Patent Document

FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention relates to device enclosures and in particular, interchangeable bezels for device enclosures. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE RELATED ART 
   Electronic devices may give off electronic emissions that can interfere with neighboring electronic devices. Regulatory testing is usually required for the electronic devices to insure that the electronic devices are not giving off electronic emissions above a certain level. The electronic devices are usually enclosed by an enclosure and a bezel on the front of the enclosure to contain the electronic device&#39;s electronic emissions and block out the electronic emissions from external sources. Usually, the bezels have different customer preferred designs on them depending on the customer buying the specific electronic device that the bezel will be coupled to. Once coupled to the enclosure of the electronic device, the bezel is usually hard to change. A company wanting to change the bezel must take the bezel off, attach a new bezel to the electronic device, and then send the electronic device with the new bezel back through regulatory testing. This process can make changing the bezel very expensive. 
   In addition, the companies making the electronic devices for the customers must predict how many of each electronic device the company can sell to each customer and then build the appropriate number of electronic devices with each customer&#39;s preferred bezel design. If a customer buys fewer than the amount predicted for them, left over electronic devices are not easily sold to other customers. The left over electronic devices must be modified by removing the bezel, putting on the new bezel with the new customer&#39;s design, and then retested. 
   Other devices that give off electronic emissions and must be tested face similar problems. These devices include but are not limited to set top boxes. Any changes to the bezel of the device may allow more electronic emissions to escape and therefore the device may need to be retested. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1   a  shows an embodiment with a detached sub-bezel and bezel. 
       FIG. 1   b  shows an embodiment with a coupled sub-bezel and a detached bezel. 
       FIG. 2  shows an embodiment with a flange and a sub-bezel. 
       FIG. 3  shows a bezel that may be used with an embodiment. 
       FIG. 4  shows a reverse view of an embodiment with a bezel and without a top panel. 
       FIG. 5  shows a flowchart for assembly. 
       FIG. 6  shows an embodiment without a top panel to show a bezel attached to the front. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
   The following description makes reference to numerous specific details in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention. However, it is to be noted that not every specific detail need be employed to practice the present invention. Additionally, well-known details, such as particular materials or methods, have not been described in order to avoid obscuring the present invention. 
   Referring to  FIG. 1   a,  an electronic system  1 , such as a network appliance, is shown. The electronic system  1  shown has an electronic device with an enclosure with side panels  4 ,  7 , back panel  6 , top panel  5 , and bottom panel  3  that at least partially surrounds the electronic device. The enclosure may be made of several different materials including but not limited to steel and aluminum alloys. The enclosure material may be processed in several different ways. For example, the enclosure may be steel electro-galvanized G30, smooth tempered, and semi-bright to bright finish. The panels for the enclosure may be manufactured in several different ways including but not limited to stamp pressing. The side panels  4 ,  7  and back panel  6  may be stamped pressed separately from the bottom panel  3  and then welded onto the bottom panel  3  and each other to form an enclosure, or the side panels  4 ,  7 , the back panel  6 , and the bottom panel  3  may be stamped pressed as a single piece and then the side panels  4 ,  7  and back panel  6  can be folded up from the bottom panel  3  and then welded on their sides to form an enclosure. Besides welding the panels, such as bottom panel  3 , side panels  4 ,  7 , and back panel  6 , panels may be coupled to each other using parts such as but not limited to interlocking parts, snaps, and screws. 
   The enclosure may serve several different purposes. For example, the enclosure may keep together and secure internal parts of the electronic device. The enclosure can also serve to block out the electronic emissions coming out of or going into the electronic device. However, the enclosure may not stop the electronic emissions from going into or out of front opening  9 . As seen in  FIG. 1   a,  the front opening  9  may allow the electronic emissions to escape from inside electronic device. Also, the electronic emissions from other electronic devices may enter the electronic device through the front opening  9  and possibly disrupt operations inside the electronic device. 
   The electronic device also may have a component securing panel  12  which may be attached to the electronic device. The electronic device components such as button  11  and light emitting diode (LED)  13  may be any electronic device component on the electronic device such as but not limited to dials, buttons, electronic displays, connectors, and lights or LEDs. The component securing panel  12  may not be wide enough to cover the front opening  9 . In addition, component securing panel  12  may not be attached to the electronic device and may need a front panel to secure to. Also shown is a detached sub-bezel  15  and bezel  25 . 
   Referring to  FIG. 1   b,  an embodiment of the invention with a single piece forming the sub-bezel  15 , side-panels  4 ,  7 , back panel  6 , and bottom panel  3  is shown. The side panels  4 ,  7 , back panel  6 , and sub-bezel  15  can be folded up from the bottom panel  3  and welded together at their sides to form an enclosure. Other methods of coupling the sides such as interlocking parts and screws are also within the scope of the invention. The electronic device components may be secured by the sub-bezel  15  without a component securing panel  12  (as seen in  FIG. 1   a ). In another embodiment, the sub-bezel  15 , bottom panel  3 , and back panel  6  may be stamp pressed as one piece and then sub-bezel  15  and back panel  6  may be folded up. The sub-bezel  15 , bottom panel  3 , and back panel  6  piece may then be coupled to side panel  7 , top panel  5 , and side panel  4  which may be stamp pressed as one piece and then side panels  4  and  7  folded from top panel  5 . 
   Referring to  FIG. 2 , an embodiment of the invention is shown as an electronic system  1  with an electronic device secured inside the side panels  4 ,  7 , the top panel  5 , the bottom panel  3 , and the back panel  6  of the enclosure. Furthermore, sub-bezel  15  may be coupled to the front of the electronic device to secure component securing panel  12  (view obscured in  FIG. 2 ) and shield a substantial portion of the electronic emissions from entering or leaving the front opening. However, the sub-bezel  15  may secure the electronic device components without a component securing panel. The electronic device components, such as the button  11  and the LED  13  may stick out through sub-bezel holes  14  and  16 , respectively, in order to be accessible. The sub-bezel  15  may be made of several different materials including but not limited to steel and aluminum alloys. The sub-bezel  15  material may be processed in several different ways. For example, the sub-bezel  15  may be steel electro-galvanized G30, smooth tempered, and semi-bright to bright finish. The sub-bezel  15  may be manufactured in several different ways including but not limited to stamp pressing. The sub-bezel  15  may be attached to the enclosure in several different ways to shield a substantial portion of electronic emissions entering and leaving the electronic device. For example, the sub-bezel  15  may be formed as a single piece with the bottom panel  3  and then folded up along the sub-bezel&#39;s bottom edge. The sides of the sub-bezel  15  may then be coupled to the side panels  4 ,  7 . In another embodiment, the sub-bezel  15  may be formed separately and then be welded, brazed, or screwed onto the enclosure. The sub-bezel  15  may also be coupled to the enclosure by fasteners such as but not limited to adhesive, screws, rivets, or a friction fit. Other ways of coupling the sub-bezel  15  are also within the scope of the invention. Alternately, the sub-bezel  15  may not be coupled to the enclosure. 
   Continuing with  FIG. 2 , a flange  18  is shown as a lip extending outward from sub-bezel  15 . In another embodiment, the flange  18  may be an extension of the side, top, and bottom panels in the form of a lip extending outward from the enclosure. The flange  18  may be used to block light from entering the electronic device if the electronic device is further coupled to a bezel, such as bezel  25  shown in FIG.  3 . 
   Also seen in  FIG. 2 , the sub-bezel  15  may have front slots  17  and  20 . The front slots  17  and  20  may be used in conjunction with side slots on the enclosure such as side slot  22  for bezel snaps  23  and  24  (as shown in  FIG. 3 ) to snap and un-snap. Slots in the sub-bezel  15  and the enclosure such as the front slots  17  and  20  and the side slot  22  may be small enough to keep the electronic emissions to a minimum. If not small enough to sufficiently block the electronic emissions, the slots may also be shielded. 
   Continuing with  FIG. 2 , the sub-bezel  15  may have clearance holes  19  and  21  for fasteners such as self-locking screws  31  and  33  as seen in FIG.  4 . The self-locking screws  31  and  33  may be used to secure bezel  25  to the front of the electronic device (as seen in FIG.  4 ). The self-locking screws  31  and  33  may be needed in addition to bezel snaps  23  and  24  to hold bezel  25  in place and prevent theft of bezel  25  (as seen in FIG.  4 ). 
   As seen in  FIG. 2 , with sub-bezel  15  in place, a substantial portion of the electronic emissions may be shielded from entering or leaving the electronic device. In addition, the electronic device should be protected from external electronic emissions that may affect the electronic device&#39;s operation. With the sub-bezel  15  in place, the electronic device should pass regulatory testing to be in compliance with applicable emission regulations before bezel  25  (as seen in  FIG. 3 ) is coupled to the electronic device. Bezel  25  may be coupled to the enclosure by fasteners such as but not limited to snaps, screws, and adhesive. Bezel  25  may also be coupled to the sub-bezel  15  by a fastener such as but not limited to snaps, screws, rivets, and adhesive. 
   Referring to  FIG. 3 , bezel  25  is shown with the side snaps  23  and  24  and bezel holes  27  and  29 . Bezel  25  may be made of materials such as but not limited to plastic, steel, and aluminum alloys. For example, bezel  25  may be made of ABS plastic, which may be flame retardant with a flammability rating of 94-Z0. In addition, bezel  25  can be manufactured using several different processes such as but not limited to vacuum molded processing, extrusion, injection die molding, and stamp pressing. Bezel thickness  26  may vary depending on the electronic device, but should be small enough that the electronic device components, such as the button  11  and the LED  13  seen in  FIG. 2 , can be accessed through the bezel holes  27  and  29 . If the bezel thickness  26  is too great, the end of the electronic device components, such as the button  11 , may not extend past the front of bezel  25 . If the electronic device components do not extend past the front of bezel  25 , they may be hard to access or read. The bezel thickness  26  may be greater away from the electronic device components, such as the button  11 . For example, the ends of the bezel  25  may be designed thicker than the rest of the bezel  25 . Because the sub-bezel  15  (as seen in  FIG. 2 ) may shield a substantial portion of the electronic emissions entering or leaving the electronic device, the bezel  25  does not have to be designed to shield against emissions. 
   Referring to  FIG. 4 , a reverse view of an embodiment of the invention is shown. The self-locking screws  31  and  33  may pass through the clearance holes  19  and  21  in the sub-bezel  15  and screw into and terminate in bezel  25  at screw holes  35  and  37  to hold bezel  25 . The screws  31  and  33  may serve to hold bezel  25  secure against the sub-bezel  15  and may deter theft of bezel  25 . To remove bezel  25 , the top panel  5  (seen in  FIG. 2 ) may be removed before the screws  31  and  33  are removed. Then bezel  25  may be removed by undoing the bezel&#39;s fasteners, for example, the side snaps  23  and  24  from the side slots  22  and  30  respectively. 
   Also as seen in  FIG. 4 , flange slot  28  is shown on bezel  25 . Flange slot  28  may fit over flange  18  (as seen in FIG.  2 ). In another embodiment, the flange  18  may extend over the sub-bezel  15  and at least partially fit inside the flange slot  28  when bezel  25  is coupled to the electronic device. In another embodiment of the invention, there may be no flange slot  28 , but instead, the flange  18  may fit against bezel  25 . In another embodiment, the flange  18  may be on the bezel  25  and the flange slot  28  may be on the sub-bezel  15 . The flange  18  may block external light from leaking into the front of the electronic device or leaking onto the sub-bezel  15 . Light shining on the electronic device or the sub-bezel  15  may degrade the appearance of the electronic device. 
   Referring to  FIG. 5 , an embodiment of the invention is shown in the form of a flowchart. At block  41 , an electronic device is at least partially surrounded with an enclosure. At block  43 , a sub-bezel is coupled to the enclosure. The sub-bezel may shield a substantial portion of electronic emissions from entering or leaving the electronic device. The electronic device may then be ready to pass through emission testing. At block  45 , a bezel may be coupled using a fastener. At block  47 , the bezel may be coupled to the enclosure, or, at block  49 , the bezel may be coupled to the sub-bezel. 
   As seen in  FIG. 6 , an embodiment of the invention is shown as an electronic system  1  with a bezel  25  coupled to an electronic device, the sub-bezel  15 , or the enclosure surrounding the electronic device. Because the top panel  5 , as seen in  FIG. 2 , has been removed, the sub-bezel  15  can be seen behind bezel  25 . The electronic device components  11  and  13  should be accessible through the sub-bezel  15  and bezel  25 . Bezel  25  may vary in appearance from customer to customer. However, because the electronic device is already shielded by the enclosure and the sub-bezel  15 , the electronic device will not have to be sent back for regulatory testing each time bezel  25  is switched out. In addition, bezel  25  may be added after the regulatory testing making it cheaper for companies to make electronic devices for several different customers and then make the bezels  25  depending on projected customer buys. If a customer projection is too high, such that a specific customer buys fewer electronic devices than expected, the electronic devices made for that customer can be fitted with the bezels  25  for a different customer, such as a customer for which the customer projection was too low. Without the sub-bezel  15 , old bezels would have to be removed, a new bezel coupled to the electronic device, and then the electronic device with the new bezel may have to be sent through regulatory testing again. This can make refitting bezels potentially very costly for the companies. 
   Other devices that give off electronic emissions and may go through regulatory testing can also benefit from having a sub-bezel and interchangeable bezels. These devices include but are not limited to set top boxes. With interchangeable bezels, these devices can be tested with the sub-bezels in place and their bezel can be added later and changed if need be without needing to retest the device. 
   Although an exemplary embodiment of the invention has been shown and described in the form of interchangeable bezels, many changes, modifications, and substitutions may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the claimed invention.

Technology Category: h