Patent Application
20070133830
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention concerns mobile communications devices and more particularly, audio component assemblies of such devices.
2. Description of the Related Art
Manufacturers of mobile communications devices are constantly seeking ways to distinguish their products from one another. In recent years, reducing the thickness of mobile devices has become one way for manufacturers to do so. This crucial aspect has become paramount in handset design.
Another feature that consumers desire is to have their mobile communications devices include barriers to prevent water from seeping into the devices and damaging them. These devices, however, require one or more orifices to allow for communications to occur. For example, handsets include one or more microphones that include an opening in the housing of the handset that allows the microphone to capture acoustic signals. To prevent water from seeping into such an opening, it has been proposed to place a waterproof barrier over the microphone. The barrier allows a small amount of air to pass through it but blocks water or other liquids from doing so. As acoustic signals strike the barrier, the barrier will vibrate back and forth. To allow for this movement, there must be a considerable amount of space on either side of the barrier. This additional space requirement, however, adds to the thickness of the phone, which is a significant drawback.
The present invention concerns a low profile, liquid sealed audio component assembly. The assembly can include a seal having an opening, a membrane that can cover the opening and that can substantially block liquid from entering the seal, and an audio component contained within the seal and positioned outside a coverage area underneath the membrane. The membrane can transfer acoustic signals to or from the audio component. In one arrangement, the coverage area underneath the membrane can correspond to the area of the membrane that receives acoustic signals. In addition, at least a portion of the audio component can be in the same horizontal plane as the membrane, and the audio component assembly can be located within a mobile communications device. As an example, the audio component can be a microphone.
In another arrangement, the seal can have a first section and a second section and a tunnel portion that can connect the first section to the second section. Additionally, the first section can include the opening and the membrane, and the second section can include the audio component. As an example, the tunnel portion can be designed to direct acoustic signals to the audio component when corresponding acoustic signals strike the membrane and cause the membrane to vibrate.
In yet another arrangement, the mobile communications device can include a housing and a substrate, and the housing, the substrate and the seal can form part of a sealed chamber. Also, the housing can include a grill positioned above the membrane, and the substrate can be positioned below the membrane. As an example, the distance between the grill and the substrate can be great enough to permit the membrane to vibrate back and forth without interference when acoustic signals of a predetermined range strike the membrane. As another example, the substrate can be a printed circuit board that can be electrically coupled to the audio component, and the membrane can be designed to allow at least some air to pass through the membrane.
The present invention also concerns a method of assembling a low profile, liquid sealed audio component assembly. The method can include the steps of positioning a seal against a substrate and a housing in which the seal can have a first chamber that can include an opening and a second chamber, placing a membrane over the opening of the first chamber in which the membrane can substantially block liquid from entering the first chamber and positioning an audio component in the second chamber. The audio component can be positioned such that the audio component can be located outside a coverage area underneath the membrane, and the membrane can transfer acoustic signals to or from the audio component.
As an example, the audio component assembly can be part of a mobile communications device, the audio component can be a microphone and the substrate can be a printed circuit board. Further, the housing can include a grill, and the method can also include the steps of positioning the grill above the membrane and positioning the substrate below the membrane. The distance between the grill and the substrate can be great enough to permit the membrane to vibrate back and forth without interference when acoustic signals of a predetermined range strike the membrane.
The present invention also concerns a method of porting acoustic signals to a microphone contained within a sealed chamber. The method can include the steps of receiving acoustic signals at a membrane that can cause the membrane to vibrate back and forth in which the membrane can cover an opening of the sealed chamber and can substantially block liquids from passing into the sealed chamber and transferring the acoustic signals to the microphone that is positioned outside a coverage area underneath the membrane.
The features of the present invention, which are believed to be novel, are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The invention, together with further objects and advantages thereof, may best be understood by reference to the following description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in the several figures of which like reference numerals identify like elements, and in which:
While the specification concludes with claims defining the features of the invention that are regarded as novel, it is believed that the invention will be better understood from a consideration of the following description in conjunction with the drawings, in which like reference numerals are carried forward.
As required, detailed embodiments of the present invention are disclosed herein; however, it is to be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the invention, which can be embodied in various forms. Therefore, specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a basis for the claims and as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to variously employ the present invention in virtually any appropriately detailed structure. Further, the terms and phrases used herein are not intended to be limiting but rather to provide an understandable description of the invention.
The terms “a” or “an,” as used herein, are defined as one or more than one. The term “plurality,” as used herein, is defined as two or more than two. The term “another,” as used herein, is defined as at least a second or more. The terms “including” and/or “having,” as used herein, are defined as comprising (i.e., open language). The term “coupled” as used herein, are defined as connected, although not necessarily directly, and not necessarily mechanically.
The present invention concerns a low profile, liquid-sealed audio component assembly. In one arrangement, the assembly can include a seal having an opening, a membrane that can cover the opening and that can substantially block liquid from entering the seal and an audio component contained within the seal and positioned outside a coverage area underneath the membrane. The membrane can transfer acoustic signals to or from the audio component. In addition, the coverage area underneath the membrane can correspond to the area of the membrane that receives acoustic signals, and at least a portion of the audio component can be in the same horizontal plane as the membrane.
As such, the invention presents an audio component assembly that can prevent liquids, such as water, from entering the housing of a mobile communications device. Because the audio component is positioned outside the coverage area of the membrane, however, the audio component and the membrane can be positioned substantially side-by-side, which can allow for proper operation of the membrane without adding to the thickness of the mobile device.
Referring to
In one arrangement, the assembly 100 can include a seal 112, which can include an opening 114 (best seen in
In one arrangement, the membrane 120 can be constructed of any material that can substantially block liquid, such as water, from flowing through it. The membrane 120, however, can be permeable enough to permit some air to pass through it. As an example, the membrane 120 can be made of Gore-Tex expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) manufactured by W.L. Gore & Associates, Inc. of Newark, Del. Of course, any other suitable material may be used here. As will be explained later, the membrane 120 can receive acoustic signals and can help transfer those signals to or even from an audio component 122. As an example, the audio component 122 may be a microphone, although the audio component 122 can be any other suitable device, such as a speaker. The term audio component can mean any component that is capable of producing or capturing any suitable form of an acoustic signal. For purposes of this description, the audio component 122 is to be referred to as microphone 122. Again, however, the invention is not limited to this particular example.
The second section 116 of the seal 112 can include the microphone 122, which can capture any suitable type of acoustic signals. In one embodiment, the microphone 122 can be positioned outside a coverage area C (see
Referring to
Focusing on
Referring to
In view of the present invention, the microphone 122 can easily capture acoustic signals and can be protected from liquid intrusions without affecting the operation of the membrane 120. Also, if water or some other liquid were to come into contact with the membrane 120, the overall operation of the membrane 120 should not be substantially affected in view of its liquid-proof construction. As such, the performance of the microphone 122 should not be substantially affected. It is important to note, however, that although described primarily in terms of a microphone, the invention is not limited as such. The invention will work for any other suitable audio component, including a speaker.
While the preferred embodiments of the invention have been illustrated and described, it will be clear that the invention is not so limited. Numerous modifications, changes, variations, substitutions and equivalents will occur to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims.
