Force sensing compliant enclosure

• US 9,915,572 B2
• Filed: 09/29/2013
• Issued: 03/13/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Teil, Romain A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Caputo, Lisa
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tran, Tran M
• Application Number:
  US15/025,276
• Publication Number:
  US 20160216164A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,626 Days
• 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 housing, comprising;

an internal wall surface forming a part of an interior perimeter of the housing;

at least one strain concentration portion located on the internal wall surface wherein;

the at least one strain concentration portion experiences a strain caused by application of a force that deforms the internal wall surface;

the strain experienced by the at least one strain concentration portion is greater than strain experienced by other portions of the internal wall surface; and

the at least one strain concentration portion includes an indentation defined by the internal wall surface wherein the indentation is thinnest at a middle of the indentation; 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 internal wall surface.

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

3. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the sensor comprises 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 configured to receive 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 is configured to compare the data received from each of the plurality of sensors to determine a location on the housing where the force was applied.

7. The electronic device of claim 6, wherein the at least one processing unit is configured to compare 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 is configured to compare 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 a middle portion of the internal wall surface.

10. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the indentation is curved.

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 housing comprises a plurality of joined internal wall surfaces and the at least one strain concentration portion extends across multiple of the plurality of joined internal wall surfaces.

13. The electronic device of claim 12, wherein the plurality of joined internal wall surfaces form the interior perimeter of the housing and the at least one strain concentration portion extends around the interior 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 housing 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 housing for an electronic device, comprising:

an internal wall surface that forms a part of an interior perimeter of the housing;

at least one strain concentration portion located on the internal wall surface comprising a groove that is thinnest at a middle of the groove;

wherein;

the at least one strain concentration portion experiences a strain caused by application of a force that deforms the internal wall surface;

the strain experienced by the at least one strain concentration portion is greater than strain experienced by other portions of the internal wall surface; and

the portion of the internal wall surface where the at least one strain concentration portion is located is made of a different material having a different rigidity than a material forming other portions of the internal wall surface; 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 internal wall surface.

20. A portable electronic device, comprising:

a housing having an internal wall surface that forms a part of an interior perimeter of the housing;

a strain concentration portion defined as a notch in the internal wall surface wherein the notch is thinnest at a middle of the notch;

a force sensor positioned at the middle of the notch; and

a processor configured to receive an indication of a force that deforms the housing from the force sensor.