Electronic devices having pressure sensors and barometric vents

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10837772-B2
Application number	US-201816122833-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 5, 2018
Priority date	Sep 6, 2017
Publication date	Nov 17, 2020
Grant date	Nov 17, 2020

Abstract

Aspects of the subject technology relate to electronic devices with pressure sensors. A pressure sensor may be mounted within a device housing in a pressure sensor cavity at or near an opening in the housing. A barometric vent between a main cavity within the housing and the pressure sensor cavity allows pressure changes in the main cavity to generate airflow through the pressure sensor cavity and out through the opening in the device housing. The generated airflow may clear debris that has occluded the opening in the housing.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A portable electronic device, comprising:
a housing having an exterior wall having an opening;
a main cavity within the housing;
a pressure sensor cavity within the housing;
an inner wall within the housing that separates the pressure sensor cavity from the main cavity and that includes first and second openings;
a pressure sensor at least partially disposed within the first opening in the inner wall and arranged to receive airflow through the opening in the exterior wall of the housing;
a water-resistant covering over the second opening in the inner wall without extending over the first opening in the inner wall; and
a barometric vent configured to dislodge debris from the opening by providing an airflow to clear occlusions of the opening.

2. The portable electronic device of claim 1 , further comprising a mesh covering over the opening in the exterior wall of the housing.

3. The portable electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the mesh covering is configured to allow air and liquid to pass through the opening in the exterior wall of the housing and to discourage solid debris from passing through the opening in the exterior wall of the housing.

4. The portable electronic device of claim 1 , further comprising a sealing member disposed between a pressure sensor housing of the pressure sensor and an edge of the first opening in the inner wall.

5. The portable electronic device of claim 4 , wherein the pressure sensor housing comprises a port disposed in the first opening in the inner wall.

6. The portable electronic device of claim 5 , wherein the pressure sensor housing comprises a portion that is disposed in the main cavity.

7. The portable electronic device of claim 6 , wherein pressure sensing components of the pressure sensor are disposed in the portion of the pressure sensor housing.

8. The portable electronic device of claim 7 , further comprising a flexible printed circuit disposed in the main cavity and electronically coupled to the pressure sensing components.

9. The portable electronic device of claim 1 , further comprising a printed circuit board and a battery disposed in the main cavity.

10. A portable electronic device, comprising:
a housing having an opening;
a pressure sensor disposed in the housing and arranged to sense an ambient pressure of an environment external to the housing using a first airflow through the opening;
a moisture-resistant cavity within the housing, the moisture-resistant cavity being defined by an enclosure formed by the housing and a display of the portable electronic device; and
a barometric vent configured to dislodge debris from the opening by providing an airflow to clear occlusions of the opening.

11. The portable electronic device of claim 10 , further comprising a pressure sensor cavity disposed between the opening in the housing and the moisture-resistant cavity within the housing.

12. The portable electronic device of claim 11 , wherein the barometric vent comprises a moisture-resistant opening for the moisture-resistant cavity within the housing.

13. The portable electronic device of claim 11 , wherein the pressure sensor cavity has a volume that is smaller than a volume of the moisture-resistant cavity.

14. A portable electronic device, comprising:
a housing;
a pressure sensor cavity in the housing;
a pressure sensor to sense a pressure in the pressure sensor cavity; and
a barometric vent configured to pass at least a portion of a rise in pressure in an additional cavity within the housing into the pressure sensor cavity, the additional cavity being defined by the housing, wherein the barometric vent is configured to dislodge debris from the opening by providing an airflow to clear occlusions of the opening.

15. The portable electronic device of claim 14 , wherein the housing comprises an opening between the pressure sensor cavity and an environment external to the housing that allows an ambient pressure of the environment external to the housing to equalize with the pressure in the pressure sensor cavity.

16. The portable electronic device of claim 15 , further comprising a moisture-resistant membrane over the barometric vent.

17. The portable electronic device of claim 16 , further comprising a mesh covering over the opening in the housing.

18. The portable electronic device of claim 14 , further comprising an inner wall that that separates the pressure sensor cavity from the additional cavity, wherein the barometric vent is formed in the inner wall.

19. The portable electronic device of claim 18 , further comprising at least one electronic component enclosed in the additional cavity.

20. The portable electronic device of claim 14 , wherein at least a portion of the housing is displaceable such that a displacement of the portion of the housing causes a reduction of a volume and the rise in pressure in the additional cavity.

Assignees

• Apple Inc

Inventors

• Macneil David
• Lee William S
• Nyland Eric N

Classifications

• G01L19/0654

  against moisture or humidity · CPC title

• G01L19/0645

  using isolation membranes, specially adapted for protection · CPC title

• G01C5/06 Primary

  by using barometric means · CPC title

• G01L19/0046

  using isolation membranes (G01L13/026 and G01L19/0645 take precedence) · CPC title

• G01L19/147 Primary

  Details about the mounting of the sensor to support or covering means · CPC title