PATENT DOCUMENT

Publication Number: US-10162392-B2
Application Number: US-201615162931-A
Country: US
Kind Code: B2

Title: Electronic device structures joined using shrinking and expanding attachment structures

Abstract:
An electronic device has structures that are assembled using attachment structures. The attachment structures change shape to help join the electronic device structures together. Structures that may be joined together can include electronic device housing structures, display structures, internal device components, electrical components, and other portions of an electronic device. The attachment structures can include heat-activated attachment structures, structures that are activated using other types of applied energy, and structures that change shape due the application of chemicals or other treatments.

Claims:
What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method of assembling an electronic device having a first electronic device structure with a first surface and a second electronic device structure with a second surface, comprising:
 placing an expandable attachment structure between the first and second electronic device structures; 
 applying heat to the expandable attachment structure to expand the expandable attachment structure and move the first electronic device structure relative to the second electronic device structure; and 
 ceasing the applying the heat when the first surface is aligned with the second surface. 
 
     
     
       2. The method defined in  claim 1  wherein the second surface is formed on a stop structure in the second electronic device structure and wherein applying the heat comprises applying the heat to move the first electronic device structure towards the stop structure so that the first surface contacts the second surface. 
     
     
       3. The method defined in  claim 1  wherein the ceasing the applying the heat comprises ceasing the applying the heat when the first surface is flush with the second surface. 
     
     
       4. The method defined in  claim 1  wherein placing the expandable attachment structure between the first and second electronic device structures comprises placing foam between the first and second electronic device structures that is attached to the first and second electronic device structures and wherein the applying the heat comprises applying sufficient heat to expand the foam. 
     
     
       5. The method defined in  claim 1  wherein placing the expandable attachment structure between the first and second electronic device structures comprises placing a tacky material between the first and second electronic device structures. 
     
     
       6. The method defined in  claim 1  wherein applying the heat to the expandable attachment structure causes the expandable attachment structure to become tacky. 
     
     
       7. The method defined in  claim 1 , wherein the first electronic device structure has a recess and wherein the second electronic device structure is in the recess. 
     
     
       8. The method defined in  claim 1  wherein placing the expandable attachment structure between the first and second electronic device structures comprises placing an adhesive material between the first and second electronic device structures. 
     
     
       9. The method defined in  claim 1  wherein placing the expandable attachment structure between the first and second electronic device structures comprises placing a tacky polymer between the first and second electronic device structures. 
     
     
       10. The method defined in  claim 1  wherein placing the expandable attachment structure between the first and second electronic device structures comprises placing the expandable attachment structure in direct contact with both the first and second electronic device structures and wherein the applying the heat to the expandable attachment structure to expand the expandable attachment structure and move the first electronic device structure relative to the second electronic device structure comprises applying the heat to the expandable attachment structure to expand the expandable attachment structure and move the first electronic device structure relative to the second electronic device structure while the expandable attachment structure is in direct contact with both the first and second electronic device structures. 
     
     
       11. A method of assembling an electronic device having a first electronic device structure with a first surface and a second electronic device structure with a second surface, comprising:
 placing an expandable attachment structure between the first and second electronic device structures; 
 applying heat to the expandable attachment structure to expand the expandable attachment structure and move the first electronic device structure relative to the second electronic device structure; 
 with position monitoring equipment, monitoring a position of the first surface and the second surface; and 
 ceasing the applying the heat when the position monitoring equipment determines that the first surface is aligned with the second surface. 
 
     
     
       12. The method defined in  claim 11  wherein placing the expandable attachment structure between the first and second electronic device structures comprises placing an adhesive material between the first and second electronic device structures. 
     
     
       13. The method defined in  claim 11  wherein placing the expandable attachment structure between the first and second electronic device structures comprises placing a tacky polymer between the first and second electronic device structures. 
     
     
       14. The method defined in  claim 11  wherein the first electronic device structure has a recess, wherein the second electronic device structure is in the recess, and wherein placing the expandable attachment structure between the first and second electronic device structures comprises placing the expandable attachment structure within the recess. 
     
     
       15. A method of assembling an electronic device having a first electronic device structure with a first surface and a second electronic device structure with a second surface, comprising:
 placing an expandable attachment structure between the first and second electronic device structures; 
 applying heat to the expandable attachment structure to expand the expandable attachment structure and move the first electronic device structure relative to the second electronic device structure; and 
 ceasing the applying the heat when the first surface is aligned with the second surface, wherein the first electronic device structure has a recess, wherein the second electronic device structure is in the recess, and wherein placing the expandable attachment structure between the first and second electronic device structures comprises placing the expandable attachment structure within the recess. 
 
     
     
       16. The method defined in  claim 15  wherein the second surface is formed on a stop structure in the second electronic device structure and wherein applying the heat comprises applying the heat to move the first electronic device structure towards the stop structure so that the first surface contacts the second surface. 
     
     
       17. The method defined in  claim 15  wherein the ceasing the applying the heat comprises ceasing the applying the heat when the first surface is flush with the second surface. 
     
     
       18. The method defined in  claim 15  wherein placing the expandable attachment structure between the first and second electronic device structures comprises placing foam between the first and second electronic device structures that is attached to the first and second electronic device structures and wherein the applying the heat comprises applying sufficient heat to expand the foam. 
     
     
       19. The method defined in  claim 15  wherein placing the expandable attachment structure between the first and second electronic device structures comprises placing a tacky material between the first and second electronic device structures. 
     
     
       20. The method defined in  claim 15  wherein applying the heat to the expandable attachment structure causes the expandable attachment structure to become tacky.

Description:
This application is a division of patent application Ser. No. 14/295,051, filed Jun. 3, 2014, which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND 
     This relates generally to electronic devices and, more particularly, to assembling structures to form electronic devices. 
     Electronic devices include housing structures and internal components. Fasteners can be used to attach parts of an electronic device together. In some applications, space is critical, so it can be helpful to use thin layers of adhesive to join device structures. Adhesives may be challenging to dispense and control and may have a tendency to push apart joined structures over time. These issues can be addressed by increasing manufacturing tolerances, but increasing tolerances can result in bulky and cumbersome designs. 
     It would therefore be desirable to be able to provide improved techniques for assembling structures for electronic devices. 
     SUMMARY 
     An electronic device has structures that are assembled using attachment structures. The attachment structures change shape to help join electronic device structures together. The attachment structures may be formed from polymers, foam, gel, shape memory metal, adhesive, other materials, and combinations of these materials. The attachment structures may expand or shrink during device assembly operations. 
     The device structures that are joined together can include electronic device housing structures, display structures, internal device components, electrical components, mechanical components, and other structures for an electronic device. For example, an expanding attachment structure or a contracting attachment structure may be used to bring a surface of a first electronic device structure into alignment with a surface of a second electronic device structure. Stop structures may be used to arrest motion of the structures being joined with respect to each other, thereby ensuring proper alignment between surfaces of the joined structures. 
     The attachment structures can include heat-activated attachment structure, structures that are activated using other types of applied energy, and structures that change shape due the application of chemicals or other treatments. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an illustrative electronic device such as a laptop computer in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of an illustrative electronic device such as a handheld electronic device in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of an illustrative electronic device such as a tablet computer in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view of an illustrative electronic device such as a display for a computer or television in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 5  is a cross-sectional side view of an illustrative electronic device in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 6  is a diagram of illustrative equipment that may be used in assembling structures for an electronic device in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 7  is a cross-sectional side view of an illustrative foam material that may be used in assembling device structures in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 8  is a cross-sectional side view of an illustrative material with interconnected pores that may be used in assembling device structures in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 9  is a cross-sectional side view of a gel that may be used in assembling device structures in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 10  is a cross-sectional side view of a tape or other structure with upper and lower tacky portions and a central portion that may be used in assembling device structures in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 11  is a cross-sectional side view of a material such as foam that has been provided with upper and lower adhesive layers for assembling device structures in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 12  is a cross-sectional side view of a balloon that may be used in assembling device structures in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 13  is a cross-sectional side view of a structure formed from a shape memory metal or other structure that expands or contracts for use in assembling device structures in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 14  is a cross-sectional side view of the structure of  FIG. 13  embedded within a polymer or other material for use in assembling device structures in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 15  is a diagram of illustrative equipment and operations involved in assembling device structures in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 16  is a cross-sectional side view of equipment that is heating a layer of material between upper and lower structures in a device. 
         FIG. 17  is a cross-sectional side view of the structures of  FIG. 16  following heating of the layer of material in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 18  is a diagram of equipment that may be used in heating a layer of material and equipment that may be used in monitoring how structures are being joined by the layer of material in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 19  is a cross-sectional side view of illustrative device structures being joined using an expandable attachment structure in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 20  is a cross-sectional side view of the device structures of  FIG. 19  following expansion of the expandable attachment structure to bring one of the structures into alignment with another of the structures in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 21  is a cross-sectional side view of an illustrative device structure being mounted within another device structure using an expandable attachment structure in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 22  is a cross-sectional side view of the illustrative device structures of  FIG. 21  following expansion of the expandable attachment structure in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 23  is a cross-sectional side view of illustrative device structures being joined using an attachment structure based on a shrinkable material such as heat-activated shrinkable material in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 24  is a cross-sectional side view of the illustrative device structures of  FIG. 23  after shrinking the shrinkable structure in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 25  is a flow chart of illustrative steps involved in using expandable or shrinkable material in assembling device structures in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 26  is a cross-sectional side view of a pair of illustrative connectors of the type that may be joined using shrinkable material in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 27  is a cross-sectional side view of the connectors of  FIG. 27  after the connectors have been mated and held together using an attachment structure formed from the shrinkable material of  FIG. 26  in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 28  is a cross-sectional side view of illustrative connectors being joined using shrinkable material that couples two substrates in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 29  is a cross-sectional side view of the connectors and substrates of  FIG. 28  after the shrinkable material has been used to couple the connectors and substrate together in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 30  is a cross-sectional side view of illustrative structures that may be joined using expandable material with localized regions of different expandability in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 31  is a cross-sectional side view of the illustrative structures of  FIG. 30  following expansion of the expandable material in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 32  is a perspective view of an illustrative clip formed from a material that expands or contracts in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 33  is a cross-sectional side view of the illustrative clip of  FIG. 32  after shrinking the clip to pull device structures towards each other in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 34  is a cross-sectional side view of the clip structure of  FIG. 33  that has been attached to device structures using adhesive in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 35  is a cross-sectional side view of an illustrative attachment structure formed from a corrugated member based on an expandable or shrinkable material that can be used to couple a pair of device structures together in accordance with an embodiment 
         FIG. 36  is a cross-sectional side view of the illustrative corrugated member of  FIG. 35  following heating to flatten the corrugated member and thereby draw the structures of together in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 37  is an exploded perspective view of an illustrative device structure that is being mounted to another device structure using a material with channels that promote liquid evaporation in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 38  is a perspective view of an illustrative electronic device with antenna windows in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 39  is a cross-sectional side view of a portion of an illustrative electronic device in which a structure is being mounted in a housing wall using an attachment structure formed from shrinkable material in accordance with an embodiment. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Electronic devices may be provided with structures that are joined using attachment structures based on material that shrinks and material that expands. The attachment structures that are used in joining the electronic device structures may be based on material such as a polymer (e.g., adhesive, foam, gel, etc.), may include a metal (e.g., shape memory metal), may include other substances, or may be formed from multiple materials. 
     The electronic device structures that are being joined may be display structures, camera structures, antenna structures, housing structures, internal structures, electrical components, substrates, brackets, housing walls, glass layers or other glass structures, transparent crystalline structures such as sapphire structures, carbon-fiber composite structures and other fiber composites, structures formed from other materials, and combinations of these structures. 
     Illustrative electronic devices that have structures that are joined using expandable and/or shrinkable material are shown in  FIGS. 1, 2, 3, and 4 . 
     Electronic device  10  of  FIG. 1  has the shape of a laptop computer (portable computer) and has a portable computer housing  12  formed from upper housing  12 A and lower housing  12 B with components such as keyboard  16  and touchpad  18 . Device  10  has hinge structures  20  (sometimes referred to as a clutch barrel) to allow upper housing  12 A to rotate in directions  22  about rotational axis  24  relative to lower housing  12 B. Display  14  is mounted in housing  12 A. Upper housing  12 A, which may sometimes be referred to as a display housing or lid, is placed in a closed position by rotating upper housing  12 A towards lower housing  12 B about rotational axis  24 . 
       FIG. 2  shows an illustrative configuration for electronic device  10  based on a handheld device such as a cellular telephone, music player, gaming device, navigation unit, or other compact device. In this type of configuration for device  10 , device  10  (e.g., a cellular telephone) has opposing front and rear sides. Display  14  is mounted on a front face of device  10 . Housing  12  may have a planar surface on the opposing rear face of device  10 . Display  14  may have an exterior layer that includes openings for components such as button  26  and speaker port  28 . 
     In the example of  FIG. 3 , electronic device  10  is a tablet computer. In electronic device  10  of  FIG. 3 , tablet computer  10  has opposing planar front and rear surfaces. Display  14  is mounted on the front surface of device  10 . Housing  12  may have a planar rear wall on the opposing rear surface of device  10 . As shown in  FIG. 3 , display  14  has an external layer with an opening to accommodate button  26 . 
       FIG. 4  shows an illustrative configuration for electronic device  10  in which device  10  is a computer display, a computer that has an integrated computer display, or a television. Display  14  is mounted on a front face of device  10 . With this type of arrangement, housing  12  for device  10  may be mounted on a wall or may have an optional structure such as support stand  30  to support device  10  on a flat surface such as a tabletop or desk. 
     A cross-sectional side view of an illustrative electronic device is shown in  FIG. 5 . As shown in  FIG. 5 , display  14  of device  10  may be formed from a display module such as display module  42  mounted under a cover layer such as display cover layer  40  (as an example). Display  14  (display module  42 ) may be a liquid crystal display, an organic light-emitting diode display, a plasma display, an electrophoretic display, a display that is insensitive to touch, a touch sensitive display that incorporates and array of capacitive touch sensor electrodes or other touch sensor structures, or may be any other type of suitable display. Display cover layer  40  may be layer of clear glass, a transparent plastic member, a transparent crystalline member such as a sapphire layer, or other clear structure. 
     Device  10  may have inner housing structures that provide additional structural support to device  10  and/or that serve as mounting platforms for printed circuits and other structures. Structural internal housing members may sometimes be referred to as housing structures and may be considered to form part of housing  12 . 
     Electrical components  48  may be mounted within the interior of housing  12 . Components  48  may be mounted to printed circuits such as printed circuit  46 . Printed circuit  46  may be a rigid printed circuit board (e.g., a printed circuit board formed from fiberglass-filled epoxy or other rigid printed circuit board material) or may be a flexible printed circuit (e.g., printed circuit formed from a sheet of polyimide or other flexible polymer layer). Patterned metal traces within printed circuit board  46  may be used to form signal paths between components  48 . If desired, components such as connectors may be mounted to printed circuit  46 . As shown in  FIG. 5 , for example, a cable such as flexible printed circuit cable  54  may couple display module  42  to connector  52 . Connector  52  may mate with corresponding connector  50 . Connectors  52  and  50  may be bored-to-board connectors. Connector  52  may be soldered to flexible printed circuit  54 . Connector  50  may be soldered to printed circuit  46 . When coupled as shown in  FIG. 5 , signals may pass from signal lines in flexible printed circuit  54  (e.g., display signals associated with operation of display  42 ) and signal lines in printed circuit  46 . 
     Housing  12  may have windows such as antenna window  60 . Housing  12  may, for example, be formed from a conductive material such as metal. Antenna window  60  may be formed from a dielectric material such as plastic that is mounted within an opening in the metal. Antenna  62  may be mounted in a position that overlaps antenna window  60  (i.e., antenna  62  may be mounted in alignment with antenna window  60 ), so that radio-frequency signals transmitted by antenna  62  pass through antenna window  60  and so that radio-frequency signals that enter the interior of device  10  through antenna window  60  can be received by antenna  62 . 
     A camera or other component  56  (e.g. an optical component or other light-based component) may be mounted in alignment with components such as transparent member  58 . Transparent member  58  may be a glass disk (e.g., a camera window), may be a camera lens that has convex and/or concave surfaces, or may be other clear structure. Other openings may be formed in housing  12  if desired. The use of a camera window and antenna window in device housing  12  is merely illustrative. 
     Materials that expand and/or materials that contract such as polymers, shape memory metals, and other materials may be used in forming expanding and shrinking attachment structures (e.g., heat-activated attachment structures or structures that are activated using other sources of applied energy, chemical treatment, or other treatment). These attachment structures may be used in assembling device  10 . As an example, material  64  may be used to attach display cover layer  40  of display  14  to housing  12  or may be used in joining other electronic device structures. 
       FIG. 6  is a diagram of illustrative equipment that may be used in assembling device structures  66  to form electronic device  10 . Material such as material that can expand or contract upon application of heat or other energy may be deposited on device structures to be joined using deposition and patterning equipment  68 . Equipment  68  may include printing equipment such as screen printing equipment, ink-jet printing equipment, pad printing equipment, and other printing equipment. Equipment  68  may also include nozzles and other dispensers for spraying, dripping, or otherwise coating parts of device structures  66  with the material used in joining structures  66 . In some situations, pre-cut strips of tape or other structures may be formed separately from device structures  66  and then attached to device structures  66  prior to final assembly. If desired, blanket coatings may be applied to a structure and the blanket coating (or a local coating) may be patterned using etching equipment, photolithographic equipment, other photo-imaging equipment, lasers, machining equipment, or other material patterning tools. 
     The system of  FIG. 6  may include equipment  70  such as heating equipment or other equipment for applying energy and/or catalyst to materials deposited on device structures  66 . As an example, equipment  70  may include a heat gun, an infrared heat lamp, an oven, a laser, or other equipment for applying heat. Heat may be applied to device structures  66  globally or may be applied to localized portions of device structures  66 . When the shrinkable or expandable material on structures  66  is exposed to the heat, the material shrinks or expands and thereby helps attach structures  66  together. The application of heat may be stopped when the attachment structures being used to join device structures  66  have successfully aligned respective surfaces in structures  66  or have otherwise moved structures  66  into desired positions. 
     In addition to applying heat with equipment  70  or as an alternative to applying heat, other types of energy can be supplied to the materials that are to be used to join the device structures (e.g., light, electrical signals such as current, etc.). Catalyst (e.g., water or other liquids, liquid solvent, gaseous catalyst, or other materials) may also be applied to the material that is being used to join device structures  66  to cause a chemical reaction to occur (e.g., to catalyze a reaction) or to otherwise change the size of the material being used to attach device structures together. 
     Assembly equipment  72  may include computer-controlled positioners, grippers, control circuitry to control the computer-controlled positions, manually controlled equipment, and other equipment for assembling device structures  66 . 
     Inspection equipment  74  may include image sensors (e.g., a camera in a machine vision tool), light sensors, capacitive position sensors, mechanical sensors such as switches, strain gauges, and pressure sensors, electrical sensors such as a voltmeter or current meter, light-based visual inspection equipment, and other equipment for measuring the positions of the structural components of device  10 . 
     To attach device structures together, a polymer foam or other material may be heated or otherwise treated using treatment equipment  70  of  FIG. 6 . The treatment with equipment  70  causes some or all of the polymer foam or other material to expand and/or to shrink (contract). Because the material that shrinks or expands may be used in attaching device structures  66  together, this material may sometimes be referred to as bonding material or attachment material. Fasteners, tape, and other structures may be formed from the attachment material. The structures that are formed from the attachment material may sometimes be referred to as attachment structures (e.g., heat-activated attachment structures, etc.). 
     An illustrative attachment structure of the type that may be used in coupling device structures  66  together when assembling device  10  is shown in  FIG. 7 . As shown in  FIG. 7 , attachment structure  76  may be formed from a material such as foam  78 . Foam  78  may include solid material  80  (e.g., polymer) and voids  82  (e.g., fluid-filled bubbles such as gas-filled bubbles or liquid-filled bubbles). Voids  82  may include microspheres such as hollow glass microspheres, low-density polymer beads, or other structures. 
     Another illustrative attachment structure with voids is shown in  FIG. 8 . As shown in  FIG. 8 , attachment structure  76  may have solid material  80  (e.g., polymer) and pores  82  that form a foam. Pores  82  may be filled with fluid such as a liquid or gas. If desired, some of pores  82  may be filled with material and some of pores  82  may be filled with air. The presence of air-filled pores may help liquid evaporate from liquid-filled pores (e.g., pores filled with liquid adhesive, solvent, or other materials). Foams such as foam  78  of  FIG. 7  are sometimes referred to as closed-cell foams, whereas foams such as foam  78  of  FIG. 8  may sometimes be referred to as open-cell foams. Polymer  80  of structures  76  in  FIGS. 7 and 8  may be formed from an elastomeric material. 
     Attachment structure  76  of  FIG. 9  has been formed from a gel material. Gel  84  may be a polymer that is sufficiently viscous to resist wicking and running (i.e., gel  84  may be thicker than liquid polymers such as liquid adhesives). If desired, attachment structures can be formed from liquids that expand or contract upon application of catalyst, heat, or other energy. 
     Illustrative attachment structure  76  of  FIG. 10  has been formed from upper layer  86  and opposing lower layer  86  on material  88 . Material  88  may be, for example, a solid polymer and layers  86  may be layers of pressure sensitive adhesive. If desired, layers  86  may be formed by chemically tackifying the upper and lower surfaces of material  88 . 
       FIG. 11  is a cross-sectional side view of an illustrative configuration for attachment structure  76  with upper and lower adhesive layer  86  on foam  78 . Foam  78  may include solid material  80  (e.g., polymer) and voids  82 . If desired, foam  78  may include pores  82  ( FIG. 8 ) or may be formed from a mixture of open-cell and closed-cell foams. Solid polymer regions and/or other structures may also be incorporated into attachment structures  76  of  FIG. 11  if desired. 
       FIG. 12  is cross-sectional side view of an illustrative arrangement for attachment structure  76  that is based on a hollow balloon. As shown in  FIG. 12 , balloon membrane  90  may surround a hollow inner cavity such as cavity  92 . Membrane  90  may have the shape of a sphere or other shape that forms a resilient balloon structure. A thin elastomeric substance may be used in forming membrane  90  to allow membrane  90  to expand and contract (e.g., upon heating and cooling). Cavity  92  may be filled with fluid (e.g., a gas such as air, etc.). 
     If desired, attachment structures can be formed from clips, springs, brackets, or other structures that expand and shrink when attaching device structures  66  to each other.  FIG. 13  is a cross-sectional side view of an illustrative Z-shaped clip having parallel upper and lower horizontal members  94  coupled by a diagonal central member  96 . Clips such as clip  76  of  FIG. 13  may have two or more zig-zags, may have curved shapes (e.g., S-shapes with one or more curves), may be formed in the shape of a helix, or may have other shapes that allow the clips to expand and shrink when attaching structures  66  together. As shown in  FIG. 14 , attachment structure  76  may have structures such as the clip structure of  FIG. 13  that are embedded within one or more other materials such as illustrative polymer material  80 . Attachment structure  76  of  FIG. 13  and the corresponding inner portion of attachment structure  76  of  FIG. 14  may be formed from metal (e.g., a shape memory metal such as nickel-chromium), may be formed from a polymer, or may be formed from other materials. 
     All or part of the attachment structures of  FIGS. 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, and 14  and/or other attachment structures may be combined with each other to form hybrid attachment structures. For example, foam may be combined with a clip structure of the type shown in  FIG. 13 , a balloon-type structure of the type shown in  FIG. 12  may be combined with a gel or foam, adhesive coatings may be provided on one or more surfaces to help attach the attachment structure to the device structures being joined, etc. The examples of  FIGS. 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13 , and  14  are merely illustrative. 
     Attachment structures  76  may expand upon application of catalyst, heat, or other energy, or may contract upon application of catalyst, heat, or other energy. Global changes may be imparted in globally applied attachment structures and/or local changes may be made in the attachment structures. As an example, an attachment structure on one portion of a part may be expanded (or contracted) by a first amount and an attachment structure on another portion of the part may be expanded (or contracted) by a second amount that is different than the first amount. 
       FIG. 15  shows illustrative equipment and processing operations of the type that may be used in assembling device structures. As shown in  FIG. 15 , deposition equipment  68  (see, e.g., equipment  68  of  FIG. 6 ) may be used to deposit and pattern attachment structures  76  on device structure  66 A. Assembly equipment  72  may then be used to place another device structure such as device structures  66 B in contact with attachment structures  76  (i.e., assembly equipment  72  may sandwich attachment structures  76  between respective device structures such as structures  66 A and  66 B). Other types of structures may be assembled using one or more attachment structures such as attachment structures  76  of  FIG. 15 . The use of a pair of attachment structures located on the left and right sides of the device structures is merely illustrative. 
     Structures  66 A and  66 B may be housing structures, internal device structures, electrical components, connectors, mounting brackets, input-output devices, display layers in display  14  such as display cover layer  40  and/or display module  42 , or other device structures. Attachment structures may be formed from structures of the type described in connection with  FIGS. 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, and 14  or other suitable structures. Attachment structures  76  may, as an example, be shrinkable structures that shrink when exposed to catalyst, heat, or other energy (e.g., heat-activated attachment structures). 
     It may be desirable to control the orientation of device structures  66 B and  66 A with respect to each other. This may be done by selectively expanding attachment structures  76  on the left and right sides of structures  66 . Using position monitoring equipment, the position of device structure  66 B relative to device structures  66 A may be monitored in real time. While monitoring the positions of structures  66  (e.g., while monitoring the position of structure  66 B relative to structure  66 A), localized heating equipment or equipment for applying other localized energy or catalyst may be used to control the application of heat or other energy or the application of catalyst to each attachment structure  76 . If, for example, it is desired to raise the right side of structure  66 B more than the left side of structures  66 B so that structure  66 B is oriented at a non-zero angle A, the attachment structure on the right side of structures  66  can be heated more (or otherwise treated more) than the attachment structure on the left side of structures  66 . This may cause the right-hand attachment structure  76  to expand more than the left-hand attachment structure  76  so that structures  66 B and  66 A become oriented at a non-zero angle A with respect to each other. 
     If desired, a non-uniform attachment structure expansion may be achieved by using attachment structures with locally varying expansion properties. This type of arrangement is shown in  FIG. 16 . In the  FIG. 16  example, device structure  66 B is being coupled to device structure  66 A. A layer of material is interposed between structures  66 A and  66 B that serves as an attachment structure. As shown in  FIG. 16 , the attachment structure layer has regions such as regions  76 - 1 ,  76 - 2 ,  76 - 3 ,  76 - 4 , and  76 - 5 , each of which has a different chemical and/or mechanical makeup so that each region will expand by a different amount when exposed to even heat from heater  70 . Following exposure to uniform blanket heat from heater  70  (or other blanket energy or treatment), structures  66  of  FIG. 16  will appear as shown in  FIG. 17 . As shown in  FIG. 17 , each of the regions  76 - 1 ,  76 - 2 ,  76 - 3 ,  76 - 4 , and  76 - 5  of the attachment structure will expand by a different respective amount (in this example). Combinations of the approach shown in  FIGS. 16 and 17  (i.e., use of an attachment structure with different regions that change size differently when exposed to the same treatment) or and the approach of  FIG. 15  (treating each of multiple attachment structures differently to cause different respective amounts of size change) may also be used. 
       FIG. 18  shows illustrative equipment of the type that may be used in selectively treating different attachment structures  76  while monitoring the positions of device structures  66  during the process of attaching device structures  66  with attachment structures  76 . As shown in  FIG. 18 , a light source such as light source  100  may emit a light beam such as light beam  102 . Light source  100  may be a laser, a light-emitting diode, or other light source. Light beam  102  may be reflected from surface  104  of device structure  66 B. Detector  106  may detect the position of reflected beam  102 . Paths  108  may be used to allow control circuitry  110  to provide control signals to light source  100  that direct light source  100  to produce beam  102 . Paths  108  may also be used to covey data from detector  106  to control circuitry  110 . Control circuitry  110  may process information from detector  106  to determine the position of beam  102  and thereby determine the orientation of surface  104  and structure  66 B relative to structure  66 A. If desired, mechanical switches or other light-based position monitoring equipment may be used to gather information on the position of structures  66 . The use of light source  100 , light detector  106 , and control circuitry  110  is merely illustrative. Computer-controlled positioning equipment such as illustrative positioner  113  may be controlled by control signals over path  108  and may be used to control the positions of the equipment of  FIG. 18  and/or device structures  66  in connection with the assembly of structures  66 . 
     Control circuitry  110  may use control signals conveyed on path  108  to control the application of heat by multiple localized sources such as illustrative heat source  70 A and heat source  70 B. The heat produced by sources  70 A and  70 B may be used in controlling how much structure  66 B is tilted (angled) relative to structure  66 A. 
     Heat source  70 A may produce heat that heats attachment structure  76 A. Heat source  70 B may produce heat that heats attachment structure  76 B. By controlling the relative amount of heat produced by localized heat sources  70 A and  70 B while monitoring the position of structure  66 B in real time using equipment such as light source  100  and detector  106 , control circuitry  110  can adjust the position of structure  66 B relative to structure  66 A. Consider, as an example, a scenario in which it is desired for structures  66 A and  66 B to be parallel to each other (i.e., both  66 A and  66 B are to be horizontal). If control circuitry  110  determines that structure  66 B is tilted so that the left side of structure  66 B is lower than the right side of structure  66 B, control circuitry  110  can direct heat source  70 A to apply more heat to attachment structure  76 A than heat source  70 B is applying to attachment structure  76 B. The horizontal position of structure  66 A may be maintained using fixtures in assembly equipment  72 . Control circuitry  110  can monitor the orientation of structure  66 B relative to structure  66 A in real time. Once structure  76 A has expanded sufficiently to place structure  66 B in a desired horizontal orientation (or other desired tilt orientation), control circuitry  110  may halt the application of heat with heat sources  70 A and  70 B. 
       FIGS. 19 and 20  show how heat may be applied until a surface of one structure is flush with another structure or until another desired alignment has been achieved. As shown in  FIG. 19 , structure  66 A may have a recess such as recess  114 . Structure  66 B may be placed within recess  114  so that surface  118  of structure  66 B lies below surface  116  of structure  66 A. Heat or other treatment may be applied to attachment structure  76 . Structure  76  may expand in response to the applied heat. Position monitoring equipment (e.g., light-based equipment of the type shown in  FIG. 18  or other equipment) may be used to monitor the relative positions of surfaces  118  and  116  in real time while attachment structure  76  is in the process of expanding due to the applied heat. When it is determined that surface  118  has been aligned with surface  116  (i.e., when surface  118  has become flush with surface  116 ), the application of heat to attachment structure  76  may be stopped. This causes attachment structure  76  to remain fixed in the position reached in  FIG. 20 . 
     Attachment structures  76  may hold structures  66 A and  66 B together. To help hold structures  66  together, attachment structures  76  may be formed form a polymer or other substance (e.g., an adhesive coating) that is tacky or that becomes tacky when treated (e.g., a polymer that becomes sticky when heated). Attachment structures  76  may also become engaged with engagement features on structures  66 . 
     In some situations, structures  76  bias structure  66 A and/or structure  66 B towards each other. In other situations, an attachment structure  76  is attached to both structures  66 A and  66 B and holds structures  66 A and  66 B together through the attachment of these structures to the attachment structure. For example, attachment structure  76  may be affixed to structures  66 A and/or  66 B using an adhesive in structure  76  or by using a tacky surface of structure  76  that has been produced by applying heat, a tackifying chemical, or other tackifying treatment. 
     If desired, mechanical stop structures may be incorporated into device structures to help arrest the travel of a moving structure and thereby align surfaces in the structures or otherwise accurately define the relative positions between device structures that are being assembled. As an example, consider the illustrative device structures that are being assembled in  FIGS. 21 and 22 . As shown in  FIG. 21 , device structure  66 A may have recess  114 . Device structure  66 B may be received within structure  66 A. Attachment structure  76  may be expandable. In the configuration of  FIG. 21 , attachment structure  76  is in an unexpanded state and is interposed between structure  66 B and  66 A. Surface portions  120  of structure  66 B are initially not in contact with opposing surfaces  122  of structure  66 A. 
     Structure  66 A may have portions such as portions  124  that extend over structure  66 B. Portions  124  may serve as stop structures that arrest the upward movement of structure  66 B at a defined position. As attachment structure  76  is heated, edge surfaces  120  of structure  66 B will come into contact with opposing lower surfaces  122  of stop structures  124  in device structures  66 A. This ensures that structure  66 B will be aligned with respect to structure  66 A and will be attached to structure  66 A in a well-defined location, as shown in  FIG. 22 . Due to the use of mechanical stop structures in device structures  66 , it is not necessary to monitor the positions of structures  66  in real time. 
     Stop structures and real-time monitoring arrangements may be used independently or may be used together when joining device structures  66 . In addition, attachment structures  76  that are based on either expandable structures or shrinkable structures may be used with stop structures and/or real-time monitoring. In the illustrative configuration of  FIG. 23 , device structure  66 A (e.g., an electronic device housing wall or other structure) may have a recess such as recess  112  that receives a shrinkable attachment structure  76 . Protrusion  124  forms a stop structure having a stop surface such as surface  122 . Device structure  66 B (e.g., a display cover layer such as layer  40  or other layer in display  14 ) may be attached to device structure  66 A by heating attachment structure  76 . Prior to heating structure  76 , structure  76  is enlarged and surface  122  of stop structure  124  is separated from opposing surface  120  of structure  66 B as shown in  FIG. 23 . 
     When attachment structure  76  is heated, structure  76  shrinks (contracts). Attachment structure  76  is attached to structures  66 A and  66 B (e.g., due to the tacky surfaces of structure  76  such as adhesive layers  86 , etc.). When attachment structure  76  contracts, structure  66 B is pulled downwards towards stop  124  until structure  66 B rests against structure  66 A as shown in  FIG. 24 . The presence of stop  124  prevents additional movement of structure  66 B with respect to structure  66 A and ensures that structures  66 B and  66 A are aligned as desired. Attachment structure  76  can continue to pull structures  66 B inwardly (down in the orientation of  FIG. 24 ) after heat is no longer being applied to attachment structure  76 , thereby helping to prevent disassembly of structures  66 B and  66 A. 
     A flow chart of illustrative steps involved in using size-changing attachment structures such as attachment structures  76  to assemble device structures  66  for device  10  is shown in  FIG. 25 . 
     At step  126 , size changing material for attachment structures  76  is applied to device structures  66 . The material(s) for size-changing attachment structures  76  may be applied using coating techniques, other deposition techniques, or other techniques. The size changing material may be a material that expands when treated or may be a material that contracts (shrinks) when treated. Attachment structures may be applied using equipment  68  of  FIG. 6 . Examples of attachment structures are described in connection with  FIGS. 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, and 14 . 
     At step  128 , the size-changing material(s) of structures  76  may be treated using applied heat, other sources of applied energy, applied catalyst, or other applied treatments. Local and/or global treatments may be applied to attachment structures  76 . If desired, attachment structures  76  may have different regions with different respective size-changing properties, as described in connection with  FIG. 17 . Device structure position monitoring equipment may be used to monitor the positions of device structures  66  in real time during the application of heat, other energy, catalyst, or other treatments to attachment structures  76 . Stop structures may also be used to ensure accurate positions for device structures  66  are achieved (e.g., to ensure that surfaces in structures  66  are aligned with respect to each other). As illustrated by line  130 , treatment(s) may be applied continuously until device structures  66  have reached their desired positions. Once the desired positions for device structures  66  have been achieved, the application of heat or other treatment to attachment structures  76  may be ceased (i.e., device structures  66  may be cooled), as shown by step  132 . 
     If desired, connectors can be joined using attachment structures  76 . For example, shrinking (contracting) attachment structures  76  may be used in joining device connectors. This type of arrangement is shown in  FIGS. 26 and 27 . As shown in  FIG. 26 , a connector such as connector  66 A (e.g., a board-to-board connector) may be mounted to substrate  136 . A mating connector such as connector  66 B (e.g., a board-to-board connector) may be mounted to substrate  134 . Substrates  134  and  136  may be rigid printed circuit boards, flexible printed circuits, or other substrates. Solder, conductive adhesive, or other conductive coupling mechanisms may be used to mount connectors  66 A and  66 B. 
     Connector  66 A may have contacts such as metal pins  140 . Connector  66 B may have matching contacts such as metal pins  138 . To ensure that connectors  66 A and  66 B are held together and that contacts  140  mate with contacts  138 , attachment structures  76  can be applied to portions  142  of structures  66 B (and/or may be applied to portions  144  of connector  66 A). Connectors  66 A and  66 B may then be mated and heat or other treatment applied to attachment structures  76 . The application of heat to attachment structures  76  causes attachment structures  76  to shrink in height. Attachment structures  76  are attached to portions  142  of connector  66 B and portions  144  of connector  66 A through adhesive layers  86  in structures  76 , through tacky surfaces of structures  76 , through engagement features in structures  76  that interlock with mating engagement features in connectors  66 A and  66 B, and using other attachment mechanisms. As attachment structures  76  contract due to application of heat or other treatment, connectors  66 A and  66 B are moved towards each other, thereby ensuring that connectors  66 A and  66 B will satisfactorily mate and ensuring that each of connectors  138  will be coupled to a corresponding one of connectors  140 . During the lifetime of structures  66  in device  10 , contracted attachment structures  76  will continue to pull connectors  66 A and  66 B towards each other, thereby helping to prevent connectors  66 A and  66 B from becoming disassembled. Because connectors  66 A and  66 B are being pulled toward each other, the size of connectors  66 A and  66 B can be minimized and ancillary structures such as holding clamps can be simplified or eliminated from device  10 . 
       FIG. 28  shows how attachment structures  76  may be attached to portions of printed circuits  134  and  136  that are adjacent to connectors  66 A and  66 B. Following shrinkage of attachment structures  76 , connectors  66 A and  66 B will be drawn together as shown in  FIG. 29 . 
       FIG. 30  shows how an attachment structure may have regions that are configured to expend by different amounts (e.g., due to different chemical compositions and/or different amounts or types of materials, or other structural and/or chemical differences). In particular, the attachment structure of  FIG. 30  has attachment structure regions  76 -A,  76 -B, and  76 -C. Structure  66 A has a surface with different heights corresponding to the different regions of the attachment structure. The different heights of structure  66 A may be due to the presence of integrated circuits or other components, may be due to the shape of a plastic or metal member that forms structure  66 A, or may be due to the presence of other structures. Initially, structures  66 A and  66 B may be disassembled, as shown in  FIG. 30 . Following heating of attachment layer  76 , each of the regions of structure  76  may expand differently (i.e., region  76 -A and region  76 -C may expand more than region  76 -B) due to the different properties of each attachment structure region. This can help accommodate height differences or other features in structures  66 A and  66 B when joining structures  66 A and  66 B. 
       FIG. 32  is a perspective view of a clip-type attachment structure. Attachment structure  76  of  FIG. 32  has horizontal portions  94  with groove-shaped openings  150 . Portions  94  may be coupled together using diagonal portion  96 . As shown in  FIG. 33 , openings  150  may receive screws  152  or other structures that secure horizontal portions  94  to structures  66 A and  66 B. Clip-based attachment structure  76  of  FIG. 33  may be configured to expand when exposed to heat or other treatment or may be configured to contract when exposed to heat or other treatment. When structure  76  contracts, structure  66 B and structure  66 A will be drawn towards each other (e.g., to ensure that structures  66 A and  66 B mate, as described in connection with the board-to-board connectors of  FIGS. 26 and 27 ). As shown in  FIG. 33 , for example, structure  66 B may be pulled into position  66 B′. 
       FIG. 34  shows how adhesive  154  (e.g., cured liquid adhesive, pressure sensitive adhesive, etc.) may be used in securing portions  94  of attachment structure  76  to structures  66 A and  66 B. Welds, solder, fasteners, molded plastic, tacky surfaces, and other engagement structures may also be used to secure attachment structures  76  to structures  66 . 
     In the illustrative configuration of  FIG. 35 , attachment structure  76  includes a corrugated sheet such as sheet  88 . Sheet  88  may be formed from a layer of interwoven shape memory metal fibers, a solid shape memory metal layer, a solid plastic layer or a sheet with interwoven plastic fibers, or other material that changes shape when treated (e.g., when heated). Sheet  88  may initially have undulations such as undulations  156 . Adhesive  86  (e.g., pressure sensitive adhesive) may be used to couple sheet  88  to structures  66 A and  66 B. Initially, attachment structure  76  of  FIG. 35  is in its corrugated shape (in this example). Following application of heat or other treatment, undulations  156  are removed from sheet  88 . This pulls structures  66 A and  66 B towards each other so that structures  66 A and  66 B are attached to each other as shown in  FIG. 36 . If desired, sheet  88  may initially be flat and may change into a corrugated shape upon application of heat or other treatment. 
     If desired, attachment structures  76  may include channels. As shown in the exploded perspective view of  FIG. 37 , for example, material  80  (e.g., a sheet of foam or other polymer) may have openings such as channels  158 . Channels  158  may help chemicals (e.g., adhesive, solvent, catalyst) enter and exit material  80 . As an example, channels  158  may be used to help evaporate solvent from material  80  as part of a heat treatment of attachment structure  76 . Adhesive may be placed in some of channels  158  and, if desired, reactant can enter the interior of material  80  using other channels (as an example). Combinations of these arrangements and other arrangements may be used, if desired. 
     A perspective view of device  10  in an illustrative configuration in which device  10  has a pair of antenna windows at the opposing upper and lower ends of housing  12  is shown in  FIG. 38 . As shown in  FIG. 38 , device  10  may have a first antenna window or other structure mounted in housing  12  such as antenna window  60 A and may have a second antenna window or other structure mounted in housing  12  such as antenna window  60 B. Windows  60 A and  60 B may be device structures formed from plastic, glass, ceramic, crystalline materials such as sapphire, or other materials. 
     A cross-sectional side view of device  10  of  FIG. 38  taken along line  160  and viewed in direction  162  is shown in  FIG. 39 . As shown in  FIG. 39 , window structures  60 A may be pulled against housing  12  using contacting attachment structures  76 . Portions  12 ′ of housing  12  may serve as stops that define the position of structure  60 A (i.e., the opposing surfaces of portions  12 ′ and structure  60 A may define the position of structure  60 A). Component  62  may be an antenna that is overlapped by antenna window structure  60 A. If desired, an arrangement of the type shown in  FIG. 39  may be used to mount other structures within housing  12 . For example, a lens or other structure such as lens  58  of  FIG. 5  may be mounted in housing  12  in alignment with internal light-based component  56 . In general, any suitable device structures  66  may be mounted to each other using attachment structures  76 . The use of attachment structures  76  to pull together window structures and housing structures, connectors, and other illustrative device structures  66  is merely illustrative. 
     The foregoing is merely illustrative and various modifications can be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the described embodiments. The foregoing embodiments may be implemented individually or in any combination.

Metadata:
Filing Date: 20160524
Publication Date: 20181225
Grant Date: 20181225
Priority Date: 20140603
Inventors: BUSHNELL, TYLER S.
SAUERS, JASON C.
Assignee: APPLE INC
CPC Classifications: [{"code": "G06F1/181", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F1/183", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "Y10T29/49119", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01R4/726", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H05K13/00", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F1/1679", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H05K13/00", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "Y10T29/49119", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F1/181", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01R4/726", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F1/1679", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F1/183", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}]
Family ID: 54701659