Case with magnetic alignment for portable electronic device

1. A case for a portable electronic device, the case comprising:

a body defining an annular cavity defined by a round outer wall facing radially inwardly and a round inner wall facing radially outwardly towards the round outer wall;

an assembly within the annular cavity, the assembly comprising:

a top layer;

a bottom layer;

an annular magnetic alignment component between the top layer and the bottom layer; and

a near-field communication (NFC) coil coaxial with the annular magnetic alignment component and between the top layer and the bottom layer; and

an adhesive securing the assembly to inner walls of the annular cavity.

2. The case of claim 1 , wherein:

the annular cavity extends from an opening on a surface of the body; and

the top layer is flush with the surface of the body.

3. The case of claim 1 , wherein the NFC coil configured to wirelessly exchange data signals with another device through the top layer.

4. The case of claim 1 , wherein the annular magnetic alignment component including a plurality of sectors, each sector having a magnetic orientation with a radial component.

5. The case of claim 1 , wherein:

the body further defines an additional cavity disposed outside a perimeter of the annular cavity;

the case further comprises a rotational magnetic alignment component within the additional cavity and comprising a magnet.

6. The case of claim 1 , wherein the assembly further comprises a shim between the NFC coil and the bottom layer.

7. The case of claim 6 , wherein the assembly further comprises electronic components operatively connected to the NFC coil, the electronic components disposed within openings extending through the shim.

8. The case of claim 7 , wherein the electronic components are disposed within a gap separating magnets of the annular magnetic alignment component.

9. The case of claim 7 , wherein the electronic components comprise a capacitor in series with the NFC coil.

10. The case of claim 1 , wherein the body comprises:

a first portion adjacent to the annular cavity, the first portion having a first thickness; and

a second portion around the first portion, the second portion having a second thickness that is less than the first thickness.

11. A case for a portable electronic device, the case comprising:

a back layer comprising an at least partially translucent material of a color;

a body above the back layer, the body comprising an at least partially translucent material and defining an annular cavity extending from an annular opening on a side of the body that is opposite the back layer, the annular cavity being defined by a round outer wall facing radially inwardly and a round inner wall facing radially outwardly towards the round outer wall;

an assembly within the annular cavity, the assembly comprising:

one or more permanent magnets; and

a bottom layer between the one or more permanent magnets and the back layer, the bottom layer comprising an opaque material of a color that matches the color of the back layer; and

an adhesive securing the assembly to inner walls of the annular cavity.

12. The case of claim 11 , wherein the one or more permanent magnets comprises:

an annular magnetic alignment component; and

a near-field communication (NFC) coil coaxial with the annular magnetic alignment component.

13. The case of claim 11 , wherein:

the at least partially translucent material of the back layer comprises silicone; and

the at least partially translucent material of the body comprises polycarbonate.

14. The case of claim 11 , wherein:

the color is a first color;

the case further comprises a front layer comprising an additional at least partially translucent material of a second color; and

the assembly further comprises a top layer comprising an additional opaque material of a color that matches the second color of the front layer.

15. The case of claim 14 , wherein the at least partially translucent material of the front layer comprises microfiber.

16. A method for assembling a case for a portable electronic device, the method comprising:

forming an annular cavity within a body, the annular cavity being defined by a round outer wall facing radially inwardly and a round inner wall facing radially outwardly towards the round outer wall;

providing an adhesive in a liquid state into the annular cavity;

inserting an assembly into the annular cavity, the assembly comprising:

a top layer;

a bottom layer;

an annular magnetic alignment component between the top layer and the bottom layer; and

a near-field communication (NFC) coil coaxial with the annular magnetic alignment component and between the top layer and the bottom layer, wherein the bottom layer displaces a portion of the adhesive while the assembly is inserted into the annular cavity.

17. The method of claim 16 , further comprising:

providing a mask on a surface of the body, wherein forming the annular cavity comprises penetrating the mask and the annular cavity, wherein the assembly further comprises:

an annular liner over the top layer; and

an assembly liner over the annular liner, wherein a portion of the adhesive that is displaced by the bottom layer moves over the mask and under the assembly liner;

removing the assembly liner;

removing the annular liner;

removing the mask;

removing a portion of the adhesive that is displaced by the bottom layer.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein a thickness of the annular liner is substantially equal to a thickness of the mask, and the top layer is flush with the surface of the body.

19. The method of claim 17 , further comprising, after removing the assembly liner and before removing the annular liner and removing the mask, allowing the adhesive to cure.