PATENT DOCUMENT

Publication Number: US-8794775-B2
Application Number: US-201213628773-A
Country: US
Kind Code: B2

Title: Camera light source mounting structures

Abstract:
An electronic device may be provided with an electronic component such as a camera light source containing a light-emitting diode. During operation, the light-emitting diode may produce heat. Thermally conducting elastomeric structures may have features such as sidewalls that mate with external surface of the camera light source or other electronic component to dissipate heat from the electronic component. Metal structures such as a bracket may be used to press the elastomeric structures and the electronic component towards a wall of a housing for the electronic device. Support structures may be interposed between the wall of the housing and the elastomeric structures. The support structures may have an opening that is aligned with an opening in the housing wall. Insert structures may be received within the opening in the support structures. The electronic component may be aligned with the insert structures and the opening in the support structures.

Claims:
What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An electronic device, comprising:
 a housing wall; 
 a light source; 
 thermally conductive elastomeric structures that are configured to dissipate heat from the light source; and 
 a metal structure configured to mount the thermally conductive elastomeric structures and the light source to the housing wall, wherein the metal structure is mounted over the thermally conductive elastomeric structures and the light source. 
 
     
     
       2. The electronic device defined in  claim 1  wherein the light source comprises a camera light source module that includes a light-emitting diode. 
     
     
       3. The electronic device defined in  claim 2  wherein the metal structure includes screw holes and wherein the electronic device comprises screws that pass through the screw holes to mount the metal structure. 
     
     
       4. The electronic device defined in  claim 1  wherein the housing wall has a housing wall opening, the electronic device further comprising a support structure with a support structure opening that is aligned with the housing wall opening, wherein the support structure has threaded holes that are configured to receive screws that mount the metal structure over the thermally conductive elastomeric structures. 
     
     
       5. The electronic device defined in  claim 4  wherein the support structure comprises metal. 
     
     
       6. The electronic device defined in  claim 5  wherein the light source comprises a module with an external surface and wherein the thermally conductive elastomeric structures have walls that are configured to mate with the external surface. 
     
     
       7. The electronic device defined in  claim 6  wherein the light source includes a flexible printed circuit having a tail portion and wherein the walls of the thermally conductive elastomeric structures have an opening through which the tail portion passes. 
     
     
       8. The electronic device defined in  claim 1  wherein the thermally conductive elastomeric structures comprise silicone and wherein the metal structure comprises a bracket mounted over the thermally conductive elastomeric structures to hold the thermally conductive elastomeric structures over the light source. 
     
     
       9. The electronic device defined in  claim 1  wherein the housing wall has a housing wall opening, the electronic device further comprising a support structure with a support structure opening that is interposed between the housing wall and the light source. 
     
     
       10. The electronic device defined in  claim 9  further comprising an insert structure having an insert structure opening that is aligned with the support structures opening and the housing wall opening, wherein the insert structure has a first portion is received within the housing wall opening and a second portion that is received within the support structure opening. 
     
     
       11. The electronic device defined in claim  10  wherein the insert structure includes a glass window overlapping the insert structure opening. 
     
     
       12. The electronic device defined in  claim 11 , wherein the light source comprises leg portions, wherein the second portion of the insert structure has recessed corners that are configured to receive the leg portions of the light source. 
     
     
       13. The electronic device defined in  claim 1  further comprising screws that are configured to conduct heat from the light source through the thermally conductive elastomeric structures and the metal structure. 
     
     
       14. Apparatus, comprising:
 a metal housing structure; 
 an electronic component; 
 a thermally conductive elastomeric structure that is configured to mate with the electronic component to dissipate heat from the electronic component; and 
 a metal bracket that mounts the electronic component to the metal housing structure and that presses the thermally conductive elastomeric structure and the electronic component towards the metal housing structure. 
 
     
     
       15. The apparatus defined in  claim 14  wherein the metal housing structure comprises a housing wall with an opening aligned with the electronic component. 
     
     
       16. The apparatus defined in  claim 15  further comprising a metal support structure interposed between the housing wall and the electronic component. 
     
     
       17. The apparatus defined in  claim 16  wherein the electronic component comprises a light-emitting diode and wherein the metal support structure comprises a bracket with screw holes, the apparatus further comprising screws that pass through the screw holes and that screw into openings in the metal support structure. 
     
     
       18. Light source structures in an electronic device having a metal wall, comprising:
 a light source module containing a light-emitting diode; 
 a silicone structure that is configured to mate with the light source module; and 
 a metal bracket that holds the silicone structure against the light source module and the metal wall. 
 
     
     
       19. The light source structures defined in  claim 18  wherein the light source module comprises a camera light source module including a light-emitting diode, wherein the silicone structure has sidewalls that surround the light source module, and wherein the metal wall comprises a metal housing wall. 
     
     
       20. The light source structures defined in  claim 19  wherein the light source module has a flexible printed circuit and wherein the silicone structure has an opening through which the flexible printed circuit protrudes. 
     
     
       21. The light source structures defined in  claim 20  further comprising:
 support structures interposed between the light source module and the metal housing wall; 
 a rigid printed circuit coupled to the flexible printed circuit; and 
 screws that couple the metal bracket to the support structures.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     This relates generally to electronic devices, and more particularly, electronic devices having electronic components such as camera light sources. 
     Electronic devices such as portable computers, tablet computers, and cellular telephones are often provided with cameras. Light sources such as light-emitting diodes may be used to provide camera illumination in low light situations. 
     It may be challenging to provide camera light sources that are as compact as desired. In some situations, a camera light source may be operated continuously. This type of operation may generate relatively large amounts of heat. Unless care is taken, a camera light source and other device components may become damaged from overheating. Light sources may be mounted on flexible printed circuits that use metal stiffeners to help dissipate heat, but this type of configuration may not dissipate heat as efficiently as desired. Conventional light source mounting arrangements may also not provide a desired amount of shock resistance during drop events. 
     It would therefore be desirable to be able to provide improved ways of installing components such as camera light sources in electronic devices. 
     SUMMARY 
     An electronic device may be provided with an electronic component that generates heat during operation. The electronic device may have a housing such as a metal housing. Component mounting structures may be used to mount the electronic component within the housing so that the component is provided with shock resistance and so that heat is dissipated from the electronic component during operation. 
     The housing may have an opening. Support structures that have an opening may be attached to the housing so that the opening in the support structures is aligned with the opening in the housing. Insert structures may be mounted within the opening in the support structures. The insert structures may include an insert member with an opening that is aligned with the opening in the support structures and a glass layer that covers the opening in the insert member. Recessed corners in the insert structures may be configured to receive leg portions of the electronic component. 
     The electronic component may be a light source such as a camera light source that includes a light-emitting diode. During operation, the light-emitting diode may produce heat. Thermally conducting elastomeric structures in the component mounting structures may be provided with features such as sidewalls that mate with external surface of the camera light source or other electronic component to dissipate heat from the electronic component. Metal structures such as a bracket in the mounting structures may be used to press the elastomeric structures and the electronic component towards a wall of the metal housing. 
     The metal bracket may be attached to the support structures using screws or other attachment mechanisms. Heat may be conducted away from the electronic component and into the housing the thermally conducting elastomeric structures, the metal bracket, the screws, and the support 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 front perspective view of an illustrative electronic device of the type that may include a camera light source in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a rear perspective view of an illustrative electronic device of the type that may include an electronic component such as a camera light source in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional side view of the electronic device of  FIG. 2  showing how the electronic device may have a camera module and an adjacent camera light source in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 4  is an exploded perspective view of an illustrative camera light source in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 5  is a top perspective view of an illustrative cowling structure for a camera light source in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 6  is a bottom perspective view of the illustrative cowling structure of  FIG. 5  in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 7  is a perspective view of an illustrative camera light source of the type shown in  FIG. 4  mounted to the inner surface of a wall in an electronic device housing in accordance with an embodiment the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Electronic devices such as electronic device  10  of  FIG. 1  may be provided with camera structures. For example, device  10  of  FIG. 1  may be provided with one or more digital camera modules. Each camera module may have a digital image sensor and lens structures for capturing digital images. There may be any suitable number of camera modules in device  10 . For example, there may be one camera module in device  10 , there may be two camera modules in device  10 , or there may be three or more camera modules in device  10  (as examples). 
     Device  10  of  FIG. 1  may be portable electronic equipment such as a cellular telephone, a tablet computer, a media player, a wrist-watch device, a pendant device, an earpiece device, a notebook computer, other compact portable devices, or other electronic equipment such as a computer monitor with an integrated computer, a computer monitor, a desktop computer, a set-top box, or a television. 
     Device  10  of  FIG. 1  may include a housing such as housing  12 . Housing  12 , which may sometimes be referred to as a case, may be formed of plastic, glass, ceramics, fiber composites, metal (e.g., stainless steel, aluminum, etc.), other suitable materials, or a combination of these materials. Housing  12  may be formed from a unibody structure (e.g., a structure that is machined from a single piece of material) or may include internal frame structures and exterior wall structures (as examples). Other types of housing construction may also be used if desired. 
     Device  10  may have a display such as display  14 . Display  14  may be a touch screen that incorporates touch sensitive structures such as capacitive touch electrodes or display  14  may be touch insensitive. Display  14  may include display pixels formed from light-emitting diodes (LEDs), organic LEDs (OLEDs), plasma cells, electrophoretic display elements, electrowetting display elements, liquid crystal display (LCD) components, or other suitable display pixel structures. A cover layer such as a layer of glass or clear plastic may cover the surface of display  14 . Buttons and speaker port openings may pass through openings in the cover glass. For example, the cover layer for display  14  may have an opening for a front-facing button such as button  16  and a speaker opening such as speaker port opening  18 . 
     Portions of display  14  may form active regions (i.e., regions in which the display pixels of display  14  form images for a user). Portions of display  14  may also form inactive regions (e.g., peripheral portions of display  14  that to not have any active display pixels). Camera window structures such as a camera window structure for camera  20  of  FIG. 1  may be provided in the cover layer for display  14  (e.g., to form a front-facing camera). The camera windows structures may be formed from transparent materials such as glass, plastic, or other transparent materials. Camera  20  of  FIG. 1  may, for example, be formed using a window in an inactive portion of display  14 . The display cover layer in the inactive portion of display  14  may be provided with an opaque masking layer such as a layer of black ink. Camera  20  may be aligned with an opening in the opaque masking layer. 
     If desired, cameras  20  may be formed elsewhere in device housing  12 . As shown in the rear perspective view of device  10  of  FIG. 2 , for example, a camera such as camera  20  may be located on the rear surface of housing  12  (e.g., to form a rear-facing camera). 
     Cameras such as front-facing camera  20  of  FIG. 1  and/or rear facing camera  20  of  FIG. 2  may be provided with light sources. Camera light sources such as illustrative camera light source  22  of  FIG. 2  may be used to provide brief bursts of light during the acquisition of still images (i.e., light source  22  may serve as a camera flash) and may provide more prolonged illumination (e.g., when illuminating a subject for a video clip or when implementing red-eye reduction functions). Camera light sources such as camera light source  22  on the rear of device  10  may be implemented using lamps, light-emitting diodes, or other sources of light. Configurations in which camera light sources such as camera light source  22  are formed using light-emitting diodes are sometimes described herein as an example. 
       FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional side view of electronic device  10  taken along line  26  of  FIG. 2  and viewed in direction  24 . The cross-sectional side view of  FIG. 3  shows how camera light source  22  may be mounted in housing  12  adjacent to camera module  20 . In general, there may be one camera light source  22  in device  10 , two camera light sources  22  in device  10 , or three or more camera light sources  22  in device  10 . The illustrative configuration of  FIGS. 1 ,  2 , and  3  in which there is a single camera light source in device  10  is merely illustrative. 
     As shown in  FIG. 3 , camera module  20  may include a digital image sensor such as digital image sensor  21 . Camera light source  22  may include a light source such as light-emitting diode  23 . 
       FIG. 4  is an exploded perspective view of component mounting structures of the type that may be associated with mounting an electronic component such as light source  22  within housing  12  of electronic device  10 . As shown in  FIG. 4 , light source structures  22  may include support structures such as support structures  30 . Support structures  30  may have an opening such as rectangular opening  28 . Support structures  30  may be formed from a material such as plastic or metal. As an example, support structures  30  may be formed from a metal such as aluminum or stainless steel to promote thermal conduction (as an example). Support structures  30  may be attached to housing wall  12  using adhesive  62  or other attachment mechanisms (welds, screws or other fasteners, etc.). 
     Housing  12  may have an opening such as illustrative oval-shaped camera light source opening  32 . Support structures  30  may be mounted on housing  12  so that opening  28  in support structures  30  is aligned with opening  32  in housing wall  12 . 
     Light source structures  22  may include a light-generating component such as a light source module  44 . Light-emitting diode  23  ( FIG. 3 ) may be mounted within light source module  44  (e.g., on the underside of rigid printed circuit board  64 ). A flexible printed circuit such as flexible printed circuit  46  may be coupled to printed circuit board  64 . Conductive traces on tail portion  50  of flexible printed circuit  46  may be used to route signals to light-emitting diode  23  to control the operation of light-emitting diode  23 . 
     Structures such as insert structures  66  may be used in mounting light source module  44  within support structures  30  and housing  12 . Insert structures  66  may have an insert member such as insert member  34 . Insert member  34  may be formed from plastic or metal (e.g., aluminum, stainless steel, etc.). Insert member  34  may have an opening such as opening  68  that is aligned with opening  28  and opening  32 . A transparent window structure such as transparent glass window  38  may be attached to insert  34  over opening  68  using adhesive  36 . Corner recesses  40  may be configured to receive corresponding portions of light source module  44  such as leg portions  42 . When assembled, leg portions  42  will be received within recesses  40 . The side walls of insert member  34  will be received within oval opening  32  of housing wall  12 . Upper lip portion  67  of insert member  34  in insert structures  66  will be received within opening  28 . Recesses  40  create openings between lip  67  and the inner walls of opening  28  in support structures  30  that can hold leg portions  42  and therefore light source module  44  in a desired position relative to openings  68 ,  28 , and  32 . 
     Light source module  44  may be mounted within device  10  using mounting structures that provide shock resistance and heat dissipation. As shown in  FIG. 4 , for example, a thermally conductive material such as thermally conductive elastomeric structures  54  may cover and surround light source module  44 . A metal mounting structure such as metal bracket  52  may be used to hold thermally conductive elastomeric structures  54  in place. Bracket  52 , which may sometimes be referred to as a cowling, may have openings such as screw holes  58  through which screws  56  may pass. Screws  56  may be formed from a thermally conductive material such as metal. Screws  56  may have threaded shafts that are received within threaded openings  60  of support structures  30 . 
     Thermally conductive elastomeric structures  54  may be formed from a material such as silicone or other elastomeric polymer that has been provided with thermally conductive additives to ensure that structures  54  exhibit a desired amount of thermal conductivity. As an example, structures  54  may be formed from a material that exhibits a thermal conductivity of 0.3 W/mK or more, 1 W/mK or more, or 2.5 W/mK or more. 
     Thermally conductive elastomeric structures  54  may be formed using a molding process or other suitable fabrication techniques. Structures  54  may, for example, be molded in a die having a shape that matches the shape of the exterior of light source module  44 , so that structures  54  mate with light source module  44 , thereby ensuring satisfactory thermal conduction between light source module  44  and structures  54 . Structures  54  may also have surfaces that mate with metal structures such as bracket  52 . This allows heat that is generated by light source module  44  during operation of light-emitting diode  23  to be conducted to thermally conductive elastomeric structures  54  and, via structures  54  to a metal mounting structure such as bracket  52 . Heat may then be dissipated from the surface of bracket  52  and may be conducted away from light source module  44  and bracket  52  into housing  12  via screws  56  and support structure  30 . 
     If desired, thermally conductive elastomeric structures  54  may be provided with an opening such as opening  70  to accommodate flexible printed circuit tail portion  50  of flexible printed circuit  46 . Vertical walls such as walls  72  of thermally conductive elastomeric structures  54  may be used to surround the sides of light source module  44 . 
       FIG. 5  is a top perspective view of thermally conductive elastomeric material  54  and cowling  52 .  FIG. 6  is a bottom perspective view of thermally conductive elastomeric structures  54  and cowling  52 . As shown in  FIG. 6 , vertical sidewalls such as sidewalls  72  may form an opening in the underside of structures  54  such as opening  74 . Opening  74  may have a shape that is configured to mate with the exterior surfaces of light source  44  of  FIG. 4 , so that heat may be efficiently conducted away from light source  44  during operation. 
       FIG. 7  is a perspective view of light source structures  22  of  FIGS. 4 ,  5 , and  6  when assembled on inner surface  76  of housing  12 . In the illustrative configuration of  FIG. 7 , bracket  52  has the shape of a metal strip with bent portions forming two opposing vertical sidewalls on opposing vertical sides of thermally conductive elastomeric structures  54 . If desired, bracket  52  may have other shapes (e.g., shapes with fewer vertical sidewalls or more vertical sidewalls, shapes that allow bracket  52  to be mounted within device  10  without using screws, etc.). 
     In the configuration of  FIG. 7 , screws  56  are screwed into threaded openings in support structure  30 . If desired, threaded openings for screws  56  may be formed directly within housing  12 . In this type of configuration, support structures  30  may be eliminated or reduced in size and corresponding structures formed directly in the material of housing  12  (e.g., by machining the features of support structures  30  in housing  12 ). Thermal grease and other thermally conductive materials may, if desired, be used in conjunction with elastomeric structures  54  to improve heat transfer efficiency. Electronic components such as camera modules, integrated circuits, lamps, light-emitting diodes, and other components that generate heat may be mounted using a configuration of the type shown in  FIG. 7 . The use of the thermal conduction and mounting structures of  FIG. 7  to mount and heat sink the structures of camera light source  22  is merely illustrative. 
     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. Any of the foregoing embodiments may be used alone or in combination with one or more of any of the other foregoing embodiments.

Metadata:
Filing Date: 20120927
Publication Date: 20140805
Grant Date: 20140805
Priority Date: 20120927
Inventors: HOOTON LEE E.
WITTENBERG MICHAEL B.
MALEK SHAYAN
Assignee: APPLE INC
CPC Classifications: [{"code": "G03B2215/0567", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G03B15/02", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G03B2215/0567", "inventive": false, "first": false, "tree": "[]"}, {"code": "G03B15/02", "inventive": true, "first": true, "tree": "[]"}]
Family ID: 50338647