IP Library › Granted Patent US 10,904,370
Granted Patent B1
US 10,904,370 · App. 16/827,655 · Granted Jan 26, 2021

Handheld electronic device

Inventors: Douglas G. Fournier (Cupertino, CA); Kurtis Mundell (Cupertino, CA); Shayan Malek (San Jose, CA)
Assignee: APPLE INC.
H04M1/0266G06F3/0412H05K1/0277H05K2201/10128H05K2201/10151
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,904,370
App. No.
16/827,655
Granted
Jan 26, 2021
Kind
B1
Abstract

A mobile phone may include a housing defining at least a portion of a back exterior surface of the mobile phone, a display stack at least partially within the housing, the display stack defining an active region configured to produce a graphical output, and a transparent cover positioned over the display stack. The transparent cover may define a first portion covering the active region of the display stack, a second portion adjacent the first portion, and a hole in the second portion and extending through the transparent cover. The mobile phone may also include a button element positioned in the hole of the transparent cover, a force-sensing system configured to detect an input applied to the button element, a circuit board coupled to the force-sensing system, and a shim positioned below the first portion of the transparent cover and having same thickness that as the circuit board.

Claims (71)

1. A mobile phone comprising:

a housing defining at least a portion of a back exterior surface of the mobile phone;

a display stack at least partially within the housing, the display stack defining an active region configured to produce a graphical output;

a transparent cover positioned over the display stack and defining:

a first portion covering the active region of the display stack;

a second portion adjacent the first portion; and

a hole in the second portion and extending through the transparent cover;

a button element positioned in the hole of the transparent cover;

a force-sensing system configured to detect an input applied to the button element;

a circuit board coupled to the force-sensing system and positioned below the second portion of the transparent cover and having a first thickness; and

a shim positioned below the first portion of the transparent cover and having a second thickness that is the same as the first thickness.

2. The mobile phone of claim 1 , wherein:

the shim defines:

a first top surface; and

a first bottom surface opposite the first top surface;

the circuit board defines:

a second top surface; and

a second bottom surface opposite the second top surface; and

the first top surface is coplanar with the second top surface.

3. The mobile phone of claim 2 , wherein the first top surface and the second top surface are both coupled to a bottom surface of the display stack.

4. The mobile phone of claim 3 , wherein:

the shim defines a first side surface extending from the first top surface to the first bottom surface;

the circuit board defines a second side surface extending from the second top surface to the second bottom surface; and

the first side surface is adjacent to the second side surface.

5. The mobile phone of claim 3 , wherein the first bottom surface and the second bottom surface are both in contact with an upper surface of a component positioned below the circuit board and the shim.

6. The mobile phone of claim 5 , wherein the component is a metal frame member.

7. The mobile phone of claim 1 , wherein:

the circuit board comprises a first dielectric material;

the shim comprises a second dielectric material; and

the first and second dielectric materials are a same dielectric material.

8. A mobile phone comprising:

a housing defining at least a portion of a back exterior surface of the mobile phone;

a display stack at least partially within the housing;

a transparent cover covering the display stack and defining:

a display region of the mobile phone;

a border region along a side of the display region; and

a hole in the border region and extending through the transparent cover;

a button element positioned in the hole of the transparent cover; and

a circuit board positioned below the border region of the transparent cover and defining:

a first top surface in contact with a first component of the mobile phone; and

a first bottom surface in contact with a second component of the mobile phone; and

a shim positioned below the display region of the transparent cover and defining:

a second top surface in contact with the first component of the mobile phone; and

a second bottom surface in contact with the second component of the mobile phone.

9. The mobile phone of claim 8 , wherein the first component of the mobile phone is a component of the display stack.

10. The mobile phone of claim 9 , wherein the second component of the mobile phone is a metal frame member.

11. The mobile phone of claim 8 , wherein the shim has a same thickness as the circuit board.

12. The mobile phone of claim 8 , wherein:

the mobile phone further comprises a force sensing system configured to detect an input applied to the button element; and

the circuit board conductively couples the force sensing system to a processor of the mobile phone.

13. The mobile phone of claim 8 , wherein:

the circuit board comprises a set of conductive traces; and

the shim comprises a dielectric material that is substantially free of conductive traces.

14. The mobile phone of claim 8 , wherein the circuit board and the shim both comprise a flexible polymer material.

15. A handheld electronic device comprising:

a housing defining at least a portion of a back exterior surface of the handheld electronic device;

a display stack within the handheld electronic device;

a transparent cover covering the display stack and defining a hole extending through the transparent cover;

a button element positioned in the hole of the transparent cover;

a frame member positioned below the display stack;

a circuit board positioned below the hole and defining a first top surface coupled to the display stack and a first bottom surface coupled to the frame member; and

a shim defining a second top surface coupled to the display stack and a second bottom surface coupled to the frame member.

16. The handheld electronic device of claim 15 , wherein the shim has a same thickness as the circuit board.

17. The handheld electronic device of claim 15 , wherein the shim is conductively isolated from electrical components of the handheld electronic device.

18. The handheld electronic device of claim 15 , wherein the frame member comprises a metal.

19. The handheld electronic device of claim 15 , wherein:

the handheld electronic device further comprises a force sensing system configured to detect an input applied to the button element; and

the circuit board conductively couples the force sensing system to a processor of the handheld electronic device.

20. The handheld electronic device of claim 19 , wherein:

the circuit board comprises a flexible substrate; and

the shim is formed from a polyethylene terephthalate.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 18, 2020
From: FOURNIER, DOUGLAS G.; MUNDELL, KURTIS; MALEK, SHAYAN
To: APPLE INC.
Reel/Frame 053526/0254 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 62936356 · Nov 15, 2019
Provisional Application 62986580 · Mar 6, 2020
Cited By (2)
US 12,254,644 US 12,293,021