Abstract: A handheld electronic device may be provided that contains a conductive housing and other conductive elements. The conductive elements may form an antenna ground plane. One or more antennas for the handheld electronic device may be formed from the ground plane and one or more associated antenna resonating elements. Transceiver circuitry may be connected to the resonating elements by transmission lines such as coaxial cables. Ferrules may be crimped to the coaxial cables. A bracket with extending members may be crimped over the ferrules to ground the coaxial cables to the housing and other conductive elements in the ground plane. The ground plane may contain an antenna slot. A dock connector and flex circuit may overlap the slot in a way that does not affect the resonant frequency of the slot. Electrical components may be isolated from the antenna using isolation elements such as inductors and resistors.

Abstract: A handheld electronic device may be provided that contains a conductive housing and other conductive elements. The conductive elements may form an antenna ground plane. One or more antennas for the handheld electronic device may be formed from the ground plane and one or more associated antenna resonating elements. Transceiver circuitry may be connected to the resonating elements by transmission lines such as coaxial cables. Ferrules may be crimped to the coaxial cables. A bracket with extending members may be crimped over the ferrules to ground the coaxial cables to the housing and other conductive elements in the ground plane. The ground plane may contain an antenna slot. A dock connector and flex circuit may overlap the slot in a way that does not affect the resonant frequency of the slot. Electrical components may be isolated from the antenna using isolation elements such as inductors and resistors.

Abstract: Electronic devices are provided with a protective housing having one or more housing components. A housing component can be formed from a single sheet of material to appear as if the housing component had been formed from a hollowed out solid block of material. The sheet of material may be deep drawn, forged, and machined to form the housing component. One or more holes may be formed through a portion of the housing component to provide an I/O interface.

Abstract: A cold worked stainless steel bezel for a portable electronic device. The bezel is secured flush to a housing to form part of the case of the portable electronic device. A brace that includes a slot for receiving a wall extending from the bezel is fixed to the housing. When the bezel engages the housing, the wall of the bezel is inserted in the slot of the brace and releasably held by a spring that engages both the brace and the wall. The bezel can be released by disengaging the spring. The bezel is hard and resistant to impacts. Cold worked steel also facilitates manufacturing within design constraints and tolerances, and requires very little machining after manufacturing to comply with those constraints. The portable electronic device may include a personal media device, a mobile telephone, or any other suitable device or combination thereof.

Abstract: A handheld electronic device may be provided that contains a conductive housing and other conductive elements. The conductive elements may form an antenna ground plane. One or more antennas for the handheld electronic device may be formed from the ground plane and one or more associated antenna resonating elements. Transceiver circuitry may be connected to the resonating elements by transmission lines such as coaxial cables. Ferrules may be crimped to the coaxial cables. A bracket with extending members may be crimped over the ferrules to ground the coaxial cables to the housing and other conductive elements in the ground plane. The ground plane may contain an antenna slot. A dock connector and flex circuit may overlap the slot in a way that does not affect the resonant frequency of the slot. Electrical components may be isolated from the antenna using isolation elements such as inductors and resistors.

Abstract: Systems and methods for providing input component assemblies with anti-rotational buttons in electronic devices are provided. The input component assembly includes a switch, a button positioned over the switch, where the button is operative to close at least one circuit of the switch when the button is depressed towards the switch, and at least one pin positioned underneath the button, where the at least one pin is operative to engage with a surface to assist in preventing rotation of the button, when the button is depressed towards the switch.

Abstract: Systems and methods for routing cables in an electronic device are provided. In some embodiments, the electronic device may include a touch sensor having a number of traces, a display component, and a mechanical button, each of which may be coupled to a circuit board via a single flexible circuit cable. This may save valuable space within the electronic device.

Abstract: Headsets with non-occluding earbuds are disclosed. The earbud includes a non-occluding housing having a directional sound port offset with respect to a center axis of the earbud. The housing can have an asymmetric shape amenable to in-the-ear retention. Additionally, the housing can have a seamless or nearly seamless construction even though two or more parts are joined together to form the housing. Front and back volumes can exist for a driver of the earbud, and embodiments of this invention use mid-mold and rear-mold structures to achieve desired performance from the earbud. For example, the mid-mold structure can be used to tune the front volume while the rear-mold structure can be used to tune the back volume. Apertures may also be included in the housing to further improve the performance of the earbud.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for using an insert molding process to form a tactilely seamless overall part from component parts that are made from different materials are disclosed. According to one aspect of the present invention, a housing includes a first part formed from a first material and a second part formed from a second material that is of a different type than the first material. The first part includes a first external surface and a first bonding surface, and the second part includes a second external surface and a second bonding surface. The second bonding surface can be integrally bonded to the first bonding surface so that the first external surface and the second external surface form a gap-free overall surface.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for media devices including a housing, a frame disposed adjacent to the housing, a support panel that is integrated with the frame, and a flexible circuit that is disposed adjacent to the support panel such that the support panel provides support for the flexible circuit.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for using an insert molding process to form a tactilely seamless overall part from component parts that are made from different materials are disclosed. According to one aspect of the present invention, a housing includes a first part formed from a first material and a second part formed from a second material that is of a different type than the first material. The first part includes a first external surface and a first bonding surface, and the second part includes a second external surface and a second bonding surface. The second bonding surface can be integrally bonded to the first bonding surface so that the first external surface and the second external surface form a gap-free overall surface.

Abstract: Provided herein are apparatuses for fabricating wire current collector and/or interconnect assemblies for solar cells. In certain embodiments, the wire assemblies include uniformly pitched serpentine wires. According to various embodiments, the apparatuses include opposing re-circulating chain link assemblies having uniformly pitched posts and a wire weaving assembly configured to weave wire around the re-circulating posts. Also provided are methods of fabricating solar cells including the wire assemblies.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for using an insert molding process to form a tactilely seamless overall part from component parts that are made from different materials are disclosed. According to one aspect of the present invention, a housing includes a first part formed from a first material and a second part formed from a second material that is of a different type than the first material. The first part includes a first external surface and a first bonding surface, and the second part includes a second external surface and a second bonding surface. The second bonding surface can be integrally bonded to the first bonding surface so that the first external surface and the second external surface form a gap-free overall surface.

Abstract: A test fixture for making an electrical connection with electrical contacts of a circuit board includes jaws made of conductive material. The jaws may be monolithic pieces of copper, with a pair of sections that pivot along a thin hinged portion at one end. The jaws float freely within a test fixture housing, allowing the jaws to reposition themselves within the housing to adjust to variations in position of the electrical contacts. A clamping mechanism pushes free ends of the jaw sections toward one another, causing engagement between the sections and the electrical contacts. The test fixture provides a way to provide good contact area and good contact pressure, allowing large-current flows between the jaws and the electrical contacts, while at the same time providing substantially no force on the circuit board in a direction perpendicular to the circuit board.

Abstract: Electronic devices are provided with switch assembly input components that can have adhesives adhered to the side and/or bottom surfaces of support plates for retaining switches between the adhesives and the tops of the support plates. The switch assembly input components can include buttons with one or more absorption elements for receiving impact energy, reducing the impact energy, and transferring the reduced impact energy onto the switches.

Abstract: Electronic devices are provided with switch assembly input components that can have adhesives adhered to the side and/or bottom surfaces of support plates for retaining switches between the adhesives and the tops of the support plates. The switch assembly input components can include buttons with one or more absorption elements for receiving impact energy, reducing the impact energy, and transferring the reduced impact energy onto the switches.

Abstract: Electronic devices are provided with switch assembly input components that can have adhesives adhered to the side and/or bottom surfaces of support plates for retaining switches between the adhesives and the tops of the support plates. The switch assembly input components can include buttons with one or more absorption elements for receiving impact energy, reducing the impact energy, and transferring the reduced impact energy onto the switches.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for media devices including a housing, a frame disposed adjacent to the housing, a support panel that is integrated with the frame, and a flexible circuit that is disposed adjacent to the support panel such that the support panel provides support for the flexible circuit.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for media devices including a housing, a frame disposed adjacent to the housing, a support panel that is integrated with the frame, and a flexible circuit that is disposed adjacent to the support panel such that the support panel provides support for the flexible circuit.

Abstract: A test fixture for making an electrical connection with electrical contacts of a circuit board includes jaws made of conductive material. The jaws may be monolithic pieces of copper, with a pair of sections that pivot along a thin hinged portion at one end. The jaws float freely within a test fixture housing, allowing the jaws to reposition themselves within the housing to adjust to variations in position of the electrical contacts. A clamping mechanism pushes free ends of the jaw sections toward one another, causing engagement between the sections and the electrical contacts. The test fixture provides a way to provide good contact area and good contact pressure, allowing large-current flows between the jaws and the electrical contacts, while at the same time providing substantially no force on the circuit board in a direction perpendicular to the circuit board.