Hydrophobic-coated transducer port with reduced occlusion impact

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10462544-B2
Application number	US-201816053628-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 2, 2018
Priority date	Aug 17, 2017
Publication date	Oct 29, 2019
Grant date	Oct 29, 2019

Abstract

A portable communication device includes a transducer enclosed in an enclosure. An opening allows flow of air between the transducer enclosed in the enclosure and a surrounding environment. The enclosure protects the transducer from misreading due to occlusion of environmental aggressors on the transducer. The enclosure is configured to repel the environmental aggressors away from a surface of the transducer and to keep a portion of the opening unclogged to maintain an air flow to the transducer.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A transducer port device, the device comprising:
a transducer enclosed in an enclosure; and
an opening configured to allow flow of air between the transducer enclosed in the enclosure and a surrounding environment,
wherein:
the enclosure includes a coated layer formed on at least some internal surfaces of the enclosure, and
the coated layer formed on the at least some internal surfaces of the enclosure has a gradient in repellent properties to keep a portion of the opening unclogged to maintain an air flow to the transducer.

2. The device of claim 1 , wherein the layer comprises at least one of a hydrophobic or superhydrophobic layer that protects the transducer from misreading due to occlusion of environmental aggressors on the transducer.

3. The device of claim 1 , wherein the transducer comprises a miniature transducer including a miniature sensor, microphone or speaker, wherein the miniature sensor comprises a microphone or a miniature environmental sensor configured to sense a gas, a particulate matter or an environmental property including a pressure, a temperature or a humidity.

4. The device of claim 2 , wherein the environmental aggressors include at least one of water, oil or dust, and wherein the water includes fresh and salt water and the oil includes body oil or sunscreen.

5. The device of claim 1 , wherein at least some surfaces of the enclosure in a close vicinity of the transducer include at least one of a hydrophobic or a superhydrophobic layer.

6. The device of claim 5 , further comprising an air permeable membrane formed on an active surface of the transducer or at a distance from the surface of the transducer.

7. The device of claim 6 , wherein at least one surface of the enclosure forming a wall of the opening includes no superhydrophobic layer or includes a hydrophilic layer.

8. The device of claim 6 , wherein the at least one of the hydrophobic or the superhydrophobic layer is applied to at least one of the air permeable membrane that is coated on the active surface of the transducer or at the distance from the surface of the transducer.

9. The device of claim 8 , further comprising channels configured to transfer water from an area around the air permeable membrane to one or more drying ports due to capillary action of water within the channels, and wherein the channels are coated with a hydrophilic layer.

10. The device of claim 8 , wherein the at least one of the hydrophobic or the superhydrophobic layer is applied to entire exposed surfaces of the enclosure.

11. The device of claim 1 , wherein a location of the opening on the enclosure is configured to be away from a direct view of the transducer in the enclosure.

12. A device comprising:
an enclosure including an opening; and
a transducer enclosed in the enclosure,
wherein:
the opening is configured to permit an air flow between the transducer enclosed in the enclosure and a surrounding environment,
a location of the opening and dimensions of the enclosure are configured to maintain at least a portion of the opening away from a direct view of the transducer and a path for the air flow to the transducer unclogged in presence of environmental aggressors, and
the enclosure includes at least one of a coated layer of hydrophobic or a superhydrophobic material on at least some surfaces of the enclosure.

13. The device of claim 12 , wherein the at least one of the hydrophobic or the superhydrophobic material is formed on at least some surfaces of the enclosure in a close vicinity of the transducer.

14. The device of claim 12 , wherein the enclosure includes at least one bare surface without the superhydrophobic material or including a hydrophilic layer, and wherein the bare surface comprises a wall of the opening.

15. The device of claim 12 , further comprising an air permeable membrane formed on at least one of an active surface of the transducer or at a distance from the active surface of the transducer.

16. The device of claim 15 , further comprising channels configured to transfer water from an area around the air permeable membrane to one or more drying ports due to capillary action of water within the channels, and wherein the channels are coated with a hydrophilic layer.

17. The device of claim 15 , wherein the at least one of the hydrophobic or the superhydrophobic material is applied over the air permeable membrane.

18. A system comprising:
a communication device; and
a miniature transducer integrated with the communication device,
wherein:
the miniature transducer is being enclosed in an enclosure including an opening that is away from a direct view of the transducer, and
at least some surfaces of the enclosure are coated with at least one of a hydrophobic or a superhydrophobic layer to protect the miniature transducer from misreading due to occlusion of environmental aggressors on the miniature transducer.

19. The system of claim 18 , wherein the miniature transducer comprises a miniature transducer including a miniature environmental sensor, a microphone or a miniature speaker, and wherein the miniature environmental sensor is configured to sense a gas, a particulate matter or an environmental property including a pressure, a temperature or a humidity.

20. The system of claim 18 , wherein the at least some surfaces of the enclosure comprise surfaces in a close vicinity of the miniature transducer, and wherein at least one surface of the enclosure forming a wall of the opening includes no superhydrophobic layer or includes a hydrophilic layer.

Assignees

• Apple Inc

Inventors

• Yan Miaolei
• Macneil David
• Brown Michael K
• Yeh Richard

Classifications

• H04R1/025 Primary

  Arrangements for fixing loudspeaker transducers, e.g. in a box, furniture · CPC title

• H04R2201/02

  Details casings, cabinets or mounting therein for transducers covered by H04R1/02 but not provided for in any of its subgroups · CPC title

• H04R1/086

  Protective screens, e.g. all weather or wind screens · CPC title

• H04R2499/11

  Transducers incorporated or for use in hand-held devices, e.g. mobile phones, PDA's, camera's · CPC title

• H04R1/04

  Structural association of microphone with electric circuitry therefor (in electric hearing aids H04R25/00) · CPC title