Acoustic assembly for an electronic device

• US 9,497,527 B2
• Filed: 07/16/2013
• Issued: 11/15/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/01/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Mittleman, Adam, Howarth, Richard P., Seguin, Chad
• Primary Examiner(s): TRAN, MINH LOAN
• Application Number:
  US13/943,714
• Publication Number:
  US 20140105440A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,218 Days
• Field of Search: 381/355, 381/361, 381/365, 381/345, 381/386, 381/387, 455/575.1, 455/575.8
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/035 Improving the acoustic characteristics by means of constructional features of the housing, e.g. ribs, walls, resonating chambers or cavities
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/18 Telephone sets specially adapted for use in ships, mines, or other places exposed to adverse environment H04M1/19 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/02 Casings; Cabinets ; Supports therefor; Mountings therein H04R1/28 takes precedence ; attachments for microphones H04R1/08; mounting of transducers in earpieces H04R1/1075
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/023 Screens for loudspeakers
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/025 Arrangements for fixing loudspeaker transducers, e.g. in a box, furniture
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/026 Supports for loudspeaker casings
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/04 Structural association of microphone with electric circuitry therefor in deaf-aid sets H04R25/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/086 Protective screens, e.g. all weather or wind screens
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/28 Transducer mountings or enclosures modified by provision of mechanical or acoustic impedances, e.g. resonator, damping means combinations of transducers with horns, i.e. front-loaded horns H04R1/30
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/2807 Enclosures comprising vibrating or resonating arrangements for the reduction of undesired resonances or vibrations H04R1/2869
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2499/11 Transducers incorporated or for use in hand-held devices, e.g. mobile phones, PDA's, camera's

Abstract

A portable electronic device may have acoustic ports such as microphone and speaker ports. Acoustic devices such as microphones and speakers may be associated with the acoustic ports. An acoustic port may have an opening between an interior and exterior of the portable electronic device. The opening may be covered by a metal mesh. An acoustic fabric may be interposed between the metal mesh and the opening. The opening may be formed from a hole in a glass member having outer and inner chamfers. A microphone boot may be provided that forms front and rear radial seals with a housing of the device and a microphone unit respectively. The microphone boot may also form multiple face seals with the microphone unit. A speaker for the speaker port may be enclosed in a sealed speaker enclosure. The speaker enclosure may have a pressure-equalizing vent slit covered with an acoustic mesh.

Claims

1. A microphone structure for a portable electronic device having a housing, comprising:

a microphone unit;

an elastomeric microphone boot coupled to the microphone unit, the elastomeric microphone boot;

defining an opening that permits sound to enter the microphone unit from outside of the housing; and

forming a rear seal with a rear surface of the microphone unit; and

a metal mesh coupled to the opening.

2. The microphone structure of claim 1, wherein the microphone boot further comprises a front face seal portion that forms a front face seal with a front surface of the microphone unit.

3. The microphone structure of claim 2, wherein the microphone boot further comprises a radial seal portion that forms a radial seal with the microphone unit and wherein the radial seal is located between the front face seal and the rear face seal.

4. The microphone structure of claim 1, further comprising a fabric layer located between the opening and the metal mesh.

5. The microphone structure of claim 1, wherein the microphone boot further comprises a radial seal portion that forms a radial seal with the housing.

6. The microphone structure of claim 5, wherein the radial seal portion comprises raised ribs.

7. The microphone structure of claim 1, further comprising a fabric layer coupled to the metal mesh.

8. A microphone structure comprising:

a first layer of mesh;

a second layer of mesh coupled to the first layer of mesh;

a microphone unit; and

an elastomeric microphone boot coupled to the microphone unit to form an environmental seal with the microphone unit and coupled to one or more portions of the second layer of mesh.

9. The microphone structure of claim 8, wherein the second layer of mesh is an acoustic mesh.

10. The microphone structure of claim 8, wherein the first layer of mesh is a metal mesh that comprises holes of a first size and wherein the second layer of mesh comprises holes of a second size that are smaller than the holes of the first size.

11. The microphone structure of claim 8, further comprising a radial seal portion that forms a radial seal with a housing.

12. The microphone structure of claim 11, wherein the radial seal portion comprises one or more raised ribs.

13. The microphone structure of claim 12, wherein the one or more raised ribs are configured to mate with corresponding recesses of the housing.

14. The microphone structure of claim 8, wherein the first layer of mesh comprises one or more wires that alter the appearance of the first layer of mesh.

15. A microphone assembly comprising:

a first layer of mesh;

a second layer of mesh coupled to the first layer of mesh;

a microphone unit; and

an elastomeric microphone boot having a first end and a second end, wherein;

the first end comprises one or more structures that mate with corresponding structures of a housing portion of an electronic device to form an environmental seal; and

the second end forms a rear seal with a rear surface of the microphone unit to form an environmental seal.

16. The microphone assembly of claim 15, wherein the second layer of mesh is an acoustic mesh.

17. The microphone assembly of claim 15, wherein the first layer of mesh is a metal mesh that comprises holes of a first size and wherein the second layer of mesh comprises holes of a second size that are smaller than the holes of the first size.

18. The microphone assembly of claim 15, wherein the one or more structures of the first end are recesses and wherein the corresponding structures of the housing portion are protrusions.

19. The microphone assembly of claim 15, wherein the one or more structures of the first end are raised ribs and wherein the corresponding structures of the housing portion are recesses.

20. The microphone assembly of claim 15, wherein the second layer of mesh is a fabric.

21. An acoustic assembly for a portable device, comprising:

an enclosure defining a vent formed from multiple holes, each of which are less than 0.1 mm² in area; and

an acoustic component disposed within the structure;

wherein

the multiple holes permit air pressure to equalize between an interior and exterior of the enclosure.

22. The acoustic assembly of claim 21, wherein the multiple holes are laser-drilled.

23. The acoustic assembly of claim 21, wherein the enclosure is a closed acoustic environment.

24. The acoustic assembly of claim 21, further comprising a mesh overlying the vent.

25. The acoustic assembly of claim 21, wherein the enclosure is made from one of metal or plastic.

26. The acoustic assembly of claim 21, wherein each of the multiple holes are rectangular.

27. The acoustic assembly of claim 21, further comprising a boot connected to the enclosure and forming a seal with a portion of the enclosure.

28. An electronic device, comprising:

a housing;

an acoustic enclosure positioned within the housing;

a boot positioned within the housing and forming a seal with a portion of the acoustic enclosure; and

a group of holes formed through the acoustic enclosure;

wherein

the group of holes allows air flow between an interior and exterior of the acoustic enclosure, thereby equalizing air pressure within and without the acoustic enclosure.

29. The electronic device of claim 28, wherein:

the group of holes are laser-drilled; and

each of the group of holes have an area less than 0.1 mm2.

30. The electronic device of claim 28, wherein:

the acoustic enclosure comprises

a body defining an opening; and

a structure extending across the opening; and

the group of holes are formed in the structure.

31. The electronic device of claim 30, wherein the group of holes are microperforated in the structure.

32. The electronic device of claim 31, wherein the group of microperforated holes are formed by a laser.

33. The electronic device of claim 30, wherein the group of holes are the sole openings of the acoustic enclosure.

34. An acoustic assembly for an electronic device, comprising:

an acoustically closed-box enclosure defining;

a first set of holes formed directly through a first wall of the enclosure, the holes extending through the entire wall; and

a second set of holes formed directly through at least a second wall of the enclosure; and

an acoustic component within, and mounted to, the enclosure such that the acoustic component divides an interior of the housing into a first region and a second region, the first wall bounding the first region and the second wall bounding the second region.

35. The acoustic assembly of claim 34, wherein the second set of holes permits sound to exit the second region.

36. The acoustic assembly of claim 34, wherein the first set of holes equalizes a pressure between the first region and an exterior of the acoustic assembly.

37. The acoustic assembly of claim 36, wherein the first set of holes are formed in a line.

38. The acoustic assembly of claim 36, wherein the first set of holes are formed in an array.

39. The acoustic assembly of claim 36, wherein the acoustic assembly is configured to operate as a closed-box speaker.

40. The acoustic assembly of claim 34, wherein:

the acoustic component is a first acoustic component; and

the acoustic assembly further comprises a second acoustic component mounted outside and to the enclosure.