PATENT DOCUMENT

Publication Number: US-10505308-B1
Application Number: US-201816127056-A
Country: US
Kind Code: B1

Title: Dual cup enclosure for electronic devices

Abstract:
An enclosure for an electronic device includes a housing having a wall that defines a cavity that is configured to receive an electronic assembly therein. The wall includes tongue formed at a distal end. A cover includes a top wall and a side surface extending from the top wall to form a chamber. The housing is at least partially received within the chamber and the tongue of the housing is welded to a groove positioned within the chamber. Flash from the weld is contained within the enclosure so that no weld flash is visible on the exterior surface of the enclosure.

Claims:
What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An enclosure for an electronic device comprising:
 a housing including a bottom wall and at least one sidewall extending from the bottom wall to define a cavity, the at least one sidewall having a distal end portion; and 
 a cover attached to the housing, the cover including:
 a top wall and at least one outer wall extending from the top wall to define a chamber, the at least one outer wall defining an aperture that is in communication with the chamber; 
 a ridge extending from the top wall and into the chamber; and 
 a step positioned opposite and adjacent the ridge and extending from an interior surface of the outer wall, wherein the step includes a plurality of segments distributed along a length of the outer wall with adjacent segments of the plurality of segments separated by a gap; 
 a groove defined between the at least one outer wall and the step, wherein at least a portion of the housing is received within the chamber such that the distal end portion of the at least one sidewall is aligned with and positioned within the groove. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The enclosure of  claim 1  wherein the distal end portion is welded to the step and to the ridge. 
     
     
       3. The enclosure of  claim 1  wherein a majority of the at least one sidewall is parallel to and adjacent the at least one outer wall. 
     
     
       4. The enclosure of  claim 1  wherein an outer surface of the at least one sidewall includes a plurality of ribs. 
     
     
       5. The enclosure of  claim 1  further comprising an electronic assembly that is positioned within the cavity and is coupled to a plurality of electrical prongs that extend from an outside surface of the enclosure. 
     
     
       6. The enclosure of  claim 5  wherein the electronic assembly is an AC to DC converter that receives AC power through the plurality of electrical prongs and supplies DC power to an external electronic device. 
     
     
       7. The enclosure of  claim 6  further comprising a receiving opening formed in the top wall that enables the external electronic device to be electrically coupled to the electronic assembly. 
     
     
       8. An enclosure for an electronic device comprising:
 a housing including a bottom wall and at least one sidewall extending from the bottom wall to define a cavity, the at least one sidewall having a distal end portion; and 
 a cover attached to the housing, the cover including:
 a top wall and at least one outer wall extending from the top wall to define a chamber, the at least one outer wall defining an aperture that is in communication with the chamber; 
 a step extending from an interior surface of the outer wall, wherein the step includes a plurality of segments distributed along a length of the outer wall with adjacent segments of the plurality of segments separated by a gap; 
 a groove extending into an interior surface of the top wall and at least partially defined by the step, wherein at least a portion of the housing is received within the chamber such that the distal end portion of the at least one sidewall is aligned with and positioned within the groove. 
 
 
     
     
       9. The enclosure of  claim 8  wherein the distal end portion is welded to a pair of parallel walls that form the groove. 
     
     
       10. The enclosure of  claim 8  wherein an outer surface of the at least one sidewall includes a plurality of ribs. 
     
     
       11. The enclosure of  claim 8  further comprising an electronic assembly that is positioned within the cavity and is coupled to a plurality of electrical prongs that extend from an outside surface of the enclosure. 
     
     
       12. A method of forming an electronic device, the method comprising:
 forming a housing including a bottom wall and at least one sidewall extending from the bottom wall to define a cavity, the at least one sidewall having a distal end portion; 
 disposing an electronic assembly within the cavity; 
 forming a cover including:
 a top wall and at least one outer wall extending from the top wall to define a chamber, the at least one outer wall defining an aperture that is in communication with the chamber; 
 a step extending from an interior surface of the outer wall, wherein the step includes a plurality of segments distributed along a length of the outer wall with adjacent segments of the plurality of segments separated by a gap; 
 a ridge extending from the top wall and into the chamber; and 
 a groove defined between the step and the ridge; 
 
 inserting at least a portion of the housing through the aperture and into the chamber such that the distal end portion of the at least one sidewall is aligned with and positioned within the groove; and 
 attaching the distal end portion of the at least one sidewall to the step and the ridge. 
 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 12  wherein the distal end portion is ultrasonically welded to the step and to the ridge. 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 13  wherein flash that is generated from the ultrasonic weld is contained entirely within an enclosure formed by the housing and the cover.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCES TO OTHER APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims priority to U.S. provisional patent application Ser. No. 62/678,684, for “DUAL CUP ENCLOSURE FOR ELECTRONIC DEVICES” filed on May 31, 2018 which is hereby incorporated by reference in entirety for all purposes. 
    
    
     FIELD 
     The described embodiments relate generally to enclosures that are made of two or more components and have an aesthetically pleasing and uniform interface where the components are joined together. More particularly, the present embodiments relate to plastic enclosures that house one or more electronics assemblies and include weld joints that are not visible from the exterior. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Currently there are a wide variety of electronic devices that have external enclosures to facilitate the use of the electronic device and provide an aesthetic appearance. However, often such enclosures have one or more seams where the plastic components of the enclosure are joined together. The external appearance of the seams can be difficult to uniformly control during high volume production and can sometimes result in a relatively weak region of the enclosure that is prone to damage and/or separation. This can be particularly problematic for enclosures that contain high-voltage electronic components that would be exposed if seam were broken and separated. New enclosures and new methods for joining enclosure components are needed so the enclosure seams are more uniform during production, are aesthetically pleasing and have improved structural integrity. 
     SUMMARY 
     Some embodiments of the present disclosure relate to enclosures for electronic devices. Various embodiments relate to plastic enclosures that are made from two or more components that are joined together with welded seams. The components can have nested structure where a tongue of an inner component is welded to a groove within an outer component such that the entire weld joint is hidden within the enclosure. 
     In some embodiments an enclosure for an electronic device comprises a housing including a bottom wall and at least one sidewall extending from the bottom wall to define a cavity, the at least one sidewall having a distal end portion. A cover is attached to the housing, where the cover includes: a top wall and at least one outer wall extending from the top wall to define a chamber, the at least one outer wall defining an aperture that is in communication with the chamber, a ridge extending from the top wall and into the chamber, and a groove defined between the at least one outer wall and the ridge, wherein at least a portion of the housing is received within the chamber such that the distal end portion of the at least one sidewall is aligned with and positioned within the groove. 
     In some embodiments the distal end portion is welded to the step and to the ridge. In various embodiments an interior surface of the at least one outer wall includes a step, wherein the step is positioned opposite and adjacent the ridge such that the step and the ridge define the groove. In some embodiments the step includes a plurality of segments distributed along a length of the outer wall with adjacent segments of the plurality of segments separated by a gap. In various embodiments a majority of the at least one sidewall is parallel to and adjacent the at least one outer wall. 
     In some embodiments an outer surface of the at least one sidewall includes a plurality of ribs. In various embodiments the enclosure further comprises an electronic assembly that is positioned within the cavity and is coupled to a plurality of electrical prongs that extend from an outside surface of the enclosure. In some embodiments the electronic assembly is an AC to DC converter that receives AC power through the plurality of electrical prongs and supplies DC power to an external electronic device. In some embodiments the enclosure further comprises a receiving opening formed in the top wall that enables the external electronic device to be electrically coupled to the electronic assembly. 
     In some embodiments an enclosure for an electronic device comprises a housing including a bottom wall and at least one sidewall extending from the bottom wall to define a cavity, the at least one sidewall having a distal end portion. A cover is attached to the housing, wherein the cover includes: a top wall and at least one outer wall extending from the top wall to define a chamber, the at least one outer wall defining an aperture that is in communication with the chamber, and a groove extending into an interior surface of the top wall, wherein at least a portion of the housing is received within the chamber such that the distal end portion of the at least one sidewall is aligned with and positioned within the groove. 
     In some embodiments the distal end portion is welded to a pair of parallel walls that form the groove. In various embodiments at least one wall of the pair of parallel walls includes a step that projects into the groove. In some embodiments the step is formed as a portion of the first wall of the pair of parallel walls, the step protruding into the groove and including a plurality of segments distributed along a length of the first wall, with adjacent segments of the plurality of segments separated by a gap. 
     In some embodiments an outer surface of the at least one sidewall includes a plurality of ribs. In various embodiments the enclosure further comprises an electronic assembly that is positioned within the cavity and is coupled to a plurality of electrical prongs that extend from an outside surface of the enclosure. 
     In some embodiments method of forming an electronic device comprises forming a housing including a bottom wall and at least one sidewall extending from the bottom wall to define a cavity, the at least one sidewall having a distal end portion. An electronic assembly is disposed within the cavity and a cover is formed. The cover includes: a top wall and at least one outer wall extending from the top wall to define a chamber wherein the at least one outer wall defines an aperture that is in communication with the chamber, a ridge extending from the top wall and into the chamber, and a groove defined between the at least one outer wall and the ridge. At least a portion of the housing is inserted through the aperture and into the chamber such that the distal end portion of the at least one sidewall is aligned with and positioned within the groove and the distal end portion of the at least one sidewall is attached to the at least one outer wall and the ridge. 
     In some embodiments the distal end portion is ultrasonically welded to the step and to the ridge. In various embodiments flash that is generated from the ultrasonic weld is contained entirely within an enclosure formed by the housing and the cover. In some embodiments an interior surface of the at least one outer wall includes a step wherein the step is positioned opposite and adjacent the ridge such that the step and the ridge define the groove. In some embodiments the step includes a plurality of segments distributed along a length of the outer wall with adjacent segments of the plurality of segments separated by a gap. 
     To better understand the nature and advantages of the present disclosure, reference should be made to the following description and the accompanying figures. It is to be understood, however, that each of the figures is provided for the purpose of illustration only and is not intended as a definition of the limits of the scope of the present disclosure. Also, as a general rule, and unless it is evident to the contrary from the description, where elements in different figures use identical reference numbers, the elements are generally either identical or at least similar in function or purpose. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a front perspective view of an electronic device having an enclosure, according to some embodiments of the disclosure; 
         FIG. 2  is a partial exploded view of the enclosure shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is a partial perspective view of an interior portion of a cover of the enclosure shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 ; 
         FIG. 4  is a partial cross-sectional view of an interface between the housing and the cover of the enclosure shown in  FIGS. 1-3 , before a welding process; 
         FIG. 5  is a partial cross-sectional view of the interface shown in  FIG. 4  after the welding process; 
         FIG. 6  is a partial cross-sectional close-up view of the weld region shown in  FIG. 4 , before the welding process; 
         FIG. 7  is a partial cross-sectional close-up view of the weld region shown in  FIG. 5  after the welding process; 
         FIG. 8  is a front perspective view of the electronic device illustrated in  FIGS. 1-7  showing the electronic assembly within the enclosure; 
         FIG. 9  is a top perspective view within the cavity of the housing of the enclosure shown in  FIGS. 1-8 ; 
         FIG. 10  is a top perspective view of an electronic device having an enclosure, according to some embodiments of the disclosure; and 
         FIG. 11  is a flowchart depicting a process for forming an enclosure according to some embodiments of the disclosure. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Some embodiments of this disclosure are directed to electronic enclosures that have two or more plastic components joined together at a seam or joint formed between the components. While the present disclosure can be useful for a wide variety of configurations, some embodiments of the disclosure are particularly useful for electronic enclosures that have an aesthetically appealing exterior surface and/or that enclose high voltage electronic assemblies that would be dangerous to a user if the enclosure separated, as described in more detail below. 
     For example, in some embodiments joining of the two or more plastic components can be performed with a process known in the art as ultrasonic welding. In various embodiments the joint is formed using an ultrasonically welded configuration that includes a nested structure where a tongue of an inner plastic component is welded to a groove within an outer plastic component such that the entire weld joint and any associated weld residue, also called “flash” herein, is hidden within the enclosure. 
     In some embodiments the tongue is welded to both sides of the groove, forming a “double shear” weld joint. The double shear weld joint balances applied forces during welding so stresses and deformation are equally distributed on each side of the tongue. As a result, the double shear joint can result in less distortion of the cover and housing during joining, may require less fixturing to keep the cover and housing from distorting during the joining process and may also form a stronger joint than a single sided shear joint. Further, since the double shear joint more evenly distributes stresses, the welding process can be more consistently controlled during high volume manufacturing resulting in a more consistent aesthetic appearance. Further, the dual wall “nested” structure of the housing and the cover results in a stronger enclosure that can be useful for protecting electronic assemblies that operate at high voltages and/or currents. These features and others will be described in more detail herein. 
     In order to better appreciate the features and aspects of plastic enclosures having a nested structure where a tongue of an inner component is welded to a groove within an outer component according to the present disclosure, further context for the disclosure is provided in the following section by discussing one particular implementation of an electronic enclosure according to embodiments of the present disclosure. These embodiments are for example only and other embodiments can be employed in other electronic devices such as, but not limited to wireless routers, wireless television devices, computers, watches, media players and other devices. 
       FIG. 1  illustrates a simplified perspective view of an electronic device  100  comprising an AC to DC adapter having an enclosure  105 . As shown in  FIG. 1 , enclosure  105  can include a cover  110  positioned at least partially over and secured to a housing  115  with a tongue and groove double shear weld joint, as described in more detail below. 
     Housing,  115  has two electrical prongs  130   a ,  130   b  that extend away from the housing and are configured to be plugged into an AC wall outlet to receive AC power. Although two electrical prongs  130   a ,  130   b  illustrated in  FIG. 1  are compatible with selected European receptacles, in other embodiments a different configuration of and/or number of prongs can be used that are compatible with other standards such as, but not limited to, United States, Japan and China. Cover  110  includes a receiving opening  135  that is configured to receive a mating connector. In some embodiments one or more double shear joints are formed between cover  110  and housing  115  and at least a portion of enclosure has a dual wall structure, as described in more detail below. 
     In some embodiments, enclosure  105  encases an AC to DC electronics assembly  140  that can receive electrical power (e.g., 120 Volts AC) electrical prongs  130   a ,  130   b  when the two electrical prongs are engaged with a wall receptacle. Electronics assembly  140  can be configured to transform the AC power received from the receptacle connector to DC power (e.g., 5 Volts DC) that can be supplied to an electronic computing device through a mating connector inserted in receiving opening  135 , as described in more detail below. 
       FIG. 2  illustrates a partial perspective view of housing  115  removed from cover  110 . In some embodiments housing  115  includes a bottom wall  205  and at least one sidewall  225  extending from the bottom wall, the at least one sidewall having a distal end portion  230  forming a tongue  235 . Distal end portion  230  is positioned at a distal end  233  of at least one sidewall  225 . Bottom wall  205  and at least one sidewall  225  can form a cavity  237  having an opening  240  positioned opposite the bottom wall and sized to receive electronic assembly  140 . One or more alignment features  245  can be positioned on an interior surface  247  of the one or more sidewalls  225  to align electronic assembly  140  within cavity  237 . In some embodiments one or more alignment features  245  can include a pair of parallel ridges as shown in  FIG. 2 , while in other embodiments the one or more alignment features can be any type of protuberance from the interior surface  245  or a groove formed in the interior surface. One or more longitudinal ribs  250  can be positioned on an outer surface  253  of at least one sidewall  225  and one or more transverse ribs  255  can also be positioned on outer surface  253 . In some embodiment one or more longitudinal ribs  250  and one or more transverse ribs  255  can provide alignment for cover  110  and/or add strength to enclosure  105 , as described in more detail below. 
       FIG. 2  also illustrates cover  110  that can include a top wall  260  and at least one outer wall  265  extending from the top wall to form a chamber  270  that is sized to receive at least a portion of housing  115  through an aperture (identified as  403  in  FIG. 4 ) that is positioned opposite the top wall. In some embodiments outer wall  265  of cover  110  is configured to slide over top of at least one sidewall  225  of the housing forming a dual wall structure, as shown in more detail below. A groove (not shown in  FIG. 2 ) can be formed around an interior perimeter region of cover  110  and can receive and be joined to tongue  235  of housing  115  using ultrasonic welding, adhesive, solvent or other process. One or more longitudinal and transverse ribs,  250 ,  255 , respectively can assist alignment of cover over and around housing  115 . Receiving opening  135  in housing  215  is configured to align with a connector disposed within electronic assembly  140  (see  FIG. 1 ). In some embodiments cover  110  can include an insert molded or separately formed top wall  260 . 
       FIG. 3  illustrates a cut away partial perspective view of the inside of cover  110 . As shown in  FIG. 3 , in some embodiments cover  110  can include a groove  305  that is formed around an interior perimeter region  310 . Groove  305  can be configured to mate with tongue  235  on housing  215  to form a double shear joint as described in more detail herein. In the embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 3 , groove  305  is formed from a step  315  and a ridge  317  that are spaced apart from one another. In some embodiments a wall can be used in place of ridge  317  and can extend from interior surface  325  of top wall  260 . In further embodiments groove  305  can be formed into interior surface  325  of top wall  260 . Myriad structures can be used to form groove  305  that receives tongue  235 . 
     In some embodiments, step  315  can be formed as a portion of at least one outer wall  265 , such that the at least one outer wall has a region of increased thickness (e.g., a step formed in the interior surface). In various embodiments step  315  can be discontinuous such that one or more recesses  320  can be formed in the first wall, breaking the first wall into segments. The one or more recesses  320  can be positioned to allow air to escape during the welding process and/or to allow weld residue “flash” to accumulate or exit. More specifically, as the double shear joint between tongue  235  and groove  305  is formed, the air volume within the tongue and groove joint decreases and is allowed to escape through one or more recesses  320 . In the embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 3  one or more recesses  320 , also called gaps herein, are formed in step  315 , however they can also or alternatively be formed deeper within ridge  317 . 
       FIGS. 4 and 5  illustrate cross-sections of housing  115  and cover  110  before and after the weld joint formation, respectively. As shown in  FIG. 4 , before the welding process, housing  115  is inserted through aperture  403  positioned at least partially within chamber  270  of cover  110 , and tongue  235  is aligned with an entrance to groove  305 . In various embodiments groove  305  can include an alignment region  405  that has a clearance fit for tongue  235  so the tongue aligns with groove  305  before the welding process is initiated. In one embodiment the clearance between tongue  235  and either side of groove  305  in alignment region  405  is between 20 and 100 microns. 
     In some embodiments transverse rib  255  can be positioned on housing  115  such that a distal end  415  of outer wall  265  of cover  110  is held in position (e.g., aligned symmetrically with housing  115 ) before the welding process. In one embodiment a first distance  425  from transverse rib  255  to edge of housing  410  is between 1.7 and 2.3 millimeters which is less than a second distance  427  from a distal end of tongue  235  to a bottom  430  of groove  305  such that the tongue will not bottom out in the groove before alignment is achieved between distal end  415  of cover  110  and edge of housing  410 . 
     In some embodiments transverse rib  255  can be configured to contact an interior surface  440  of outer wall  265  while in other embodiments there may be gap between the transverse rib and the interior surface of outer wall. In yet further embodiments a spacer that can be a tape or other material can be placed between transverse rib and interior surface of cover  110 . In some embodiments cover  110  can have one or more weld initiation zones (not shown in  FIG. 4 ) that are small regions that rest on tongue  235  when housing  115  and cover  110  are in the position shown in  FIG. 4 . Bottom wall  420  of housing  115  can have one or more electrical connections that are coupled to prongs  130   a ,  130   b  as described in more detail below. 
       FIG. 5  illustrates housing  115  and cover  110  after the weld joint formation. As shown in  FIG. 5 , cover  110  has been positioned over a portion of housing  115  such that tongue  235  is substantially engaged in groove  305 . In embodiments that employ ultrasonic welding, a pair of weld joints  510   a ,  510   b  have been formed on either side of tongue  235 . Weld flash can collect in bottom portion  525  of groove  305 . During welding air and/or flash can escape from groove  305  through one or more recesses  320  (see  FIG. 3 ). 
     In embodiments that employ ultrasonic welding, the welding process involves applying high frequency (e.g., in the range of 10 kHz to 40 kHz) acoustic vibrations cover  110  and/or housing  115  that are held together under pressure to create a solid-state weld. Force can be applied to cover  110  and/or housing  115  to push them together during the welding process. The vibrations cause heat to be generated at the interfaces where tongue  235  and groove  305  are in contact with each other as a result of the friction between the surfaces. The heat causes localized regions of tongue  235  and groove  305  to melt and form weld joints  510   a ,  510   b . At each of weld joints  510   a ,  510   b  flash is generated that is extruded out of the welds. 
     In this particular embodiment it can be seen that weld joints are contained entirely within enclosure  105  so that no weld flash or weld deformation can be seen on the exterior of the enclosure. The only joint observable from the exterior of enclosure  105  is a gap  520  between housing  115  and cover  110  that is not welded. In some embodiments, due to the balanced forces in the double shear welding and the nested structure of the enclosure, gap  520  can be consistently controlled during production resulting in a consistent aesthetically pleasing appearance for the enclosure. It can be further seen in  FIG. 5  that a substantial portion of enclosure  105  has a dual wall structure where one or more sidewalls  225  are parallel to and spaced apart from one or more outer walls  265  forming a strong and reliable enclosure. 
     In other embodiments a joint can be formed between tongue  235  and groove  305  using a process other than ultrasonic welding. In one embodiment an adhesive, glue, solvent or other material can be used to bond tongue  235  to groove  305 . 
       FIGS. 6 and 7  show close-up cross-sections of housing  115  and cover  110  before and after the weld joint formation, respectively, when an ultrasonic welding process is used. As shown in  FIG. 6  tongue  235  is aligned with an entrance to groove  305 . In some embodiments groove  305  can have an alignment region  405  that has a clearance fit tongue  235  so the tongue aligns with the groove before the welding process is performed. 
     As shown in  FIG. 7 . tongue  235  has been welded to groove  305  forming a double shear joint. A pair of weld joints  510   a ,  510   b  have been formed on either side of tongue  235 . Tongue  235  has been inserted into groove  305  during the welding process. 
       FIG. 8  illustrates electronic assembly  140  positioned within enclosure  105 . In some embodiments electronic assembly  140  includes a substrate  810  that is aligned within housing using one or more alignment features  245  (see  FIG. 2 ). 
       FIG. 9  illustrates a view of an interior surface of bottom wall  205  of housing  115  showing termination regions  905   a ,  905   b  that are electrically coupled to corresponding prongs  130   a ,  130   b  (see  FIG. 1 ). In some embodiments termination regions  905  are electrically conductive and make electrical contact with electronic assembly  805  (see  FIG. 8 ) such that AC power can be received through prongs  130   a ,  130   b  and coupled to the electronic assembly through termination regions  905   a ,  905   b . Electronic assembly  805  can convert the AC power to DC power and deliver DC power through connector  815  that can be accessed through receiving opening  135  (see  FIG. 1 ). 
     Weld joints formed between a tongue of an inner component and a groove formed within an outer component, such as weld joints  510   a ,  510   b  in  FIGS. 1-9 , can be used to join myriad other plastic components together when it is desired to have a strong enclosure equipped with a double shear weld joint that is free from externally visible flash. For example,  FIG. 10  illustrates a simplified perspective view of an electronic device  1000 , that can be used, for example, as an underwater diving device according to some embodiments of the disclosure. Electronic device  1000  can include an enclosure  1005  that is made from a cover  1010  joined to a housing  1015  with a double shear weld joint similar to that illustrated in  FIGS. 1-9 . 
     The weld joint can be formed within enclosure  1005  with a single shear joint having an integral flash trap as described in detail above in  FIGS. 2 and 3 . The double shear joint can result in less distortion of cover  1010  and housing  1015  and can exhibit improved strength as compared to other joints. The double shear weld joint can result in less distortion of cover  1010  and housing  1015  and can exhibit improved strength as compared to other weld joints. In some embodiments the weld joint can include a gap  1025  between housing  1015  and cover  1010  that is visible from the exterior. The double shear joint can be used to consistently control the size of gap  1025  during high volume manufacturing so each part is aesthetically consistent. 
     In the embodiment shown in  FIG. 10 , enclosure  1005  is illustrated as including a display  1035  (e.g., a touch display) and an input button  1040  however other embodiments can have different user interface features. Since enclosure  1005  can, in some embodiments, completely encompass the electronics assembly the electronic assembly within the enclosure can be inductively charged with a separate inductive charging station such that no penetrations are required through enclosure  1005  making the enclosure completely sealed such that it is liquid-tight. In further embodiments enclosure  1005  can have a battery or other power source within it. Embodiments of the disclosure are not limited to any particular electronic device. Embodiments of the disclosure are not limited to any particular electronic device. In some embodiments enclosure  1005  can be used for electronic devices that have different components and/or features than those shown in  FIG. 10 . 
     For example, in some embodiments enclosure  1005  can be used to enclose electronics assemblies such as, but not limited to, a smartphone, a tablet computer, a laptop or other type of computer, a watch, a wireless communication transceiver, a wireless router, an RFID device, a wirelessly activated tag for locating lost keys or an AC to DC adapter, as explained in more detail below. In one example, enclosure  1005  can be used to encase a wireless transceiver, a rechargeable battery and a wireless charging interface to charge an internal battery. The enclosure can be formed without penetrations through the enclosure so the internal electronic assembly is fully encased and protected from water, moisture, dust or other environmental contaminants. 
     In further embodiments, enclosure  1005  can be used for purposes other than enclosing an electronic device. In one example, enclosure  1005  can be used to form an aesthetically appealing enclosure for an antique (e.g., a coin or a piece of ancient artwork) that needs to be protected from damage and/or exposure to the environment. As would be recognized by one of skill in the art, a weld joint formed between two plastic components that are nested and joined together with a tongue and groove weld joint exhibiting no external flash on the exterior surface is useful for myriad of enclosures. 
     As defined herein, liquid-tight shall mean a seal that conforms to one or more of the following ratings as defined by the International Protection Rating and International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) 60529 that can also be known as the I.P. 68 rating. In some embodiments the liquid-tight seal will protect the electronic assembly against the harmful ingress of water and have a “liquid ingress” rating between 1 (dripping water) and 8 (immersion beyond 1 meter). In various embodiments the liquid-tight seal shall be rated between 1 (dripping water) and 4 (splashing water) while in some embodiments the liquid-tight seal shall be rated between 2 (dripping water with device tilted at 15 degrees) and 5 (water jet). In various embodiments the liquid-tight seal shall be rated between 3 (spraying water) and 6 (powerful water jets) while in some embodiments the liquid-tight seal shall be rated between 4 (splashing water) and 7 (immersion up to 1 meter). In various embodiments the liquid-tight seal shall be rated between 5 (water jets) and 8 (immersion beyond 1 meter) while in some embodiments liquid-tight shall mean the seal will protect the electronic device against liquid ingress up to 100 feet for 30 minutes. 
       FIG. 11  illustrates a method  1100  for making an enclosure such as enclosure  105  in  FIG. 1-9 or 1005  in  FIG. 10 . In step  1105  a housing is formed. In one embodiment the housing can have a rear wall and one or more sidewalls that extend from the rear wall to form a cavity. In step  1110 , an electronic assembly is placed within the cavity. In step  1115  a cover is formed. The cover can be formed prior to, simultaneously with or after the housing is formed in step  1105 . In one embodiment the cover includes a top wall and one or more outer walls extending from the top wall to form a chamber with an opening positioned opposite the top wall. In step  1120  the cover is positioned on the housing such that tongue of the housing is aligned with a groove positioned inside the chamber. In step  1125  ultrasonic welding is performed between the cover and the housing, joining them together as one enclosure. The weld joint includes a double shear weld joint formed between the tongue and the two walls the form the groove. All weld flash is contained within the enclosure so no flash is visible on an exterior surface of the enclosure as described above. 
     Although electronic device  100  (see  FIG. 1 ) is described and illustrated as one particular type of electronic device, embodiments of the disclosure are suitable for use with a myriad electronic devices. For example, any device that receives or transmits audio, video or data signals can be used with embodiments of the disclosure. In some instances, embodiments of the disclosure are particularly well suited for use with portable electronic media devices because of their potentially small form factor and need for aesthetically appealing enclosures. 
     As used herein, an electronic media device includes any device with at least one electronic component that can be used to present human-perceivable media. Such devices can include, for example, portable music players (e.g., MP3 devices and Apple&#39;s iPod devices), portable video players (e.g., portable DVD players), cellular telephones (e.g., smart telephones such as Apple&#39;s iPhone devices), video cameras, digital still cameras, projection systems (e.g., holographic projection systems), gaming systems, PDAs, as well as tablet (e.g., Apple&#39;s iPad devices), laptop or other mobile computers. Some of these devices can be configured to provide audio, video or other data or sensory output. 
     For simplicity, various internal components, such as the AC/DC converter circuitry, power transfer circuitry, internal connectors and other components of electronic devices  100  and  1000  (see  FIGS. 1 and 10 ) are not shown in the figures. 
     In the foregoing specification, embodiments of the disclosure have been described with reference to numerous specific details that can vary from implementation to implementation. The specification and drawings are, accordingly, to be regarded in an illustrative rather than a restrictive sense. The sole and exclusive indicator of the scope of the disclosure, and what is intended by the applicants to be the scope of the disclosure, is the literal and equivalent scope of the set of claims that issue from this application, in the specific form in which such claims issue, including any subsequent correction. The specific details of particular embodiments can be combined in any suitable manner without departing from the spirit and scope of embodiments of the disclosure. 
     Additionally, spatially relative terms, such as “bottom or “top” and the like can be used to describe an element and/or feature&#39;s relationship to another element(s) and/or feature(s) as, for example, illustrated in the figures. It will be understood that the spatially relative terms are intended to encompass different orientations of the device in use and/or operation in addition to the orientation depicted in the figures. For example, if the device in the figures is turned over, elements described as a “bottom” surface can then be oriented “above” other elements or features. The device can be otherwise oriented (e.g., rotated 90 degrees or at other orientations) and the spatially relative descriptors used herein interpreted accordingly.

Metadata:
Filing Date: 20180910
Publication Date: 20191210
Grant Date: 20191210
Priority Date: 20180531
Inventors: DVORAK, PETER A.
ANDERSON, Joshua K.
FOOTE, Michael A.
PAWLOWSKI, Christopher J.
HEYMAN, Ross C.
Assignee: APPLE INC
CPC Classifications: [{"code": "H05K5/03", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H02M7/003", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01R13/502", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01R31/065", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "B29C66/73921", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01R43/18", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "B29C65/02", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H05K5/0217", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "B29L2031/3481", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01R13/5045", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "B29C65/08", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H05K5/066", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "B29C66/322", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "B29C66/54", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01R31/065", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H02M7/003", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01R13/504", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H05K5/03", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "B29C66/12441", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H05K5/063", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "B29C66/242", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01R43/18", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01R13/504", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H05K5/0217", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01R31/065", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H05K5/03", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H02M7/003", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}]
Family ID: 63685767