Liquid ingress control for electronic devices

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11320868-B2
Application number	US-201916554552-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 28, 2019
Priority date	Aug 28, 2019
Publication date	May 3, 2022
Grant date	May 3, 2022

Abstract

Invasive material ingress mitigation and control features are positioned in a hinge that uses a flexible cable and cable cover at a gap between housings of a portable electronic device. The features include hydrophobic materials on the cover or a cover-facing surface of the device housing, a barrier between the cover and the device housing, channels or protrusions on the cover-facing surface of the top case, a series of different top case surface feature modifications, and a flex cover profile modification that controls and limits contacting surface area between the cover and the top case.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A portable computing device, comprising:
a lid housing;
a base housing pivotally connected to the lid housing, the base housing having a downward-facing surface, the downward-facing surface having a transition edge;
a flexible band extending into the base housing and into the lid housing, the flexible band having an upward-facing surface;
wherein the upward-facing surface includes a first portion disposed along a lateral axis oriented perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the flexible band contacting the transition edge and a second portion disposed along the lateral axis spaced away from the downward-facing surface.

2. The portable computing device of claim 1 , wherein the upward-facing surface is slidable against the transition edge.

3. The portable computing device of claim 1 , wherein the downward-facing surface comprises a channel, wherein the second portion is vertically aligned with the channel.

4. The portable computing device of claim 1 , wherein the downward-facing surface comprises a protrusion, wherein the transition edge is part of the protrusion.

5. The portable computing device of claim 1 , wherein the transition edge is raised relative to a groove in the downward-facing surface.

6. The portable computing device of claim 1 , wherein the downward-facing surface comprises a first angled surface portion and a second angled surface portion, wherein each of the first and second angled surface portions adjoin the transition edge.

7. The portable computing device of claim 1 , wherein the first and second portions are laterally aligned on the flexible band relative to a longitudinal axis of the flexible band.

8. A laptop computer, comprising:
a lid housing;
a base housing pivotally connected to the lid housing, the base housing having an internal surface, the internal surface having a bottom surface and two adjoining side surfaces;
a flexible band extending into the base housing and having a longitudinal axis and a top surface facing the internal surface;
wherein the top surface of the flexible band and the bottom and two adjoining side surfaces of the base housing form a perimeter of an aperture extending parallel to the longitudinal axis across the top surface of the flexible band.

9. The laptop computer of claim 8 , wherein the perimeter of the aperture is formed in a channel in the internal surface.

10. The laptop computer of claim 8 , wherein the aperture is configured to receive fluid flow traveling on the flexible band parallel to the longitudinal axis.

11. The laptop computer of claim 8 , wherein a hydrophobic material is positioned on the internal surface of the base housing or the top surface of the flexible band.

Assignees

• Apple Inc

Inventors

• Bir Karan
• Garelli Adam T
• Posner Bryan W
• Endisch Denis H
• Lancaster-Larocque Simon R

Classifications

• G06F1/1656 Primary

  Details related to functional adaptations of the enclosure, e.g. to provide protection against EMI, shock, water, or to host detachable peripherals like a mouse or removable expansions units like PCMCIA cards, or to provide access to internal components for maintenance or to removable storage supports like CDs or DVDs, or to mechanically mount accessories (mounting of accessories to a computer display G06F1/1607; display hoods G06F1/1603; cooling arrangements for portable computers G06F1/203) · CPC title

• E05D11/0081 Primary

  for transmitting energy, e.g. electrical cable routing · CPC title

• G06F1/1616

  with folding flat displays, e.g. laptop computers or notebooks having a clamshell configuration, with body parts pivoting to an open position around an axis parallel to the plane they define in closed position · CPC title

• G06F1/1683

  for the transmission of signal or power between the different housings, e.g. details of wired or wireless communication, passage of cabling · CPC title

• G06F1/1613 Primary

  for portable computers (cooling arrangements therefor G06F1/203; constructional details or arrangements for pocket calculators, electronic agendas or books G06F15/0216; constructional details of portable telephone sets: with several bodies H04M1/0202) · CPC title