This relates generally to electronic devices and, more particularly, to assembling, mounting, and installing components in electronic devices.
Electronic devices such as cellular telephones, computers, and other electronic devices are often provided with components such as cameras, microphones, and buttons. Bracket structures and other component mounting structures may be used in compactly and accurately mounting these components within an electronic device. As electronic devices become more compact, components and component mounting structures within electronic devices are also being manufactured with increasingly small dimensions. Conventional methods of installing miniature components within an electronic device often result in improper installation. For example, miniature components in conventional electronic devices often become damaged, improperly oriented, or poorly installed during assembly. This may result in electronic devices that exhibit component failures during use.
It would therefore be desirable to be able to provide improved ways of assembling and installing components in electronic devices.
An electronic device may have a housing in which components and component mounting structures are mounted. Components and component mounting structures may be provided with breakaway installation handles. A breakaway installation handle may be used to manipulate and maneuver a component such as a miniature component during assembly operations and during component mounting operations.
Components that may be installed using a breakaway installation handle include brackets, camera windows, camera flash windows, lenses (e.g., Fresnel lenses or other lenses), button structures, housing parts, frame structures, mounting brackets, component housings, and other mechanical or electrical parts.
A technician may use a breakaway installation handle to mount a component to a fixture during assembly operations. While the component is mounted to the fixture, assembly operations may be performed on the component. This may include, for example, applying adhesives, paints, or other coatings to the component, attaching mesh to the component, attaching other components, structures, or materials to the component, or performing other assembly operations on the component. A technician may, for example, use a breakaway installation handle to press a component against a pressure-sensitive adhesive to activate the pressure-sensitive adhesive to form a bond with the component.
Following assembly operations, a technician may use the breakaway installation handle to install the component in an electronic device by mounting the component to a component support structure in the electronic device. After mounting the component to the component support structure, the technician may bend the breakaway installation handle with respect to the component until the breakaway installation handle breaks off from the component. The breakaway installation handle may allow for precise installation of a component and may lower the risk of damaging the component during installation.
Components and breakaway installation handles may be formed using an injection molding system. A plunger may inject molten plastic into a mold that includes mold cavities and runners. Each mold cavity may receive molten plastic from an associated runner. After solidifying the molten plastic within the mold cavities and the runners, the mold may be released. The plastic that solidifies within the mold cavities may form the components, whereas the plastic that solidifies within the runners may form the breakaway installation handles.
Each component may therefore have an integral breakaway installation handle. The integral breakaway installation handle may be used to manipulate and maneuver the component during assembly operations and during component mounting operations. When the component has been assembled and/or installed, the integral breakaway installation handle may be severed from the component.
Further features of the invention, its nature and various advantages will be more apparent from the accompanying drawings and the following detailed description.
Electronic devices may be provided with components such as audio components (e.g., microphones and speakers), buttons, sensors, imaging equipment (e.g., a camera and flash), and other components. Bracket structures and other component mounting structures may be used in compactly and accurately mounting these components within an electronic device.
Components may be formed with one or more breakaway installation handles. Breakaway installation handles may be used to manipulate components during assembly and to mount components within the housing of an electronic device. A breakaway installation handle may be molded as an integral part of a component. Following installation, the breakaway installation handle may be detached from the installed component.
Illustrative electronic devices that may be provided with components and component mounting structures are shown in
The configurations for device 10 shown in
Device 10 may have a housing enclosure such as housing 12. Housing 12, which is sometimes referred to as a case or enclosure, may be formed of materials such as plastic, glass, ceramics, carbon-fiber composites and other composites, metal, aluminum, other materials, or a combination of these materials. Device 10 may be formed using a unibody construction in which most or all of housing 12 is formed from a single structural element (e.g., a piece of machined metal or a piece of molded plastic) or may be formed from multiple housing structures (e.g., outer housing structures that have been mounted to internal frame elements, welded standoffs, engagement structures, engagement member receiving structures, or other internal housing structures).
Device 10 may have one or more displays such as display 14. Display 14 may be a liquid crystal display, an organic light-emitting diode (OLED) display, or other suitable display. Display 14 may include display pixels formed from light-emitting diodes (LEDs), organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs), plasma cells, electronic ink elements, liquid crystal display (LCD) components, and/or other suitable display pixel structures. Display 14 may, if desired, include capacitive touch sensor electrodes for a capacitive touch sensor array or other touch sensor structures (i.e., display 14 may be a touch screen).
Components such as audio components (e.g., microphones and speakers), buttons, sensors, imaging equipment (e.g., a camera and flash), and other components may be mounted in housing 12 of electronic device 10. An assembly of component mounting structures may be used to mount a component within a housing. For example, brackets, adhesives, coatings, screws, cosmetic meshes, and other parts or materials may form part of a camera assembly, a camera flash assembly, a speaker assembly, a microphone assembly, or other assembly in electronic device 10.
Components may be formed with breakaway installation handles to facilitate assembling and mounting the components within electronic device 10.
As shown in the example of
Breakaway handle 22 may be detachably connected to bracket 20 at interface 28. As shown in
Breakaway handle 22 may be used to manipulate component 20 during assembly operations and to mount component 20 in housing 12 of device 10. For example, a technician may hold breakaway handle 22 during assembly operations and may use breakaway handle 22 to maneuver component 20 while assembling other parts to component 20, while applying coatings or adhesives to component 20, while adhering mesh to component 20 (e.g., a mesh through which sound passes to reach a microphone within recess 24 of bracket 20), or while performing other assembly operations on component 20.
Breakaway handle 22 may also be used during component mounting operations. For example, a technician may hold breakaway handle 22 while mounting component 20 (as part of an assembly or alone as a single part) in or to housing 12 (e.g., while inserting component 20 into an enclosure within housing 12 or while otherwise placing component 20 in a desired location in electronic device 10). Handle 22 may allow easy and precise installation of component 20 while ensuring that component 20 is not damaged during installation.
Handle 22 may be formed as an integral part of component 20 or may be a separate structure attached to component 20 at interface 28. In one suitable embodiment, handle 22 and component 20 may be molded as a single part (e.g., using an injection molding process or other suitable molding process). Other suitable fabrication processes that may be used to form component 20 and/or handle 22 include machining, thermoforming, or other suitable fabrication techniques.
Suitable materials that may be used to form handle 22 and component 20 include polymer (e.g., polyarylamide, polycarbonate, polycarbonate acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (PC-ABS), or other suitable polymer), glass-fiber reinforced polymer, glass, ceramic, metal, other suitable materials, or combinations of these materials.
In one suitable embodiment, handle 22 and component 20 may be formed from a high-stiffness plastic with low elongation-to-break so that minimal strain is imposed on component 20 when handle 22 is severed (e.g., broken) at interface 28. If desired, interface 28 may be half-sheared or perforated so that handle 22 is easily severed from component 20. For example, in arrangements where handle 22 is formed from metal such as sheet metal, handle 22 may be half-sheared or perforated at interface 28. This is, however, merely illustrative. Arrangements in which handle 22 and component 20 are formed from polymer may provide a clean break at interface 28 without requiring a perforated or half-sheared surface.
A cross-sectional side view of handle 22 and component 20 is shown in
An angle such as angle 34 may be formed between surface 40 of component 20 (e.g., surface 40 where handle 22 makes contact with component 20) and handle 22. Angle 34 may, for example, be less than 90°, less than 45°, etc. to facilitate breaking at interface 28. This is, however, merely illustrative. In general, angle 34 may be any suitable angle. For example, angle 34 may be customized depending on the type of component being installed and/or depending on the location in device 10 in which the component is being installed. Handle 22 may be bent (e.g., molded with a bend) in one or more dimensions relative to component 20 to allow for easy installation of component 20 into a recess or well in housing 12 of device 10. If desired, handle 22 may make contact with component 20 at a portion of component 20 that is not used for other functional purposes (e.g., at a portion of component 20 that is not used for adhesion, sealing, light blocking, or other purposes).
A diagram of illustrative steps involved in using handle 22 to install component 20 into a component support structure such as component support structure 42 is shown in
As shown in
When component 20 has been successfully installed in component support structure 42, handle 22 may be severed from component 20. As shown in the third illustration of
If desired, component support structure 42 may form part of housing 12 of device 10 or may be any other suitable component support structure within device 10. Lens 52 may, for example, be mounted directly within a camera flash window opening in housing 12 of device 10. The example of
A technician may mount lens 52 within opening 50 before component 20 is mounted to component support structure 42 or, if desired, a technician may mount lens 52 within opening 50 after component 20 is mounted to component support structure 42. The technician may hold handle 22 to maneuver and properly install component 20 on structure 42. When component 20 is properly installed, the technician may break handle 22 at interface 28 to leave the desired part (component 22) successfully installed in structure 42.
In addition to facilitating component mounting operations, breakaway handle 22 may also be used to manipulate component 20 during assembly operations.
Fixture 58 may be used to hold component 20 in place while assembly operations are performed on component 20. For example, fixture 58 may hold component 20 in place while other materials, structures, and/or components are assembled to component 20. As shown in
While handle 22 and fixture 58 are used to hold component 20 in place, other parts or materials may be assembled to component 20. For example, in arrangements where component 20 is a microphone bracket, coating 62 may be an adhesive that is used in attaching mesh such as mesh 64 to component 20. Mesh 64 may have an array of openings that allow sound to reach a microphone in device 10 while providing a cover for a microphone port in housing 12 of device 10. Mesh 64 may be formed from metal, plastic, other materials, or multiple mesh layers. This is, however, merely illustrative. In general, any suitable assembly operation may be performed on component 20 while component 20 is mounted to fixture 58. For example, other materials, structures, or components may be assembled to component 20 while component 20 is held in place by fixture 58 (e.g., other/additional coatings, additional meshes, alignment structures, engagement members, brackets, lenses, button structures or other component parts, etc.) The examples in which adhesive 62 is used to attach mesh 64 to microphone bracket 20 is merely illustrative.
Suitable materials that may be used to form fixture 58 include polymer (e.g., polyarylamide, polycarbonate, polycarbonate acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (PC-ABS), or other suitable polymer), glass-fiber reinforced polymer, glass, ceramic, metal, other suitable materials, or combinations of these materials. If desired, fixture 58 may be molded (e.g., using an injection molding process or other suitable molding process).
The example of
Following assembly operations, a technician may use handle 22 to remove the assembly (e.g., the assembly that includes component 20, adhesive 62, and mesh 64) from fixture 58 and to install the assembly into device 10. Following installation, the technician may break handle 22 at interface 28, thereby leaving component 20, adhesive 62, and mesh 64 fully assembled and securely mounted in device 10.
Breakaway handle 22 and fixture 58 may be used to help activate adhesive 66 to form a bond with component 20. For example, adhesive 66 may be received within recess 70 of fixture 58. Using handle 22 to maneuver component 20, a technician may press component 20 against adhesive 66 (e.g., in direction 68). Because adhesive 66 is sandwiched between fixture 58 and component 20, the downward pressure provided by pressing component 20 in direction 68 (using handle 22) may activate adhesive 66 to form an adhesive bond with component 20.
Following assembly operations, a technician may use handle 22 to remove the assembly (e.g., the assembly that includes component 20 and adhesive 66) from fixture 58 and to install the assembly into device 10. Following installation, the technician may break handle 22 at interface 28, thereby leaving component 20 and adhesive 66 fully assembled and securely mounted in device 10.
As shown in
When mold 92 has been completely filled, the molten plastic may be cooled. The plastic that solidifies within runners 22R, gates 28G and mold cavities 20C may respectively form breakaway handles 22, interfaces 28 (e.g., the break point of handles 22), and components 20. At the completion of the cooling cycle, mold 92 may be released and adjacent assemblies may be severed from each other. For example, the hardened plastic that is released from mold 92 may be separated (severed) into individual assemblies which each include component 20 and breakaway installation handle 22 joined by interface 28.
With this type of configuration, the plastic that hardens within runners 22R of injection molding system 100 may be used as breakaway handles 22 for components 20. This may reduce wasted plastic in an injection molding system. However, the fabrication process described in connection with
At step 102, a component may be molded having a breakaway installation handle. This may include, for example, using an injection molding system such as injection molding system 100 of
At step 104, a technician or robotic member may install the component into an electronic device such as electronic device 10 using the breakaway installation handle that is detachably connected to the component. The breakaway installation handle may allow the technician or robotic member to manipulate and maneuver the component into an enclosure within the electronic device or to otherwise mount the component in a desired location in the electronic device. The breakaway installation handle may allow for easy and precise installation of the component while ensuring that the component is not damaged during installation.
At step 106, the technician or robotic member may separate the breakaway installation handle from the component. This may include, for example, bending the handle with respect to the component such that it snaps off at the handle-component interface (e.g., interface 28 of
At step 202, a component may be molded having a breakaway installation handle. This may include, for example, using an injection molding system such as injection molding system 100 of
At step 204, the breakaway handle may be used to manipulate and maneuver the component while assembly operations are performed on the component to form a completed assembly. This may include, for example, applying adhesives, paints, or other coatings to the component (e.g., coating 62 of
At step 206, a technician or robotic member may install the completed assembly into an electronic device such as electronic device 10 using the breakaway installation handle that is detachably connected to the component. The breakaway installation handle may allow the technician or robotic member to manipulate and maneuver the assembly into an enclosure within the electronic device or to otherwise mount the assembly in a desired location in the electronic device. The breakaway installation handle may allow for easy and precise installation of the assembly while ensuring that the assembly is not damaged during installation.
At step 208, the technician or robotic member may separate the breakaway installation handle from the component. This may include, for example, bending the handle with respect to the component such that it snaps off at the handle-component interface (e.g., interface 28 of
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.