Casing wall for an apparatus
View Patent ↗A casing wall for an apparatus, the casing wall comprising including a chassis and casing wall elements integrated into the chassis, the casing wall elements each including a surface exposed to a user, the chassis defining a continuum between the integrated casing wall elements to provide structural rigidity to the casing wall.
1. A casing wall for an apparatus, the casing wall comprising a chassis and casing wall elements at least partially embedded into the chassis to integrate them into the chassis, the casing wall elements each including a surface exposed to a user, wherein the casing wall elements include an integration region to facilitate integration into the chassis, and the integration region having a high porosity relative to the remainder of the casing wall elements, the chassis defining a continuum between the integrated casing wall elements at least partly enveloping the casing wall elements and comprising a resilient material, wherein the chassis retains the integrated casing wall elements flexibly in predetermined positions.
2. A casing wall according to claim 1 , wherein the connecting element interconnects the casing wall elements to locate the casing wall elements at predetermined spaced positions.
3. A casing wall according to claim 1 , wherein the connecting element extends through apertures in the casing wall elements.
4. A casing wall according to claim 1 , wherein the casing wall elements comprise discrete wall elements integrated into the chassis or wherein the casing wall elements are formed integrally from a sheet of material.
5. A portable electronic device including a casing wall according to claim 1 .
6. A casing wall according to claim 1 , wherein the integration region includes a plurality of formations for providing an interlock between the casing wall elements and the chassis.
7. A casing wall according to claim 1 , wherein the chassis is moulded around the casing wall elements to integrate the casing wall elements into the chassis.
8. A casing wall according to claim 1 , wherein the casing wall elements are integrated into the chassis at spaced positions lying on a plane.
9. A casing wall according to claim 1 , wherein the interconnection between the integrated casing wall elements is operable to retain the casing wall elements at predetermined positions.
10. A casing wall according to claim 1 , wherein the interconnection between the casing wall elements is provided at least partly by the chassis.
11. A casing wall according to claim 1 , wherein the casing wall includes an adherent to facilitate integration of the casing wall elements into the chassis.
12. A casing wall according to claim 1 , wherein the exposed surfaces of the casing wall elements are substantially coplanar.
13. A casing wall according to claim 1 , wherein the chassis comprises a resinous material.
14. A casing wall according to claim 1 , wherein the casing wall elements are interconnected at least partly by a connecting element, the connecting element being separate from the casing wall elements.
15. A method comprising at least partially embedding casing wall elements into a chassis to integrate the casing wall elements into the chassis such that a surface of each integrated wall element is exposed to a user to form a casing wall for an apparatus, wherein the casing wall elements include an integration region to facilitate integration into the chassis, and the integration region having a high porosity relative to the remainder of the casing wall elements, the chassis defining a continuum between the integrated casing wall elements at least partly enveloping the casing wall elements and comprising a resilient material, wherein the chassis retains the integrated casing wall elements flexibly in predetermined positions.
16. A method according to claim 15 , wherein the method comprises interconnecting the casing wall elements prior to integrating the casing wall elements into the chassis.
17. A method according to claim 15 , wherein the method comprises moulding the chassis around the casing wall elements to integrate the casing wall elements into the chassis.
18. A method according to claim 15 , wherein the method comprises creating formations in the casing wall elements to facilitate integration of the casing wall elements into the chassis.
19. A method according to claim 15 , wherein the apparatus is a portable communication device.