Opaque splits embedded in transparent media for optical emitter/detector isolation

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11786139-B2
Application number	US-202016811783-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 6, 2020
Priority date	Sep 11, 2019
Publication date	Oct 17, 2023
Grant date	Oct 17, 2023

Abstract

An electronic device can include a housing defining an aperture and at least partially defining an internal volume of the electronic device, an electromagnetic radiation emitter and an electromagnetic radiation detector disposed in the internal volume, and an optical component disposed in the aperture. The optical component can include a first and second transparent portions disposed above the electromagnetic radiation detector and the electromagnetic radiation emitter, and an opaque portion disposed between the first and second transparent portions and extending a thickness of the optical component. The first transparent portion, the second transparent portion, and the opaque portion can define a flush exterior surface of the electronic device.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electronic device, comprising:
a housing defining an aperture and at least partially defining an internal volume of the electronic device;
an electromagnetic radiation emitter disposed in the internal volume;
an electromagnetic radiation detector disposed in the internal volume; and
an optical component disposed in the aperture, the optical component comprising:
a first transparent portion disposed above the electromagnetic radiation detector;
a second transparent portion disposed above the electromagnetic radiation emitter;
an opaque portion disposed between the first transparent portion and the second transparent portion, the opaque portion comprising sidewalls; and
the first transparent portion, the second transparent portion, and the opaque portion defining a flush exterior surface of the electronic device and an interior surface of the optical component, the opaque portion extending from the exterior surface to the interior surface; and

an isolation component disposed in the internal volume, the isolation component abutting the optical component and at least partially defining a first chamber and a second chamber, the isolation component comprising a first protrusion between the first chamber and the second chamber;
wherein:
the electromagnetic radiation detector is disposed in the first chamber and the electromagnetic radiation emitter is disposed in the second chamber;
the isolation component prevents electromagnetic radiation from passing between the second chamber and the first chamber within the internal volume; and
the first protrusion comprises sidewalls aligned with the sidewalls of the opaque portion.

2. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the electromagnetic radiation emitter comprises a light emitting diode.

3. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the electromagnetic radiation detector comprises at least one of a visible light detector or an infrared light detector.

4. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the electromagnetic radiation detector and the electromagnetic radiation emitter are separate from the optical component.

5. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the electromagnetic radiation emitter is a first electromagnetic radiation emitter and the electronic device further comprises a second electromagnetic radiation emitter disposed under the second transparent portion.

6. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the isolation component abuts the optical component at the opaque portion.

7. A housing for an electronic device, comprising:
a body defining an aperture and at least partially defining an exterior surface of the electronic device;
an optical component disposed in the aperture, the optical component comprising:
a first transparent portion;
a second transparent portion surrounding the first transparent portion;
a first opaque portion disposed between the first transparent portion and the second transparent portion;
a third transparent portion;
a second opaque portion disposed between the second transparent portion and the third transparent portion; and
the first transparent portion, the second transparent portion, the third transparent portion, the first opaque portion, and the second opaque portion further defining the exterior surface of the electronic device and defining an interior surface of the optical component; and

an isolation component comprising a protrusion centrally aligned with the first opaque portion;
wherein:
the first transparent portion, the second transparent portion, and the third transparent portion define a larger surface area of the exterior surface than the first opaque portion and the second opaque portion; and
the first opaque portion and the second opaque portion extend from the exterior surface to the interior surface.

8. The housing of claim 7 , wherein the second transparent portion surrounds the third transparent portion.

9. The housing of claim 8 , wherein the second opaque portion surrounds the third transparent portion.

10. The housing of claim 7 , wherein the third transparent portion surrounds the second transparent portion.

11. The housing of claim 7 , wherein the first transparent portion, the second transparent portion, the third transparent portion, the first opaque portion, and the second opaque portion comprise ceramic material.

12. The housing of claim 7 , wherein at least one of the first opaque portion or the second opaque portion comprises a coating deposited onto a surface of an adjacent transparent portion.

13. The housing of claim 7 , wherein at least one of the first transparent portion, the second transparent portion, or the third transparent portion is joined to at least one of the first opaque portion or the second opaque portion by an adhesive.

14. The housing of claim 7 , wherein at least one of the first transparent portion, the second transparent portion, or the third transparent portion is directly fused to at least one of the first opaque portion or the second opaque portion.

15. The housing of claim 7 , wherein at least one of the first opaque portion or the second opaque portion comprises a non-planar sidewall.

16. The housing of claim 7 , wherein at least one of the first opaque portion or the second opaque portion comprises a first section defining the exterior surface and a second section defining an interior surface, the first section being laterally offset from the second section.

17. An electronic device, comprising:
a housing defining an aperture and at least partially defining an internal volume of the electronic device;
an electromagnetic radiation emitter disposed in the internal volume;
an electromagnetic radiation detector disposed in the internal volume;
an optical component disposed in the aperture, the optical component comprising:
a first transparent portion disposed above one of the electromagnetic radiation emitter or the electromagnetic radiation detector;
a second transparent portion surrounding the first transparent portion, the second transparent portion disposed above the other of the electromagnetic radiation emitter or the electromagnetic radiation detector;
a first opaque portion disposed between the first transparent portion and the second transparent portion;
a third transparent portion;
a second opaque portion disposed between the second transparent portion and the third transparent portion; and
the first transparent portion, the second transparent portion, the third transparent portion, the first opaque portion, and the second opaque portion at least partially defining an exterior surface of the electronic device and an interior surface of the optical component; and

an isolation component disposed in the internal volume;
wherein:
the first transparent portion, the second transparent portion, and the third transparent portion define a larger surface area of the exterior surface than the first opaque portion and the second opaque portion;
the first opaque portion and the second opaque portion extend from the exterior surface to the interior surface;
the isolation component comprises a first protrusion adjacent the first opaque portion; and
a shape of a distal portion of the first protrusion corresponds to a shape of the first opaque portion.

18. The electronic device, of claim 17 , wherein the electromagnetic radiation emitter is a first electromagnetic radiation emitter and the electronic device further comprises a second electromagnetic radiation emitter disposed under the third transparent portion.

19. T

Assignees

• Apple Inc

Inventors

• Spencer Maegan K
• Land Brian R
• Matsuyuki Naoto
• Wang Erik L
• Lukens William C
• Roach Steven C

Classifications

• H10F30/21

  the devices being sensitive to infrared, visible or ultraviolet radiation · CPC title

• A61B5/02438 Primary

  with portable devices, e.g. worn by the patient · CPC title

• A61B5/681

  Wristwatch-type devices · CPC title

• G06F1/163

  Wearable computers, e.g. on a belt · CPC title

• H01L31/101

  Electricity · mapped topic