Interlocking flexible segments formed from a rigid material
AssigneeApple Inc.
InventorsPeter N. Russell-Clarke, Michael S. Nashner
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method for creating a flexible portion or bending portion within a rigid structure. The method can also be used for creating a flexible structure from a rigid material. The method includes providing a substantially rigid material, such as, but not limited to, metals, alloys, hard plastics, and the like, and selectively removing portions of the rigid material defining a geometric pattern in the rigid material. A bending radius of the flexible portion is defined by the geometric pattern. The rigid structure may be used to create an enclosure, a cover for an electronic device, one or more hinges, or the like.
Claims21
-20. (canceled)
An electronic device comprising:
- an electronic component;
- and
- an enclosure that protects the electronic component, the enclosure comprising:
- an enclosure top;
- an enclosure bottom;
- and
- an enclosure hinge that allows the enclosure top and the enclosure bottom to move relative to each other about a bend axis, wherein:
- the enclosure top comprises a first portion of a single piece of material;
- the enclosure bottom comprises a second portion of the single piece of material;
- the enclosure hinge comprises a third portion of the single piece of material that extends between the first portion of the single piece of material and the second portion of the single piece of material;
- the third portion of the single piece of material comprises a plurality of apertures;
- and
- an aperture of the plurality of apertures varies in dimension as the enclosure top and the enclosure bottom move relative to each other about the bend axis.
An enclosure housing an electronic component of an electronic device comprising:
- a first plurality of flex apertures defined within a rigid material along a first row;
- and
- a second plurality of flex apertures defined within the rigid material along a first row, wherein:
- the second row is positioned below the first row;
- the first plurality of flex apertures are misaligned with the second plurality of flex apertures such that a first end of each flex aperture of the first plurality of flex apertures is in a different vertical plane from a first end of each flex aperture of the second plurality of flex apertures;
- when a bending force is applied to one of the first row and the second row, two opposing and aligned apexes of each aperture of each of the first plurality of flex apertures and the second plurality of flex apertures expand away from one another in a direction perpendicular to a bend axis, allowing the rigid material to bend about the bend axis;
- and
- the enclosure at least partially surrounds the electronic component of the electronic device when the enclosure is bent about the bend axis.
An electronic device comprising:
- an electronic component;
- and
- an enclosure that protects the electronic component, the enclosure comprising:
- a first enclosure portion;
- a second enclosure portion;
- and
- a third enclosure portion that allows the first enclosure portion and the second enclosure portion to move relative to each other, wherein:
- the first enclosure portion comprises a first portion of a single piece of material;
- the second enclosure portion comprises a second portion of the single piece of material;
- the third enclosure portion comprises a third portion of the single piece of material that extends between the first portion of the single piece of material and the second portion of the single piece of material;
- and
- the third portion of the single piece of material comprises an aperture that varies in dimension when the first enclosure portion and the second enclosure portion move relative to each other.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.