Self-sealing sensor in an electronic device

• US 10,161,814 B2
• Filed: 05/19/2016
• Issued: 12/25/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 05/27/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Martisauskas, Steven J., Shuma, Richard D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dunlap, Jonathan
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hollington, Octavia
• Application Number:
  US15/159,631
• Publication Number:
  US 20160349123A1
• Time in Patent Office: 950 Days
• Field of Search: 7386268
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 1/14 by measuring variations in capacitance or inductance of electrical elements, e.g. by measuring variations of frequency of electrical oscillators
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1626 with a single-body enclosure integrating a flat display, e.g. Personal Digital Assistants [PDAs]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/163 Wearable computers, e.g. on a belt
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1637 Details related to the display arrangement, including those related to the mounting of the display in the housing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1643 the display being associated to a digitizer, e.g. laptops that can be used as penpads details related to the relative motion of the display enclosure with respect to the body enclosure, e.g. to move between laptop and tablet PC configuration G06F1/1615
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1656 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 Class Codes: G06F 2203/04103 Manufacturing, i.e. details related to manufacturing processes specially suited for touch sensitive devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/026 Details of the structure or mounting of specific components
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/18 Printed circuits structurally associated with non-printed electric components H05K1/0201, H05K1/023, H05K1/0243, and H05K1/16 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/05 Flexible printed circuits [FPCs]
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10151 Sensor
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/30 Assembling printed circuits with electric components, e.g. with resistor

Abstract

A sensor is disposed between a first component and a second component of an electronic device. The sensor includes a first surface having a first dimension and a second surface having a second dimension that is less than the first dimension such that the sensor has a tapered profile.

Claims

1. A sensor disposed between a first component and a second component of an electronic device, wherein the sensor comprises:

a first flexible circuit layer;

a second flexible circuit layer; and

a compliant layer positioned between the first and second flexible circuit layers;

wherein;

the first flexible circuit layer, the second flexible circuit layer, and the compliant layer form a thickness of the sensor; and

the thickness of the sensor varies from a first value to a second value such that the sensor has a tapered profile.

2. The sensor as in claim 1, wherein at least one of the first flexible circuit layer, the second flexible circuit layer, or the compliant layer is a tapered layer.

3. The sensor as in claim 1, wherein the sensor further comprises:

a first adhesive layer positioned between the first component and the first flexible circuit layer;

a second adhesive layer positioned between the second component and the second flexible circuit layer;

wherein at least one layer in the sensor is a tapered layer.

4. The sensor of claim 3, wherein the first adhesive layer is the tapered layer and a first end of the first adhesive layer adjacent a gap between the sensor and the second component is thicker than a second end of the first adhesive layer.

5. The sensor of claim 3, wherein the second adhesive layer is the tapered layer and a first end of the second adhesive layer adjacent a gap between the sensor and the second component is thicker than a second end of the second adhesive layer.

6. The sensor of claim 3, wherein the second flexible circuit layer is the tapered layer and a first end of the second flexible circuit layer adjacent a gap between the sensor and the second component is thicker than a second end of the second flexible circuit layer.

7. The sensor of claim 3, wherein a taper angle of the tapered layer is included in a range of one to five degrees.

8. The sensor of claim 3, wherein a taper angle of the tapered layer is included in a range of two to four degrees.

9. The sensor of claim 3, wherein a tapered interface in the sensor has a length of one hundred and fifty microns or less.

10. The sensor of claim 3, wherein a tapered interface in the sensor has a length ranging from twenty-five to seventy-five microns.

11. The sensor of claim 3, wherein the electronic device comprises one of a wearable communication device, a tablet computing device, and a cellular telephone.

12. The sensor of claim 3, wherein the first flexible circuit layer is the tapered layer and a first end of the first flexible circuit layer adjacent a gap between the sensor and the second component is thicker than a second end of the first flexible circuit layer.

13. The sensor of claim 1, wherein the first flexible circuit layer is tapered and a first end of the first flexible circuit layer adjacent a gap between the sensor and the second component is thicker than a second end of the first flexible circuit layer.

14. The sensor of claim 1, wherein the compliant layer is tapered and a first end of the compliant layer adjacent a gap between the sensor and the second component is thicker than a second end of the compliant layer.

15. The sensor of claim 1, further comprising a first set of conductive plates in the first flexible circuit layer and a second set of conductive plates in the second flexible circuit layer, wherein each plate in the first set is paired with a respective plate in the second set to form capacitors.

16. The sensor of claim 15, wherein the sensor comprises a capacitive force sensor.

17. The sensor as in claim 1, wherein at least one interface between two layers of the sensor is a tapered interface.

18. The sensor of claim 17, wherein a taper angle of at least one tapered interface is included in a range of one to five degrees.

19. The sensor of claim 17, wherein a taper angle of at least one tapered interface is included in a range of two to four degrees.

20. The sensor of claim 17, wherein at least one tapered interface has a length of one hundred and fifty microns or less.

21. The sensor of claim 17, wherein a length of at least one tapered interface is included in a range of twenty-five to seventy-five microns.

22. The sensor of claim 17, wherein the electronic device comprises one of a wearable communication device, a tablet computing device, and a smart telephone.

23. The sensor as in claim 1, wherein at least one interface between the compliant layer and the first and second flexible circuit layers is a tapered interface.

24. The sensor of claim 23, wherein a first tapered interface is between the first flexible circuit layer and the compliant layer, wherein a first end of the compliant layer adjacent a side surface of the second component has a thickness that is greater than a thickness of a second end of the compliant layer.

25. The sensor of claim 24, wherein a second tapered interface is between the second flexible circuit layer and the compliant layer.

26. The sensor of claim 23, wherein the tapered interface is between the first flexible circuit layer and the compliant layer, wherein a first end of the first flexible circuit layer adjacent a side surface of the second component has a thickness that is greater than a thickness of a second end of the first flexible circuit layer.

27. The sensor of claim 23, wherein the tapered interface is between the second flexible circuit layer and the compliant layer, wherein a first end of the second flexible circuit layer adjacent a side surface of the second component has a thickness that is greater than a thickness of a second end of the second flexible circuit layer.

28. The sensor of claim 23, further comprising a first set of conductive plates in the first flexible circuit layer and a second set of conductive plates in the second flexible circuit layer, wherein each plate in the first set is paired with a respective plate in the second set to form capacitors.

29. The sensor of claim 28, wherein the sensor comprises a capacitive force sensor.

30. The sensor of claim 23, wherein a taper angle of at least one tapered interface is a function of a ratio of a surface area of a first exposed surface and a surface area of a second exposed surface.

31. The sensor of claim 1, further comprising:

a first adhesive layer positioned between the first flexible circuit layer and the first component; and

a second adhesive layer positioned between the second flexible circuit layer and a bottom surface of the second component.

32. The sensor of claim 31, wherein an interface between the first adhesive layer and the first component is a tapered interface such that an end of the first component has a thickness that is less than a thickness of a center of the first component.

33. An electronic device, comprising:

an enclosure having an opening;

a cover glass disposed in the opening; and

a force sensor positioned between the cover glass and the enclosure, wherein a bottom surface of the cover glass adjacent a top surface of the force sensor is tapered such that a thickness of the cover glass decreases toward an edge of the cover glass.

34. The electronic device of claim 33, wherein the force sensor comprises:

a first adhesive layer positioned between the enclosure and a first flexible circuit layer;

a second adhesive layer positioned between the bottom surface of the cover glass and a second flexible circuit layer; and

a compliant layer positioned between the first and second flexible circuit layers, wherein the first flexible circuit layer comprises a first set of conductive plates and the second flexible circuit layer comprises a second set of conductive plates and each plate in the first set of conductive plates is paired with a respective plate in the second set of conductive plates to form capacitors.

35. An electronic device, comprising:

an enclosure having an opening and a ledge extending into an interior of the electronic device;

a cover glass disposed in the opening; and

a force sensor positioned between the cover glass and the ledge, wherein a surface of the ledge adjacent a bottom surface of the force sensor is tapered such that a thickness of the ledge increases toward an edge of the ledge in the interior of the electronic device.

36. The electronic device of claim 35, wherein the force sensor comprises:

a first adhesive layer positioned between the ledge and a first flexible circuit layer;

a second adhesive layer positioned between a bottom surface of the cover glass and a second flexible circuit layer; and

a compliant layer positioned between the first and second flexible circuit layers, wherein the first flexible circuit layer comprises a first set of conductive plates and the second flexible circuit layer comprises a second set of conductive plates and each plate in the first set of conductive plates is paired with a respective plate in the second set of conductive plates to form capacitors.