Force Sensing Compliant Enclosure

• US 20160216164A1
• Filed: 09/29/2013
• Published: 07/28/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Teil, Romain A.
• Granted Patent: US 9,915,572 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 1/146 for measuring force distributions, e.g. using force arrays G01L1/148 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 1/16 using properties of piezoelectric devices
• 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 1/1656 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 2200/1636 Sensing arrangement for detection of a tap gesture on the housing
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/3888 Arrangements for carrying or protecting transceivers

Abstract

A force sensing compliant enclosure for an electronic device may include at least one deformable housing wall. At least one strain concentration portion may be located on the deformable housing wall where strain caused by application of a force that deforms the deformable housing wall is greater than at other portions of the deformable housing wall. The strain concentrating portion may have a second thickness that is thinner than other portions of the deformable housing wall. One or more sensors may be positioned in the strain concentration portion and may sense strain caused by the application of the force that deforms the deformable housing wall.

Claims

1. An electronic device, comprising:

a force sensing compliant enclosure, comprising;

at least one deformable housing wall;

at least one strain concentration portion located on the at least one deformable housing wall wherein strain caused by application of a force that deforms the at least one deformable housing wall is greater at the at least one strain concentration portion than at other portions of the at least one deformable housing wall; and

at least one sensor positioned at the at least one strain concentration portion that senses the strain caused by the application of the force that deforms the e at least one deformable housing wall.

2. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the at least one deformable housing wall has a first thickness at the at least one strain concentration portion and a second thickness at the other portions wherein the first thickness is less than the second thickness.

3. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the sensor comprises at least one at least one strain gauge, at least one capacitive sensor, at least one parallel plate capacitive sensor, or at least one piezoelectric sensor.

4. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor comprises a plurality of sensors.

5. The electronic device of claim 4, further comprising at least one processing unit that receives data regarding the strain sensed by each of the plurality of sensors.

6. The electronic device of claim 5, wherein the at least one processing unit compares the data received from each of the plurality of sensors to determine a location on the force sensing compliant enclosure where the force was applied.

7. The electronic device of claim 6, wherein the at least one processing unit compares the determined location with a previously determined location where a previous force was applied to determine at least one movement between the determined location and the previously determined location.

8. The electronic device of claim 5, wherein the at least one processing unit compares the data received from each of the plurality of sensors to determine an amount of the force.

9. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the at least one strain concentration portion is located on an internal surface of the at least one deformable housing wall.

10. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the at least one strain concentration portion comprises at least one of at least one indentation, at least one notch, or at least one groove.

11. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor comprises a plurality of sensors and the at least one strain concentration portion comprises a plurality of strain concentration portions that each include at least one of the plurality of sensors.

12. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the at least one deformable housing wall comprises a plurality of joined deformable housing walls and the at least one strain concentration portion extends across multiple of the plurality of joined deformable housing walls.

13. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of joined deformable housing walls form a perimeter of the force sensing compliant enclosure and the at least one strain concentration portion extends around an internal portion of the perimeter.

14. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor is positioned at a portion of the at least one strain concentration portion wherein strain caused by the application of the force is greater at the portion of the at least one strain concentration portion than at other portions of the at least one strain concentration portion.

15. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor is aligned with a direction of the wherein strain caused by the application of the force.

16. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the at least one deformable housing wall comprises at least a first material and a second material wherein the at least one strain concentration portion is located on the second material.

17. The electronic device of claim 16, wherein the second material is more deformable than the first material.

18. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the electronic device comprises a handheld electronic device.

19. A force sensing compliant enclosure for an electronic device, comprising:

at least one deformable housing wall;

at least one strain concentration portion located on the at least one deformable housing wall wherein strain caused by application of a force that deforms the at least one deformable housing wall is greater at the at least one strain concentration portion than at other portions of the at least one deformable housing wall; and

at least one sensor positioned at the at least one strain concentration portion that senses the strain caused by the application of the force that deforms the at least one deformable housing wall.

20. A method of operating an electronic device, comprising:

deforming at least one deformable housing wall of a force sensing compliant enclosure in response to application of a force;

determining a strain caused by the deformation utilizing at least one sensor positioned on at least one strain concentration portion of the at least one deformable housing wall wherein the strain is greater at the at least one strain concentration portion than at other portions of the at least one deformable housing wall;

receiving data regarding the strain determined by the at least one sensor utilizing at least one processing unit; and

determining at least one user input, utilizing the at least one processing unit, based at least on the received data.