PATENT DOCUMENT

Publication Number: US-8743533-B2
Application Number: US-201113216898-A
Country: US
Kind Code: B2

Title: Locking member for joining portions of an assembly

Abstract:
Electronic device assemblies may have multiple parts. A first electronic device assembly structure may be attached to a second electronic device assembly structure using a locking member. The locking member may include a tip portion that is inserted into a guiding channel in the assembly and a disposable portion that breaks away from the tip portion during assembly. Barbs on the locking member tip may resist retraction of the tip following assembly. A cam locking structure may help hold the first and second structures together. Locking features may resist longitudinal motion between the first and second structures. Snap features may provide a fail-safe mechanism to prevent disassembly of the assembly following an accidental dislodgement of the tip portion. The tip portion and assembly structures may be configured to resist bowing in the assembly structures.

Claims:
What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An electronic device assembly, comprising:
 a housing structure, comprising:
 a plurality of sidewalls and a bottom wall defining a cavity, and 
 a first recess formed along an interior surface of a selected one the plurality of sidewalls; 
 
 a body structure disposed within the cavity, the body structure comprising a second recess formed along an outside surface of the body structure, the second recess disposed proximate the first recess; 
 a guiding channel cooperatively formed by the first recess and the second recess; and 
 a locking member tip lodged within the guiding channel, the locking member tip operative to secure the housing structure to the body structure. 
 
     
     
       2. The electronic device assembly as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the housing structure further comprises a first protrusion, and wherein the body structure further comprises a second protrusion, the first and second protrusions cooperating to prevent longitudinal movement of the body structure within the cavity of the housing structure. 
     
     
       3. The electronic device assembly as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising a button structure coupled to a top surface of the body structure, the button structure configured to receive a user input. 
     
     
       4. The electronic device assembly as recited in  claim 3 , wherein the button structure comprises a plurality of switches. 
     
     
       5. The electronic device assembly as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the locking member tip is lodged within the guiding channel by a staple-shaped locking device. 
     
     
       6. The electronic device assembly as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the locking member tip comprises at least one barb, the at least one barb configured to prevent the locking member tip from being dislodged from the guiding channel. 
     
     
       7. The electronic device assembly as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a third recess disposed along another sidewall of the plurality of sidewalls, the other sidewall being positioned opposite the sidewall that includes the first recess; and 
 a fourth recess disposed along the body structure, the fourth recess disposed proximate the third recess, wherein the third recess and fourth recess cooperatively form another guiding channel; and 
 another locking member tip lodged within the other guiding channel. 
 
     
     
       8. The electronic device assembly as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the housing structure has a recessed portion, wherein the body structure has an end portion that is received within the recessed portion, and wherein the recessed portion and the end portion form a cam locking structure that holds the body structure within the housing structure. 
     
     
       9. The electronic device assembly as recited in  claim 1  wherein the housing structure and the body structure extend along a common longitudinal axis and wherein the housing and body structures comprise longitudinal motion locking features that resist relative motion between the housing and body structures along the longitudinal axis. 
     
     
       10. The electronic device assembly as recited in  claim 1  wherein the first and second recesses comprise opposing portions that form the guiding channel for the locking member and wherein the opposing portions form snap features that prevent disassembly of the housing and body structures in response to dislodgement of the locking member. 
     
     
       11. The electronic device assembly as recited in  claim 10 , wherein the housing structure comprises a sidewall with an upper edge, wherein the body structure includes a module and a structure attached to the module at an interface, and wherein the snap features are configured to prevent the interface from extending above the upper edge in response to dislodgement of the locking member. 
     
     
       12. The electronic device assembly as recited in  claim 1  wherein the first and second recesses comprise tilted portions that receive the locking mechanism and that are configured to reduce outward bowing in the selected sidewall. 
     
     
       13. The electronic device assembly as recited in  claim 1  wherein the locking member has a cross-sectional wedge shape to reduce outward bowing in the wall. 
     
     
       14. The electronic device assembly as recited in  claim 1  wherein the first and second recesses have portions that form a tapered opening for receiving the locking member. 
     
     
       15. The electronic device assembly as recited in  claim 11 , wherein the first and second recesses have protrusions in the guiding channel that are configured to prevent retraction of the locking member from the guiding channel. 
     
     
       16. An assembly, comprising:
 a housing structure comprising a plurality of walls that cooperate to form a cavity, wherein a first recess is disposed along an interior surface of a select one of the plurality of walls; 
 an internal structure disposed within the cavity, the internal structure comprising a second recess disposed along an outside surface of the internal structure, wherein the first recess and the second recess cooperate to form a guiding channel; and 
 a locking member disposed within the guiding channel, the locking member cooperating with the guiding channel opening to restrict horizontal and vertical movement of the internal structure within the housing structure. 
 
     
     
       17. The assembly as recited in  claim 16 , wherein the locking member is a tip portion of a staple-shaped locking device positioned within the guiding channel by the staple-shaped locking device, a narrowed stress concentrator region disposed along the length of the staple-shaped locking device and configured to facilitate breakage of the tip portion of the staple-shaped locking device from other portions of the staple-shaped locking device. 
     
     
       18. A button assembly, comprising:
 a housing comprising a housing wall that defines at least a portion of a cavity, wherein an interior surface of the housing wall defines a first recess; 
 a body structure disposed within the cavity that contains at least one switch, an outside surface of the body structure comprising a second recess, wherein the first recess and the second recess cooperate to form a guiding channel; and 
 a locking device tip that is inserted into the guiding channel, the guiding channel oriented in a direction different than a longitudinal axis of the body structure. 
 
     
     
       19. The button assembly as recited in  claim 18 , wherein the locking device tip comprises barbs. 
     
     
       20. The button assembly as recited in  claim 19 , wherein the locking device tip is inserted within the guiding channel by a disposable staple-shaped locking device.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     This relates generally to forming assemblies and, more particularly, to forming assemblies of structures for accessories and other electronic devices. 
     Electronic devices such as headphones and other accessories are often formed from small plastic parts. With conventional techniques, parts may be joined using snaps, adhesive, or screws. The use of snap features may require over-travel between parts (i.e., parts may be required to pass a “click point” in which one part passes over another to engage the snap). A biasing structure may then be required to ensure that the parts do not rattle. The biasing structures may flex, which may allow the parts to experience an undesirable movement with respect to one another following assembly. Glue can be used to attach parts, but can be challenging to dispense and may produce inconsistent results. Screws are often too large for use with compact assemblies. 
     In view of these challenges, it would be desirable to be able to provide improved techniques for joining structures when forming assemblies such as assemblies for electronic devices. 
     SUMMARY 
     Electronic device assemblies may have multiple parts. For example, a button assembly may have a first portion such as a housing structure and a second portion such as a body structure containing one or more switches. 
     A first electronic device assembly structure may be attached to a second electronic device assembly structure using a locking member. The locking member may be, for example, a metal or plastic staple-shaped locking device. 
     The locking member may include a tip portion that is inserted into a guiding channel in the assembly. The guiding channel may have a taper that facilitates insertion of the locking member and may have portions that resist retraction of the locking member following insertion. 
     The locking member may have a disposable portion that breaks away from the tip portion during the delivery process. Barbs on the locking member tip and adhesive in the guiding channel may resist retraction of the tip following delivery. 
     A cam locking structure may help hold the first and second structures together. The cam locking structure may be formed by enlarging an end portion of one of the assembly structures so that the end portion has a thickness that is greater than the thickness of a mating recess. 
     Locking features may resist longitudinal motion between the first and second structures. Snap features may provide a fail safe mechanism to prevent disassembly of the assembly structures following accidental dislodgement of the tip portion within the interior of the assembly. The tip portion and assembly structures may be configured to resist bowing in the assembly structures such as outward bowing in housing wall structures. 
     Further features of the invention, its nature and various advantages will be more apparent from the accompanying drawings and the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an illustrative electronic device assembly that has been formed using locking member structures such as a staple-shaped locking structure in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a cross-sectional end view of an illustrative assembly in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 3  is an exploded perspective view of an illustrative assembly showing how structures within the assembly may be assembled in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional side view of an illustrative assembly showing how a cam locking feature may be used in securing parts together in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 5  is cross-sectional side view of an illustrative assembly showing how a beveled end shape may be used to help bias a member with a cam locking feature of the type shown in  FIG. 4  into a recess in another member in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 6  is a perspective view showing how a staple-shaped locking device may be inserted into a mating feature in an assembly in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 7  is a top view showing how the structures within an assembly of the type shown in  FIG. 6  may be provided with longitudinal motion locking features in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 8  is a perspective view of the assembly of  FIG. 6  following insertion of a tip portion of the staple-shaped locking device in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 9  is a perspective view of an illustrative assembly of the type shown in  FIG. 8  following an operation to break away a portion of the staple-shaped locking device in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 10  is a top view showing how the parts that make up the assembly of  FIG. 9  may be provided with tapered sidewalls to help guide a tip portion of the staple-shaped locking device in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 11  is a diagram of an illustrative staple-shaped locking device tip portion showing how the staple-shaped locking device may be provided with a barb feature to resist retraction of the staple-shaped locking device in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 12  is a diagram of another illustrative barbed staple-shaped locking device tip configuration that may be used to resist retraction of the staple-shaped locking device in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 13  is a side view of a portion of an assembly before insertion of a barbed staple-shaped locking device of the type shown in  FIG. 12  in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 14  is a side view of a portion of an assembly after insertion of a barbed staple-shaped locking device of the type shown in  FIG. 12  in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 15  is a side view of a portion of an assembly before insertion of a barbed staple-shaped locking device of the type shown in  FIG. 11  in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 16  is a side view of a portion of an assembly after insertion of a barbed staple-shaped locking device of the type shown in  FIG. 11  in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 17  is a cross-sectional end view of an illustrative assembly showing how the assembly may be provided with retention features to help hold portions of the assembly together even in the event of failure of a staple-shaped locking device connection in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 18  is a cross-sectional perspective view showing how a staple-shaped locking device may be captured within a recess that is formed from multiple parts of an assembly in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 19  is a cross-sectional end view of a portion of the assembly of  FIG. 18  showing how the structures that form the recess may be configured to resist bowing in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Accessories such as electronic device  10  of  FIG. 1  may be formed from multiple parts. In the example of  FIG. 1 , device  10  is a headset having speakers  12  that are coupled to audio jack  16  by wires  14 . Electronic device  10  of  FIG. 1  is merely illustrative. In general, device  10  may be any suitable equipment such as a computer, media player, cellular telephone, game player, headset, accessory, etc. The example of  FIG. 1  is merely illustrative. 
     Devices such as device  10  of  FIG. 1  and other equipment may include structures that are formed from multiple parts. Such structures are sometimes referred to as assemblies. The parts that form the assemblies are sometimes referred to as components, structures, members, etc. 
     In the  FIG. 1  example, device  10  includes button assembly  18 . Assembly  18  may have button structures such as button structures  22 ,  24 , and  26  mounted in a housing such as housing  20 . Other types of devices may be formed partly or completely using different types of assemblies. Assembly  18  of  FIG. 1  is merely illustrative. 
     A cross-sectional end view of assembly  18  is shown in  FIG. 2 . As shown in  FIG. 2 , assembly  18  may have a housing portion such as housing  12 B and a button cover structure (e.g., a flexible structure for forming buttons  22 ,  24 , and  26 ) such as cover  20 A. Cover  20 A may be attached to housing structure  20 B using attachment mechanisms  38  (e.g., adhesive, welds, screws or other fasteners, snaps or other engagement features, or other suitable attachment mechanisms). 
     An internal structure such as body structure containing one or more switches  40  may be mounted within housing portion  20 B. Body structure  40  may include switch mechanisms (e.g., three switch mechanisms each of which corresponds to a respective one of three buttons  22 ,  24 , and  26 ). During operation, switch structures such as illustrative switch structure  42  may be actuated by pressing on an appropriate portion of structure  20 A. Housing structures such as structure  20 B may be formed from plastic (e.g., a rigid plastic). Housing structure  20 A may be formed from flexible plastic. Body structure  40  may be formed from plastic or other suitable materials and may include circuit board structures, components such as switches, conductive traces, and other circuits and structures for forming a button assembly or other structures for device  10 . 
     An exploded perspective view of assembly  18  of  FIG. 1  is shown in  FIG. 3 . As shown in  FIG. 3 , assembly  18  may be formed by inserting end  30  of body structure  40  into end  34  of housing structure  20 B. Following insertion of end  30  into the recess formed at the end  34  of housing structure  20 B, end  32  of body structure  40  may be rotated in direction  33  until end  32  of body structure  40  has been fully inserted into end  36  of housing structure  20 B. Structure  20 A may then be attached to the top of housing  20 B. 
     It may be desirable to use a cam locking mechanism to hold parts of an assembly together. As an example, a first part of an assembly such as body structure  40  of assembly  18  and a second part of an assembly such as housing structures  20 B may be configured to form a cam locking mechanism  41  that is activated by rotating the first part relative to the second part. Consider, as an example, the illustrative configuration of  FIG. 4 . As shown in  FIG. 4 , end  30  of body structure structure  40  may be provided with an enlarged thickness H′ that is larger than the thickness H of a mating recess in end portion  34  of housing structures  20 B. When structure  40  is rotated in direction  32 , end  30  will form a friction fit with the inner surfaces of end portion  34  of housing structure  20 B. A longitudinal biasing structure such as angled surface  44  on the end of structure  40  near end  36  of housing structure  20 B may be used to help bias structure  40  in direction  42  into end  34 , as shown in  FIG. 5 . Other biasing mechanisms may be used if desired (e.g., foam, springs, etc.). 
     Locking members such as staple-shaped locking devices may be used to help hold parts of an assembly together. The locking members may be formed from metal, plastic, or other suitable materials.  FIG. 6  is a perspective view of assembly  18  showing how a break-away locking member such as break-away staple-shaped locking device  46  (e.g., a metal staple-shaped locking device) may be used to help mount body structure  40  within housing structure  20 B. As shown in  FIG. 6 , housing structure  20 B may have staple-shaped locking device (locking member) guiding structures such as guiding ramp structures  56 . Body structure  40  may have staple-shaped locking device (locking member) guiding structures such as guiding ramp structures  58 . Structures  56  and  58  may be configured to form a staple-shaped locking device guiding feature (e.g., a recess such as a channel that receives tips  48  of staple-shaped locking device  46 ). Structures  56  and  58  may, for example, form an opening such as staple-shaped locking device guiding opening (guiding channel)  54 . 
     Staple-shaped locking device  46  may have tip portions such as staple-shaped locking device tips  48  that are inserted into assembly  18  during the assembly process. Staple-shaped locking device  46  may also have breakaway portions such as structures  50  (i.e., a disposable staple-shaped locking device portion). Following insertion of tips  48  into staple-shaped locking device guiding opening  54  in direction  52 , portion  50  may be flexed up and down. This flexing motion may cause tips  48  to break away from portion  50  at weakened (narrowed) portions  60  of staple-shaped locking device  46  (sometimes referred to as stress concentrator notches). Portion  50 , which serves as a disposable staple-shaped locking device tip delivery structure, may then be discarded. Tips  48  may help secure structures  40  and  20 B to form assembly  18 . 
     Structures  20 B and  40  may have interlocking features that help resist longitudinal motion between structures  20 B and  40 . For example, structure  40  may have a longitudinal motion locking structure such as protrusion  62  and structure  20 B may have a longitudinal motion locking structure such as mating protrusion  64 . As shown in the top view of  FIG. 7 , locking structures  62  and  64  may engage one another to help prevent relative motion of structures  40  and  20 B along longitudinal axis Z following assembly of structures  40  into structures  20 B. 
       FIG. 8  shows the position of staple-shaped locking device tips  48  after portion  50  of staple-shaped locking device  46  has been used to drive staple-shaped locking device tips  48  into staple-shaped locking device guiding opening  54  in direction  52 . Following flexing of portion  50  relative to tips  48 , narrowed portions  60  of staple-shaped locking device  46  will break, thereby detaching portion  50  from tips  48  of staple-shaped locking device  46 . Assembly  18  will therefore have the appearance shown in  FIG. 9 , in which staple-shaped locking device tips  48  have become lodged within opening  54 . 
     When sufficient force is used to drive staple-shaped locking device tips  48  into assembly  18 , the presence of tips  48  will tend to force the sidewall portions of opening  54  away from each other. This biasing force, in turn, creates friction between structures  40  and  20 B and staple-shaped locking device tips  48  that helps to retain staple-shaped locking device tips  48  in assembly  18  and helps hold structures  40  within structures  20 B. Structures  40  are also held within structure  20 B because staple-shaped locking device tips  48  block structures  40  and prevent structures  40  from being rotated upwards in direction  66 . 
     As shown in the top view of  FIG. 10 , structure  40  may have an outer surface  70  and structure  20 B may have an opposing inner surface  68  that are configured to form a tapered shape for staple-shaped locking device guiding opening  54 . This tapered shape may help to guide staple-shaped locking device tips  48  into position as staple-shaped locking device  46  is driven into assembly  18  in direction  52  during assembly. 
       FIGS. 11 and 12  show how staple-shaped locking device tips  48  may be provided with retention features such as barbs  72  to help resist retraction following assembly. The illustrative staple-shaped locking device tip shapes of  FIGS. 11 and 12  are merely illustrative. Staple-shaped locking device tips  48  may have any suitable profile with barbs of any suitable shape. 
       FIG. 13  is a side view of a portion of assembly  18  before insertion of a barbed staple-shaped locking device of the type shown in  FIG. 12  into opening  54  of assembly  18  in direction  52 . 
       FIG. 14  is a side view of assembly  18  of  FIG. 13  after insertion of barbed staple-shaped locking device  48  of  FIG. 13 . As shown in  FIG. 14 , the structures of assembly  18  such as structures  40  and structures  20 B may deform so that portions  76  engage barbs  72  and resist retraction of staple-shaped locking device tip  48  in direction  74 . 
       FIG. 15  is a side view of a portion of assembly  18  before insertion of a barbed staple-shaped locking device of the type shown in  FIG. 11  into opening  54  of assembly  18  in direction  52 . 
       FIG. 16  is a side view of assembly  18  of  FIG. 15  after insertion of barbed staple-shaped locking device  48  of  FIG. 15 . As shown in  FIG. 16 , the structures of assembly  18  such as structures  40  and structures  20 B may deform so that portions  76  engage barbs  72  and resist retraction of staple-shaped locking device tip  48  in direction  74 . If desired, the structures of assembly  18  such as structures  40  and  20 B may be provided with additional staple-shaped locking device retention features such as ramped protrusions  78 , which further help prevent retraction of staple-shaped locking device tip  48  in direction  74 . Optional adhesive  80  may be inserted into opening  54  prior to assembly to help provide additional retention for staple-shaped locking device tip  48 . 
       FIG. 17  is a cross-sectional end view of an illustrative configuration that may be used for assembly  18  showing how assembly  18  may be provided with engagement features such as snap features that serve as a fail safe mechanism to prevent disassembly of assembly  18  after staple-shaped locking device tip  48  has been inserted into assembly  18  and broken off from the rest of staple-shaped locking device  46 . The snap features may help hold assembly  18  together and prevent staple-shaped locking device tip  48  from exiting the interior of assembly  18  in the event that staple-shaped locking device tip  48  becomes dislodged within the interior of assembly  18 . As shown in  FIG. 17 , movement of structures  40  in vertical direction X relative to structures  20 B can be impeded by incorporating interlocking features (snaps) such as protrusions  84  and  86  on structures  40  and  20 B. Protrusions  84  and  86  may be implemented using guiding ramp structure  58  and  56 , respectively (see, e.g.,  FIGS. 6 and 18 ). Button structures  82  may be attached to structures  40 . As shown in  FIG. 17 , the engagement features formed from structures  84  and  86  may be configured so that interface layer  88  between structures  82  and structures  40  does not extend above upper edge  90  of housing wall structures  20 B in the event that the staple-shaped locking device tip becomes dislodged within assembly  18 , so that button structures  82  will help retain the staple-shaped locking device tip within the interior of assembly  18 . 
       FIG. 18  is a cross-sectional end view of assembly  18  showing how staple-shaped locking device tip  48  may be inserted into a guiding opening formed by structures  58  on housing portion  20 B and opposing structures on an internal member such as opposing structures  56  on body structure  40 . 
     Structures  58  and  56  may have angled horizontal surfaces that help prevent bowing in housing  20 B. As shown in  FIG. 19 , for example, portion  58  may have a lower surface such as surface  94  that is oriented at a non-zero angle A with respect to horizontal axis  98 , so that surface  94  tilts inwardly towards the interior of assembly  18 . Portion  56  of structure  40  may have an opposing upper surface such as surface  96  that is oriented at a non-zero angle B with respect to horizontal axis  100 , so that surface  96  tilts inwardly towards the interior of assembly  18 . When staple shaped locking device tip  48  is inserted into assembly  18 , opposing forces will be generated between structures  58  and  56 . The presence of the tilted surfaces of structures  56  and  58  may help pull housing wall  20 B inwardly in direction  102 , thereby resisting bowing movement outwardly in direction  92 . If desired, the anti-bowing tilted surface structures associated with guiding opening  54  may be formed by providing staple-shaped locking device tip  48  with tilted surfaces at non-zero angles as shown in  FIG. 19  in addition to or instead of providing protruding portions  56  and  58  with tilted surfaces. The tilted surfaces on tip  48  may form a cross-sectional wedge shape for tip  48  that helps to prevent outward bowing in housing wall  20 B. 
     The foregoing is merely illustrative of the principles of this invention and various modifications can be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention.

Metadata:
Filing Date: 20110824
Publication Date: 20140603
Grant Date: 20140603
Priority Date: 20110824
Inventors: STANLEY CRAIG M.
Assignee: APPLE INC
CPC Classifications: [{"code": "H01H9/0228", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "E05B73/0082", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01R13/62905", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01R13/6335", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01H9/0228", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04M1/6058", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04R1/1041", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04M1/6058", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F1/16", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H05K5/023", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H04R1/1041", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H05K5/023", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G06F1/16", "inventive": true, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "E05B73/0082", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01R13/6335", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "H01R13/62905", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}]
Family ID: 47743427