Compact housing for portable electronic device with internal speaker

Abstract

Improved approaches for providing a speaker within a housing of a portable electronic device are disclosed. The housing of the portable electronic device can be compact, such as a low profile housing. In one embodiment, an acoustic chamber for a speaker can be formed internal to a housing for a portable electronic device using non-dedicated space. In another embodiment, irregular surfaces can be sealed so that an acoustic chamber for a speaker can be formed internal to a housing for a portable electronic device.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A portable electronic device, comprising:
 a housing;   a speaker provided in said housing; a back volume for said speaker, said back volume being formed from an area within said housing that is not dedicated to said back volume; and   a front volume for said speaker, said front volume being formed from an area within said housing that is not dedicated to said front volume.   
     
     
         2 . A portable electronic device as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said back volume is greater than the front volume. 
     
     
         3 . A portable electronic device as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said portable electronic device further comprises:
 a curable sealant that is used to at least partially isolate said back volume from said front volume.   
     
     
         4 . A portable electronic device as recited in  claim 3 , wherein said curable sealant has a low viscosity when placed at certain regions within said housing and is thereafter cured. 
     
     
         5 . A portable electronic device as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said speaker is a flat speaker. 
     
     
         6 . A portable electronic device as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said speaker is a piezoelectric speaker. 
     
     
         7 . A portable electronic device as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said portable electronic device is a handheld electronic device. 
     
     
         8 - 17 . (canceled)