PATENT DOCUMENT

Publication Number: US-10019038-B2
Application Number: US-201615269940-A
Country: US
Kind Code: B2

Title: Electronic device with dynamic hinge gap cover

Abstract:
An electronic device may be provided with upper and lower housing portions that are separated by a gap. Hinge structures may allow the upper housing portion to rotate between a closed position and an open position. A flexible printed circuit in the electronic device may be coupled between components in the upper housing portion such as the display and components in the lower housing portion and may span the gap. A hinge gap cover may cover the gap and may overlap the flexible printed circuit to block the flexible printed circuit from view when the upper housing portion is in the closed position. The hinge gap cover may be formed from a layer of radio-transparent material that is rotatably coupled to the upper housing portion and that is biased towards the lower housing with a spring structure.

Claims:
What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A portable computer, comprising:
 a first housing portion that defines an internal cavity in which are carried components, at least one of which is an input device; 
 a second housing portion pivotally coupled to the first housing portion by a hinge assembly and capable of carrying a display assembly, wherein the first and second housing portions are separated from each other by a gap that extends along a rear edge of the first housing portion; 
 and 
 a gap cover that includes a layer of flexible material, the gap cover mounted to the second housing portion, wherein in a closed position when the first and second housing portions are positioned such that the display and the input device are adjacent to each other, the gap cover overlays the gap, otherwise, the gap cover is held away from the gap. 
 
     
     
       2. The portable computer of  claim 1 , wherein the first housing portion carries a keyboard. 
     
     
       3. The portable computer of  claim 1 , wherein the gap cover is configured to prevent intrusion of contaminants into the internal cavity when the first and second housing portions are in the closed position. 
     
     
       4. The portable computer of  claim 1 , wherein the gap cover prevents the components carried within the internal cavity from being seen when the first and second housing portions are in the closed position. 
     
     
       5. The portable computer of  claim 1 , wherein one of the components includes an antenna, the antenna being capable of generating a wireless signal capable of passing through the gap cover when the first and second housing portions are in the closed position. 
     
     
       6. The portable computer of  claim 1 , wherein the gap cover further includes openings capable of venting heated air from the internal cavity. 
     
     
       7. The portable computer of  claim 1 , wherein the components includes a flexible circuit that is disposed within the internal cavity and extends between the first and second housing portions, and wherein the gap cover prevents the flexible circuit from being seen when the first and second housing portions are in the closed position. 
     
     
       8. The portable computer of  claim 7 , wherein the gap cover has a curved profile that bows inwardly towards the flexible circuit. 
     
     
       9. The portable computer of  claim 1 , wherein the gap cover has an elongated rectangular shape. 
     
     
       10. The portable computer of  claim 1 , wherein the gap cover comprises a dielectric material. 
     
     
       11. An electronic device, comprising:
 a housing having first and second housing portions that are separated by a gap, the first housing portion having a display and the second housing portion having an input device; 
 a hinge that bridges the gap and connects the first housing portion to the second housing portion; and 
 a gap cover including a layer of thin flexible material, the gap cover being mounted to the first housing portion and extending towards the second housing portion and covering at least a portion of the gap, wherein the first housing portion is configured to rotate between a closed position in which the gap cover covers the gap and an open position in which the gap cover is held away from the second housing portion by the first housing portion. 
 
     
     
       12. The electronic device defined in  claim 11 , wherein the hinge comprises first and second hinges that allow the first housing portion to rotate about a hinge axis relative to the second housing portion. 
     
     
       13. The electronic device of  claim 11 , further comprising a flexible circuit that is arranged to extend across the gap and wherein the gap cover prevents the flexible circuit from being seen when the first housing portion is in the closed position. 
     
     
       14. The electronic device defined in  claim 11 , further comprising an antenna that produces antenna signals that pass through the gap cover. 
     
     
       15. A method for assembling a portable computer, comprising:
 coupling a first housing portion to a second housing portion at a hinge to form a housing unit, the first housing portion and the second housing portion being separated by a gap, the second housing portion being configured to be moveable between a closed position in which a display of the second housing portion is held adjacent to the first housing portion and an open position in which the display is separated from the first housing portion; and 
 mounting a conformable layer of material to the second housing portion to cover the gap when the second housing portion is in the closed position, wherein the layer of material is moved away from the gap by the second housing so that the layer of material does not cover the gap when the second housing is moved to the open position. 
 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 15 , wherein the portable computer further comprises an antenna and wherein the layer of material is radio frequency transparent such that antenna signals from the antenna pass through the layer of material. 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 15 , wherein a shape of the layer of material changes when the second housing rotates between the open and closed positions. 
     
     
       18. The method of  claim 15 , wherein the portable computer further comprises at least one flexible circuit that bridges the gap between the second and first housing portions, wherein the layer of material overlaps the flexible circuit and blocks the flexible circuit from view when the second housing portion is in the closed position. 
     
     
       19. The method of  claim 15 , wherein the conformable layer of material is manipulated by the second housing portion when the second housing portion rotates between the open and closed positions. 
     
     
       20. The method of  claim 15 , wherein the first housing portion includes an input device.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This Application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 14/704,447, filed May 5, 2015, entitled “ELECTRONIC DEVICE WITH DYNAMIC HINGE GAP COVER”, now U.S. Pat. No. 9,513,672 issued Dec. 6, 2016, the content which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety for all purposes. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND 
     This relates generally to electronic devices and, more particularly, to electronic devices with hinged housings such as laptop computers. 
     Laptop computers include upper and lower housings that are coupled by hinges. A keyboard and track pad are mounted in the lower housing. A display is mounted in the upper housing. The hinges allow the upper housing to be rotated with respect to the lower housing, so that the computer can be opened and closed and so that the angle of the display can be adjusted when the computer is open. 
     Gaps can develop between the upper and lower housings along a hinge axis that is located between the hinges. The gaps create clearance between the upper and lower housings. This clearance allows the upper housing to be moved with respect to the lower housing without interference from the lower housing, but can allow a user to view components within the interior of the computer and can allow dust and other contaminants to enter into the interior of the computer. 
     It would therefore be desirable to be able to provide improved hinge gap arrangements for electronic devices such as laptop computers. 
     SUMMARY 
     An electronic device such as a laptop computer may be provided with upper and lower housing portions that are separated by a gap. Hinge structures may allow the upper housing portion to rotate between a closed position in which a display in the upper housing portion is adjacent to the lower housing portion and an open position in which the display is visible to a user. 
     A flexible printed circuit in the electronic device may be coupled between components in the upper housing portion such as the display and components in the lower housing portion. The flexible printed circuit may bridge the gap. A hinge gap cover may cover the gap and may overlap the flexible printed circuit to block the flexible printed circuit from view when the upper housing portion is in the closed position. 
     The hinge gap cover may be formed from a radio-transparent material that is coupled to the upper housing portion with springs. An antenna in an interior portion of the housing may transmit and receive antenna signals that pass through the hinge gap housing. 
     Part of the upper housing portion may form a stop surface. When the upper housing portion is in the closed position, the stop surface may be separated from the hinge gap cover and the springs may hold the hinge gap cover in place over the gap. An inner surface in the lower housing portion may contact an edge of the hinge gap cover to prevent the hinge gap cover from rotating. When the upper housing is moved into the open position, the stop surface may contact the hinge gap cover and may push the hinge gap cover away from the lower housing and the gap. 
     The hinge gap cover may be bowed inwardly towards the interior of the housing when the upper housing portion is in the closed position. The flexible printed circuit may have a surface that is adjacent to the bowed surface of the hinge gap cover when the upper housing portion is in the closed position. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an illustrative electronic device such as a laptop computer having a lid in an open position in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 2  is a cross-sectional side view of an illustrative electronic device in an open position in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional side view of the illustrative electronic device of  FIG. 2  in a closed position in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 4  is a diagram of illustrative circuitry in an electronic device that is coupled together using a flexible signal path that crosses a hinge axis between housing structures in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 5  is rear perspective view of an illustrative electronic device such as the laptop computer of  FIG. 1  showing how a gap between upper and lower housings may be at least partly covered using a hinge gap cover in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 6  is a diagram of an illustrative solid hinge gap cover in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 7  is a diagram of an illustrative hinge gap cover with openings in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 8  is a diagram of an illustrative hinge gap cover with slot-shaped openings in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 9  is a rear view of an illustrative electronic device such as a laptop computer showing how a protruding portion of the lower housing of the device may cover part of a hinge gap in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 10  is a cross-sectional side view of an illustrative laptop computer in a closed position in which a hinge gap cover is used in covering a housing gap in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 11  is a cross-sectional side view of the illustrative laptop computer of  FIG. 10  in an open position in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 12  is a cross-sectional side view of an illustrative laptop computer that in a closed position in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 13  is a cross-sectional side view of the illustrative laptop computer of  FIG. 12  in an open position in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 14  is a cross-sectional side view of an illustrative laptop computer with a hinge cover that covers a relatively large gap in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 15  is a cross-sectional side view of the illustrative laptop computer of  FIG. 14  in an open position in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 16  is a cross-sectional side view of an illustrative laptop computer that has an internal housing wall that allows a hinge gap cover to be reduced in size in accordance with an embodiment. 
         FIG. 17  is a cross-sectional side view of the illustrative laptop computer of  FIG. 16  in an open position in accordance with an embodiment. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     An electronic device such as electronic device  10  of  FIG. 1  may have structures such as housing structures that move with respect to each other about a hinge axis. A gap in the housing structures may be fully or partly covered with a hinge gap cover. The hinge gap cover may be deployed using springs formed from spring-loaded shafts (e.g., shafts that rotate within pivots and that are biased by springs that are coupled to the shafts), springs that bias the hinge gap covers directly (e.g., springs that press against the hinge gap covers in configurations in which the covers are mounted to shafts that pivot within pivot structures so that the hinge gap covers open and close), or other biasing structures that allow the hinge gap cover to open and close as the housing structures are moved about the hinge axis. 
     Device  10  may be a handheld electronic device such as a cellular telephone, media player, gaming device, or other device, may be a laptop computer, tablet computer, or other portable computer, may be a desktop computer, may be a computer display, may be a display containing an embedded computer, may be a television or set top box, or may be other electronic equipment. Configurations in which device  10  has housing structures such as a housing lid and base that rotate with respect to each other about a hinge axis are sometimes described herein as an example. This is, however, merely illustrative. Device  10  may be any suitable electronic equipment. 
     As shown in the example of  FIG. 1 , device  10  may have a housing such as housing  12 . Housing  12  may be formed from plastic, metal (e.g., aluminum), fiber composites such as carbon fiber, glass, ceramic, other materials, and combinations of these materials. Housing  12  or parts of housing  12  may be formed using a unibody construction in which housing structures are formed from an integrated piece of material. Multipart housing constructions may also be used in which housing  12  or parts of housing  12  are formed from frame structures, housing walls, and other components that are attached to each other using fasteners, adhesive, and other attachment mechanisms. 
     As shown in  FIG. 1 , device  10  may have input-output devices such as track pad  18  and keyboard  16 . Device  10  may also have components such as a camera, microphones, speakers, buttons, removable storage drives, status indicator lights, buzzers, sensors, and other input-output devices. These devices may be used to gather input for device  10  and may be used to supply a user of device  10  with output. Ports in device  10  may receive mating connectors (e.g., an audio plug, a connector associated with a data cable such as a Universal Serial Bus cable, a data cable that handles video and audio data such as a cable that connects device  10  to a computer display, television, or other monitor, etc.). 
     Device  10  may include a display such a display  14 . Display  14  may be a liquid crystal display (LCD), a plasma display, an organic light-emitting diode (OLED) display, an electrophoretic display, or a display implemented using other display technologies. A touch sensor may be incorporated into display  14  (i.e., display  14  may be a touch screen display) or display  14  may be insensitive to touch. Touch sensors for display  14  may be resistive touch sensors, capacitive touch sensors, acoustic touch sensors, light-based touch sensors, force sensors, or touch sensors implemented using other touch technologies. 
     Device  10  may have housing portions that move with respect to each other. As shown in  FIG. 1 , for example, electronic device  10  may be a device such as a portable computer or other device that has a two-part housing including an upper housing portion such as upper housing portion  12 A that moves with respect to a lower housing portion such as lower housing portion  12 B. Upper housing  12 A may include display  14  and may sometimes be referred to as a display housing or lid. Lower housing  12 B may sometimes be referred to as a base housing or main housing. 
     Housings  12 A and  12 B may be connected to each other using hinge structures located along the junction between the upper edge of lower housing  12 B and the opposing lower edge of upper housing  12 A. For example, housings  12 A and  12 B may be coupled by hinges  26 . Hinges  26  may be located at opposing left and right edges of housing  12  along hinge axis  22  or may be located at other locations along hinge axis  22  between housing portions  12 A and  12 B. A slot-shaped opening such as gap  30  may be formed between upper housing  12 A and lower housing  12 B and may be bordered on either end by hinges  26 . 
     Gap  30  runs along hinge axis  22  and may therefore sometimes be referred to as a hinge gap. Hinges  26  may allow upper housing  12 A to rotate about axis  22  in directions  24  relative to lower housing  12 B. The plane of lid (upper housing)  12 A and the plane of lower housing  12 B may be separated by an angle that varies between 0° when the lid is closed to 90°, 140°, or more when the lid is fully opened. 
     Signal paths may extend between upper housing  12 A and lower housing  12 B. These signal paths may be formed by metal traces on a flexible printed circuit (e.g., a flexible printed circuit formed from a flexible layer of polyimide or a sheet of other flexible polymer substrate material), coaxial cables, wires, or other signal path structures. For example, signal paths formed from one or more flexible printed circuits  28  may bisect the slot formed from gap  30  as shown in  FIG. 1  or may cross gap  30  at one or more other locations along the length of gap  30  (as examples). 
     Speakers may be located within housing  12 . Housing  12  may have perforations such as circular holes or may use portions of gap  30  or other speaker openings to allow sound to exit the interior of device  10 . Openings in housing  12  and/or gap  30  may also be used to vent heated air from the interior of device  10  and may serve as antenna apertures through which antenna signals pass during wireless communications. 
     Gap  30  may have portions that are exposed to the front of device  10  (i.e., the portion of gap  30  that is visible in  FIG. 1 ) and portions that are exposed to the rear of device  10 . The rear portion of hinge gap  30  and, if desired, front portions of gap  30  may be partly or fully covered with hinge gap cover structures. A hinge gap cover may be formed from a thin sheet of material that can help cover gap  30 . When gap  30  is covered, potentially unsightly internal components may be hidden from view. The hinge gap cover may also help prevent intrusion of contaminants such as dust and moisture into the interior of device  10 . The hinge gap cover may be a movable structure that covers gap  30  when device  10  is closed and that does not cover gap  30  when device  10  is opened (as an example). 
     A cross-sectional side view of a portion of device  10  taken across gap  30  when device  10  is in an open position (i.e., when lid  12 A is open) is shown in  FIG. 2 . As shown in  FIG. 2 , device  10  may have an interior region such as interior region  32 . Components  34  may be mounted in interior region  32 . Components  34  may include sensors, integrated circuits, wireless transceivers and other wireless circuitry, antenna structures (e.g., impedance matching circuits, dielectric support structures for antenna resonating elements, feed structures, tuning circuits, amplifiers, etc.), batteries, input-output devices, port connectors, printed circuits, and other electrical components. As an example, component  34  of  FIG. 2  may be an antenna or part of an antenna that emits and receives antenna signals through gap  30  (e.g., a portion of gap  30  along the front of device  10  and/or a portion of gap  30  along the rear of device  10 ). 
     Hinge gap cover  36  may be used to cover gap  30 . Hinge gap cover  36  may, for example, cover gap  30  when upper housing  12 A is closed and may be pulled away from gap  30  as shown in  FIG. 2  when housing  12 B is in an opened position. When device  10  is open, gap  30  may be smaller due to the reduced size of the space between housing  12 A and  12 B and may not be visible to a user who is located in front of device  10  to view display  14 . When closed, gap  30  may become larger due to an increased spacing between housing  12 A and  12 B and may be more visible to a user (e.g., when device  10  is placed upside down on a table). By using hinge gap cover  36 , a user&#39;s view into the interior of device  10  may be fully or at least partly blocked when device  10  is in its closed position. 
     In the illustrative configuration of  FIG. 2 , hinge gap cover  36  has been mounted to upper housing  12 A using spring  38 . Spring  38  may be, for example, a torsion spring, or other flexible coupling member that causes an edge of cover  36  to press against housing  12 B when upper housing  12 A is in a closed position. Hinge gap cover  36  may be rotatably mounted to housing  12 A (e.g., by mounting hinge gap cover  36  to a shaft that rotates within pivot structures attached to housing  12 A or by mounting hinge gap cover  36  to a pivot structures that receive a shaft that is mounted to housing  12 A). In these types of arrangements, spring  38  may be a spring structure that includes a flexible sheet metal spring or other spring to bias hinge gap cover  36  directly (e.g., spring  38  may press cover  36  into its closed position when lid  12 A is closed). If desired, spring  38  may be a spring structure with a shaft that is biased with a spring (i.e., spring  38  may be a spring-loaded shaft or other rotatable structure that is mounted to housing  12 A using pivot structures and which is rotated by a torsion spring or other spring that loads the shaft). In a spring-loaded shaft configuration, cover  36  may be attached to the spring-loaded shaft with welds, adhesive, or other fastening structures and may be rotatably coupled to housing  12 A by mounting the shaft in pivot structures attached to housing  12 A. Rotation of the shaft by the spring may rotate cover  36  against housing  12 B (e.g., the shaft of spring  38  may be loaded by a torsion spring element or other spring structure so that cover  36  is biased against housing  12 B and thereby effectively seals gap  30  to prevent intrusion of contaminants and block interior portions of device  10  from view). If desired, other types of mounting arrangement may be used. For example, cover  36  may be mounted on lower housing  12 B, may have portions that are mounted respectively on upper housing  12 A and lower housing  12 B, may be mounted to housing  12  using welds, fasteners, adhesive, or other attachment mechanisms in addition to spring  38  or instead of spring  38 , etc. The arrangement of  FIG. 2  in which hinge gap cover  36  is mounted to upper housing  12 A using spring  38  is merely illustrative. 
       FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional side view of device  10  in a configuration in which upper housing  12 A has been rotated into a closed position. Just before closing, the hinge gap cover may be in position  36 ′ and may begin to contact lower housing  12 B. As housing  12 A is rotated into its final closed position, spring  38  allows the hinge gap cover to rotate about the axis of spring  38 , so that the hinge gap cover moves into the position shown by hinge gap cover  36  of  FIG. 12B . The position of hinge gap cover  36  on upper housing  12 A helps ensure that outer edge  40  of hinge gap cover  36  will contact inner surface  42  of the lower wall of housing portion  12 B. The flexibility of spring  38  may prevent hinge gap cover  36  from being overly stressed from this contact (i.e., spring  38  allows cover  36  to “give” as needed to prevent detachment of cover  36  from housing  12 A). If desired, hinge gap cover  36  may also be flexible and may deflect slightly when contacting housing  12 B. 
     Hinge gap cover  36  may be formed from metal, plastic, glass, ceramic, carbon-fiber composites, fiberglass, and other fiber-based composites, other material, or combinations of these materials. With one suitable arrangement, hinge gap cover  36  is formed from a thin sheet of material (e.g., material with a thickness of less than 4 mm, less than 2 mm, less than 1 mm, or less than 0.5 mm) such as fiberglass or plastic that is radio transparent. By using a material that is radio-transparent (e.g., a material that is a dielectric rather than a conductor), antenna signals may pass through gap  30  even when gap  30  is covered with cover  36 . For example, component  34  (e.g., an antenna) may transmit and receive radio-frequency signals that pass through cover  36 . Configurations in which hinge gap cover  36  or portions of hinge gap cover  36  are formed from thin sheets of metal (e.g., stainless steel or other metal having a thickness of 4 mm, less than 2 mm, less than 1 mm, or less than 0.5 mm, etc.) may also be used. 
     As shown in  FIG. 4 , components in upper housing  12 A such as display housing components  44  may be coupled to components in lower housing  12 B such as base housing components  46  by one or more flexible printed circuits such as flexible printed circuit  28  or other flexible signal paths. Display housing components  44  may include components such as a camera, display  14 , a touch sensor (e.g., a touch sensor built into display  14 ), an ambient light sensor, a light-emitting diode or other device that serves as a status indicator, and other electrical components. Base housing components  46  may include processor circuits, memory circuits, and other control circuitry, communications ports, sensors, input-output devices, track pad  18 , keyboard  16 , etc. During operation of device  10 , upper housing  12 A and lower housing  12 B may rotate relative to each other about hinge axis  22 , causing flexible printed circuit  28  to bend. To ensure that metal traces on flexible printed circuits  28  do not experience excessive stress, flexible printed circuit  28  may be provided with a looped portion that allows flexible printed circuit  28  to move back and forth to accommodate opening and closing of device  10 . 
     In configurations of the type shown in  FIG. 4  in which a signal path formed from flexible printed circuit  28  bridges hinge axis  22  (and gap  30 ), it may be desirable to mount hinge gap cover  36  in a position that overlaps flexible printed circuit  28  and thereby blocks flexible printed circuit  28  from view. As shown in the rear perspective view of device  10  in  FIG. 5 , for example, hinge gap cover  36  may be mounted in device  10  so that hinge gap cover  36  overlaps and covers flexible printed circuit  28 . In the illustrative arrangement of  FIG. 5 , hinge gap cover  36  overlaps only parts of gap  30 , so that end portions of gap  30  that are not covered by hinge gap cover  36  can serve as ports for device  10  (e.g., to permit air to flow between the interior of device  10  and the exterior of device  10 ). 
     Hinge gap cover  36  may have an elongated rectangular shape that extends along the rear edge of device  10  parallel to hinge axis  22 . Springs  38  may be located at opposing ends of hinge gap cover  36  or may be attached elsewhere along the length of cover  36 . There is one hinge gap cover  36  in the example of  FIG. 5 . If desired, there may be multiple hinge gap covers  36  in device  10  each of which covers a respective portion of gap  30 . In the  FIG. 5  configuration, hinge gap cover  36  is centered along the length of gap  30 , but cover  36  may be placed closer to one end of gap  30  than the other. Housing  12 B may have extended portions  12 B′. Hinges  26  ( FIG. 1 ) may be covered by portions  12 B′ and gap  30  may extend between portions  12 B′. If desired, housing  12 B may have a centrally located extended portion that covers flexible printed circuit  28  or may have other extended housing portions. 
     Hinge gap cover  36  may have an elongated rectangular shape as shown in  FIG. 6 . In this type of configuration, the ends of cover  36  may be recessed from hinges  26  and extended housing portions  12 B′, as shown in  FIG. 5 . If desired, cover  36  may have openings such as openings  50  of  FIG. 7 . Openings  50  may run along the length of cover  36  (i.e., cover  36  may have a longitudinal axis that runs parallel to hinge axis  22  and openings  50  may include a set of rectangular openings or openings  50  of other shape that extend along the longitudinal axis). When cover  36  of  FIG. 7  is installed within device  10 , openings  50  may overlap gap  30 , so that air can flow through openings  50 . As shown in the illustrative configuration of  FIG. 8 , hinge gap cover  36  may have openings such as recesses (notches)  52 . Recesses  52  may be distributed along the length of cover  36  and may overlap gap  30  to provide air passages between the interior of device  10  and the exterior of device  10 . The illustrative configurations for hinge gap cover  36  of  FIGS. 6, 7, and 8  are merely illustrative. Cover  36  may have outlines of other shapes and/or may have openings of other shapes. 
     As shown in the illustrative rear view of device  10  of  FIG. 9 , housing  12 B may have extended portions  12 B′ at the left and right edges of device  10  and a central extended portion  12 B that is centered along the rear edge of housing  12 B between the left and right extended portions  12 B′. Gap  30  may have uncovered portions or may be covered with hinge gap cover  36  as shown in  FIG. 9 . 
     Hinge gap cover  36  may have a curved profile that helps accommodate flexible printed circuit  28  without damaging flexible printed circuit  28 . A cross-sectional side view of device  10  in an illustrative configuration in which hinge gap cover  36  has a curved (bent) shape is shown in  FIG. 10 . As shown in  FIG. 10 , internal components  34  may be coupled to flexible printed circuit  28  within interior of device  10 . Flexible printed circuit  28  may have bends such as bend  58  and bend  60 . During movement of upper housing  12 A relative to lower housing  12 B, flexible printed circuit  28  may flex at bends  58  and  60 . Inner surface  56  of hinge gap cover  36  may have a convexly curved surface. With this arrangement, hinge gap cover  36  bows inwardly towards flexible printed circuit  28 . The curved shape of surface  56  may help reduce wear and sharp bends in flexible printed circuit  28  when flexible printed circuit  28  bears against surface  56  of hinge gap cover  36 , as shown in  FIG. 11  (i.e., when lid  12 A has been opened so that flexible printed circuit  28  rests adjacent to hinge gap cover  36 ). If desired, hinge gap cover  36  may have other shapes (e.g., planar shapes, shapes that are bowed outwardly towards gap  30  rather than inwardly away from gap  30  towards the interior of device  10 , etc.). The configuration of  FIGS. 10 and 11  in which hinge gap cover  36  is curved inwardly and presents a convexly curved surface  56  to adjacent structures such as flexible printed circuit  28  is merely illustrative. 
       FIGS. 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, and 17  are cross-sectional side views of the housing of device  10  in various different hinge gap cover configurations. 
     The cross-sectional side view of  FIG. 12  shows how housing  12 B may have an extended portion  12 B′ that helps reduce the size of gap  30 . In the configuration of  FIG. 12 , device  10  is in its closed position and hinge gap cover  36  is covering gap  30 . Cover  36  may be bowed inwardly so that flexible printed circuit  28  is not exposed to excess wear when upper housing  12 A is rotated to place device  10  in its open position ( FIG. 13 ). 
     Housing  12 A may have a stop feature that contacts hinge gap cover  36  as device  10  is placed in its open position. As shown in  FIG. 12 , for example, portion  74  of housing  12 A may form stop surface  70 . When housing  12 A is closed, stop surface  70  is not in contact with mating surface  72  of hinge gap cover  36 . When housing  12 A is opened, surface  70  will come into contact with surface  72  and will lift hinge gap cover  36  away from lower housing  12 B (i.e., cover  36  will be raised away from extended portion  12 B′ of housing  12 B, as shown in  FIG. 13 ). 
     The cross-sectional side view of  FIG. 14  shows how gap  30  may be somewhat wider in a configuration in which rear housing extended portion  12 B′ of  FIGS. 12 and 13  is not present. In the configuration of  FIG. 14 , device  10  is in its closed position and hinge gap cover  36  is covering gap  30 . In the closed position, stop surface  70  is not in contact with surface  72  of hinge gap cover  36  (i.e., the portion of cover  36  adjacent to spring  38 ). As with cover  36  of  FIGS. 12 and 13 , cover  36  of device  10  in  FIG. 14  may be bowed inwardly so that flexible printed circuit  28  is not exposed to excess wear when upper housing  12 A is rotated to place device  10  in its open position ( FIG. 15 ). When housing  12 A is opened, surface  70  of housing  12 A may contact surface  72  of hinge gap cover  36  and may lift hinge gap cover  36  away from housing  12 B, as shown in  FIG. 15 . 
     The cross-sectional side view of illustrative device  10  of  FIG. 16  shows how gap  30  may be reduced in size when lower housing  12 B is provided with an internal wall member such as member  76 . Member  76  may be used to help hide internal components  34  from view. Member  76  may have a surface such as surface  78  that is exposed within gap  30 . Surface  78  may be recessed relative to adjacent surfaces of housing  12 B to help reduce the visibility of surface  78 . In the configuration of  FIG. 16 , device  10  is in its closed position and hinge gap cover  36  is covering gap  30 . Stop surface  70  is not in contact with surface  72  of hinge gap cover  36 . Cover  36  may be bowed inwardly, so that flexible printed circuit  28  is not exposed to excess wear when upper housing  12 A is rotated into its open position ( FIG. 17 ) to cause stop surface  70  to contact surface  72  of cover  36  and move cover  36  away from lower housing  12 B (and thereby uncover gap  30 ), as shown in  FIG. 17 . 
     Internal structures such as structure  76  of  FIGS. 16 and 17  that help partly cover gap  30  may be formed from metal (e.g., the same metal that is used in forming housing  12 B or a different metal) or may be formed from dielectric materials. As an example, structure  76  may be a plastic member that helps hide internal components from view through gap  30  while allowing antenna signals associated with an antenna in device  10  (e.g., component  34 ) to pass through the plastic member. Conductive antennas structures may, if desired, be supported by internal wall structures such as structures  76  or other internal structures adjacent to gap  30 . 
     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: 20160919
Publication Date: 20180710
Grant Date: 20180710
Priority Date: 20150505
Inventors: GARELLI, ADAM T.
MATHEW, DINESH C.
CAO, ROBERT Y.
Lancaster Larocque, Simon
Assignee: APPLE INC
CPC Classifications: [{"code": "E05D11/0054", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F1/1681", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "E05D2011/0072", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "E05D11/0081", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F1/1616", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F1/1683", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F1/1637", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F1/203", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F1/1662", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F1/1662", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F1/1681", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "E05D11/0054", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "E05D11/0081", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F1/1683", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F1/1637", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F1/203", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F1/1616", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "E05D2011/0072", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}]
Family ID: 57222597