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US 2020/0050240 A1Published application
Electronic subassembly and manufacturing method thereof
AssigneeGoogle Inc.
InventorsLiwen Chen, Valentin de la Fuente, Vivek Saini
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An electronics subassembly for a computing device that receives a pressing force from a user is disclosed. The electronics subassembly is mounted in the computing device using fasteners that are aligned parallel to the pressing force to prevent unwanted flexure of the electronics subassembly. The orientation of the fasteners requires holes to be form in a direction that is not suited for a standard tool. As a result, the manufacturing method includes forming the holes through an aperture in a sidewall of the housing of the computing device so that the bulk of the tool used for drilling is not constrained by the interior dimensions of the housing.
Claims20
A computing device comprising:
- a housing that defines an interior and an aperture in a sidewall of the housing;
- a first boss defined within a bottom interior surface of the housing and located behind the aperture, the first boss having a first surface facing the aperture and a first hole formed through the first boss at the first surface using a conventional tool through the aperture in the sidewall, wherein the bottom interior surface of the housing and a height of the first hole prevent forming the first hole through the first boss other than by the conventional tool through the aperture in the sidewall;
- a second boss defined within the bottom interior surface of the housing and located behind the aperture, the second boss having a second surface facing the aperture and a second hole formed through the second boss at the second surface using the conventional tool through the aperture in the sidewall, wherein the bottom interior surface of the housing and a height of the second hole prevent forming the second hole through the second boss other than by the conventional tool through the aperture in the sidewall;
- and
- a button having a top portion protruding through the aperture and a bottom portion attached to the first boss using a first fastener through the first hole and to the second boss using a second fastener through the second hole.
2 more elements
(canceled)
A method comprising:
- inserting a conventional tool through an aperture in a sidewall of a housing for a computing device and into contact with a first boss defined within a bottom interior surface of the housing;
- forming a first hole through the first boss in a direction normal to the aperture using the conventional tool inserted through the aperture, wherein the bottom interior surface of the housing and a height of the first hole prevent forming the first hole through the first boss other than by the conventional tool through the aperture in the sidewall;
- inserting the conventional tool through the aperture in the sidewall of the housing for the computing device and into contact with a second boss defined within the bottom interior surface of the housing adjacent to the first boss;
- forming a second hole through the second boss in the direction normal to the aperture using the conventional tool inserted through the aperture, wherein the bottom interior surface of the housing and a height of the second hole prevent forming the second hole through the second boss other than by the conventional tool through the aperture in the sidewall;
- and
- mounting an electronic subassembly to the first boss using a first fastener through the first hole and to the second boss using a second fastener through the second hole, the electronic subassembly having a top portion protruding through the aperture when mounted.
3 more elements
A method comprising:
- inserting a conventional tool through a slot in a sidewall of a housing so that a distal end of the conventional tool is within an interior defined by the housing;
- forming, using the conventional tool, a hole through a boss that is integral with a bottom interior surface of the housing, wherein the conventional tool makes no contact with edges of the slot during the forming, wherein the bottom interior surface of the housing and a height of the hole prevent forming the hole through the boss other than by the conventional tool through the slot in the sidewall;
- positioning a button so that a top portion of the button protrudes through the slot and so that a threaded hole in a bottom portion of the button is aligned with the hole in the boss;
- and
- mounting the button to the boss using a fastener through the hole in the boss.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.