015  a cover is formed. The cover can be formed prior to, simultaneously with or after the housing is formed in step  1005 . In one embodiment the cover includes a top wall and one or more outer walls extending from the top wall to form a chamber with an opening positioned opposite the top wall. In step  1020  the cover is positioned on the housing such that tongue of the housing is aligned with a groove on the cover. In step  1025  ultrasonic welding is performed between the cover and the housing, joining them together as one enclosure. The weld joint can be a double shear weld joint formed between the tongue and the groove, as describe in detail above. All weld flash is contained within the enclosure so no flash is visible on an exterior surface of the enclosure as described above. 
     As discussed above, embodiments of the disclosure are suitable for use with a myriad electronic devices. For example, any device that receives or transmits audio, video or data signals can be used with embodiments of the disclosure. In some instances, embodiments of the disclosure are particularly well suited for use with portable electronic media devices because of their potentially small form factor and need for aesthetically appealing enclosures. 
     As used herein, an electronic media device includes any device with at least one electronic component that can be used to present human-perceivable media. Such devices can include, for example, portable music players (e.g., MP3 devices and Apple&#39;s iPod devices), portable video players (e.g., portable DVD players), cellular telephones (e.g., smart telephones such as Apple&#39;s iPhone devices), video cameras, digital still cameras, projection systems (e.g., holographic projection systems), gaming systems, PDAs, as well as tablet (e.g., Apple&#39;s iPad devices), laptop or other mobile computers. Some of these devices can be configured to provide audio, video or other data or sensory output. 
     For simplicity, various internal components, such as the AC/DC converter circuitry, power transfer circuitry, internal connectors and other components of electronic devices  100  and  900  (see  FIGS. 1 and 9 ) are not shown in the figures. 
     In the foregoing specification, embodiments of the disclosure have been described with reference to numerous specific details that can vary from implementation to implementation. The specification and drawings are, accordingly, to be regarded in an illustrative rather than a restrictive sense. The sole and exclusive indicator of the scope of the disclosure, and what is intended by the applicants to be the scope of the disclosure, is the literal and equivalent scope of the set of claims that issue from this application, in the specific form in which such claims issue, including any subsequent correction. The specific details of particular embodiments can be combined in any suitable manner without departing from the spirit and scope of embodiments of the disclosure. 
     Additionally, spatially relative terms, such as “bottom or “top” and the like can be used to describe an element and/or feature&#39;s relationship to another element(s) and/or feature(s) as, for example, illustrated in the figures. It will be understood that the spatially relative terms are intended to encompass different orientations of the device in use and/or operation in addition to the orientation depicted in the figures. For example, if the device in the figures is turned over, elements described as a “bottom” surface can then be oriented “above” other elements or features. The device can be otherwise oriented (e.g., rotated 90 degrees or at other orientations) and the spatially relative descriptors used herein interpreted accordingly.

Metadata:
Filing Date: 20181029
Publication Date: 20200310
Grant Date: 20200310
Priority Date: 20180531
Inventors: HEYMAN, Ross C.
VILLARREAL, CESAR LOZANO
SIMEROTH, Johnathan D.
Assignee: APPLE INC
CPC Classifications: [{"code": "H05K5/0217", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01R13/504", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H05K5/0247", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "B29C66/12461", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "B29C66/24245", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "B29C65/02", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "B29C66/3022", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "B29C66/8322", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "B29C66/542", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "B29L2031/36", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "B29C66/1248", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01R13/506", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "B29L2031/3481", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "B29C66/12469", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01R13/6675", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H05K5/066", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "B29C66/322", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "B29C66/73921", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "B29C65/08", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01R43/20", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01R13/6675", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01R43/20", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01R13/506", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01R13/502", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01R35/04", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01R13/04", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01R2105/00", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}]
Family ID: 68342289