(07-31-2020, 05:02 PM)SwordfishII Wrote: I am in agreement with 1&2. For 3 you would basically not have a flat surface on the back? Or you would have a cover so the back would be flat, with just a pass through for the camera? But then the keyboard would be restricted in width?
I see why you say that and the logic behind it.
I was thinking of it dividided in two, with a fixed part with the camera and the moving part with the keyboard, but I hadn't thought of the antennae, and the modem and kill switches would likely still make the top half too thick.
So, after giving it a second thought, and make the design cheaper...
1. Make an adapter board, which connects the display, the front camera and the power/volume keys.
2. Remove the middle frame, the PCB, the back camera, speakers and and everything except front camera, LCD and keys from the front side of the chassis.
3. Make a new middle frame just thick enough to cover the LCD back. This should make it almost flat.
4. On the keyboard side of the frame, place the PCB, vibrator, battery and everything that's not glued to the front assembly
5. Repurpose the original middle frame and back cover in the keyboard case to minimize costs.
This approach would leave us with the top half of the phone containing just the display, earpiece and power/volume rockers, and all the weight in the bottom. Pine could repurpose the middle frame, the back cover and all the design for different accessories they might have on the pipeline, but would require of designing a small adapter board for the LCD to route the wiring to the back case, a flat middle frame (could be based on the existing one), and then everything related to the keyboard itself.
Mocked up a little something something in photoshop to make it easier to understand
key.jpg (Size: 456.48 KB / Downloads: 647)