Environmental seal maximizing sensor space beneath a button positioned in trim

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10066975-B2
Application number	US-201614996878-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 15, 2016
Priority date	Jul 9, 2013
Publication date	Sep 4, 2018
Grant date	Sep 4, 2018

Abstract

An environmental seal is formed around a square sensor disposed beneath a circular button cap within a button assembly. The button assembly includes shelf portions each extending separately into the interior of the assembly from a sidewall of the assembly. Portions of the sidewall are exposed between the shelf portions large enough to permit the four corners of the square sensor to contact the sidewall. The button cap is set above the sensor, resting upon the shelf portions. A first sealant bonds the top faces of the shelf portions to the bottom of the button cap. A second sealant bonds the edges of the sidewall to the corners of the sensor. The second sealant interfaces with the first sealant to form a complete environmental seal.

First claim

We claim:

1. An electronic device incorporating a sealed electrical sensor assembly, the electronic device comprising:
a housing defining an aperture;
the sealed electrical sensor assembly disposed within the aperture and comprising:
an electrical sensor having a rectangular shape;
a circular trim ring circumscribing the electrical sensor, the circular trim ring comprising a shelf that extends to meet an edge of the electrical sensor; and
a circular cap disposed over the electrical sensor and the shelf, the cap sealed to at least one of the circular trim ring or the shelf.

2. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the sealed electrical sensor assembly further comprises:
a first sealant disposed between the circular cap and the shelf; and
a second sealant disposed between the circular cap and an internal trim ring of the circular trim ring.

3. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the electrical sensor is a capacitive fingerprint sensor.

4. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the circular trim ring is electrically conductive.

5. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the circular cap is formed from a dielectric material.

6. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein
the shelf is a first shelf and the edge is a first edge; and
the sealed electrical sensor assembly further comprises:
a second shelf extending to meet a second edge of the electrical sensor;
a third shelf extending to meet a third edge of the electrical sensor;
a fourth shelf extending to meet a fourth edge of the electrical sensor.

7. A sealed electrical sensor assembly for an electronic device, the assembly comprising:
a trim ring defining an interior volume;
a shelf portion extending from an inner sidewall of the trim ring into the interior volume;
a cap sealed to the shelf portion and to the trim ring with at least one adhesive; and
a capacitive sensor disposed below the cap and abutting the shelf portion.

8. The sealed electrical sensor assembly of claim 7 , wherein:
the at least one adhesive is a heat activated film.

9. The sealed electrical sensor assembly of claim 7 , wherein the sealed electrical sensor is a finger print sensor.

10. The sealed electrical sensor assembly of claim 7 , wherein the sealed electrical sensor has a square shape and the trim ring has a circular shape.

11. The sealed electrical sensor assembly of claim 7 , wherein:
the sealed electrical sensor is a capacitive sensor; and
the cap comprises an anisotropic material.

12. The sealed electrical sensor assembly of claim 11 , wherein the cap is formed from sapphire.

13. A sealed electrical sensor assembly comprising:
a trim ring having an interior sidewall that defines a first interior volume having a round cross-sectional shape;
a set of shelves extending from the interior sidewall and at least partially defining a second interior volume having a square cross-sectional shape, the second interior volume within the first interior volume;
a capacitive sensor positioned adjacent a shelf of the set of shelves and within the second interior volume; and
a cap positioned at least partially within the first interior volume and over the capacitive sensor.

14. The sealed electrical sensor assembly of claim 13 , wherein:
the cap is sealed to at least a portion of the set of shelves with a first adhesive; and
the cap is sealed to at least a portion of the trim ring with a second adhesive.

15. The sealed electrical sensor assembly of claim 13 , wherein the trim ring is formed from metal.

16. The sealed electrical sensor assembly of claim 13 , wherein the trim ring is electrically grounded.

17. The sealed electrical sensor assembly of claim 13 , the round cross-sectional shape is circular.

18. The sealed electrical sensor assembly of claim 13 , wherein the sealed electrical sensor assembly is a capacitive fingerprint sensor.

19. The sealed electrical sensor assembly of claim 13 , wherein the sealed electrical sensor assembly is an infrared sensor.

20. The sealed electrical sensor assembly of claim 13 , further comprising an ink layer disposed on a bottom surface of the cap.

Assignees

• Apple Inc

Inventors

• Rao Matthew P
• Myers Scott A
• Krogdahl James R
• Lee Alex M

Classifications

• H03K2217/960755

  Constructional details of capacitive touch and proximity switches · CPC title

• H03K2217/960765

  Details of shielding arrangements · CPC title

• B32B37/1284

  Application of adhesive · CPC title

• G01D11/26 Primary

  Windows; Cover glasses; Sealings therefor · CPC title

• G06K9/0002

  Physics · mapped topic