Electronic devices with moisture resistant openings

• US 8,830,662 B2
• Filed: 03/01/2011
• Issued: 09/09/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/01/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Myers, Scott A., Weber, Douglas, Tan, Tang Yew, Dinh, Richard Hung Minh, Pakula, David A., Sloey, Jason
• Primary Examiner(s): Wilson, Adrian S
• Application Number:
  US13/037,887
• Publication Number:
  US 20120224299A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,288 Days
• Field of Search: 36167955- 56, 455/575.4, 220/62.11, 220/62.15, 220/62.22, 174/520, 174/521
• US Class Current: 361/679.01
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/0086 portable, e.g. battery operated apparatus casings for switching devices H01H9/02
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/0213 Venting apertures; Constructional details thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/0214 with means preventing penetration of rain water or dust semi-permeable membranes H05K5/0215, H05K5/0216

Abstract

Electronic devices may have openings that serve as potential pathways for moisture intrusion into interior portions of the devices. An electronic device may be provided with moisture repelling coatings in the vicinity of these openings to help prevent moisture from reaching the interior of the device. The openings may be associated with gaps between adjacent housing structures, openings for buttons, openings for audio and connector ports or other openings in device structures. The moisture repelling coatings may be applied to housing surfaces, button members, structures associated with audio and connector ports, and other device structures.

Claims

1. An electronic device, comprising:

a housing that separates an interior region of the electronic device from an exterior region, wherein the housing has at least first and second housing members, wherein the first and second housing members have respective opposing first and second surfaces;

a first moisture repelling coating layer on the first surface; and

a second moisture repelling coating layer on the second surface, wherein the first and second moisture repelling coating layers are separated by a gap that extends along an overlapping portion of the first and second surfaces.

2. The electronic device defined in claim 1 wherein the first housing member comprises a housing sidewall member.

3. The electronic device defined in claim 2 further comprising a display cover layer with a peripheral edge, wherein the second housing member comprises a trim structure that runs along the peripheral edge.

4. The electronic device defined in claim 1 wherein the first housing member comprises a display cover layer.

5. The electronic device defined in claim 1 wherein the first housing member comprises metal and wherein the second housing member comprises plastic.

6. The electronic device defined in claim 5 wherein the first housing member comprise a peripheral housing member that forms sidewalls for the electronic device and wherein the plastic comprises glass-filled plastic.

7. The electronic device defined in claim 1 wherein the first and second moisture repelling coating layers comprise fluorine.

8. An electronic device, comprising:

a display cover layer having a peripheral edge;

a housing member having a top surface and a bottom surface;

a trim member that runs along the peripheral edge and that is mounted on the top surface of the housing member; and

moisture repelling coating formed on the top and bottom surfaces of the housing member.

9. The electronic device defined in claim 8 wherein the housing member comprises metal, wherein the trim member comprises plastic, and wherein the moisture repelling coating comprises fluorine.

10. The electronic device defined in claim 8 wherein the housing member comprises a metal band.

11. The electronic device defined in claim 10 wherein metal band forms a vertical sidewall structure of a device housing that is formed at least in part by the metal band, the trim member and the display cover layer.

12. The electronic device defined in claim 10 wherein the metal band includes a plastic-filled gap.

13. The electronic device defined in claim 8 wherein the moisture repelling coating comprises a hydrophobic material.

14. The electronic device defined in claim 8 wherein the moisture repelling coating comprises an oleophobic material.

15. The electronic device defined in claim 8 wherein the moisture repelling coating comprises a hydrophobic and oleophobic material.

16. The electronic device defined in claim 8, further comprising:

a planar rear housing member having a peripheral edge;

an additional trim member that runs along the peripheral edge of the planar rear housing member, wherein the moisture repelling coating is interposed between the trim member and the top surface of the housing member and between the additional trim member and the bottom surface of the housing member.

17. The electronic device defined in claim 16 wherein the planar rear housing member comprises glass.