COMPRESSIBLE SEAL FOR ROTATABLE AND TRANSLATABLE INPUT MECHANISMS

• US 20160259301A1
• Filed: 03/08/2016
• Published: 09/08/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/08/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Ely, Colin M.
• Granted Patent: US 9,952,558 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G04B 27/02 by making use of the winding means winding by hand or mechanically G04B3/00
• CPC Class Codes: G04B 3/04 Rigidly-mounted keys, knobs or crowns jointed winding-stem G04B37/06
• CPC Class Codes: G04B 37/081 Complete encasings for wrist or pocket watches also comprising means for hermetic sealing of the winding stem and crown hermetic sealing of the stem or crown G04B37/10
• CPC Class Codes: G04B 37/106 of push buttons winding up by push button G04B3/001; crown in the form of push button G04B3/046; construction of push buttons G04B3/048
• CPC Class Codes: G04C 3/005 Multiple switches G04C3/004 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G04G 21/00 Input or output devices integrated in time-pieces
• CPC Class Codes: G05G 1/025 actuated by sliding movement
• CPC Class Codes: G05G 1/08 Controlling members for hand actuation by rotary movement, e.g. hand wheels
• CPC Class Codes: G05G 25/04 Sealing against entry of dust, weather or the like in selector apparatus for gearings, F16H59/0213
• CPC Class Codes: G05G 5/05 Means for returning or tending to return controlling members to an inoperative or neutral position, e.g. by providing return springs or resilient end-stops G05G5/28 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05G 9/04 in which movement in two or more ways can occur simultaneously
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0362 with detection of 1D translations or rotations of an operating part of the device, e.g. scroll wheels, sliders, knobs, rollers or belts
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2300/016 Application timepiece
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 25/06 Operating part movable both angularly and rectilinearly, the rectilinear movement being along the axis of angular movement
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 25/065 using separate operating parts, e.g. a push button surrounded by a rotating knob

Abstract

An electronic device has a housing and a rotatable and translatable input mechanism. The housing has an aperture and the rotatable and translatable input mechanism has a shaft positioned at least partially within the aperture and a manipulation structure coupled to the shaft. The manipulation structure may be manipulated to rotationally and translationally move the shaft to provide rotational and translational input to the electronic device. A compressible seal is positioned in a gap between the housing and the rotatable and translatable input mechanism. The compressible seal may resist and/or prevent passage of contaminants into the aperture and/or obscure one or more internal components. The compressible seal may be configured to collapse or bend when the rotatable and translatable member translates.

Claims

1. An input mechanism assembly for an electronic device, comprising:

a rotatable and translatable member comprising;

a shaft positioned at least partially within an aperture of a housing; and

a manipulation structure coupled to the shaft and separated from the housing by a gap; and

a compressible seal positioned in the gap that resists passage of contaminants into the aperture and is configured to collapse when the rotatable and translatable member translates;

wherein

rotation of the rotatable and translatable member generates a first input to the electronic device; and

translation of the rotatable and translatable member generates a second input to the electronic device.

2. The input mechanism assembly of claim 1, wherein the compressible seal is formed of at least one of silicone, polyurethane, hydrogenated nitrile butadiene rubber, or a fluoroelastomer.

3. The input mechanism assembly of claim 1, wherein:

the compressible seal comprises first and second arms positioned obliquely with respect to each other;

the first arm contacts the housing;

the second arm contacts the rotatable and translatable input member; and

the first and second arms are operable to move toward each other when the rotatable and translatable member translates.

4. The input mechanism assembly of claim 3, wherein:

the first arm has a first end and a second end;

the second arm has a third end and a fourth end;

the first and third ends are unconnected; and

the second and fourth ends are connected.

5. The input mechanism assembly of claim 1, wherein the compressible seal obscures at least one component that is at least one of formed of a different material than the manipulation structure or has a different finish than the manipulation structure.

6. The input mechanism assembly of claim 1, wherein rotation of the rotatable and translatable member is not transferred to the compressible seal.

7. The input mechanism assembly of claim 1, wherein the contaminants comprise liquid absent hydrostatic pressure.

8. A wearable electronic device, comprising:

a body including an aperture;

a crown comprising;

a knob;

a stem coupled to the knob and positioned at least partially within the aperture;

a tactile structure connected to the crown that is actuatable by translation of the crown; and

an elastomer Y-ring positioned between the crown and the body configured to bend when the crown translates to move the knob toward the body;

wherein the elastomer Y-ring obscures at least one component with a different visual appearance than the knob.

9. The wearable electronic device of claim 8, wherein the elastomer Y-ring is operable to move freely of the body or the crown.

10. The wearable electronic device of claim 8, wherein rotation of the crown is transferred to the elastomer Y-ring.

11. The wearable electronic device of claim 8, further comprising a gasket positioned between the crown and the body that is shaped to define an indent into which the gasket is configured to expand when compressed.

12. The wearable electronic device of claim 8, wherein a shape of a force curve corresponding to actuation of the tactile structure by the translation of the crown is unchanged by the elastomer Y-ring.

13. The wearable electronic device of claim 8, wherein the elastomer Y-ring is configured to prevent light passage.

14. The wearable electronic device of claim 13, wherein a finish or a color of the elastomer Y-ring is configured to prevent light passage.

15. A system, comprising:

a wearable device comprising an enclosure;

a collar coupled to an aperture of the enclosure, the collar having an outside and an inside;

an input mechanism moveably connected to the collar having a first portion and a second portion; and

a compressible structure positioned between the enclosure and the input mechanism;

wherein

the first portion is moveably coupled to the outside of the collar via at least one bushing; and

the second portion is positioned within the inside of the collar such that the input mechanism is operable to rotate and translate with respect to the collar.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the compressible structure is fixed to at least one of the enclosure or the input mechanism.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the compressible structure functions as a barrier against entry of dust and unpressurized liquid into the input mechanism.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the compressible structure functions as the barrier while the input mechanism is rotating.

19. The system of claim 15, wherein the collar has at least one of a polished surface or a coated surface.

20. The system of claim 15, wherein the compressible structure has at least one of a V shape, a U shape, an X shape, or a Y shape.