Patent application number | Description | Published |
20120176279 | STRUCTURES FOR FORMING CONDUCTIVE PATHS IN ANTENNAS AND OTHER ELECTRONIC DEVICE STRUCTURES - Electronic devices may be provided that contain conductive paths. A conductive path may be formed from an elongated metal member that extends across a dielectric gap in an antenna. The antenna may be formed from conductive structures that form an antenna ground and conductive structures that are part of a peripheral conductive housing member in the electronic device. The gap may separate the peripheral conductive housing member from the conductive structures. A conductive path may also be formed using one or more springs. A spring may be welded to a conductive member and may have prongs that press against an additional conductive member when the spring is compressed. The prongs may have narrowed tips, curved shapes, and burrs that help form a satisfactory electrical contact between the spring prongs and the additional conductive member. | 07-12-2012 |
20120302293 | HAPTIC ALERT DEVICE HAVING A LINEAR VIBRATOR - A vibrator designed to be integrated into a portable electronic device as part of a haptic alert device has a linear electric motor that is coupled to actively drive a moveable weight in back-and-forth directions to produce the desired vibration. A lock mechanism has a restraining member that is biased into a lock position, which prevents the moveable weight from moving in the back-and-forth directions when the vibrator is inactive. Other embodiments are also described and claimed. | 11-29-2012 |
20130052947 | ELECTRONIC DEVICE WITH SHARED NEAR FIELD COMMUNICATIONS ELEMENT - Electronic devices may be provided with near field communications capabilities. A near field communications antenna may be formed from multiple inductive components. The inductive components may include a speaker coil. One or more switches may be provided in the near field communications antenna to adjust the inductance of the near field communications antenna during different modes of operation. An audio circuit may be used to generate audio signals. A first transmitter may be used to transmit near field hearing aid signals through the near field communications antenna. A second transmitter may be used to transmit near field communications signals to external equipment such as near field communications point of sale equipment. Switching circuitry may be used to selectively couple the audio circuit, the first transmitter, and the second transmitter to the near field communications antenna. | 02-28-2013 |
20130083954 | Method and Apparatus for Construction of an Acoustic Module Backvolume - Apparatus, systems and methods for providing a speaker with a backvolume that can be used in a portable electronic device are disclosed. The backvolume can be arranged to fit into a small, irregularly shaped space, thereby efficiently utilizing available space. In one embodiment, the backvolume can have a reduced wall thickness. | 04-04-2013 |
20130089231 | SPEAKER MAGNET THERMAL MANAGEMENT - In one embodiment, a mobile device including a magnet unit that is thermally coupled to the heat sink portion of a housing of the mobile device is disclosed. The mobile device comprises a speaker driver that includes a magnet unit, a housing having a heat sink portion that is made of a material having a high thermal conductivity, and a thermal component. The heat sink portion has a first face that is coupled to the speaker driver and a second face that is exposed to the exterior of the mobile device. The thermal component binds the speaker driver to the first face of the heat sink portion to create a cooling path from the magnet unit to the exterior of the mobile device. Other embodiments are also described. | 04-11-2013 |
20130170109 | Mesh Structure Providing Enhanced Acoustic Coupling - A portable electronic device that provides compact configurations for audio elements are disclosed. The audio elements can be drivers (e.g., speakers) or receivers (e.g., microphones). According to one aspect, mesh structures, such as mesh barriers, are formed to facilitate improved acoustic sealing in a space efficient manner. In one embodiment, a mesh barrier for an audio port can be reliably acoustically sealed (or coupled) with an audio chamber and/or outer device housing in a space efficient manner. A mesh barrier can serve to block undesired foreign substances from entry or further entry into an audio port and/or serve as a cosmetic barrier which obscures vision into an audio port. In one embodiment, a portion of a mesh structure can be provided with a substantially planar surface that facilitates improved acoustic sealing. | 07-04-2013 |
20130170688 | SPEAKER FRONT VOLUME USAGE - A portable electronic device having an enclosure having a top wall, a bottom wall, at least one sidewall connecting the top wall to the bottom wall, an acoustic output opening and a back volume defined by the top wall, the bottom wall and the at least one sidewall. A speaker driver is positioned within the enclosure, the speaker driver including a sound radiating surface having a top face and a bottom face for emitting sound waves therefrom. A frame member is attached to the speaker driver, the frame member forming a front volume chamber acoustically coupling the top face of the sound radiating surface to the acoustic output opening and a back volume chamber that overlaps a side of the speaker drive and acoustically couples the bottom face of the sound radiating surface to the back volume. | 07-04-2013 |
20130260823 | Compact Portable Electronic Device Having Augmented Back Volume for Speaker - Improved approaches to providing a sealed acoustic chamber (e.g., a back volume) for an acoustic component (e.g., speaker) resident in a compact portable electronic device are disclosed. In one embodiment, a compact portable electronic device includes an internal module (or housing), such as an optical camera module that includes optical components, which contains a module volume. The module volume can be provided with a port (e.g., opening) but is otherwise a substantially enclosed (e.g., at least substantially sealed) volume. By acoustically coupling the acoustic component to the port, the module volume can be used as some or all of the back volume for the acoustic component. Advantageously, a compact portable electronic can provide quality acoustic audio output while requiring only a limited amount of dedicated space. | 10-03-2013 |
20140028221 | Method of Adaptively Tuning Motor Speed - Methods and apparatuses related to adaptively tuning vibratory motors are disclosed. One embodiment takes the form of a method of adaptively tuning a vibratory motor including operating the motor at a plurality of voltage levels and recording the frequency of operation of the motor at each of the plurality of voltage levels. The method also includes creating a curve based on the recorded frequency and voltage levels and selecting a drive voltage based upon an intersection of a desired frequency of operation and the created curve. | 01-30-2014 |
20140063769 | Component Mounting Structures with Breakaway Support Tabs - Components may be mounted to printed circuit substrates using solder. A breakaway support tab may be detachably connected to a component and may help prevent the component from shifting or toppling over during reflow operations. The component and breakaway support tab may be formed from sheet metal. The interface that links the component to the breakaway support tab may be perforated or half sheared to allow the breakaway support tab to be easily separated from the component following reflow operations. The breakaway support tab may be fixed in place during reflow operations by mechanically coupling the breakaway support tab to a fixture or by mounting the breakaway support tab to an unused portion of a panel of printed circuit substrates. A breakaway support tab may be mechanically coupled between two components on a printed circuit substrate and may be used to maintain a distance between the components during reflow operations. | 03-06-2014 |
20140066122 | COUPLING REDUCTION FOR ELECTROMECHANICAL ACTUATOR - A portable electronic device comprises an electromechanical module having an actuator for positioning a mechanical element between first and second positions, and a controller coupled to the electromechanical module. The controller is configured to detect a mechanical event coupling to the electromechanical module, select an actuation signal to position the mechanical element in a safe position between the first and second positions, and transmit the selected signal, such that the mechanical element is positioned in the safe position during the event. | 03-06-2014 |
20140071594 | Components Having Breakaway Installation Handles - A component may be molded with an integral breakaway installation handle. The breakaway installation handle may be used to manipulate and maneuver the component during assembly operations and during component mounting operations. A technician may use the breakaway installation handle to mount the component to a fixture while applying adhesive, attaching a mesh, or performing other assembly operations on the component. Following assembly operations, the technician may use the breakaway installation handle to install the component in an electronic device. After installing the component in the electronic device, the technician may bend the breakaway installation handle with respect to the component until the breakaway installation handle breaks off from the component. Components having breakaway installation handles may be formed form an injection molding system in which mold cavities each receive molten plastic from a runner. Plastic that solidifies in each runner may form the breakaway installation handle for each component. | 03-13-2014 |
20140071651 | Insert Molded Cowling Structures - Electronic devices may be provided with electronic components and cowling structures that secure the electronic components. A cowling structure may include a metal portion and an insulating portion that has been insert-molded onto the metal portion. The metal portion and the insert-molded insulating portion may each have an opening that receives a screw. The screws may pass through the respective opening and attach to a substrate. The substrate may be a transparent cover layer for a device display. The cowling structure may press the electronic components against the transparent substrate layer. The device may include an antenna. The insert-molded insulating portion may extend from an edge of the metal portion in the direction of the antenna. The insert-molded insulating portion may prevent one of the screws from forming an electrical connection with the metal portion. | 03-13-2014 |
20140177180 | Electromagnetic Interference Shielding and Strain Relief Structures For Coupled Printed Circuits - Electrical components in an electronic device are mounted on substrates such as printed circuits. Printed circuits contain signal paths formed from metal traces. The signal lines in the signal paths of the printed circuits are coupled together using electrical connection structures such as printed circuit board-to-board connectors, contacts joined by anisotropic conductive film, or contacts joined using solder. Electrical connection structures may be surrounded by conductive resilient ring-shaped structures such as conductive foam structures or spring structures. The conductive foam structures may be provided with a metal layer with which the conductive foam structures are soldered to a ring of metal on a printed circuit. Strain relief structures may be formed from an elastomeric ring that surrounds the electrical connection structures or an overmolded plastic structure. Coating layers and conductive plastic may be used in providing strain relief structures with electromagnetic interference shielding capabilities. | 06-26-2014 |
20140216903 | Switches and Switch Mounting Structures - An electronic device has circuitry mounted within an electronic device housing. The electronic device housing may have housing walls such as metal sidewalls. Openings are formed in an electronic device housing wall to accommodate buttons. A button may have a switch with a switch housing mounted to the housing wall. A movable button member that extends from the switch housing may protrude through a housing opening. Switch terminals are coupled to signal lines on structures such as flexible printed circuits. The switch terminals may be formed from portions of elongated switch leads supported by support structure that are mounted to the housing wall or may be formed on an inner surface of the switch housing. Support structures may be molded into engagement with features on a housing wall or may be mounted to a housing wall using a fastener such as a screw. | 08-07-2014 |
20140285386 | Structures for Forming Conductive Paths in Antennas and Other Electronic Device Structures - Electronic devices may be provided that contain conductive paths. A conductive path may be formed from an elongated metal member that extends across a dielectric gap in an antenna. The antenna may be formed from conductive structures that form an antenna ground and conductive structures that are part of a peripheral conductive housing member in the electronic device. The gap may separate the peripheral conductive housing member from the conductive structures. A conductive path may also be formed using one or more springs. A spring may be welded to a conductive member and may have prongs that press against an additional conductive member when the spring is compressed. The prongs may have narrowed tips, curved shapes, and burrs that help form a satisfactory electrical contact between the spring prongs and the additional conductive member. | 09-25-2014 |
20150062839 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR ATTACHING FLEXIBLE CIRCUITS TO A MOUNTING SURFACE - A method and system for securing a flexible circuit to a mounting structure is disclosed. The system can include a surface-mount device, flexible circuit, stiffener, and bracket. The stiffener is used as an intermediate coupling device between the flexible circuit and bracket. The flexible circuit is coupled to the stiffener with a heat-activated adhesive. Next, the surface-mount device is mounted to the flexible circuit with surface-mounting techniques. A peripheral area of the stiffener is then welded to the bracket. The bracket in turn can be fastened to the enclosure of an electronic device. | 03-05-2015 |
20150077909 | Electronic Device With Reworkable Midplate Attachment Structures - An electronic device may be provided with a display mounted in a display frame assembly that includes a plastic structure overmolded over a display frame. A housing midplate may be used to provide the electronic device with mechanical rigidity and strength, and may also be used as a sensor plane. For sensor plane applications, accurate placement and assembly of the midplate in the housing can be critical. The housing midplate may be accurately assembled to the display frame using connections formed using welded tabs, welded and screwed nuts, overmolded plastic heat stake structures, or overmolded plastic structures and adhesive. Rework and repair operations may be performed by disconnecting connections such as welds using cutting equipment, by using solvent to dissolve adhesive, by unscrewing welded nuts, or by removing heat stake structures. Following rework or repair, a fresh midplate and associated components may be attached to the display frame. | 03-19-2015 |