Electronic device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2023232151-A1
Application number	US-202217934308-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Sep 22, 2022
Priority date	Jan 14, 2022
Publication date	Jul 20, 2023
Grant date	—

Abstract

An electronic device includes a housing sidewall defining an opening and a display component, such as a display cover, disposed in the opening to form a gap between the housing sidewall and the display component. In at least one example, the cavity is defined by the sidewall and the display cover with the cavity in fluid communication with an external environment through the gap. In at least one example, an epoxy component at least partially defines the cavity and can be in direct contact with the housing sidewall.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A wearable electronic watch, comprising:
a housing having a sidewall, the sidewall defining:
an internal volume, the sidewall extending 360-degrees circumferentially around the internal volume;
a first aperture;
a second aperture between about 155 and 205 degrees relative to the first aperture; and
a third aperture closer to the second aperture than the first aperture; and
a first microphone disposed in the internal volume and configured to receive sound through the first aperture; a second microphone disposed in the internal volume and configured to receive sound through the second aperture; and a third microphone disposed in the internal volume and configured to receive sound through the third aperture.

2 . The wearable electronic watch of claim 1 , wherein the second aperture and the third aperture are defined on a distal side of the wearable electronic watch.

3 . The wearable electronic watch of claim 2 , wherein the first aperture is defined on a proximal side of the wearable electronic watch.

4 . The wearable electronic watch of claim 3 , wherein the second aperture is defined between about 170 and 190 degrees relative to the first aperture.

5 . The wearable electronic watch of claim 4 , wherein the third aperture is defined between about 30 and 60 degrees counterclockwise along the sidewall relative to the second aperture.

6 . The wearable electronic watch of claim 5 , wherein the third aperture is defined between about 40 and 50 degrees counterclockwise along the sidewall relative to the second aperture.

7 . The wearable electronic watch of claim 1 , wherein the sidewall defines a band receiving feature between the first aperture and the second aperture.

8 . The wearable electronic watch of claim 7 , wherein:
the band receiving feature is a first band receiving feature; and the sidewall further defines a second band receiving feature opposite the first band receiving feature and between the third aperture and the first aperture.

9 . A wearable electronic device, comprising:
a housing sidewall defining:
an internal volume;
a first band receiving feature;
a second band receiving feature opposite the first band receiving feature;
a first sidewall portion extending between the first band receiving feature and the second band receiving feature, the first sidewall portion defining a first aperture closer to the first band receiving feature than the second band receiving feature;
a second sidewall portion disposed opposite the first sidewall portion and extending between the first band receiving feature and the second band receiving feature, the second sidewall portion defining a second aperture and a third aperture, the second aperture defined closer to the second band receiving feature than the first band receiving feature;
a first microphone disposed in the internal volume adjacent the first aperture; a second microphone disposed in the internal volume adjacent the second aperture; and a third microphone disposed in the internal volume adjacent the third aperture.

10 . The wearable electronic device of claim 9 , wherein the first sidewall portion defines a proximal side of the wearable electronic device, and the second sidewall portion defines a distal side of the wearable electronic device.

11 . The wearable electronic device of claim 10 , wherein:
the first aperture is defined closer to the first band receiving feature than the second band receiving feature; and the second aperture is defined closer to the second band receiving feature than the first band receiving feature.

12 . The wearable electronic device of claim 11 , wherein the third aperture is defined between the second aperture and the first band receiving feature.

13 . The wearable electronic device of claim 12 , wherein the third aperture is defined between about 30 and 60 degrees counterclockwise from the second aperture along the housing sidewall.

14 . The wearable electronic device of claim 13 , wherein the first aperture is defined between about 170 and 190 degrees from the second aperture along the housing sidewall.

15 . The wearable electronic device of claim 9 , wherein:
the first aperture is defined proximally relative to the first band receiving feature and the second band receiving feature; and the second aperture and the third aperture are defined distally relative to the first band receiving feature and the second band receiving feature.

16 . An electronic device, comprising:
a sidewall defining an internal volume, a first aperture, a second aperture, a third aperture, and a fourth aperture; a first microphone disposed in the internal volume adjacent the first aperture; a second microphone disposed in the internal volume adjacent the second aperture; a third microphone disposed in the internal volume adjacent the third aperture; and a speaker disposed in the internal volume adjacent the fourth aperture; wherein:
a distance along the sidewall between the first and second apertures is larger than a distance along the sidewall between the second and third apertures; and
the fourth aperture is adjacent the first aperture.

17 . The wearable electronic device of claim 16 , wherein the first microphone is oriented to receive sound from a first direction and the second microphone is oriented to receive sound from a second direction different than the first direction.

18 . The wearable electronic device of claim 17 , wherein the second direction is opposite the first direction.

19 . The wearable electronic device of claim 16 , wherein the first aperture and the fourth aperture are defined on a proximal side of the electronic device.

20 . The wearable electronic device of claim 19 , wherein the second aperture and third aperture are defined on a distal side of the electronic device.

Assignees

• Apple Inc

Inventors

• Chiang Eric T
• Robison David W
• Vitt Nikolas T
• Atura Bushnell Tyler S

Classifications

• H04R1/406 Primary

  microphones · CPC title

• G04G21/06 Primary

  using voice · CPC title

• G04G17/04

  Mounting of electronic components · CPC title

• G04G17/08

  Housings · CPC title

• H04R1/04

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